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Clergy and Church Outfits of every description, LEADING SERMON. The Trial of Faith. BY THE EDITOR. Genesis xxii. 1-"And it came to pass after these things, that God did NEED scarcely remind you that the word tempt in this verse does not bear its usual meaning. When we speak of tempting a person, we generally imply that an endeavour is made to persuade that person to do something wrong. Hence we infer that temptation is a weapon forged on the devil's anvil; for the greatest mark of depravity a person can manifest, is to persuade another to do what is wrong. Bad enough it is to be evil oneself; bad enough to follow in any course of wickedness; bad enough to be on the road to hell; but it is even worse to endeavour to ruin another soul, and take a fellowcreature along with us to perdition. The blood of our souls will be enough to have to account for, without having the sins of others to press us lower down in the pit. But the word tempt here simply means to try and test. God is too good, as the Apostle declares, to persuade any man to do evil. But He does try us. Is it not reasonable? We cannot put trust in any one unless we have tried him. Above all things, it is natural that when God is going to take us to be His sons, His children-to commit to us all the treasures of His heavenly kingdom, with all the riches of His divine grace, all the gifts of His Holy Spirit-that He should place us in a state of discipline and trial, to test whether we are worthy of such enormous privileges. Now, Abraham was to occupy a very important place in the Almighty's dispensation of love. He was to be the father of the faithful-the type and progenitor of our Lord and Saviour-the beginning and foundation of all the revelation of the Divine will, the little seed from which were to spring descendants countless as the sand on the sea-shore. It was necessary, then, that he, above all, should be worthy of this supreme position. If the foundation stone were rotten, what would the edifice that was to be built upon it become? If Abraham had been faithless, what would his descendants have been? So God put him to the test before committing to him this important trust. As his position was one of untold importance, so was the trial equally severe, and proportionately conclusive. It was a terrible ordeal to be subjected to, but Abraham did not fail. His faith was sound, his love had no flaw, not for one moment did he waver. Almighty God went to him and said, Abraham, I have given thee a son, I know that thou lovest him, I know thou hast set thy heart on him, thou hast built all thy hopes of what I have promised on that single child. Now, just give me back what I have given thee. Go and take thy son Isaac to a place that I shall tell thee of, slay him with thine own hand, and give him as a bloody sacrifice, to be burnt, on My altar. Did Abraham doubt, or hesitate, or argue? Not for one moment. He seemed about to put a death blow to all his hopes with his own hand, but he did not waver. And Abraham's simple faith was triumphant. He felt such perfect reliance on God's dealings, on God's wisdom, on God's love, that if he had been told to slay himself and all his relations, he would have done it without a word. Let us just look at this trial to which Abraham was subject a little more fully, and then consider the teaching the subject has for us. I.-ISAAC WAS VERY DEAR TO ABRAHAM. He was his SON. That must be a hardened man who does not love his son. But he was his ONLY son, in the strict sense of the word. He was the son of his dearly loved wife, Sarah. Moreover, a variety of circumstances had conspired to endear this son to the father's heart. He was the child of his old age. Many long years had he waited, and Sarah had prayed, but no child was born. At last Isaac was given, a particular mark of God's especial favour, and the direct answer of prayer. He was born out of the common course of events, and contrary to nature's laws. Above all, God had told him that through this child all nations of the earth were to be blessed. And now Abraham was to dash all these bright dreams to the ground, and crush them to dust. And he was to do it with his own hand! Bad enough for him to see the death-throes of his beloved child. But it was a fearful sacrifice for the father to be the executioner as well, to take the cruel knife and slay his trusting boy in the full beauty of youth and health, and bearing the early bloom of manhood. This was all to be done deliberately. Plenty of time for deliberation. You can think the matter over, Abraham! Day by day he could look on that son, and know that his life or death hung on his own resolve. Should he not spare him, or plead with God to remit so terrible a sentence? How many temptations he would have so to do! Picture to yourselves the old man taking leave of his wife, and setting out on that fatal journey. He saw the mother give her boy a parting kiss, and tell him he would soon return, and his heart must have quivered with agony of grief. He walked by the side of the child who was bearing the implements of his own destruction; and then, when after two days' journey, they arrive at their destination, and the young lad said to his father, "Where is the lamb for the burnt sacrifice?" his heart must have been full as he replied "The Lord will provide Himself a sacrifice.” All this time he had the terrible secret in his breast, for he knew that the boy was soon to die, and that he himself was to be in the eyes of the world his murderer. And he likewise knew that it was in his power to spare the life and to save him from destruction. Yet he hesitated not. The thought of neglecting God's command seems never to have entered his mind. He stood the test, and a fearful test it was! II. And now notice that in so doing ABRAHAM WON HIS REWARD. When it came to the point he found that the actual sacrifice was not required. He showed his willingness to give up all he had, and then God stayed his hand. Isaac was taken to the appointed place. The wood was laid in order. The fire was ready, and he took the knife in his hand ready to slay his son. But there came a voice from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham ! and he said, Here am I. And He said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, for now I know that thou fearest God. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed My voice." The noblest honour ever vouchsafed to mortal man was that which was granted to Abraham. The father of the faithful; the friend of God; one of the chief in the kingdom of heaven. The father and founder of the most wonderful nation the world has ever seen. Truly the trial was hard, the struggle severe, but equally surely the reward was glorious, the end an eternity of blessedness. My brethren, if we want to please God, we must exercise the same feelings as Abraham. There is one high road that leads from earth to heaven, and that road is Faith. Faith is just that simple, trusting reliance upon Almighty God, and His dealings with us, that will be willing to give up, if need be, the dearest object on earth to His divine and holy will. It exclaims-" Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him." It looks above the things of this present life, it soars beyond the littleness of time, and fixes its anchor safe and sure within the veil. The Apostle tells us Abraham looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. This is the secret and principle of all true faith. It annihilates self, it exalts God. It gives up all doubt, and rests trusting and reliantly in the arms of a God of love. Let us put the matter now plainly to ourselves. Is this feeling ours? If we were put to the same test as Abraham, should we come out of |