never been commanded to
do so, neither has any other person in this congregation; neither was
any person who lived before Abraham but he, and he alone needed new
revelation to find out that he was to go to the top of a certain
mountain. When he got there another new revelation was given to him,
commanding him to look to the east then to the west; and then to cast
his eyes to the north, and to the south, and then, behold, a great
promise was made to him by new revelation, namely, “All the land which
thou seest shall be given to thee and thy seed after thee for an
everlasting possession.” No such promise could he have found in any
former revelation: this promise was adapted to that peculiar
individual, and to the circumstances in whichhe was placed.

We would imagine that Isaac, having his father's revelations right
before his eyes, and knowing all about them, would say in his heart,
“I need not trouble myself about inquiring from God and receiving
anything new from the heavens. My father was a good man; he was saved,
and I shall content myself by giving heed to the old revelations.” But
Isaac did not reason in this way; and the Lord had some new
revelations to communicate to the son of Abraham, and one of them was
to confirm the promise that had been made to his father. One might
naturally suppose that the revelation made to his father was broad
enough and covered the case without being confirmed, for it declared
that the land promised to Abraham should be given to him and to his
seed