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rendered so practicably easy and delightful through the grace which he communicates, should not the constant language of our hearts be, “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God?" May we therefore, be as prompt and unreserved in our obedience, and as patient in our sufferings as Abraham was! Thus shall we become followers of those who, through faith and patience inherit the promises.

3. Obedience to God's commandments ensures God's gracious protection. In the paths of disobedience, trials insupportable, difficulties insurmountable, dangers imminent and numerous, are the sinner's portion. These are frequently the natural effect or consequence of an irreligious life. And while the children of the Wicked One are daily sinking under these accumulated calamities, they have no refuge nor resting place in the resources of their own mind, no confidence in God, no assurance that death will terminate their woes; but on the contrary, they are carried on rapidly by the wings of time, and prematurely by their own folly, to the dust of death, to the tribunal of God, and to the regions of perdition.

With the children of faithful Abraham it is not so. The God whom they serve does not exempt them from trials; for such an exemption would be an exclusion from all those eternal blessings, to which sanctified afflictions are conducive and preparatory. But support or deliverance is undoubtedly granted. The divine promises are pleaded by the faithful soul, and fulfilled by him who cannot lie. "As thy day, so shall thy strength be. Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God." Their souls also are greatly elevated and invigorated by the bright prospects and anticipations of glory with which they are favoured; and as their eye becomes more intensely fixed upon God, and their life more expressive of his praise, so their consolations increase and abound. As a seasonable counterpoise also to the gradual failure of the heart and flesh, the Lord is the strength of their heart and their portion for ever. Had not Abraham experienced divine support under the trial to which the Divine Being had called him, he could not possibly have endured it. From an assurance, therefore, that his God is ours also, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, we likewise may come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

4. From the sequel of this history, however, it is evident that the Lord did not intend that Isaac should be slain. His design was that he himself should have the supreme place in the affections of Abraham. There was a danger that his attachment to his son might become inordinate, and interrupt his communion with his heavenly Father. As a jealous God, therefore, he demands Isaac. The intrepid saint rises early the next morning, proceeds to the execution of the divine command, and thus sur

renders an undivided heart, and Isaac, to his God. In the acceptance of the former the Lord rejoices; the latter, he gives back. Had the father disobeyed, this amiable youth would have become his idol, and it is probable that God, in mercy to the father, would, in some other way, have taken the son. Creature comforts, when enjoyed in him who is the source of all our joys, are perpetuated and sanctified.

"Earth then a scale to heaven shall be,

Sense shall point out the road;

The creatures all shall lead to Thee;

And all we taste be God."

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But the plans of heaven are manifold and diversified. The Lord might have taken Abraham's son as well as Abraham's heart; and this doubtless would have caused deep distress to the parents. Yet still the dispensation would have redounded to the divine glory, and to their benefit. Isaac, freed from the sorrows and dangers of a probationary state, would have been safely lodged in the bosom of his heavenly Father; and, doubtless, grace would have been imparted to the parents according to their day, and divine consolations would have been more than an equivalent for the premature death of their son. Besides, the hope of shortly meeting him in the realms of immortal bliss, with a crown of martyrdom on his head, would have tranquilized their minds, and have made them dumb, because the Lord had done it.

5. When Isaac inquired, "My father, where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?"-we may justly conceive that Abraham's feelings were wound up to the very acme of distress, to the highest pitch of paternal sensibility. And that was indeed the time in which it may be emphatically said, that "God did tempt Abraham," the time in which the omnipotence of his faith appeared, and in which the divine promise was applied with peculiar light and energy to his heart. Therefore, with the utmost serenity and confidence he says, "My son, N, God will provide." (Gen. xxii. 8.) This promise the Lord fulfilled by providing and accepting the ram in the room of Isaac. This was grace in the time of need. Here the patriarch saw the day of Christ, rejoiced, and was glad. But knowing that he was still a creature absoluteand continually depending on his almighty Deliverer, and seeing the necessity of living by faith in the divine promise in the successive periods of his probationary state, he reverts to the same precious promise, glories in the accomplishment of it which he had just experienced, looks forward to the day of Christ for its perfect fulfilment, and is glad; and then calls the name of the place, m, "Jehovah will provide." (Gen. xxii. 14.) Thus, when we rely on the veracity of the Divine Being, and unreservedly consecrate ourselves to his glory, we find his promises, by the application of them, to be exactly adapted to our state; and thus also the path which leads to their final completion shines

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more and more to the perfect day. We may, likewise, observe, that the same promise, as in the above instance, is applied to our minds on different occasions; and that the renewed application of it discovers to us more clearly, and enables us to anticipate more joyfully, the gracious and providential blessings of the present life, as also the future glory with which it is replete. Abraham, in virtue of that promise, having received Isaac in a figure from the dead, knew that there was no possible situation or circumstances, however painful or dangerous, in which he might afterwards be placed, to which that promise was not abundantly adequate, and therefore, rising above every anxious anticipation, the grateful and confidential language of his faith was, "Jehovah will provide."

The immutability of Abraham's faith was equal to that of God's promise: both were unchangeable. The lapse of twenty-five years, during which time the promise was unfulfilled; the deadness of his own body, and that of Sarah's womb, superinduced by old age; these were in his estimation less than nothing, when opposed to the faithfulness and omnipotence of him who had said, "Abraham shall have a son." The son was given, and again demanded as a sacrifice fifteen years previous to his union with Rebecca. Yet even this did not unsettle the Patriarch's faith. God had told him that all the nations of the earth were to be blessed in a Divine Saviour, of whom Isaac should be a progenitor; and therefore he was fully persuaded that even the death of his son could not invalidate the word of him who cannot lie. The wood, the knife, the altar, and the heart of Abraham, were prepared for the bloody catastrophe; and the obstacle which Abraham could never remove, God himself took out of the way, Isaac's reluctance to submit to such an unprecedented deed. But while every circumstance thus concurred with Abraham's resolution to execute the divine command, the language of faith was, "God will provide." When the Lord has given a promise, and when we comply with the conditions either expressed or implied in it, we may be as certain of its accomplishment as we are of our exis

tence.

An abhorrence and immediate renunciation of those sins which rendered necessary either the destruction of the sinner or the death of the Saviour; an entire confidence in the unbounded and everlasting mercy of God towards them that fear him; a supreme love to our heavenly Father, to Jesus the Mediator, and to the Eternal Spirit, for Heaven's last best gift to man; a love evinced by a conscientious observance of the divine commands, and a constant acquiescence in the divine dispensations; these are the duties inculcated by the inspiration of the Holy One in the history of Abraham's trial; to which, if we wholly give ourselves, we shall be acknowledged as the sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. Amen.

Biography.

1

MEMOIR OF REV. STERLING COLEMAN BROWN.

To the Editors of the Methodist Magazine.

DEAR BRETHREN,

WHEN the short sketch of the labours and death of the Rev. Sterling C. Brown, inserted in the Minutes, was presented to the last Tennessee Annual Conference, it was thought the character and usefulness of the deceased, as well as the interest of the cause of God, in which he had so triumphantly fallen, required that a fuller account should be given, than could be inserted in the printed Minutes. This account was then promised, in compliance with which, I now send it to you, for insertion in our Magazine, should it meet with your approbation.

I am, Dear Brethren, yours

In bonds of Christian fellowship,

THOMAS L. DOUGLASS.

STERLING COLEMAN BROWN, the subject of the following memoir, was born of respectable parentage, in Brunswick county, Virginia, March 22d, 1795. His parents, who were worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, endeavoured both by precept and example, to bring up their children in the fear of God. In the year 1808 they moved and settled in Giles county, Tennessee. They were among the first settlers in that section of the country, which was then an uncultivated wilderness and canebreak. It was not long, however, before they obtained regular preaching: their house was taken into the circuit, and became a home for the preachers. Sterling, who was their eldest son, notwithstanding the example of his parents, and the light of the gospel which he had the privilege of enjoying, lived without God and religion until the 22d year of his age. In the summer of 1817, a blessed revival of religion took place in his neighbourhood; the light of heaven shone into his heart, and he, with many others, surrendered to the sceptre of redeeming love. His convictions were short, but deep and pungent; and after a few weeks, sincerely and earnestly seeking God in the forgiveness of his sins, he obtained mercy, and found redemption through the atoning blood of Jesus. His soul was happily converted, October 9th, 1817. Of the reality of the change he professed to experience, there was no room to doubt. He had (as men in a natural state often have) objections to some things pertaining to the work and worship of God. He particularly objected against women praying in public, and was often much mortified by hearing his mother pray in large congregations. Not long before he was struck under

conviction, he attempted to argue and expostulate with her on the subject; but when he was arrested by the power of God, she was the first person he called on in public to pray for him. This with every other objection was soon dropped, and he became the bold and zealous advocate of religion; the whole man was changed.

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His call to the ministry was soon manifested in his prayers and exhortations among his oid companions. A few weeks after his conversion, he attended the Yearly Conference held in Franklin, at which time he communicated to me, the exercises of his mind relative to the important work of the ministry; he seemed to manifest no disposition to confer with flesh and blood, and yet such were his views of the magnitude of the work, that he trembled at the idea of engaging therein he concluded his communications, by requesting me to dispose of him as I might think proper. The Divine Spirit fired his soul with love to God, and an earnest desire to see sinners converted. He seemed to think about nothing else: his conversation was all directed to this object, and he appeared to have no wish, only to be employed in the work and service of God. Three or four young men from the same circuit, and a younger brother, attended the Conference at the same time. They were all in their first love, and professed to feel their minds impressed very seriously respecting entering into the work of the ministry; and I have no doubt but we may, in a great degree, attribute to their united zeal and exertions, the gracious work we had in Franklin at that Conference.

In December following, I attended the quarterly meeting in Richland circuit, near his father's, at which time, he with four others, obtained licence to preach. I immediately employed him as the helper on Flint circuit, where he remained until the latter part of the summer; and then, according to instructions, he formed what is now called Limestone circuit, in Alabama. At the Annual Conference in Nashville, October 1818, he was regularly admitted on trial as a travelling preacher, and received a Missionary appointment to the settlements on Buffalo river, in Jackson's purchase, where he formed what is now called Wayne circuit. In October 1819, he was continued on the Minutes remaining on trial, and was appointed to Nashville circuit, where he bore his part as an instrument in the great work which took place in the district that year. At the Hopkinsville Conference, October, 1820, he was admitted into full connexion, elected to deacon's orders, and appointed to ride Lebanon circuit. The preachers in Conference, having requested that some person would go and meet Bishop Roberts, who we understood was sick and confined on his way from the Missouri Conference to Tennessee, Brother Brown volunteered himself for that service, and immediately set off on his journey; and although he was in delicate health, and quite unfurnished for such a tour at that season of the year,

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