life as a pilgrimage, or journey, towards a heavenly country: if we thus think of it, we shall be careful not to quarrel with our fellow-travellers by the way and should our days be few and evil, we shall bear our lot with patience, while we look forward to an eternity of bliss beyond the grave!

Questions.---What is meant by a pilgrimage? [Ans. A long journey.] Why did Jacob call his life a pilgrimage? [Ans. Because it led to another country.] What country? [Ans. An heavenly one.] Is the life of a Christian a pilgrimage? [Ans. Yes.] Who are our fellow-travellers? [Ens. Our felTow-Christians.] If we look upon ourselves as travelling to a heavenly country, what shall we bear with patience? [Ans. The evils of life.]

LESSON XL.

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Explanation.---We find by Jacob's dying words, that he kept God's promises in mind, and depended upon them to the last. Joseph took his two sons with him to his dying father, that they might be reckoned among the children of Israel, and so become partakers of the blessings of the Lord. When Joseph presented his sons, Jacob was inspired to foretel that the nation from Ephraim, the younger son, would be a greater nation than that from Manasseh, the elder son; on this occasion Jacob was a prophet, that is, one who by the inspiration of God foretels things to come.

Questions.---What did Jacob keep in his mind to the last ? [Ans. God's promises.] For what purpose did Joseph take his sons to his dying father? [Ans. That they might be reckoned among the children of Israel.]

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Instruction.---Parents should above all things endeavour to secure the blessings of the Lord for their children, that they may be reckoned amongst his chosen people. Joseph possessed in Egypt earthly riches and honours equal to any his posterity could expect in the land of Canaan, yet he was desirous they should be numbered amongst the children of Israel, that they might have an inheritance with the people of God.

Questions.---What was Joseph desirous of obtaining for his children? [Ans. The blessing of the Lord.] Is not this blessing of more value than riches and honours? [Ans. Yes]

What people should parents desire their children to be reckoned amongst? [Ans. God's chosen people.] Have your parents taken care that you should be reckoned amongst God's chosen people? [Ans. Yes.] What did they do that you might be so? [Ans. Had me baptized.] Can your parents continue this blessing to you if you lead a life contrary to God's will and commandments? [Ans. No.]

LESSON XLI.

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Explanation.---It was the will of God that the numerous family of Jacob should, after his death, form all together one people under the denomination of The Children of Israel, or Israelites; and the land of Canaan was, in process of time, to be portioned out among the different tribes which should proceed from his twelve sons; and the Messiah, the Saviour of the world, was to proceed from the tribe of Judah. Jacob foretold by the inspiration of God.

All this

By embalming was meant, taking out the bowels, and filling the body with spices, in order to keep it from decay.

Joseph was about 56 years old when his father died; he continued to dwell in Egypt, and all his brethren with him, because the time was not yet come for the children of Israel to be put in possession of the land of Canaan. The children of Israel, of whom he took an oath, were the children of himself and his brethren. It appears from his desire to have his bones carried to Canaan, that Joseph believed in the promises of God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and wished to be numbered among the people of God.

Questions.---Were the sons of Jacob to separate after his death? [Ans. No; to keep together as one people.] What were they to be called? [Ans. The children of Israel, and Israelites.] Why were they to be called so? [Ans. Because God gave the name of Israel to their father.] What land were they afterwards to inhabit? [Ans. The land of Canaan.] From which tribe was the Messiah, or Saviour, to proceed? [Ans. The tribe of Judah.] Did Jacob's sons, according to his desire, carry his body to be buried in the cave of Machpelah? [Ans. Yes.] What made Joseph's brethren afraid that he would take revenge of them for their former cruelties as soon as his father was dead? 15. [Ans. Their consciences.] Why did Joseph weep when he received their message? [Ans.

Because they had not confidence in him.] Why did Joseph and his brethren remain in Egypt? [Ans. Because the time was not yet come for the children of Israel to be put in possession of Canaan.] To what age did Joseph live? 22. [Ans. To an hundred and ten.] What did he make the children of Israel sware before he died? [Ans. To carry his bones with them into the land of Canaan.] What did this desire shew? [Ans. His faith in God's promises.] What did the children of Israel do with the body of Joseph after he was dead? 25. [Ans. They embalmed it, and put it in a coffin in Egypt.] Why did they embalm it? [Ans. To keep it from mouldering away.] Why did they wish to keep the bones together? [Ans. That they might carry them with them to Canaan as they had promised.]

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Instruction.--We have now read the whole of the histories of Jacob and Joseph, which shew, in a most striking manner, the truth, foreknowledge, and providence of the Almighty; and teach us to consider the various afflictions and disappointments of human life, as chastisements for sin, or trials of virtue. With the death of Joseph ends the first book of Moses called Genesis.

Questions.---Have not you found great pleasure as well as instruction in reading the histories of Jacob and Joseph? [Ans. Yes.] Have not you found much to admire and approve in the character of each of them? [Ans. Yes.] What does this part of Scripture prove in a most striking manner? [Ans. The truth, foreknowledge, and providence of God.] In what light does it teach us to consider the various afflictions of human Hife? Ans. As chastisements for sin, or trials of virtue.] What book ends with the death of Joseph? [Ans. The first book of Moses called Genesis.]

LESSON XLII.

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Explanation.--This Lesson is taken from the second book of Moses called Exodus, which gives an account of the wonders which the Lord wrought in the land of Egypt for the deliverance of the children of Israel from the bondage which the Lord foretold this people would have in the land of Egypt.

Joseph, and all that generation which came out of Canaan, were dead. This part of the history of the children of Israel relates to the next generation, who most likely had fallen from

the worship of God, and stood in need of chastisement to bring them to a sense of their duty. The king of Egypt here mentioned, came from another country, and conquered Egypt, which accounts for his paying no respect to the memory of Joseph.

Levi was one of the twelve sons of Jacob; Amram was the grandson of Levi. Moses, who was so wonderfully preserved, was ordained of God to be the lawgiver of Israel, and to conduct them out of Egypt.

Questions.---What was become of Joseph, and the rest of Jacob's children, &c.?. [Ans. They were all dead.] How many sons had Jacob? [Ans. Twelve.] How many persons did the family of Jacob amount to, when they went into Egypt? [Ans. Seventy persons.] What is here said of them? [Ans. That they multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the land was filled with them.] Did not God foretel to Abraham, that his seed should be a stranger in a land that was not theirs, and should be afflicted there? [Ans. Yes.] Did not the Lord promise Abraham that he would deliver his seed from the nation that should afflict them, and bring them out with great substance? [Ans. Yes.] Who were meant in that prediction by Abraham's seed? [ns. The people of Israel.] Who were meant by the nation that should afflict them? [Ans. The Egyptians.] How came the Israelites to go into Egypt? [Ans. God directed them to go thither.] For what purpose? [Ans. To save them from famine.] Was it not a blessing and a comfort to those who left Canaan at that time to be received into Egypt? [Ans. Yes.] Who was governor of Egypt when Jacob went thither with his family? [Ans Joseph.] Was the king of Egypt kind to them? [Ans. Yes.] Did the people receive them willingly? [Ans. Yes.] What cruel command did that Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, give to prevent the people of Israel from increasing? Ans. That every son which was born should be thrown into the river.] Why did God suffer the people of Israel to be thus afflicted? [Ans To bring them to a proper sense of their duty.] Who was Levi? [Ans. One of the twelve sons of Jacob.] Who was Amram? [Ans. One of Levi's grandsons.] What was his wife's name? [Ans. Jochebed.] What did Jochebed do to save her son? 3. [Ans. Made an ark of bulrushes, and laid it by the river's side.] Who found the child? 7. [Ans. Pharaoh's daughter.] Was it not very fortunate that Pharaoh's daughter happened to go to the river at that particular tine, and that she took pity upon the babe, and fixed upon Jochebed

as his nurse? Ans. Yes.] How did all these things happen for the preservation of Moses? [Ans. They were ordered by the providence of God.] What was Moses ordained of God to be?

[Ans. The lawgiver of Israel.] What was he to do for them? [Ans. Bring them out of Egypt.]

PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION.

Instruction.--We may learn from this Lesson, that God can deliver any one from the greatest dangers. That he is true to his promises, and that he will not suffer wicked people to defeat the designs of his providence.

Questions.---Were not the Israelites in a most miserable condition? Ans. Yes.] Did God forget the promises he had made to their forefathers? [Ans. No.] Who are meant by their forefathers? [Ans. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.] Was not Moses in a very dangerous situation by the brink of the river? [Ans. Yes.] Did God deliver him from it? [Ans. Yes.] What may we learn from this? [Ans. That God can deliver us from the greatest dangers.] What should the thoughts of these things lead us to do? [Ans. To trust in God's providence.]

LESSON XLIII

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Explanation.---While Moses dwelt in Midian, the first of the Pharaohs who afflicted Israel died, and another cruel tyrant rose up in his stead. The Lord had never forgotten the Covenant he had made with his faithful servants, though it is likely their descendants, who were under the cruel bondage of the Egyptians, did not remember the God of their fathers; but affliction brought the promises of God to their mind.

There had not been for many years an open vision of God; Jacob is the last we read of, to whom the Lord God had appeared. The Angel of the Lord is the same as the Lord God, or the Son of God, who is truly God, of the same nature with God the Father. A land flowing with milk and honey, signified a very plentiful country. God called the Israelites his people, because he had chosen them from all nations to keep up the true religion in the world, at a time when idolatry prevailed every where, but more particularly in Egypt. Moses was ordained to be the minister of the Lord God, in the deli verance of his people.