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.