might have contracted this additional marriage. And as there is no note of time, in the original of the first verse of this chapter, we cannot be sure that this particular event did not happen before those last mentioned. And yet it is best to suppose, unless we have strong reasons to the contrary, that the events happened in the order in which they are related. And it was undoubtedly as easy for God to give to Abraham many sons after the death of Sarah, as to give him one by her who was in this respect as dead. So idle is all attempt to limit the sovereignty of Him who made the universe! So foolish to conceive of any difficulty, as some have here conceived, in many children being born to Abraham, who so many years before was, according to the apostle, himself also in this respect "as good as dead!" Heb. 11. 12.

In this family by Keturah, we see further provision for fulfilling the promise of a numerous posterity, made by God to Abraham. And the same is to be observed of the generations of Ishmael, whose twelve sons became "princes according to their nations,' heads of such numerous families, as to form during their life time, nations subject to their rule. Wherein we see another prophecy fulfilled, that spoken by the angel to Hagar, concerning Ishmael, "I will make him a great nation." Ch. 21. 18. And whereas it had been said of him, before his birth," he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren," ch. 16. 12, it is here recorded that his family took possession of the line of country, all the way from Havilah unto Shur; where it is known that for many ages they continued to dwell, surrounded by the other children of Abraham, and yet altogether separate and distinct. So exactly did their lot fall to them as God had appointed! So sure is his word to be fulfilled, whether it relate to families or to nations, whether to our lot on earth, or our inheritance in heaven!

Ishmael at his death is said to have been "gathered unto his people." And of Abraham the same expression is used. After mention of his giving all that he had to Isaac, in accordance with God's blessing, and of his sending his other sons eastward, with suitable provision, that they might not interfere with Isaac in the promised land, and of his dying "in a good old age; " we are told that he was “gathered to his people. We are apt to speak of death as the parting from our friends. In the word of God we learn that it is being united to the company of his saints. Whilst the body of this faithful servant of the Lord is buried along with that of Sarah his wife, his spirit returns to the "God who gave it," Ecc. 12. 7, there to meet all "the spirits of just men made perfect," Heb. 12. 23, that have lived since the world began. O goodly fellowship of prophets and apostles, when shall we enjoy your blest society? O noble army of martyrs, when shall we be admitted to your glorious presence? O people of God, our fathers and our brethren, ye saints that have departed in his faith and fear, when shall we be gathered to your community, never to part?

Esau and Jacob are born. The birthright sold.

19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac:

20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padan-aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.

21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.

22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.

23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took

hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.

27 And the boys grew and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.

29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:

30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

LECTURE 50.

God overrules the wills of sinful men.

From a comparison of the age of Isaac when he married Rebekah, with his age when Esau and Jacob were born, it appears that he was twenty years childless. What a trial must this have been to one who accounted himself the heir of the promises of God, both that he should have a very numerous posterity, and that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed! And what an argument for perseverance in prayer is that which is here written, that "Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife." "And the Lord was intreated of him." Singular it may seem

that both Sarah and Rebekah were subjected to the same "reproach among men." Luke 1. 25. But how appropriately may we thence be led to think of the church, the bride of Christ, which out of all the millions of mankind has for so long time borne so few! And how much might we hereby be encouraged to pray in behalf of both Jew and Gentile, that the joyful words of the prophet may speedily be fulfilled in both of them, "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear !" Isa. 54. 1.

Before the children were born the character and lot of their descendants are foretold. As they struggled within their mother's womb so would there be strife hereafter between the nations their posterity; and the elder would have to serve the younger. When they were born, the hand of one was on the heel of the other, as if in token of a disposition to supplant. And hence "his name was called Jacob." When they grew up, they followed different pursuits; and became, one the favourite of Isaac, the other of Rebekah. Now we learn from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, that this great difference between the two brothers was connected with the settled purpose of God, to prefer the younger to the elder, as the heir of the promise. We learn that this is the most important sense, in which the elder should serve the younger, namely, the younger was counted for the seed, was selected, out of God's free grace, to be the channel of his mercy to mankind in Christ. See Rom. 9. 9-13. Let us therefore take this view of God's dealings with both of them. Let us observe how in all that follows, He so orders the unruly wills and affections of sinful men, as to fulfil his own good pleasure.

Already we see the commencement of this surprising dispensation. Esau selling his birthright, and Jacob buying it, what is this but carelessness on the one side, and covetousness on the other, overruled for the manifestation of God's greatness, goodness, glory? Whatever were the exact privileges conveyed by this birthright, there can be no doubt that they included the inheritance of the promise. And Esau is therefore called by St. Paul "profane," Heb. 12. 16, because in selling it, he was guilty of contempt towards God. Happy are we in being counted for the seed of Abraham, children of the promise, heirs of glory. Let us watch that we never sell this spiritual birthright, never part with our hope of eternity for the satisfactions of this present time. Better it were to perish for lack of food, than to disobey or dishonour God. Better to eat nothing whilst the world endures, than to make our brother to offend. See 1 Cor. 8. 13.

God help us to deny ourselves, in order to give to them that need! God teach us how we may best unite the most lively concern for our own souls, and the most anxious desire for the salvation of our brethren!

Isaac dwelleth in Gerar; denieth his wife.

1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.

2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to

look upon.

8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window,

and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife. 9 And Abimelech called Isaac and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.

11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him :

13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.

15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.

16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.

17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there. LECTURE 51.

Troubles attend on the possession of worldly goods.

Isaac, as well as Abraham, had to experience the hardships of a famine in the land of promise. Surely God herein designed to teach the patriarchs, and us by them, that besides enjoying the inheritance on earth, all the happiness provided for believers in

one.

this present life, we ought to set our affection on things above, and live in hope of a better country, that is to say, a heavenly And thus we might also apply to ourselves the words spoken to Isaac, "Go not down into Egypt." If we have troubles in our Christian course, let us not thereby be driven aside from the direction in which God would have us walk. Let us with Isaac dwell where the Lord appears; conform our manner of living to the instructions of his word. Let us with Abraham obey God's voice, and keep his charge, his commandments, his statutes, and his laws. And though there may seem to be more of plenty and of pleasure, in the Egypt which God has forbidden; we shall find that He will be with us, and will bless us, if we sojourn in the land where He tells us to abide.

The apprehensions of Isaac, like those of his father Abraham, lest the beauty of his wife should tempt the men of the place to kill him, present to our view a strange state of society. And we may be inclined to ask, why it should be probable, that they who would not hesitate to put him to death, would nevertheless not take his wife whilst he was alive? It would look as if men had at that time less security against murder, than against adultery. It would look as if that conjugal union, which adds so greatly to the joys of life, was then held more sacred than life itself. this might probably be from a growing forgetfulness amongst mankind, as to the promise of life eternal in the heavens. For there is nothing which tends to give so high a value to the life of man, as for it to be believed, that everlasting happiness or misery depends upon our use of the present time.

And

But whatever may be the true account of this seeming inconsistency, these apprehensions of Isaac, as well as the jealousy to which his wealth soon afterwards exposed him, may help to make us sensible, how much of trouble is apt to follow on the possession, of all that is most admired amongst mankind. And though we must never fail to use with thankfulness the goods which God gives us to enjoy; we shall hence learn to be the better contented, in the want of those which He withholds. Without them we have so much less to watch for, and fear for, whilst possessed, and so much the less to mourn for when withdrawn. And we have so much less to part with, when at length we leave the place where we have pitched our tent, for the valley of the shadow of death. Never, therefore, let us delight in heaping up hoards of wealth. Never let us study how most to enlarge, but rather, how best to spend our earthly riches. Let us spend as they who must give account of their expenditure, and who would not for all the riches in the world endanger the salvation of their souls.