Ten Sermons, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
ABRAHAM'S OFFERING UP HIS SON ISAAC.
GENESIS xxii. 12.
And he ſaid, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him; for now I know that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not withheld thy ſon, thine only ſon from me.
THE great Apoſtle Paul, in one of his epiſtles, informs us, that whatſover was written aforetime was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the holy ſcripture might have hope. And as without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, or to be accepted in Jeſus, the Son of his love; we may be aſſured, that whatever inſtances of a more than common faith are recorded in the book of God▪ they were more immediately deſigned by the Holy Spirit for our learning and imitation, upon whom the ends of the world are come. For this …eaſon, the author of the epiſtle to the Hebrews, in the eleventh chapter, mentions a noble catalogue of Old Teſtament ſaints and martyrs, "who ſubdued kingdoms, wrought righteouſneſs, ſtopped the mouths of lions, &c. and are gone before us to inherit the promiſes." A ſufficient confutation, I think, of their error, who lightly eſteem the Old Teſtament ſaints, and would not have them mentioned to Chriſtians, as perſons whoſe faith and patience we are called upon more immediately to follow. If this was true, the apoſtle would never have produced ſuch a cloud of witneſſes out of the Old Teſtament, to excite the Chriſtians of the firſt, and conſequently pureſt age of the church, to continue ſteadfaſt and unmoveable in the profeſſion of their faith. Amidſt this catalogue of ſaints, methinks, the patriarch Abraham ſhines the brighteſt, and differs from the others, as one ſtar differeth from another ſtar in glory; for he ſhone with ſuch diſtinguiſhed luſtre, that he was called the friend of God, the father of the faithful; and thoſe who believe on Chriſt, are ſaid to be ſons and daughters of, and to be bleſſed with, faithful Abraham. Many trials of his faith did God ſend this great and good man, after he had commanded him to get out from his country, and from his kindred, unto a land which he ſhould …hew him; but the laſt was the moſt ſevere of all, I mean, that of offering up his only ſon. This, by the divine aſſiſtance, I propoſe to make the ſubject of your preſent meditation, and, by way of concluſion, to draw ſome practical inferences, as God ſhall enable me, from this inſtructive ſtory.
The ſacred penman begins the narrative thus, verſe 1. And it came to paſs after theſe things, God did tempt Abraham—After theſe things, that is, after he had underwent many …evere trials before, after he was old, full of days, and might flatter himſelf perhaps that the troubles and toils of life were now finiſhed—After theſe things God did tempt Abraham—Chriſtian, you know not what trials you may meet with before you die—Nothwithſtanding you may have ſuffered, and been tried much already, yet, it may be, a greater meaſure is ſtill behind, which you are to fill up—Be not high-minded, but fear—Our laſt trials, in all probability, will be the greateſt—And we can never ſay our warfare is accompliſhed, or our trials finiſhed, till we … down our heads, and give up the ghoſt—And it came to paſs, after theſe things, that God did tempt Abraham.
God did tempt Abraham—But can the ſcripture contradict itſelf? Does not St. James tell us, That God tempts no man? And God does tempt no man to evil, or on purpoſe to draw him into ſin. For when a man is thus tempted, he is drawn away of his own heart's luſt, and enticed—But in another ſenſe God may be ſaid to tempt—I mean to try his ſervants, and in this ſenſe we are to underſtand that paſſage of St. Matthew, where we are told, that Jeſus was led by the Spirit (the good ſpirit) into the wilderneſs, to be tempted of the devil—And our Lord, in that excellent form of prayer which he has been pleaſed to preſcribe us, does not require us to pray, that we may not abſolutely be led into temptation, but delivered from the evil of it—Whereby we may plainly infer, that God ſees it fit ſometimes to lead us into temptation, that is, to bring us into ſuch circumſtances as will try our ſaith, and other Chriſt…an graces—In this ſenſe we are to underſtand the expreſſion before us—God did tempt or try Abraham.
How God was pleaſed to reveal his will at this time to his faithful ſervant, whether by the Shechinah, or Divine appearance, or by a ſmall ſtill voice, as he ſpoke to Elijah, or by a whiſper, like that of the Spirit to Philip, when he commanded him to join himſelf to the Eunuch's chariot, we are not told, nor is it material to inquire. It is enough that we are informed, God ſaid unto him, Abraham; and that Abraham knew it was the voice of God: for… he ſaid, behold, here I am." O what a holy familiarity (If I may ſo ſpeak) is there between God and thoſe holy ſouls that are united to him by faith in Chriſt Jeſus! God ſays, Abraham; and Abraham ſaid (it ſhould ſeem without the leaſt ſurpriſe) "Behold, here I am." Being reconciled to God by the death and obedience of Chriſt, which he rejoiced in, and ſaw by faith afar off; he did not, like guilty Adam, ſeek the trees of the garden to hide himſelf from, but takes pleaſure in converſing with God, and talketh with him, as a man talketh with his friend. O that CHRIST-leſs ſinners knew what it is to have fellowſhip with the Father and the Son! They would envy the happineſs of ſaints, and count it all joy to be termed enthuſiaſts and fools for Chriſt's ſake.
But what does God ſay unto Abraham; Ver. 2. "Take now thy ſon, thine only ſon Iſaac, whom thou loveſt, and get thee into the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I ſhall tell thee of."
Every word deſerves our particular obſervation. Whatever he was to do, he muſt do it now, immediately, without conferring with fleſh and blood. But what muſt he do? Take now thy ſon. Had God ſaid, take now a firſtling, or choiceſt lamb or beaſt of thy flock, and offer it up for a burnt-offering, it would not have appeared ſo ghaſtly; but for God to ſay, "Take now thy ſon, and offer him up for a burnt-offering," one would have imagined, was enough to ſtagger the ſtrongeſt faith. But this is not all: It muſt not only be a ſon, but thine only ſon Iſaac, whom thou loveſt. If it muſt be a ſon, and not a b…aſt, that muſt be offered, why will not Iſhmael do, the ſon of the bond-woman? No, it muſt be his only ſon, the heir of all, his Iſaac, by interpretation laughter, the ſon of his old age, in whom his ſoul delighed; whom thou loveſt, ſays God, in whoſe life his own was wrapped up: And this ſon, this only ſon, this Iſaac, the ſon of his love, muſt be taken now, even now without delay, and be offered up by his own father, for a burnt offering, upon one of the mountains of the which God would tell him.
Well might the apoſtle, ſpeaking of this man of God, ſay, that againſt hope he believed in hope, …nd, being ſtrong in faith, gave glory to God: For, had he not been bleſſed with faith which man never before had, he muſt have refuſed to comply with this ſevere command. For how many arguments might nature ſuggeſt, to prove that ſuch a command could never come from God, or to excuſe himſelf from obeying it? "What! (might the good man have ſaid) butcher my child! it is contrary to the very law of nature: Much more to butcher my dear ſon Iſaac, in whoſe ſeed God himſelf has aſſured me, that all the families of the earth ſhall be bleſſed. But ſuppoſing I could give up my own affections, and be willing to part with him, though I love him ſo dearly, yet, if I murder him, what will become of God's promiſe? Beſides I am now like a city built upon a hill; I ſhine as a light in the world, in the midſt of a crooked and perverſe generation: How then ſhall I cauſe God's name to be blaſphemed, how ſhall I become a by-word among the heathen, if they hear that I have committed a crime which they abhor! But, above all, what will Sarah my wife ſay? How can I ever return to her again, after I have imbrued my hands in my dear child's blood? O that God would pardon me in this thing, or take my life in the place of my ſon's!" Thus, I ſay, Abraham might have argued, and that too ſeemingly with great reaſon, againſt complying with the divine command. But, as before by faith he conſidered not the deadneſs of Sarah's womb, when ſhe was paſt age, but believed on him, who ſaid, "Sarah thy wife ſhall bear thee a ſon indeed;" ſo now being convinced that the ſame God ſpoke to, and commanded him to offer up that ſon, and knowing that God was able to raiſe him from the dead, without delay he obeys the heavenly call.
O that unbelievers would learn of faithful Abraham, and believe whatever is revealed from God, though they cannot fully comprehend it! Abraham knew God commanded him to offer up his ſon, and therefore believed, notwithſtanding carnal reaſoning might ſuggeſt many objections. We have ſufficient teſtimony, that God has ſpoken to us by his Son; why ſhould we not alſo believe, though many things in the New Teſtament are above our reaſon? For, where reaſon ends, faith begins. And, however infidels may ſtyle themſelves reaſoners, of all men they are the moſt unreaſonable: For is it not contrary to all reaſon, to meaſure an infinite by a finite underſtanding, or think to find out the myſteries of godlineſs to perfection?
But to return to the patriarch Abraham: We obſerved before what plauſible objections he might have made; but he anſwered not a ſingle word: No, without replying againſt his Maker, we are told, ver. 3. that "Abraham roſe up early in the morning, and ſaddled his aſs, and took two of his young men with him, and Iſaac his ſon, and clave the wood for the burnt-offering, and roſe up and went unto the place of which God had told him."
From this verſe we may gather, that God ſpoke to Abraham in a dream, or viſion of the night: For it is ſaid, he roſe up early. Perhaps it was near the fourth watch of the night, juſt before break of day, when God ſaid, Take now thy ſon; and Abraham riſes up early to do ſo; as I doubt not but he uſed to riſe early to offer up his morning ſacrifice of praiſe and thankſgiving. It is often remarked of people in the Old Teſtament, that they roſe early in the morning; and particularly of our Lord in the New, that he roſe a great while before day to pray. The morning befriends devotion; and if people cannot uſe ſo much ſelf-denial as to riſe early to pray, I know not how they will be able to die at a ſtake (if called to it) for Jeſus Chriſt.
The humility, as well as piety of the patriarch, is obſervable: He ſaddled his own aſs (great men ſhould be humble;) and to ſhew his ſincerity, though he took two of his young men with him, and Iſaac his ſon, yet he keeps his deſign as a ſecret from them all: Nay, he does not ſo much as tell Sarah his wife: For he knew not but ſhe might be a ſnare unto him in this affair; and, as R…ekah afterwards, on another occaſion, adviſed Jacob to flee, ſo Sarah alſo might perſuade Iſaac to hide himſelf; or the young men, had they known of it, might have forced him away, as in after-ages the ſoldiers reſcued Jonathan out of the hands of Soul. But Abraham ſought no ſuch evaſion, and therefore, like an Iſraelite indeed, in whom there was no guile, he himſelf reſolutely "clave the wood for the burnt-offering, roſe up and went unto the place of which God had told him." In the ſecond verſe, God commanded him to offer up his ſon upon one of the mountains which he would tell him of. He commanded him to offer his ſon up, but would not then directly tell him the place where: This was to keep him dependent and watching unto prayer: For there's nothing like being kept waiting upon God; and, if we do, aſſuredly God will reveal himſelf unto us yet further in his own time. Let us practiſe what we know, follow providence ſo far as we can ſee already; and what we know not, what we ſee not as yet, let us only be found in the way of duty, and the Lord will reveal even that unto us. Abraham knew not directly where he was to offer up his ſon; but he riſes up and ſets forward, and behold now God ſhews him; and he went to the place of which God had told him. Let us go and do likewiſe.
Ver. 4. Then on the third day, Abraham lif… up his eyes, and ſaw the place afar off.
So that the place, of which God had told him, was no leſs than three days journey diſtant from the place where God firſt appeared to him, and commanded him to take his ſon. Was not this to try his faith, and to let him ſee that what he did, was not merely from a ſudden pang of devotion, but a matter of choice and deliberation? But who can tell what the aged patriarch felt during theſe three days? Strong as he was in faith, I am perſuaded his bowels often yearned over his dear ſon Iſaac. Methinks I ſee the good old man walking with his dear child in his hand, and now and then looking upon him, loving him, and then turning aſide to weep. And perhaps, ſometimes he ſtays a little behind to pour out his heart before God; for he had no mortal to tell his caſe to. Then, methinks, I ſee him join his ſon and ſervants again, and talking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, as they walked by the way. At length, on the third day, he lift up his eyes and ſaw the place afar off. And, to ſhew that he was yet ſincerely reſolved to do whatſover the Lord required of him, he even now will not diſcover his deſign to his ſervants, but ſaid, ver. 5. to his young men (as we ſhould ſay to our worldly thoughts when about to tread the courts of the Lord's houſe) "abide you here with the aſs; and I and the lad will go up yonder and worſhip, and come again to you." This was a ſufficient reaſon for their ſtaying behind; … it being their maſter's cuſtom to go frequently to worſhip, they could have no ſuſpicion of what he was going about. And by Abraham's ſaying, that he and the lad would come again, I am apt to think he believed God would raiſe him from the dead, if ſo be he permitted him to offer his child up for a burnt-offering. However that be, he is yet reſolved to obey God to the uttermoſt; and therefore.
Ver. 6. "Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Iſaac his ſon; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and they went both of them together." Little did Iſaac think that he was to be offered on that very wood which he was carrying upon his ſhoulders; and therefore, ver. 7. Iſaac innocently, and with a holy freedom (for good men ſhould not keep their children at too great a diſtance) ſpake unto Abraham his father, and ſaid, My father; and he (with equal affection and holy condeſcenſion) ſaid, Here am I, my ſon… And to ſhew how careful Abraham had been (as all Chriſtian parents ought to be) to inſtruct his Iſaac how to ſacrifice to God, like a youth trained up in the way wherein he ſhould go; Iſaac ſaid, Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? How beautiful is early piety! How amiable, to hear young people aſk queſtions about ſacrificing to God in an acceptable way! Iſaac knew very well that a lamb was wanting, and that a lamb was neceſſary for a proper ſacrifice: Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a …-offering? Young men and maidens, learn of him.
Hitherto, it is plain, Iſaac knew nothing of his father's deſign: But I believe, by what his father ſaid in anſwer to his queſtion, that now was the time Abraham revealed it unto him.
Verſe 8. "And Abraham ſaid, my ſon, God will provide himſelf a lamb for a burnt-offering." Some think that Abraham by faith ſaw the Lord Jeſus afar off, and here ſpake prophetically of that Lamb of God already ſlain in decree, and hereafter to be actually offered up for ſinners. This was a lamb of God's providing indeed (we dared not have thought of it) to ſatisfy his own juſtice, and to render him juſt in juſtifying the ungodly. What is all our fire and wood, the beſt preparation and performances we can make or preſent unleſs God had provided himſelf this Lamb for a burnt offering? He could not away with them. The words will well bear this interpretation. But, whatever Abraham might intend. I cannot but think he here made an application, and acquainted his ſon of God's dealing with his ſoul; and at length, with tears in his eyes, and the utmoſt affection in his heart, cried out, "Thou art to be the lamb, my ſon; God has commanded me to provide thee for a burnt offering, and to offer thee upon a mountain which we are now aſcending." And, as it appears from a ſubſequent verſe, Iſaac, convinced that it was the divine will, made no reſiſtance at all; for it is ſaid, "they went both of them together;" and again, verſe 9, when we are told that Abraham bound Iſaac, we do not hear of his complaining or endeavouring to eſcape, which he might have done, being (as ſome think) near thirty years of age, and it is plain, capable enough for carrying wood enough for a burnt-offering. But he was partaker of the like precious faith with his aged father, and therefore is as willing to be offered, as Abraham is to offer him: and ſo they went both of them together.
Verſe 6. At length "they came to the place of which God had told Abraham. He built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Iſaac his ſon, and laid him on the altar upon the wood."
And here let us pauſe awhile, and by faith take a view of the place where the father has laid him. I doubt not but the bleſſed angels hovered round the altar and …ang, Glory be to God in the higheſt, for giving ſuch faith to man. Come, all ye tender-hearted parents, who know what it is to look over a dying child: Fancy▪ that you ſaw the altar erected before you, and the wood laid in order, and the beloved Iſaac bound upon it: Fancy that you ſaw the aged parent ſtanding by weeping (for why may we not ſuppoſe that Abraham wept, ſince Jeſus himſelf wept at the grave of Lazarus?) O what pious, endearing expreſſions paſſed now alternately between the father and the ſon! Joſephus records a pathetic ſpeech made by each, whether genuine I know not but methinks I ſee the tears trickle down the patriarch Abraham's cheeks; and out of the abundance of the heart, he cries, Adieu, adieu, my ſon; the Lord gave thee to me, and the Lord calls thee away; bleſſed be the name of the Lord: adieu, my Iſaac, my only ſon, whom I love as my own ſoul; adieu, adieu. I ſee Iſaac at the ſame time meekly reſigning himſelf into his heavenly Father's hands, and praying to the Moſt High to ſtrengthen his earthly parent to ſtrike the ſtroke. But why do I attempt to deſcribe what either ſon or father felt? It is impoſſible: we may indeed form ſome faint idea of, but ſhall never fully comprehend it, till we come and …it down with them in the kingdom of heaven, and hear them tell the pleaſing ſtory over again—Haſten, O Lord, that bleſſed time! O let thy kingdom come!
And now, ver. 10. The fatal blow is going to be given. "And Abraham ſtretched forth his hand, and took the knife to ſlay his ſon." But▪ do you not think he intended to turn away his head, when he gave the blow? Nay, why may we not ſuppoſe he ſometimes drew his hand in, after it was ſtretched out, willing to take another laſt farewel of his beloved Iſaac, and deſirous to defer it a little, though reſolved at laſt to ſtrike home? Be that as it will, his arm is now ſtretched out, the knife is in his hand, and he is about to put it to his dear ſon's throat.
But ſing, O heavens! and rejoice, O earth! Man's extremity is God's opportunity: for behold, juſt as the knife, in all probability, was near his throat, ver. 11. "the angel of the Lord, (or rather, the Lord of angels, Jeſus Chriſt, the angel of the everlaſting covenant) called unto him (probably in a very audible manner) from heaven, and ſaid, Abraham, Abraham.▪ (The word is doubled, to engage his attention; and perhaps the ſuddenneſs of the call made him draw back his hand, juſt as he was going to ſtrike his ſon) And Abraham ſaid, Here am I."
And he ſaid, verſe 12. "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now know I that thou feareſt God, ſeeing thou haſt not withheld thy ſon, thine only ſon from me."
Here then it was that Abraham received his ſon Iſaac from the dead in a figure. He was in effect offered upon the altar, and God looked upon him as offered and given unto him. Now it was that Abraham's faith, being tried, was found more precious than gold purified ſeven times in the fire. Now as a reward of grace, though not of debt, for this ſignal act of obedience, by an oath, God gives and confirms the promiſe, "that in his ſeed all the nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed," verſe 17, 18. With what comfort may we ſuppoſe the good old man and his ſon went down from the mount, and returned unto the young men! With what joy we imagine he went home, and related all that had paſſed to Sarah! And above all, with what triumph is he exulting now in the paradiſe of God, and adoring rich, free, diſtinguiſhing, electing, everlaſting love, which alone made him to differ from the reſt of mankind, and rendered him worthy of that title which he will have ſo long as the ſun and the moon endure: "The father of the faithful!"
But let us now draw our eyes from the creature, and do what Abraham, if he was preſent, would direct to; I mean, fix them on the Creator, God bleſſed for evermore.
I ſee your hearts affected, I ſee your eyes weep, (and indeed, who can refrain weeping at the relation of ſuch a ſtory?) But, behold, I ſhew you a myſtery hid under the ſacrifice of Abraham's only ſon, which, unleſs your hearts are hardened, muſt cauſe you to weep tears of love, and that plentifully too. I would willingly hope you even prevent me here, and are ready to ſay, "it is the love of God, in giving Jeſus Chriſt to die for our ſins. Yes, that is it." And yet perhaps you find your hearts at the mentioning of this, not ſo much affected. Let this convince you, that we are fallen creatures, and that we do not love God or Chriſt as we ought to do: for, if you admire Abraham offering up his Iſaac, how much more ought you to extol, magnify, and adore the love of God, who ſo loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, "that whoſoever believeth on him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life?" May we not well cry out▪ Now know we, O Lord; that thou haſt loved … ſince thou haſt not withheld thy Son, thine only ſon from us? Abraham was God's creature, (and God was Abraham's friend, and therefore under the higheſt obligation to ſurrender up his Iſaac. But O ſtupendous love … Whilſt we were his enemies, God ſent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might become a curſe for us. O the freeneſs, as well as the infinity, of the love of God our Father! It is unſearchable; I am loſt in contemplating it; it is paſt finding out▪ Think, O believers, think of the love of God, in giving Jeſus Chriſt to be a propitiation for our ſins. And when you hear how Abraham built an altar, and laid the wood in order, and bound Iſaac his ſon, and laid him on the altar upon the wood; think how your heavenly Father bound Jeſus Chriſt his only Son, and offered him upon the altar of his juſtice, and laid … on him the iniquities of us all. When you … of Abraham's ſtretching forth his hand to ſlay his ſon, think, O think, how God actually ſuffered his Son to be ſlain, that we might live for evermore. Do you read of Iſaac c…rrying the wood upon his ſhoulders, upon which he was to be offered? Let this lead you to Mount Calvary, (this very mount of Moriah where Iſaac was offered, as ſome think) and take a view of the antitype Jeſus Chriſt, that Son of God, bearing and ready to ſink under the weight of that croſs on which he was to hang for us. Do you admire Iſaac ſo freely conſenting to die, though a creature, and therefore obliged to go when God called? O do not forget to admire infinitely more the dear Lord Jeſus, that promiſed ſeed, who willingly ſaid, "… I come," though under no obligation ſo to do, "good why will," to obey and die for men, O … of you weep juſt now, when I bid you fancy … you ſaw the altar, and the wood laid in order, and Iſaac laid bound on the altar? Look up by faith, behold the bleſſed Jeſus, our all glorious Immanuel, not bound, but nailed on an accurſed tree: ſee how he hangs, crowned with thorns, and had in deriſion of all that are round about him: ſee how the thorns pierce him, and how the blood in purple ſtreams trickles down his ſacred temples! Hark how the God of nature groans! See how he bows his head, and at length humanity gives up the ghoſt! Iſaac is ſaved, but Jeſus, the God of Iſaac, dies; a ram is offered up in Iſaac's room, but Jeſus has no ſubſtitute; Jeſus muſt bleed, Jeſus muſt die: God the Father provided this Lamb for himſelf from all eternity. He muſt be offered in time, or man muſt be damned for evermore. And now where are all your tears? Shall I ſay, refrain your voice from weeping? No, rather let me exhort you to look to him▪ whom you have pierced, and mourn, as a woman mourneth for her firſt-born: for we have been the betrayers, we have been the murderers of this Lord of glory; and ſhall we not bewail thoſe ſins, which brought the bleſſed Jeſus to the accurſed tree? Having ſo much done, ſo much ſuffered for us, ſo much forgiven, ſhall we not love much? O! let us love him with all our hearts, and minds, and ſtrength, and glorify him in our ſouls and bodies; for they are his. Which leads me to a ſecond inference I ſhall draw from the foregoing diſcourſe.
From hence we may learn the nature of true juſtifying faith. Whoever underſtands and preaches the truth as it is in Jeſus, muſt acknowledge, that ſalvation is God's free gift, and … ſaved, not by any or all the works of … which we have done or can do; no; we can neither wholly nor in part juſtify ourſelves in the ſight of God. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt is our righteouſneſs; and if we are accepted with God, it muſt be only in and through the perſonal righteouſneſs, the active and paſſive obedience of Jeſus Chriſt his beloved Son. This righteouſneſs muſt be imputed, or counted over to us, and applied by faith to our hearts, or elſe we can in no wiſe be juſtified in God's ſight: and that very moment a ſinner is enabled to lay hold on Chriſt's righteouſneſs by faith, he is freely juſtified from all his ſins, and ſhall never enter into condemnation, notwithſtanding he was a fire brand of hell before. Thus it was that Abraham was juſtified before he did any good work: he was enabled to believe on the Lord Chriſt; it was accounted to him … righteouſneſs; that is, Chriſt's righteouſneſs was made over to him, and ſo accounted his. This, this is goſpel; this is the only way of finding acceptance with God: good works have nothing to do with our juſtification in his ſight. We are juſtified by faith alone, as faith the article of our church; agreeable to which the apoſtle Paul ſays, "By grace ye are ſaved, through faith; and that not of yourſelves; it is the gift of God." Notwithſtanding good works have their proper place: they juſtify our faith, though not our perſons; they follow it, and evidence our juſtification in the ſight of men. Hence it is that the apoſtle James aſks, was not Abraham juſtified by works (alluding no doubt to the ſtory on which we have been diſcourſing) that is, did he not prove he was in a juſtified ſtate, becauſe his faith was productive of good works? This declarative juſtification in the ſight of men, is what is directly to be underſtood in the words of the text: "Now know I," ſays God, "that thou feareſt me, ſince thou haſt not withheld thy ſon, thine only ſon from me." Not but that God knew it before; but this is ſpoken in condeſcenſion to our weak capacities, and plainly ſhews, that his offering up … ſon was accepted with God, as an evidence of the ſincerity of his faith, and for this, was left on record to future ages. Hence then you may learn, whether you are bleſſed with, and are ſons and daughters of faithful Abraham. You ſay you believe; you talk of free grace, and free juſtification: you do well; the devils alſo believe and tremble. But has the faith which you pretend to, influenced your hearts, renewed your ſouls, and, like Abraham's, worked by love? Are your affections, like his, ſet on things above? Are you heavenly-minded, and, like him, do you confeſs yourſelves ſtrangers and pilgrims on the earth? In ſhort, has your faith enabled you to overcome the world, and ſtrengthened you to give up your Iſaacs, your laughter, your moſt beloved luſts, friends, pleaſures, and profits for God? If ſo, take the comfort of it; for juſtly may you ſay, "We know aſſuredly, that we do fear and love God, or rather are loved of him." But if you are only talking believers, have only a faith of the head, and never felt the power of it in your hearts, however you may bolſter yourſelves up, and ſay, "we have Abraham for our father, or Chriſt is our Saviour;" unleſs you get a faith of the heart, a faith working by love, you ſhall never ſit with Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, or Jeſus Chriſt in the kingdom of heaven.
But I muſt draw one more inference, and with that I ſhall conclude.
Learn, O ſaints! from what has been ſaid, to ſit looſe to all your worldly comforts; and ſtand ready prepared to part with every thing, when God ſhall require it at your hand. Some of you perhaps may have friends, who are to you as your own ſouls, and others may have children, in whoſe lives your own lives are bound up: all I believe have their Iſaacs, their particular delights of ſome kind or other. Labour, for Chriſt's ſake, labour, ye ſons and daughters of Abraham, to reſign them, daily in affection to God, that, when he ſhall require you really to ſacrifice them, you may not confer with fleſh and blood, any more th… the bleſſed patriarch now before us. And as for you that have been in any meaſure tried like unto him, let his example encourage and comfort you. Remember, Abraham your father was tried ſo before you: think, O think, of the happineſs he … on joys, and how he is inceſſantly thanking God ſo tempting and trying him when here below. … up often by the eye of faith, and ſee him ſitting with his dearly beloved Iſaac in the world of ſpirits. Remember, it will be but a little while, and you ſhall ſit with them alſo, and tell one another what God has done for your ſouls. There I hope to ſit with you, and hear this ſtory of his offering up his ſon from his own mouth, and to praiſe, the Lamb that ſitteth upon the throne, for what he hath done for all our ſouls, for ever and ever.