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knowledge, and deviated from the true worship, of the God of their fathers; and to have continued there, would have been to prefer a situation dangerous to religion and virtue.

When men are to receive immediately an indemnification or equivalent, the merit of a \surrender is small; but it requires the faith and trust of an Abram, to take a general promise only, as a security, and the accomplishment of it at a great distance; and also to struggle with difficulties insurmountable; for natural impossibilities seemed to bar the way, and cut off all hope of his having children. A just tribute of approbation is bestowed upon this part of his conduct; he believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness; because that against hope he believed in hope. We shall find however that the promise contained every thing that could rouse a noble and generous mind: "I will bless thee, and make thy name great; I will make of thee a great nation; in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."

The illustrious exile turned his back on home, attended only by his aged parent, sinking under the weight of years, and infirmities; his beloved Sarai, and Lot, his nephew, who was determined not to be separated from his uncle, but with him

to sacrifice every worldly consideration to religion.

Being arrived in Canaan, God appears unto Abram again, and informs him, that this was the land which he had in view for him; and renews the declaration: "Unto thy seed will I give this land." In these words, two things are remarkable; first, a further delay of the accomplishment of the promise: "I will give ;" and secondly, a transferring of the gift from Abram himself, unto his seed. Each of them was sufficient to have cooled an ordinary ardour, to have discouraged an ordinary spirit; but the Patriarch discovers no symptom of dissatisfaction, or disappointment; he does not so much as enquire when, or how, the promised offspring was to arise; but being blessed, we may conclude, with the Divine Presence in his pilgrimage, even hope deferred, maketh not the heart sick. Though he finds no city nor house to dwell in; yet there he builded an altar unto the Lord, who had appeared unto him. But behold him, after this, removing from place to place, sojourning in the land of promise, as in a strange land; travelling to Sichem, and to the plain of Moreh, and from thence to Bethel, and Hai; probably through fear of the idolatrous Canaanites, who, we are told, then occupied the Band.

But a wandering life through the land of CaHaan, is not the worst of his condition; his faith is put to a new and severer trial; he is driven out of that land by famine. The country promised as a portion to his seed, refuses subsistence to his family in its present diminutive state; he therefore went down into Egypt, which the scarcity had not reached, or but in an inferior degree. On his return from thence to Canaan, he resorts to his former residence between Bethel and Hai; and pitches his tent by the place of the altar, which he had made there, at the first; and there he renews his communion with the Lord God, who had thus safely brought him back. His worldly substance had now greatly increased, being, no doubt, under the Divine blessing; his brother's son had cast in his lot with him, and was cherished by him, with singular tenderness and affection, when, behold! the increase of riches became a source of vexation. Though the masters are disposed to agree, the servants, now become numerous, cannot. A strife arose between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle, and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle; and what augmented the folly of such a contention, was, the Canaanites and Perizzites dwelling in the land, they rendered themselves more vulnerable to the common en

emy.

The conduct of Abram on this occasion merits particular notice: "And Abram said unto Lot, let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between thy herdsmen, and my herdsmen ; for we are brethren. Separate thyself I pray thee from me; if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left." Sermons preached or volumes written, in favour of a peaceable, gentle, yielding, generous, and manly spirit, could not have exceeded this plain and persuasive lesson, taught us by the conduct of the Patriarch.

Here let us pause, who are called Christians, and ask ourselves whether we are actuated by the spirit of faithful Abram.

What sacrifices are we making, what sacrifice have we made, to conscience, to duty, to our Christian profession? What worldly interest have we given up? What exercise of self-denial, of self-government, have we been engaged in? To be lovers of the world, more than of God, is to prefer Ur of the Chaldees, with its impurity and idolatry, to the worship of the living and the true God.

Had Abram an altar for God, before he had a habitation for himself? Learn from him, O! young man, how to begin the world, so as to

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thrive and prosper in it. Make room for thy Maker, and he will settle thee in a large place.

Did Abram rule his own spirit? Did he meekly recede from his just right? Did he yield to an inferior for the sake of peace.

Blush, O! man, to think of thy pride, and selfishness; of thy positiveness in opinion, thy devotedness to interest, thy insolence in the day of power; thy contempt of the opinions, thy indifference to the feelings and the happiness of others. Look to Abram, and learn to be a conquerork. "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”

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