THE BOOK OF GENESIS. VOL. II. "All thy vexations Were but my trials of thy love: and thou Hast strangely stood the test." CHAPTER XXII. could, no doubt, have submitted without If those portions of history are most hesitation; but when, to the eye of replete with interest and instruction reason, he saw the precept arrayed which exhibit to us illustrious charac- against the promise of God, and an act ters in trying situations, having their enjoined directly at variance with all virtues put to the severest test, yet hold- the attributes of a Being holy, just, and ing fast their integrity, conquering diffi- | true, he could not but be conscious of culties, and rising superior to temptation an inward struggle, ineffably severe. by the power of moral principle, then But the faith which had triumphed bethe ensuing narrative of Abraham's last fore, triumphed now; and as he came and greatest trial prefers the strongest forth from the terrible ordeal, like gold claims to our attention. It is an event tried in the furnace, how pertinently preeminently memorable in the life of may we conceive an approving God the patriarch. Whatever signal instan- addressing him in the language of the ces of faith and obedience have hither-poet :to distinguished his conduct, they are all eclipsed by that which we are now called to consider. At the very time when we are prompted to congratulate the happy sire, and flatter ourselves that his tribulations have an end; that the storms which ruffled the noon of life are blown over, and the evening of his age is becoming calm and serene, the sorest of his struggles yet awaits him. The loss of a beloved child would, under any circumstances, have been a grievous affliction; but in the present case he finds himself required to submit to a bereavement which threatened to extinguish the hopes of the world. Nor was this all. The fatal blow was to be struck with his own hand! And in this he was called to obey a mandate in which the divine counsel seemed so evidently to war with itself, that his bosom could not but be torn with a conflict of emotions, such as the mere grief of a father could never occasion. To a command which should merely put to the proof his paternal affection. he VOL. II. 1. The command here given to the patriarch to sacrifice his only son has ever been so fruitful a theme of cavil with the enemies of revelation, that it will be proper, in the outset, to advert with some particularity to the objections usually urged against it. The command, it is said, is inconsistent with the attributes of a Being of perfect justice and goodness. But to this it may be replied, that the assertion rests upon no sufficient grounds. As God is the author and giver of life, he surely can, without the least shadow of injustice, take it away when and in what manner he pleases. It cannot be supposed that he conferred life either upon Abraham or Isaac, upon the terms of taking it away only in one certain manner, or in the way most agreeable to them. It was given in this, as in all other cases, under the ordinary reserve of his own indisputable right of resumption in any mode that might seem to him best. There is un- from being concerned in guarding great doubtedly something shocking in the minds from great trials, that it is rather idea of a parent's taking away the life evinced in granting them. Nor are we of his own child; but when this is done to estimate such a dispensation by the in obedience to an express command slight and transient anxieties or pains of from a competent authority, then that the trial itself, but by the lasting joy which would otherwise be a sin be- that awaits and rewards the triumph. comes a duty, and whoever would im- Add to this the incalculable advantages pugn the act, must necessarily impugn that would redound to mankind at large the authority from which it proceeds. from such an example. No one can doubt To human view it might appear a very that every signal instance of devout barbarous deed in a father to order a submission to the will of God under the son to be beaten to death with rods be- pressure of sharp temptations is among fore his eyes; yet the conduct of Junius the stablest supports and the most powBrutus, who passed this sentence upon erful incitements to a similar conduct his own children, is usually considered under similar circumstances. Every as having been fully justified by the such example is a new and shining light circumstances which occasioned it. set up on high to guide, enlighten, and And did Abraham owe less obedience cheer us in the path of duty. But while to God than Brutus to his country? we find, in these considerations, an ample Indeed, had the command been actually vindication of the wisdom and equity of executed, we should have been bound, this command, perhaps a still more adeby our antecedent knowledge of the quate estimate will be formed of it, if we perfections of the Deity, to regard it as view it in another light. It has genewise, just, and good; though we might rally been held that the present comnot, from our limited powers, have been mand was imposed merely as a trial of able to see the reason of it; for a di- Abraham's faith; and seeing the deed vine command necessarily supposes wis- was not executed, it has been affirmed dom, justice, and goodness in the highest that there was nothing unworthy the possible degree. But this was not the divine goodness in having instituted case. God never intended that the such a trial; all which may be readily command should be actually executed. admitted: but as Bp. Warburton has His purpose was to make trial of Abra- suggested, it hardly accounts for all the ham's faith and obedience; to make circumstances; and it may be well to him perfect by suffering; and in him state, in a condensed form, the theory of to propose to all coming generations an that learned divine in regard to it. He illustrious example for their imitation supposes that Abraham was desirous of in the various trying services and sacri- becoming acquainted with the manner fices to which the voice of duty might in which all the families of the earth call them. And will any one affirm should be blessed in him; and upon that God may not, without impeaching this he builds the conclusion that the his wisdom, his justice, or his mercy, command was imposed upon him chiefput true religion to the test ?-the test ly with the design of teaching him by of severe and repeated trials-the bet-action, instead of words, and thus enater to display, to perfect, and to crown it? Great virtue has a right to be made conspicuous. It is sinking the merit of all true moral heroism to withold from it the occasions of exercising itself. The justice of God, therefore is so far bling him to see and feel by what means this great end should be accomplished. In other words, that it was a prefiguration of the sacrifice of Christ. This theory the author founds upon that passage of the Gospel of John 8 AND it came to pass after these | Abraham, and said unto him, Abrathings, that God did tempt ham: and he said, Behold, here I a Old Testament, from which it could be inferred that he saw Christ's day in this sense, if he did not see and feel it in the command to sacrifice his only son. In this transaction therefore, he would have a lively figure of the offering up of the Son of God for the sins of the world; and not only so, but the inter 56. in which the Lord says to the unbe- Abraham must have rejoiced to see, and lieving Jews, 'Your father Abraham re-seeing which he was glad. But there joiced to see my day; and he saw it is nothing recorded of Abraham in the and was glad.' It is evident, from the reply made by the Jews to this assertion, that they understood the expression to see in its most literal sense; while it is equally evident, that when they objected to the possibility of a man, not yet fifty years old, having seen Abraham, our Lord did not correct them in the notion which they had formed as mediate system of typical sacrifices unto seeing. It was not, however, himself der the Mosaic economy was reprepersonally, whom our Saviour asserted sented by the prescribed oblation of the that Abraham rejoiced to see, but his ram instead of Isaac. day; by which cannot be meant the On the whole, we regard this as a veperiod of his sojourn upon earth, but the ry rational and plausible hypothesis, and circumstance in his life which was of one that derives no little support from the highest importance, and mainly the place where the scene of the transcharacteristic of his office as the Re-action was laid. If the design of the deemer. That the term will admit of command had been simply a trial of this interpretation is indubitable, from Abraham's faith, it is not easy to see the frequent use made, in a similar why he should have been required to sense, of the word hour. Thus, when go to such a distance to perform an act our Lord repeatedly says, 'My hour is that might as well have been performnot yet come'-'the hour is at hand, ed anywhere else. But when we find and the Son of Man is betrayed into him directed to go to the site of Jerusathe hands of sinners;' when he prayed lem, and to rear his altar, and offer up that 'if it were possible the hour might his sacrifice, on or near the very spot pass from him:' where it is said, that where the Saviour was afterwards actuno man laid hands on him, because ally crucified, we cannot well avoid seehis hour was not yet come;' and again, ing in the incident a designed typical 'that the hour was come when the Son and prophetical character. But a fuller of Man should be glorified,'-in all these view of the event in its various bearinstances it is evident that the wordings will be gained from the explanadoes not signify a mere portion of time, tions that follow. from which no one can be saved by its passing from him; but some particular circumstance or circumstances in his life, which were peculiar to him as the Redeemer. The peculiar circumstance, however, which constituted Jesus the Redeemer of the world, was the laying down of his life; and this it was which 1. And it came to pass after these things Heb. After these words.' That is, we suppose, not merely after the things recorded in the preceding chapter, but after all the previous trials which Abraham had been called to pass through. Notwithstanding he may have hoped for a period of tranquil rest in the de b 2 And he said, Take now thy | land of Moriah; and offer him there son, thine only son Isaac, whom for a burnt-offering upon one of the thou lovest, and get thee into the mountains which I will tell thee of. a Heb. 11. 17. b 2 Chron. 3. 1. cline of life, after the various trials and of their hearts. In this sense of trying, conflicts, the dangers and deliverances putting to the proof, bringing to the test, through which he had passed; yet he is the original term in many other instances once more reminded that he is still in the is used in reference to the Most High flesh, that the days of his warfare are and always in such a way as to leave not yet accomplished, and that he must his attributes unimpeached. Thus arm himself for a far more fiery trial than Deut. 13. 3, 'For the Lord your God any he has yet endured. We cannot (o nissah) proveth you, to know but feel for the venerable patriarch thus (i. e. to make known) whether ye love suddenly awakened from his state of the Lord your God with all your heart repose, and summoned to a new and and all your soul.' 2 Chron. 32. 31, 'In unparalleled conflict; but the event the business of the ambassadors God left teaches us that a believer's trials are him (1770 lenassotho) to try him, that not confined to the commencement of he might know all the evil that was in his course; that the longest period of his heart.' Indeed, in some cases we rest and peace may be succeeded by a find this kind of trial made a subject of sore temptation; and the severest con- petition on the part of good men, as if flict be reserved for the last. God they regarded it as a special favor. Ps. ¶ did tempt Abraham. Heb. o nis- 26. 2, 'Examine me, O Lord, and (0) sah, tried, proved. Gr. Eπεipaos, id. This nassani) prove me; try my reins and my literal rendering of the term, which is heart.' And so with a different word, actually given in the old Geneva ver- but to the same effect, Ps. 139. 23, 24, sion, ‘God did prove Abraham,' goes at Search me, O God, and know my once to correct the erroneous impression | heart: try me, and know my thoughts. that might possibly be received from and see if there be any wicked way in our English word 'tempt,' which usually me, and lead me in the way everlasting. has the sense of exciting to sin. But And we find Paul, 2 Cor. 13 5, employ in this sense we are expressly assured ing the corresponding Gr. term, wher by James 1. 13, that God is not tempted enjoining as a duty to be performed by of evil, neither tempteth he any man ;' Christians towards themselves, the very ne neither deceives any man's judgment | probation, which is indicated by the Heb nor perverts his will, nor seduces his word; Examine (Tεipagere try) your affections, nor does any thing else that whether ye be in the faith; can subject him to the blame of men's prove your own selves.'- ¶ Behold, sins Temptation in this bad sense al- here I am. Heb. hinnini, beways proceeds from the malice of Sa- hold me. Arab. What is thy pleatan working on the corruptions of our sure?' The patriarch's prompt obown hearts. God may, however, con- scquiousness to the slightest call of sistently with all his perfections, by his God is strikingly set forth in this reply providence, bring his creatures into cir- It exhibits him as presenting himself in cumstances of special probation, noi for the divine presence, ready at a mo the purpose of giving him information, ment's warning to enter upon any ser but in order to manifest to themselves vice that might be enjoined upon him, and to others the prevailing dispositions without first waiting to know distinctly selves, what it was, or what were the reasons | ment put our souls in his soul's stead, of it. Our obedience ever derives and realize to ourselves the spontaneous its principal value in the sight of heaven from the ready, implicit, and unquestioning spirit in which it is rendered. train of thought and feeling which must have passed through his mind. Take now thy son;' and for what?-To in2. Take now thy son, thine only son vest him with all the honors of the proHeb. yahid, only. Gr. aуаπnтоv mise, to put him in possession of the beloved. As an only son is usually destined inheritance? Alas no!-To the object of a very intense affec- seek for him a fitting companion to share tion, the epithets only and beloved came with him the blessings and comforts to be used interchangeably. Thus Prov. that might be expected to flow from the 4. 3, 'For I was my father's son, ten- covenant favor of his own and his fader and only (beloved) in the sight of ther's God? Neither is this the end of my mother;' where the original Heb. the command. 'Take now thy sononly is also rendered by the Sept. | thine only son-Isaac-whom thou lovayanwpɛvos beloved. The term povoyɛ-est, and-offer him up upon one of the vns only begotten, applied to Christ in the mountains, which I will tell thee of!' New Testament, is of equivalent import. Was ever message like this addressed In accordance with the Heb. there- to a father?-each word more piercing fore, Paul calls him, Heb. 11. 17, 'his to parental ears than the keenest dagger only begotten son.' Isaac was the to the heart!-every clause awakening only son of Sarah, the free woman, and a new and sharper pang of anguish! he only, in contradistinction from Ish- Who but Abraham could have forborne mael, who was now expelled, was to be remonstrance on such a heart-rending reckoned the seed of Abraham and the occasion? Who but he could have reheir of the promises. In this sense frained from saying, 'Lord, shall I lose Abraham would naturally understand my child?-lose him almost as soon as it; and thus understood, it could not but I have received him? Didst thou give go to enhance beyond expression the him only to tantalize thy servant? Reanguish of a father's heart in view of member the long years through which the command now given him. Indeed, his birth was expected, and the transthe language in which this severe man-ports of joy with which at length it was date is conveyed, appears to be pur- hailed, and which was commemorated posely so constructed, as to aggravate in the name of thine own appointment. to the utmost the wound it was calcu- Remember the promises which can be lated to inflict Every word seems fulfilled only on the condition of his life chosen with a view to awaken some being prolonged. If sin lie at the door, painful feeling, and to increase the diffi- let me expiate the guilt. Let thousands culty of compliance. To a person of of rams, let every bullock in my stalls. humane and benevolent disposition, like bleed at thine altar. These are nothing Abraham, the idea of a human sacrifice compared with my child.—Or if nothing would naturally be in the highest de- will appease thine indignation but hugree revolting, had the meanest slave man blood, let my death be the sacrifice. of his household been demanded, and I am old and grey-headed. The best had the choice of the victim been left of my days are past, and the best of my to himself. What then must have been services performed. My life is of little his emotions as the true object of the value. Let me die, but let him live.command unfolded itself, and he found Yet if the decree cannot be reversed, if his own beloved son demanded as a the offering must come from my own sacrificial offering! Let us for a moLet us for a mo- family, if it must be the fruit of my own |