A meditation vpon the XXIIth [sic] chapter of Genesis. By H.W.

A meditation vpon the XXIIth [sic] chapter of Genesis. By H.W.

Table of contents

ERRATA.

A MEDITATION VPON THE XXIIth Chapter of GENESIS.

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A MEDITATION VPON THE XXIIth Chapter of GENESIS.

By H. W.

IN this wonderfull Piece of Sacred Story, Behold the Father of the Beleevers, at extreame Age surprized (as it should seeme by the Circumstances of the Text) in his Bedd by a Commandement from God, to sacrifice his [Page] onely Sonne; In which case All the Powers of his Minde being sodenly shaken with an infinite combat betweene Faith and Nature; wee may vpon the whole matter conceiue Him to haue broken foorth into some such Discourse with Himself, as followeth.

WHat? Could this possibly bee the voice of God which I heard? Or haue not rather some strange Impressions of the Night deluded my Fancie? Yea, Thy voice It was (My God) It was Thy voice. How can Thy humble Servant denie it? with whom seven times before descending from the Throne of Thy Glory, Thou hast vouchsafed [Page] even to commune in this Vale of Teares.

When Thou didst first call me out of the darkenesse of my Fathers House into Thy saving Light; When Thou didst often cherish and encourage mee in the Stepps of my Pilgrimage; When Thou didst furnish mee with Plenty, and Crowne me with Uictorie in a strange Land; When lastly Thou didst even overlade my feeble Age with Ioy in a rightfull Heire of mine owne Body; was I forward at all these times to acknowledge Thee the God of my Support and Comfort? And shal I now question Thy Uoice, when Thou demandest but a part of thine owne Benefits? No, (My [Page] deare Isaac) although the Heavens know how much I love Thee: yet, if Thou wert, or couldst be Millions of times more precious in the eyes of Thy trembling Father: I would summon together all the Strength of mine aged Lymnes to render Thee vnto that gracious God from whom I had Thee. Alas (poore Boye) how sweetly Thou slumbrest, And in Thy harmeles Bed doest little thinke what change is towards Thee. But I must disturbe Thy Rest. Isaac arise, and call vp my Servants; Bidd thē prepare for a Iourney which we are to make vnto the Mount Moriah, And lett some Wood bee carried for the burning of a Sacrifice. Meane while I will walke [Page] out a little by my selfe to contemplat the declining Starres, and approch of the Morning.

O yee Ornaments of the Skie, who when all the World is silent obey your Maker in the determinat Order of your Motions. Can Man behold his owne dutie in a fairer Volumne? Why then stand I gazing heere, and doe not rather goe my Selfe to hasten my Seruants, that I may execute his will? But stay: His Will? VVhy? Is His Will contrary to the Example of his owne Iustice? Did He not heavily punish Caine even at the beginning of the first VVorld for killing but a Brother? And can I slay my Childe and imbrue [Page] my hands in mine owne Bowels without offence of His Immortall Maiestie? Yes? VVhy not. The Act of Caine was the Act of his owne sinnefull malice: But I have received an immediate Command from God himselfe. A Command? VVhy? Is his Command against his Law? Shal the Fountaine of all Truth be serued with Contradictions? Did not the same God streight after the vniversall Deluge (as our Fathers haue told vs) denounce this Iudgement; That VVho so sheddeth Mans Bloud, His Bloud shall be shedde? How then can I herein obey my God, But I must withall disobey Him?

[Page] O my weeke Soule; what poore Arguments doest thou search to cover thine owne rebellious Affections. Is there any VVarrant higher then His VVill? Or any better Interpreter of His VVill then Himselfe? If the Princes of the Earth (who are but mortall Types of His invisible Glory) can alter their Edicts at pleasure; Shall not the Lord of the whole (whom Angells and Men adore) have leaue to dispence with His owne Prohibitions? Yes surely: But then how shall[?] the Blessing that my Good God hath determined vpon my Seede, and euen vpon this very Childe be accomplished, if I destroy the Roote? O Lord, was not [Page] Thy Divine Goodnesse pleased in the depth of Thy Mercie to accept my Beleefe for Righteousnesse? And shall I now frustrate Thy Promises with my Obedience? But what? Am I fallen againe into a new Reluctation? Haue I before contested with Thy Iustice? And shall I now dispute Thy Power? Didst Thou not create the Light before the Sunne? And the Effect before the Cause? And shall I binde Thee to the Passions of a naturall Agent? Didst Thou not make this All of Nothing euen by Thy word (which was Thy Wisdome) And foment All that Thou hast made, by Thy Spirit (which is Thy Love?) And shall I doubt but Thou canst [Page] raise innumerable Nations out of the very Ashes of my poore Isaac? Nay, Did I not even at first receive Him in a manner from a dead VVombe? And art not Thou still the same Almighty and everliving God? Mercifull Father, full of all tendernesse and compassion, That seest from Heaven whereof we are made; Pardon my Discourses, and forget my Delaies. I am now going to performe Thy good Pleasure. And yet there is remaining one humble Suite: which refuse not (O my God) though it proceede from the weakenesse of Thine vnworthy Creature. Take my Child, and All that is Mine. I haue resigned Him with my whole Heart vnto [Page] Thy VVill. Hee is already Thine, and Mine no longer; And I glory that He shall Die vpon Thy Holy Altar. But yet I feare withall, That these my shaking Hands and fainting Limbes will be seazed with Horror. Be not therfore (Deere Lord) displeased, if I vse my Servants in the Execution. How now (My Soule) Doest Thou shrinke in the last Act of Thy Loyaltie? Can I yet walke vp and down about vile and ordinary Functions? And when my God is to be serued, do my Ioints and Members faile me? Have I humbled my desires to his VVill? And shall I denie Him the choice of His own Instrument? Or if His indulgent Mercy would permit it, [Page] shall I suffer another to anticipate the cheerfulnes of my Obedience? O Thou great God of Life and Death! Who mightest have made Mee an insensible Plant, A Dead Stone, Or a Poisonous Serpent And yet even in That likewise I should have conduced to the varietie of Thy glorious VVisdome: But hast vouchsafed to endue vs with the forme of Man, and to breath into our first Parent that sparke of Thy Divine Light which we call Reason, to comprehend and acknowledge therewith Thy High and indisputable Soueraignty over all Nature, Thou then (Eternall Maker and Mover, whose VVill is the First of Causes, and whose Glory is the Last of Endes) direct [Page] my Feete to the Place which Thou hast appointed, Strengthen there these poore Hands to accomplish Thy Pleasure, And let Heaven and Earth obey Thee.

ERRATA.

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PAg 1. read Rhapsody for Ropsody. p 1. r. Schismatical for Shismaticall. p. 1. r. which for with are &c. p. 4. r. dilemma for delemma. p. 4. r. peculiar for perculiar. p. 17. r. reference for reuerence. p. 19. r. euill for ewill. p. 20. r. genu for genus. p. 20. r. flectitur for flectiter. p. 21. r. concilii for conilii p. 21. r. Emmanuel for Emmavel. p. 21, r. and for annd. p. 26. r. literally for litterally. p. 28. r. vt ei coelestia for coelestia &c. p. 39. r. reference for reverence. p. 53. r. interpreters for interpreter. p. 54. r. come for ome. p. 59. humility for humity. p. 62. r. poplite for polite p. 65. r. Orosius for Orotius p. 73. r. must not for must not. p. 80. termino for termino.

CErtaine others [...] hath admonished me, which I correct thus [...] Docter Willets Cent [...]6. Read Caluin at the [...] but not at the 10.p.16.

SEing that he is [...] in mine eie. When he hath [...] of his owne eie, [...]6. texts of scri [...] appeares by my

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LONDON, Printed by A. M. for George Baker, 1631.

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Information about this book

Title statement

A meditation vpon the XXIIth [sic] chapter of Genesis. By H.W.

Wotton, Henry, Sir, 1568-1639.

Edition statement

1631

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A14594

ID [STC]

STC 24905

ID [STC]

ESTC S120670

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99855865

ID [PROQUEST]

99855865

ID [VID]

21373

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A14594)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21373)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1044:10)

Source

— A meditation vpon the XXIIth [sic] chapter of Genesis. By H.W., Wotton, Henry, Sir, 1568-1639..

Extent

[12] p.

Printed by A[ugustine] M[athewes] for George Baker,. [London :: 1631]. (H.W. = Henry Wotton.) (Caption title.) (Imprint from colophon; printer's name from STC.) (Signatures: A⁴ B² .) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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