THE RAINBOW.

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when he sees a storm coming, runs out, and brings his little boy into his house. God is a Father to all who love him, and of his mercies there is no end.

But observe, God said to him, "Come into the Ark." Not, Go. This was declaring, that he would be with him. And so he was. He never left him a single moment. His eye was on him for good, till he was again on dry ground. The great God is at all times every where present with his people to bless them. We should think of this,-it will comfort us in trouble.

At length God bade a strong wind blow the waters abated; and they were gathered together again into the sea. And Noah, as I told you, opened the window of the ark, and sent out a dove; she soon came back with an olive leaf in her beak, and so he knew that the flood was gone.

Then, after Noah had been in the Ark a few days more than a year, God bade him go out of it,-and he did so. It must have been a very joyful day to him! Indeed it was.

And what did he do, as soon as he got out of the Ark? Did he begin to build himself a house? No. He built an altar, on which he might offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to the Lord.

This was very right. We should begin our lives with asking God for his blessing. We should begin all our duties entreating help of him. We should acknowledge God in all our ways,-and then we may be sure that he will guide our footsteps in the right way.

Though Noah had but a few sheep, he took one of them, and offered it to the Lord. He did not say, I will stay till I have more, till I am richer, and then I will offer some of them to God. No. We must not delay a moment, on any account, to serve him. We owe our life, and every thing we have to him. If we have but a little, we should serve God with a part of it, and this is the way for it to become more.

So God was pleased with Noah's sacrifice. And God said, that he would never drown the world any more. As a token, or sign that he would not, he put the beautiful Rainbow in the sky, that we might look on it, and trust in the Lord.

Have you not seen the pretty Bow? Well,-when you see it the next time, stand still,-and think,-that God lias placed it in the heavens, to tell the world that he is merciful and gracious.

STORY VI.

THE CITIES WHICH WERE BURNT BY FIRE FROM HEAVEN.

A GREAT While ago, there were some very wicked towns,-the names of two of them were Sodom and Gomorrah.

God was very angry with them, and they were told of it: but they said, like many wicked children, when they are reproved for what is wrong, we don't care! And so they went on in their sins.

But their conduct did not come to any good. It could not. Sin always ruins people. Sabbath breaking, and drunkenness, and telling lies, and cursing, and swearing, and stealing, all these ruin both the body and soul.

There was one good man, who lived in one of these dreadful towns, whose name was Lot. If there be but one praying child in a family, God knows which it is; and his eye is on him,—he loves him, and he will ever bless him. So he sent some of his angels, to bring this good man out from this shocking place. And they brought him out.

But the people, though they were told that God would destroy them, did not believe it. They went on just as wickedly as they had been used to do. Like many bad people who live now, they did not mind what God said, and because they had sinned so long, they did not think that any harm would come to them.

So.

It was very foolish for them to think As if they could contend with God, when he entered into judgment: as if there were any place in the wide world where his anger could not reach them!

One morning, when the sun rose very beautifully, and the people got up as wicked as ever,-then, when they least expected God's judgments,-the Lord rained down showers of fire and brimstone from heaven on these wicked places, and they were instantly consumed. None can harden themselves against God, and prosper.

Though we may think, that God will not punish us for our sins, yet we may be assured that he will. There are a great many proofs, that the wicked shall not go unpunished.

And though we may encourage ourselves in sin, by foolishly supposing, that no harm shall come to us, we shall find, when it is too late, that it is a very ter

GOD SEES AND KNOWS EVERY ONE. 1/

rible thing to fall under God's displeas

ure.

We should ask God to give us grace to forsake our sins without delay. Else, perhaps, in a moment, and when we are promising ourselves peace and safety, God's judgments may overtake us, and we may be cut off out of the land of the living.

STORY VII.

GOD SEES AND KNOWS EVERY ONE

WHEN Hagar went away from the family of Abraham, she was in great trouble. The Angel of the Lord found her in the wilderness, far from any house in which she might dwell. And he comforted her, and told her what she should do.

And she called the name of him who spake to her," Thou God seest me!" He sees every little child, and every creature, at every moment. Though I