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miseries and tortures that tyranny and cruelty can inflict, bear no comparison with the ranklings of a wounded conscience. Every breach of faith is mentioned by them with just abhorrence. And how reproachful would it be to those who look beyond the grave, and who expect inexpressible happiness in a world to come,-to sacrifice their godly sincerity to a little present advantage!

In order that the rising generation, in particular, may never be tempted to deceive, we should teach them to maintain the love of truth, even in the most trifling incidents. They should never be suffered to deceive themselves or others, on the slightest occasions. This will accustom them to mention with strict veracity, whatever they hear or see: and it would be well if they would always conscientiously avoid a falsehood, even in jest. The Psalmist is very instructive upon this subject." He that worketh deceit, shall not dwell within my house, he that telleth lies, shall not tarry in my sight. Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle, or who shall dwell in thy holy hill. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart."

From a proper consideration of this part of Jacob's history, as connected with what follows, let us not repine when we see fraud successful. The success is often fleeting and transitory; and it is very often imaginary. This was, indeed, for some time, a stumbling block to the Psalmist; but in the course

of his experience, he found it easily removed. He saw the ungodly in eminence; but that eminence was slippery. A speedy destruction ensued, and the delusion vanished. If, however, that destruction appears, in any instance, to be distant, who shall judge of happiness by the multitude of treasures, by the accumulation of honours, or by the splendour of equipage? Within the heart of the possessor, there may be a leaven of bitterness, that destroys all his outward enjoyments.

Again. Let us not repine at the lot of those who, with less industry than ourselves, attain a greater share of this world's blessings. It was the intention of the Almighty, that the race should not be always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong;-lest we should fix our affections on earthly things, That industry in general should be prosperous, is His will, and His blessing; but yet the caprice, the ignorance, and the perverseness of mankind, impute ingenuity and diligence where they are not found, or found only in a very slight degree ;-and diffidence, the brightest ornament of useful merit, is sometimes its greatest hindrance. Yet the same just Creator, who executes his sentence against wickedness even in this life, interposes wonderfully sometimes in favour of persevering industry and integrity. Let no man's heart fail him. He will, sooner or later, find his reward, to a certain degree even here,-or he will receive additional degrees of fortitude to bear his disappoint

ment.

And lastly,-Though we may not possess such a birthright, as that of Esau, we have one purchased by the blood of the only begotten Son of God,-infinitely more sacred. This is invaluable; This is eternal. The whole world, when placed in the balance against it, is lighter than vanity itself. Let us not, therefore, for a very small part of this world's goods, for the merest trifles with which our spiritual enemies can tempt us, be enticed to sell and to forfeit it. Let no present pleasure or profit allure us to our ruin :-so shall we be, in deed and in truth, the seed of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise:— Mercy and peace shall be upon us, and shall ever

more dwell with us, as the spiritual Israel of God.

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JACOB, after his long and vexatious servitude to Laban, was returning to the land of his fathers. His mind fluctuated between the consciousness of God's favour and the dread of Esau's revenge. He had sent forward his cattle and servants, and, in the secrecy of the night, had safely conducted his wives and children over one of the tributary streams of the Jordan. And now having taken these precautions, he returned alone to the other side of the stream, to indulge his private meditations, while the world around him was in silence and repose. The darkness of the night-watches gave additional solemnity to his anxious solitude, till he found himself in company with a stranger, a supernatural visitant, who engaged him in a contest of bodily strength.

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"And Jacob," says the sacred historian, "was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, let me go; for the day breaketh :--and he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."

The antagonist, here described as "a man," was no other than one of the heavenly host, who, as was not unusual in the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations, had assumed the human shape, and who was sent, as the representative of the Almighty, for the purpose (we presume) of confirming Jacob's religious faith, and of relieving him, by the intimation of circumstances, from his excessive fear of his brother. Let us turn, for the confirmation of this notion, to the prophet Hosea, who, speaking of Jacob in this affair, says, "By his strength he had power with God: yea, he had power over the Angel, and prevailed: he wept and made supplication unto him.”* The angel gave him the advantage in the struggle, so far as to show that if men persevere against the difficulties of their duty, they are strengthened by a power from God. This we collect from its being said he saw that he prevailed not against Jacob." The termination, however, of the contest was such, that the patriarch had no reason to presume upon his own natural strength; nor could he be so ignorant of

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* Hosea xii, 3, 4.

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