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tend their dominion from the river of Egypt, (not the river Nile, but some branch of it,) unto the great river, the river Euphrates so far did the countries become tributary in David's 19 and Solomon's days ; and shall include The Kenites, and the Ke20 nizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Periz21 zites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

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REFLECTIONS.

E see the happiness of good men; God is their shield, v. 1, to protect them from their enemies, from wicked men, and Satan; from principalities and powers that are confederate against them. God would not have them to be fearful or sorrowful; he will be their exceeding great reward; will give them grace and glory, and will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly.

2. Let us learn to be content in those circumstances which Providence allots us. One cannot but pity the weakness of the father of the faithful, after what God had said to him. All his wealth and honour, the fine country he lived in, and the favour of God; all this was nothing without a child. Perhaps the Messiah or promised seed may be referred to, which may plead something in his excuse; but still he seems uneasy in his mind. If God denies us temporal blessings, let us still be patient and content, and seek him for our portion. Let those who are childless in the earth be more diligent and active in the service of God, as they have more leisure and fewer cares; then will he give them a name and a place, which shall be better to them than sons and daughters.

3. We learn joyfully to embrace the promises of God; herein imitating the faith of Abram; he believed in God, and staggered not at the promise through unbelief, Rom. xiv. 20. Let us be strong in faith, giving glory to God; guard against an evil heart of unbelief; and pray, Lord, increase our faith. If we trust his promises, and act agreeable to them, we have, through grace, a claim to all the benefits of the covenant; and by this we shall obtain witness that we are righteous.

4. Learn to adore the foreknowledge of God in these surprising predictions. They are very remarkable; so many years shall they serve their enemies; then their enemies shall be punished, and the oppressed shall go free. He knows, not only the external circumstances, but also the moral characters of men; when their iniquity is full, and when it is time to punish. This knowledge is too high for us; we cannot attain unto it; but it is found in a perfect manner in God. May we reverence this glorious God, who foreknows whatsoever shall come to pass, and showeth unto man his counsel, declaring the end from the beginning. This God is our God for ever, and he will be our guide unto death.

5. Let us rejoice in the assurance of a better country; Know of surety, saith God to Abram. The promise to believers is sure; we have his word and oath, that by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us. We have a sign and sacrament to confirm our faith to all the spiritual seed of Abram the promise is sure. Let us imitate the faith and piety of this patriarch, that we may at length possess an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us.

CHAP. XVI.

The origin of nations and kingdoms is generally the darkest part of history: here we have a plain account of one that was very considerable it arose from Abram, by one of his maid servants, who probably came with him from Egypt.

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OW Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children

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she had an handmaid, or bond woman, an Egyptian by birth, but a proselyte to the true religion, whose name [was] 2 Hagar. And Sarai, impatient to see the promise fulfilled, said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram, not consulting with God, as he should have done, hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, she grew vain of the honour, and her mistress, as a punishment for her impatience and im5 prudence, was despised in her eyes. And Sarai, growing jealous, upbraided her husband, as if he encouraged this insolence, and said unto Abram, My wrong [be] upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee: plead my cause and vindicate my inno6 cence, since thou wilt not do it.* But Abram, far from taking Hagar's part, said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid [is] in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face, with a view to return to her own country.

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And the angel of the LORD, appearing perhaps in a human form, found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by

• By these quarrels in the family, God was pleased to corret both Abram and Sarai for seeking children in such an unwarrantable way.

the fountain in the way to Shur, where she stopped to rest herself and call upon God; for she seems to have been a devout 8 woman. And addressing her in her proper character, to make her sensible of her fault, he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee 9 from the face of my mistress Sarai. And the angel of the LORD said unto her, return to thy mistress, and submit thyself 10 under her hands. And the angel of the LORD further said unto her, to comfort her in her distress, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou [art] with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, that is, God shall hear ; because the LORD hath heard thy

12 prayers made in thy affliction. And he will be a wild man, warlike and violent; exercising himself in hunting beasts, and oppressing men; his hand [will be] against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren, near unto them, in spite of all their 13 attempts against him.* And she called the name of the LORD, that spake unto her, Thou God seest me, hast taken care of me, and graciously manifested thyself to me: for she said, Have I also here, even in this desert, as well as in my master's family, looked after him that seeth me? and, notwithstanding my misbehaviour there, have had a comfortable sight of him and 14 promise from him? Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi, that is, the well of him that liveth and seeth me; behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered.

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And Hagar returned to Abram's family, humbled herself to Sarai, and told what she had seen; and in due time she bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Ha16 gar bare, Ishmael, as the angel had commanded. And Abram [was] fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

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REFLECTIONS.

ET us view the hand of God in all our afflictions and disappointments, like Sarai, who acknowledged, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing. Sarai had every thing else she could desire; but God continued this disappointment for the exercise of her faith and patience. It is a good thing to be sensible of this, and to say with Job, when tempted to repine, shall we re

*This is one of the most remarkable prophecies in the whole scriptures. The Hagarenes, Saracens, and Arabians, all descended from Ishmael. They called themselves Ha garenes, as coming from Hagar; but being reproached for this, they changed their name fo Saracens, as coming from Sarai. They were the fiercest race of men ever known on earth, and continue of the same spirit to this day; live by rapine and plunder, in the very sam: place for more thun 4000 years, and all attempts to conquer them have been in vain. What a proof is this of the divine authority of Moses! Who but a prophet of God could have foretold this!

ceive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil, or afflictions also?

2. Let us avoid an insolent temper in prosperity, v. 4. This is one of Solomon's four things by which the earth is disquieted, an odious woman when she is married, and an handmaid who is heir to her mistress, Prov. xxx. 23. This is often the case, especially in persons who have been suddenly advanced from a low to a more exalted station; their height makes them giddy. However distinguished we may be from others, let us be careful not to despise them; but remember to whom our prosperity is owing; consider who hath made us to differ, and what is there that we have not received.

3. Let us be careful not to appeal to God, under the transports of a peevish temper: this Sarai did, and it was very unbecom ing. Abram might have said, She speaketh as one of the foolish women speaketh. Let us take care not to make God a party in our quarrels. A readiness to appeal to him is no argument that we are right; it is often a sign that we are wrong, and expect to be believed on that account, though we should have neither reason nor evidence on our side. God searcheth the heart, and it becomes us to guard against such transports of passion; for should we be in the wrong, he certainly knows it, and an appeal to him will be indeed sealing the curse on our own head.

4. We should admire the condescension of God to a poor fugitive slave. He mercifully stopped her when going a foolish journey; when her provisions perhaps were spent, he sent her back to pious Abram's house; improved her soul by her afflictions; and made her a blessing to the family. Again,

5. Learn to avoid that wretched character here given, of Ishmael. Those who oppose others will be opposed themselves. Complaisance to such will not last long; men will arm themselves in their own defence. Let us therefore govern our own spirits, and not suffer them to be boisterous. Persons of this character have lives full of trouble, run themselves into difficulties, and are paid in their own coin; which is grievous, because they, of all men, are least able to bear such affronts. If our hand is against every man, every man's hand will be against us, from a principle of self preservation, but more commonly from that wretched principle of revenge, which too much prevails in the world. In like manner, if our tongue be against every man, and we reproach and censure others, with what measure we mete it shall be measured to us again. To prevent this, let us honour all men; be kindly affectioned one toward another; forbearing and forgiving one another; do good to all men, then men in general will be disposed to do good to us. Once more,

6. Reflect on God's omniscience, and his favourable interposition for us. Let us remember, in every place, Thou God seest me: look continually on him who looks on us; having our eyes VOL. I.

always up unto the Lord, for direction, support, and encouragement, whose eyes are continually upon us for good. It is the character of the wicked, that God is not in all their thoughts. We should set the Lord always before us, for we depend entirely upon him; in him we live, and move, and have our being. If he will not look on us, how miserable must we be! To live as under his eye will afford us the greatest pleasure and delight; it will be our greatest security amidst dangers and difficulties. This should be the concern of every one; we should charge our hearts to maintain this temper. Nothing will be so likely to make us truly serious and religious, as to recollect, that whatever we do, God sees us, and wherever we are, God is there.

CHAP. XVII.

God renews his covenant with Abram; institutes circumcision as the seal of it; changes the names of Abram and his wife, to whom he promises a son, in whom the covenant should be established; at the same time he blesses Ishmael; and Abraham circumcises his family.

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ND when Abram was ninety years old and nine, that is, thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I [am] the Almighty God, able to fulfil all my promises; therefore walk before me, as always in my presence, and be thou perfect, or upright and 2 sincere in doing my will. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, renew, enlarge, and confirm it with a sacra3 ment, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell

on his face, in token of fear and reverence, being afraid to look 4 on God and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, I declare on my part that my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations; the Israelites and Ishmaelites, and believers in all ages, shall be esteemed thy spiritual seed.

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Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, an high or mighty father, but thy name shall be Abraham, that is, father of a multitude; for a father of many nations have L 6 made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.* 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant,t to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, to

This was true in a literal sense; but chiefly in a spiritual, in respect of the Messiah, who is King of kings.

+ Of long continuance, in respect of the outward ceremony of circumcision, but for the spiritual part, literally everlasting in Christ, Heb. xiii. 20. 1 Peter i. 4.

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