which he had dressed, and he set it before them: and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat."

These persons were unknown to Abraham, he was ignorant of their quality, country, and destination; yet his behavionr to them was as respectful as if they had been attended by a pompous retinue, or had sent a messenger to him announcing their names, and intention of visiting him. Abraham beheld three sojourners oppressed by heat, and knew that refreshment and rest to persons in such a condition were peculiarly acceptable. With a friendly heart, he hastened towards them, and pressed their acceptance of what his tents could afford. His conduct at table was correspondent; he stood beside them under the tree, to furnish whatsoever might be necessary. What a beautiful and instructive picture is this? and with how much propriety did the apostle adduce the circumstance as an encouragement to a like practice: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews xiii. 2.

The principal of the guests, while they sat at table, addressed Abraham by asking for his wife; and being answered that she was in the tent, he assumed his high character, and said, "I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life. and lo! Sarah thy wife shall have a son." Sarah, though she kept herself concealed, could not withhold her curiosity, but listened to this conversation from the tent door; and on hearing the promise of a child, her incredulity produced a contemptuous laugh. She thought herself secure from observation; but Omniscience marked not only the gesture, but the sentiment, and the Lord said unto Abraham, "Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? is any thing too hard for the Lord?" The woman, on being discovered, had the folly to deny the fact, saying, “I

laughed not ;" and the Lord only answered, “Nay, but thou didst laugh."

These extraordinary personages having risen from table, went towards Sodom, their venerable host accompanying them part of the way.

He who bore the chief rank, and who is in other places eminently styled the angel of the Lord, communicated to Abraham his design of destroying the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, on account of their sin, which was very grievous. While the other two went thither to execute the Divine vengeance, this celestial Being, or the Deity in human form, stood and communed with Abraham, who being filled with compassion for his fellow-creatures, and having in his mind the situation of his nephew Lot, with his family, drew near, seemingly with an eager yet fearful anxiety to plead with Jehovah on behalf of the devoted cities. The Lord attended compassionately to the importunity of his servant, who said, "Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city; wilt thou also destroy, and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee. Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?" The Lerd accepted the mediation of Abraham, and promised that if he found that number in Sodom he would spare the whole for their sakes. Abraham, encouraged by this goodness, proceeded to bring the number as low as ten, and he said, "I will not destroy it for ten's sake." Here the patriarch stopped, probably awed by the consideration that he had ventured as far as man should do in pleading with the Almighty: and when the Lord had ceased to commune with Abraham, he went his way, and Abraham returned unto his own place."

In the mean time the two angels advanced towards Sodom, where they arrived in the evening, and Lot, on seeing them, exercised the same hospi

tality which they had experienced from his uncle. But the men of Sodom, who were abominably wicked, beset the house, demanding of Lot to deliver up his guests. The good man regarded the rights of hospitality as too sacred to comply with their demand; and his refusal provoked them to make a violent attempt upon his house. In this exigence the angels drew Lot back, and smote the sinners at the door with blindness. The heavenly visitors then commanded Lot to hasten with his family directly from the city, which was devoted to instant destruction.

In the morning Lot departed with his wife and two daughters, and, by his intercession, the Almighty spared the neighbouring city of Zoar, to which he escaped; but his wife, for looking back contrary to the Divine prohibition, was turned into a pillar of salt. When Lot was placed in safety, the wrath of heaven descended in fire upon the cities of the plain; and they were wholly destroyed, with all that grew upon the ground. The expression of the sacred historian, that the "Lord remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow," implies, that to him he was indebted for his preservation; of so much value are religious connexions and examples, if duly cultivated and improved. We have also here a proof that the forbearance of the Almighty is frequently extended towards a sinful nation on account of the righteous which are therein.

But we must now turn to Abraham. After he had beheld the fearful overthrow of the cities of the plain, he withdrew from that unpleasant country, and journeyed to the south-west of Canaan, between Kadesh and Shur, near the wilderness, taking up his residence in Gerar, a country of the Philistines. Here he fell into the same error as he did in Egypt. Abimelech, king of the country, fell in love with Sarah, and, being informed that she was Abraham's sister, he sent for her to his palace. But Sarah was miraculously preserved by heaven; and Abimelech, on discovering that she was the wife of Abraham, rc

proached him for his deception, and restored her to him with presents

From this place Abraham travelled to the south, and dwelt at Beersheba, whither he was followed by Abimelech, who entered into a solemn covenant with him, that the one should not molest or injure the other. This circumstance encouraged Abraham to settle at Beersheba; and there he erected an altar, and planted a grove, as a solemn and retired place, in which he might worship the Lord.

At length the Divine promise, which had been so long made and repeated, was fulfilled; and Sarah was delivered of a son, who was circumcised on the eighth day, and called Isaac, by his joyful father, according to the Divine command.

The feelings of Abraham and Sarah, on this pleasing event, cannot be described. Faith long tried received its due reward; and all the consequences predicted by the Angel, and confirmed by the declaration of the Almighty, rushed upon the transported mind of Abraham, while Sarah dwelt upon the present enjoyment of a son in her declining years, and the comforts which she should receive from Isaac. Abraham saw a long lineage descending from him, in which the Messiah should arise, who would save his people from their sins; while Sarah's views were confined to the pleasure of rearing Isaac to manhood, and in receiving support from him in her old age.

On the day when Isaac was weaned Abraham made a splendid entertainment, thereby recognizing him as his heir. This, in all probability, excited the envy of Hagar, who had naturally considered, that, from the age of Abraham and Sarah, there was little chance of their having children. The birth of Isaac destroyed the pleasing expectations she had formed of Ishmael's inheriting his father's property; and therefore on this festivity the discontented passion evinced itself, and Sarah discovered the son of her handmaid" mocking Isaac." This action roused

the parental feelings of Sarah, and resentment excited stronger passions. She began to consider Ishmael as a dangerous companion for her son, and she might perhaps think that his mother would prove a formidable rival. Instigated by these motives, she importuned Abraham to banish Hagar and her son from his house. The language of Sarah was haughty and peremptory : "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. Abraham was greatly concerned at this demand, and he grieved for Ishmael, because he was his son. Like a pious man, however, he laid his domestic troubles before the Lord in fervent prayer, and consulted, as every one should do, the Divine counsel.

The Almighty having designs of his own with regard to both these youths, directed Abraham to comply with the wish of his wife; and accordingly Hagar and Ishmael were dismissed from tents where they had so long dwelt in ease and plenty, to seek subsistence elsewhere. Hagar in the wilderness having consumed the trifling provisions which she brought with her, left her child under a bush, and sat over against him, expecting nothing but death. The God of Abraham compassionating her case, sent his angel to comfort her, with an assurance that the lad should be the father of a great nation-and, as she was famishing with thirst, he caused a well of water to spring forth, and both she and the lad revived. Here they fixed their abode, and, under the Divine protection, Ishmael prospered, and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

In the mean time Abraham was near being seriously embroiled with Abimelech, owing to the servants of the latter having violently taken a well of water from the patriarch. This circumstance was of great moment in a country where water forms one of the most valuable articles of life. Abimelech, who had a great respect for Abraham, arising from a conviction that the favour of heaven was eminently