Eighteen Choice and Useful Sermons, Sermon 1
THE FIRST SERMON.
GEN. 22.2.
Take now thine onelyonly Sonne Jſaac whom thou loveſt, and get thee into the Land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offring, upon one of the Mountaines which I will tell thee of.
Paradiſus Geneſis in quo pullulant Patriarcharum virtutes Ambr. Epiſt. 41.THis booke of Moſes, is reſembled by St. Ambroſe not unfitly unto Paradiſe. Geneſis (ſaith he) is a Paradiſe, wherein ſpring forth the virtues of the Patriarchs; For as in Paradiſe there were variety of trees, which brought forth variety of excelent fruits, both pleaſant to behold and good to eate:Gen. 2.9. So in this Paradiſe, this book of Geneſis are many worthy plants, Gods Children and Servants, whoſe fruits of Faith, of Love and obedience, are both delightfull for us to read, and profitable to imitate. Now of all theſe plants, the chief are the Patriarchs, of all the Patriarchs the moſt fruitfull is Abraham, and of all the fruits which he ever brought forth, we have here the worthieſt without all compariſon, his wonderfull Faith and Obedience to God, in offering his Sonne; For this Chapter containes that admirable Hiſtory of Abrahams offering his Sonne Jſaac unto God; wherein three things are eſpecially ſet down.
Firſt, The cauſe which moved Abraham to offer his Sonne; namely, the commandement of God in this ſecond verſe.
Secondly, Abrahams obedience to Gods commandement, to the 11. verſe.
And thirdly, Gods approbation and acceptance of Abrahams obedience, in the 12, and 13. verſes.
For the firſt, which is, the cauſe that moved Abraham to offer his Sonne, namely the Commandement of God, it was the moſt grievous Commandement that ever was given; and it was given, as appears in the …ver. for the tryall of Abraham. A ſtrange tryall of ſo holy a man,Lippoman in Cate. in Gen. which as Zeno the Biſhop of Ver…na ſaid, Ant e…m ſacrilegum faceret ſi contemneret Deum, a…t crudelem ſi occideret filium; would make him either guilty of ſacriledge if he contemned God, or of great cruelty if he killed his Sonne. So that Abraham is here brought into wonderfull ſtraits; for if he do not that which God Commands him, God will condemn him of great impiety; and yet if he do it,5. Difficulties in this Commandement. all the world will condemn him of extreame cruelty. Now the difficulty and grievouſneſſe of this Commandement appears eſpecially in theſe five things, which are all comprized and couched together in this ſecond verſe.
Firſt, In regard of the ſacrifice it ſelf which is to be offered, and that is Iſaac, not Abrahams Servant, but his Sonne: not one out of many, but his onelyonly Sonne: not one that he cares not for, but his beloved Sonne. Take now thine onelyonly Sonne, Jſaac whom thou loveſt.
Secondly, I regard of the party that muſt offer this ſacrifice, and that is Abraham, Abraham a Father muſt ſacrifice his Sonne, he muſt do it himſelf and no other for him; Take now thine onelyonly Sonne and (do thou) effer him.
Thirdly, In regard of the manner how he muſt ſacrifice his Son, He muſt offer him to God (in holocauſtums) for a burnt-offring. So that firſt he muſt kill him, then hew him in pieces, and when that is done, he muſt lay him upon the fire and he muſt burne him to aſhes; for all this is required in a burnt-offring.
Fourthly, In regard of the place where he muſt ſacrifice his Son, and that is ſet down two waies,
1. More generally, in the Land of Moriath, a place (as appears in the fourth verſe) that was diſtant from him three daies journy, that all the while he is travelling thither with his Sonne, his affection might have time to work within him,
2. More ſpecially, upon one of the Mountaines (ſaith God) that I will tell thee of. Though it be a moſt unnaturall and monſtrous act which he is to perſome, yet he may not do it in ſecret; but he muſt do it upon a Mountaine where he may the leſ…e conceale it.
And fifthly, In regard of the time when he muſt ſacrifice his Son, he muſt not ſtand to deliberate it; but he muſt go preſently about it, Take now thine onelyonly Sonne. Nay, now when he is old and his wife paſt bearing; and therefore hopeleſſe of having any other children; now he muſt take this his onelyonly Sonne: he muſt poſt into the land of Moriah, and there upon one of the Mountaines, he himſelf muſt offer him, and that for a burnt-offring.
Difficulty. 1 And thus we ſee, the difficulty and grievouſneſſe of this Commandement; I will now come to handle the particulars, in the ſame order as I have propounded them. And firſt, of the firſt difficulty, in regard of the ſacrifice it ſelf which is to be offered, that is Iſaac; the Sonne and onelyonly Sonne of Abraham.
God, as appears in the former chapters, had many wayes made tryall of Abrahams obedience. Get thee, ſaith God unto Abraham in the 12. chapter, 1. verſe, Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred, and from thy Fathers Houſe unto the land that I will ſhew thee. This was a hard Commandement. Abraham was then almoſt fourſcore years old, and he muſt begin to travell and which might grieve him the more, he muſt travell into a farre Country; but he knowes not whither;Gen. 12.5. yet Abraham did it, and ſo he came into the land of Canaan, as God had appointed him. But it may be when he came thither, this was a place to ſeate himſelf in, and better it may be then in his own Country. He was no ſooner come thither,Gen. 12.10. but he was welcom'd into the Land with an extreame famine, inſomuch that he was fain to ſhift for himſelf, and to fly into Egypt and his wife with him; yet Abraham was contented, and never murmured againſt God. But it may be when he came thither his entertainment was better. He was no ſooner come thither,Gen. 12.15. but Sarah his wife was taken from him, and for no other cauſe; but becauſe ſhe was ſo beautifull to look upon. Still Abraham perſiſted without any murmuring. But it may be that God had extraordinarily bleſſed him in all other matters. It is true indeed, that God had greatly bleſt him; but yet ſo, as that, that which of all wordly things he chiefly deſired, he ſtill wanted,Gen. 15.2. the comfort of having a Sonne to ſucceed him. And therefore in the 15. chap. 1. verſe, when God had promiſed Abraham to be his exceeding reward, Abraham takes the opportunity, and preſently puts up a Petition to God, Lord, ſaith he, What wilt thou give me ſeeing I go childleſſe, and the Steward of my houſe is this Eliezer of Damaſcus; Behold, thou haſt given no ſeed unto me, and therefore my ſervant muſt be my heir. This was that which ſo troubled Abraham: God had given him great wealth and riches, but what ſhould he do with them, he himſelf was old and might well ſuppoſe, that he could not long enjoy them, he was in a Country where he had no Kindred, and he muſt leave them to a ſtranger that muſt ſucceed him.Gen. 16.15. God promiſed him iſſue; and firſt he gave him Jſhmael by Hagar the bond-woman: but this was not he that ſhould be his Heir, but another which Sarah his wife ſhould bear him. To be ſhort, Sarah conceived and brought forth Iſaac; Gen. 17.19. Iſaac.God himſelf had given him his name before he was borne, a name which ſignified joy and laughter; becauſe Iſaac ſhould be a comfort and joy to his Father. And now old Abrahams ſoule is revived; when he ſeeth his Sonne Iſaac, preſently he thinks he hath lived long enough now he hath a Sonne to ſucceed him; but preſently again he checks his thoughts, and wiſhes to live longer, that he may the longer injoy him. But Abrahams joy may not long continue, God hath another croſſe for him in ſtore, and that is this; Abraham muſt take Jſhmael his firſt begotten, and caſt him out of dores with his mother Hagar. But this, howſoever it was a grief to Abraham; yet it inflamed his affection the more towards Iſaac. For, as when Eliah was taken away, his ſpirit was doubled upon Eliſha: 2 Kings 2.9, 10.ſo Jſhmael being gone, now Iſaac is his Fathers only darling; and now Abrahams affection is doubled upon him. But when God ſees this his deep-ſetled love, he ſtrikes him as it were with a thunder bolt from Heaven, and commands him to kill this his onelyonly Son. A Commandement more cruell then the Lawes of Draco which were written in blood; wherein every word ſtabs Abraham to the heart. Take ſaith he, thy Son, thine onelyonly Son even Iſaac thine onelyonly beloved Son. Was it not enough, O Lord, ſaith Origen, that thou doſt command him to kill his Sonne; but thou muſt adde for this further vexation, his onelyonly Sonne, or was not this enough, but thou muſt put him in mind how dearly he loves him, and was not this yet enough, but the more to kindle and inflame …is affection, thou muſt likewiſe name him? The parting with a Sonne will move a Father very much,His Sonne. ſo great is a Fathers affection unto his Sonne: when Jacob heard that his Sonne Joſeph was dead, he mourn'd and Iamented,Gen. 37.34.35. he put on Sackcloth and would not be comforted; yet Jacob (ye know) had many more Sonnes. In Rama ſaith the Prophet, there was a voice heard, weeping, mourning, and great lamentation; Jerem. 31.15.Rachell weeping for her Children, and would not be comforted, becauſe they were not. Yet Rachell was young and might have more Children,2 Sam. 18.33. when David heard that his Sonne Abſolon was ſlain, he wept and lamented very bitterly for him; nay, he wiſhed that himſelf had died in his roome. O Abſolon Abſolon, my Sonne my Sonne, I would to God ſaith he, that I had died for thee my Sonne Abſolon. Yet Abſolon was a graceleſs and rebellious Sonne, one that roſe up in Armes againſt his own Father, and ſought to deprive him both of life and Kingdom; and yet becauſe he was his Sonne, David could not but love him, ſo great is a Fathers affection unto his Sonne, which no man indeed can ſufficiently conceive, but he that is a Father, and hath a Sonne.
We read in the Eccleſiaſticall Hiſtories,Sozomen. lib. 7. cap. 24. That a certain Merchant in Theodoſious time, hearing that two of his Sonnes were taken priſoners, at the day appointed that they ſhould be executed, he came in all haſte to Theſſalonica where his Sonnes were, & hearing the matter why his Sonnes were to ſuffer, he firſt offered a great ſumme of money for his Sonnes Ranſome, and when that would not be taken, he offered his own life, and made ſute that he himſelf might die in their roome. They who had the charge of the Priſoners committed unto them, made him this anſwer, that his death could not poſſibly excuſe them both, becauſe a ſet number were appointed to ſuffer; but offered withall, that if he would die for any one of them, his death ſhould be taken. The Father preſently accepted their offer, and mourning and lamenting over both his Sonnes, he would willingly have died for either of them, but he knew not whether: ſo great was this Fathers affection unto his Sonnes, that though it were equally divided between them both, yet he was willing to have ſaved either of their lives, even with the loſſe of his own.His onelyonly Sonne. But now if a Father have but one Sonne, then all his care, all his love, all his affection is wholly ſet upon him, and then it is the greateſt grief in the world to loſe him. And therefore the Prophet Jeremy in the ſixt of his Propheſie ſpeaking of the great mourning which the Jewes ſhould make, when their moſt cruel enemies the Chaldeans, and Aſſyrians ſhould come to deſtroy them,Jerem. 6.26. he knew not how to expreſs the greatneſs of their ſorrow, but by the ſorrow of a Father, who having but one Sonne is to part with him: make, ſaith he, lamentation and bitter mourning, as for thine onelyonly Son, ſhewing thereby, that there is no ſorrow like the ſorrow of a Father, who having but one Son, is to be deprived of him. And therefore our Saviour John 3. to ſet forth Gods infinite love towards us;John 3.16. he ſaith, That God ſo loved the world, that he gave his onelyonly begotten Son. If a Father have many Sonnes,Pluta…ch. de multitud. Amicorum. his affection is divided among them all, and therefore the leſſe towards any one; like a River, which being cut into many Channels, his current ye know muſt needes be the weaker. If a Father have many Sons, the loſſe of one cannot be ſo grievous unto him, becauſe he finds comfort in thoſe which are left him; but having but one, if he looſe him (eſpecially when he is old as Abraham was) this muſt needes be an extraordiraly grief unto him. And yet Abrahams caſe is far more grievous.His beloved Sonne. Many a Father, though he have but one Son, yet his grief is the leſſe, when he is taken away; becauſe while he lived he was a grief unto him. But Abraham muſt looſe not his Son onelyonly, and his onelyonly Son, but Iſaac his onelyonly joy and comfort, Iſaac his onelyonly beloved Son. And indeed there was never any Father, that had the like cauſe to love his Sonne. Parents do commonly love their Children, either becauſe they are their own fleſh and blood, or becauſe they continue their name after them; for ſo long as their Children and Poſterity continue, they ſeeme in a manner to live in them. But beſides theſe Abraham had many other cauſes, and far more forcible to love his Sonne. Abraham as we heard before (out of the 15 of Gen.) even longed as it were to have a Sonne; after that God had promiſed him a Sonne, many a year paſt before he had him. In the mean time, God to make him as it were amends for his long expectation, had given him many comfortable promiſes concerning this Sonne; as that his ſeed ſhould be called in Iſaac, Gen. 17.19.that he would multiply his ſeed like the ſtarres of Heaven; that he would eſtabliſh his Covenant with Iſaac for an everlaſting Covenant, and with his ſeed after him. And hath not Abraham then an extraordinary cauſe to love his Sonne? But beſides this, Abraham was fully a hundred years old before he had him, Sarah had been barren for a long time, and if ſhe had not been ſo, yet by reaſon of her age ſhe was paſt bearing; ſo that God had wrought a double miracle, in giving him a Sonne; all which did more inflame his affection towards him; and yet now all upon the ſuddain, as if God had repented him of his former kindneſs, he commands him to ſacrifice this his onelyonly Sonne; what now might Abraham think with himſelf? he might now ſuppoſe that God had but deluded him in all his promiſes, and that God had given him many faire words concerning his Sonne;Job. 10.1.2. but all to no purpoſe. And ſurely had it not bin Abraham, he would have offered like Job, in the bitterneſs of his ſoule, to have pleaded with God; he would have ſtood up in the behalf of his Sonne, and replyed again: And is this that Iſaac that ſhould be my comfort? is this he whom thou haſt ſo often promiſed, and whom I have ſo long expected, as a pledge of thy love and favour towards me? and muſt I now kill him? Quid meus hic Iſaac in te committere, &c. Alas, what hath Iſaac committed againſt thee? how hath he offended thee? who will ever believe that thou wouldeſt have ſpared Sodom, had there been ten that were good in it, if thou now takeſt delight in the blood of the innocent? doeſt thou thus reward thy Children and Servants? and is this the fruit of their love and obedience? O let it not be known in Gath nor publiſhed in Aſcalon, leſt the uncircumciſed Philiſtins inſult over thy people, & ſay among themſelves; ſuch honour may have all his Saints. But Abraham never opened his mouth for his Sonne, but grace having got the upper hand of nature, and faith of affection, he was glad when God had given him a Sonne; but more glad that he had a Sonne to give unto God: for ſo ſaith Chryſoſtom, Latus erat Abraham cum ſilium acciperet, laetior cum ſibi imolandum dominus poſtularet: Abraham rejoyced when he received his Sonne, but he rejoyced more, when God commanded him to offer him unto him. Doct. 1
The Doctrine that may be gathered from hence is this: That God makes tryall of our love and obedience, in thoſe things which of all other are deareſt unto us. For ſo we ſee he deales here with Abraham, when he ſees how dearly he loves his Sonne; for the better tryall of his love and obedience, he commands him to offer him for a burnt-offring.
Thus dealt our Saviour with the Ruler in the Goſpell;Luke 18.22. for knowing that he was rich, and withall, that his heart was ſet upon his treaſure, he willed him to ſell all that ever he had, and to give it to the poor, and ſo tryed him in that which was deareſt unto him.
He,Math. 10.37. ſaith our Saviour, that loveth Father, Mother, Sonne or Daughter more then me, he is not worthy of me. It is no ordinary love which God requires of us, but ſuch a love as is able to ſubdue all naturall affection: So that if our Children were dearer unto us then our own ſoules; yet the love of God is to be preferred before them.
And this was prefigured by thoſe milch kine (1 Sam. 6.) which being to carry the Arke of the Lord, it is ſaid, that their Calves were taken from them, and yet they went on, and onelyonly ſometimes did low after their Calves, but never turned back to look after them. To note unto us, that Religion muſt alwayes overſway affection, and though we do naturally love our Children, yet if they be any hinderance unto us in Gods ſervice, we are not to regard them. It is the commendation of Levi (Deut. 33.) that he ſaid to his Father and Mother, he had not ſeen them, and that he knew not his Brethren nor his own Children. For when the Levites were commanded (Exod. 32.) to conſecrate their hands unto the Lord, every man upon his own Sonne and his own Daughter; they were ſo zealous in Gods Cauſe, that they fought againſt nature, and had no more compaſſion on their Parents or Children, then if they had been meer changers whom they had never ſeene.Hieron. lib. 2. Epiſt. Select. It is an excellent ſaying of St. Jerom, Licet pervulus ex collo pendeat nepos, &c. Though thy little Nephew ſhould hang about thy neck, though thy Mother ſhould intreat thee by thoſe her own duggs that gave thee ſuck, though thy Father ſhould lie upon the Threſhold, and cling about thy feete as thou art going out, to ſtay thee from ſpending thy life in Gods ſervice, per calcatum perge patrem, &c. Tread thy Father under thy feete, and trample upon him; Solum in hac re crudelem eſſe pietatis eſt genus, OnelyOnly in this caſe it is a kind of piety to uſe cruelty. This, howſoever it may ſeeme a very harſh Doctrine unto fleſh and blood, yet if our hearts were once throughly inflamed with the love of God; if we were wholly devoted unto Gods ſervice, and if we did even hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſs, then whatſoever it were that God required at our hands, we would be ready with Abraham to perform obedience.Mat. 4.21.22. And as the Diſciples when our Saviour called them, they left both their goods and their Parents to follow him: So whatſoever it were that God required of us, though it were to the loſſe of all that ever we have. yet we would be willing to reſigne it when God commands us.
And thus much concerning the firſt difficulty in this Commandement, in regard of the ſacrifice which is to be offered, Abrahams onelyonly beloved ſonne Iſaac, I come now to the ſecond.
diffi∣culty. Second The ſecond difficulty is in regard of the Perſon that muſt offer this ſacrifice, & that is Abraham; Abraham a Father muſt ſacrifice his Son, he muſt do it himſelf and no other for him, Take thine onelyonly beloved Sonne Iſaac, and (do thou) offer him.
If a Father having but one onelyonly Son, ſhould but hear that he were cauſeleſs to be put to death, this (ye know) would be a great grief unto him; but if he were commanded to be preſent himſelf, and to be an eye-witneſſe and ſpectator of his death: this muſt needes be a further vexation. O, but being come thither, if he himſelf were inforced to be his Sonnes executioner, and with his own hands to kill his Sonne; this were a torment beyond all compariſon. But this is Abrahams caſe here, If God had commanded him, to deliver his Son to ſome of his Servants, and that they ſhould kill him; yet Abraham might have conceived ſome comfort, for it may be his Servants would have had compaſſion on him (as it hath often been ſeene) or if they had not, but had put him to death; yet Abraham ſhould not have been a ſpectator thereof, but that Abraham may be ſure of the death of his Son; God will have him not onelyonly an eye-witneſs thereof, but to be the actor himſelf; he will have him with his own hands to kill him.Valer. Max. lib. 5. tit. 7. When Caeſar commanded Ceſetus a Roman, to ſubſcribe but his hand to the banniſhment of his Son, he made him this anſwer. Celerius tu mihi Caeſar, omnes meos liberos eripies, quam ex his ego unum mea notá pellam. Thou ſhalt ſooner, ſaith he, berave me of all my Children, then I will ever ſet my hand to bnniſh any one of them. What would he have anſwered, if he had been commanded with his own hands to have killed him? for ſo muſt Abraham.
It is noted by Suetonius, that among other arguments of Caligula his great cruelty,Sueton. Calig. 27 Sect. this was one, That Parents were often compelled by him, to be preſent themſelves at the execution of their children: And when a father would have excuſed his abſence from his ſons execution, in regard of his ſickneſſe: we read there, that Caligula ſent him his horſe-litter to bring him thither: but we never read among all his cruelties, that he forced any father to be his ſons executioner. There have been ſome, ſaith Philo, who for the ſafety and good of their Countrey,Philo lib. de Abra. have ſuffered their children to be ſacrificed to their gods, but they in the mean time, have either ſtaied at home, and would not be preſent when their children were ſacrificed, or if they were preſent, they have turned away their eyes, and covered their faces, as unable to behold ſo ſad a ſpectacle. Thus when Iphigenia was to be ſacrificed to Diana, Agamemnon ſtanding aloofe off, when he ſaw his daughter to be brought to the Altar, he could no longer endure it, but as Euripides writes,Euripid. in Iphig. he turned away his head, he drowned his eyes in tears, he covered his face, and all that he might not ſee his daughter ſacrificed. How then would he have endured, if he himſelfe ſhould have done it? for ſo muſt Abraham, if God had put it to Abrahams choiſe whether he would have offered himſelfe, or his ſon, no doubt he would have thought, that God had dealt very graciouſly with him, and that God had ſet Iſaac but at too low a rate, ſeeing he might purchaſe his life with the loſſe of his own: for Abraham was old, and therefore would willingly have yielded his life unto God, which he muſt of neceſſity have yielded unto nature not long after. But God will not be content with Abrahams death, but with the death of his ſon, for he knew it would be worſe then death unto Abraham, to live without Iſaac, but a thouſand times more grievous when he himſelfe ſhould kill him. For what might Abraham think with himſelfe? Cain was the firſt parricide that ever was, and Abraham muſt be the ſecond. When Cain had murdred his brother Abel, he thought he had committed ſuch an abominable act, that every one that ſaw him, would be ready to kill him, whoſoever findes me, ſaith Cain will slay me. And Abraham might well imagine, that this would make him odious among his neighbours, and that every one would count him as an enemy to nature, and as one that were not worthy to live among them. If but any bruit beaſt ſaith Plutarch, do kill their young, we ſtand amazed at it, we count it prodigious, and that is portends ſome ſtrange event, we offer ſacrifice to appeaſe the Gods, that they may defend us from it. For we know, ſaith he, that nature hath taught them to love their young, and not to deſtroy them. And would not every man then exclaime againſt Abraham? Is not this that Hebrew that murdred his ſon? is not this he, who as ſhort a time as he hath ſo journed in our Land, hath made the whole Countrey to ring of his cruelty? are theſe his good works? Lord, how preciſe he ſeem'd amongſt us? how ready to reprove us of impiety and prophaneſſe? and ſhall we harbour among us ſuch a monſter in nature, as ſeems to make a ſcruple of the leaſt ſins, and makes no conſcience of murder? Thus every one would be ready to crie out againſt Abraham, and yet ſuch was his obedience, that he had rather become odious amongſt his neighbours, and ſhew himſelfe cruell in killing his ſon, then irreligious in diſobeying God. Scelus enim eſt (ſaith Saint Auguſtine) filium occidere, ſed Deum ſceleſtius non audire, It is a ſin for a father to kill his ſon, but a greater ſin, if he kill not his ſon when God commands him.
Doct. 2 The Doctrine which may be gathered from hence, is this, That God makes triall of our obedience, according to the meaſure of his gifts and graces which he hath beſtowed upon us. For ſo we ſee, he deals here with Abraham, A light temptation had not been fit for ſo great a Patriarch, and therefore as God had extraordinarily enricht him with the graces of his Spirit, ſo he makes an extraordinary triall of his faith and obedience. For God deals with us, as a School-maſter is wont to deale with his ſchollars, who examines not every one alike, but according as they proceed and profit in learning, ſo he ſtill puts them to further exerciſes. If God ſhould lay any grievous triall upon thoſe that are weak, and not ſtrengthened in faith, it were enough to diſcourage them: if light and eaſie upon thoſe that were ſtrong, it were not enough to make manifeſt their virtues which lye hidden in them. And therefore he proportions his trials of our faith, to that meaſure of grace which he hath vouchſafed us. When then we ſee, what God here requires of Abraham, we may admire Gods goodneſſe and mercy towards us, who ſpares our infirmity; and makes not the like triall of our obedience: For if God ſhould lay the leaſt of thoſe trials upon us, which he laid upon Abraham, how unable were we to undergo the ſame? And this we may ſee, if we examine our ſelves as touching our obedience in ſmaller matters. If God do but viſite us with any tedious and long ſickneſſe, or if he lay upon us any croſſe or affliction by taking our goods, or our children from us, preſently we fall into great impatience, and we think that God deals very hardly with us. How then would we bear it, if he ſhould make the like triall of us, which he makes here of Abraham, and if he ſhould command us for the proofe of our obedience, to kill our children with our own hands, and to offer them unto him? yet Abraham went willingly about the ſame.
If the loſs of our goods will ſo overcome our patience, as many times it doth, what then would we ſay, if God ſhould lay upon us that which he laid upon Job, when he took both his goods & his children from him, and when of all that ever he had he left him nothing; yet Job bleſt God when he had taken away all. The Lord (ſaith he) hath given, Job 1.21.and the Lord hath taken, bleſſed be the name of the Lord. In a word, if a little pain in the time of our ſickneſſe will ſo bereave us of patience, what then would we do, if God ſhould lay upon us, that which he hath laid upon thouſands of our betters, I mean thoſe Martyres in the time of perſecution, whereof ſome have had their fleſh torne by piece-meale from their bodies with hot pincers, ſome have had their bodies cut aſunder with ſawes, and others have endured whatſoever the wit of man, or the malice of Satan could invent againſt them, and yet they have triumphed in the midſt of their torments. So that this may teach us to extoll and magnifie Gods goodneſſe towards us, who layeth not ſo much upon us as he laid upon them, but proportions his trials to our infirmity and weakneſſe.
And thus much likewiſe for the ſecond difficulty in this Commandement, in regard of the party that muſt offer this ſacrifice, Abraham Iſaac, a father his ſonne.
difficulty. third The third difficulty, is in regard of the manner how he muſt ſacrifice his ſon, he muſt offer him to God (in holocanſtum) for a burnt-offring.
The manner how they were to offer their burnt-offrings in the old Law, is preſcribed by God unto Moſes, in the firſt of Leviticus, where we finde that the burnt-offring that was to be offered, was to be killed, to be cut in pieces or quartered, and every part to be laid upon the fire till it were wholly conſumed. Whether Abraham when he had killed his ſon, was likewiſe to quarter him, and to hew him in pieces, I will not determine? but yet it is probable. For howſoever the manner of offering theſe offrings was ſpecified long after this Commandement was given, yet Abel and others had offered burnt offrings long before, which no doubt they had done as God himſelfe had taught them. But this is certain, that when Abraham had killed his ſon with his own hands, he was likewiſe to lay him upon the fire, till he were wholly conſumed, and burnt to aſhes; for ſo much the word holocauſtum ſignifies. And therefore Muſculus ſaith upon this place, (Non ſimpliciter immolare filium jubetur Abraham, ſed offerre in holocauſtum, hoc eſt, &c. Abraham is not commanded ſimply to ſacrifice his ſon, but to offer him for a burnt-offring, that is, ſaith Muſculus, after that he hath imbrued his ſword in his ſons bloud, with his own hands to lay his body in the fire, and when one ſide is burnt to turn the other, and ſo to let it burn till it be conſumed to aſhes, which is all one, as if his body were to be conſumed to nothing. So that this is more horrible then all the reſt. For how is it poſſible for a father to endure, when he hath bathed his ſword in his ſons bloud, to take him up in his armes, and to lay him upon the Altar, to ſee his bowels fry and crackle in the fire, and to turn him upſide down, till every part be conſumed and burnt to nothing? What death can be imagined ſo horrible as this? If God had commanded Abraham, either to have ſtrangled or ſmoothered his ſon, yet his body (ye know) would have remained whole, & he might have entombed him: if God had commanded him to caſt him down headlong from the top of the mountain, ſo that every member had been daſhed aſunder, yet ſome part of his body would have been remaining. Nay if God had commanded him to take his ſon, and caſt him to the wilde beaſts, that they might devoure him, yet at leaſt-wiſe, ye know, his bones would have been left, and ſo Abraham might have had ſome relique of his ſon, but this is ſuch a death as doth utterly conſume every part of the body, and brings all to nothing. But beſides this, Abraham knew very well, that God could not away with humane ſacrifices, and therefore that Abel, Noah and the reſt, had never offered the like in any of their offrings. It is true indeed, that many years after, the Children of Iſrael had learn'd of the Gentiles (as we ſee Pſalm. 106) to ſacrifice their ſons and their daughters to divels,Pſal. 106.37. but therefore ſaith David, The wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt them, ſo that he abhorred even his own inheritance. Pſal. 106.40.Nay this is ſo monſtrous and abominable an act, that many of the heathen did utterly condemne it. We read of the Carthagincans, that they were wont to ſacrifice their children to Saturne, Plutarch. in Reg. Apophth.as thinking that this would be acceptable to their God, becauſe they had heard the fable, that Saturne was wont to devoure his children. But therefore when Gelo the King of Sicilia had ſubdued Carthage, he forbad this cuſtome, as thinking it monſtrous, that the gods ſhould be worſhipt with ſuch cruell ſacrifices. And therefore when Ageſilaus, Plutarch. in vita Ageſilai.as Plutarch records, was admoniſhed in a dream to ſacrifice his daughter to Diana, as Agamemnon had done, he made this anſwer, that he would not imitate Agamemnons folly, but he would offer ſuch a ſacrifice as was fit for a goddeſſe. How then could Abraham think that God would be pleaſed with ſuch a ſacrifice, and that he who is the father of mercies, and would not ſo much as the death of a ſinner, ſhould delight in cruelty, and in the ſlaughter of innocents? ſo that when God commands Abraham to ſacrifice his ſon, here is a further temptation then all the former, which ſeems not ſo much to impugne his affection, as to confound his faith, in that God here ſeems contrary unto himſelfe.
And indeed beloved, the conflict which Abraham ſuſtained in his affection, was nothing to that which his faith ſuſtained. For how ſhould he believe the promiſes of God concerning his ſon, being now commanded by God to kill him.
God had promiſed Abraham as we heard before, that him ſeed ſhould be called in Iſaac, that he would multiply his ſeed, like the ſtarres of Heaven, Gen. 26.4.and that he would eſtabliſh his Covenant with Iſaac for an everlaſting Covenant, and with his feed after him. Abraham believed according to Gods promiſe, that the Saviour of the World ſhould ſpring from his Sonne, and that ſo all the Nations of the Earth ſhould be bleſſed in him; and yet now he commands him to ſacrifice his Son, and ſo to burn as it were the bond of his own ſalvation. For if Iſaac muſt die, how can Abraham look for the Meſſias from him? and if no Meſſias, what remaines but Gods wrath and vengeance to be powred upon all men? ſo that this Commandement ſeemes quite to overthrow Gods former promiſe; and yet ſuch was Abrahams faith and obedience, that he both performed that which God had commanded, and withall believed that which God had promiſed. For howſoever it might ſeeme as impoſſible to fleſh and blood, that ſeed ſhould be raiſed from Iſaac being dead, as that a Tree ſhould budde forth, when the root is withered, yet he knew there was nothing impoſſible with God; and therefore though Iſaac were wholly conſumed and burnt to nothing, yet that God was able even out of his aſhes to raiſe up ſeed unto him.
Doct. 3 Now whereas God commands Abraham here, to offer his Sonne in holocauſtum for a burnt-Offring, ſo that no part of his body may be kept, but that it muſt wholly be conſumed and burnt to nothing. The Doctrin that might be gathered from hence is this, That as God makes tryall of our Obedience, in that which of all other is deereſt unto us ſo he requires that we keep nothing thereof unto our ſelves; but that we dedicate it wholly to Gods ſervice. But I will paſſe this over, and come to the fourth difficultie.
difficulty. fourth The fourth difficultie in this Commandement, is in regard of the place where he muſt ſacrifice his Sonne, namely in the land of Moriah upon one of the mountaines which God would ſhew him.
Morti deſtinatum citò occidere miſericordia genus eſt: It is a kinde of merciemercy, if a man be condemned to die, to diſpatch him quickly: and the reaſon is, becauſe the puniſhment is much augmented through the expectation of it, the expectation of any evil, being as ill or worſe then the evil it ſelfe. But God here, the more as it may ſeeme to torment Abraham, Commands him not onelyonly to Sacrifice his Son, but injoynes him a long and tedious journey before he muſt do it. God might have appointed him. Firſt, to go with his Son into the Land of Moriah, and being come thither, then he might have told him the cauſe of his coming. But firſt he commands him to ſacrifice his Son, and then ſends him to the place where he muſt perform the ſame: and what is the Reaſon but onelyonly this, as Origen ſaith, ut dum ambulat, dum iter agit, per totam viam cogitationibus diſcerpatur, that all the while he is travelling with his Son, he might ruminate upon that which he went about, and be confounded in a manner with the remembrance of it.
Now concerning this place where Abraham was appointed to ſacrifice his Sonne, ſome of the Jewes report, that Cain and Abel had offered their offrings upon the ſame Mountain. St. Jerome writes, that he had heard it for certain of ſome ancient Jewes, that Iſaac was offered in the very ſame place, where afterwards our Saviour Chriſt was crucified. St. Auguſtine addes that he had heard it reported, that Chriſt was crucified in the very ſame place where Adam had been buried, and therefore that it was called Calvaria locus, the place of a dead mans skull, quia caput humani generis ibi dicitur eſſe ſepultum, becauſe the head of mankind lieth there buried The Saracens (who will needes borrow their name from Sarah, though they came of Hagar) to make it more profitable that they ſprang from Iſaac, they faine that the land of Moriah is a part of their Country, and therefore when any ſtranger comes to their City of Mecha to ſee Mahomets Sepulcher, hard by the City, they do ſhew him the Mountain, where on Abraham as they ſay, did ſacrifice his Sonne. But the truth is, that the Land of Moriah where Iſaac was to be offered, was the ſame which was afterward called Jeruſalem, as we may plainly gather out of the ſecond of the Chronicles, 2 Chron. 3.the third Chapter; for there it is ſaid in the firſt verſe, that Salomon built the Temple of the Lord in Jeruſalem in Mount Moriah: So that the place where Iſaac was to be offered, was either the ſame, or very near to the place, where our Saviour was afterwards to be crucified. And indeed it was not unfit, that Iſaac ſhould be offred where our Saviour was to ſuffer, becauſe Iſaac was a type and figure of our Saviour. So ſaith St. Augustine, Abraham, quando filium ſuum obtulit, typum habuit Dei Patris, Iſaac typum geſſit Domini Salvatoris. Abraham when he offered his Sonne repreſented God the Father, Iſaac when he was offered repreſented our Saviour the Son of God. For many things which wore ſhadowed forth in Iſaac, were afterwards verefied in our Saviour Chriſt. As the promiſes of God unto Abraham concerning his Son, were often renewed, and his birth foretold; ſo were the promiſes and the birth of the Meſſias. As Iſaacs was named before he was borne, ſo was alſo Chriſt. As Iſaacs Birth was ſtrange and miraculous, in regard that he was borne of Sarah, that was barren; ſo was alſo Chriſts being borne of a virgin. As Iſaac was Abrahams onelyonly Son, whom he ſo dearly loved; ſo Chriſt was the onelyonly begotten Son of God, in whom alone he was wel pleaſed. As Iſaac was cauſeleſs to be put to death, ſo was Chriſt being innocent. As Iſaac bore the wood wherewith he was to be ſacrificed, ſo Chriſt bore the Tree whereon he was to be crucified. In a word, as Iſaac, by yielding himſelf to be offred, did teſtifie his obedience unto his Fathe, and his Father his wonderful love unto God: ſo Chriſt, by ſubmitting himſelf to the death, declared his wonderfull obedience unto, God, and God his unſpeakable love towards us.
And indeed beloved, this is the moſt excellent uſe that can poſſibly be made of this whole Hiſtory; when we hear how Abraham did offer his Son, we ſtand amazed at it, we wonder how it was poſſible for a Father to do it: And may we not much more admire the infinite love of God unto us, in giving his onelyonly begotten Son to be crucified for us. When we hear how Iſaac yielded himſelf to be bound and offered, we cannot but wonder at his ſtrange obedience: and may we not much more wonder at the infinite obedience of our bleſſed Saviour, who being equall with God, yet humbled himſelf and became obedient, …ven to the death of the Croſſe? Abraham when he offered his Sonne unto God, he did but reſtore unto God that which God had given him, & he might wel the rather be moved thereunto; becauſe God had been alwaies ſo gracious to him; But when God gave his Son to be offered for us, we were ſo far from having deſerved any thing at his hands, that we were his open and profeſt enemies. Iſaac when he yielded himſelf to be offered, yet he yielded himſelf into his Fathers hands, who was to preſent him for a ſweet ſavour unto the Lord; and ſo to put him to a kind of death, which of all other might ſeene the moſt glorious: But Chriſt when he yielded himſelf to be offered, he yielded himſelf into the hands of his perſecutors, who he knew would not onelyonly put him to the moſt ignominious death; but for his further vexation, even deride him in his torments: When Abraham was to ſacrifice his onelyonly Sonne, God was ſo moved with compaſſion and pitty, that inſtead of his Sonne he provided a Ramme; Indeed it was fitter that a Ram ſhould dye, if the death of a Ramme might ranſome a Sonne: But when Chriſt was to be offered the caſe was altered; the Ramme was ſpared, and the Sonne was ſacrificed; Nay, the Sonne was therefore ſacrificed, that the Ram might be ſpared.
Read over all the Hiſtories of Heathen Authours, examine their writings, ſearch out all their antiquities, and ſee if there were ever the like example of love: For a man to die for his friend it is no ſmall matter, and but few have done it; but if one ſhould offer to dye for a ſtranger we would wonder at it; O but for a man to dye for his enemy, nay, the Sonne of God to come down from Heaven, even from his Fathers boſome, to dye a moſt accurſed death for his enemy; this is that love of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, and can never be ſufficiently expreſt either by men or Angels.
And yet, that we may in ſome meaſure conceive a little better of this infinite Love of God; ſuppoſe with thy ſelf, that thou being a poor and a ſilly creature, ſhouldſt live under the Dominion of ſome mighty Emperour, who had made this Law; That whoſoever ſhould be found guilty of high Treaſon, ſhould be put to the moſt exquiſite torments that could be imagined, and that thou afterwards (having received many favours from him) ſhouldſt give eare notwithſtanding to ſome of his Nobility, and willingly joyne with them in Treaſon againſt him: And being both convicted of the ſame, he ſhould execute the utmoſt of his fury upon his Nobility; but caſt with himſelf how he might ſave thee. And finding no other meanes for thy deliverance, he ſhould give his onelyonly beloved ſon, the ſole Heir of his Kingdom, to ſuffer the muſt ſhamefull and accurſed death of all other for thy ranſome; who willingly taking the ſame upon him, ſhould never ſpeak ſo much as one word in the behalf of his Nobility, but onelyonly plead and ſue for thee, that thou by his death mightſt not onelyonly be forgiven; but likewiſe mighteſt be made Heir of his Fathers Kingdom. What now wouldſt thou think of his love unto thee? How wouldſt thou wonder at it? How would thy ſoule be raviſht when thou thoughteſt upon it? Beloved, ſuch and farr greater is the love of God unto thee, if thou canſt apply it. The Angels, that were farre more glorious creatures, made to attend upon God and to be in his preſence, yet God ſpared not them, when they had but once, and that onelyonly in thought rebelled againſt him; but as for thee, though thou hadſt often rebelled againſt him; yet God hath given his onelyonly begotten Sonne, to dye in thy roome, that thou mighteſt inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. And this was that reall ſacrifice which was here prefigured by Abrahams off…ing his onelyonly Sonne.
And therefore, when Abraham was come to the place appointed, and had already ſtretcht forth his hand to have ſacrificed his ſonne, God preſently forbad him; becauſe onelyonly the death of our bleſſed Saviour and not Iſaacs death was a price ſufficient for our redemption. But …et we are to remember, that Abraham knew not but that his Sonne ſhould die; and therefore (no doubt) all the while that he was travelling to the Mountaine, he was diſtracted between faith and affection. between his love unto God and his love to his Sonne; the one ſtill pulling him backward, and telling him what an unnaturall act he went about: the other putting him forward; becauſe it was God that had commanded him to do it.
Doct. 4 Now, whereas God here commands Abraham to go and ſacrifice his Sonne in the land of Moriah; which was as I told you, diſtant from him three dayes journey. We may learne from hence, That while we are to performe any ſervice to God, no journey ought to ſeem tedious unto us; For he that cōmands Abraham to go ſo farre to ſacrifice his Son, he requires of us that we refuſe no labour, while we are about to perform that which God commands us. But I will likewiſe paſſe this over, and proceed to the laſt difficulty. dif∣ficulty. fifth
The laſt difficulty in this commandement, is in regard of the time when he muſt ſacrifice his Sonne, Take now thine onelyonly Son, namely, now when he was old and his wife paſt Bearing; and therefore hopeleſſe of having any other children, now he muſt ſacrifice his onelyonly Sonne.
We read in Herodotus, Herod, Thalia.that when Intaphernes, one of the privy Councell of King Darius, had offended the King, the King commanded that both he and his whole family ſhould be put to death; but being moved with the complaints of his wife he both ſpared her, and withall gave her the choice, which of them all ſhe would chooſe to deliver. She having a while deliberated upon it, reſolved in the end to make choiſe for her brother; and the King demanding why ſhe ſued not rather for her husband or children, ſhe made this anſwer; that though her husband or children ſhould dye, yet ſhe being young might marry again, and ſo might have more; but if her brother were put to death now that her parents were dead, ſhe was ſure ſhe ſhould never have any other brother. If God had given Abraham a child, while himſelf and Sarah, his wife had been young & had then commanded him to have put him to death; yet his loſſe had been the leſſe, in that he might have hoped to have had more children; but they both being old when he was to ſacrifice Iſaac, they could not hope for any other after him.
Fathers ſaith Philo, when they come to be old, of all their children they make moſt of their youngeſt;Philo lib. de Abraham. and he giveth this reaſon; becauſe being old they expect no more, now nature being ſpent and decayed in them. But Abraham, as I told you before,Joſeph. lib. 1. Antigen. was a hundred yeare old, and Sarah was ninety before Iſaac was borne, Iſaac was now (as JOSEPHUS writes) five and twenty yeare old, when he was to be offered; and therefore they, being ſtruck ſo far in years might well imagine, that as Iſaac was their firſt: ſo he was like to be their laſt that they ſhould have between them; So that Abrahams grief muſt needs be the greater in regard of the time, when he was commanded to ſacrifice his Sonne.
But to come more directly to the time, it is ſaid in the former verſe, that after theſe things God did prove Abraham, and ſaid unto him, Take now thine onelyonly Sonne, namely, after that God (as we ſee in the former chapter) had had notable experience of Abrahams obedience, by calling out Jſhmael his firſt begotten; now he layes a new task upon him, & far more grievous then the former was; Now ſaith he, Take thine onelyonly Son, as though he ſhould have ſaid, I have made heretofore ſome tryall of thine obedience in ſmaller matters. I commanded thee to leave thy native Country and thou haſt left it; I bad thee to caſt Jſhmael out of dores with his mother, and thou haſt done it, deeſt adbuc vnum, yet there is one thing wanting, now that thou haſt done all this, now thou muſt ſacrifice thine onelyonly Sonne. We ſee then, how many tryalls God layeth upon Abraham, and how many difficulties are couched together in this one tryall, to be deprived of his onelyonly Sonne whom he ſo dearly loved, himſelf to become his Sons executioner. to put him to ſo violent and horrible a death, to undertake ſo long a journey to perform the ſame; and then to do it when himſelf w… ſo old, and his wife paſt bearing. The leaſt of theſe tryalls was very hard to be overcome; yet Abraham like a Gyant that rejoyceth to run his courſe, roſe up early in the morning & went about it: and having a full reſolution to ſacrifice his Sonne, as God commanded, he concealed his purpoſe from his wife, and his Servants, leſt they ſhould have hindered him from the execution of it.
Doct. 5 The Doctrine that may be gathered from hence is this, That God the better to ſound the hearts of his Servants, makes often tryall of their obedience; and after that one tryall is paſt and over, he layeth another upon them for their further exerciſe. If any man ſaith our Saviour, will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſſe every day and follow me. Luke 9.23.Where we ſee two things, 1. The generality of theſe croſſes and tryalls which are laid upon us, in that every Chriſtian muſt be content to bear them; If any man Will come after me let him take up his Croſſe. 2. The multitude of theſe tryalls, Let him take up his Croſſe every day and follow me; Every day, to ſhew that the tryalls which the faithfull undergo, are many in number, and that they come (as it were) thick and threefold one after another. Job had no ſooner heard that the Sabeans had taken away his Oxen as they were ploughing, and his Aſſes as they were feeding in their places but preſently there comes another and brings him worſe tydings, that the fire fell from Heaven and conſumed his Servants; and preſently after, he heares worſe newes then the former, that while his children were together at a banquet, the houſe fell upon them all ſo that not one of them eſcaped. And this is the condition of Gods ſervants, many are the tryalls which they are to endure and the end of one tryall is many times but the beginning of another; For we ſerve not God with this condition, that after he hath laid one tryall upon us, and we have borne the ſame, we ſhould crave as it were a paſport, and ſeek to be diſcharged from any-further ſervice; but whatſoever it is that God requires at our hands, and how often ſoever; yet we muſt be ready with Abraham to performe obedience.
The comfort is this, that though the tryalls which God layes upon us be never ſo many; yet God will enable us to bear the ſame.1 Cor. 10. For God is faithfull, ſaith the Apoſtle, and will not ſuffer us to be tempted above our power; but will give an iſſue with the temptation that we may be able to bear it: and when we have borne it, he hath promiſed to reward us, and that infinitly for it. Bleſſed is the man ſaith Saint James, James 1.12.that endureth temptation; for when he is tryed, he ſhall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promiſed to them that Love him.
FINIS.