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buke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee.”

It is an inestimable blessing to be interested in this Divine promise, and to be included in that covenant of grace to which it is given.

To be admitted by baptism into the communion of Christ's spiritual body, and to be renewed by his grace in the disposition of our minds, is to be made "heirs of the promise, children of GOD, and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven." The mere outward profession of Christianity, however, gives no man a claim to the blessing, but will only add to his condemnation. There was an unrighteous Ham in the ark, and the same is the case with respect to the visible church of Christ. In the communion of it are many who know nothing of real religion, but are destitute of the principles of faith and obedience resulting from the love of God, and therefore, when tried in the balance of the sanctuary, they will be found wanting.

Let it then be our serious concern not to have "the form of godliness" merely, but the "power of it also," in our hearts, and manifested in our lives and conversations. Thus it was that Noah walked with God, in consequence of which he had that REST both here and hereafter, which his name implied; and in like manner must we live in all holy obedience, in the midst of "a dark and corrupt generation, as lights of the world," if we would enter into that rest "which remaineth for the people of God."

ABRAHAM.

Died in the Year of the World 2184, aged 175.

OF the various memoirs contained in the Holy Scriptures, not one is more richly varied with interesting circumstances, or more instructive in all points, except that of Jesus Christ, than the history of Abraham.

This illustrious patriarch stands eminently distinguished as an example of unshaken confidence in the promise, and of uniform obedience to the will, of the Almighty; on which account he obtained the exalted distinctions of "the Father of the Faithful," and the "Friend of God."

He was the son of Terah; and as there were ten generations from the creation to the flood, so there were ten from the flood to Abraham. Though he was younger than his brethren Nahor and Haran, yet the sacred historian places him before them, as having gained the pre-eminence by his virtues. He was born at Ur, a city of the Chaldees, in the year of the world two thousand and nine.

Chaldea was at that time overrun with idolatry, and so it continued for many ages afterwards. The prevailing worship was that of the host of heaven, or the sun, moon, and stars, to which a Divine influence was attributed; whence the vain science of astrology took its origin among the Chaldeans.

Abram, for that was the name of the patriarch till it was altered by the Divine appointment, resided in his native country with his father Terah, seventyfive years; and then he left it, in obedience to the command of God.

The Jews have a tradition that Abram, on account of his zeal in publicly condemning the idolatry of his countrymen, was thrown into a fiery furnace, from which he escaped unhurt. Whatever be the

credit of this apocryphal story, it is certain that Abram, amidst a corrupt and unbelieving age, had a knowledge of the true God, who gave him a command to depart from his country, and from his kindred, and from his father's house, to dwell in a strange land. Abram having communicated the heavenly mandate to his father Terah, the good old man relying on the piety of his son, readily yielded to the sacred monition. "And he took Abram his son, and Lot, the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai, his daughter-in-law, Abram's wife; and they went forth from Ur of the Chaldees to go into the land of Canaan: and they came to Haran, and dwelt there."

Though Nahor, the other son of Terah, is not here mentioned, there can be no doubt but that he also went out of Chaldea with the rest of his family, for we find that his posterity settled in Haran, and that his grand-daughter Rebekah was married to Isaac. Thus was Abram the instrument of converting his father and his own family; which affords every person an encouragement to persevere in the cause of righteousness; relying upon the providence of God to bless his endeavours.

The age and infirmities of Terah would not admit of a long and tedious journey; therefore his dutiful children, in tender care and concern for him, built a city, to which they gave the name of Haran, in commemoration of their brother. Here Terah died, at the age of two hundred and five years, being the oldest of the postdiluvians, except Job.

The Almighty, who had a gracious design for Abram, permitted him to remain with his family till the death of Terah, but then he enjoined him to depart from thence, and to go into the land of Canaan; saying, "In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

No doubt Abram had many dear relations in Haran, to part from whom, and that for ever, must have been very distressing. His possessions were

also considerable, and his habits and manner of life were in a great measure fixed, so as to render that country most suitable for him. But he receives a command to tear himself from all these tender ties and advantages. He must leave a fair inheritance, a pleasant estate, agreeable society, and affectionate relatives, to go he knows not whither, exposed to dangers extremely formidable, in an advanced period of life, and that upon a mere promise of a very distant good. He must go and seek an abode among strangers, whose religion was different from his own, and who were divided among themselves into several tribes, often hostile to each other. All these, and many other difficulties, must have occurred to the mind of Abram, strengthened by every artifice of the great deceiver of mankind; but the faith of the patriarch was superior to all sense of danger, the surmises of infidelity, the importunities of friends, and the suggestions of the tempter. He believed in the Divine promise, and he considered the commandment of GOD as indispensable.. "By faith Abram, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews xi. 8.

In mere worldly considerations, and in the ordinary concerns of life, prudence may dictate delay, and the propriety of consulting friendly advice; but when the word of God is peremptory, and his commandment express, to be dilatory is to be disobedient. Faith is prompt and even swift in compliance, rising at once to follow the direction, and hastening, as it were on eagle's wings, to execute the will of the Almighty. Thus did this great patriarch, notwithstanding his age, for he was then seventy-five years old. "He took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother's son, and all the substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land o Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came." The length of this journey was above three hundred

miles, and it was embarrassed by dangerous deserts, high mountains, and thick forests; but all these diffi. culties were nothing to the intrepid mind of Abram, who, steady to his object, and firm in his reliance upon God, went to the land of promise, "and sojourned there as in a strange country."

On entering Canaan he pitched his tent in Shechem, and there he erected an altar unto the Lord. Here the Almighty appeared again unto Abram, and informed him that this was the land which should be enjoyed by his posterity; a strange declaration to a man of his age, but the patriarch "believed in God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness."

Abram did not continue long in Shechem, but removed his tent from place to place, erecting in every new situation an altar unto the Lord.

Religion must be continually in exercise, and no good can be expected in any change of circumstance where the direction of the Almighty has not been sought, and in which his blessing is not supplicated. The patriarch increased in worldly possessions, notwithstanding his frequent removals; for, having committed himself to the direction of Providence, the Divine favour accompanied him whithersoever he

went.

But though the good man enjoys the blessing of heaven, he is not exempted from trials. These he must partake with the rest of the world, for evil is the common lot of man.

A grievous famine arose in the land of Canaan, which obliged Abram to 'seek an asylum in Egypt; but being apprehensive that the beauty of his wife might attract notice, and that in consequence his life would be in danger, he gave her this advice: "Say, I pray thee, that thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee."

As he feared, so it happened: The king of Egypt, hearing of the beauty of the stranger's sister, caused

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