the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18 In that same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Note. We should pray both for the removal of unbelief, and for the strengthening of faith.—“ Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."-" Lord, increase our faith."

Abraham for Ishmael. Answered immediately. Genesis xvii.-18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee? 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed ; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget; and I will make him a great nation. 21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Note.-Abraham's prayer for Ishmael, and God's immediate and gracious answer are a great encouragement to parents to be particular in their prayers for their children. Yea, let them continue in prayer perseveringly, though there be no answer meanwhile.

Abraham for Sodom. Answered immediately. Genesis xviii. 22.-Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 26 And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes. 27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: 28 peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it. 29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake. 30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there. 31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake. 32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall

be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. 33 And the Lord went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham : and Abraham returned unto his place.

Note.-We have here a remarkable instance of reverent, loving importunity in prayer: and we see that God was not displeased with it. Abraham refrained, or was restrained from pressing his importunity to an extreme. Perhaps we might count that there are six distinct prayers recorded in this passage.

Lot for Zoar. Answered immediately.

18

Genesis xix.-17 And it came to pass, when they (the angels) had brought them (Lot and his family) forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain: escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. And Lot said unto them, Oh! not so, my lord. 19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die. 20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh! let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither: therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

Note.-Lot was wayward in this prayer; yet God bore with him, and granted his request;-so deals God with the infirmities of his saints. Oh! for more faith, that our will may fully accord with God's will! Surely we may trust God for every lesser blessing, when we have received from him the greater, even the gift of his Son. When God had delivered Lot from Sodom, Lot might well have left God to determine whether he should go to the mountains, or to Zoar for safety.

Abimelech for himself. Answered immediately. Genesis xx. -3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife. 4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? 5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother. In the integrity of my heart, and innocency of my hands, have I done this. 6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. 7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live.

Note. This is the prayer of one who was not of the chosen race. Every sinner may pray to God, and find acceptance for his prayer, who prays in God's way. Let no one fear to ask, who makes his requests out of a true heart for Christ's sake, whatever his state and character may previously have been.

Abraham for Abimelech and his family. Answered

Genesis XX.

immediately.

-17 So Abraham prayed unto God:

and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maid-servants; and they bare children.

Note the duty and acceptance of prayer for others.

Abraham's servant at the well near the city of Nahor. Answered immediately.

12

Genesis xxiv. 10 And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master, and departed; (for all the goods of his master were in his hand ;) and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. 11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. And he said, O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: 14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink; and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abra