ed, have been suddenly and delightfully relieved by Abraham's God. Perhaps you have been cast into perplexing circumstances, and seriously apprehended the loss of property or character, or at best to be harassed by a long train of cares; when all at once you have found the cloud dispersed, and with all your heart have subscribed to the old Abrahamic creed, The Lord will provide. Sometimes perhaps you have been over anxious about your future support, and distrusted the providence of God; when, to shame your unbelief, he has suddenly supplied all your wants in a manner wholly unthought of. Perhaps some of you have been in real want, and have seen nothing before you but poverty and distress; when He who supplied his suffering people with manna, and hears the young ravens when they cry, brought relief in a manner which filled you with gratitude and wonder.

God frequently brings his people into straits on purpose to show them what is in their hearts and to teach them their dependance, and to manifest his faithfulness by coming to their relief. He suffers them to look perplexing circumstances in the face, that they may feel the value of that love which delivers from them all.

But let it never be forgotten that this relief is to be expected only when they practise the two great duties of obedience and trust. Abraham found this deliverance while resolutely obeying God and trusting in him to fulfil his promise respecting Isaac. Not looking at the darkness of the prospect, but leaving the ways and means to a faithful God, he

proceeded in the course of duty: and while doing this, he not only was relieved from his trial, but received a new charter of all the blessings before promised. While Christians neglect their duty, or while, with eyes intent on difficulties, they trouble themselves about the ways and means by which the promises are to be fulfilled, they will meet with nothing but perplexity. But if they will confide in God, and if need be, "hope against hope," and firmly pursue the prescribed course whatever darkness may hang around it, they shall find what a faithful God can do.

And now, my dear brethren, let us lose ourselves in delightful reflections on the faithfulness of God. How was Abraham affected with this attribute on Moriah. "O," says he, "I never shall forget this scene to eternity; and let all who in future ages are tempted to distrust God, come up to this mount and never doubt again. Let a wondering world turn their eyes this way and forever record the faithfulness of Jehovah." What a solid ground did God then appear on which to build everlasting confidence.

Our subject encourages us to place unwavering confidence in God in the darkest times. What evils can to us appear more unavoidable, than to Abraham appeared the death of his son? Yet God did provide. Though we should be so shut up as to see no way of escape, let us not despond. The darker the prospect the more opportunity for faith to act and to acquire vigour by exercise. Let it not be weakened by the very means intended for its invigoration.

Ah how does the faith of Abraham and other ancient saints shame our unbelief. When did relief ever appear to us less probable than it did to them? And if they could hope against hope, under what possible circumstances can we justify our distrusts of God? He who relieved Abraham on Moriah, what can he not do?

Finally, what strong inducements have we to choose such a God for our friend and protector in such a world as this. Had there been no being in heaven to feel for Abraham, what could he have done in that distressing hour? It is an unspeakable privilege to enjoy the friendship of such a God while passing through this vale of tears: and they who are wise will not venture further into life withour securing this boon. There is no other protection against the ills of life. "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about." Great is their safety and peace who confide in God; but disappointment, perplexity, and ruin await those who reject this offered shield. O make the Lord your trust. Put yourselves under the protection of his throne: then rise earth, rise hell. Give me a wilderness, without a shred of animal comfort: if I have him I possess all. Take his presence away, and heaven itself is a dungeon. "Acquaint now thyself with him and be at peace; thereby good shall come unto thee." Amen.

SERMON XXIX.

ALL THESE THINGS ARE AGAINST ME.

GEN. XLII. 36.

And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.

When we read the lives of the patriarchs and contemplate only their communion with God, we are ready to think of them as exempted from the ordinary cares and trials of life; and conclude it impossible for them, with such evidence of the divine favor and such a prospect of immortal glory, to have been much affected with the events of this transitory state. Indeed it is strange that a good man, walking on the verge of eternity, with everlasting blessedness in his eye, should be deeply affected with any calamity. But when we take a nearer view of the patriarchs, we find them men of like passions with ourselves, and familiarly ac

quainted with the common cares and sorrows of life.

Abraham passed many lonely years upon earth after he had lost the wife of his youth; and he felt all the sorrows of bereavement which a good man would feel now. Isaac had to witness a deadly animosity between his two sons, and saw one of them compelled to flee and become an exile, for twenty years, in a foreign land. Jacob passed through a long succession of trials. In addition to a brother's hate and his own protracted exile, he experienced many cares and hardships in Padanaram. Upon his return to the land of his fathers, he and his family were on the point of perishing by his brother's sword. He had the grief to bury his beloved Rachel as well as Leah. Rachel left two children, on whom the patriarch doted with most impassioned fondness. His grief for the death of Rachel had scarcely time to abate, before the eldest of her sons was seized by his brethren and cruelly sold into Egypt. His coat, rent in pieces and stained with blood, was brought to the patriarch to persuade him that a wild beast had devoured his Joseph; and the heart-broken father exclaimed, “I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning." In process of time a grievous famine compelled him to send his sons into Egypt to buy corn. They returned with the dreadful tidings, that the lord of Egypt, under the suspicion that they were spies, had cast Simeon into prison, and had sworn by the life of Pharaoh that they should see his own face no more unless they brought their brother Ben