all that sad and hopeless multitude who shall pass through the dreary gate into the regions of eternal sorrow-for "Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, and many there be which go in thereat"will be able to attribute his misery and his condemnation to any other causes than his own iniquity and sin. While that "GOD IS LOVE" will echo throughout eternity in the many mansions of our Father's kingdom, that "GOD IS JUST" will echo throughout the same eternity in the dungeons of condemnation. Every soul who enters there, will be compelled to admit, I am here from my own stubbornness, my own obduracy, my own sin. The promises of God were set before me as often as before others; the way of everlasting life was pointed out to me, as often as to others; I was urged, intreated, reasoned with, solicited as affectionately and as frequently as others; often, how often would the Saviour of the world have gathered me, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and I would not? I have "denied the Holy One and the Just;" I have "trodden under foot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing, and have done despite to the Spirit of grace," therefore am I here, and therefore must I remain here, consigned to the

blackness of darkness for ever.

How will every

pang be strengthened, every arrow of God's wrath be sharpened, by convictions such as these! It would be some alleviation to the suffering spirit to be enabled to complain, I am here from the cruel decree of a cruel Maker, which I have striven, and prayed, and struggled to avoid: I was from all eternity condemned to this embittered lot, this imprisonment in everlasting burnings. But even this solace, if solace it might be, will be denied the sinner; his own soul, and his own judgment, and his own voice, must for ever echo back the eternal truth, my sins, my obstinacy, my impenitence, and these alone, have placed me where I am!

My brethren, would you escape so fearful, so horrible a fate? Then for ever bear in mind that the word of God has declared, "All are not Israel who are of Israel, neither because they are of the seed of Abraham are they all children." Trust to no external relationship to God, but earnestly seek to ascertain whether you have been really made, by the power of divine grace, the children of the promise, even "the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus," and whether you can in all humility, yet with all holy confidence truly say, "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son

of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." This is the real touchstone of a religious profession, this is the blessed appropriation of the promises, which ensures that you shall "neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ," nor ashamed nor uncertain in that day when He "shall make up his jewels." Rest, therefore, in nothing short of this; it is at the present moment freely offered to you, for whosoever will may now partake of like precious faith with Abraham, may now be Abraham's child, and Abraham's heir; but the day is fast approaching to each of us, when these offers must cease; when the fountain opened on Calvary shall be sealed up; when the voice of the crier, "Ho! every one that thirsteth !" shall be quenched in silence; when the children of the promise shall enter their Father's house, and gather round their Father's board, and delight themselves in their Father's society, and when the mocking Ishmaels, and the worldly minded Esaus, shall be shut out for ever.

LECTURE XI.

GENESIS XXII. 8.

"And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering.”

WE enter this morning upon the subject of Abraham's greatest and severest trial, the offering of his son, his long-promised and only son Isaac, at the command of his God. May every portion of this affecting and improving narrative be carried to our hearts, that, like him of whom we are about to speak, we may be taught by the Spirit of God, both to think nothing too dear, nothing too valuable, to be freely resigned at the desire of our heavenly Father; and to believe that no circumstances can be too dark, none too difficult, for us to be guided by the spirit, or delivered by the providence of the Lord Jehovah.

"It came to pass," says the inspired writer, "after these things, that God did tempt Abraham.” After these things? After so many years of faithful following, and such close and intimate walking

with God?

66

Yes, the trials of the child of God end only with his life. Upon first entering the heavenward course, we are apt to imagine, a little more experience, a little more grace, and I shall be out of reach of these sins which now so easily beset me. Alas! as we move forward we find that although our trials and our temptations be changed, they are not destroyed; new enemies spring up around us, there are fresh struggles to be engaged in, fresh battles to be fought, fresh victories to be won. Mortify therefore your members which are upon earth," your lusts, your passions, your desires, your tempers: make this your daily, hourly occupation, the occupation from which you will find, and must desire to find, no respite here below; for if you "be not engaged in killing sin, sin will assuredly be engaged in killing you." You may indeed be dead with Christ, you may indeed have risen with Him, yet "after these things" you will be just as continually exposed to the power of temptation as you were before. Sin will still be endeavouring to bring you under bondage to the power of the flesh; and though its efforts may be less conspicuous, and its temptations less gross, as the stillest waters are generally the deepest waters, it will be as dangerous and delusive as ever; and