April 27

Genesis xviii. — 16. And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom; and Abraham went with him to bring him on the way.

17. And the Lord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do;

18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

19. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

20. And the Lord said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,

21. I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it which is come unto me; and, if not, I will know.

22. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Will thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

24. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?

25. That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked; and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be

far from thee: shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

26. And the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

27. And Abraham answered and said, Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:

28. Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.

29. And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.

30. And he said unto him, Oh! let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it if I find thirty there.

31. And he said, Behold, now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

32. And he said, Oh! let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

33. And the Lord went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham; and Abraham returned unto his place.

The word of God, like his providence, often brings judgments and mercies into close connection. The heavenly messengers who had just given to Abraham the promise of a son left his tent of blessing upon an errand of warning to Lot, and of destruction to Sodom. Sometimes the self-same purpose that looks toward the exaltation of the righteous involves the overthrow of the incorrigibly wicked. But, in the ways of God, "mercy rejoiceth against judgment;" and, if the wicked would repent, he would rather pardon than punish.

How exquisite the commingling of divine tenderness and

human pathos in the scene here described! What a testimony did God render to the faithfulness of Abraham in admitting him to his confidence, and taking him, as it were, into his counsel! And how wonderful the privilege and the power of intercessory prayer, when a man can almost prescribe terms to God in pleading with him as friend with friend! But even human sympathy and entreaty must at length pause before an iniquity that is past all recovery; and the Judge of all the earth will do right. Ah! let us secure by timely repentance an interest in the great salvation.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 57, 117, 166.

O God! we are sinners, and of a sinful race. We deserve thy righteous displeasure; yet do we draw nigh unto thee in the assurance of thy grace to help in every time of need: yea, the greater our sense of need and helplessness, the more plenteous is thy grace, the more ready is thy help. For Christ's sake, hear and save us.

Thou madest us to lie down and rest in safety; thou callest us to rise up and rejoice as in newness of life. Oh! bless and furnish us abundantly, we beseech thee, for all that is before us this day, — our minds with strength, our hands with diligence, our hearts with love and devotion. May we be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect in doing good unto all! Keep us from the snares of the world.

We beseech thee to have compassion upon all who are yet living in sin. Oh! spare thy judgments, Lord, and show forth thy salvation; and imprint upon our hearts such a dread of thy judgments, and such a grateful sense of thy goodness to us, as may make us both afraid and ashamed to offend thee. Above all, inspire us with the joy of being with Christ in his glory; and, having this hope in him, may we purify ourselves as he is pure!

Oh! keep this household in thy love; bless abundantly our friends, near or far away; minister of thy comforts to the sick and needy, succor the perishing, and save the lost. Guide us ever with thy counsel, and finally bring us unto thy rest, for the Redeemer's sake. Amen.