Sarai means my princess,--the honorable wife of one who is a king, or prince, or a great and powerful man,-ruling over his household and dependents, with absolute authority, as Abraham did.

Sarah means the princess, or mother of many nations, which she was yet to be.

God is ready, my dear reader, to make a covenant with you, and to bless you as truly as he did Abraham. What do you think he will promise to perform? He has told us in

the Bible.

He will forgive all your sins, and never punish you for them, but treat you just as if you had never sinned at all. He will give you his Holy Spirit to aid and strengthen you in getting rid of sin, and in loving and obeying him, and doing good to others. He will give you his Holy Spirit to help you to understand the Bible when you read it, and to teach you about himself, and Jesus Christ, and heaven, and your own soul, and your duty. He will give you his Holy Spirit, to comfort you in affliction, to help you to bear sickness and suffering, and to support and cheer you in a dying hour. He will give you his Holy Spirit, to direct and aid you in

doing good to others, and especially in endeavouring to lead them to trust in Christ and serve him,-and this will make you happier than any thing else in this world can. It will make you very happy, like God himself, and his Son, and all the good beings in heaven.

He will take care of you, at all times, and in all places; ever being near you, as a kind Protector and Friend. If he suffers any thing to happen to you, in the way of disappointment, or loss, or trial, or affliction, it will be because he sees it best for you, and to help forward the progress of Christ's kingdom in the world. He has promised that all such things, and indeed that every thing that happens to those who truly love him, shall sooner, or later, do them good.

He will do all this, and then, when you die, he will take you to a much more delightful country than that which he gave to Abram, -to the heavenly Canaan. There you will become perfectly holy; be for ever learning new and wonderful things about God and his government; be unspeakably happy in loving and serving him,-so happy, and for

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ever too, that you can now form no idea of such happiness.

What must you do, to obtain all these blessings? That which is very simple and easy to be understood. You must feel truly and deeply sorry that you have sinned against God. You must go to him in humble and earnest prayer, trusting in Christ as your only Saviour, and beseeching God, for his sake, to pardon your sins, and to give you his Holy Spirit, that you may feel right, and do right, now and at all future times. You must resolve, in the strength that you expect to derive from Jesus Christ, that you will take the Bible for your guide; that you will love, study and obey it; and devote yourself to the service of God, in this world, and for

ever.

Will you do this? Will you try to do it? Will you look up to God, in fervent prayer, to show you how to do it, and to aid you in doing it? Will you say to Jesus Christ, from the heart, "Lord, save me, or I perish?"

It was a wonderful covenant that God made with Abraham. He is ready, he is waiting, to make as wonderful a one with

you. If made, you will be safe and happy If you delay and refuse, on your part, to make it, God will leave you to your

for ever.

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own choice, to endless wretchedness and ruin!

STORY XIII.

THE PROMISE OF GOD TO ABRAHAM.

When Sarai's name was changed to Sarah, God promised that she should have a son; that he would bless her; and that she should be the mother of nations, and of kings of the people. From this son, too, after a great many, many years, a descendant was to come, in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed. He would be mightier than the kings of this world; and through him the greatest of blessings,—the pardon of sin and the favor of God,-would be bestowed upon all who should put their trust in him.

This was Jesus Christ, the only Saviour;and it was a very great honor, indeed, to Abraham and Sarah that he was to be one of their descendants. It showed how much God loved them, and was ready to bless them for their faithfulness and obedience to him.

This promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah, was repeated, not long after, under very interesting circumstances.

One hot and sultry day, at the hour when the heat was the greatest, Abraham was sitting in the door, or opening of his tent, to enjoy the coolest place, and to refresh himself with any little air that might be stirring.

He soon observed, at a short distance from him, three men, who were strangers, and looked like travellers on a journey. They were on foot; and, as there were no inns at that time, but those who were journeying had to depend on kind and hospitable persons for entertainment, Abraham immediately felt it to be his duty to invite them to stop and refresh themselves. He loved God, and his fellow-men also. He was a generous and friendly old man. He had long been so, and

the habitual benevolence of his heart showed

itself quickly on this occasion.