and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon" see Gen. 35. 7 and 14 verses. 6. What did Jacob do before he made this Vow? He took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. 7. What was the name which Jacob gave to the place, and what was its former name? And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. 8. What does Bethel mean? The House of God. 9 What does Luz mean? A nut or al mond tree. 10. What may children learn from Jacob's Vow? To imitate him, in their humble dependence on God, in the pious choice of taking the Lord to be his God, and a moderate desire after the things of this world. Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content. IV. PRACTICAL ADDRESS. When Jacob awoke from sleep he was in a holy and humble miud. Did you awake this morn ing in the manner in which Jacob did? Did you rise early like Jacob to make a solemn. Vow? That God should be your God, that you would attend constantly in his house to bear and to do his will, that you would devote to his cause as much as you could spare of your time, your talents and your money? Some children are very cross when they first get up. Instead of waking with a thankful heart and a grateful tongue: instead of thanking God. that he has spared and protected them another night; they awake very cross and ill tempered. They will not dress, they will not bathe, they will not read, they will not pray, they will not go to school, and sometimes they will not eat their breakfast. What do you think such naughty children deserve? Children may make their chambers like a Bethel, like the house of God, by singing his praises, reading his word and praying to God, giving him thanks for the blessings they have received, and praying to him for what mercies they want. How delightful it is to hear children sing and pray as soon as they rise in the morning. Surely," said Jacob, the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not." How many children there 1 there are who do not know that the Lord is present with them in the morning when they rise from their beds. How many there are that say by their conduct, if God is here, I do not care for him, I will not pray to him. Jacob was afraid. If children were like Jacob, they would pray to him. If they were afraid of God, they would not sin against him. How dreadful must be that place where God is not. That is Hell. It must be Hell. It must be a misery too great to be endured, a weight of wrath too great to bear. The absence of God, How dreadful! Be content with such things as you have, if God saw that more was good for you, he would give it you. A contented mind is a continual feast. You should keep a book of Remembrance my dear children, and write down in it all the remarkable instances of God's goodness to you. Some children make promises which they are not able to perform, others make promises which they forget to perform, others only perform a part of what they promise. Never make a promise which you cannot keep. Many promise that they will be better children. When they are punished for a fault they promise that they will not do so any more, but how soon they forget the promise they have made. Why? Because they did not pray to God to help them to keep it. Some children there are who perform what they promise. These are good children, every one will trust them, will put confidence in them, because they do not break their promise, they keep their word. Remember the words of the wise man, "When thou vowest a vow unto God; defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools." That is in those persons who when in distress and affliction make any promises of amendment, but when the danger is past, they forget their promises and break their vows, and thus discover the highest folly in thinking to mock and deceive the Allseeing and Almighty God. "Pay that which thou hast vowed." Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thee to sin. Pray that Jacob's God may be with you to keep you in all your ways, that he may give you bread to eat and raiment to put on. That the Lord may be your God, that Christ may be your Saviour, the holy Spirit your Teacher and heaven, your happy and everlasting home. Amen. A HYMN. A HYMN. Jacob's Vow. Gen. 28. 20, 22. GOD of Jacob by whose hand To thee our humble vows we raise, If thou through ev'ry path of life If thou wilt spread thy shield around To thee "Almighty God, to thee” We will ourselves resign, And count that not our tenth alone But all we have is thine. [When from our earthly parent's house Thou dost us far remove, bind our wand'ring hearts to thee And fill them with thy love.] Doddridge. LECTURE |