prayed unto GOD, and GOD healed ABIMELECH, and his wife, and his maid-servants— which feem to have ftood in the) ואמהתיו fame relation to Abimelech, as the N-Hagar I would only fay, that any perfon who can attentively confider the feveral circumstances of this hiftory of the divine interpofition, and talk of the finfulness of polygamy in the fight of GOD, even putting it on the fame footing with adultery, will appear to differ very confiftent with truth, if Abraham's polygamy was an open and continued violation of God's primary law of marriage? or if, as St. Ambrose speaks-he was living in adultery? widely, widely, in his judgment of the matter, from this authentic record of the mind and will of the MOST HIGH. How early an abhorrence of the fin of adultery was impreffed on the minds of men, and of the punishment which awaited it, may likewife be gathered from the history of Ifaac and Abimelech king of Gerar, which is recorded Gen. xxvi. particularly at ver. 10, 11. It is to be remarked also, that throughout the whole fcripture, the fame approbation; like circumftances which evidenced that approbation; alfo, like anfwers to prayer, and like miracles, in token of that approbation, attended equally on a fecond, or after-taken wife, under a polygamous contract, as on a first or only wife. This may be faid to be uniformly the case, as may appear from the following many PARADIGM. Sarai was barren-fhe had no child-Gen. xi. 30. And Abram said, LORD GOD, what wilt thou give me, feeing I go childless? Behold to me thou haft given no feed.-And He brought him forth abroad, and faid, Look now towards heaven, and tell the ftars, if thou be able to number them; and He faid unto him-So fhall thy feed be. Gen. xv. 2, 3, 5. And Gop faid unto Abraham, As for Sarah thy wife, I will blefs her, and give thee And Sarai faid unto Abram, Go in unto my maid; and fhe gave Hagar to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar,and fhe conceived-and the angel of the LORD faid, I will multiply thy feed exceedingly, that it fhall not be numbered for multitude. Gen. xvi. 2, 4, 10. Yea, GOD faid, As for Imael, behold I have bleffed him, and will make him fruitful, Manoah's wife was barren and bare not; and the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and faid unto her, Behold, now thou art barren and bareft not, but thou fhalt conceive and bear a fon-and the woman bare a fon, and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the LORD bleffed him. Judg. xiii. 2, 3, 24. fruitful, and multiply him' exceedingly; twelve princes fhall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. Gen. xvii. 20. And the angel of the LORD faid unto Hagar, Behold thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and fhalt call his name Ishmael. And Hagar bare Abram a fon, and Abram called his fon's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. Gen. xvi. 11, 15. Jacob took Leah and Rachel-but Rachel was barren. Gen. xxix. 31. And fhe gave him Bilbah her handmaid to wife; and Jacob went in unto her; and Bilhah conceived and bare Jacob a fon. And Rachel faid, God hath judged me, and hath alfo heard my voice, and hath given me a fon. Gen. xxx. 4, 5, 6. And Bilhab, Rachel's maid, conceived again, and bare Jacob a fecond fon, and Rachel faid, be "By the agency (Heb. twistings) "of the Aleim I am in"twifted with my fifter"i.e. my family is now "interwoven with my fif"ter's, and has a chance "of producing the pro"mifed feed." See Park. Heb. Lex. n. When Leah faw that she had left off bearing-she took Zilpah her maid, and From henceforth all generations fhall call me blessed. V. M. Luke i. 48. There was a certain priest named Zacharias, and his wife's name was Elizabeth -and they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well ftricken in years. And the angel faid unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife fhall bear thee a fon, and thou fhalt call his name John-and he shall be great in the fight of the LORD, &c. And his wife Elizabeth conceived, and faid-Thus hath the LORD dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take gave her to Jacob to wife. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a fon. And Zilpah, Leah's maid, bare Jacob a fecond fon. And Leah faid - Happy am I, for the daughters will call me bleffed. And God hearkened unto Leah, and fhe conceived and bare Jacob a fifth fon. And Leah faid, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to mine husband. And God remembered Rachel, and GoD hearkened to her, and opened her womb, and the conceived and bare a fon, and said, GOD hath taken away my reproach. And fhe called his name Jofeph, and said, The LORD thall add to me another fon. Gen. xxx. 24. See alfo Gen. xxxv. •9-12. There was a certain man of Ramathaim Zophim (a Levite of the family of the Kohathites, fee 1 Chron. vi. 33, 34, &c.) and his name was Elkanah. And he had two wives-the name of one was Hannah-and of the other Peninnah.-Peninnah had children; Hannah had no children- the LORD had fhut up her womb.-And her adversary alfo provoked her fore for to make her fret, because the LORD had fhut up her womb. And he was in bitterness of foul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept fore-and fhe fhe vowed a vow, and faid, O LORD of Hofts, if thou wilt indeed look upon the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child, I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life &c. Then Eli (the high priest) anfwered, and faid-Go in peace, and the GOD of Ifrael grant thee thy petition that thou haft afked of Him, &c. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about, after Hannah had conceived, that the bare a fon, and called his name Samuel, faying, Because I have afked him of the LORD, &c. And Hannah faid - For this child I prayed, and the LORD hath given me my petition that I asked of Him. I Sam. i. 1, &c. See also chap. ii. 20, 21, 26. Hannah's Song. Mine heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD, my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies, because I rejoice in thy falvation. There is none holy as the LORD. He |