180. And it came to pa.s.s after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, _Lie with me_. But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hands.

There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me, but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against G.o.d? And it came to pa.s.s as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her to lay by her, or be with her. _And it came to pa.s.s about this time that Joseph went into her house to do his business: and there was none of the men of the house there within. And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me and he left his garment in her hand, and fled and got him out._ And it came to pa.s.s, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, that she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, _See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice._

She then told the same unblushing falsehood to Pharaoh her husband as soon as he returned home; when he becomes indignant, and orders poor Joseph to be cast into prison. Gen. x.x.xix. 7 to 20.

REUBEN.

181. And it came to pa.s.s when Israel dwelt in that land, _that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah_, his father's concubine, and Israel heard it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. Gen. x.x.xv. 22.

182. Reuben (says Jacob) thou art my first-born, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, the excellency of power. Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel, _because thou wentest up to thy father's bed_; then defiledst thou it; he went up to my couch.

Gen. xlix. 3; 4.

AMNON.

183. And Amnon (David's eldest son), said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand: and Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her _and said unto her, Come, lie with me, my sister_. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel; do not thou this folly. And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel; now, therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king: _for he will not withhold me from thee_, Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but? being stronger than she, _forced her and lay with her_, 2 Samuel xiii. 10 to 14.

ABSALOM.

184 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, [another of David's sons] Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house, and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house, _and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel._ 2 Samuel xvi. 21, 22.

SHECHEM.

185. And Dinah, the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land: and when Shechem, the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, _he took her and lay with her, and defiled her_. Gen, x.x.xiv. 1, 2.

CHRIST.

186. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, _he cannot be my disciple_. Luke xiv. 26.

187. _I am come to send fire on the earth_, and what will I if it be already kindled. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? _I tell you nay; but rather division._ Luke xii. 49; 51.

188. Think not that I come to send peace on earth; _I come not to send peace, but a sword_. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Matt. x. 34, 35.

189. Then said he unto them, But now he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip; and he that hath no sword, _let him sell his garment and buy one_. Luke xxii. 36.

190. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them bring hither, _and slay them before me_, Luke xix. 27.

191. He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be _d.a.m.ned._ Mark xvi. 16.

192. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of G.o.d, but unto them that are without, all these things are done in _parables_; That seeing they may see, _and not perceive_, and hearing they may hear, _and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them_. Mark iv. 11, 12.

193. And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage, and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you; and as soon as ye enter into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never mam sat; _loose him and bring him_; and if any man say unto you, Why do you this?

_Say ye that the Lord hath need of him_; and straightway he will send him hither. Mark xi. 1 to 3.

194. And it came to pa.s.s that he went through the corn-fields on the Sabbath-day, and his disciples began as they went, _to pluck the ears of corn_. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, _why do they on the Sabbath-day that which is not lawful?_ And he said unto them, have ye never read what David did when he had need, and was a hungered, he and they that were with him? How he went into the house of G.o.d in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the show-bread, which is not lawful to eat, but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him! Mark ii. 23 to 26.

195. Now there was there, nigh unto the mountain, a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. _And forthwith Jesus gave them leave_, and the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine; and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea (they were about _two thousand_) and were choked in the sea. Mark v. 11, 12.

196. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry, and seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon; and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves; _for the time of figs was not yet_. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever: and his disciples heard it. And in the morning, as they pa.s.sed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots; and Peter calling to remembrance, saith unto him, Master, _behold the fig-tree which thou cursedest is withered away_. Mark xi. 12? 13, 14, 20, 21.

[In the four preceding notes Christ is represented, both as taking or destroying other people's property himself, as well as allowing others to do it, _which of course is eminently moral_. ]

PETER.

197. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, _and cut off his right ear_. The servant's name was Malchus. John xviii. 10.

198. Then took they him (Christ) and led him and brought him into the high priest's house, and Peter followed afar off. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall and were sat down together, Peter sat down among them. But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, this man was also with him. _And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not_. And after a little while another saw him, and said, thou art also of them. And Peter said, _Man, I am not_. Luke xxii. 54 to 58.

PAUL.

199. _I robbed other churches_, taking wages of them, to do ye service.

2 Cor. xi. 8.

200. For if the truth of G.o.d hath more abounded, _through my LIE unto his glory_, why yet am I also judged as a sinner? Romans iii. 7.

201. But if any man be ignorant, _let him be ignorant_. 1 Cor. xiv. 38.

202. Beware lest any man _spoil you through philosophy_ and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. Col. ii. 8.

203. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you, than ye have received, _let him be accursed_. Gal. i.

9.

204. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, _let him be anathema maranatha_. 1 Cor. xvi. 22.

205 A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition, _reject_. t.i.tus iii. 10.

206. But Elymas the sorcerer, (for so his name by interpretation) _withstood them_, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith. Then Saul (who also is called Paul) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him and said, O full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, will thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord? And now behold, _the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind,_ not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness: and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand. Acts xiii. 8 to 11.