you not then believe and obey God? This is the only way to obtain his blessing. When all the world was in a state of sin and danger, when we were all exposed to a worse death than Isaac was about to suffer, God provided a Lamb to suffer in our stead. Christ died for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. The whole human race, being sinners against God, were exposed to the pains of eternal deaththat is, we were in danger of endless misery. Then, the scripture says, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. When the Saviour came into the world, John the Baptist, point*ing to him, said-Behold the LAMB of God. Jesus, then, is the Lamb whom God has provided for us in our state of sin and danger. He has suffered and died for us. He has been slain in your stead, for your sake, my young reader. Now if you would be saved from sin and hell, you must believe in him. The example of Abraham shows you what it is to believe. When God spake to Abraham, he believed what God said, and did what God commanded. God speaks to you in the Bible; he tells you that he sent his Son to save you, that Jesus died for your sins, and that if you will trust in this Saviour, and be his disciple, you shall be saved. Now you must believe what God says, in such a manner, that you will do what he commands. That is believing that would make you like Abraham-it would be true faith. And now, my young reader, will you not thus believe? God requires you to do it. You ought to do it. You can do it, if you will. Why then should you not do it? As God has sent his Son to be sacrificed as a Lamb for you, it is your duty to believe and be saved. If you will not believe and obey God, you must perish, and you will deserve to perish. CHAPTER V. About Moses. The interesting story of the birth of Moses, and of his being hid three months to keep him from the hands of the cruel Pharaoh, and of his being put by his mother into a little ark of bulrushes and laid on the bank of the river, and of his being taken up by Pharoah's daughter, you can read in the 2d chap. of Exodus. I cannot, in this little book, speak of these things, though it would be be pleasing to do so. I must begin with Moses when he became a man, and when he began to do those things which made him so remarkable, and which showed his faith. In this case, also, I will begin with what the Apostle says about him in Heb. 11. "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with E the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Here is an example of faith, showing itself in a different manner from any we have before noticed. Moses was a great man in Egypt. The king's daughter, who had taken him when he was an infant from the river's brink, had adopted him as her own son. He was, therefore, a prince; and perhaps, as many think, he would have been king, had he remained in the family of Pharoah till the old king died. The words of the Apostle, where he says that Moses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, seem to mean that the treasures of Egypt were his, if he had not left them. In countries where kings rule with absolute power, as they did in Egypt, the treasures of the nation belong to the king. But whether Moses would have been king or not, had he stayed in Egypt, it is plain that he had, while he remained in the king's family, riches and honors in abundance. He had all those things which men of worldly feelings esteem so highly. He had honors, for he was a prince in a splendid court and mighty kingdom. He had power, for he was the adopted son of the king's daughter, and probably the heir to the throne. He had riches, for the treasures of Egypt were his. He had knowledge, for the scripture says "He was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deed." Acts 7:22. In regard to worldly things, what could he have more? He had all that his heart could wish. Most men would think, if they could be in such a situation as Moses was, if they could have all that he had, and enjoy all that he enjoyed in worldly things, they should be happy. Perhaps you, my young reader, have thought if you had a great and splendid house, rich furniture, and food, an elegant carriage and horses, and a great plenty of money, you would be happy, and want nothing more. But these things would never make you happy. They never made any man happy. A man must have something better than all these |