Abraham's life a pattern for ours.
Heb. xi. 8 — 10. By faith Abraham, lohen he was called to go out into a jylace which he should after receive for an inherit- ance, obeijed; and he went out, not knowing whither he xoent. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles ivith Isaac and Jacob, the heirs tvith him of the same promise : for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
THERE can scarcely be proposed to our conside- ration any subject more important than the practical efficacy of ftiith. It is the one subject which per- vades this whole chapter : and it is set before us in the most advantageous way that can be imagined, being exhibited in living examples, in whom it was so embodied as to be visible, as it were, before our eyes. Had the Apostle launched forth into a general description of it, we might possibly be thought to lay an undue stress on any expressions which he has used : but, when he merely refers us to historic fact as illustrative of the point, we feel, that there is no room for misapprehension on the part of any candid inquirer.
The Apostle has already adduced instances which occurred before the flood : and now he comes to specify others which took place at different and dis- tant periods, almost to the apostolic age. At the head of these is the case of Abraham, who, both in this chapter, and in other parts of Scripture, is more celebrated for his faith than any other of the children of men. We propose to consider,
I. His conduct under the influence of faith —
It is but a partial view that we shall be led to take at present of Abraham's faith, because other, and yet more remarkable, circumstances will come under our consideration at a future time. We now notice only two things :
1. His departure from his own country —