dreadful Deed difpenfed with : the willing Mind accepted: and a folemn Approbation pronounced over him from above, anticipating the final Sentence, Well done, good and faithful Servant. Indeed, before this, God had declared, I know Abraham. But now he knew him by a new Proof: and, which is the constant Scripture Senfe of his trying any one, he manifested him by the Trial, to Angels, to Men, to himself: and Experience wrought in him fure Hope not to be ashamed upon any future Occafion, because the Love of God was thus shed abroad in his Heart. A further Discovery was, and a very delightful one it must be, that, by so decifive an Experiment of Ifaac's Piety, his Father knew him to be worthy of his utmost Affection; and worthy of the Choice, which God had made of him, to fupport Religion, and be the Progenitor of the promised Seed. Nor did this Trial convey only Improvement, and Comfort, and Reward here and hereafter, to Abraham: but useful Inftruction to others alfo. Hence it appeared, that the Servants of the true Deity were as ready to perform his hardest Commands, as thofe of falfe ones could be to obey theirs: but that he did not require © Matth. xx. 21. & Gen. xviii. 19. e Rom. v. 3, 4, 5. of of them to give their First-born for their Tranfgreffion, the Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul; but to do justly, and to love Mercy, and walk humbly with their God'. Hence alfo appeared, that God was not partial in his Choice of the Jews to be his peculiar People: but properly fixed on that Nation, where the most illustrious Inftances of religious Obedience had been given; for which this Prerogative, granted them, was a fit Recompence; befides that the Influence of fuch Examples and Teachers of it, afforded a greater Probability of its lafting there, than any where else: Hence likewise we may all of us learn, what is yet more material, not to fear making Ufe of our Reason in Religion, for Abraham ufed his on the Point before us; but ftill to make a fober and modeft Ufe of it: to believe and do what we plainly fee is taught and commanded, though neither the Particulars of the Doctrine, nor the Grounds of the Precept, be at all clear; and not to reject hastily and rafhly, what we read in Scripture concerning occafional Directions given formerly from above, though it be difficult to account for some of them at prefent. We may learn further, that the Victory VOL. IV. f Mic. vi. which which overcometh the World is our Faith; but that we are to shew our Faith by our Works, as St. James obferves Abraham fhewed his': not thinking our own Preffures heavier, and our own Virtue in bearing them greater, than any ones elfe ever were; but joining Humility with Refignation. And lastly, we may learn to obey God cheerfully in the most unwelcome Injunctions, and truft him boldly in the most inextricable Perplexities: which last we find was an ancient Leffon, founded on this Narration. For, from Abraham's faying to Ifaac, God will provide, (in the Hebrew it is fee for) a Lamb, the Place received its Name, Jehovah jireh, and a Proverb its Rife, in the Mount of the Lord it shall be feen': that is, in the very Extremity, if not before, Provifion will be made. And indeed, as this Part of the Patriarch's History is recorded in the earliest Book of the Bible; it is impoffible to say, of how frequent Ufe, or how great upon the whole, it may have been, from his own Time downwards, to good Perfons in all Ages of the Church, Jewish and Chriftian, under public Afflictions and private. But evidently it may be of unfpeakable Benefit to us, if we set but our Hearts to walk in the Steps of his Faith", in hope of being blessed with faithful Abraham", who is the Father of all them, that believe°: Many however may ftill object, with too much Truth, that his Pattern, though they allow it to be an excellent one, is one that they could never follow, were they ever so plainly commanded. But then, be thankful at least, that you are not commanded: and be affured you never will. Admire and honour, but never think of blaming, him that was able to do so much; and by that Method, amongst others, excite yourselves to do what you are called to. Since, through Divine Grace, he bore fo amazing a Trial, the fame Grace can surely ftrengthen you to bear common ones: and you may well fubmit contentedly, if your dearest Bleffing is taken from you, fince he was willing to facrifice his with his own Hand; comforting himself, as you may too, by the full Affurance of a future Resurrection. For if we believe, that Jefus died and rofe again: them also, which fleep in Jefus, will God bring with him. And this leads me to one View more of the Sacrifice of Ifaac: the Refemblance it hath to m Rom. iv. 12. PI Theff. iv. 14. n Gal. iii. 6. Bb 2 . Rom. iv. 11. that that of Chrift. No wonder it was fo extraordinary a Tranfaction in itself, if it was intended to prefigure the most extraordinary and mysterious one, that the World ever saw: as the agreeing Circumstances prove it must. In both Cafes you fee a good and kind Father causing his beloved, only, and innocent Son to fuffer Death. Ifaac was Heir to the Promises of the temporal Canaan: through Christ we claim the Inheritance of the heavenly. carried the Wood, on which he was bound, in order to be offered up; Chrift carried the Crofs', on which he was afterwards nailed, and put to Death. The Place where God appointed the former should die, and where the latter died actually, was the very fame; the Land of Moriah, that is, of God manifested; 1 John xix. 17. Ifaac on s Gen. xxii. 2. • Gen. xxii. 6. 2 Chr. iii. 1. faith, the Temple was built on Mount Moriaḥ, where the Lord appeared to David. Jofeph. Ant. 1. 1. c. 13. §. 1, 2. faith, that Mupo opos where the Temple was afterwards built was the Place where Abraham was directed to offer Isaac. The Book of Cozri, p. 85. faith the fame thing. Jerom. Qu. Heb. in Gen. xxii. 2. faith of the Hebrews in general, that they affirm it. Yet Tillotson, in the End of his Sermon on this Text, mentions him, as faying from an ancient and conftant Tradition of the Jews, that Moriah was Calvary. But he specifies not the Place. Reland Pal. p. 853. faith, "Mons Moria 2 Chr: iii. 1. "diftingui omnino debet à Regione Moria, in qua Deus Mon"tem aliquem (erant enim plures in illa Regione) fe Monftraturum Abrahamo dicit, ubi filiam fuum offerat." But I think he doth not mention the Land of Moriah elsewhere. Nor doth he explain bere, whether he meant any more, than that the Mountain |