his father what he was about to offer, since there was no animal
there for an oblation : - to which it was answered, "That God
would provide himself an oblation, he being able to make a
plentiful provision for men out of what they have not, and to
deprive others of what they already have, when they put too much
trust therein; that therefore, if God pleased to be present and
propitious at this sacrifice, he would provide himself an
oblation."

3. 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