But this part of our subject will come more pro- perly before us, whilst, in our further investigation of her faith, we shew,
II. How it operated —
From the instance to which the text directs our attention, we see, that it operated in a way,
1. Of holy fear—
[Rahab did not merely participate the terror which had seized all the inhabitants of Jericho, a terror that served only to harden their hearts, but a fear associated with a conscious- ness of her demerits, and a determination to seek for mercy. And, till this is wrought within us, there is no true faith in our souls. The very first work of the Holy Spirit is " to convince us of our sins ;" to shew us our desert and danger ; to make us sensible that " we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." Till we are brought to the condition of those on the day of Pentecost, who " were pricked to the heart," and with a deep sense of their guilt and misery cried out, " Men and brethren, what shall we do?" there is nothing done effectually towards our conversion to God, nothing that can give any hope of the salvation of our souls.]
2. Of intense desire —
[Her desire of mercy swallowed up every other con- sideration. She forgot all which passes under the name of patriotism, conceiving that she had a prior and a paramount duty to the God of Israel. So sure was she that God's pur- poses should be fulfilled, that she did not for a moment imagine that any efforts of hers to destroy the spies would at all avail for the protection of her countrymen. She saw that this was an opportunity afforded her for the preservation of her soul ; and, if she let it pass unimproved, she should only involve herself in the ruin that could not possibly be averted. She therefore sided with Jehovah and his people against those who were related to her according to the flesh ; and determined at the risk of her life to cast in her lot with the people of the Lord. Thus should we also postpone every consideration under heaven to the honour of God and the salvation of our souls. The love of our country is confessedly an important duty, as the love of our parents also is : but when our duty to God stands in opposition to the wishes or interests of our earthly superiors, the line of duty plainly is to serve God at all events. The direction given to the Church under the character of a spouse, is this : " Hearken, O daughter, and incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house ; so