redemption, through Jesus Christ, the seed of the woman, who was to proceed from Abraham. And that the patriarch was permitted, by faith, to comprehend somewhat of the nature of this covenant, we may perceive, from the declaration of the Lord Jesus to the gainsaying Jews, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad."

Ishmael was Abraham's firstborn, and was tenderly beloved by his father: but Jehovah said to the patriarch, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called." And the apostle Paul speaks of the two sons as being an allegorical or typical representation of the carnal or first nature of the human mind, and of the second or regenerate state; having an especial reference to the inheritance enjoyed by the believers in Christ, and the abrogation of the ritual covenant.

In the posterity of Ishmael, the Arabian tribes, we have a standing memorial of the immutable purpose of God, who declared to Hagar that her son should "be a wild man,’ that "his hand" should "be against every man, and every man's hand against him,"

and that he should " dwell in the presence of all his brethren." This continues, even to the present day, to be exactly verified; for, whilst all other nations have been subdued and scattered, the wild and roving inhabitants of the Arabian desert, living in perpetual antagonism with all, have been conquered by none; but still dwell in their own land, in the presence of all their brethren.

CHAP. XVII.-Again was Abraham favoured with a personal intercourse with Jehovah, who condescended to visit him in human form, and to permit his servant to enjoy the most remarkable communication with his Creator of which we have any historical record. For "Jehovah appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre," as "he sat by his tent-door in the heat of the day." And Abraham "lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! three men stood by him : and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent-door, and bowed himself toward the ground." Of these three heavenly, though apparently human visitors one was specially addressed by Abraham, as the superior and directing person: and

Abraham "said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant." And Abraham provided refreshment for his guests," and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat;" and when they had partaken of the repast, they said, "Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, behold, in the tent." Then the superior visitor addressed Himself to Abraham, as Jehovah-promising him a son by his wife, whose name had been changed, by the command of the Lord, to Sarah, (or the mother of nations). "And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. And Jehovah said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? for I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." Then did Jehovah communicate to Abraham the righteous purpose of His will, in the awful punishment that awaited the re

probate inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the neighbouring cities of the plain; "because the cry of them" was "great, and their sin" was 66 very grievous." Then the two attendant angels "turned their faces from thence, and went towards Sodom;" but the superior Angel, who was Himself Jehovah, continued to converse with Abraham, and to permit him to intercede for the devoted city; which Jehovah graciously declared He would spare, if only ten righteous could be found within it. "And Jehovah went His way, as soon as He had left communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place." Then, as the sacred narrative proceeds, we have striking evidence that the righteous

Judge of all the earth" will not destroy those who fear His name, for He "delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked;" and His special regard to His faithful servant, is indicated by the record, that "It came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow."

CHAP. XVIII.-And Sarah bare Abraham a son, and Abraham called his name Isaac, according as the Lord had commanded him. And when the child was grown, it pleased God to try the faith of Abraham, by commanding him to offer up his son Isaac, as a burnt sacrifice unto the Lord. Abraham obeyed this command; and he took his darling son, with two of his young men who conveyed the wood and the fire for the sacrifice, and went, as he was directed by God, to a mountain in the land of Moriah; and there he built an altar, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son" upon the altar; but, as he was about to slay his son, "the angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven, saying, Abraham, Abraham, lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." And Abraham beheld a ram that was

caught in a thicket by his horns"-and Abraham offered up the ram instead of his son-and he "called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh; (i. e., The Lord will provide).