parallel, with the analogy which shall be found to obtain between the historical accomplishments of their respective promises, as seen to emanate from the posterity of each patriarch.

The case here under consideration is one which can be determined only by such comparison of the promises with the events: for it is a case of prophecies for the greater part already accomplished; and, therefore, so far as the train of past accomplishments extends, it is properly open to be tried and decided by appeal to the known historical facts. When the whole affinity between Isaac and Ishmael, in their natural, their prophetic, and their providential relations, is held in mind, the historical correspondence observable in the fortunes of their descendants may fairly be regarded as equivalent to an ordinary and approved species of proof, the correspondence, namely, between the notches of two answering tallies in numerical computations.

The remainder of the present section shall be devoted to the simple exposition of this double parallel: 1. between the scriptural promises; and, 2. between their actual historical fulfilments.

1. The scriptural promises, or the covenants of God with Abraham concerning Isaac and

Ishmael, come first under review. This fundamental part of the argument, or basis, rather, of the entire analogy, I shall proceed accordingly to dispose in a tabular form. The reader, it is conceived, will more readily perceive the nature and amount of the coincidences, when presented in this shape; and may be likely, also, to enter with greater advantage into the consideration of those remarks, which it will be necessary presently to submit, in elucidation of the sacred text.

THE ORIGINAL COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM.

Gen. xii. 1-3.

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: and I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION; and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

THE ORIGINAL COVENANT FIRST FULLY RENEWED.

Gen. xvii. 1-7.

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly: and thou shalt be a father of nations. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful; and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

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And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.'

THE COVENANT OF ISAAC.

Gen. xvii. 15, 16. 19. "And God said unto Abraham, as for Sarah, thy wife, I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her; yea I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac ; and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant."

THE COVENANT OF ISHMAEL.

Gen. xvii. 18-21.

"And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, As for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget; and I WILL MAKE HIM A GREAT NATION.* But my covenant will I establish with Isaac."

In these parallel contexts, where Isaac and Ishmael have assigned to them, for the first time, their several portions in the original covenant with Abraham, the temporal blessing is impartially shared between the two brethren; but the supreme spiritual blessing, entitled here God's "everlasting covenant," is reserved exclusively to the child of promise. In the contexts which immediately precede and follow, however, there occurs a clear proof of Ishmael's admission also, though in a low and subordinate *Compare Gen. xxi. 18.

sense, to spiritual covenant with the God of Abraham; which proof, as which proof, as we have already intimated, lies in his being made a partaker with Isaac in the rite, or sacrament, of circumcision.*

CIRCUMCISION THE COMMON SEAL OF BOTH COVENANTS.

Gen. xvii. 9-11.

"And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; every manchild among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you."

Gen. xxi. 4.

"And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, as the Lord commanded him."

Gen. xvii. 23.26.

"And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and circumcised him. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised. In the self-same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son."

The scriptural proof of the pre-ordained connection of the two covenants shall now be

*In the families of Abraham and Isaac, being then onely the visible Church, Ismael, Isaac, Jaacob, and Esau, received circumcision, the externall signe of their profession: by reason whereof, every of them were accompted true worshippers of the God of Abraham.". Sermon preached at Paules Crosse, by Laurence Chaderton, B. D. Oct. 26. 1578.

brought to its close, by simple juxta-position of the promises to Abraham in favour of Isaac, with those made to Hagar in behalf of Ishmael.

On the general character of the promises re