We have, in the last verse of our truly interesting chapter, a happy feature in the character of the true man of faith. Abram would not force others to walk according to his elevated standard. Although _he_ might be able to reject, in the most unreserved manner, the offers of the king of Sodom, yet _others_ might not be able to do so, and therefore he says, with regard to "Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, _let them_ take _their portion_." Our walk should ever be "according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Rom. xii. 3). We have seen, in our own day, many persons led, at the outset, to give up a variety of worldly things, and afterwards plunge still deeper into those things; and why? Because they acted through mere excitement or human influence, and were not able to say with Abram, "_I have lift up my hand unto the Lord_." CHAPTER XV. In the opening verse of this chapter, we have a principle fraught with comfort and encouragement to us--a principle eminently calculated to call out into full exercise a spirit of true devotedness to the Lord. We observe here, the Lord's grace in acknowledging and accepting the sacrifice laid upon His altar--the willing offering of the devoted heart of His servant. Our God is never slow in owning such things, nor in rewarding them a hundredfold. Abram had just been manifesting a spirit of self-denial in refusing the attractive offers of the King of Sodom. He had refused to be enriched from such a source, and had taken "the Most High God" for his portion and his reward, therefore the Lord comes forth to confirm the soul of his servant with these words, "Fear not, Abram, I AM thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." "God is not unrighteous to forget the work and labor of love" (Heb. vi. 10). A similar principle is presented to us in chapter xiii. where Abram is seen giving way to Lot, in the matter of choosing the land. Abram's whole anxiety in that matter was about the Lord's honor, as maintained in the harmonious walk of "_brethren_" before the "Canaanite and the Perizzite." "Let there be no strife," says he, "between me and thee ... _for we be brethren_." Nor did Abram desire to suppress the strife, by _exacting concessions_ from Lot. No; he was willing to concede everything himself--to surrender every claim--to sacrifice every advantage, provided the strife were suppressed. "Is not the _whole land_ before thee?" _Take_ what you please--possess yourself of the fairest spot in all the region round about. Here, as some one has observed, is the liberality--the unselfishness of faith. What was land to Abram in comparison with the Lord's glory? Nothing. He could give up anything, or everything, for that. How then does the Lord meet this self-sacrifice on the part of His servant? Just as He does in this xv. chapter, by coming in, in the plenitude of His goodness, to make it up to him a hundredfold. "Lift up _now_ thine eyes ... for _all the land which thou seest_ to thee will I give it,