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immediately followed. But if he said, She is my sister, his life would be spared. And in this case, even then nothing short of the Lord's interposition could restore to him his beloved Sarah again. This therefore he hoped. And here Abraham's faith became as illustrious as before. The patriarch had grounds to hope it. Necessity, and not choice, had driven him down into Egypt, that he might not perish by the famine. And being in the path of duty, and no doubt, constantly in the path of faith and prayer; the whole terminated at length to the divine glory, and to his faithful servant's happiness. And when Sarah was taken, and separated from him: when no possibility of communication between Sarah and her husband was found: locked up in the haram of Pharaoh, from whence there could be no escape, (according to the custom of those Eastern courts, during the life of the prince, the women of the haram being confined there never to get out,) here was a season for the exercise of faith, and for the display of the Lord's favour to his servants. And the way the Lord wrought on the occasion, is as remarkable, in proof of his interposition, as the patriarch's faith in exercise. "The Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarah Abraham's wife." (Gen. xii. 17.) And so the Lord overruled the visitation, as to give a voice to the rod, and cause the prince very gladly to give up Sarah, unviolated, to her husband. So that when the whole subject is properly considered and taken into one complete view, so far was the faith of the patriarch from being lessened by the exercise, as in the first blush of the history it seemed to appear, that by the means Abraham adopted, he still threw himself with confidence on the Lord, to save his beloved Sarah from ruín, and his life from danger; and without this

trust in the Lord, and dependance on the Lord's interposition, Abraham could not but well know, that whether he had called Sarah, sister, or wife, the peril was the same.

If it be said, (as it has been said) but wherefore did the great father of the faithful make use of a falsehood in this instance? might he not have told the truth, and with more confidence still looked up to God for the issue? To which I answer. Certainly, truth at all times, and upon all occasions, is most closely and faithfully to be followed up, leaving it with the Lord to make all things minister to his own glory, and to his people's welfare. But it should be observed, that though upon this occasion, the patriarch did not tell the whole truth, he told no falsehood. Sarah was his sister, as well as his wife. If the reader will turn to the twentieth chapter of Genesis, and peruse a similar situation, into which Abraham and Sarah were afterwards. brought at Gerar, he will there behold the patriarch's modest apology for calling his beloved Sarah his sister, rather than his wife. When Abimelech, the king of Gerar, remonstrated with Abraham for calling Sarah sister, and not wife, and said, "What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?" Abraham answered, "Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for wife's sake. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother: and she became my wife." (Gen. xx. 10-12.)

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But what I am more particularly earnest to impress upon the reader's mind, respecting this history of Abraham, (and indeed the sole purpose for which I have introduced the subject in this place) is, that the act itself was founded in faith and reliance upon the Lord. The patriarch had not

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mere human policy, without first Abraham was

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throwing himself on divine aid. well aware of his critical situation. danger to which both himself and be exposed. He therefore used what he thought the best human means: but he certainly was all the while relying by ardent faith on the Lord. And let it be remembered, that in those journies the patriarch was prosecuting, they were by the Lord's command, and not Abraham's pleasure. So that the same faith which first prompted him, at the call of God, to leave his own country, and his father's house, and, as the Holy Ghost testifies of him," by faith he went out, not knowing whither he went ;" (Heb. xi. 8.) the same perfect reliance upon the Lord went with him all the way. How beautifully the patriarch accounts for this, as well as his whole conduct in calling Sarah his sister, and she calling him brother, in the close of his apology to Abimelech ! "It came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is the kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; At every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother." (Gen. xx. 13.) What a sweet and interesting tale the whole forms! I beg the reader's pardon, for the length I have made of it; and shall now leave it to his own judgment, under the hope of divine teaching concerning it, from the Lord. ABSALOM. Son of David. His history we have 2 Sam. 14th to the 18th chapter. His name was but ill suited to his character; for he was of a rebellious, turbulent spirit. Ab, the father, Shalom, of peace.

ABSTAIN, and ABSTINENCE.

The Scripture

sense of both these words hath a very extensive meaning, beyond the mere abstinence of the body.

Fasting from food is easily done, and it is to be feared is often done by many, who give unrestrained indulgence to the lusts of the flesh and the mind. The Holy Ghost, by his servants the apostles, hath given them very blessed directions of "abstaining from fleshly lusts which war against the soul and from the very appearance of evil." (1 Pet. ii. 11. 1 Thess. v. 22.)

ACCEPT or ACCEPTATION. There is nothing more opposed to each other, than the Scripture sense of acceptation, as it relates to the Lord, and as it relates to man. To accept any man's person, is the sinful act of a sinful man. And to accept a poor sinner in Christ, is the gracious act of a gracious God. And those different views of acceptation very fully explain the meaning of the apostle, in his sermon before Cornelius and his household. "Of a truth I perceive, (said Peter) that God is no respecter of persons." God hath no respect to the person of any, but as they are in Christ. It is to Jesus, that the Lord hath respect. And, therefore, in every nation, he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Jesus." (Acts x. 34, 35.)

ACCESS. This, in Scripture language, means, the drawing nigh to a throne of grace, and having a nearness, and audience with God in Christ. The apostle Paul hath a short but comprehensive verse, (Ephes. ii. 18.) which explains this most fully; and at the same time shews, how each glorious person of the GODHEAD takes part, in the distinct office of each, on those sweet and blessed occasions. "For through him (that is the Lord Jesus) we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." It is through the mediation of the Lord Jesus believers draw nigh, and have access unto the Father; and this, by the gracious leadings

and influences of the Holy Ghost. And I beg the reader to note yet farther, the blessedness of this access to the throne. It is not simply as introduced by Christ, but beheld, and accepted also in Christ. He is our peace, our cause, both of access and acceptance: for it is "to the praise of the glory of JEHOVAH'S grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved." (See Rom. v. 2. Ephes. i. 6.; ii. 18.; iii. 12. 1 Pet. iii. 18.) This seems to be the scriptural sense of access. ACCUSED. In Scripture language, this means, being separated from, and under the curse of God. (Joshua vi. 17. Rom. ix. 13. 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Gal. i. 8, 9.) · What a sweet relief to a poor burdened soul, when led to see that curse done away in Christ! (Gal. iii. 13.) ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN. One of the names of Satan. (Rev. xii. 9.) See Devil. Satan.

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ACELDAMA. The field of blood. It was very

properly called so, because it was purchased with the thirty pieces of silver, which the traitor Judas received of the chief priests for Christ's blood. (Matt. xxvii. 8. Acts i. 19.) It lay to the south of mount Zion, not far from the pool of Siloam. The name given it of Aceldama, is rather Syriac than Hebrew; and compounded of Achel, (from Chakel) field, and Damah, blood. This memorable ground is said to be shewn to travellers, even to the present day. Wherefore it was called the potter's field, is not so easy to say: unless, like our church-yards, some neighbouring potter dried his earthen pans there, as people now dry their clothes, after washing, in our church-yards. An old monk, called Drutmar, relates, that in his days, there was an hospital built in this charnel house for strangers, where the pil

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