blessed him instead of the latter. It is true that the blessing descended upon him for whom God had intended it. For before the children were born, and had done neither good nor evil, it was said to Rebecca, the elder shall serve the

younger, in order " that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him that calleth, as it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." It is true also, that Isaac, on afterwards learning the real state of the case, instead of retracting his blessing, confirmed it, and did not suffer a single word of disapprobation to fall, respecting the manner in which he had been deceived and

imposed upon. But deception continues to be deception, and consequently sinful and not to be excused but reproved, in whatever cause it may be employed. Some indeed, with the venerable Luther at their head, have not only excused the mode of acting of Rebecca and her son, but have even justified and defended it as the consequence of a noble faith. Jacob, however, did not regard it in this light, but was apprehensive, lest by such conduct he should have inherited a curse instead of a blessing from his father; and when his mother endeavoured to

pacify him by saying, “Upon me be thy curse, my son !" it is evident she means nothing by it, and is a proof that she was unable to make a proper reply. To defend such a transaction, is in reality only to maintain the abominable position, that the end sanctifies the means. But this is certain, that God never fails of attaining his aim, and that even the improper conduct of individuals must promote the accomplishment of his purposes. Yet these improprieties are not thereby justified; otherwise the curse on account of the crucifixion of Christ, would have unjustly adhered to the Jews to the present day. Shall we do evil, that good may come? God forbid!" The condemnation of those who act from such a motive is just.

Those words in Psalm 1. are often verified, "These things hast thou done and I kept silence but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes." Jacob's conduct in that affair now seemed ready to avenge itself upon him, and he might be apprehensive of the curse, respecting which he had previously so easily satisfied himself with the unmeaning words of his mother. How easily might such thoughts as the following occur to

him: Thy father did not in reality bless thee, but Esau, his first born, for whom thou didst give thyself out. The blessing has no reference to thee. Thou art a deceiver, and that of the basest kind. Although thou hast imposed upon thy venerable father, and abused his lamentable blindness, which ought to have induced thee to act with the greatest sincerity: yet the eye of God has only been the more acutely fixed upon thee; thou hast been unable to deceive Him. Thou art a deceiver; thou art worthy of death! And lo! Esau, who was blessed in thy person, is now coming against thee with four hundred men, to execute, as a servant of Divine justice, the sentence of death upon thee! Thou oughtest to have acknowledged, confessed, and made reparation for thy fault. The long-restrained wrath of God is awaking over thee. It is now too late. How couldst thou dare, how could such a man as thou venture to suppose, that God had said to

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thee, I will do thee good."

Wilt thou make

God the minister of sin, by supposing that he will be gracious to such a wretch as thou art? The Devil must have been justly permitted to suggest such pleasing thoughts to thee, in order

he more infallibly to destroy thee. Instead of making the commencement with repentance, thou hast imagined thyself, to thy own injury, in a state of grace. It will now be proved. Esau-what a noble character he is, compared with thee! He has threatened thee with death; and what else dost thou deserve at his hands? Hast thou not most basely endeavoured to rob and murder him, by cunningly stealing the blessing intended for, and in reality pronounced upon him? "Be Lord over thy brother!" it was said in the blessing, which thou didst so unjustly seek to appropriate to thyself. Dost thou not now evidently see who has experienced the fulfilment of it? Thou, a poor servant; he, a lord with four hundred men ; and thou entirely in his hand, O thou poor deceived Jacob! Where is there a poorer man than thou? And he lifted up his voice and wept bitterly.'

And are you, my friends, entirely unacquainted with trials of this kind? I can scarcely suppose it, unless you are novices in the Christian course. You have put on the armour. Until you are at liberty to put it off, many things may occur, of which it is unnecessary now to

speak in detail. Let this suffice; if you are children, call upon the Father, who without respect of persons, judgeth according to every man's work. Therefore pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. If you are children, you will not be without chastisement; and the dearer the child the sharper the discipline. David once said when it went well with him, "I shall never be moved;" for the Lord, in his mercy, had made his mountain to stand strong. But no sooner did he hide his face than he was troubled. Therefore be not high-minded, but humble. Be not self-confident, but take heed lest thou fall, whilst thinking thou art standing. Boast not thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Build thy house upon the rock, and take heed lest thou regard that as a rock, which is not so in reality. And though it be the rock, yet remember how easily thou mayest build wood and stubble upon it, which the fire will destroy. If it be genuine gold, it must still pass through the fire. For the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. "Thy filthiness is so abominable," it is said in Ezekiel xxiv. 13, that although I have purged thee, yet thou

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