tower of Babel, continued to the time of Nebuchadnezzar, who converted it into a temple to his god Bell, who was no other than Nimrod, the rebel. This latter was his Hebrew name, and the former was his Babylonish one. See Dr. Prideux's connection, part. I. vol. I. page 143, 144, 145. Chaldea, or Babylon, is said to be the land of graven images. Jer. 1. 38. That Nahor and Terah were idolaters, is expressed by Joshua; who says, in his last address to the tribes of Israel; "Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood, (i. e. of the river Euphrates) even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor, and they served other gods." Joshua xxiv. 2. This might be the consequence of the persecution raised by Nimrod against those who rejected the worshipping of the agents in nature, and in defiance of him worshipped the three in Jehovah.

It is clear, that the Lord called Abram out of an idolatrous country. On being called, he leaveth his idolatry, and obeyeth the Lord's call, and so also doth his father Terah. And they, with the rest of their family, depart from Ur, and go to Haran, where they dwell; at which place Terah dieth, and Nahor, his son, continues at. Terah being dead, the Lord giveth Abram another call to leave it, which he did, and he was seventy and five years when he departed out of Haran. This is Dr. Lightfoot's account of it. Ur, in

Mesopotamia, seems to be that part of Asia, in which Padan-aram lay. It was situated between two rivers, viz. Euphrates and Tigris, or Hiddekel. Haran seems to be the same with Padanaram; this was the place were Abram was, when he received this call, which is recorded in the text before us.

I will now enter on my text, which reads thus; "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 shew 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 the families of the earth be blessed."

In which scripture we have the following particulars.

First. The Lord's calling of Abram out of Ur, of the Chaldees, to leave it, and his father's house, and follow the Lord's call into a land which he would shew him.

Secondly. The Lord's promise to encourage him; he engages to make of him a great nation, to bless him, to make his name great, and to make him a blessing.

Thirdly. The Lord's declaration, by way of .encouragement, "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee."

And, fourthly. A glorious unfolding of the everlasting gospel unto him, saying, "And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed."

These are the particulars of the words before us; and I shall aim to speak upon, and open each, according to the order and division given. And to proceed, I will first speak concerning the Lord's calling Abram out of Ur, of the Chaldees, to leave it, and his father's house, and follow the Lord's call, into a land which Jehovah would shew him. This for the more clear and easy apprehension of, I will aim to set forth each and every particular thereof, and also will aim to include and connect with it the principal outlines of what is recorded concerning this great patriarch, and father of the faithful. I will mention the words of my text afresh, which belong to my first particular. "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 shew thee of."

It is clear from hence, that Abram was born in sin, and also remained dead in trespasses and sins, and lived with idolaters and in an idolatrous country, until he was effectually called by grace. God's elect are all in a state of sin by their first birth. Abram was chosen in Christ before the world was, as the object of the Father's everlasting love. The essential Word and Son of the Father, had, in the everlasting covenant, un

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dertaken to redeem him from all iniquity; and the eternal Spirit, in the same divine covenant, had engaged to be the breath of spiritual life to him. And according to this stipulation, it pleased him to inspire the mind of Abram, and quicken his soul, with spiritual, supernatural, and eternal life; by which he produced in him a real spiritual birth. Thus Abram was, through the divine agency of the Holy Ghost, born again, and created anew in Christ Jesus, and made a partaker, to use the apostle Peter's expression, of the divine nature; that is, of such a spiritual and sapernatural principle and faculty, as fitted him for communion with God: and having thus been regenerated by the Holy Ghost, he was called out of darkness into marvellous light; and called to leave his country, kindred, and his father's house. In what way this call was given, is no further expressed than thus. "Now the Lord had said unto Abram," &c. I conceive that Jehovah the Spirit, having wrought effectually within him, Jehovah the Savior might assume a human form, and in a visionary way appear to and with an audible and articulate voice address him. This I rather apprehend to be the medium of his conversing with Abram; and after this time it seems, from various accounts, and especially from what is recorded Gen. xxxii. 24. that this was his method of shewing himself, and conversing with his saints under the patriarchal dispensation. Be

this as it may, the Lord's voice was heard: it was powerful, and attended with the demonstration of the Spirit, so that Abram had undoubted evidence that it came from God. And he immediately attended to what was commanded him. "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 1 will shew thee."

As this divine command came with power, so he immediately complied with it, and it was the obedience of faith. So saith the apostle.

By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went," Heb. xi. 8. The Lord did not name the land, that there might be the greater room for the exercise of Abram's faith. It was the land of Canaan which was possessed by the sons of Canaan, the grandson of Noah, who was under the cursed power and influences of sin and satan; which was evident by the prophecy denounced by Noah, as expressive of the case of his posterity. Abram's call to leave his country, kindred, and father's house, may serve to shew, and remind us of the marvellous change made by effectual calling, in the heart, state and life, of such as are called out of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of