nmnLIES BY VARIOUS AUTHOUS. Vrr. 2.-Falseliood the f1"ltit of urweluf. "Abrnham said of Sarah liis wife- ~lie is my sister.". Notice ho," imperfectly the obligation of truth recognised in Old Test.~ment t1n:ies. Not only among heathen, or those who knew little c.~ God (,Josh. 11. ?. ; 2 Kmgs x. 18), but godly men among God's own people (eh. xni 7: 1 Sam. xxvn. 10). Yet the excellence of truth was known, and its connectio::i with the fear of God (Exod. xviii. 21; Ps. xv. 2). Not unt.il manifested in Christ does truth seem to be fully understood (cf. John vsiii. 44; 1 John iii. 8). This givM force to" I am the truth." Some see in text an act of fe.ith; trust that God would make the plan (Yer. 13) successful. Bnt faith must rest on God's word. Trust in what God gives no warrant for believing is not faith, but fancy, e. g. to attempt what we ha,·e no reason to believe we can accomplish, or to incur liabilities without rensonable prospect of meeting them. More natural and better to look on it as a breach of truth under temptation ; the failure of a godly man under trial. His words were true in letter (ver. 12), bnt were spoken to deceive, and did deceive. l RooT or, ms FAULT-UNBELIEF; want of all-embracing trust. His faith wns real and vigorous (cf. 1 Cor. x. 12), but partial (cf. eh. xxvii. 19; Matt. xiv. 28). Shrank from trusting God fully. Turned to human devices, and tbns turned out of the wny (Prov. iii. 5). Partial distrust may be found even where real faith. A very common instance is trusting in God for spiritual blessings only. A large part of our actions, especially in little things, springs not from conscious decision, but from habitual modes of thought and feeling. We act instinctively, according to whnt fa the natural drift of thought. .Abraham had so dwelt on t~e danger that he forgot the help at band (Ps. miv. 7; Rom. viii. 28). Bold in action, his faith failed when dang-er threatened. To endure is a greater trial of faith than to do. To stand finu a.mid secularising influences, ridicule, misconstruction is harder than to do some greut thing. St. Peter was ready to fight for hie Mastt;r, but failed to endure (Mnrk xiv. 50-71; Gal. ii. 12). So to St. Paul's "What wilt thou have me to do?" tl,e Lord's word was, "I will show him how great things he must suffer." II. Fonr,r or HIS FAULT-UNTRUTH. Contrary to the mind of Christ. May be without direct statement of untruth. May be by true words so used as to convey a ,nong idea ; by pretences, e. g. taking credit unduly for any possession or power; by being ashamed to admit our motives; or by untruth in the spiritual life, making unreal professions in prayer, or self-deceiving. Every day brings numberless trinls. These can be resisted only by the habit of truthfulness, gained by cultivating "truth in the inward parts," aiming at entire truthfulness. Nothing unpractical in this. May be said, 1\1.Jst I tell all my thoughts to every one? Not so. Many things we liave no right to speak; e. g. things told in confidence, or what would give unneces- sary pain. Concealment when it is right is not untruth. No doubt questions of difficulty may arise. Hence rules of casuistry. But a Christian should be guided by principles rather than by rules (Gal. v. 1); and wisdom to apply these rightly is to be gained by studying the character of Christ, and prayer for the Holy Spirit's guidance (Luke xi. 13; John xvi. 14).-M. Yers. 15, 16.-..4.l,raliam and Abimelech at Gerar. I. THE UNIVERSALITY OF D1v1N11 GRACE. The varieties in moral state of nations a teRtimony to God's forbearing mercy. There was evidently a great contrast between such people as dwelt under Abimelech's rule and the cities of the plain, which helps ua to see the extreme wickedness of the !utter. It wa~ probably no vain boast which the king uttered when he spoke of "ilie integrity of liis heart and innocency of liis hands." Moreover, U'od appeared to him by dreams, and it is implied that he would have the greutest rc'l'erence for Jehovah's prophet. Abrahum testified the same; although he declared that the fear of God was not in.the place, still be sojourned in Gerar, nnd after Lot's experience l,e would not bnve done so unless be had believed it to be very different frurn Sodom. II. THE CHARACl'ER OJI Goo's CHILDREN IS NOT THE GROUND OJI' THEIR ACCF.I'TA:{CK WITB BIM, It ie strange that the F.gyptian eJ:perience should not hnve taught the oa. x;;:1. 1-8.] THJ,; BOOK OF GE~ESIS. 269
patriarch simply to hust in God. But the imperfect fa.ithjustifies; the grace of Guel alone sanctiji,eB. Tho conduct of Abimelech 1s throughout honourable and straight- forward, Abraham's equivocation is not excusable. It sprang from fear, and it was no sudden error, hut a deliberate policy which betokened weaknP.ss, to say tl,e lc11st. lll. THE Lonn BRINOS GOOD OUT OF EVIL. Abimelech's character is a bright spot in t.he terrible pictnre of evil and its consequences. By the discipline of Providence the errors and follies of men are made the opportunities for learning Go<l's purposes and character. The contact of the less enlightened with the more enlightened, though it may humble both, gives room for Divine teaching and gracious bestow- mentR. Again we nre reminded "the prayer of a righteous man availeth much" not because he is himself righteous, but because he is the channel of blessing to others, chosen of God's free grace.-R.