God the glory of having in any degree blessed it, than that he should be summoned, to commence the duty and privilege of domestic worship and instruction, in the house of any hitherto prayerless family.

SERMON XIV.

ABRAM'S FAITH IN ECLIPSE.

GENESIS XII. 10-14.

AND THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND: AND ABRAM WENT DOWN INTO EGYPT TO SOJOURN THERE; FOR THE FAMINE WAS GRIEVOUS IN THE LAND. AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN HE WAS COME NEAR TO ENTER INTO EGYPT, THAT HE SAID UNTO SARAI HIS WIFE, BEHOLD NOW, I KNOW THAT THOU ART A FAIR WOMAN TO LOOK UPON: THEREFORE IT SHALL COME TO PASS, WHEN THE EGYPTIANS SHALL SEE THEE, THAT THEY SHALL SAY, THIS IS HIS WIFE: AND THEY WILL KILL ME, BUT THEY WILL SAVE THEE ALIVE. SAY, I PRAY THEE THOU ART MY SISTER : THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH ME FOR THY SAKE: AND MY SOUL SHALL LIVE BECAUSE OF

THEE.

THE biography of the Bible is a gallery of portraits; and every picture in it is painted with the unflattering pencil of the Holy Ghost. Why is it thus? Why are not the failings of holy men cast into shade, and their excellences brought out into the strongest and clearest

lights? Surely, not only because such painting would be inconsistent with the truth of God; but that another, and a most important purpose may be answered by this impartial representation of good and evil, sin and holiness, in the saints of the Most High. While the household of salvation glorify God, for the triumphs of his grace, which made these elder worthies of the Church what they were; their manifest haltings in the divine life are meant to warn us to have no other pattern of imitation than the Great Exemplar of the Church; and to be followers of others, only as their path was trodden according to the blessed footsteps of his most holy life. Therefore it is, that lest men should idolize the virtues of their fellow worms of the earth; and think all would be well, if their standard were attained, the wisdom of God permitted them to fall into sin; and that, in the exercise of those very graces, for which they are brought before the notice of the Church. A lesson is thus read, that no flesh should glory in the presence of God. A testimony is thus given to the needfulness of that fountain which is opened in Christ Jesus for sin and for uncleanness. The believer's completeness is shewn, not to be in himself; but in the Incar

nate Word-the everlasting perfection of his disciples. The Christian is taught to raise his view of goodness above all created example; to be holy as God is holy, and perfect, as God is perfect. O how increasingly dear, in every instance of human infirmity, which the Christian feels in himself, or sees in others, should be the finished salvation of his Lord! How precious, in the unquestionable concurrency of all example, that "there is not a just man upon earth, who doeth good, and sinneth not," should be the love and work of Him whose perfect righteousness is the only cause of justification before God!

Among these examples, that of Abram is very striking. We have followed his path thus far in brightness; and seen, I hope, something of the beauty of his walk of faith. We are now bidden to look upon his temporary eclipse, and notice the dark shadow through which he must pass, before the restoring Spirit of God brings him again into the light and truth of that simple belief which was yet the eminent characteristic of his gracious life and conduct. The subject has two divisions.

1 Eccles. vii. 20.

I. ABRAM'S Offence.

II. HIS REBUKE.

And may God the Holy Ghost make our consideration of the virtues and failings of the father of the faithful, convincing to those, who walk in the sight of their own eyes, and after the poor devices of their own carnal policies; and may He commend this portion of the patriarch's history, even to Christians, so prone, as all are, to walk rather by the glimmerings of their own reason, than by the eye of faith, singly and simply directed to the Sun of Righteousness!

I. ABRAM'S offence.

He went on journeying still towards the south, increasing the distance from the land of his former idolatries at every step; passing through the country of promise, in its length and breadth, so that he might see its beauty; and be graciously led towards the place wherein he was for a little while to sojourn. But now a mysterious providence befel him, putting his faith to a severe trial, and weighing it in the balances, with a temptation, against which it was found wanting. There was a famine in the land-in that very Canaan where God had promised him a heritage and a possession.