So ABRAHAM * prayed unto God, and GOD healed ABIMELECH, and his wife, and his maid-fervants-1 (which feem to have ftood in the fame relation to Abimelech, as the N Hagar, did to Abram, chap, xvi. 3, 4.) and they bare children--pepererunt, Mont.-they brought forth: for the LORD had faft clofed up all the wombs of the house of ABIMELECH, because of SARAH, ABRAHAM'S wife. It fhould feem by the context, that God had witheld Abimelech from finning against Him, in a criminal access to

* Who was himself at that hour a polygamist. See Gen. xvi. 3, 4. It is likewife to be observed, that Abraham was a Chriftian believer, as much fo as Paul was, who tells us, the gospel was preached to Abraham-that he believed it was juftified by faith-and that they which be of faith, are bleffed with faithful Abraham, who is (fpiritually) the father of all believers in CHRIST. Comp. Rom. iv. 16, &c. with Gal. iii. 9, 14, and John viii. 56. Abraham would have been exceedingly puzzled, to have found out what the gospel which was preached to him (and in which he believed and rejoiced) had to do with polygamy, or to have accounted for the poffibility of the children of his faith, in future ages, finding out that it was the fame thing with adultery; when Abraham's own eyes and ears were witneffes of there being put as great a difference between polygamy and adultery, as could poffibly exist between any two things in creation, and this, by the determination of that GOD, who afterwards gave the law to Mofes at Mount Sinai.

Sarab,

Sarah, by inflicting a judicial disability of fome kind upon him; alfo, to mark the more strongly His holy indignation against him, for taking another man's wife, He rendered Abimelech's wife, then great with child, (as alfo fuch of his maid-fervants, who it fhould feem, from what is faid, ver. 17, 18, were probably his concubines, and fome of them alfo great. with child) unable to bring forth-but when Sarah was reftored, Abimelech was restored to his own women, and they to him.-All this by the immediate hand of GOD.

I would only fay, that any person who can attentively confider the feveral circumftances of this hiftory of the divine interpofition, and talk of the finfulness of polygamy in the fight of GOD, even putting it on the fame footing with adultery, will appear to differ very widely, in his judgment of the matter, from this authentic record of the mind and will of the MOST HIGH.

It is to be remarked also, that throughout the whole scripture, the fame approbation, many like circumstances which evidenced that approbation; alfo, like answers to prayer, and like miracles, in token of that approbation, attended equally on a fecond, or after-taken wife, under a polygamous contract, as on a first or only wife. This

may

may be said to be uniformly the cafe, as may appear from the following

PARADIGM.

Sarai was barren-fhe had no child-Gen. xi. 30.

And Abram said, LORD GOD, what wilt thou give me, feeing I go childlefs? -Behold to me thou haft given no feed. And He brought him forth abroad, and faid, Look now towards heaven, and tell the ftars, if thou bé able to number them; and He faid unto him-So fhall thy feed be. Gen. xv. 2, 3, 5.

And GOD faid unto Abraham, As for Sarah thy wife, I will blefs her, and give thee a fon of her. Yea I will blefs her, and fhe shall be a mother of nations; kings of people fhall be of her. Gen. xvii. 15, 16.

GOD faid-Sarah thy wife fhall indeed bear thee a fon, and thou fhalt call his name Ifaac, Gen xvii.

And Sarai faid unto Abram, Go in unto my maid; and fhe gave Hagar to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and fhe conceived-and the angel of the LORD faid, I will multiply thy feed exceedingly, that it fhall not be numbered for multitude. Gen. xvi. 2, 4, 10. Yea,

A

GOD faid, As for Ishmael, behold I have bleffed him, and will make him fruitful, and multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes fhall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. Gen. xvii. 20.

And the angel of the LORD faid unto Hagar, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a fon, and fhalt call his name Ishmael.

And Hagar bare Abram a fon, and Abram called his fon's name, which

Hagar

נפתולי אלהים נפתלתי,man, and faid unto her