All else is fading. Time is speeding fast away. The world is in her wane. Man is dying daily. Jehovah alone abides. Be Jehovah then our dwelling place, and we stand for eternity.

SERMON XVIII.

PREACHED JANUARY 3, 1841.

GENESIS XXII. 14.

JEHOVAH JIREH.

So did Abraham designate the spot where the Lord had interposed to save his son. He had taken the knife: he had stretched forth his hand: one moment more, and Isaac had been slain. But God's purpose was accomplished: Abraham's faith had been sufficiently tried, and proved his arm is arrested, therefore, ere the fatal stroke is given: Isaac is spared and immediately at Abraham's feet a ram is found, and he becomes the sacrifice in Isaac's stead.

"Jehovah Jireh!" the patriarch exclaims, "The Lord will provide!" "He hath provided here: I see his hand: I recognise his watchful care : He brought me to this extremity, but he never designed that I should shed my Isaac's blood in sacrifice. He meant to try me, he meant to call my faith, and obedience, into exercise; but all along, He has made his own arrangements, He has ordered this whole transaction in his infinite love and wisdom; and here, in this unconscious animal, I behold the token of his foreseeing, foreordaining mercy. He bids me spare my son,

and in his room this ram is prepared: I will mark the place henceforward, in memory of this event, and Jehovah Jireh shall its name be.'

My brethren, we cannot put ourselves in Abraham's place. We cannot imagine what his feelings were, as he released his beloved son from the altar whereon he lay, and substituted the ram, so opportunely presented, in his stead. The joy and thankfulness which filled his breast, joy at his son's deliverance, and thankfulness for the proof of his God's unfailing vigilance, and care, and faithfulness, must have been feelings of the power of which we cannot conceive.

Nevertheless, though we cannot share in his emotions, we are permitted to partake of his privileges. His God, is our God. The Lord that provided for him, still provides for all his people. The watchfulness, and care, and love, that followed his steps, is pledged to us also. And though, like him, we may be brought to an extremity, like him we shall never be forsaken in that extremity; but, for all occasions, shall find the help of our God sufficient; in all emergencies, his seasonable interposition shall relieve, or his almighty succour shall sustain us: under all circumstances his Church shall have cause to trace the tokens of his unerring fore-knowledge, and providential goodness, ordering all things for the best, and supplying help in every time of need. Many, O many, shall be the spots, in the pilgrimage of every believer individually, as well as in the passage of the Church collectively, through the world's

wide wilderness to glory, where gratitude, and joy, and love, shall raise their Ebenezer," hitherto the Lord hath helped us :" and faith, and hope, taking up the song, shall rejoice in an assurance for the future, that he who hath delivered, will deliver, and shall mark the place, as Abraham marked Moriah, and call its name, "Jehovah Jireh,-the Lord will provide."

Christian brethren, I choose these words for our text this morning, because I trust that you will find the thoughts to which they lead very suitable to the period at which we are now arrived. Through the goodness of God, we are spared to hail the opening sabbath of another year. At such a time we would wish to fix our minds on a subject appropriate to our circumstances. What is our position? Like travellers entering on a stage they have never trod before, and in the course of which they know that many difficulties, many dangers, must await them, but the extent of those difficulties, the magnitude of those dangers, are as yet unknown, we this day are setting forward anew on our heavenward road, we enter on another portion of our journey, and what it may present-who shall say? what difficulties, trials, temptations, wants? No human foresight can predict them to us; no human might, or skill, prepare against them. O, is it not then an unspeakable comfort to know, that there is One, whose eye discerns our every situation long before, and whose love and care are such, that to all who trust in Him nothing shall arise, no, not all their jour

ney through, but He will have anticipated its occurrence, and made all needful preparation. Is not that truly a strong consolation, "The Lord will provide?"

On this account, then, I chose this passage for you to day. It was meant for you. Abraham was indeed led to speak thus from his own particular circumstances. But the truth he uttered was not peculiar to him. No, the record of it in this place clearly is meant for the instruction and comfort of the Church in every after age. It is "written for our learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope." Then so let us take it, Christian brethren, take it as your motto for

this new year. And may God the Holy Ghost, who caused the words to be preserved to us, bring them to our hearts with power, and make every child of God go forward, with Abraham's confession on his lips, and Abraham's faith, and hope, and joy, and confidence, to animate his heart; "Jehovah Jireh, the Lord will provide."

I shall view the text in three ways:

I. AS EXPRESSING A MATTER OF BELIEF.
II. AS DECLARING A RESULT OF

ENCE.

EXPERI

III. AS FURNISHING A PRINCIPLE OF AC

TION.

I. We may view our text as expressing A MATTER OF BELIEF. "The Lord will provide.' It is a truth propounded to the faith of the