fallen state, for had the character of human nature been at all times, as it was originally created, righteous and obedient, these severe tests of fidelity would never have been applied by the God of all goodness, either to Abraham or his spiritual descendants, and Christ would never have suffered on the cross.

Though Christ's death is a painful test of fidelity to all those who are pledged to be like him, though it is bringing them as it were to a severe trial, yet on their coming to such trial faithfully, that is bringing to baptism a heart sincerely devoted to God, Christ's resurrection becomes their blessed acquittal or justification after trial. Christ like Isaac was restored to life, and by both these acts of grace God pronounced the glad tidings of acquittal, upon the parties brought to trial, acquittal in both cases on the ground of faithfulness of spirit.

By the acceptance of Jesus therefore, Jesus who was faithful, and to whose fidelity all his followers are pledged as baptized members of his body, God practically promised to accept sincere fidelity of spirit, or an unfeigned love of God, which is within the reach of human nature, in lieu of perfect and uniform righteousness, which human nature had failed to reach.

Abraham I repeat was subjected to trial by.. God, he was commanded to slay his own child.

On account of the fallen condition of human nature, on account of the suspicion under which the flesh lay, the flesh which he inherited from Adam, he was required to show, that the taint of the general corruption had not reached him, to give indubitable proof of his fidelity to his maker. He was treated as under suspicion; as if God were not at peace with him. Abraham immediately prepared to obey a command, against which human nature, against which all his kindliest feelings must have revolted. It came from an authority he had never disputed. The will was taken by God for the deed. Isaac was restored to his father, the spirit of fidelity was pronounced equivalent to the act, and peace between Abraham and his God was the result.

We likewise, the spiritual children of Abraham, have been called to trial, we have seen the Lord Jesus Christ led to the cross, whom we have pledged ourselves to follow even to the last extremity. On account of the degraded or suspected condition, under which the descendants of Adam lay, we are subjected to probation, we are called upon to shew, that we are not of the rebellious seed, to give indubitable proof amidst the perversity of others of the fidelity of ourselves. We are treated as if doubted, as if God were not at peace with us; as if,

having fixed our hopes on a temporal kingdom, our fidelity would not be proof against the humiliating catastrophe of the cross, as if on the announcement of so ruinous an issue to our ambitious views, we were likely to fall off, savouring not of the things that are of God, but of the things that are of men.

The faithful nevertheless do not fall under trial; we saw him suffer, and are ourselves pledged and ready to be baptized with the same baptism with which he was baptized; and being consequently acquitted, we have the seal of our acquittal in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, even as Abraham had in the restoration of Isaac, and like him therefore through his restored son, we through our risen Lord have peace with God.

Through Christ, faithfulness being accounted .. unto us even as it was to Abraham for righteousness, through Christ, through our pledge to be as to faithfulness one with him, and God's promise to accept us, to accept all the faithful as one with him, we through Christ by faithfulness have access to this gracious state of peace in which we stand before God, through Christ, through his death, whereby as in a mirror we see reflected under a concentration of light the image of that self-prostration, into the similitude of which we are baptized or pledged.

With God, and as far as concerns our acceptance with him, the pledge if sincere is every thing. In what way, whether with any and what particular overt acts we glorify God depends upon him: whether we fill a throne or a dungeon, it is to him: but to us and our personal salvation, the internal principle is the great consideration.-It is by the internal principle, the spirit of fidelity, the spirit, that spoke through the wounds of Jesus, that we obtain the gift of this peace with God, and are enabled confidently to exult in the hope of his glory, or of the open manifestation of his acceptance. I call it a gift, because with us, as it was with Abraham, it is not a return for an act done, but a free gift, on the presumption that like Abraham we have sincerely determined to obey God whatever the trial, to which he may be pleased to call us.

But more we are elevated with this exulting.. spirit, even under the pressure of adversity, knowing, that the effect of adversity upon the faithful is fortitude, that the patient endurance of the burden laid upon us endues us with a strength and vigor of mind, not perhaps to be acquired in prosperity; and this strength of.. mind, this fortitude, used and exercised by an unwearied continuance in well doing, opens up to us the exact extent and limit of our powers,

the quality or proof of the heart; and having put our shoulder to the wheel in earnest, never looking back, we have found the yoke of Christ, which the wavering and the faint-hearted, the less practised in adversity, consider a yoke of iron, to be an easy yake. We feel our strength becoming every day more efficient, we see the rugged path that terrified us, losing every day somewhat of its ruggedness, we see that in the regions of faithfulness and truth. there are refreshing streams, beautiful flowers, and reviving fruits; and animated by the prospect before us, we break forth into strains of gratitude, even under the tempest of persecution, and when we seem to be forsaken by all, we have rejoicing in ourselves alone. The sun shine of hope, the fragrant breathing of a quiet conscience, engender a bliss, a peace within us, which passeth man's understanding.

We are not ashamed of the hope, that daily .. groweth around our hearts for it is noble and refreshing, and is everlastingly rooted in the goodness of God. The imputation to which I have before alluded that we are ashamed of this hope is absurd, shall it ever be cause of shame to us, that God hath loved us? That the teaching of the spirit has been liberally bestowed upon us, that spirit, which the father promised to send to teach us all things that are necessary