ABRAHAM now removed his tents, and his flocks and his household; leaving Bethel, he went and dwelt in the land of Moreh, near Hebron, at that time the capital city of Judæa.

ABRAHAM here built an altar to the Lord; and being rich and powerful, he commenced a friendship with the chiefs and most oppulent in his neighbourhood, and by fuch wife and refpectable alliances he continued peaceably to live amongst them ten years.

It was while he refided near Hebron, that Melchifedec, a royal priest, furnamed the Juft King, came to his tent and bleffed him, and Abraham prefented him with the tenth part of the spoils he had lately taken from Chedor-laomer, a neighbouring prince, who had molefted and feized upon the property of his Nephew Lot and imprisoned his perfon-Abraham, with his own fervants, and the numerous fervants of his friends, affembled in a body, and formed a little army of three hundred, and they fet out in a party, rescued Lot with his cattle and all his treasures, and what they had taken from him. This is the very firft account we read of refpecting Tythes.

ABRAHAM removed after this to the fruitful vale of Mamre, and under a famous Oak, ever after held in high veneration, the Patriarch pitched his tent, and continued in this valley, about fifteen miles from Hebron.

GOD was pleafed once more to appear to Abraham in this his new habitation; and, in a vifion, He confirmed anew the promises he had made him, affuring Abraham,

"He would be his exceeding great reward."

As he was ftill childlefs, Abraham prefumed to name his doubts, and ventured to expoftulate with GoD; he could not comprehend how the promises refpecting his pofterity could be fulfilled, and it was now told him he fhould have a fon and heir. And God said,

"Lift now up thine eyes to heaven, behold I "will make thy pofterity more numerous than the "ftars thereof."

ABRAHAM Could not forbear afking a token whereby he might be affured of fo distinguished a bleffing; and Gos ordered him to pick out from

from his flocks, an heifer, a goat, and a ram, all of them were to be of three years old, and alfo a pigeon and a turtle dove, to prepare them all for facrifice, and lay them on the altar.

ABRAHAM obeyed, he killed the beafts and the birds, divided them in pieces, he firft placed the beasts, and over them the birds, and fet them in feparate heaps, and while he flood watching them, and keeping off the flies (in that warm country), juft at fun-fet, a deep fleep fell upon him, and a horror, and intense darkness accompanied it-GoD again revealed the principal events about to happen; after which Abraham awoke and faw a fmoking furnace, and a bright burning lamp paffing between the victims and confuming them-highly delighted at this token of the presence of his GoD, Abraham ran immediately to his beloved wife, imparting this glorious new ratification and covenant GoD had thus graciously made him.

ABRAHAM having arrived to the age of ninetynine, GoD commanded him now to change his name from Abram to Abraham, the latter fignifying the Father of many nations; and God affured him, Kings fhould come out of his loins,

his

his pofterity fhould be lords and owners of the land in which he was only a pilgrim and a ftranger, his Representatives fhould poffefs the whole.

GOD now appointed the ceremony of circumcifion, and commanded Abraham to circumcife all the males of his family, and henceforward GOD 'inftituted that ordinance to be performed on every male child the eighth day after the birth.

ABRAHAM's happiness is now completed, he is now exprefsly informed, Sarah, his beloved wife, fhould bring him the heir of all his future bleffings, and Abraham was directed to call his name Ifaac.

"Within the following year Sarah fhould bear him Ifaac, and in his feed all the nations of the "whole earth fhould be bleffed.

Overpowered by the glorious tidings, Abraham lay proftrate on the ground, devoutly worshipping and gratefully praifing God.

As soon as he arose he fet about performing this laft and new injunction; and Abraham circumcifed himfelf

himself, his fon Ifhmael, and all the males in his family.

ABRAHAM ftill dwelt in the vale of Mamre, and as he was fitting one day at the door of his tent, under the venerable oak, he faw afar off three men whom he took to be ftrangers. Abra ham inftantly arofe and walked forwards to meet them, bowing low he refpectfully faluted them, and invited them in.

One of the three was emi

nently confpicuous from the other two, and Abraham addreffed him as chief,

" away

My Lord, (fays he) pass not, I pray you, from thy fervant-let a little water be "brought to wash your feet, and reft under the "tree-I will fetch a morfel of bread, after eat"ing which ye fhall pafs on-and they condescendingly said, so do.”

ABRAHAM immediately ordered on the table. the best provifions of his houfe, he killed the fateft calf, the highest delicacy of the country, and courteously and moft hofpitably entertained his guests.

'Twas while they fat at dinner one of the three fpake of the honours about to be conferred

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