changed sides as it suited their present inclination, they never could be totally subdued: Pompey, Crassus, and other generals of great fame were all unsuccessful in their attempts to enslave them: Trajan, by whirlwinds and hail, thunder, lightning, and frightful apparitions in the air, was obliged to raise the siege of the Hagarenes; and though Severus had beat down some of the city wall, he would not influence his soldiers to enter the breach, and therefore retreated, when to all human appearance the city was at his mercy. These events can no ways be accounted for without the supposition, that God's power interposed to fulfil his promise; especially if it be remarked that the Arabians in this ex

tremity stood single against thewhole power of Rome; and that the Roman army was composed of men out of all nations. So that considering all things, nothing can be more justly inferred than that every man's hand was at this time against Ishmael, and that his only hand was against every man's; and yet he dwelt, and still dwelleth in the presence of all his buthern for it was not long after this, that the Ishmaelites joined the Goths against the Romans, and having overcome both, they, under the name of Saracens (which signifies thieves or robbers) erected a vast empire upon their ruins. And thus Ishmael, in the full extent of the prophecy, became a great nation.

S.

OW did Isaac and Rebeccah respect their twins, Esau and Jacob?

T. Esau was most beloved of his father; and Jacob was his mother's

darling; which partiality had like to have proved the ruin of the family.

S. On what was this difference founded?

T. Esau, who was a strong and active lad, and delighted much in hunting, gained his father's affections by his frequent presents of venison and Jacob, being of a more gentle and courteous disposition, gained the ascendant over his mother by keeping her company, and employing himself more at home in family affairs.

S. How had this like to have proved fatal to the family?

T. Rebeccah, being determined to prefer Jacob before Esau, might probably put him upon watching all Opportunities to persuade Esau to part with his birth-right; this he effected under an oath, for a mess of pottage, which Esau longed for at a time that he was so spent, as not to have any hopes of living to enjoy the privileges thereunto belonging. And afterwards Jacob, taking advantage of his father's blindness, by his mother's contrivance, put skins on his hands and neck to personate Esau, and obtain Isaac's blessing in prejudice of the cldest son Esau; which Esau threat.

ened to revenge with his brother's blood, after the death of their father. S. Why did Jacob strive so much for the birth right?

T. Because the first born was consecrated to the Lord; had a double portion of the estate allotted to him; had a dignity and authority over his brethern; succeeded in the government of the family, and to the priesthood. He had a right to challenge the particular blessing of his dying parent; he had the covenant which God had made with Abraham, that from his loins Christ should come, consigned to him; and what is more, these preroga tives were not consigned to his person only, but descended to his posterity.

S. How long did Isaac continue in his father's habitation ?

T. Not long after his father's death for the famine being again very severe in the land, he removed with his family to Gerar; where he was guilty of the same fault, as his father before him had been, by denying his wife, on the same account. But Abimelech the reigning king, having discovered it, commanded, under pain of death, that none of his subjects should touch her.

S. What happened to Isaac in Gerar?

T. God renewed with him the covenant that he had sworn unto Abraham, and blessed him with such a large increase of corn and cattle, that the wealth he accumulated by husbandry, drew upon him the envy of the Philistines, who could net bear to see him grow so great; in somuch that they filled up the wells which his father's servants had digged, and were not satisfied, till they "?

prevailed with their king to order him to depart from thence.

S. Did Isaac depart from Gerar, as commanded ?

T. Yes but having been forbid den by God to go into Egypt, and knowing that God would restrain the Philistines from doing him any harm, he retired no farther than into the valley of Gerar: where his father had formerly fed his cattle : and though he only opened the wells, which his father's servants had dug, the herdsmen of Gerar, thinking him too well situated there also, quarrelled continually with his shepherds, till at last they deprived his flocks of water, and brought other inconveniences upon him; he was then obliged to remove farther off, where he dng a well without opposition, which he called Rehoboth, or Enlargement; but, though he had nothing to fear from the na. tives. he soon after settled his constant abode at Beersheba.

S. Did he make this movement by God's direction?

S. No. But it appears to be with his approbation: for he was no. sooner arrived; but that very night, the Lord appeared unto him and blessed him, and promised to protect him, and to multiply his seed.

S. What did Isaac de, upon this vision?

T. He built an alter, on which he, by sacrifice, called upon the name of the Lord. And God so prospered him in all his undertak ings, that Abimelech, fearing it would be one day in his power to revenge the affront he had put upon him, by expelling him his country, came to Beersheba, attended by his chief nobility, and Phicol the captain-general of his forces, and at

ter much apology for his ill-treatment of him, proposed a treaty of friendship with Isaac and his house. S. How did Isaac receive those Philistines?

T. It was natural for him to remind them of the hard usage, he had met with in their country but being the blessed of the Lord, of a meek and peaceable temper, he treated them kindly, lodged them all night, and in the morning, having first ratified their treaty by an oath to each other, he sent them away, and they departed home in peace. On the same day his servants brought him word, that they had found water in the new well they had dug, which Isaac therefore called Sheba; and the name of the city Beersheba, or the well of the oath, in memory of this covenant even as Abraham had done before at the same place, and on the

like occasion.

S. What became of his two sons? T. They still continued with him. But Esau, being now forty years of age, took a false step by marrying not only without his parents consent; but with two wives, daughters of the Hittites.

S. How did his parents receive this news?

T. It was grief of mind unto old Isaac and Rebeccah; yet, though his mother's heart was, in some measure alienated from him, his father could not cast off his natural affection, but to the last day of his life expressed a tender regard for him, as his first born son.

S. In what particular did Isaac shew this regard for Esau ?

T. Supposing himself near his end, he orders Esau to go and kill, and dress some venison for him;

intending after he had eaten thereof, to give him his paternal blessing. Now it was that Rebeccah overbeard what Isaac said, and put her son Jacob upon supplanting his brother, and depriving him of that blessing; as I have told you before. S. What was the blessing, of which Jacob supplanted his brother? T. Isaac having eaten of the savoury meat, prepared by his son Jacob, and being persuaded that it was his very son Esau, the first born, he kissed him, and smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him and said, 'See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field, which the Lord hath blessed therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee; be lord over thy brethern, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.' By which the good old man prophetically wished him all heavenly and earthly enjoyments.

S. How did Isaac and Esau bchave, when this deceit of Jacob's was discovered?

and would not cease from his tears and intreaties, till Isaac had blessed him also.

S. What was the blessing Isaac gave to Esau?

T. That, though his posterity should not enjoy the land of Canaan, which abounded with corn and wine, yet they should want for nothing; that they should become a great people, and mighty warriors, who should live by the dint of their sword; and, though they sometimes should become subjects to the descendants of Jacob, yet in process of time, they should shake off their yoke and erect a dominion of their own. S. Who were the posterity of Esan?

T. The Edomites or Idumæans, who were a powerful people, till David conquered them; from which time they were governed by viceroys or deputies, under the kings of Judah. They frequently attempt ed to regain their liberty, which at last they effected; and joining the Babylonians in their conquest of Judea, they used the Jews cruelly, threatened to level Jerusalem with the ground, and gave many proof's that their animosity against the pos terity of Jacob was hereditary; for they continued their broils and contentions, almost without intermission; till Hircanus reducing them to the necessity of embracing the Jewish religion, or of quitting their country, they chose to be incorporated with the Jews; after which the name of Idumean was soon lost, and quite disused.

S. Did not Jacob sin when he said, I am Esau, thy first-born?

7. Yes he was certainly guilty of lying or equivocation; which is by no means excaseable. But here

in we not only see the impartiality of the sacred writer; but by the transgression of so great a man, for a point of interest, we have an example of the infirmity of human nature, which in this state of danger cannot always stand upright, without God's special grace.

S. What became of Jacob after this?

T. Rebeccah being informed of Esau's design against his life, persuades Jacob to go and live at Haran, with her brother Laban in Mesopotamia, till Esau's fury should be asswaged, and he forget what had been done to him.

S. How did she persuade Isaac to let him go?

T. She pretended to her husband, that she was weary of her life, for fear that Jacob should, after the unhappy example of Esau, marry a wife from among the Hittites, the idolaters of the land in which they dwelt; and then proposed to send him to her father's house, to marry a daughter of her brother Laban. The pious father soon consented, called for his son Jacob, recommended his wife's proposal, forbid him to take a wife of the land of Canaan, and, blessing him, sent him away to Padan-aram, to the house of his uncle Laban, about 450 miles from Beersheba.

S. What did Esau upon this occasion?

T. Esan seeing hereby, that he had disobliged his father in marrying the daughters of the Hittites, went to Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had, Mahalah the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son; thinking thereby to regain his esteem.

S. When did Jacob set out from his father's house?