V. 17.— By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only-begotten son, Abraham was not permitted to accomplish his intention to offer up his son Isaac; but the trial was the same. Never was any one subjected to so great a trial, Isaac was his beloved son, the only child of Sarah his wife, who, after being long barren, was made a joyful mother. For Ishmael had been sent away from his father’ s house, and Isaac remained the hope of his aged father. The promises, for the sake of which Abraham had passed his life in a foreign land, were expressly limited to Isaac, and therefore his death appeared to nullify them all; so that paternal affection, and the hope of being the father of the Savior of the world, concurred in leading Abraham to shrink from obedience to so revolting a commandment.