tion, but as it is commonly used in scripture, where relatives of the same stock are called brethren, or sisters, though not of the same father and mother. Taking advantage of this custom, Abraham imagined he might with impunity defend himself by a mental reservation.

CATHERINE. But in his case it was a duty to tell the whole truth, because his concealment of a part not only exposed him to the danger of losing his wife, but entangled the king, who it appears was an upright man.

MRS. M. The vicious state of public morals had not permitted Abraham to hope that he should again find such disinterested virtue, united with power, as he had seen in Pharaoh. But the king of Gerar was equally just, and yet more liberal: for together with Sarah, he sent large presents to Abraham, of cattle and servants and silver; and nobly offered him the choice of his whole domain to settle wheresoever he pleased. Thus by his piety and munificence he obtained the prayers of Abraham, and the blessing of heaven.

The next year the promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah was verified in the birth of Isaac; the father was in the hundredth year of his age, and his wife in her ninetieth, at this period. (B. C. 1896.)

The patriarch had now dwelt at Gerar some years in such high prosperity, that the Philistines, ascribing it to the particular favour of heaven, were anxious to secure his friendship. To obtain this favour, the Prince himself, attended by his general, made a visit to their illustrious guest and courteously reminding him of the kindness he had received, entreated that he would solemnly engage not to use his power to the injury of the people who had so hospitably entertained him. A treaty of friendship was

C

accordingly made, and Abraham made use of the opportunity to inform the king, that he had been violently deprived of a well near the place of their present meeting by the herdsmen of Abimelech. The right of Abraham was acknowledged at once, and the well ever afterwards called Beer-sheba, or the Well of the Oath, because it was the place where a covenant was ratified by an oath.

At Beer-sheba the family of Abraham continued at least till the twenty-fifth year of Isaac's age; for there we find them when he became the subject of a most affecting story.

CHARLES. Do not omit the stories, my dear mother; I love to listen to them.

MRS. M. All that I have said to you, my dear, or shall say, is one connected story, though episodes, particularly affecting, are sometimes interposed, and it is no wonder you should hear them with delight. You cannot study them too much, for they are accurate pictures of the human heart, and related with exquisite skill. The most accomplished writers of fiction have taken hints from many of them for their finest compositions; but as the face of nature is always more interesting than a copy, so the real incidents of life are infinitely more affecting than the best imitations. The wisdom and goodness which dictated the scriptures for our instruction, are evinced in giving us lessons in a form so engaging, that pleasure and profit go hand in hand. That which I am about to relate of Abraham, would be incredible, if it were not stamped with the unquestionable impress of veracity.

To put the faith and obedience of Abraham, who is emphatically called "the father of the faithful," to the most rigid trial, God commanded him to take Isaac his son into the land of Moriah, and offer him on one of the mountains

for a burnt offering. Isaac, his only son, whom he loved Isaac, whose children were to be multiplied as the stars of heaven and in whom "all the families of the earth were to be blessed!"-How can all this come to pass if he is to be put to death before he has one child from whom a race might descend? Without being a father; the father of an only child and one too from whom great and peculiar blessings were to be derived, it is impossible to appreciate the extreme hardship of this singular experiment.

FANNY. I often recollect a very affecting answer of a lady which I have somewhere read, who, in excessive grief for the loss of a child, was exhorted by her confessor to imitate the resignation of Abraham, "Ah! father," cried she, "God would never have required such a sacrifice at the hand of a mother !"

CHARLES. But how could Abrabam be made to believe that so cruel a sacrifice was required at his hand?

MRS. M. The creator of the human mind, my son, must know how to impress it infallibly: and we may be sure that he would leave no doubt of the source of a command so truly distressing. We may be sure the patriarch had none, because he obeyed. He obeyed too, because he knew that the Almighty had a right to require the life he had given. He arose early in the morning, and took Isaac, his beloved child, and two of his young men, and after cutting the wood for the fire, went three days' journey into the land of Moriah. When they came near to the appointed place, Abraham directed the servants, who might have interposed to prevent the execution of his purpose, to remain there, while he and the lad should go and worship. Then laying the wood on the shoulders of his

son, and taking the fire and the knife in his own hand, they proceeded to prepare the altar. Unapprised of the severe duty imposed on his father, Isaac very naturally inquired

"Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" "My son," said the pious Abraham, "God will provide himself a lamb." And so indeed he did: for at the moment when, having bound his son, and laid him on the altar, his uplifted arm, with still unshaken confidence, prepared to strike the fatal blow, the Angel of the Lord called to him out of heaven, "Lay not thine hand on the lad— for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me." Looking up, the patriarch beheld a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. This he took, and offered instead of his son. This act of faith, more honourable to Abraham than wealth and military triumphs, God was pleased to reward with renewed assurances of protection and favour. (B. C. 1871.)

CHARLES.

Such an uncommon act of submission cer

tainly deserved a reward.

MRS. M. No act of man can deserve a reward from the deity to whom all his services are due. But virtue and piety are sometimes graciously distinguished even in this life, and for our encouragement, we know they will certainly be rewarded hereafter.

A very eminent advocate for the divine legation of Moses, whose learning and ingenuity entitle his opinions to great respect, takes another view of this remarkable event in the life of Abraham, which, although not inconsistent with, is somewhat different from that which I have just presented to you. Action being a common mode of communication in the East, he considers this whole exhi

bition as designed to develope completely the promise to Abraham (bitherto opened by degrees and but partially understood) by a lively representation* of the sacrifice of an only Son, which should one day be offered on this same Mount of Moriah. Thus the seemingly harsh command became really the brilliant reward of his singular piety.

CATHERINE. Why then did Moses, in his relation, conceal this most interesting truth, and speak of the command as the trial of Abraham's faith?

MRS. M. It was truly, though incidentally, a trial of his faith; while, according to this writer, it had, primarily, a more important reference, which, his people being then under a preparatory dispensation, Moses was not permitted to declare otherwise.

CATHERINE. Why is Isaac denominated the only son of Abraham, when Ishmael was also his son?

MRS. M. Because the spiritual promise bestowed upon Abraham was to be transmitted through Isaac to his posterity, and finally from them to all mankind. Ishmael was the son of Hagar, a wife less honourable than Sarah, who being the first, was considered the superior. In those days it was the practice even of good men, to have several wives. Sarah seems at first to have adopted Ishmael, supposing him to be the promised heir of Abraham. But when Isaac was afterwards given to her, she instigated her husband (not, however, without provocation from the unbecoming conduct of both mother and son,) to banish both from his house, declaring that he should not inherit with her son. This unreasonable desire was very grievous to the venerable patriarch, but his unerring Counsellor com* Bishop Warburton considers this the true interpretation of that declaration of Christ, "Abraham rejoiced to see my day."