God came to Abimelech by night in a dream, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken, for she is a man's wife." (v. 3.) God thus stepped in, to stop the evil Abraham was nearly the cause of. Sarah, we may note, was as guilty as Abraham. And no wonder, since he, that should have known better, thus misguided her, that should have been led aright by him. We cannot err the least, without leading others astray. Those that are most dependent on us for good, are most open to the influence of our evil conduct. Yet are those thus led astray, not on that account free from blame. Sarah was also reproved by Abimelech. "Unto Sarah he said, behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee, a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other; thus was she reproved." (v. 16.)

Abimelech heaped presents upon both Abraham and Sarah; and thus were they both reproved, by that best of all reproofs, overcoming evil by good." They received great acts of kindness from him they had injured in expecting great acts of wrong and injury at his hands. Abimelech said, "thy brother," that she might remember what was his real relationship, and that she ought to regard

Abraham, as of himself,-being a husband and a man of God,-a sufficient veil to hide her face, and so protect her from all men who should desire her; whether those with her, or those they should fall in with.

Let us ever learn, thus to depend on God's own ways and means, although before-hand we see nothing of them. Let us see them with the eye of faith. This is why God keeps them in the back ground, till the time they are wanted, that He may call our faith into exercise, on the promises of His word. If we could see how He would help us before-hand, there would be no room or call for trusting Him. Our being in want of help, and His word promising help to those who call upon Him; this is the only ground we ought to want for leaning confidently on His word,— expecting His help. Such faith would keep our minds in perfect peace,-give us confidence even in the most dreary parts of our journey here, and above all, it will keep us from that departure from truth, which dishonours God,

brings discredit on His cause,- brings shame, and often more trouble on ourselves, and seldom delivers us out of our difficulties, even for the time.

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PRAYER.

O most merciful and most holy God, incline thine ears to a sinner's prayer. There is none holy as thou art. The very best of thy children, are before thee, found wanting. Deliver me, O Lord, from the power of all my sins, and wash me from their guilt. For thy dear Son's sake, forgive my past iniquity, and give me a spirit in which there is no guile. Give me real integrity of heart. May I hate vain words and all false speaking. Save me from all temptations to act or to speak that which is not strictly true. May I never seek to save myself, by doing evil in thy sight. Let me trust in thy power and thy love, to deliver me out of all my troubles. May thy promises be my support, and may I ever hope in thyword. May thy holy word be my shield and my buckler,—my refuge in the day of trouble, -my rock and house of defence. Lord, receive my prayer, and let my cry come unto thee, in the name of Jesus Christ. AMEN.

ABRAHAM OFFERING UP

ISAAC.

"And it came to pass after these things that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." GEN. XXII. 1, 2.

WE come now to the most wonderful part of all Abraham's history, the most remarkable event in his life, the most notable exercise of his, or any other person's faith.

No wonder mention is made of this event in other parts of Scripture. No wonder that in the instances of faith, recorded in the eleventh chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, this has a prominent place. Let us hear what the apostle writes concerning it in that chapter, v. 17-19. "By faith Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called; accounting that

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God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure."

This passage explains what is meant by God did tempt Abraham." It means God did try, or put to the test, Abraham's faith. Not that He Himself might discover what faith, or what lack of faith, Abraham might have, for He knew what was in him. But for Abraham's own sake, and for our's who hear and read and have the example of Abraham's obedience.

Hence we may refer to another mention of this event in Scripture. We read in St. James, chapter ii. verse 21-23, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God." We are not to understand this as teaching us that works must be joined with faith, before we can be accounted righteous, which is, being justified; nor are we to think that faith does not perfectly justify until it has been proved to be true by works. We can prove that St. James does not mean this,