admirable pattern for transacting the common busi- ness of life than the history before us. All parties seemed to be penetrated with the same spirit : they vied with each other in all that was amiable and praiseworthy. We may notice in particular,
1. Their courteousness —
[Abraham, in his address to the chief persons of the city, testified all the respect due to their character, " standing up be- fore them, and bowing to them :" and tliey, on the other hand, addressed him as " a mighty prince," whom they were forward and happy to oblige. It were well if, in all our intercourse with mankind, we were careful to maintain a similar deport- ment. But there are many Christians who seem almost to forget that God has said unto them, "Be courteous3." They are arrogant and assuming towards their superiors ; they are haughty and imperious towards their inferiors ; they are ready to claim as their right what they ought to ask as a favour ; and, if they grant a favour, they confer it in so ungracious a way, as to destroy all sense of obligation in him who receives it. Some allowance indeed must be made for natural dis- position, and for defects of education : yet, after all, the Christian ought to be the most polite of men, because he ought to feel in his heart all that others express in their con- duct: he should "esteem others better than himselfb," and " prefer them in honour before himself0," and make himself the servant of all for his Master's sake d. He should have in subjection all that pride and selfishness, that stimulates to contention e; and maintain in exercise that divine philan- thropy, which is the foundation and cement of all civilized society f. " Whatsoever is lovely and of good report," he should revolve it in his thoughts, and manifest it in his actions g.]
2. Their equity —
[Gladly would Ephron have given to Abraham both the sepulchre which he desired, and the field in which it was con- tained : but Abraham entreated that he might be permitted to pay for it a valuable consideration. Accordingly the price was fixed on the one part with perfect equity, and paid, on the other, with perfect cheerfulness. Would to God that all men would adopt this mode of dealing, and buy and sell according to this pattern ! Would to God that even professed Chris- tians would copy after this example ! How much falsehood, how much imposition, would then be avoided ! Solomon has drawn to the life the characters of many, who depreciate every
a 1 Pet. iii. 8. h Phil. ii. 3. c Rom. xii. 10. A 1 Cor. ix. 19.
c Eph. iv.31, 32. ' Col. iii. 12—14. s Phil. iv. 8.
38.] Abraham's burying-place in canaan. VJ5
thing which they wish to buy, and then go away boasting of the advantageous bargains they have made ; " It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer ; and when he is gone his way, he boastethV But this is beneath the character of a good man. We should not wish to obtain more, or to pay less, for a thing, than it is worth. We should not advance the price on account of the purchaser's necessity, or refuse what is right on account of the necessity of the seller : but, whether we buy or sell, should act towards our neighbour as we in a change of circumstances would have him do to us.]
3. Their prudence — [To Abraham especially it was of importance that the purchase should be known and ratified. Had he accepted the sepulchre as a present, or bought it in a private way, his title to it might at some future period have been disputed, and his descendants been deprived of that which he was desirous of securing to them. But all fears of this kind were effec- tually prevented by the publicity of the transaction. The chief persons of the city were not only witnesses of it, but agents, by whose mediation Ephron was induced to conclude the bar- gain '. Moreover, all who went in or out of the gate of the city, were witnesses ; so that, after possession was once taken, no doubt could ever arise respecting the transfer of the pro- perty, or the title of Abraham's descendants to possess it.