ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

minous, as well as a very captivating commentary. He faid unto Lot, I pray thee let there be no ftrife betwixt me and thee, nor between my herdmen and thine. Why? For the tendereft reafon in the world because, we are brethren. The very image of the patriarch in the attitude of entreaty, the fraternal tear just starting from his eye, is this moment before me: and thus, methinks, I catch instruction (as he addreffes, Lot) from the lip of the venerable man. Away, my dear brother, away with ftrife; we were born to be the fervants of God, and the companions of each other: the twin breasts of our mother are not fo clofely united as thou and I: as we sprang from the fame parent, so we naturally partake the fame affections. We are brethren, fons of the fame father: we are friends, for furely kindredfhip fhould be the most exalted friendfhip: let not us then difagree, because our berdmen have difagreed, fince that were to encourage every idle pique, and fenfelefs animofity. Great, indeed, hath been our fuccefs fince

Our

our migration into this fair country: we have much fubftance, and much cattle. But what of that? Shall brothers quarrel, because it has pleased Heaven to prosper them-Oh ingrateful! Oh impious !But if, notwithstanding these persuasives, thy fpirit is ftill troubled, let us separate: rather than contend with a brother-hard. as it is, I could even part with him for a time-haply, the occafion of dispute (which I have already forgotten) fhall foon be no more remembered by thee. Is not the whole land before thee? Take then my bleffing and my embrace, and separate thyfelf from me: To thee is submitted the advantages of choice: if thou wilt take the left hand, then, that I may not appear to thwart thee unbrotherly, I will take the right or if thou art more inclined to the country which lieth upon the right, then will I go to the left. Be it as thou wilt, and whitherfoever thou goest, happy mayeft thou be.

:

Lot, liftened to his brother, and departed. He caft his eyes on the wellwatered

watered plains of Jordan. There seems a degree of avaricious infenfibility in his character; and when he separated, it appears to have been with the hope of increafing his wealth; while Abraham, no doubt, often preffed his brother's hand, and often bade him adieu, and even followed him to repeat the farewell wishes, ere he could fuffer him to depart.

ESSAY

MERCY.

PASSAGE.

AND ABRAHAM SAID, WILT THOU ALSO DESTROY THE
RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED, O LORD?

PER ADVENTURE, THERE, BE FIFTY RIGHTEOUS WITHIN
THE CITY; WILT THQU ALSO DESTROY AND NOT
SPARE THE CITY, FOR THE FIFTY RIGHTEOUS THAT
ARE THEREIN ? &c.

THESE, and the following verses, in a very remarkable manner, demonstrate, on the one hand, the MERCY of the Almighty; and the benevolent difpofition, of this amiable patriarch, on the other. We are firft ftruck with the tender arguments of Abraham, and then with the yielding kindness of the long-fuffering, Omnipotent. Wilt thou not fpare the place, O Father, fays the petitioner, for the fake of fifty upright characters ? Far

be

[ocr errors]

be it from charity and from benevolence, like thine, to do after this unequal manner; far be it from thee to blend the fates of the virtuous with thofe of the wicked: far be it from the universal judge, who weigheth all things in the even balance, to do amifs, or to deal unfairly! The answers of the Deity are uncommonly affectionate, and confiftent with the goodness of the Godhead. If I find (faid he) fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their fakes. But alas! Abraham, who knew the wickedness of Sodom, as well as the mercy of the power whom he addreffed, was obliged to go farther. Behold, now, I have taken upon me, poor imperfect creature as I am, a compound of dust and ashes, to speak before the Lord of nature; I tremble in thy presence, and yet I approach thee. Peradventure there fhall lack five of the fifty righteous: thou wilt not be extremely minute to mark what is wanting; nor can it be in thy benignant nature to destroy all the city for lack only of five!

Το

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »