SERMONS.

SERMON I.

GIDEON'S INTERVIEW WITH THE

ANGEL.

JUDGES Vi. 11—16.

And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my lord, if the Lord be with

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us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. And the Lord said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smile the Midianites as one man.

No method of preaching, I believe, has been found more instructive and edifying than that which brings before a congregation historical facts, remarkable transactions, and the various characters of those who were engaged in them, as set forth in the holy Scriptures. They answer the

purpose of leading our minds to the contemplation of the higher matters of doctrine, by a reference to practice. They hold out warning in some cases, and encouragement in others; and show how God will deal with us in our earthly pilgrimage, by telling us how he has dealt with others in past ages. With this view, it is my intention to deliver a course of sermons on the history and character of Gideon.

Amongst the various important lessons. which the history of Israel sets before us, none are more plainly marked than this, viz. "Sin carries its own punishment." In the first verse of this chapter we read thus: "And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord;" that was the sin "And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian;" that was the punishment. It is remarkable how completely this punishment was the execution of a former threat, which you will find in Leviticus xxvi., viz. that if they would not hearken to the commandments

of the Lord," he would bring terror on them, and sorrow of heart; that they should sow their seed in vain, for their enemies should eat it; and that they which hated them should reign over them." In some verses of this chapter, immediately preceding the text, we see the literal fulfilment of these denunciations of the divine wrath "Because of the Midianites, the children of Israel made themselves dens in the mountains, and caves, and strongholds. And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and destroyed the increase of the earth, and left no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass."

Seven years did this bondage and misery

continue. In all that time we do not hear one cry of repentance, nor see one act of faith in the true God, on the part of Israel. They hardened their heart under the sore affliction, and stiffened their neck under the galling yoke. Their sustenance was gone, their enemies held them in cruel subjection, and yet the cause of all