(20) I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. (21) В¶ Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? (22) For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. (23) But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. (24) Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. (25) For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. (26) But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (27) For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. (28) Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. (29) But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. (30) Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. (31) So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
I have often admired, the very striking manner, in which the Apostle hath introduced the sweet subject, contained in the close of this Chapter. He calls the Church to the contemplation of the awful scene at Mount Sinai, in order to show them the terrors of the law, and to allure them the more affectionately, to the freedom of the Gospel. Tell me, (saith he), ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? Do ye not see, how universally the law condemns every son and daughter of Adam? When you read the law, or when you hear it read, is not your very soul convulsed, in the apprehension of the tremendous consequences, which, out of Christ, must follow every breach of it? And can you, under such plain, and palpable convictions, be looking to it for justification, in any part of your conduct before God? Did Moses himself, who was present at the giving of it, say: I exceedingly fear and quake! Hebrews 12:21. And will you feel confident? The Apostle's manner, and appeal, is very striking!
But how blessedly he follows up his appeal, with the illustration of the doctrine, from the history of Sarah and Hagar? And how conclusive and satisfactory, is the whole subject made, by the illustration? Reader! I detain you at our entrance upon it, to remark, how gracious it was in God the Holy Ghost, thus by his servant the Apostle, to give us so very beautiful an Allegory, for explaining the doctrine. No man upon earth, but for the Lord's thus instructing him, would have conceived, that the subject of Abraham's wife, and hand-maid, was allegorical. We should have read the history of Sarah and her Isaac, and Hagar and her Ishmael, forever, without the smallest apprehension of such a thing. We should have thought it an interesting record, of the manners, and customs of the Patriarch; but for supposing it an Allegory, in allusion to the two Covenants, never would the human mind, untaught of God, have had the least conception. But as it is, through grace, we now behold in it, a most striking resemblance of what it was intended to prefigure. And, although it is possible, that Abraham himself, might not see it to the extent in which it really is; yet nothing, to an enlightened eye, can be more clear, than that it sets forth, the two distinct, and never-to-be-reconciled branches, of the carnal, and spiritual seed, of Abraham.
I will net detain the Reader with a long Commentary upon it, but only in a few of the more prominent parts. Abraham had two sons. Yes! he had many sons, beside those two: Genesis 25:1-2. but those only typical in the subject here represented. And, to make the matter yet more striking, in allusion to those two sons, there was this difference between them: The son of the bond-woman was born according to the ordinary course of nature. But the son of the free - woman, was altogether by promise. For although the birth of Isaac was not miraculous; yet was it unusual. Abraham, and Sarah, speaking after the manner of men, were both passed the time of life, according to the established law of nature, to produce children. And from hence, the Apostle takes occasion to show, how allegorical this was, of the Covenants: the Law of Works, like that of nature; and the Gospel of grace which was altogether a free gift. And the whole race of these different stocks, manifest the origin, from whence they spring. Hagar, the bond-woman's children, are said to gender unto bondage. They are everlastingly under the terror of a broken law; and yet, still look to good works to save them. Sarah the free-woman's children, are declared to be of the Jerusalem which is above, which is free, and the mother of the whole Church; and are therefore looking for justification only in Christ. Such are the different features, which this beautiful allegory describes, of the law of works, and the law of faith.
One point, and that an immense point, in respect to its importance, remains to be considered; namely, to which family do we belong? I have often thought, when looking over a large congregation, what a solemn consideration it is, that all these, I have said to myself, and if they were multiplied by as many millions more, must ultimately be divided under two classes only; namely, the children of the bond-woman, and the children of the free. Under one or other all of these must every soul be classed. But, oh! the vast difference! To which do I belong? Reader! to which do you? Who can answer? The question is easily answered, by regeneration. A soul new born in Christ, is thereby manifested to be the child of the free woman, the heir of the promise. Now we brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise! And hence, because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your heart, crying, Abba, Father! This is the infallible testimony. All short of this, is short of all. We read in Scripture, of some falling away who are said to be once enlightened, and had tasted the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. Hebrews 6:4. But all these are were outward things. Enlightened, in head-knowledge, not heart-renewing. They tasted, but not relished, the doctrines of salvation alone in Christ. Were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, in the ministry of the word, and ordinances; but no saving work on the soul. In all these things, there's not a word of being born again; and this is the grand discriminating feature, to mark the family-feature of the children of promise. Reader! Let nothing short of this, satisfy your mind, in ascertaining the family to which you belong. Oh! the sweet testimony, which Paul elsewhere gives, to this assured estate of safety. Not by works of righteousness (saith he) which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly, through JESUS Christ our Savior: that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7.