that in many particulars the offering up of Isaac was a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. A shadow it is true, but only a shadow. When the Lord had sufficiently tested Abraham's faith, and Isaac's obedience, the execution of the terrible command was dispensed with. The purpose for which the Lord tried Abraham was answered, and the trial was removed.

As a tender Father, the Lord spared Abraham all unnecessary suffering. Not so with Himself,-not so with our Blessed Lord. The sacrifice in his case must be made. If the Lord had dealt with Christ as He did with Isaac, we must have perished, for "without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin;" and what blood but that of Christ's can take away our sins? A ram was accepted in the place of Isaac, but there could be no substitute found for the blood of Jesus. There are many passages in the Scriptures which declare that this is so. All types teach the same. It is the teaching of Scripture, from the account in Gen. iv. of Cain being rejected and Abel accepted to the last chapter in the book of Revelation. Abel, you know, was accepted, because he brought a sacrifice. He shed blood to show his faith in a Saviour that was to shed His blood for him.

Cain could not have felt his need of the blood of Christ, for he shed no blood;-he only brought the fruits of the earth, and the Lord could not accept that, because it had no reference to the blood of his Son, which is the only way by which a sinner can be accepted. We might look out many texts which teach this, as 1 Peter i. 18, 19; Rev. i. 5; vii. 14; Heb. ix. 14; Eph. i. 7. You might get a list of texts on this subject by next Sunday.

ence.

Acts x. 43; Eph. is only when you

Let the history of Isaac lead us to pray for two things,-Abraham's faith, and Isaac's obediAbraham's faith, because, in the first place, it is only through faith, in the Lord Jesus Christ that we can be saved. There are many passages in Scripture that teach us that; such as, John iii. 14, 15; xi. 36; Acts iv. 12; John vi. 28, 29; 1 John i. 2, 3; ii. 8. Then, remember, it have Abraham's faith that you can possibly have Isaac's obedience. Real, acceptable obedience can spring from true faith only. The only way, therefore, dear children, that you can show that you have true faith is by obeying the commands of God. Talking of religion, understanding the doctrines of the Gospel, will, not prove that you have true faith. I daresay the devil knows and understands a great deal more than any of us, but what use does he

E

make of his knowledge? See that you make a better use of yours. Pray constantly that what you know may be sanctified, that the truths you understand, you may have taken home to your hearts by the Holy Spirit. If you do indeed this, it will be seen by all that you must have Abraham's faith, because your life will show that, like Isaac, and like a greater than Isaac, you delight to keep God's commandments. (James ii. 21; Matthew vii.

16-20.)

SUBJECTS FOR TEXTS

CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF ISAAC AS A TYPE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Abraham's Faith in giving up Isaac a Shadow of the Love of God the Father in giving up His Son.

Isaac promised many

years before his birth.

Isaac perfectly obedient to his Father.

Isaac consented to be offered up as a sacrifice.

Our Lord promised by type or prophecy from the time Adam sinned until within 400 years of His birth.

Our Lord perfectly obedient to God.

Our Lord willingly offered up Himself.

51

JACOB.

WE are come now to one that we are sure is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, his name Jacob, or Israel, being applied in Scripture to our blessed Lord (Is. xlix. 3). It is not, I think, in the character, so much as in the circumstances of Jacob's history, that we must expect to find a resemblance to our Lord. In the faith and patience of Noah, the obedience of Isaac, as well, indeed, as the faith and obedience of Abraham, we do see some of the perfections of our Lord faintly shadowed forth. In Jacob we see a very tried and afflicted man; and we know that our Lord was called "the man of sorrows." But we must remember Jacob's sufferings were the just and natural consequence of his own sins; our Lord's sufferings were only the consequence of the sins of others. See what a glorious difference here between the type and the antitype. You may find many passages in Scripture which declare that our Lord had no sin. Let us see, now, in what circumstances of Jacob's life he was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. The Lord chose the patriarch Jacob to be the father of the Jewish nation, before he was born. So, our Lord was loved and chosen by His Father before the foundation of the world, to be the Father of all that believe. Isa. ix. 6, -"For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." John xvii. 24,-"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

2. The Jews, or Israelites, are so called from Jacob, to whom the Lord gave the name of Israel, which signifies prince. The children of God are called Christians from the name of Christ, which you know signifies anointed.

3. The twelve patriarchs sprang from Jacob, and were the founders of the Jewish nation. The twelve apostles were ordained by Christ to be the foundation of the Christian Church. Eph. ii. 20,-" And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."

4. Jacob was persecuted and hated by his brother Esau, because he had obtained Esau's