Heb. xi. 8. By faith that illustrious patriarch, Abraham, being called by the God of Glory, who appeared to him, to go out from his father's house and native land, to a distant place, which God promised that he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed without disputing or murmuring, and went out; though he knew not whither he was going, or to which part of the world he was to steer his course, humbly resigning himself to divine providence to mark out his journey and abode.

He leaves his gods, his friends and native soil

And they went forth from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran and dwelt there. Gen. xi. 31.

135 Canaan he now attains;

And they went forth from Haran, to go into the land of Canaan; and into Canaan they came: and Abram passed through the land, unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Morch, And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said; Unto thy seed will I give this land.

141 From Hermon east

A fertile mountain in the north of Canaan, near Mount Lebanon, beyond Jordan.

144 Mount Carmel; here the double-founted stream, Jordan, true limit eastward:

Carmel, a mountain in the Holy Land, fifty miles north west from Jerusalem. The river Jordan crosses Palestine, from north to south, and falls into the Dead Sea.

146 Shall dwell to Senir, that long ridge of hills

Senir or Seir, a long ridge of mountains, with many fertile tracts of land which constituted the country of the Edomites on the south side of the Red Sea and Canaan, forty-six miles from Jerusalem.

152 Whom faithful Abraham due time shall call,

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram; but thy name shall be called Abraham for a father of many nations have I made thee. Gen. xvii. 5.

153 A son, and of his son a grand-child leaves

;

In the memoir of Abraham, we have viewed the great patriarch in trying situations: the life of his son Isaac was less diversified; for he having the advantage of a pious education and a good estate, sat down in the possession of it, without feeling the necessity of wandering about, to seek for either pleasure or riches. Eliezer, the pious steward of Abraham, was sent to Mesopotamia, to seek a wife for Isaac, from among the children of his brother Nahor: on his arrival at the place of destination, he stopped at a well, that his camels might drink. This steward had a most tender concern for the welfare of his master; and he shewed it, by a solicitous regard to promote his wishes for success, upon the commisson with which he was entrusted. He meets the daughter of Laban at the well, and is charmed with her affability, and secretly wishes that she might prove a branch of his master's brethren. The sacred writer observed, that the man wondered at her ;' and well he might: the winning grace of such be

haviour could not but effect any human heart with love and admiration. Condescension and kindness, in persons of distinction, will always have this effect upon persons of lower stations; and, if those who move in the more elevated circles would but consider how endearing they make themselves by gentle manners, it would be their chief ambition to win a praise so easily obtained. Eliezer is acknowledged as the steward of Abraham, and Rebekah attends him willingly. Let us now turn our eye towards the tents of the patriarch Isaac in Canaan. Isaac went out to meditate at even tide.' The stillness of the scene calms every perturbed idea, and reduces into subjection the wildness of fancy. All nature shews sobriety and tends to elevate the mind to the universal parent, whose 'tender mercy is over all his works.' Thanksgiving for blessings produces contrition for offences, and this brings the contemplative man to pray for grace and forgiveness. While the patriarch was exercised in religious contemplation, and probably the thoughts of the new situation he was about to enter into had some share, he lifted his eyes and beheld the camels from Mesopotamia. Rebekah, on seeing the stranger, veiled herself: no grace is so beautiful as female delicacy and reserve. She descended from the camel in a spirit of humility and Isaac brought her into his mother's tent; and he loved her, and was com-forted for his mother's death.

155 The grand-child with twelve sons increas'd departs. From Canaan,

Isaac's two sons were Esau and Jacob; and

Jacob dwelt in the laud wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a coat of many colours. And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his brethren; and they hated him yet more. And Judah said unto his brethren, what profit is it if we slay him and conceal his blood? come, let us sell him to the Medianites' merchantmen, and they sold him for twenty pieces of silver. And the Midianites sold him into Egypt, unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharoah's and captain of the guard. Led by the hand of God, the youthful sufferer, after the lapse of a few years, stands forward the preserver of the land of Egypt from famine; and, advanced by the favour of God, high in the estimation of Pharoah the king. Jacob, the father of Joseph, heard that there was corn in Egypt,' and sent his sons to buy what was necessary for their preservation. The command arose from the occasion, and appeared not as an interpositon of providence; so little could they imagine, that this grievous visitation, which threatened almost universal destruction; that the patriarch should owe to it a re-union with the son of his heart, that dearly beloved son whom he supposed dead, and had never ceased to lament. We may conceive the delight with which, in answer to his enquiries respecting his father, Joseph heard, Thy servant, our father is in good health; he is yet alive. His plans were soon arranged, and he seems only to have waited till his astonished brothers had received an important lesson respecting

their own conduct, and had an opportunity to be convinced of his identity, and the high distinction he enjoyed ere he says to them; 'Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say to him; thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Egypt; come down unto me, tarry not.'

160 He comes invited by a younger son, In times of dearth,

Was Joseph then elated with his high advancement, of being lord of all Egypt, and was he vainly desirous, that all his glory' should be represented to his father? No, let us not think so unworthily of him, it was dutiful concern. Jacob had much to fear from the Egyptians: they held the Canaanites in abhorrence. Joseph weighing this, ordered his brethren to relate the glory he was in with Pharaoh king of Egypt, that the venerable man may rest in peace under his son's influence. Seventeen years did he enjoy the pleasing and pious conversation of Jacob; and, on being informed that he was ill, he hastened with his sons. Jacob, full of the divine spirit, pronounced a solemn blessing upon Joseph and his sons; and said, Behold I die; but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers

165 Suspected to a sequent king, who seeks

To stop their overgrowth,

It is not to be supposed, that because this Pharoah, which was the titular name of the Egyptian kings; 'knew not Joseph;' he was, therefore, ignorant of the great services of that illustrious statesman. The public records must