LECTURE 44.

How we ought to act in buying and selling.

Sarah dying, and Abraham coming to mourn and to weep for her, and purchasing a field for a possession that he may bury his dead out of sight, what an end is this to so many years of domestic happiness, to so much prosperity, wealth, beauty, and to the enjoyment of a long promised son!" And Sarah died." So ends the history of all happiness upon earth. "And Abraham came to mourn for Sarah." Such is the end of the most warm affection. It exposes us at last to the more deep distress. "That I may bury my dead out of my sight." This is what we have to do with the friends whom most we love, or they will have to do with us. But why this care and order taken for such sure possession of the sepulchre? Abraham may have known something of the resurrection of the body. And in the writings of Job, perhaps the earliest in the world, he seems to have been under the persuasion, that after worms had destroyed his body, yet in his flesh he should see God. See Job 19. 26. This is a good reason for paying all due respect to the remains of the departed. That which is sown in corruption will be raised in incorruption. And though the utmost indignity which can be offered to it, by the malice of an enemy, or by the neglect of friends, cannot hinder its appointed resurrection; yet they who look to see it glorified in heaven, will be apt to lay it by, during the time it has to wait, in a place of sacred safety in the earth.

In the measures which were taken by Abraham, for obtaining possession of a suitable sepulchre, we see a striking instance of plain dealing, generosity, and courtesy, united. He made no secret of his wishes, with a view to obtain his end more cheaply; but "stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a burying place." Nor did the children of Heth take advantage of his necessity; but offered him at once the free use of any one of their sepulchres. He however would by no means accept, as a present, what he had himself applied for and designed to purchase; but having selected the cave of Machpelah, the property of Ephron the son of Zohar, prevailed on him to accept the price, four hundred shekels of silver, and so to make sure to him the whole field, for a possession. What a contrast to the usual course of bargains which take place even amongst Christians! What a reproof to our reserve, and mutual distrust, our anxiety to conceal our want of that which we have to purchase, and to enhance the value of that which we have to sell! When next we have occasion to buy or sell, let us take from Abraham in treaty with Ephron, a lesson in that charity, which thinks no evil, and in that bountiful disposition of heart which counts it "more blessed to give than to receive." Acts. 20. 35.

Abraham sendeth his servant to take a wife unto Isaac.

1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:

3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:

4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? 6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.

8 And if the woman will not

be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.

12 And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:

14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.

LECTURE 45.

The right ground of choice in wife or servant.

We have here a long chapter, taken up with an account of the means, by which Abraham obtained for Isaac a suitable wife. Do we wonder that an object such as this should obtain so large a

space, in a book which comprizes within a short compass the history of nearly half the world's duration? Let us learn to value information, in proportion as it bears upon our own conduct, and tends to shew forth the glory of God. And we shall then not be surprised at the length of this history, considering how many striking proofs it contains of the power and goodness of God, and how rich a treasure of practical wisdom for ourselves.

"The Lord had blessed Abraham in all things." This is that which God had promised. Here we see God's faithfulness manifested at the outset. “And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house." Here we see what trust may be reposed in an attached servant by a discreet master. "I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth." Such an oath for such a purpose was doubtless not at that time unlawful. And the importance of the purpose appears in the words following, "thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell." A righteous father will not take a wife for his son from among the children of the wicked. He will rather go afar for one that loves the Lord. Distance is no object unto them, with whom godliness is every thing. But "peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me;" is the doubt of the servant. Abraham had little doubt that the God at whose command he had himself left his native land would incline the heart of one of his kindred to follow him. But if not, the servant was to be clear of his oath; "only bring not my son thither again." It is better to fail in any object however important, than to disobey God however indirectly. If Abraham must leave his own country, Isaac must not go back to it. This follows, though it be not set down. And our conscience, as we read in Scripture each significant command of God, must in like manner be ready to apply it, in all its height, and depth, and length, and breadth.

He

The servant takes the oath required, and departs. journies; and arrives at the city of Mesopotamia, in which Nahor dwelt. There waiting without the city by a well of water he lifts up his heart in prayer to God, that he might be guided by a suitable token, which he mentions, in the choice of a wife for Isaac. We have seen that Abraham knew how to trust his servant. We see here how it came to pass that the servant was trustworthy. He was a devout servant of the Lord. We have seen how a spouse ought to be chosen with reference to faith and holiness of life. We may do well to remember that the same points are of the first importance in the choice of a servant. To be able to do the work we want is one thing. To be willing to do it faithfully and affectionately is another. And we can have no security for these qualities in the hearts of our household, except so far as they are purified by faith in Christ, and warmed by love for God through Him.

Abraham's servant meeteth with Rebekah.

15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came

up.

17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

18 And she said, Drink, my lord and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit, whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;

art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?

24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.

28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.

29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.

30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me: that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the 23 And said, Whose daughter house, and room for the camels. LECTURE 46.

Prayer and thanksgiving united.

The prayer of Abraham's servant is exactly answered; so exactly, that he wondered, and held his peace, and could scarcely

believe that the Lord had made his journey so entirely at once prosperous. Perhaps if we were to pray with as much of faith as he, we should often marvel as much at our success. But though God overruled what took place, so as to answer prayer, Rebekah does not appear to have done more than was according to her own kindly disposition, nor than she would probably have done to any other stranger of like appearance, in the same circumstances. Though she had, as we see afterwards, her nurse and damsels, she was not above drawing water from the well; and giving it to drink both to the servant of Abraham and to his camels. Such was the simplicity of manners in those early times! Neither the prosperity of her family, nor her beauty, though she was very fair to look upon," had filled her with those notions of idleness, luxury, selfishness and pride, which are apt to beset all who enjoy the like advantages. Wealth is precious indeed, when it is seen ministering to the comfort of them that are in want. And beauty is fair indeed to look upon, when it expresses kindness, meekness, gentleness. Where these graces serve for ornament, the outward adorning of wearing of gold is a matter of indifference, so it be suitable to the wearer's age and station. Rebekah both accepted and immediately put on the ring and the bracelets which were presented to her. But they that wear ornaments must be at the same time bountiful and hospitable; and must not, as many do, refuse to give to others, that they may have more to spend upon themselves; "she said moreover unto him, we have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in." And her brother, on being told these things, and seeing the presents which his sister had received, repeated the invitation, saying, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord." Yes, these are they whom we ought most gladly to receive as guests, those whom God has blessed, those who pray to Him, and praise Him, love Him, and obey Him. Such was this servant of Abraham. And such did this whole family know him to be. For amongst the things which Rebekah had to tell them was this, how he had given thanks to God on hearing who she was, how he had "bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord.' He had prayed for success. And when he prospered he gave thanks. These are amongst the chief ends of prayer, that we may glorify God when we obtain our petitions, and that He may manifest his goodness in granting them. And this would help us to pray more fervently, more devoutly, if we were to look beyond our own gain, in what God gives us, to his glory in giving it us. And then whether He give or see reason to withhold, whether we succeed or fail, whether we gain or lose, we shall in any case be ready to say with Abraham's servant, "Blessed be the Lord God."