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ABRAHAM.

By faith Abraham, 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.

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.-Hebrews, xi. 8, 9, 10.

Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.-Romans, iv. 3.

HIM God the Most High, vouchsafed

To call by vision, from his father's house,
His kindred, and false gods, into a land
Which he did show him, and from him did raise
A mighty nation; and upon him shower
His benedictions so, that in his seed

All nations shall be blest; he straight obeyed,
Not knowing to what land, yet firm believed:
He left his gods, his friends, and native soil,
Ur of Chaldea, passing now the ford
To Haran; after him a cumbrous train
Of herds and flocks, and numerous servitude,
Not wandering poor, but trusting all his wealth
To God, who called him, in a land unknown.

Like Abraham ascending up the hill

Milton.

To sacrifice, his servants left below, That he might act the great Commander's will Without impeach to his obedient blow; Even so the soul, remote from earthly things, Should mount salvation's shelter,-mercy's wings. Robert Southwell.

Though round him numerous tribes, Sworn foes to Heaven's dread Ruler, pitch their tents, No wayward doubts or coward fears appal

The Patriarch's soul. By the bright hope sustained, That in his seed all nations should be blest,

Calm and unmoved the delegated seer

Submissive bends to the Eternal Will.

Samuel Hayes.

ABSENCE.

I PAUL myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you.--II. Corinthians, x. 1.

I write these things, being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath given me.-II. Corinthians, xiii. 10.

To Jesus, the crown of my hope,
My soul is in haste to be gone;
Oh, bear me, ye cherubim, up,

And waft me away to His throne!

My Saviour, whom absent, I love,
Whom not having seen, I adore;
Whose name is exalted above

All glory, dominion, and pow'r.

Thus far my God hath led me on,
And made His truth and mercy known;
My hopes and fears alternate rise,
And comforts mingle with my sighs.

Through this wild wilderness I roam,
Far distant from my blissful home;
Lord, let Thy presence be my stay,
And guard me in this dangerous way.

Temptations everywhere annoy,
And sins and snares my peace destroy;
My earthly joys are from me torn,
And oft an absent God I mourn.

Had I the tongues of Greeks and Jews,
And nobler speech than angels use,
If love be absent, I am found,
Like tinkling brass, an empty sound.

If love to God and love to men
Be absent, all my hopes are vain;
Nor tongues, nor gifts, nor fiery zeal,
The work of love can e'er fulfil.

Cowper.

Fawcett.

Watis.

ACCEPTANCE.

THUS saith the Lord unto this people, thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet; therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.-Jeremiah, xiv. 10.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. --Psalm xix. 14.

Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.-Ephesians, v. 10.

God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.-Acts, x. 34, 35.

THIS woman, whom thou mad 'st to be my help,
And gav'st me as thy perfect gift, so good,
So fit, so acceptable, so divine.

Thus I imboldened spake, and freedom and
Permission, and acceptance found.

God is a spirit just and wise;

He sees our inmost mind;

In vain to heaven we raise our cries,

And leave our souls behind.

Nothing but truth before his throne

With honour can appear;

The painted hypocrites are known

Through the disguise they wear.

Milton.

Milton.

Lord search my thoughts, and try my ways,

And make my soul sincere;

Then shall I stand before thy face,

And find acceptance there.

Accept my prayer O Lord,

A contrite spirit cries,

And asks, depending on Thy word,

A pardon from the skies."

Unworthy though I be;

Watts.

Let me acceptance find,

Be there a place in heaven assigned
To me, Lord, even me!

Anon.

ACQUAINTANCE.

ACQUAINT now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.--Job, xxii. 21.

ACQUAINT thee, O mortal! acquaint thee with God; And joy, like the sunshine, shall beam on thy road; And peace, like the dewdrop, shall fall on thy head; And sleep, like an angel, shall visit thy bed.

Acquaint thee, O mortal! acquaint thee with God; And he shall be with thee when fears are abroad, Thy safeguard in danger that threatens thy path, Thy joy in the valley and shadow of death.

Knox.

Acquaint thyself with God, if thou would'st taste
His works. Admitted once to his embrace,
Thou shalt perceive that thou wast blind before:
Thine eye shall be instructed; and thine heart
Made pure, shall relish with divine delight
Till then unfelt, what hands divine have wrought.
Brutes graze the mountain-top, with faces prone,
And eyes intent upon the scanty herb

It yields them: or recumbent on its brow
Ruminate, heedless of the scene outspread
Beneath, beyond, and stretching far away
From inland regions to the distant main.
Man views it and admires; but rests content
With what he views. The landscape has his praise,
But not its Author. Unconcerned who framed

The Paradise he sees, he finds it such,

And such well pleased to find it, asks no more.
Not so the mind that has been touched from heaven,
And in the schools of sacred wisdom taught

To read his wonders, in whose thought the world,
Fair as it is, existed ere it was.

Not for its own sake merely, but for his
Much more who fashioned it, he gives it praise;
Praise that from earth resulting as it ought,

To earth's acknowledged Sovereign, finds at once
Its only just proprietor in Him.

Cowper.

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So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.-Genesis, i. 27.

By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. - Romans, v. 12. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. -I. Corinthians, xv. 21, 22.

The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.-I. Corinthians, xv. 45.

THOU man thy image mad'st, in dignity,

In knowledge and in beauty like to thee;
Placed in a heaven on earth: without his toil,
The ever flourishing and fruitful soil
Unpurchased food produced: all creatures were
His subjects, serving more for love than fear.

For contemplation he, and valour formed;
For softness she, and sweet attractive grace;
He for God only, she for God in him:
His fair large front and eye sublime, declared
Absolute rule; and hyacynthine locks

Sandys.

Round from his parted forelock manly hung
Clustering, but not beneath his shoulders broad:
She as a veil down to the slender waist,
Her unadorned golden tresses wore
Dishevelled, but in wanton ringlets waved
As the vine curls her tendrils: which implied
Subjection, but required with gentle sway,
And by her yielded, by him best received.-Milton.

So spake our mother Eve; and Adam heard
Well pleased, but answered not; for now, too nigh
The archangel stood; and from the other hill
To their fixed station, all in bright array,
The cherubim descended; on the ground
Gliding mysterious, as evening mist
Risen from a river, o'er the marish glides,
And gathers round, fast at the labourer's heel
Homeward returning. High in front advanced,
The brandished sword of God before them blazed,
Fierce as a comet; which with torrid heat

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