nn illustrntion of faith. All our modern difficulties as to the right an<l wrong of Abraham's conduct never occurred to the writer of this Epistle. A human sacrifice was not nbhorrent to Abrnham's views of religious necessity. Here we have simply to look at the faith a father showed when called to give up his only son. See- l. FAITH TRIUMPHING OVER NATURAL INCLINATIONS. Not over natnral affections; for Abraham, having loved his son, loved him to the end. The very depth and intensity of his natural affection make his faith appear the stronger. We must not for a moment ndmit that natural affection could be even deadened in his heart to allow him to do such a thing. But assuredly bis natural inclinations must have bad a strucrcrle with his faith before they surrendered. It is an almost universal tendency among°parents to wish that their children should have the rewards and comforts of life. Wherever failure and suffering may come, they a.re not to come to them. The mother of ,James and John showed this feeling very strongly. 'l'his is the way in which natural affection gets spoiled and made a hideous thing through selfishness. This is the way in which natural affection often defeats itself, and instead of doing the best thing for children does the worst. Here surely is an example for parents in dealing with their children. Let them try to find out what God would have them do, what is really best upon a large view of the future, and not what seems best, not what is easiest and most com- fortable. God called both Abraham and his son to self-sacrifice, and his view was far better than any inclination or judgment of their own. II. FAITH TRIUMPHING OVER PLAUSIBLE OBJECTIONS, Was there ever a finer chance for the tempter to make the worse appear the better reason, to strengthen natural mclination by plausible representations as to what was the Divine will? It seems roost reasonable to say, "Isaac is the child of promise: the future for generations depends on his life; whatever else may happen to him, it is clear be is not to die now." And only too often in life plausible reasons for what turns out in the end an utterly wrong course are found with very little ingenuity. It is not enough that a way should seem right to love and prudence. Opportunities may come seeming on the surface of them to have signs of Providence, and yet all the time the real paintings of Providence may be neglected. The mind gets led away with unconscious sophistries. Now, it is in view of just such circumstances that God comes in with his clear authority to take the place of our plausible views and arguments. There are times when distinct, impressive intimations are not needed, when ordinary common sense and right feeling are quite enough. But also there are times when one clear, significant word from above will settle everything to the humble and docile mind. III. FAITH ASSURED OF THE OMNIPOTENCE OF Gon. Notice that God did not come in with this trial of faith at the beginning of his dealings with Abraham. He showed him first of e.11 much of his power and his guiding hand. The child whom he asked in Eacrifice had first of all been given in miracle. Divine demands are always propor- tioned to strength and to previous experiences. And so, however hard the trial might be to the feelings of the father, yet it had its eminently reasonable side when it appealed to the experience of the believer. God was putting honour upon Abraham in judging him fit for such a demand as this.-Y.
Ver. 21.-.A blessing for each. The emphatic word here is "both," or, as the Revised Version much better puts it," each." We see this emphasis at once on reading the narra- tive in Gen. xlviii. Jacob had a blessing for each of his own sons, but when he comes to Joseph he individually is passed over as it were, because Manasseh and Ephraim cannot be comprehended in a common blessing. All these blessings of Joseph 11re, of course, to be taken as predictions, having a particular emphasis, solemnity, and memorable character as the words of a dying man concerning sons and grandsons. The distinctions then made could not be afterwards ignored or destroyed. There was a correspondence between the blessings and the after history of tho tribes. Jacob did not thus speak because of some peculiar interest of his own in Ephraim anrl Manasseh. The father and the grandfather assumed the prophet while he spake the blessings. He laid his right hand on the head of the younger, his left on the head of the eldor. He did it wittingly, contrary to the wish of his son. If we would have God's blessin~, we must _leave Go,l to apportion it according to his own purposes. Jacob knew n~thrng at the time of the way in which Levi would be merged as it were in the other tnbe~, and so leave a place 850 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [ OH, XL 1-40,
for Ephraim to come in. But he knew that somehow or other a place of distinction 'l\'&s _reserved f~r Ephraim. Thus faith transcends all natural anticipations, and con- tradicts oftent1mes natural probabilities. Then it is worth while noting how the triumph of faith is blended with the work of retribution. Here is the true exe.ltntion of Joseph. Here is the true fulfilment of those dreams which brought him so much ~uffering .. _Someth~ng he got of honour in Egypt ; but beyond this and more significant 1s the pos1t1on of his two sons as being each the founder of a tribe. God can bring to a permanent exaltation those whom jealousy would humble. As to the eminence of Ephraim, notice that it begins even in the wilderness, where the numbers of Ephraim exceed those of Manasseh (Numb. i.). And as to the importance of Ephraim in after history, it may be enough to cite the position of this tribe in the prophecies of Hosea.-Y.