to Abraham by God himself of becoming
the father of a mighty and favored race. His affection as a father was
strained to its utmost tension, but yet more was his faith in being the
progenitor of offspring that should inherit the land of Canaan.
Nevertheless, at God's command he was willing to make the sacrifice,
"accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead." Was there
ever such a supreme act of obedience in the history of our race? Has
there ever been from his time to ours such a transcendent manifestation
of faith? By reason Abraham saw the foundation of his hopes utterly
swept away; and yet his faith towers above reason, and he feels that the
divine promises in some way will be fulfilled. Did any man of genius
ever conceive such an illustration of blended piety and obedience? Has
dramatic poetry ever created such a display of conflicting emotions? Is
it possible for a human being to transcend so mighty a sacrifice, and
all by the power of faith? Let those philosophers and theologians who
aspire to define faith, and vainly try to reconcile it with reason,
learn modesty and wisdom from the lesson of Abraham, who is its great
exponent, and be content with the definition of Paul, himself, that it
is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen;"
that reason was in Abraham's case subordinate to a loftier and grander
principle,--even a firm conviction, which nothing could shake, of the
accomplishment of an end against all probabilities and mortal
calculations, resting solely on a divine promise.

Another remarkable thing about that memorable sacrifice is, that Abraham
does not expostulate or hesitate, but calmly and resolutely prepares for
the slaughter of the innocent and unresisting victim, suppressing all
the while his feelings as a father in obedience and love to the
Sovereign of heaven and earth, whose will is his supreme law.

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac
his son," who was compelled as it were to bear his own cross. And he
took the fire in his hand and a knife, and Isaac said, "Behold the fire
and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" yet suffered
himself to be bound by his father on the altar. And Abraham then
stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. At this
supreme moment of his trial, he heard the angel of the Lord calling upon
him out of heaven and saying, "Abraham! Abraham! lay not thine hand u