fore we conclude that they were offered in faith, which faith was imputed unto them for righteousness.

We have very good authority to believe that Isaac was converted at a very early period, and that he possessed that righteousness and peace and joy which constitute the spiritual kingdom of God, and brought forth those fruits of the Spirit which ever spring from a renewed heart. And these shining forth in Isaac's amiable disposition, there is no wonder that the Philistines perceived that he was "blessed of the Lord." If we would enjoy "the blessing of the Lord," we must follow Isaac's example: we must get our hearts changed: we must believe on the Son of God: we must be saved by faith in a crucifer Lord.

2. It may further be remarked as an excellency in Isaac's character, that he was an obedient son. This is evident from the circumstance of his willingly submitting to go with his father, when Abraham was commanded to offer him up as a burnt-offering. In this transaction Isaac was certainly a type of Jesus Christ; but it also shews that he possessed a great portion of "the mind of Christ." When he saw what his father was about to do, he undoubtedly could have resisted. Abraham was then very old, and Isaac in the strength and vigour of youth; he might therefore easily have overcome his father; but, like Jesus, he patiently carried the wood, and, like him, he meekly would have submitted to the stroke.

What an example is here exhibited to the view of young people! Oh, my dear young friends, if you would obtain the blessing of the Lord, be obedient to your parents. Those may be kind children who do not fear God, but it is impossible to love God and be disobedient children. Honour thy father and thy mother, is the first commandment with promise.

3. Isaac possessed a tranquil and contemplative mind, and lived in the spirit of meditation and prayer. We are informed that when Abraham's servant arrived from Mesopotamia with Rebekah, who was to be Isaac's wife, they found him, at eventide, meditating in the field, a practice which he most likely followed every evening. We also find, in the chapter before us, that when he got settled in his hereditary inheritance, he builded an altar there, and

called upon the name of the Lord. Grateful reflection leads to praise and prayer: the contemplative mind is generally thankful and prayerful. Oh, that we were more like Isaac, that we did but spend our evenings in devout meditation and communion with God! How solid would be our enjoyment! how divine our comforts! how spiritual our minds! how happy our days! But, alas! we too frequently suffer this world to intrude too much, and an undue attachment to the world will certainly destroy spiritual comfort and enjoyment, and choke the good seed of grace. But why should we suffer the world to. gain such ascendancy over us? We see Isaac, who had as much to transact in the affairs of life as we have, could find time for meditation and prayer, and he attained to such a degree of heavenly-mindedness that even the heathens could see that he was "the blessed of the Lord."

III. We will consider some of the blessings of which Isaac was the recipient.

How

1. Peace. The Lord accepted of his person and his offerings, and gave him an earnest of his acceptance, by filling his heart with love, and joy, and peace. would the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, overflow the heart and mind of this good man while engaged in his evening meditations! While the men of the land were all bustle and confusion, Isaac enjoyed a delightful peace and serenity resembling the sweetness of the upper world! And when he had built his altar, and had called his family around him, the devoted saint would lift up holy hands, without wrath or doubting, and would devoutly call upon the name of the Lord,-while his heavenly Father would pour into his heart the oil of joy and gladness, and cause him to exult in the God of his salvation.

And as he had peace with God, so he would also have peace with conscience: there would be no condemnation, because he walked not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and lived constantly by faith in him who was to come.

He would also have peace with his passions. There were no vain desires, nor vicious tempers, to embitter his life. Although, like other men, he would be subject to trials and temptations, yet he was not the servant of sin. His soul was tranquil as the southern breeze, and calm as a summer evening.

Lastly. He followed peace with all men," and the Lord made even his enemies to be at peace with him. The Philistines envied him: he, for the sake of peace, removes from them: and, behold! the king of those very people comes to make a league with him, and to swear that his people shall do him no harm.

Such was the peace that Isaac enjoyed; and thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

2. Worldly prosperity. When he sowed in the land of the Philistines he received an hundred times as much as he sowed; and he waxed great and went forward until he became very great. Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."

"Fear

3. The special presence and protection of God. not," said Jehovah unto him, "for I am with thee, and will bless thee." Not only was the essential presence of God with him, without which he could not have existed, but his providential presence, by which he amply provided for all his returning wants. During the time that he was a stranger in a strange land, bread was given him, and his water was sure. He was blessed in his basket and in his store, in his down-sitting and in his up-rising, in his body and in his soul, in his closet and at his altar. But the gracious presence of God was also with him, to assist him in his devotions, to quicken his soul, to enliven his faith, to invigorate his love, and to cause him to rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

4. He was blessed in his death. He lived to see the return of his son Jacob from Padan-aram, and to see him and his brother Esau reconciled; and then, being one hundred and fourscore years old, he gave up the ghost and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days, and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him." Esau and Jacob consigned his body to the tomb in sure and certain hope of a resurrection unto eternal life; while holy angels conveyed his happy spirit to the regions of unsullied felicity. What a happy release would this be to the righteous patriarch! After patiently enduring the trials and exercises incident to human life, and after bearing with fortitude the infirmities of old age, and for a considerable time the total loss of eye-sight, he enters at once upon the

pleasures which are at the right hand of God, and shall for ever gaze upon the beauties of the beatific vision. "Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours, and their works follow them." "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let end be like his."

OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.

MATT. vi, 9.

my last

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

THE Lord's Prayer demands our most serious attention, because it was given as a pattern and specimen of devotion by our Divine Teacher. He, who best knew what we ought to pray for, and how we ought to pray,-He, who is perfectly acquainted with our various desires and our real wants, has left us this comprehensive and perfect form of prayer,-He, who knew what manner of address would be most pleasing in the sight of Heaven, and most becoming worms of earth, has dictated this form as a complete directory and exercise of our devotions. He, who is the Mediator between God and men, through whom alone our prayers meet with acceptance at the throne of grace, hath said unto us, " After this manner therefore pray ye.'

Our Lord did by no means intend that we were to use the exact words of this prayer, and no other. Had this been the case, the apostles, who heard him, would have always adopted it; but we find in the " Acts of the Apostles" that they did not confine themselves to the exact words of the form. The Redeemer's design was to teach us, that in respect both of matter and manner, we must imitate it; that we must pray for the blessings herein contained, and arrange our petitions in the same way. It is worthy of our observation, that in the words before us Jesus says, "After this manner pray ye, saying, Our Father," &c.; and in St. Luke, When ye pray, say, Our Father," &c. By the former expression, we may learn to make it the model of all our prayers; by the latter, to frequently use the form itself.

"

The Redeemer taught this prayer twice-at two different

times and places-and it is inserted in two different parts of the New Testament; once here in St. Matthew's Gospel, and again in the Gospel by St. Luke. It is true that there are many things mentioned by two, or three, and some by all the four evangelists, that refer to one and the same circumstance, time and place; but with regard to the subject before us, it is otherwise. The first time the Lord taught it was in that admirable sermon from which we have chosen our text, and which he preached upon a mountain to an innumerable multitude of people. The other time was about two years after. Jesus had been "praying in a certain place," and when he ceased, one of his disciples, who either was not present at the sermon on the mount, or if he was present, had forgotten what had been said, asked him to teach them to pray, as John had taught his disciples, and, in compliance with this request, he repeated the form which he had before given. It may be observed, as a further proof that Jesus did not design that his followers should never deviate from the exact words of this prayer, that he himself has made some little variation in several expressions. Compare Matt. vi, 9-14, with Luke xi, 2-5.

This prayer comprehends all that we need. It consists of three parts. First, the preface, which points out to us the veneration and humility with which we ought to approach the throne of God, and lays a general foundation for prayer, by comprising what we must first know of God before we can pray in confidence of being heard. Secondly, it contains six petitions, which comprehend all that we can reasonably or innocently desire and pray for. There is nothing which we have need to ask of God for body or soul, for time or eternity, for ourselves or others, nor is there any thing which we can ask without offending him, which is not included directly or indirectly in these petitions. Thirdly, it contains a doxology, or conclusion, in which there is a solemn, compendious acknowledgment of the attributes and works of God.

It highly becomes us to repeat this Divine form with the greatest sincerity and reverence. When we utter this prayer, we are not only praying for ourselves, and asking those things which are requisite and necessary, as well for the body as for the soul," but we are also interceding for