Contemplations. LIB. li. with whomhe !hivesin thispraifeof forwardnefleandobedience. now he offers A his han~s and feet to the cords, his throat t~ the knif~, hisbody ro ;he A!tar ; and growing ambitious ofthe fword and fire, mtrear> h~> Fatherto doe tharwhich he would have done though he had diffivaded him.Oholy emulation offaith!Obleffed agreementofthe Sacrificer and Oblat!on : Abraham is as ready to take, as IJaac to give; he binds thofe deare hands whtch are more firaitly bound with the cords of duty and refolucion : he !ayeshiS facnfice epon the wood , which now before-hand burnt inwardly with the heavenly fireofzealeand devotion. And now having kiffed himhis la{!, not withoutmutuall teares ; he liftsuphis hand to fttch the firoke ofdearh at once,not fo much as thinking, perhapsGodwill relent after the firfi wound. Now the !layof Abr.ha111, the hope ofthe Church, lies en bleedingun9er the hand of a father: what bowels can choofe bmyearne at this B fpeetacle?whichofrhe favagefr Heathens that had bin nowupon the hill ofMoriah,& had fecn(through rhe bulhes) the fword ofa Father hanging over the throatoffucb afonne, would not have beene more perplexed in his thoughte, then thatunexpe· /led facrifice was in thofe briers? yet he whom it n<erefr concerned, is leafi touch· ed; Faithhath wrought thcfameinhim, whichcrueltywouldinothers, Not to bemoved.•He contemnsall feares, and overlookes all impoffibilities; His heart tds him that thefame hand whtch raifcdJfoac from the dead wombeof sarah, can raife him againe from the afhes of his f:tCrifice: with this cotlfidence was the handof If. brahaflJ now fllling upon the throat of 1.{4«, who hadgiven himfelfe for dead, and rejoyced in the change; when fuddenlythe Angell ofGod interrup<s him, forbids him, commends him. C The voyceofGod was never fo welcome, never fo liveet, n<ver fo feafonableas now: It was the tryall that God intended, not thef•Cl; lfaacis facrificed, and is yet alive:and nowboth ofthemare morehappy !n that they would havedone,then they could have been difrreffed if they had done lt. Godschargqs,are oft-times har(h in the beginnings and proceeding, bllt in the conclufion alwayescomfortable : true fpiriruallcomforts are commonly late and fudden : God defers on purpofe, thatour tryals may be perf~tt,our d~liverance. welcome,our recompence glorious; Ifaac had never been fo prec1ous to htS father, tfhe had not been recovered fromdeoth· ifhe had not been asmiraculonlly refiored,as given : Abr•h•m had never been fo blelfed in his feed, ifhe had not neglell:ed Ifaac for God. The only way to finde comfort in any earthly thing, is to furrender it (in afaith- D full carelefneffe) into thehands ofGod. Abraham came to racrifice, hemaynotgoe away with dry hands:God cannotabide that good purpofes lhould be frufrrate.Le!l , eitherhe fhould not doe that for which he came : or lhould want meanes offpeedy thanksgiving for fo gracious adifappointment ; Behold aRamt\ands ready for the facrifice,and as i: were,proffers himfelfe to this happy exchange. He that made that Beafr, bringshim thither,f.Jfienshimthere: Even in fmall things there is agrearprovidence; whatmyfieries there are in every aB: ofGod ! the ondySqnneofGod upon this veryhill is laid upon the Altar of theCroffe ; andfo becomes a true facrifice for theworld, th>r yet he is raifed without impeachment, and exempted from the power ofdeath: The LambeofGod which take,.way the fins oftheWorld, ishere really offered,and accepted: One Saviour in tWo figures; in theonedying· re!lored E in the other. So Abraham whiles he exercifeshis faith, confirmes it: and rejoyces ...- more ro forefee tbe true Ifaacin that place offered to death for his finnes, then to fee thecarna!II[a&c preferved'fro.m death for the reward of his Faith. Whatfoeveris dearefr to us upon earth isour 1.{44& ; happy are we if we can facrificeittoOod: thofe (hall never re!l withlfbr~hallJ, tha< cannot facrifice with 116rah1m. of
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