Let us go back to our story. What did Abraham give God? Forasmuch as he hath not withheld his only son from Me, I know that he fears Me.' And what does God give to His friends?' He that spared not His own Son, but freely delivered Him up to the death for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things ?' Abraham's gift of his son to God was but a feeble shadow of God's gift of His Son to men. And if the surrender on the part of the human friend was the infallible token of his love, surely the surrender on the part of the heavenly Friend is no less the infallible sign of His love to all the world. Generalise these thoughts and they come to this. If we are God's lovers God will give us Himself, in so far as we can receive Him; and all other gifts in so far as they are good and needful. If we are God's friends and lovers we shall give Him, in glad surrender, our whole selves. And, remember, if you feel that you have separate interests from Him, if you keep things and do not let Him say,' These are mine'; if you grudge sacrifice, and will not hear of self-surrender, and are living lives centred in, ruled by, devoted to, self, you have little reason to call yourself a Christian. Ye are My friends if ye'--not only' do whatsoever I command you,' but if you give yourself to Me.' Yield yourselves to God, and in the giving of yourselves to Him, you will get back yourselves glorified and blessed by the gift. There is no friendship if self shuts out the friend from participation in what is the other's. As long as' mine' lies on this side of a high wall, and' thine' on the other, there is but little friendship. Down with the wall, and say about everything Ours'; and then you have a right to say' I am the friend of God.'
