witnesses," it behoves us "to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and to run with patience the race which is set before us."* We have reason then to praise God, that, to the holy instructions of his word, the awful calls of his threatenings, the enlivening influences of his promises, the invigorating and quickening operations of his Spirit, he has added the animating example of the faithful, to "awaken us from the death of sin to the life of righteousness," and to direct, strengthen, and console us in our Christian

course.

But let us remember, that, without the virtues of the faithful servants of God, we cannot expect to inherit their reward: let us remember, that theirs. were lives of ardent devotion, triumphant faith, and holy resignation. The same glorious perfection of piety is attainable by us. Yes; exalted as was the faith of Abraham, it is required of every Christian, not in the particular instance to sacrifice an only son, but in an entire surrender of his will, his affections, and his whole life, to the holy will of God. Studying and meditating on the example of the faithful, and excited by the grace of God to a holy emulation of them, after being made perfect through faith and patience, we shall be thought meet to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God. '

3. Let us, in unreserved trust and submission to God, receive with humility whatever he has revealed.

This was the conduct of Abraham. When he received the command to sacrifice Isaac, he did

* Heb. xii. 1.

"It

not hesitate, but instantly prepared to obey. is the Lord, let him do what seemeth to him good," was doubtless his language. Worthy his conduct of our imitation! That pride of reason which rejects every truth that cannot be measured by its imperfect standard, is reconcileable neither with the modesty and sincerity of the inquirer after truth, nor with the humility and piety of the Christian. Impressed with a sense of the imperfection and frailty of reason, and firmly trusting in the unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness of the Maker and Ruler of the universe, let us believe with humility whatever God has revealed, and obey, without a murmur, whatever he commands. He is our heavenly Father and Friend; he has revealed as much as is for our present good to know; he suffers no evil nor care to assail us which is not designed in tender mercy; his goodness, therefore, should lead us to repentance, and to devote ourselves to his service. Then we may cherish that full confidence in his favour which will light up comfort in the darkest night of sorrow. It was this confidence which cheered and animated the patriarch Abraham in the severe trial which he was called to sustain. Let us love and obey God, and all things shall work together for our good. The sorrows and trials of this mortal life shall soon pass away, and we shall enter on the fulness of bliss in God's presence.

Finally. Let us endeavour, from this history, to estimate the infinite love of God towards us, in giving up his only-begotten and well-beloved Son to suffering and death for our redemption.

Infinitely removed indeed is Jehovah, the eternal Spirit, from human passions; but every virtuous

affection exists in him, in a perfection, purity, and strength inconceivable by us. Inconceivably perfect, pure, and strong, therefore, was the love which, in the incomprehensible Godhead, subsisted between the Father and the Son; yet this Son God the Father gave, not to take upon him the nature of angels, but of fallen man-gave, not to ease, and splendour, and power, but to pain, suffering, and death, for us and our salvation. Well may this be considered as an evidence of the surpassing love of God for us; well may the apostle say-"God so loved the world, as to give his onlybegotten Son." Let us then with reverence labour to conceive what were the holy emotions of the ever-blessed God, when he gave up his only Son to the bitter agonies of the cross. In the case of Isaac, death was the penalty which he must sustain as a sinner; but the Son of God, who knew no sin, sustained this penalty. The death which Isaac was called to sustain, was not a death of ignominy, nor of more than ordinary pain; but the death of Christ was that of the vilest malefactor, aggravated by insults, and scoffs, and reviling-it was a death embittered by the sense of the sins of the whole world -by the dereliction of his Father's presence and favour: yet to this death did God the Father give his only Son-this death did the Son, partaker of the glory of the Godhead, sustain-and let it be remembered for us. Human conception fails fully to realize this mystery of infinite love. But how aggravated must be the guilt, how dreadful the condemnation of those that disregard it-that neglect a salvation prompted by the love of God the Father, wrought by the love of God the Son! To

Him, then, that loved us, and gave himself for us, let us, in the devotion of our hearts and the obedience of our lives, as well as in the homage of our lips, ascribe all honour, and praise, and glory, for ever and ever.

SERMON XXIV.

THE LAMB OF GOD.

ISAIAH liii. 7.

He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter.

THE striking and appropriate terms in which the prophet Isaiah depicts the character and offices of the Messiah, have procured for him, by way of eminence, the title of the Evangelical Prophet. He exhibits a glowing but faithful picture of the character of Christ, and all the humiliating and all the triumphant events of his life. In the chapter which contains my text, the prophet has dipped his pencil in the softest colours, and draws a portrait of the Saviour, which, while it conveys to us the most exalted ideas of his character, is calculated to awaken our tenderest and liveliest sympathy.

Let us then contemplate the character of Christ, as delineated by the prophet under the emblem of "a lamb brought to the slaughter," that our penitence may be awakened, our gratitude enlivened, and our souls warmed with the ardent emotions of love and duty.

Under the character of a "lamb brought to the slaughter," we are led to consider,

The innocence of Christ;

His tenderness and compassion;

His patience;

And, finally, to consider him as the victim for

our sins.