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time, but it cannot be done; such persons are hazarding their souls. They who walk with God," are under his protection, and safe in his keeping; they are more watchful against temptation, and they are where the fiercest assaults of the enemy cannot molest them.

"Should all the hosts of death,

And powers of hell unknown,
Put their most dreadful forms
Of rage and malice on,

They shall be safe; for Christ displays
Superior power, and guardian grace."

2. It affords the purest happiness.

Others are pursuing a phantom which ever eludes their grasp. Mere professors-mixed up with the world, are destitute of joy, of happiness, of peace; while they, on the other hand, who "walk with God," experience a joy that is unspeakable, and full of glory-unspeakable! There is no describing it-there is no comprehending it but by experi encing it.

3. It will secure eternal life.

"To him that overcometh will I give to sit down with me on my throne." Walk with God here,

"And soon your spirit, in his hands,

Will stand where your Forerunner stands."

It will ensure admittance to His presence where there is fulness of joy, and pleasures for evermore.

R.

VI.

NOAH'S OFFERING ON COMING FORTH OF THE ARK, AND ITS RESULTS.

GENESIS viii. 20, 21.-" And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake," &c.

What a scene! Noah and his family just come forth of the Ark into the world which had been the theatre of Divine

vengeance-how solemn the occasion-and how appropriate the first act of the venerable patriarch. "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar." In order that we may have the subject fully before us, we shall refer to this offering, in the occasion, in its nature, and in its results.

1. THE OCCASION ON WHICH THIS OFFERING WAS MADE.

It was on no ordinary occasion, under no ordinary circumstances, that this offering was made. During the sixteen hundred and fifty years in which the world had existed, there had been no such manifestation of the Divine character as this family had now witnessed. In the expulsion from paradise, and in the promise of a Redeemer, there had been exhibited wrath mingled with mercy; but in the deluge and its attending circumstances, these attributes were signally displayed.

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1. On this occasion how impressively would Noah and his family be reminded of the Divine forbearance which had been displayed to the old world.

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On

There had been since the fall a gradual unfolding of the scheme of mercy in the institution of sacrifice, the preaching of the patriarchs, and the teaching of the Spirit. the other hand, there had been a gradual decline from the way of the Lord," an increase of ungodliness, the spread of infidelity and licentiousness, ending in a state of utter godlessness. During this falling away, men were warned by the public teachers, and were the subjects of the strivings of the Spirit; all was of no avail: against the strivings of the one, they hardened their hearts, and to the preaching of the other they scoffingly and derisively replied," Where is the promise of his coming?" The effect of such reckless depravity was tremendous: the Spirit of God was insulted and grieved; mercy, long slighted and contemned, threw down the olive branch and retired; justice, fearlessly defied, came forth with awful and tremendous vengeance.

2. With what solemn awe would Noah and his family now view the earth, bearing on every part of its surface the marks of recent vengeance.

When they entered the ark the earth was smiling with plenty, covered with verdure, and thickly populated; after they are secured within, the windows of heaven open, and

pour forth in unabating torrent for the space of forty days and forty nights; the fountains of the great deep are broken up, the waters rise on every side; the highest mountains are soon covered; every living thing-the beast of the field, and the fowl of the air, men, women, and children, the whole mass of the earth's population, perish in the mighty waters. The rain ceases, the waters gradually subside, Noah and his family come forth from the ark-what must their feelings have been when they again trod the earth, the sole remnant of the human population.

3. With what adoring and grateful feeling would Noah and his family view their own preservation on this occasion.

Singled out by Divine mercy, preserved by Divine power, directed by Divine wisdom, they had built the ark; in this they had been preserved, while all around them was destroyed; mercy was exhibited in the direction to prepare the ark, as well as in its subsequent preservation in the storm. II. IN ITS NATURE.

In the offering which Noah made on this occasion we have,

1. An expression of gratitude. It was his first act. He staid not to erect a habitation for himself, he first built an altar to his God. Observe also how his gratitude was shown in the selection he made his stock was small, yet he took of the best of his flock, "of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl.”

2. An acknowledgement of dependence.

His offering consisted at least of one-seventh of his stock, made under circumstances which to a selfish mind would have been deemed a sufficient reason for witholding it—but Noah, remembering his recent preservation, in this offering expressed his confidence that He who had preserved him under such circumstances, would still continue to provide for his sustenance and safety.

3. The offering of Noah was a lively exhibition of his faith in the future atonement as well as an appropriate testimony that his recent preservation was owing to the efficacy of that

atonement.

"He took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl;" these only were permitted to be offered as sacrifices, and the fact that they were offered on this occasion, not only shows that the offering itself was sufficient, but also that the ante

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deluvian church had been instructed in the nature and object of sacrifice. In this act Noah attributed his deliverance to the right source-the efficacy of that atonement which was to be made once in the end of the world, to which every sacrifice pointed, and from which they derived all their value.

III. IN ITS RESULTS.

1. The offering was accepted.

"The Lord smelled a sweet savour," how significant ! how gracious this acceptance. The reason for this acceptance is to be found, not in the sacrifices themselves, but in the faith of the offerer; that faith took hold of the future atonement, and was therefore acceptable to God.

2. The promise which was given.

Noah in this offering expressed his dependence on God, who, in reply, promised a continuance of the blessings of his providence. He engaged that "while the earth lasted, summer and winter, seed time and harvest, should not fail." 3. The covenant which was made.

"And God spake unto Noah and to his sons with him, saying, and I behold I establish my covenant with you;" in establishing this covenant he placed his bow in the cloud as a visible and perpetual demonstration of his faithfulness. That bow in its varied colours presents us with a rich and significant emblem of the exuberant fulness of the covenant of grace, of the union and harmony of the Divine attributes in that covenant. That bow is the symbol of mercy in a storm of wrath. Look at its form-it is bent upwards, indicating that vengeance is turned away, that the arrow of justice is directed at another-what an appropriate sign of the covenant of redemption.

VII.

L.

THE APPOINTED SACRIFICE.

GENESIS Xxii. 8.-" My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering."

In this season of severe trial to the venerable patriarch there was yet mingled faith and hope; God was not only

trying his faith, but was teaching him by this means the great doctrine of atonement, by the shedding of the blood of his own Son. The doctrine of the text is, that God only can appoint the mode and provide the means of human reconciliation.

I. THE SACRIFICE REQUIRED.

A victim was demanded, that on it justice might execute the vengeance written a victim which could expiate human guilt. This man could not provide.* Angels, whatever their zeal for God, or pity for man, could not provide this sacrifice. The obedience required they could not give, the sufferings demanded they could not endure. A sacrifice much greater is demanded by Divine justice, and lo! it is found: "He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." Avenging justice grasps its flaming sword and directs it to the heart of our generous substitute.

II. OUR DUTY REGARDING IT.

1. It ought to be the subject of penitent contemplation. Behold him whose heart was crushed under the load of your sin had it not been for his suffering you must have been wretched for ever. Look with what generous love he bears up under your curse, and ask yourselves can you any longer love sin.

2. We ought to receive the blessings proffered through it. Many a sinner, agonized with a sense of his deplorable condition, has been willing to make any sacrifice, so that he could procure God's favour; in Jesus this favour is freely offered to your instant acceptance-he waits to give you of the water of life, and of the wine of the kingdom.

3. We ought to cherish a love of holiness.

The sacrifice of this lamb is an illustrious exhibition of God's love to man, but it is also a demonstration of his hatred of sin. Love to holiness distinguishes all the disciples of Christ-their contemplation of his atonement increases their hatred to sin.

B.

Micah vi. 6 & 7. Isaiah xl. 16.