but small in human estimation, it is exceedingly offensive to God, and will, if allowed to gain an entire ascendency over us, assuredly exclude us from his heavenly kingdom g.]
2. How ready God is to mark the good that is in our actions, while he casts a veil over the evil with which it is accompanied —
[At the very time that Sarah yielded to unbelief, she exercised a reverential regard for her husband : and though our duty to man is certainly inferior to our duty to God, God has passed over in silence the unbelief she betrayed, and recorded with peculiar approbation the terms in which she spake of Abraham: " After I am waxed old, shall I have pleasure, my Lord being old also ?" St. Peter, I say, records this, and proposes her as a pattern to all married women ; saying, " In this manner in the old time the holy women who trusted in God adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands ; even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord." We see in the Scriptures many instances wherein God has manifested the same condescension to his frail and sinful creatures. In the reproof which our blessed Lord gave to Peter, he acknowledged that he had a little faith, at the very time that he had been yielding to unbelieving fears. And because there was some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the heart of young Abijah, God was pleased to distinguish him from all the family of Jeroboam by giving to him a peaceful death, and an honourable interment11. This is a great encouragement to us amidst all the weakness that we feel : and we may be assured that if, on the one hand, the evils of our heart will be disclosed, so, on the other hand, there is not a good purpose or inclination that shall not be made manifest, in order that every one may have his due pro- portion of praise from God1.]
3. What a mercy it is to have our secret sins de- tected and reproved —
[From this time we hear no more of Sarah's unbelief : on the contrary, the reproof given her on this occasion was effec- tual for the confirming and establishing her faith. In the account given of the most eminent Saints who were distin- guished for their faith, Sarah herself is mentioned ; and her faith is said to have been instrumental to the accomplishment of that very promise, which in the first instance she had dis- believedk. And how many have found similar reason to bless God for the fidelity of their friends, or for the inward rebukes
g Heb. iii. 19. and iv. 11. h 1 Kings xiv. 13.
1 1 Cor. iv. 5. k Heb. xi. 11, 12.