od and supreme obedience to his commands, without any other exercise of
reason than the intuitive conviction that what he orders is right
because he orders it, whether we can fathom his wisdom or not. "Canst
thou by searching find out Him?"

Yet notwithstanding the exalted faith of Abraham, by which all religious
faith is tested, an eternal pattern and example for our reverence and
imitation, the grand old man deceived both Pharaoh and Abimelech, and if
he did not tell positive lies, he uttered only half truths, for Sarah
was a half sister; and thus he put expediency and policy above moral
rectitude,--to be palliated indeed in his case by the desire to
preserve his wife from pollution. Yet this is the only blot on his
otherwise reproachless character, marked by so many noble traits that he
may be regarded as almost perfect. His righteousness was as memorable as
his faith, living in the fear of God. How noble was his
disinterestedness in giving to Lot the choice of lands for his family
and his flocks and his cattle! How brave was he in rescuing his kinsman
from the hands of conquering kings! How lofty in refusing any
remuneration for his services! How fervent were his intercessions with
the Almighty for the preservation of the cities of the plain! How
hospitable his mode of life, as when he entertained angels unawares! How
kind he was to Hagar when she had incurred the jealousy of Sarah! How
serene and dignified and generous he was, the model of courtesy
and kindness!

With Abraham we associate the supremest happiness which an old man can
attain unto and enjoy. He was prosperous, rich, powerful, and favored in
every way; but the chief source of his happiness was the superb
consciousness that he was to be the progenitor of a mighty and numerous
progeny, through whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed.
How far his faith was connected with temporal prosperity we cannot tell.
Prosperity seems to have been the blessing of the Old Testament, as
adversity was the blessing of the New. But he was certain of this,--that
his descendants would possess ultimately the land of Canaan, and would
be as numerous as the stars of heaven. He was certain that in some
mysterious way there would come from his race something that would be a
blessing to mankind. Was it revealed to his exultant soul what this
blessing should be? Did this old patriarch cast a prophetic eye
beyond the ages, and see that the promise made to him was spiri