Sermons preached

So Abraham the Father of the Faithful, how contentedly doth he speak? and he thought no other but that Isaac, the Son of the Promise, should be sacrificed, Gen. 22. 8. When his Son asked him, Where's the Burnt-Offering for Sacrifice? and he answered, My Son, the Lord will provide an Offering, and so they went on their way together. When God declareth his Will not only contrary to our natural Affection, but our gracious hopes; when he taketh away Instruments upon whose Life his Glory seems to depend, we have the same Answer, God will provide.

The next shall be of Eli, 1 Sam 1. 18. It is the Lord, let him do whatsoever he pleaseth. When the Sentence was past, he humbly ⟨p. 283⟩submitteth. He doth not murmuringly say, must I bear the punishment of my Sons Iniquity? their Will is not in my power: if they be wicked, let them answer for it. No, It is the Lord, and his Will must stand: It is the Lord, who is too just to do us wrong; too good to do us hurt.

The next shall be the great Doctor of the Gentiles, St. Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 7, 8, 9. And for this I besought the Lord thrice; He knocked thrice at the Throne of Grace, as Christ prayed thrice, and Elijah prayed thrice for Rain. Well, but the Lord made him no answer, But my Grace is sufficient for thee. The Thorn in the Flesh, some painful Disease or Affliction must continue. And what saith Paul? Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my Infirmities, that the Power of Christ may rest upon me; therefore I take pleasure in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Necessities, in Persecutions for Christ's sake. He doth entertain it with some kind of cheerfulness and Thanksgiving, if he may have Experience that the Grace and Power of Christ may rest upon him; it is enough that God's Will is fulfilled, though it be with our pain and loss.