lad; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.” There was the triumph of faith. “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said—In Isaac shall thy seed be called; accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, from whence also he received him in a figure.” The patriarch’s faith quenched “all the fiery darts of the wicked one,” which were cast at him in this dreadful trial. The arrows of the orientals were often poisoned at one end, and ignited at the other. It is to this circumstance the apostle alludes in the phrase—“the fiery darts of the wicked,” or the wicked one. Satan has his quiver full of impoisoned and flaming arrows, from which the servants of Christ would be much endangered without “the shield of faith.” He shot one of them at Eve in Paradise, and set the whole world on fire, “and it is set on fire of hell.” He shot an arrow of lust at David, and an arrow of fear at Peter; and both of them were dreadfully wounded in the back. He shot an arrow of covetousness at Judas, and another at Ananias and Sapphira; and having no “shield of faith,” they were smitten, and dropped down into hell. The devil is a fierce and malicious enemy, “going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Fain would he destroy all the holy from the earth. His “fiery darts” inflame the heart with the love of sin, the fear of man, the torments of remorse, and the apprehensions of judgment and fiery indignation. But when the heart is shielded by the faith of the gospel—when we clearly understand the truth as it is in Jesus, cordially assent to it, appropriate it experimentally, and surrender ourselves to its sanctifying influence—they have no power to injure, and the Christian is more than conqueror. “Cast not away, therefore, the beginning of your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.” Grasp firmly the shield. Whatever the aspect of the fight, hold it fast till the end. You will need it through all the campaign. You will need it especially in your contest with “the last enemy, which is death.” “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” So shall you be able to testify with Paul, when he anticipated the termination of the warfare—“I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith; and henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord—the righteous judge—shall give unto me in that day.” SERMON XXI. THE PARACLETE. “_And I will pray the Father_, _and he shall give you another Comforter_, _that he may abide with you for ever_; _even the Spirit of Truth_, _whom the world cannot receive_, _because it seeth him not_, _neither knoweth him_; _but ye know him_, _for he dwelleth with you_, _and shall be in you_.”—John xiv. 16, 17.