Noah lived 950 years; Eber, the oldest of the postdi

luvian Patriarchs, lived only 464.

TABLE III.

This portion of Sacred History beginning with B C. the CALL OF ABRAM (1), proceeds to relate his arri- (') val in Canaan, his abode at Sichem and Bethel, in 1921 each place building an altar unto the Lord that appeared unto him. (See Prophecy, Abram). The following year, a famine obliges him to remove, and he is directed by God to go into Egypt () where he is (2) kindly received by Pharaoh for the sake of Sarai, 1920 whom (Abram having passed her for his sister‡) he

* It will be observed, (see Prophecy, second Period, B,) that in the primitive division of the earth, the future sons of Jacob had been provided for, and their portion had hitherto remained unoccupied ; but shortly before Abram's arrival in "the land of Promise," it had been seized upon by the Canaanites, hence it is remarked, that "" "the Canaanite was then in the land," Gen. xii. 6. Bryant on the authen ticity of the Scriptures; p. 226,

† God had hitherto revealed himself by his voice and in dreams, he appears visibly to Abram in the second Person of the Holy Trinity. Gen. xii. 7.

She was "the daughter (grand-daughter) of his father, but not of his mother, Gen. xx. 12. He called her "sister;" therefore, by the same latitude as Lot, his " brother," Gen, xiv, 14. Hales's Anal. Sarai is said to be the same person who is called Iscah, Gen. xi. 29.

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would have married: but being warned by God in a dream, he dismissed Abram and his family, who thereupon returned into Canaan.

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Soon after this, from a disagreement between their respective servants, Abram and Lot separated; the latter having the choice allowed him, selected the neighbourhood of Sodom, although the inhabitants of that place “ were wicked, and sinners before the Lord exceedingly." After this separation from Lot, Abram received from God a ratification of all former promises, with a command to take a survey of the whole land of Canaan; he next removed to Hebron, still continuing to set up an altar at every change of residence.

About eight years after Abram's arrival in Canaan, happened the battle of the five kings of Canaan against Chederlaomer, king of Elam and his confederates, in consequence of which, Lot fell into the hands of the conquerors, but was rescued by Abram, who accompanied by three neighbouring kings, or chiefs, with whom he was upon B. C. amicable terms, pursued after Chederlaomer, res(3) cued Lot, and returned with great spoil (3) which 1912. he restored to the owners, after satisfying his allies

for their trouble, and offering tythes of all to Melchisedek, king of Salem," the Priest of the most high God," by whom he was solemnly blessed, (see Prophecy, 3d Period) For his own services, he refused to accept any recompense, relying solely upon the promises of God, the fulfilment of which, he would not anticipate by the intervention of any human agency.

We next read of the trials of the Patriarch's faith, his complaint of being "childless," answered by the promise of a son, and a numerous posterity, together with a prophetic revelation of their fortunes, and of those of the nations with whom they should be connected... And he "believed in the Lord, and it was counted unto him for righteousness," Rom. iv. 3.

Then follow the domestic troubles of Abram from the disagreements of Sarai and Hagar, the flight of the latter into the wilderness, where she received a divine revelation of the appointments of God relative to her future B. C. offspring. (Gen. xvi.) Ishmael was born the next -year (*), and was joyfully received by his father as (4) the promised heir; but when he had attained the 1910 age of fourteen years, God was pleased to make a farther revelation of his will; changed Abram's name to ABRAHAM, and Sarai's to SARAH, in token of their future aggrandisement ;* instituted the rite of circumcision, as a sign of the everlasting covenant, and promised another son who should inherit all the promises (5) (5) Abraham having in vain besought the Lord in be- 1897 half of Ishmael, of whose destiny he was now in-formed, testified his resignation to the Divine will, by obeying the command respecting circumcision. In the same year happened the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain, notwithstanding the earnest intercession of Abraham in their behalf, and which was rejected on the score of the general depravity of the inhabitants, amongst whom, not ten righteous could be found. Lot only, and his family, were preserved; his wife looking back, in opposition to the command given by the angels who directed them to leave the city, was turned into a pillar of salt.

The judgments here recorded, point out the beginning of the accomplishment of the prophetic curse of Noah respecting the posterity of Ham, and of the blessing bestowed upon that of Shem; but in the very same chapter in which they are described, we have proofs, that the prophecy was not the cause of its own accomplishment; for if the inhabi

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* ABRAM, signifies a high father," ABRAHAM a father of a multitude of nations," SARAI," my princess," SARAH," the princess, a mother of nations." Hales.

tants of Sodom (the posterity of Ham) were destroyed, we find that it was "because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was very great, and because their sin was very grievous," Gen. xviii. 20. Ezek. xvi. 49, 50. If God revealed himself in a special manner to Abraham, guided him by his precepts, encouraged him with promises, loaded him with benefits, it was because he knew " that he would command his children and his household after him that they should keep the way of the Lord, to do justice, and judgment; that the Lord might bring upon Abraham that which he had -spoken of him," Gen. xviii. xix. Lot (who having for the sake of temporal advantages associated himself with those sinners, well deserved to share their temporal fate,) was preserved in answer to "the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous" Abraham; but the posterity of his sons, Moab and Ammon, were not, though of the race of Shem, exempted from the curse attached to the commission of sin.

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After this catastrophe, Abraham removed to Gerar, where he again passed Sarah for his sister, and was near losing her to Abimelech, king of that country, who took her for his wife, but by the intervention of God she was B. C. restored to her husband. Isaac was born at the (6) time appointed (6), three years after which, Hagar 1896 and Ishmael were banished (2) at the instigation of Sarah, to the great grief of Abraham, who was (7) comforted by God with the promise of prosperity 1893. for Ishmael, as well as Isaac, and it is expressly said that "God was with the Lad," Gen. xxi. 20. Abraham continued to reside in the southern part of Canaan, and became considerable in the eyes of the inhabitants by his increasing opulence, so that Abimelech, king of Gerar was induced to make a treaty of amity with him, which was to extend to the third generation. "And Abraham abode in the Philistine's land many days" (or years), and when Isaac had attained the age of twenty-five, "God did

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tempt Abraham, by commanding him to offer this B. C. "child of promise" for a burnt sacrifice. (8) !(8)

Abraham did not hesitate, he rose up early in 1871 the morning," made every necessary preparation, and without any ostentation of the feelings of anguish so natural to the occasion, or of the merit of such devoted obedience, proceeded to the appointed place. God, satisfied with the obedience of the will, forbad the consumma tion of the sacrifice, and dismissed him with the most exalted blessings. Gen xxii. (see Prophecy, 3rd Period.)

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Twelve years after this event died Sarah, aged

127,(9) and Abraham, still resolved that none but (9) God should "make Abraham rich," insisted upon 1859. purchasing a burying ground for his family. He accordingly bought the cave of Machpelah, the only pos session he had in Canaan, even to the day of his death. Acts vii. 5.

* When God is said to “tempt" man, it signifies only that he places him in trying circumstances for the proof (Ecclus. xliv. 19, 20,) and improvement of his faith and obedience, in which case he usually exacts some painful act of self-denial. The Devil tempts in quite a different way, and for quite different ends; he seduces to evil by a deceitful prospect of good. He tempted our first parents by persuading them, that by their act of disobedience (an act, which but for the prohibition of God, involved no moral evil) they should “be as Gods, knowing good as well as evil," and also by the assurance of IMPUNITY ye shall NOT surely die." Gen. iii. 1-5. Our blessed Saviour was tempted by him “in all points like as we are,” Heb. iv. 15. see Matt. iv. 1-11. "Yet without sin," for "the Devil cannot deal with the authority of God;” “It is written” answers all his temptations, and makes him fly; but if he can bring you out of conceit with revelation, and persuade you to fling away your bibles, he will reason with you as long as you will, and furnish you with such reasons as you like best, as he finds you most inclined, whether to atheism, infidelity, or heresy-Bishop Sherlock's Discourses on the Immortality of the Soul, p. 313.

St. James describes a man to be "tempted" when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed. Jam. i. 14.