born two years afterwards; and his mother's name was Hagar.

Who Hagar was. She was an Egyptian by birth, and a servant of Sarah, Abraham's wife.

God's intent concerning them.

God did not intend Ishmael

to be Abraham's heir, but said that Sarah should have a son with whom He would confirm His covenant.

When God made this promise, he changed the name of Abram and Sarai into Abraham and Sarah. He also instituted the rite of circumcision.

Sarah's son, when born.

Sarah's son, called Isaac, was born when Ishmael was 14 years old. At which time Abraham was 100 and Sarah 97. (B.C. 1896.)

Ishmael shews

his jealousy.

Section III.

ISHMAEL.

B.C. 1906-1769.

GENESIS XVI., XXI., XXV.

Ishmael shewed his jealousy of ISAAC by mocking him; so that Sarah told Abraham to cast him out of doors, with Hagar, his mother.

E

complies.

Abraham Abraham was grieved, but nevertheless dismissed them both with a "loaf of bread and a bottle of water."

Whither Ha

gar went.

Hagar directed her steps to the wilderness of Beersheba, intending to go to Egypt; but lost her way, and Ishmael was overcome by thirst.

What occurred

after this.

His suffering was so intense that his mother laid him under a shrub, thinking he would die; but God had pity on him.

How God pitied

them.

He sent an angel to shew Hagar a fountain of water, and to assure her that Ishmael would become the father of a numerous offspring.

Where Ishmael dwelt afterwards.

After this, they dwelt in the same wilderness of Beersheba, where Ishmael soon became an expert archer.

Whom Ishmael In the course of time he mar

married.

ried an Egyptian, by whom he had 12 sons and one daughter.

Ishmael's

Bons.

These sons were the forefathers

of 12 Arabian tribes, existing to the present hour.

They are all by religion Mahometans, or disciples of Mahomet, the false prophet.

Whom Ishmael's

daughter married.

Ishmael's daughter married Esau, her cousin, the eldest son of Isaac.

of Ishmael.

God's prediction GOD said of ISHMAEL and his seed that they should be wild men, and every man's hand should be against them.

The prophecy

accomplished. This prophecy is fulfilled in the Arabs, who are to the present hour robbers and pirates. And though many attempts have been made to extirpate them, are still very numerous.

Ishmael lived to the age of 137, and died B.C. 1769. The Saracens, descendants of Ishmael, are so called from Sara, a desert, and Saken, to inhabit. They are raw-boned, tawny men, of mean stature and feminine voices, admirable horsemen, very patient of labour, and able to outstrip an ostrich in running.

St. Paul says, Abraham's two wives and two sons were allegorical characters: Hagar the slave symbolized the Jewish, and Sarah the free woman

[B.C. 1885.

the Christian dispensation. As the children of a female slave are all slaves, so the children of the Jewish dispensation are under bondage; but whereas the children of a free woman are free, so the children of the Gospel are free also. (Gal. iv. 22-31.)

Section IV.

ABRAHAM AND ISAAC.

B.C. 1885-1817.

GENESIS XXII

Who was the son of promise.

Abraham's son by promise

was Isaac who lived in peace after the banishment of Ishmael till he was 25 years old. (B.c. 1860.)

Why so called.

He was called the son of promise, because 23 years before his birth God promised him to Abraham.

How Abraham

was tried.

Abraham's faith was tried both in the birth of Isaac, which was so long delayed; and again when the child was grown to manhood.

In what

way.

When he was 25 years old, God

A M. 2133.]

told Abraham to take him to mount Moriah, there sacrifice him, and make his body a burnt offering.

obeyed God.

How Abraham The Patriarch promptly obeyed; and rising early in the morning, went with his son to the mountain.

What Abraham

took with him.

He took with him every thing needful. Isaac himself carried the wood, and Abraham the fire and the knife.

What Isaac said.

The young man knew not he was to be sacrificed; but said, as he went along: "Father, "Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice ?"

What reply Abraham made.

Abraham replied with unwavering confidence: "God will provide himself a lamb, my son, for the burnt offering."

How Abraham

proceeded.

When they reached the top

of the mountain, Abraham took the wood and made it into an altar; then having bound Isaac and placed him