To the natural corruption of the human heart, by reason of the Fall, which is as strong in the children of the most pious parents as in others.

To early religious restraints, uncongenial to that corruption, and calculated to stir up the bad passions of the heart, when not enforced on the principle of love, affection, and duty. Connected with this, I may notice the constant recurrence of religious duties, irksome to youthful minds, especially when rendered wearisome by the mode of conducting them, and not making them a pleasing privilege and delightful employment.

To needless severity in discipline; an ill-advised manner of inculcating even religious truth; a want of kindness in giving counsel; and rebuking even improper conduct and tempers in an unchristian spirit, which tends to repel rather than conciliate.

To giving instruction above the years and comprehension of the child; many pious parents seeming to rest satisfied if the memory be exercised, though the understanding is uninformed, and the heart is unaffected.

To visible infirmities in the parent, early noticed by children, and very soon considered as proofs of gross inconsistency, if not of hypocritical profession. I might mention, for example, the loss of Christian temper, as already noticed; and the absence of humble patience and meek submission under worldly trials and disappointments, or too great eagerness after the things of the world; or to the indulgence of some besetting sin.

To not early removing children from the improper conversation and bad example of irreligious servants.

To the choice of improper schools.

To not carefully and anxiously watching over the first dawnings of the youthful mind, and not giving it a proper direction, before wrong habits are formed.

To taking it too much for granted that our children will, as a matter of course, embrace our own views of religious truth, without care to acquaint them with its evidences, and the evidences of its power on the heart.

To the craft and malice of the great enemy of mankind, in the way of powerful and alluring temptation to the children of pious parents, by suggesting to their minds the failings of their parents; by stirring up the corruption of the evil heart, in opposition to their will and authority; by instilling false ideas respecting religion, the nature of sin, the pleasures of the world, and of happiness, in order to gain and confirm their early disrelish of godliness, and to incite disobedience to the wishes of their parents, and neglect of the commands of God. C. D.

ELIEZER OF DAMASCUS.

For the Christian Observer.

THE character of Eliezer of Damascus, the faithful servant, in the earliest age, of him who was the father of the faithful in every age, not having been selected by that able Scripture biographer, Mr. Robinson, affords an opening for a little gleaning in the same interesting field.

We may notice, in the first place, his fidelity and obedience; and, in order the better to appreciate these qualities in him, it may be observed, that, although in every sense a servant, he was evidently of a superior class in that department; while at the same time his character appears strictly in a personal view, and is made to depend for its eminence, not on the station he occupied, or the confidence he enjoyed, but simply upon the way in which he proved himself faithful in his master's house. This consideration, while it may prevent those in a superior condition (who are after all dependent, more or less, upon some above or about them)

from resting on any adventitious circumstances of rank or wealth or power, independently of personal religion, may also console the poorer, and such as have less influence, by shewing that personal religion is yet so indispensable, that, as God prohibits even the single talent from being hidden, so he also accepts what a man hath," and neither "despises the day of small things" nor rejects the offering or services of the meanest; while in the estimate of their character, as of that of those above them, he looks-not, as man is so prone to do, on the outward appearance—but at the heart.

Eliezer was, however, in the higher ranks of servitude, as appears from Gen. xv.3, where it is said, that Abraham then intended to make him, though one of his household servants, no less than his heir; while there seems no reason to doubt that he had been among, and was perhaps from his office the chief of, the servants mentioned in Gen. xiv. 14, as fighting for their master with such success as to recover Lot and his goods, and the women and the people, from their captivity. In chap. xxiv. 2 he is expressly called "the eldest servant" of Abraham's house, "that ruled over all that he had;" and we find further, that, like Joseph afterwards, all the goods of his master were in his hand." He is honoured with the peculiar charge of a special mission of great importance: nor is it any greater imputation on Eliezer's fidelity that his master should first have brought him under a superior obligation to the Almighty by an oath, than a similar requisition through every age down to the present (with the sole exception of some religious professors who refuse to take an oath), implies any suspicion of integrity, since in every age even the highest persons in the land, including kings themselves, have come under a similar obligation. It was a servant thus honoured and advanced who manifested unreserved obedience and unshaken fidelity; for in Gen. xxiv. 9, 10, we find him exhibited as readily receiving the oath that was tendered, and at once setting out upon his distant and responsible journey.

A further instance of his disinterestedness occurs from his own statement, in ver. 34; where, after enumerating the abundant gifts of Providence to his master, in which he would himself have shared but for the subsequent birth of Isaac, he records his unreserved compliance with his master's desire, in seeking, for the very individual who had most obstructed his own advancement, the blessing which Abraham projected. This disinterested spirit appears further from ver. 33 of the same chapter; where, although meat was set before him after his arrival, he said, "I will not eat until I have told mine errand;" thus preferring to the supply of his own immediate necessities the full recital, and it was by no means a short one, of the great object of his mission, with all its most minute results. The same spirit of disinterested fidelity is further manifested by him in vers. 55, 56, of the chapter; where, after the accomplishment of his object, upon Rebekah's relations seeking to detain him, he says, "Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way: send me away, that I may go to my master." He acts as a man of business, who, having dispatched his errand, has no wish to linger, but is anxious to return homewards; or as the Christian, having finished his work upon earth, desires " to depart and be with Christ, which is far better."

It is further observable, that Eliezer's obedience and fidelity were united with the greatest wisdom and prudence, both as respected the adequate preparation for his undertaking, and also as to the employment of the most suitable means, both human and divine, for its successful accomplishment. It is very instructive to observe the simplicity of Eliezer's character, and the child-like confidence in God which he displays, in union with the use of all suitable means.

With regard, first, to a cautious provision for his work: he is aware of the

difficulties and probable obstructions before him; and we therefore find him (chap. xxiv. 5) suggesting to his master that the subject of his embassy might be unwilling to follow him into a distant land; and distinctly putting this case to Abraham, and requiring his fuller instructions respecting it. This desire for the best information, and his immediate acquiescence in the counsel afforded, plainly shew that Eliezer had counted the cost of this adventure, was not ignorant of its perils, and was anxious to provide accordingly. This wisdom and foresight prove that he did not act only ministerially, though subordinately; and that he was not engaged merely in a servile or mechanical work, without being permitted to bring to it his whole heart and his whole soul; calculating beforehand the events which were likely to occur, and neither hastening away with an imperfect message, nor proceeding upon an ill-considered errand. All his conduct was opposed to mere eye-service, to a light mind, and to a worldly spirit; and happy are those employers who find such agents to receive their commands, and to reason with them on right principles; and who can also preserve their own patience and temper to endure what, while it may at first appear likely to retard the execution of their plans, will really advance them.

Then, having anticipated every difficulty, we find him using prudent and rational human means to secure his object. It is said, at the 11th verse of the chapter, that he made his camels to kneel down without the city, by a well of water, at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water." He chose what he thought the best time of the day, and the best place, for his purpose; wholly unlike those inconsistent professors of religion, who, trusting to fortuitous impulses and unlikely incidents, while they neglect suitable means, distrust in an equal degree the God of wisdom, who is pleased in general to work by such means, although He has not limited himself to their use. So, again, Eliezer declares his experimental conviction of the value of these human means, in the 27th verse of the same chapter, by this open confession of a reasonable faith: "I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren." And had he not been in the way, what right could he have had to have looked for such an end? But having once ascertained the right course, he turned neither to the right hand nor to the left, but went straight forward. Thus, again, in the 41st verse of the same chapter, he testifies to the important fact of its being our duty to acquiesce in the Divine appointment, when we can conscientiously feel that we have really used all proper means, and not before; for he informs the family of Rebekah, that Abraham's express charge to him was, If they" (that is, the kindred of Rebekah) "will not give thee a wife for my son, thou shalt be clear from my oath;"-an important principle being thus recognised, which has often proved an anchor to the soul of the doubting Christian; namely, that, while means are ours, events are God's; and that when we have done what we could, we may securely leave the rest with Him who has commanded us to "cast our care upon him," and not be unduly anxious for more than we are called upon to provide for. Indeed, even heathen morality, without the light of Scripture, made some approach to the inculcation of this state of mind, or we should not read, "Utcumque ceciderit, hoc restabit solatii, tuam negligentiam haud detraxisse malum." It may even not be altogether out of place to notice, under the use of human means, such an apparently secondary fact as the lawful presentation of gifts on the part of Eliezer; for in the 22d verse of the xxiv th chapter we read that "the man took a golden ear-ring of half a shekel weight" (or a quarter of an ounce)," and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold" (or five ounces): and again, in the 47th verse, he makes no secret of this, as if he had any reason for concealment, but in this subsequent relation to her brother Laban he tells him, " I put the ear-ring upon her face, and the

bracelets upon her hands;" and again, in the 53d verse, we find that, in addition to this, and (which is more remarkable) in immediate connexion with his "worshipping the Lord, bowing himself to the earth," he brought forth the "jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things." All which notices, while the practice referred to in them must certainly be kept in subordination to the subsequent injunctions of Scripture against gold and pearls and costly array, may yet, when received with caution, and acted upon with sobriety, be at least permitted to shew the impression on the mind of Eliezer, and probably of his master Abraham, of the use of such instrumentality in the case of creatures not as yet wholly spiritual, but compounded in part of soul, and partly embodied.

But, thirdly, all these precautions and human means sink into utter insignificance, and become as dross, in comparison of those Divine means which we find employed on this interesting occasion. And here the character of Eliezer stands out with remarkable prominence, in this early period of the world's history. At the head of all those means was prayer; but who shall describe the value, or recount the victories, of that spiritual weapon? Let Dr. Young do something towards it :—

"Prayer opens heaven, lets down a stream

Of mercy on the consecrated hour

Of man in audience with the Deity.

Who worships the great God, that instant joins
The first in heaven, and sets his foot on hell."

Eliezer's opening prayer, while waiting by the well, is very simple, but expressive (xxiv. 12): "O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham." He proceeds to solicit such an indication of answer to his prayer, as that by a certain token, adverted to by him (as afterwards in the analogous case of Gideon and the fleece), he might be apprized whether the woman who should answer to the test he assigns was indeed the object of his inquiry. In all which it does not appear that any inference can legitimately be drawn, at the present period, from Eliezer's conduct, in favour of miraculous interpositions, or modes of ascertaining by lot, or other sensible tokens, as to the course of the Divine procedure or purposes; and, at all events, it must be obvious that the greatest sobriety and caution are necessary in attempting, under the Christian dispensation, to interpret such an example as that under consideration as applicable to our own case. "We have a more sure word of prophecy, unto which we shall do well to take heed;" and it is obvious, that, while prayer for the Divine direction on so important a subject as marriage is of indispensable importance, it would not be for us to prescribe that the particular person who might next appear should be the person who should be fittest for our selection.

We have again, in proof of the Divine instrumentality of prayer, the subsequent fact of Isaac's praying for the blessing for which God was designing him while this faithful servant was employing similar means: "He went out," says the 63d verse of the xxiv th chapter, "to meditate (or, as the margin reads, "to pray")" in the field, at the eventide; and he lifted up his eyes, and, behold, the camels were coming." So that we have here the important but not unusual example of the obvious relation between means and ends, as seen in the evident adaptation of the mercy to the petition, or the fitness of the supplicant for the blessing implored. We may further learn in regard to prayer, from the 45th verse of the same chapter, that it is the business of the heart rather than of the lips; and that the answer is sometimes unexpectedly prompt and immediate: for, says Eliezer, when reporting his success, “ before I had done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher.' Thus in the first account of the same fact it is said, in the 15th verse of the xxiv th chapter, in immediate con

nexion with the prayer itself, "It came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out." This was the kind of mental speaking of which, no doubt, the meditation of Isaac was made up, and of which repeated instances occur in Scripture, and, it is to be hoped, in the individual experience of every Christian. Of such heart-work in prayer it has pleased God to promise, " It shall come to pass, that before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking I will hear." Thus, after Daniel's sublime prayer and confession, even "whilst he was speaking in prayer," the angel Gabriel'touched him, and said, " At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved." And in a subsequent case of spiritual appearance, another angel says, "Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words" (Dan. ix. 21, 23; x. 12). The sense of our Church on the value of Divine aid and the duty of seeking it, may appear from every word of that beautiful collect, "Prevent us, O Lord;" a summary of devotion which, as it were, cradles our infant faith in the arms of God.

A further beauty apparent in Eliezer's character, is his personal and constant recognition of the operation of Divine Providence. Thus in the 60th verse of the xxivth chapter, speaking of Abraham, he says, "The Lord hath blessed my master greatly, and he is become great; and he hath given him flocks and herds, and silver and gold, and men-servants and maid-servants, and camels and asses :" and in verse 56 of the same chapter, speaking of himself, he says, "The Lord hath prospered my way." Again, he expressly designates the Almighty as the God of the earth, as well as of heaven; intimating thereby his gracious supervision and direction of the things of time and the affairs of men. It may also be allowable, as occurring in the same immediate connexion, to notice a no less remarkable recognition on the part of Laban and Bethuel, who, in the 50th verse of the same chapter, observe of Eliezer's proposal, "The thing proceedeth from the Lord; we cannot speak unto thee bad or good." If we may turn yet a little more aside, we shall see that even in so strange and uncouth a character as that of Laban there must have been a great mixture of what was good; since we find him, in verses 49 and 50 of the xxxist chapter, giving a charge to his son-in-law Jacob with a nobility of character worthy of the most devoted believer: "The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another. If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives besides my daughters, no man is with us: see, God is witness betwixt me and thee;"-a splendid acknowledgment of Divine superintendence and human responsibility. Nor would it be difficult to shew, as Matthew Henry and others have done, that we who live under the Christian dispensation are privileged above the early believers in looking for more than fell to their lot, in answer to our prayers, from the abundant mercy of God in his providence.

Another point observable in Eliezer's character is his gratitude. It was fit that prayer like his should be followed by praise. Whoso offereth praise glorifieth God." In verses 26 and 27 of the xxivth chapter it is recorded, that "The man bowed his head, and worshipped the Lord: and he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth....... The Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren." And again, verse 52: "When Abraham's servant heard these words, he worshipped the Lord, bowing himself to the earth." The circumstance of a pious father and master employing a pious servant to seek a pious wife for a pious son, might be expected to issue in the heartfelt gratitude of all the parties concerned; and much might here CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 376.

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