stranger. His names appear to denote a character of moral excellence. Melchisedec signifies king of righteousness; and Melchisalem, translated in our bibles, "king of Salem," implies king of peace. The apostle who wrote to the Hebrews, considers him as a type of the Lord Jesus; and describes him " without father, "without mother, without descent; having "neither beginning of days nor end of life." The obvious meaning of these declarations is, that we know nothing of his birth-nothing of his death-neither can we trace his genealogy. Introduced thus abruptly, he disappears as suddenly; and we hear of him no more. The veil is lifted to discover him; and having just seen him, it is dropped-and hides him from us for

ever!

The toils of battle are succeeded by a solemn interview with Jehovah. "The word of God

came to Abram in a vision." It was a word of consolation; it was a message of encouragement. A son was promised; and it was declared that his seed should be, "as the stars of "heaven,"--innumerable. As a ratification of this solemn engagement, he was commanded to prepare a sacrifice. During the whole day, he waited the promised visit from heaven; "and "when the fowls came down on the carcases,

"Abram drove them away." But "when the

sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon "Abram; and lo, an horror of great darkness "fell upon him." Then the Deity renewed the promise before made to him; and predicted the slavery and the deliverance of his descend, ants in Egypt. And this was the sign of the covenant: "it came to pass, that when the sun

went down, and it was dark, behold, a smok"ing furnace, and a burning lamp, that passed "between the pieces,"

O Christian! in religious worship, guard against intruding thoughts: they are as the fowls descending to pollute, and to devour, thy sacrifice like Abram, let it be thy effort to drive them away. Guard the offering from the unhallowed intruders; and if God delay, patiently wait the manifestation of his presence. "The ❝ vision is for an appointed time; it will come, "it will not tarry" beyond the moment of divine appointment. Enter with solemnity into the presence of God; and approach him with seriousness. Every visit from the Divinity, is awful. "An horror of great darkness fell upon " Abram." "And Jacob awakened out of his "sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in "this place; and I knew it not.' " afraid, and said, 'How dreadful is this place!

And he was

"this is none other but the house of God, and "this is the gate of heaven!”

A new source of sorrow soon arises; and Abram's domestic tranquillity is broken, by a contention between his wife and the servant, whom she had given to cover what she deemed her reproach. What a chequered scene is the life of the best of men! Sometimes irradiated with the glory of divine intercourse at others, clouded by public, or domestic, trial. Abram is, "a stranger, and a pilgrim." The beauty of his wife ensnares him in Egypt. His prevarication drives him thence. Their mutual prosperity renders a separation between him and Lot necessary-and effects the division. War breaks in upon his repose; and requires him to crush 'his aged limbs in ungentle steel.' He forgets his labours and sorrows, in the blessings of divine communion, and in the soothing promises of a gracious covenant; when a contention is kindled, which consumes his dearest comforts; an affliction springs up, which touches him in the most tender part; and his house becomes "divided against itself." Trials from without may be endured; and the man retires from the scene of strife and mortification, to a smiling family circle; he regains his temper, reassumes his tranquillity, renews his smiles, and forgets

his vexations; but when domestic harmony is destroyed, the very sources of peace are dried up; and it is in vain to look abroad for consolation. The man's joys are polluted at their very fountain; and all their separate streams will necessarily flow defiled through all their ramifications. Peace affrighted, frequently flies from the tumults of the world, and alights, an angel form, in the bosom of a family: but if she is a stranger at home, we shall look for her in vain at the exchange of merchandise, and in the public walks of life.

The issue of this contest was-Hagar fled. While she was prosperous and vain, she was left to taste the bitterness of her own folly : but the moment earth abandoned her, heaven took up her cause: God became the friend of the fugitive; and her name no sooner appeared on the list of the desolate, than the care of her fortunes was transferred from man to the Deity; and he became her guardian. She was culpable and her fault had it's correspondent penalty. Her foolish pride had embittered the peace of the family; and she lost the shelter of the roof under which she introduced discord. We are displeased with the culprit: but we are moved at her punishment. A voice more than human is heard in the solitude; and arrests her attention. An angel is sent to her with a message full of

consolation. Her eyes, which were clouded by sorrow, no sooner glanced upon her unexpect ed and illustrious visitor, than a gleam of hope illumined them: but when he unfolded the singular character, and the future fortunes of her unborn child, they brightened into the full radiance of joy. It was ordained that his name should be Ishmael; and it was predicted concerning him, "He will be a wild man; 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." His descendants, the Arabs, have well accomplished the prophecy, at every period of their history. Living by plunder, and in perpetual warfare with all the world-remote from cities, and scattered in wandering tribes over the desert-resisted, yet invincible they are "wild men;" their "hand "is against every man" and "every man's "hand is against" them-and they "dwell in "the presence of all their brethren." Heaven does not interpose to cherish a proud spirit, but to subdue it; and Hagar, having provoked the harshness with which her mistress treated her, is expected to make concessions, and commanded to return to Sarai. Her master's roof once more shelter's her; and under it's shadow the promised child is born.

Thirteen years from this period, God renewed