234 Abrahams Turchife, or, But Abraham, as the Father offaithful men, and a pattern to all lovingHusbands in all ages Mining, dothnot this till fuch timeas the dead Sarah growethnoyfome to all that look upon her. As long as he could by his mourningand lamentation profecute her without offence to his eyes, and danger tohis health, he did it: but now the time is come, when earth muff be put to earth, and duff muff return to duff. 'There is no placefor thefaireft beauty above ground, when once God hath taken life and breath from it : it muff go to its own elements, and to the rock and pit fromwhence it was hewen, thither it muff return. This holy man therefore beingwell refolvedof this,and knowing the doomalrea- dyutteredby Cod upon our firfe Parents,Duß rhos art,and to duff thou /halt return, he cannot keep his dead longer byhim; heknowetbthe bed wherein now the muff be laid, therefore he leeks for it to there Country-men that he lived withal, that were Heathens and Pagans, but very moral and civil men, as we may fee in this whole Difcourfe. Andhe defireth them that he might have a place for his own safe and turn ; not intimating fo much to them, as that there fhould be a feparation in their very death from Pagans and Heathens, but he keepeth that fo himfelf, and covereth it with fmooth fpeech, and elegancy of language,as hismanner was. For indeed it was not lawful for e4'braham to buryhù deadamongft the Canaanitet,the Ions of Heth, of whom he demanded this peculiar favour at this time ; but God would have his children, as they differ in all their life fromHeathens that knew no God,fo they fhoulddiffer in every point, even in their Graves after death,that there mightbe no commixtion,and minglingof light and darknefs,and no fellow (hip be- tween Chrifh and 7344 Therefore to continue thishope, and confirm it in all his Pofterity,that were a peculiar and chofen people ; Itwas neceflary he'hcould chufe 1 his Grave, his place ofSepulture, that they might be fequeftred from them in their death, as they were in the courfe oftheir life. Now after he had performed that duty that every manoweth to his dead friend, efpecially to his Wife, the mateof his bofome ; he cometh to move this to the Ions ofBeth, that werelords of the foil. He wasabundant intears before he comes to moveit : for God whichcommandethus notto lamentfor the Dead,as men with - out hope, doth notwithftanding not forbid us to mourn, and forrowfor them, and to lament : he giveth us leave ; nay, he rather altoweth and approveth ofnatural affeftion, when weweep with them that weep, and mournwith them that mourn, and rejoicewith them that refoyce. Abraham knew well in what eftate his Wife was, he knew fhe was in a happy' condition, he knew the was the Mother of the Faithful, and was tranflated to the beavenly Paradife ; and hewas not angry with God for taking away his Wife, he difdained not theact ofhis providence; notwithffanding herefolveth into tears and laments. And theremay vvellftand together, if they be not (as S. Jerome faith ) rebellious tears againft God, and againft hope, and againft the faith of the Re- furreftion : they arequalified and allovved, and acceptedvvith theLord, as a tefti- mony of that good affeftion, and brotherly love that he commandeth to be in e- very one. After he had performed this,perhaps mourned threeor four dayes forhisvvife,he knevv this mourning mutt have an end, he knees, that he mutt commit her to the ground,and makeavvayvvith her,that the might not be a meansfurtherto continue, and aggravate his forrovv to no purpofe; for vvith that conditiona man isallowed the ufc ofaffeEtions , as that he refpefts the gloryofGod, and giveway tovveak'- nature, rather than to any indulgent affeftion that is toohead- ftrong and unruly, as' thoughthere vvere no hope in the promifeoftheAlmighty.Thcrefore (I fay)when hehad thus moderated himfelf, as firft to thewby his forrovv that hevvas a loving husband, and then to lhcvvio theceafingofhis forrovv thathe was a wifeman, and a faithful Chriftian, hecometh now tothe chief and mainpoint, vvhereby tomake ianend ofhis forrovv, and take avvay thecaufe offurther grief, thefight ofhie dead: lHe comethto delire a poffe[Iion ofburial; and becaufe he was aflranger here, he cometh to thofc that vvereLordr,chiefones, and defireth themto intercede for him to the chiefLord, tobargain with him for place that hehad 'fougheour, and as
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