Page images
PDF
EPUB

makes them truly brave. It is often the case that those who are very brave men, shoot themselves, and die like cowards and fools by their own hands. They often shoot at each other in a duel. This is neither honor nor courage. The man who fights a duel is a traitor to his king and a rebel to his God. No doubt many of you would like to hear more about Melchizedek, but God has not thought proper to tell us. You cannot all be kings on earth, and if you could, I fear you would not be like Melchizedek. But Christ will make you both priests and kings if you love him, if your sins are pardoned thro' his blood, and what is more, he will give you a kingdom that is immoveable, and a crown which you shall wear forever. Let every boy and girl strive to be good, and pray to God for help. Seek this unfading crown and this everlasting kingdom, and thro' Christ you shall obtain it."

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

A HYMN.

WHEN Abram from the battle came
And homeward bent his way,
The King of Sodom he came forth
His courage to repay.

And after him came Salem's King
And brought forth bread and wine,
Melchizedek, that priest of God,
Who did with honor shine.

Hebless'd the Patriarch and said,
All praise to God most high,
For he hath slain thine enemies
And brought deliv'rance nigh.

While Abram's courage you admire

May you be Abram's seed;

O seek his piety and faith,

This will to glory lead,

R. M.

LECTURE

LECTURE XV.

ABRAM'S SACRIFICE.

GEN. 15. 17. And it came to pass, that when the Sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

ABRAM loved God, and God in this chapter shows how much he loved Abram by revealing to him things that were to come. Abram is called the Friend of God. He was

highly honoured by God, and received many uncommon tokens of his regard.

[ocr errors]

After

these things after the battle of the Kings: after Abram's victory over those that had been conquered: after he had delivered Lot; after he had been congratulated by the King of Sodom after he had been refreshed by Melchizedek's bread and wine: nay more, after he had received his solemn blessing and as a thank offering to the God of battles, had given him tithes of all: after he was returned to his own house, then " the word of the Lord came to him in a vision, saying, fear not, R 3

Abram:

Abram: I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward.”

He was apparently much cast down, and that which lay heavy on his mind was, that he had no child. This made him sad, it was a blessing which he greatly desired. We hear him saying, "Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus. Behold to me thou hast given no seed and lo, one born in my house, is mine heir." God assured Abram that he should be secure from every danger, and that he would reward him. I will be thy reward. He had refused to be rewarded by the King of Sodom, and now he shall be rewarded by the King of Kings. God also comforted him with the promise of a Son, by whom he should have a numerous family. "And behold the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, this shall not be thine heir; but be that shall come forth of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad and said, look now toward hea ven, and tell the stars if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall thy

seed

seed be, and he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness." He promised also that he would give him the land in which he then dwelt for an inheri tance. And Abram said, “ Lord God whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it." Then the Lord directed him to offer a sacrifice, and he gave Abram a pledge that he would make this promise good, and entered into a covenant with him the same day. That is, he made an agreement, and the sign which he afterwards gave, was to be the seal of that agreement, that he would give him the country wherein he now lived for a possession.

I. Let us hear the DIRECTIONS which GOD gave to ABRAM concerning this SACRI

FICE.

"And he said unto him, take me an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old, and a ra m of three years old, and a turtle dove and a young pigeon."

What a variety of things, no less than five different beasts and birds are here mentioned, a young calf, a she-goat, a ram, a dove and a pigeon. They were to be three years old, that

« PreviousContinue »