I.

The trial of Abraham's faith.
II. The patriarch's behaviour under it.
III. The issue of the trial.

I. We have, first, to consider the trial of Abraham's faith.

We read, in the first verse, that "God did tempt Abraham." The word tempt is not to be understood as expressing any evil suggestion or excitement of the same nature as those which proceed from Satan, and our own depraved desires. In that sense we know that "God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempteth he any man." The word means that God did try Abraham. He placed him in such circumstances as afforded occasion of proving the strength of his faith, and the promptness of his obedience. In this manner our blessed Lord was tried, when he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil and on that trial it manifestly appeared, that Satan had no part in him. In this manner Joseph was tried, when he was brought into such a situation as caused him to be tempted by his master's unworthy wife and in that instance it

appeared that his heart was under the influence of holy dispositions and desires, and that indeed he feared God, when he flew with horror from the temptation, exclaiming, "how can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" David too was in this manner tried, being tempted of his own lust and in that unhappy instance it lamentably appeared how deficient he then was in holiness, selfgovernment, and the fear of God. In like manner also the young Ruler was tried by our Lord, when he was required to sell all that he had, and follow him. Had he possessed the same measure of faith as Abraham did, we should not have heard that he went away sorrowful; rather he would have afforded us another illustrious example of self-denying obedience. Thus, in the case before us, was Abraham tried; and this "trial of his faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, was found unto praise and honour and glory."

Let us mark the greatness of the trial.God calls to him out of heaven, and when the patriarch perhaps expects to receive some

kind communication, he hears, with terror and astonishment, this strange command, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burntoffering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." The command itself is of the most appalling kind; and the words in which it is spoken seem to make the trial yet more severe :-thy son,-thine only son Isaac,-whom thou lovest,-every word seems to arouse the father's feelings; and then the close comes like a dagger into his beating heart,-offer him up for a burnt-offering. But the trial was of his love to God, and therefore it was made upon a most beloved object; the trial was of his obedience, and therefore he himself was to become the executioner of his own, his only child; the trial was of his faith, and therefore the victim offered was to be that very son, through whom Jehovah had engaged that Sarah should be "a mother of nations," "and that kings of people should be of her;" yea, the slaughtered sacrifice was to be that Isaac, of whom God had

previously declared, "I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him."

What a severe trial was this! You, who have lost some much-loved child by a sudden and violent death, can partly conceive it. You, who are happy in the possession of some creature, that is entwined about your heart, feel a shuddering as you barely admit the supposition of its removal from you, even under circumstances the most gentle. And you, whose faith is so weak within you, as almost to make you desire some visible tokens to confirm it, may well be amazed at a trial apparently so repugnant to reason, so contrary to the promises, so dark, so mysterious. Perhaps it behoves us to pray, that we may not be put to any such proof as this, lest our faith should fail altogether. At least let us supplicate the giver of all grace, that, whatever trials await us, he may be always present to defend and aid us; that so we may be enabled to honour him, and preserve ourselves from sin.

II. We proceed, in the second place, to

consider the behaviour of Abraham in this his trial.

Without hesitation he prepared to obey the command. He "rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for a burnt-offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him." Here are no murmurings or disputings; not so much as an enquiry or expostulation. He pleads not the hardship of the duty which was laid upon him, nor yet the distress of Sarah. He listens to no carnal reasonings; he confers not with flesh and blood. Instantly he applies himself to do what was commanded. With his own hands he assists in preparing the wood for the sacrifice, and deliberately sets out on his painful journey. Three days the patriarch travels, yet his heart shrinks not. He arrives within view of the mountain; he leaves his two attendants at some distance; he proceeds with Isaac alone; upon his shoulders he lays the wood; in his own hands he takes the fire and the knife, that knife which was to pierce