372 APPÉNDIX to SERMONS XX, -XXI', AND XXIt. come." And he adds concerning these slanderers, or concerning those who hold this doctrine of doing evil with a good design, " that their damnation is just," ver. 8. Answer II. The case of Rahab is easily adjusted in this -manner, without allowing a lie to be lawful: Ra. hab, though she was a womanof evil fame in Jericho, yet had heard of the promise of God to Israel, to esta- blish them in the land of.0anaan ; she believed this pro- mise, and under the influence of this faith she entertain- ed the spies, and thereby assisted the Israelites in the conquest of that city; so far her action is approved of God, and mentioned with honour: But she used a very sinful method in compassing this design, when she told a plain lie to the messengers of the king. The timorous- ness of her temper was a sore, temptation to her; and though she fell into a criminal action, yet God so far excused the ill conduct, as to forgive the falsehood; and thereby put a more signal honour upon the eminence of her faith. Her name stands therefore recordedwith ho- nour in scripture amongbelievers. But the lie, though it was pardoned, remains still a blemish to her charac- ter. There may be alsó a reason given why the scripture does not particularly make any sharp remark upon this falsehood of Raliab; for the great degree of her igno- rance does much lessen her fault, though not cancel it. A womandf her character, living in a heathen country, MayWell be supposed to have had little knowledge of the sinfulness of so beneficial a lie as that was, and na scru- ple about it. But it is by no means a sufficient justification of her conduct, that the scripture does not directly censure her for lying; for there are many actions recorded in scrip- ture, both of saints and sinners, which are utterlyun- lawful in the,sight of God; which yet have not an express censure passed upon them.. Itahab's being an harlot is not censured in any part of her history; nor Judah's de- filing Tamar his daughter-in -law ; nor Jacob and Re- becca's complication of lies to gain the blessing ; nor the most express and wicked lie of the old prophet in Beth- el, though it was the cause of the death ofanother pro- phet; i Kings xiii. yet surely these were crimes of
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