light and fire, and as the Chaldees were idolaters, this place might have been thus denominated from the sacred fire of their worship. An interesting account of the modern city of Orfah is to be found in Buckingham's Travels in Mesopotamia,' vol. i. p. 89.

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Where, and at what age, did Terah die? v.

HEADS OF PRACTICAL REFLECTION. V. 2. Men of worldly minds are seldom satisfied with their lot, or disposed to remain stationary. An insuppressive spirit of removal, drives them from place to place, still seeking rest and finding none.'

V. 3. Men engaged in worldly enterprises are skilful to prevail upon others to embark with them in their schemes.

V. 4. Those who have but little concern in their undertakings for the honor of their Maker, are supremely ambitious of a name on earth. With such men dispersion, or the breaking up of their mercenary fellowship, is among the most formidable of all evils.

V. 6. Men embarked in an evil enterprise are with difficulty restrained. Their example should provoke those who are engaged in a good cause to untiring perseverance.

V. 7. The avenging judgments of heaven are very near to the completion of an ungodly enterprise. Jehovah can easily make the proudest monument of human skill, labor, and taste, an object of contempt and derision.

V. 8. The Lord often turns the counsels of the wicked against themselves, and makes them instruments to effect the very purpose which they are striving to frustrate.

V. 9. Confusion of speech is a just judgment of God

upon the abuse of it to a conspiracy against his designs. He can easily set confederates at variance with each other.

V. 9. The high resolutions of the ungodly usually fall short of their aim.

V. 9. The memory of God's righteous judgments is often perpetuated by significant names affixed to the scenes in which they have occured.

V. 10. God displays a peculiar sovereignty in planting his church in a particular family or community in the midst of surrounding degeneracy.

V. 28. The younger members of the family of the faithful are often called out of the world before their fathers. The children of the church too may be made to die in the land of the alien.

V. 29. When the limits of the church are scanty, and the choice of pious wives restricted to a small number, it is better to select one very near of kin, provided the degree be lawful, than to go out of the pale of the church for that purpose among the ungodly. V. 31. Parents should not scruple to follow their children as leaders when they go forth at the call of God, or when they may have obtained clearer light as to the path of duty.

V. 32. Many of God's people have died upon journeys. It is good to be ready for the summons wherever it may meet us.

What is the import of the name 'Abram ?' Ans. High father.'

What was said to him while dwelling in his native country? v. 1.

Had said;' i. e. while dwelling in Chaldea, and previous to his father's death.- Get thee out;' Heb. 'go for thyself;' i. e. go for thine own advantage; go thou even if no one will go with thee.'

What does Stephen say of the call? Acts 7. 2-6.

What was probably the reason of his being required to separate himself from the people of that land? Josh. 24. 2.

In allusion to this fact the prophet Isaiah says, ch. 29. 22: The Lord redeemed Abraham,' i. e. providentially delivered him from the society of idolaters. In like manner, Gen. 48. 10, The angel which redeemed me from all evil;' i. e. which delivered me.

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What other passage of Isaiah is supposed to refer to this event? Is. 41. 2.

Called him to his foot;' i. e. commanded him to follow him wheresoever he should lead; as the like phrase evidently imports, 1 Sam. 25. 42, Went after her; Heb. went to her foot.' Abraham followed the Divine guidance in faith; accordingly, in allusion to this phraseology, the Apostle says, Rom. 4. 12, he is the father of circumcision to them who walk in the steps (Gr. in the footsteps") of that faith of our father Abraham;' i. e. who follow him as he followed God.

How does our Lord in the Gospel speak of the duty of men in reference to similar calls? Luke 14. 26-29. Comp. Ps. 45. 11.

What remarkable promise accompanied this call to Abram? v. 2, 3.

Them that bless thee;' Heb. thy blesser.' So also, 'thy curser,' collec. sing. cursers.'

What was there which to human view stood in the way of the accomplishment of this promise? Heb. 11. 11, 12.

Abram was at this time 75 years of age, and Sarah 65.

How is this alluded to by the prophet Isaiah? Is. 51. 2.

I called him alone;' i. e. when he was childless. What is implied respectively in the 'blessing' and the 'curse of God?'

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The leading import of the Divine blessing' is an abundant increase or multiplication of favors both temporal and spiritual. The 'curse' of God on the other hand is a privation of all good, and the imposition of numerous positive evils upon those who are its subjects. The blessing of the Lord maketh rich, and addeth no sorrow with it,' Prov. 10. 22. While of the wicked it is said, Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them,' Lam. 3. 65.- Thou shalt be a blessing; Heb. 'be thou a blessing,' imperatively; thus the Lord commanded the blessing,' Ps. 133. 3.

What is to be understood by the expression, 'In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed? Comp. Gen. 22. 18, with Gal. 3. 14– 16, and Rom. 4. 16-18. See also Mark 16. 15, for the accomplishment.

Families,' i. e. nations.

What is said of Abram's obedience, and of the time and circumstances of his departure? v. 4.

How does the Apostle speak of Abram's conduct in this affair? Heb. 11. 8.

Whom and what did the patriarch take with him on his journey, and whither did the company arrive? v. 5.

Substance; Heb. ' gathered goods;' i. e. his effects, his personal estate, including cattle, money, household stuff, &c.-'Souls,' Heb. 'soul;' col. sing. for 'souls,' i. e. persons. That they had gotten; Heb. 'that they had made.' The original word for 'made' bears frequently the sense of acquisition, accumulation,

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equivalent to the Eng. usage, when we say a man makes money,' i. e. acquires or amasses wealth. Thus Gen. 1. 12, The fruit-tree yielding fruit;' Heb. 'the fruit-tree making fruit.' Luke 19. 18, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds;' Gr. hath made five pounds.' Deut. 8. 17, My power hath gotten me this wealth; Heb. hath made.' Eccl. 12. 12, Of making many books there is no end;' i. e. of the task of collecting or amassing books for libraries there is no end. Abram's making souls therefore in Haran undoubtedly implies his gaining proselytes to his religion-the true religion, which he had been taught of God. This is probable moreover from the fact of his having, at a subsequent period, 318 'trained' (Heb. ' catechised') servants in his house, and from the commendation bestowed upon him, ch. 18. 19, as the instructor of his household.

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Where was the land of Canaan situated, and by what other names is it known?

Ans. Called Land of Promise-Land of Israel-Land of Judea-Holy Land-Palestine: the last derived from Philistines' or ' Palestines,' by whom a considerable part of it was formerly inhabited.

Whither did Abram come after having passed through the land?

v. 6.

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Passed through;' i. e. in order to survey the region which had been promised him.-'Sichem,' Heb. 'Shechem; otherwise Sychem;' Sychar,' John 4. 5. This place, the capital of the ancient Samaria, was many centuries afterward called by the Romans Neapolis,' i. e. New Town, from whence its modern name Naplose,' 'Napoiosc,' or 'Nablous.' It is 82 miles N. of Jerusalem, and now contains about 10,000 inhabitants. Dr. Clarke, in his Travels in the Holy Land,' p. 13, remarks of this place; There is nothing in the Holy Land finer than the view of Napolose from the heights around it. As the traveller descends towards it from the hills, it appears luxuriantly embosomed in the most delightful and fragrant bowers;

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