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[228]
As soon as the altar was prepared, and Abraham had laid on the wood,
and all things were entirely ready, he said to his son, "O son, I
poured out a vast number of prayers that I might have thee for my son;
when thou wast come into the world, there was nothing that could contribute
to thy support for which I was not greatly solicitous, nor any thing wherein
I thought myself happier than to see thee grown up to man's estate, and
that I might leave thee at my death the successor to my dominion; but since
it was by God's will that I became thy father, and it is now his will that
I relinquish thee, bear this consecration to God with a generous mind;
for I resign thee up to God who has thought fit now to require this testimony
of honor to himself, on account of the favors he hath conferred on me,
in being to me a supporter and defender. Accordingly thou, my son, wilt
now die, not in any common way of going out of the world, but sent to God,
the Father of all men, beforehand, by thy own father, in the nature of
a sacrifice. I suppose he thinks thee worthy to get clear of this world
neither by disease, neither by war, nor by any other severe way, by which
death usually comes upon men, but so that he will receive thy soul with
prayers and holy offices of religion, and will place thee near to himself,
and thou wilt there be to me a succorer and supporter in my old age; on
which account I principally brought thee up, and thou wilt thereby procure
me God for my Comforter instead of thyself."
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