Gen. xii. 5. They went forth, to go into the land of Canaan : and into the land of Canaan they came.
THE call of Abram is one of the most instruc- tive subjects that can occupy the human mind ; both because the perfections of Almighty God were most gloriously displayed in it ; and because, in it, he shewed himself one of the brightest patterns of obe- dience that ever the world beheld.
He had had a revelation from God whilst yet he was at Ur, in the land of the Chaldees: by that he was directed to leave his native country; which was immersed, as he also and his father were, in idolatry3. At Haran (or, as it is also called, Charran) he abode till his father's death ; when he received from God a further direction to go into Canaan, with an express assurance that the whole land of Canaan should be given to him and his posterity for an inheritance, and that in his seed should all the nations of the earth be blessed b. With this direction he complied : he took his wife and family, and all that he possessed, and set out upon the journey ; as it is said in the words before us — " They went forth, to go into the land of Canaan ; and into the land of Canaan they came."
Now this call of Abram is very instructive ; no less as displaying the glorious perfections of God who called him, than as exhibiting the distinguished vir- tues of him who obeyed the call. I propose then, in illustrating this subject, to set before you,
I. The perfections of God for your admiration —
To this we are particularly led by that expression of St. Stephen, " The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham." Observe, then,
1. His sovereignty —
[Why was Abram distinguished above all other of the sons of men, to be so blessed in himself, and such a blessing to the world ? He and all his family were idolaters, as also were all around him : yet was he selected by Almighty God from among them, and made the friend and favourite of heaven. Can any account for this ? Can it be traced to any thing but the sovereign will and pleasure of Jehovah ? However adverse any man may be to the idea of God's sovereignty in the dis- pensation of his blessings, he cannot deny, he cannot question it, in this case. Yet this is really what is done in the conver- sion of every soul to God. The Almighty Sovereign of the universe " has saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our ivorks, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began c." "It is God, and God alone, that has made any of
a Josh. xxiv. 2. bver. 1 — 4. with Acts vii. 2 — 4. c2 Tim. i. 9.