Commentary on the Pentateuch, Commentary 1 · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Verſ. 1. God did tempt Abraham]
TEmptation is twofold; 1. Probationis. 2. Perditionis. The former is of God, the latter of the devill. God is ſaid to tempt, when he puts us upon the triall of our faith and obedience, that he may do us good in the latter end, Deut. 8.26. Satan ever ſeeks to do us hurt. He, when he comes to tempt, comes with his ſieve as to Peter. Chriſt with his fan, Matth. 3.12. Now a Fan caſteth out the worſt, and keepeth in the beſt; a Sieve keepeth in the worſt, D. Playfere.and caſteth out the beſt. Right ſo Chriſt (and histrials) purgeth out corruption, and increaſeth grace: contrarily the Devill, if there be any ill thing in us, confirmeth it; if faith, or any good thing in us, he weakneth it. Now the temptations of Satan are either, 1. Of ſeducement, Jam. 1.15. …r 2. of buffetting and grievance, 2 Cor. 12.7. In ſeducement we are preſſed with ſome leſſer or darling corruption, whereto our appetites by nature are moſt propenſe. And here Satan hath his machinations, 2 Cor. 2.11. methods, Eph. 6.11. depths, Rev. 2.24. darts, Eph. 6.16. fiery darts pointed and poyſoned with the venome of Serpents, which ſet the heart on fire from one luſt to another. In buffettings we are dogg'd with fouleſt luſts of Atheiſme, ſelf-murther, &c. ſuch as Nature ſtartleth at, and abhorreth; and theſe, if we reſiſt, and be meerly paſſive, are onelyonly our croſſes, Satans ſins. For before a temptation can be a ſin, it muſt have ſomewhat of coveting in it. And trialls are onelyonly taps to give vent to corruption.
Verſ. 2. Take now thy ſon, thine onelyonly ſon Iſaac, &c.] This was the laſt of Abrahams ten trialls, and the foreſt. All our troubles to this, are but as the ſlivers and chips of that croſs, upon which this good Patriarch was crucified. Origen hence perſwades parents to bear patiently the loſs of their children. Laetus offer filium Deo, eſto ſacerdos animae filii tui, &c. Abraham was not onelyonly to kill his onelyonly ſon (which yet was more then to have tome out his own heart, with his own hands) but to cut him in peeces, to lay him orderly on the Altar, after the manner of a ſacrifice, and to burn him to aſhes; himſelf making and tending the fire, and putting him in, piece after piece, when any was out. A hard and heavy task; eſpecially, ſince it directly croſſed the promiſe, that in Iſaac all nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed; and ſeemed to involve the utter ruine of all mankinde. Here Reaſon was at a ſtand: It was faith onelyonly that could extricate the perplexed Patriarch, by giving him to know that God was able to raiſe him up even from the dead, Heb. 11.19. Hoc, Abrahamum fecit, foreign. This was it that kept him from tripping. [Get thee into the Land of Moriah] Both Abrahams great temptations began with one ſtrain vade tibi, Get thee gone, Gen. 12.1. Gen. 22.2 Here God led Abraham into temptation, but delivered him from evill. Have you not been tempted (ſaith a Holy man) in this or that kinde? It is becauſe God in mercy would not lead you into temptation. Baines Letters.Yea this is in ſome ſort more to be acknowledged then victory, when you are tempted. For not to be tempted is more immediately from God, and leſs in mans power then to prevail againſt temptation: Sith nothing doth overcome us againſt our will: but without our will God doth lead us into triall: for he knoweth we would taſte little of theſe if we might be our own carvers.
Verſ. 3. And Abraham roſe up early, &c.] To ſhew his prompt and preſent obedience. He neither conſulted with his wife, nor with his own reaſon. Exod. 4.She might have haply hung upon him and hindered him, as Zipporah did Moſes to the hazarding of his life. He captivates all the powers of the ſoul to his Creator, goes after him without ſciſcitation, and ſo ſhews himſelf to be renewed in the spirit of his minde; that is, in his naturall reaſon: for that like an old Beldam, is the mother and nurſe of all our diſtempers and outſtrayes. Caſſianus tells us of a young man that had given himſelf up to a Chriſtian life: And his parents, Caſſianus.miſliking that way, wrote letters to diſſwade him from it; which when he knew, he would not once open them, but threw them in the fire. Let us do ſo, by the ſuggeſtions of fleſh and blood, and the counſell of carnall friends, or we ſhall never reſt and feaſt in Abrahams boſome. I know not by what reaſon (ſaid Borthwick the Scotch Martyr) they ſo called them my friends, Act & Mon. fol. 1157.which ſo greatly laboured to convert me (as they called it:) neither will I more eſteem them, then the Madianites, which in time paſt called the children of Iſrael to do ſacrifice to their Idols.
Verſ. 4. Then on the third day] A great while for him to be plodding, ere he came to the place. But we muſt conceive that his brains were better buſied, then many of ours would have been therewhile. We muſt not weigh the croſs, for then it will proveheavy: we muſt not chew the pill, but ſwallow it whole, elſe it will prove bitter. We muſt not plod too much, but ply the Throne of Grace for a good uſe and a good iſſue of all our trialls and tribulations.
Verſ. 5. Abide you here with the Aſſe] This the Hebrews uſe for a proverb, againſt ſuch as are dull and uncapable. Zophar ſaith, That man is born as a wild-aſſes-colt. As an Aſſes foal for rudeneſs, and a wild-aſſes for unrulineſs. Job. 11.11.It imports that he is untamed and untractable, till a new heart be put into him. Agur had not the underſtanding of a man, till he ſpake to Ithiel and Ʋcall for it, Prov. 30.1, 2. He wants the totum hominis, that doth not fear God and keep his Commandements. Eccleſ. 12.13. Tu & Aſinus unum eſtote, Alex. Cook. his Abatement of Popiſh brags. Epiſt.will not do it, which was the counſell given to a young Novice, entring a Monaſtery. [And come again to you] Neſciens formam rei futurae, prophetavit ſciens de eventu, prophetavit quod ignoravit, ſaith Amb.
Verſ. 6. And laid it upon Iſaac his ſon] Who was herein a lively type of Chriſt, bearing the croſs, whereon he was offered up. foreign, ſaith Plutarch, ſpeaking of the Roman faſhion of crucifying malefactors. And ſurely it was by a wonderfull providence of God, that the Jews brought our Saviour to Pilate to be put to death; ſith they hated nothing more then to confirm or countenance the Roman tyranny among them, by any means. Hence Gamaliel gave counſell to diſmiſs the Apoſtles, Act. 5.38. And hence the chiefe Prieſts and Rulers took it ſo exceeding haynouſly, that Paul was taken out of their hands, by the chiefe Captain, Act. 23. But God had a hand in it, that this and other types and Scriptures might be fulfilled, that foretold the very manner of his death on a tree. Let the Jews ſtumble now at the croſs, and fall backward. Let the Gentiles jear us, foreign (borreo dicere) foreign In vita peregr. Omnis hom… aut eſt cum Chriſto regnaturus, aut cum Diabolo cruciandus. Aug. Juſtin. l. 18.as Luci…n doth, for that we deny the multitude of their gods, and yet believe in a crucified God. Let us deſire to know nothing but Chriſt, and him crucified; and if ever we deſire to be Kings in heaven (and every man muſt be aut Caeſar, aut nullus, a King, or a caytiffe.) Let us ſeek by the eye of faith to ſee the Sun of righteouſneſs in the Weſt (as Stratoes ſervant taught him:) Let us look upon Chriſt hanging on the croſs, dying on that Altar, and we ſhall live for ever.
Verſ. 7. Where is the Lamb, for a burnt offering] Iſaac was not to be told now, what belonged to a ſacrifice. He had been long ſince taught by his father, what was to be done in the ſervice of God. When I was young, my father taught me, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 4.4. ſo did his mother alſo, Primaſ in Philip. Greg. Moral. l. 27. c. 14.Prov. 31. in her Lemuels leſſon. Plantas tenellas frequentius adaquare proderit, ſaith Primaſius.
Verſ. 8. God will provide himſelf a Lamb] A pious and precious Proverb; much to be muſed on, and made uſe of, Qui finxit alas papilioni, is curabit omma.when we are in an exigent, and ſee not whither to turn us. Then ſay, Deus viderit▪ God will with the temptation alſo give an iſſue, 1 Cor. 10.13. Neceſſe eſt adeſſe divinum, ubi humanum ceſſat auxilium, ſaith Philo. Sciat etiam Celſitudo veſtra (ſaith Luther in a letter to the Prince Elector of Saxony;) S…u…tet. Ann.I would your Highneſs ſhould well know, that buſineſſes are far otherwiſe carried, and concluded in heaven then at the Diet at Norinberg, &c. And to Phillip Melancthon he writes thus: Si nos ruemus, ruet Chriſtus unà, ille regnator mundi: & eſto ruat, &c. Sed ſcribo haec fruſtrà, quia tu, Scu…tet. Annalſecundùm philoſophiam veſtram, has res ratione regere▪ hoc eſt, ut ait ille, cum ratione inſanire pergis, & occidis teipſum; nec vides prorſus extra manum tuam & conſilium poſitam eſſe cauſam, etiam extra curam tuam velle agi.
Verſ. 9. And they came to the place] Mount Moriah where the Temple was afterwards built. This was a little from Salem, 2 Chron. 3.1.as Mount Calvary alſo, was a little from Jeruſalem. [And bound Iſaac his ſon] Who ſtrugled not, neither reſiſted, though able for his age (being twenty five year old, as Joſephus makes him; others thirty three) to have overmaſtered his old father. He was acquainted with Gods counſell, ſaith Luther, wherein he reſted. Yet he was bound, 1. For that the rite of ſacrifices ſo required. (…ee 2 King. 10.12.) 2. Leſt any involuntary motion by pangs of death, ſhould be procured. Whence divers of the Martyrs, as Ridley, Rawlins, &c. deſired to be bound faſt to the ſtake, leſt the fleſh ſhould play its part. R…ins)▪ when the Smith caſt a chain about him at the ſtake, I pray you, good friend, ſaid he, Knock in the chain faſt; for it may be, Act. & Mon. …ol. 1415.that the fleſh would ſtrive mightily. But God of thy great mercy give me ſtrength and patience, to abide the extremity. N…ture at death will have a bout with the beſt, whether he dye as Eliſ…a, ſlowly, or as Eliah, ſuddenly.
Verſ. 10. And Abraham ſtretched forth his hand, &c.] What Painter in the world can poſſibly expreſs the affection of Abraham, when thus he bound his ſon, and bent his ſword? Surely that Painter that ſet forth the ſacrificing of Iphigenia, Aſpi… vulius ecce meos, uti…amque …culos in pectora po es Inſer…re. Sol Phetonti, apud Ovid 1 Cor. 3.would here alſo have drawn Abraham, as he did Agamemnon, with his face veyled; as not able to delineate his unconceivable grief. But a man in Chriſt is more then a man, and can do that that other men, cannot reach unto. It was a matter of blame to the carnall Corinthians, that they walked as men: And our Saviour looks for ſome ſingular thing to be done by thoſe that pretend to him, Matth. 6.47. Abraham had denyed himſelf in his beloved Iſaac, and therefore went an end with his work, hard though it were. Another that hath not done ſo, ſhall finde a heavy buſineſs of it, an unſupportable burden. Sozomen tells of a certain Merchant, whoſe two ſons being taken captives, Sozom l. c. 14.and adjudged to dye, he offered himſelf to dye for them; and withall promiſed to give the Souldiers all the gold he had. They pitying the poor mans calamity, admitted of his requeſt for one of his ſons (which he would) but let them both ſcape they could not, becauſe ſuch a number muſt be put to death. The miſerable man therefore, looking at and lamenting both his ſons, could not finde in his heart to make choice of either (as overcome with an equall love to them both) but ſtood doubting and deliberating, till they were both ſlain. At the ſiege of Buda in Hungary there was among the German Captains a Noble-man, called Erkius Raſchachius, whoſe ſon a valiant young Gentleman being got out of the Army without his fathers knowledge, bore himſelf ſo gallantly in fight againſt the enemy, in the ſight of his father and the Army, that he was highly commended of all men, and eſpecially of his father that knew him not at all. Yet before he could clear himſelf, he was compaſſed in with the Enemy, and valiantly fighting, ſlain. Raſchachius exceedingly moved with the death of ſo brave a man, ignorant how near he touched himſelf, turning about to the other Captains, ſaid, This noble Gentleman, whatſoever he be, is worthy of eternall commendation, and to be moſt honourably buried by the whole Army. As the reſt of the Captains were with like compaſſion approving his ſpeech, the dead body of the unfortunate ſon reſcued, was preſented to the moſt miſerable father; which cauſed all them that were there preſent, Tu…kiſh hiſt.to ſhed tears. But ſuch a ſudden and inward grief ſurprized the aged father, and ſtruck ſo to his heart, that after he had ſtood a while ſpeechleſs, with his eyes ſet in his head, he ſuddenly fell down dead, Anno Dom. 1541. Heb. 11.[And took the knife to ſlay his ſon] The Apoſtle ſaith▪ He did offer him up a ſlain ſacrifice. God took it in as good part as if indeed he had done it, becauſe he would have done it. Every man is ſo good before God, are he truely deſires to be. Bernard.In vitae libro ſcribuntur omnes, qui quod poſſunt faciunt, etſi quod debent, non poſſunt, ſaith one Father. And another, Augustin. Baſil.Tota vita boni Chriſtiani ſanctum deſiderium eſt. Ambulas, ſiamas. Non enim paſſibus and Deum ſed affectibus currimus. Tantùm velis, & Deus tibi praeoccurret, ſaith a Third.
Verſ. 11. And ſaid, Abraham, Abraham] Twice for haſteſake: yet not at all, till the very inſtant. When the knife was up, the Lord came. God delights to bring his people to the Mount, yea to the very brow of the hill, till their feet ſlip, and then delivers them. He reſerves his holy hand for a dead lift. OnelyOnly be ſure you look to your calling; for it was otherwiſe with Jepthta, Judg. 11. whom St. Augustin calls facinoroſum & improbum, a lewd and naughty man, in his queſtions upon the Old Teſtament. What then would he have ſaid to Thomas the Anabaptiſt, Stumpf. l. 5.who beheaded his brother Leonard, in the ſight of his parents, at Sangall in France, Anno 1526. pretending the example of Abraham? As did likewiſe thoſe odious Idolaters of old, that offered their children in ſacrifice to Moloch, in the valley of Hinnom; which was ſo called becauſe the poor child put into the arms of the red-hot image, was foreign nohem that is roaring; or becauſe the Prieſts comforting the parents ſaid, Condime…tum crit tibi. Jalkut …n Jerem.Jeheun…h Lach. It ſhall be profitable or pleaſant to thee, as Kimchi hath it. So becauſe Abraham planted a grove to ſerve God in, Gen. 21.33. the Devil, Gods Ape, ſet the blind Heathens a work to plant a thicket near the altar of their god 'Priapus, whereinto his worſhippers ſtepped, when the ſacrifice was ended, and there, like bruit beaſts promiſcuouſly ſatisfied their luſts, thereby, as they conceived, beſt pleaſing their God; which was the true cauſe, as it ſeems, that the true God commanded, that no Groves ſhould be planted near the place of his worſhip; and if any were, they ſhould be cut down.
Verſ. 12. Lay not thine hand upon the Lad] As he was about to do, having armed his pious hand, not onelyonly with the knife, but with faith that works by love; as had likewiſe David, when going againſt the Giant, he ſlyes upon him, Bucholcer.perinde ac ſi fundae ſuae tunicis non lapillum, ſed Deum ipſum induiſſet a… implicuiſſet. [Now I know that thou feareſt me] With a fear of love, Hoſ. 3.5. Fulgentius.And here that of Fulgentius is true, and taketh place. Deum ſiquis parùm metuit, valdè contemnit; hujus qui non memorat beneficentiam, auget injuriam. God knew Abrahams fear before, but now he made experience of it. Nunc expertus ſum, ſaith Junius. Nune omnibus declaraſti, ſaith Chryſoſt.
Verſ. 13. Behold behind him a Ram] Belike the Angell called behinde him; which when he turned to liſten▪ to, he ſpied the Ram caught in a thicket, Heb. Sab…ech; which ſignifies the perplexity, winding or binding of a buſh or briar. And to this both David ſeems to allude, Pſal. 94.19. and the ſon of David in that famous Lammah Sabachtani of his, Baſtards Serm. on Gen. 22.1.Mark. 15.24. [And Abraham went and took the Ram, &c.] How likely is it, ſaith One, that we will offer to God Iſaac our joy, which will not ſacrifice the Ram; that is, mortifie our ſinfull luſts, and the deſires of our fleſh? God tempteth us now (ſaith Mr. Philpot Martyr) as he did our Father Abraham, commanding him to ſlay his ſon Iſaac, which by interpretation ſignifieth mirth and joy; who by his obedience preſerved Iſaac unto life, and offered a Ram in his ſtead. Semblably, we are to ſacrifice to God, our Iſaac; that is, our joy and conſolation; which if we be ready to do, our joy ſhall not periſh, but live and be increaſed: although our Ram be ſacrificed; that is, the pride and concupiſcence of our fleſh intangled, through ſin, with the cares of this ſtinging world, for the preſervation and perfect augmentation of our mirth and joy, Act. & Mon. 1667.ſealed up for us in Chriſt. Thus he. And as God provided another ſacrifice (ſaith a Third) for Abraham, that ſo he might ſave his Son, which was a Ram tyed and intangled in thornes: Itinerar. Scripturae, fol. 99.ſo God provided a ſacrifice for the ſalvation of the world, Chriſt that immaculate Lamb; whoſe head being crowned with thorns, and hanging on the Croſs, by his death opened unto us the door of life, and made us capable of eternall happineſs. It is probable, ſaith Bucholcerus, that Abraham, when he ſlew and ſacrificed the Ram, looked up to heaven with new eyes full of divine light; and that being filled with the Spirit of God, and carried beyond himſelf, he thought of more things, he felt more, he ſeemed to ſee and hear more then was poſſible to be uttered. Ipſe Deus quodammodo expoſiturus, & declaraturus Abrahae actionis praeſentis auguſtam ſignificationem, Bucholc. in Chron…. p. 187.& manu eum ducturus ad introſpicienda hujus ſacrificii ſui adyta, promiſſionem de Chriſto repetit, & jurejurando confirmat.
Verſ. 14. In the mount of the Lord it ſhall be ſeen] God will be found of his in fit time and place. To him belong the iſſues of death, Pſal. 68.20. None can take us out of his hands. He knows how to deliver his, and when, as Peter ſpake feelingly, 2 Pet. 2.9. with Act. 12.11. [And Abraham called the name of that place, Jehovah Jireh] To perpetuate the memory of Gods mercy, not of his own obedience, which yet was notable, and not to be matched again. If we honour God, we ſhall have honour; that's a bargain of Gods own making, 1 Sam. 2.31.
Verſ. 16. By my ſelf have I ſworn] God ſwears for the further confirmation of our faith. For here he ſwore, not more for Abrahams ſake, then ours, as the Apoſtle ſhews, Heb. 6.13, 14, 17, 18. As when he ſpake with Jacob at Penuel, there he ſpake with us, Hoſ. 12.4. and what he ſaid to Joſhua, he ſaid to all, I will not leave thee, nor forſake thee, Heb. 13.5. [And haſt not with-held thy ſon, thine onelyonly ſon] And yet what was this to that ſic without a ſicut, that hyperbole, that exceſs of love in God, that moved him to ſend his Son to dye for our ſins? He loved Chriſt far better then Abraham could love Iſaac; and yet he gave him up freely, which Abraham would never have done without a command: and to dye as a malefactor, and by the hands of barbarous and bloody enemies; whereas Iſaac was to dye as a holy ſacrifice, and by the hand of a tender father. How much more cauſe have we to ſay, Now I know the Lord loves me; Pſal. 119.106.and to ſwear as David did, to keep his righteous judgements?
Verſ. 18. Becauſe thou haſt obeyed] This (becauſe) is not ſo much cauſall, as rationall. Significat non cauſam meritoriam, ſed ſubalternam, & ſine qua non.
Verſ. 19. Went together to Beerſheba] The Hebrews conceive, becauſe here's no mention of Iſaac's return, that he was ſent by his father to Shem, or that he remained for certain years in Mount Moriah. But this is uncertain.
Verſ. 20. It was told Abraham] Good news out of a far Countrey; God uſually chears up his children after ſharpeſt trialls; brings them, as once from M…rah to Elim, &c.
Verſ. 23. And Bethuel begat Rebeccah] Rebeccah is born, Sarah dyes: Thus one generation paſſeth, and another commeth. Our children are the Danes that drive us out of the Countrey.