z 2 The Excellency of Abraham's Faith and Obedience. Vol. lE. Went about it as readily and chearfully, as if God had bid him do fome fmalt thing : By Faith Abraham when he was tryedoffered up Ifaac. For the explication of which Words , it will be requifite to confider Two things. Fir, ff, The Tryal or Temptation in general. Secondly, The Excellency of Abraham's Faith and. Obedience upon this Tryal. Firfl, The Tryal or Temptation in general : It is faid that Abraham when he was tryed, the Word is aciegó, esv035:, being Tempted : That is, God intending to snake Tryal of his Faith and Obedience ; and fo it is expreft Gen. 22. r. where it is Paid, that God did tempt Abraham, andfaidunto him, Takenow thy Son, thine only Son. Now there are two difficulties concerning this matter. It feems contrary to Scripture, that God fhould tempt any Man and contrary to Reafon becaufe God who knows what every Man will do, needed not to make Tryal of any Man's Faith or Obedience. Firft, It fecros contrary to Scripture, which fays, GodTempts no Man : And 'tis molt true, that God tempts no'Mati, with a defign to draw him into Sin; but this Both not hinder, but he may try their Faith and Obedience with great difficulties, to make them the more, illuftrious. Thus God tempted Abraham; and he permitted Job, and evenour Bleffed Saviourhimfelf to be thus tempted. Secondly, It feems contrary to Reafon, that God, who knows what any Man will do in any Circumítances, should go to make Tryal of it-- -ButGod does not try Men for his own information ; but to give an illuftrious Proof and Example to others of Faith and Obedience : And tho' after this Tryal of Abraham, God Lays to him, Now I know that thou loveff me, becaufe thou haft not with -held thy Son, thine only Son fromme; Yet we are to underftand this as fpoken after the manner of Men ;; as God elfe-where fpeaks to Abraham concerning Sodom; £ mill go down now to fee whether they have done altogether according to the cry which is come up unto me; and ifnot, Iwill know. I proceed to the Second thing I propofed, The Excellency of Abraham's Faith and Obedience upon this Tryal : By Faith Abraham when he was tryed offered up Ifaac. God accepts of it, as if he had done it; becaufe he had done it in part, and was ready to have performed the refs, ifGod had not countermanded him. And this aft of Faith and Obedience in Abrahamwill appear the more illuftrì- ous, if we confider thefe three things. I. The firmnefs and ftedfaftnefs of his Faith, notwithstandingthe Objeftions againft it. II. The constancy of his Refolution, notwithstanding the difficulty of the thing. III. The reafonablenefs of his Faith, in that he gave fatisfa&ion to himfelf in fo hard and perplext a Cafe. I. The firmnefs and ftedfaftnefs of his Faith will appear, if we confider what Objeftions there were in the cafe, enough to shake a very ftrong Faith. There were three great Objeftionsagainft this Command, and fuch as might in rafon make a wife and good Man doubtful whetherthis Commandwere from God. Thehorrid Nature of the thing commanded. The grievous Scandal that mightfeemalmoff unavoidably to follow upon it. And the horrible Confequence of it, which feemed to make the former pro- niife ofGod to Abraham void. Firft, The horridNature of the thing commanded, which was for a Father to kill his own Child. This mutt needs appear very barbarous and unnatural, and look liker a Sacrifice to an Idol, than to the true God. It feemed to be againft the Law of Nature, and direftly contrary to that kindnefs and affeftion which God himfelf had planted in the hearts of Parents towards their Children, And 1
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=