if it be still enquired, Why the birds were not divided, according to the Mofaic institution? It may be answered, That as the division of quadrupedes may represent the separation of the foul of the great facrifice from his body; so the non-division of the fowls may be expref five of his undivided person. "Though his foul was separated from his body, yet neither foul nor body was separated from the Son of God: But incomprehensibly, and ineffably united, when in the grave, and in the dust of death *." The solidity of this opinion is fubmitted to the judgment of the learned and can

did reader.

2. ANOTHER rite observed by Abram is, his driving away the birds which came down on the carcafes. The birds which came down upon the facrifice have been deemed emblems of evil spirits, which, like eagles, or birds of prey, come down on the children of God, efpecially when presenting themselves as living facrifices unto their heavenly Father, in the duties of his worship: And the patriarch's driving them away, has been confidered as expreffive of the faints driving away, or refifting the temptations of the devil. Others have explained these ravenous beafts of the Egyptians, who preyed on the feed of Abram, as was foretold on this occafion. I see no reason why both these senses may not rather be conjoined than oppofed. Only I would choose to understand the patriarch's driving away these birds as denoting the special protection, and prevalent interceffion of our Lord Jesus Christ, rather than the faith, and prayer of Abram himself, for the deliverance of his literal feed, as various expositors have infinuated.

III. WE promised, in the next place, to consider the dreadful appearance which God made to Abram at this time. The first appearance, recorded by Mofes, is called a VISION; but, as there were various kinds of visions, the nature and species of appearance is not easily determined. Says Dr Owen, "Visions were of two forts: OUTWARD REPRESENTATIONS of things unto the bodily eyes of the prophets; and INWARD REPRESENTATIONS unto their minds. There were sometimes appearances of perfons, or things, made unto their outward fenfes: And herein God made use of the ministry of angels. Thus, three men appeared to Abram, one of whom was the Son of God himself; the other two ministring angels, as hath been proved elsewhere. So was the burning bush, &c. They were made sometimes only to their minds. So it is expressly faid, that when Peter faw his vision of a sheet, knit at the four corners, and let down from heaven to the earth, he was in a TRANCE AN EXTASIE

seized upon him, whereby, for a season, he was deprived of the use of his bodily senfes *," &c.

THIS vision, I prefume, was of the bodily kind; for it does not appear that the patriarch was extatical, but deliberate in all the conferences that ensued. It was the WORD Of Jehovah who appeared at this time; and this appearance was a renewed confirmation of the covenant which had been granted oftener than once for the ratification of the preceding covenant. The reason of the Son's appearance has been above explained.

THE second appearance was more dreadful and stupendious: "When the fun went down, and it was dark; behold, a smoking furnace and a burning lamp, which passed between the pieces." By the institution of God, and the act of the facrificer, these sacrifices took the place of the guilty, being substituted in the room of Abram and his feed. The finoking furnace figured out the dark difpenfations of providence towards the Ifraelites: Hence we find the inspired writers not only alluding unto this vision, but also explaining it: "But the Lord hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the IRON FURNACE, even out of Egypt; to be a people of inheritance, as ye

* Dr Owen on the Spirit, p. 108.

are this day." Said Solomon, "For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midft of the FURNACE of iron." The Lord also addressed the Jews to the following purpose: "The covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the furnace of iron."-" When the cloud began to break the fmoke went up." The smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, pointing out the manner in which their deliverance did advance. Each circumstance mentioned in the sacred narrative added to the horror of the scene, however, at this time. The fun went down; it was dark; finoke added to the horror of the darkness. Hence we need not greatly wonder, if a horror of great darkness fell on Abram, both on account of God's awful Maje sty, and alfo on account of the night season predicted to the Church in his family. The burning lamp denoted God's favourable providences towards the promised Seed: It may also be confidered as a prelude of the pillar of fire, and pillar of cloud, which conducted Ifrael through the wilderness; which were alfo emblems of the divine prefence and majesty dwelling among the Ifraelites. This vision is not unlike that of Ezekiel: "As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire; and like the ap pearance pearance of lamps *." The former importing adversity, and the latter profperity. Though the glory of Abram's family might be greatly obscured; yet their lamp shall not be utterly extinguished: On the contrary, it shall burn with remarkable splendor; "When God small judge that nation whom they shall serve, then shall they come forth with great substance." This promised deliverance prefigured the Redeemer's victory over the devil; as Pharaoh was also an emblem of him: And this burning lamp was a graphical display of the Meffiah's victory, when his right hand and his holy arm got unto him the victory. Out of his nostrils came forth a smoke; he hath eyes like a flame of fire; and feet as fine brass, as if they burn

ed in a furnace.

IV. THE last thing we promised was, To shew how all these things confirmed this covenant: And these rites confirmed it,

1. As the Parties covenanting were both included in one sacrifice. Learned men have observed, how Generals and armies both palfed through between the parts of facrifices †, to intimate their strict coalefcence into one body. Thus believers are one with God through the slain facrifice, or feparated foul and body of eur Lord Jesus Christ. They are one in him.

* Ezek. i. 13.

+ Calvin in Gen. xv. 10.

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