''.·as perfor(~ed by Eliezer, who, by his re~ital of" all things that ho liad done," prno !1cally certitied that Rebeknl1 was. the maiden whom Jehovah had pNvided, nnd now m formnl 11ct hnnded o:er to lu;11 to be his wife. 2. Tlie takir.g qf tlie b1-ide. "~saac took ~ebe½nh," i. e. pub_hcly and solemnly accepted her in the presence of ~,tnesses n_s lu~ b~1de. Tims, without _elaborate or. expensive ceremonial, Rebekah been me Ins ~e. ,,3. The ho7!1-e-coming of. the bride. " Isaac brc,ught her into his m?ther Snr~h- s tent, and thus mstalled her m the honours ns well as invested her with the pnv1leges of matron of his house. I_Y. !HK HAPP! HOME. _1. !,saac loved Rebekah. "So oug·bt husbands to love their wives as theu own bodies (Ephes. "· 28). It is their duty· it ought to be their happines~ ; it certainly will pro\'e their interest. 2. Rebekah domforted Isaac. So oug:lit wives not merel,r "to revercn:e their \1usbands" (Ephes, v. 33), but to soothe their 80rrows, cure their cares, and dispel their despondencies. Learn-I. That the son who sorrows for a mother will likely prove a husband that ea~ lo,e a wife. 2. That maidens' chafms are moi,t attrac~i!e whe~ seen through a ,·CJI of modesty. 3. That those marnages are most uusp1c1one which are made by God. 4. That those homes are happiest where husband and ,vife love and comfort 011e another. IIOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. \·er. 63.-Isaac £1t the .field. "And Isaac we11t out to meditate in the field. at eYentide." Isaac was OI!e of the less prominent among the patriarchs. He seems le have lacked energy of character, but there was great devoutness. His life was like n toned picture, lacking garish colouring, but having a depth of interest. Pos- sibly the fact that an uplifted knife had once gleamed death upon him, and that be Lad so narrowly escaped, may have had great influence in giving n sober tinge to bis life. Not only so, but training by such a father as Abraham must have inculcated a ready obedience to God's will, and a constant desire to know that will. In tl,e passage above we have- I. A GODLY BADIT INDICATED. 11 Went out to meditate "-to pray. There is I\ great difference between reverie and meditation. 'fhe one is aimless dreaming, the other, thought tending to an object. Prayer is the thought expressed. Meditation is the "nurse of prayer." Meditation stirs up the spiritual fire within. It brings us nearer to the Divine. It should be cultivated as a lmbit rather than be left to spasmodic impulses. II. A PLACE WELL ADAPTED TO PRAYER SELECTED. The field or open country, where we can get away from men, is the place for fellowship with God. A free prospect lets God's power be more plainly seen. It is an advantage to get out to sea, and, leaning over the bulwark of a vessel, to realise the width of the world, the ,astness of the universe and greatness of God. We should seek some pince where we can specially realise the presence and power of God. "Enter into thy closet" ie a command which many find it difficult to obey. At school, in business houses, there is little or no provision for solitary meditation; but with n book in hand the believer may in spirit get alone with God. III. THE TIME CHOSEN FOR PRAYER WAS MOST FITTING. Isaac went into the field at eventide. When the fret and toil of the day were over; when the sun was setting, glorified by crimson clouds, or shaded by the purplish haze ; when the blossoms were closing, and flocks were being folded; when the moon was just sh~w- ing, and the stars beginning to shine out; when a hush was over J?atnre and e~ter111g into the soul-then Isaac sought to pray; then he sought to realise the certnmt.J; of the Divine promises and the faithfulness of the Divine performance. The time accorded well with his own feelir~ga. He still mourned for his mother (ver. 67). Rorrow makes solitude congenial. Moreover, he was anticipating a change of state. He knew his father had sent Eliezer to seek for him a wife from among his own kindred, end he may have been praying that God would send him a suitable partner for life. \Vhile he was praying the answer was appronching. Dy prayer Isaac was prepared also to bear with the selfishness and wrong-doing of others. In eh. xxvi, we sec how he avuidcd q11arrelli11g wilh the Philistines. Gent1Pnes8 made him great, and that gr·ritJ,..110:iH was inlensilied hy prnyer.-lI. oti. XXV 1-11.J 1'llt BOOK OF filt~ER!S. 313
EXPOSITION.