The eleventh Argument is the example of those who have been eminent for Contentation. Examples are usually more forcible then Precepts. Abraham being called out to hot service, and such as was against flesh and blood, was content. God bids him offer up his son Isaac*; this was a great work, Isaac was filius senectutis, the son of his old age; filius dilectionis, the son of his love; filius promis•i, the son of the ⟨p. 196⟩promise: Christ the Messiah was to come of his line, in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed; so that to offer up Isaac seemed not only to oppose Abraham's reason, but his faith too; for if Isaac die, the world for ought he knew must be without a Mediator. Besides, if Isaac be sacrificed, was there no other hand to do it but Abraham's? must the Father needs be the executioner? must he that was the instrument of giving Isaac his being, be the instrument of taking it away? yet Abraham doth not dispute or hesitate, but believes against hope, and is content with Gods prescription. So, when God called him to leave his Country*, he was content. Some would have argued thus, what? leave all my friends, my native soil, my brave situation, and go turn pilgrim? Abraham is content; besides, Abraham went blindfold, he knew not whither he went*. God held him in suspense, he must go ⟨p. 197⟩wander he knows not where; and when he doth come to the place God had laid out for him, he knows not what oppositions he shall meet with there; the world doth seldom cast a favourable aspect upon strangers*, yet he is content, and obeys; He sojourned in the land of promise*; behold a little his pilgrimage. First, He goes to Charron, a City in Mesopotamia; when he had sojourned there a while, his father dies; then he removes to Shechem, then to Bethlehem in Canaan; there a famine ariseth, then he went down to Egypt, after that he returns into Canaan, when he came there ('tis true, he had a promise) but he found nothing to answer expectation; he had not there one foot of land, but was an exile: in this time of his sojourning he buried his wife; and as for his dwelling, he had no sumptuous buildings, but led his life in poor cottages: all this was enough to have broken any mans heart; Abraham ⟨p. 198⟩might think thus with himself, is this the land I must possess? here is no probability of any good; all things are against me; well, is he discontented?
The eleventh Argument is the example of those who have been eminent for Contentation. Examples are usually more forcible then Precepts. Abraham being call'd out to hot service, and such as was against flesh and blood, was content. God bids him offer up his sonne Isaac*; this was a great work, Isaac was filius senectutis, the sonne of his old age; filius dilectionis, the sonne of his love; filius promis•i, the sonne of the ⟨p. 196⟩promise: Christ the Messiah was to come of his line, in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed; so that to offer up Isaac seem'd not onely to oppose Abrahams reason, but his faith too; for if Isaac die, the world for ought he knew must be without a Mediatour. Besides, if Isaac be sacrificed, was there no other hand to doe it but Abrahams? must the Father needs be the executioner? must hee that was the instrument of giving Isaac his being, be the instrument of taking it away? yet Abraham doth not dispute or hesitate, but beleeves against hope, and is content with Gods prescription. So, when God call'd him to leave his Countrey*, he was content. Some would have argued thus, what? leave all my friends, my native soile, my brave situation, and go turne pilgrim? Abraham is content; besides, Abraham went blindfold, he knew not whither hee went*. God held him in suspense, hee must goe ⟨p. 197⟩wander he knowes not where; and when he doth come to the place God had laid out for him, he knowes not what oppositions he shall meet with there; the world doth seldome cast a favourable aspect upon strangers*, yet he is content, and obeyes; He sojourned in the land of promise*; behold a little his pilgrimage. First, He goes to Charron, a City in Mesopotamia; when he had sojourned there a while, his father dies; then hee removes to Sichem, then to Bethlem in Canaan; there a famine ariseth, then he went down to Egypt, after that he returnes into Canaan, when he came there ('tis true, he had a promise) but he found nothing to answer expectation; hee had not there one foot of land, but was an exile: in this time of his sojourning hee buried his wife; and as for his dweling, he had no sumptuous buildings, but led his life in poore cottages: all this was enough to have broken any mans heart; Abraham
- *Gen, 22. 2.
- *Heb. 11. 8.
- *Vers. 8.
- *Gen. 31. 15.
- *Heb. 11. 9.
