God. To the person and offices of the Divine Mediator all the promises emanating from the covenant of redemption relate. In Him in whom grace was given as before the foundation of the world, they all meet as the point of concourse and convergence. Harmoniously then as every passage of a Saviour's love should strike upon our ears, a peculiar delight, should be felt by those who have experienced the power of redeeming mercy in this promise to Abraham, which not only gives, in general terms, an assurance of pardon and peace to the world, but rests it in an individual and his posterity, separated and sanctified unto that end, for safe keeping unto the coming of the promised Seed. A Bible, a Gospel, and a Saviour, are the blessings thus given to Abraham, and left by him as a rich legacy to the Church. "To Abraham and his seed were the promises made: he saith, Not unto seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Many nations of the earth have been already blessed in Abraham's seed, with knowledge of the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent; and of that salvation for which He became incarnate, suffered, laboured, agonized, died to purchase ; and which, by his Spirit, he conveys as her most precious bequest, whether for time or eternity, to his Church. He hath made these things known to his holy Apos

of

tles by inspiration of God. By their holy and burning zeal, the glad tidings of great joy have been spread throughout numerous lands; while they sounded in the ears of Abraham's spiritual seed, to the conversion of millions, and by them hath he sprinkled many nations. All have not yet indeed heard the Gospel; nor have all obeyed it in the gladness of love, to whom its message mercy hath been preached. But the prophets have foretold, and we believe the record of their inspiration, that at some future period, when He only knoweth who hath reserved the times and seasons in his own power, the obedience of ransomed and converted man shall comprehend the whole race on earth. His name shall endure for ever. His name shall be continued as long as the sun; and men shall be blessed in Him: all nations shall call Him blessed.*

3. The third blessing announced to Abraham, was "Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." Here we may observe that the singular number is used; ; Thy seed shall possess the gate of HIS enemies; not THEIR enemies, but HIS enemies: the word therefore regards Christ himself. And it contains a still further development of the first promise: The Seed of the woman shall bruise the

* Macknight on the Epistles, Vol. II.

serpent's head. The gate was, in ancient days, the seat of power, the place where the elders assembled, where justice was administered, and where the king held his court. In eastern countries it is still the same even at the present day. The Turkish empire is called "the Porte," or "the Gate," as if to express that it was THE power or THE empire. When our Saviour, also, would express the might of Satan, as opposed to the truth on which He builds his Church; He says, the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

What, then, is the gate or seat of Satan's power? It is death. Here is the strength of Satan with respect to man; for was it not that by his disobedience to God man has made himself liable to the curse? Whatever force Satan employed, he would have no real power, except in virtue of being enthroned on death; this so far makes us his lawful captives, that he can claim of Divine Justice that the sentence should be executed.

But here the promise breaks forth into light and life. Thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; or that the seed of the woman bruising the serpent's head, should obtain a victory over the grave. Like the first promise, the language is metaphorical, but it is highly expressive. The patriarch was here confirmed in the type that he had seen. He had, in a figure, beheld Isaac re

stored to him from the grave, and now this figure was explained by the promise that his seed should possess the gate of his enemies; that he should triumph over death and the grave; and thus give to his people a joyful resurrection. Abraham had before this a general hope of the resurrection of the body; for St. Paul mentions, that by faith Abraham offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son, of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called, accounting that God was able to raise up even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure. But now this hope was much confirmed. He who should possess the gate of his enemies was engaged to break up the realm of death, and to open the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

But we leave this ground, in which so much treasure lies well worth the seeking, and consider very briefly-for lengthened space may not be asked by me from your patience and your family duties,

II. THE SECURITY GIVEN BY JEHOVAH, FOR

THE FULFILMENT OF ALL HIS ENGAGEMENTS.

Here, as under the former head, I am not left to wander in the paths of my own imagination. The blessings on which we have glanced were se

cured to Abraham and to his seed, and to all the families of the earth, by the promise, covenant, and oath of God.

(1.) They are secured by His promise.

A divine injunction implies, in the very nature of things, the fitness of an entire obedience. Any manifestation of the will of God, involves the creature in obligations which it would be the most guilty rebellion to oppose. The sovereignty of Jehovah implies the absolute subjection of man to its exercise. His Omnipotence can enforce submission; His Wisdom claims to be implicitly trusted; His Beneficence declares that his purposes are kind; and his Holiness gives assurance that they have unmingled good for their end and object. When that command, therefore, was made to Abraham by the Most High, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee,”—it was bound upon him most imperatively, although no reason had been assigned, and no promise annexed. But the condescension of God induced him to accompany the exercise of supreme prerogative with such promises as, once received into the heart, subdued all opposition, and made duty on his part not only prompt but delightful. Thenceforward he lived upon them; thenceforward, as their security is inviolable, and their dura