The works of the Rev. William Thom, late minister ... - waughfamily.ca

SERMONS.to have her to wife. Old Hamor, his father, pitiedhis diftrefs, and, dreading no guile, entered into atreaty with Jacob's family about the marriage. Theyperiidioufly confented to the match, on condition thatHamor, Shechem, the citizens, all their domeftics,and flaves, Ihould be circumcifed. To thefe termsHamor agreed, and Shechem alfo, who " was morehonourable than all his father's houfe." Trufting tothe fmcerity of Jacob's family, they were all circumcifed,and fo deprived themfelves of all means of makingany defence, Ihould they be attacked; and attackedmoft certainly they were j for, upon the third day,when they were fore, two of Jacob's fons rufhed inupon them, fword in hand, and barbarouiiy butcheredall the males, man and child ;juft as if in a fieldof battle, when the weaker fide fling down their arms,and furrender to the ftronger, the llronger fiiould inflantlyfall on, and with unrelenting cruelty maflacrethe unarmed foldiers upon the fpot. Such things,alas ! have been done.The heads of the ten tribes, who had come to Shechem,fearing or fufpe£ting that Rehoboam and hiscounfellors would not grant them the terms they M^ereto demand, had laid their meafures with a confiderabledegree of political ability : They brought onewith them, whom, in cafe of necellity, they intendedto make king, and to erecElindependent kingdom, as they had been already, underthe government of Saul's fon. This was their'57themfelves into a feparateintention, in cafe Rehoboam fhould refufe their petition.The man they took care to bring along withthem was Jeroboam.Jeroboam, the fon of Nebat, had loft his fatherwhen he was very young ; and, though he had noneto take care of his education but his v/idowed mother,he foon emerged into greatnefs. By his fpirit and.activity he caufed himfelf to be taken notice of : Heis., called the fervant of Solomon, juft as lUinifters o£.