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condition of the founder of their family. But rather, how can any man be proud of his descent, who knows that he is but one of the depraved race of a fallen father, who was himself banished from paradise, and all whose posterity are by nature servants of sin, and ready to perish. In this view we may well "look to the rock whence we were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence we were digged," in order that we may learn that in no circumstances can pride be becoming for

man.

The seven years being expired, Jacob demanded his wife, and then, as we learn from the history, a gross imposition was put upon him. Leah, the elder daughter of Laban, for whom Jacob had no affection, was substituted, without his knowledge, in the place of Rachel, whom he so ardently loved, and for whom he had served so long. We cannot but think that this must have recalled his own imposture to his recollection. He must have felt that there was something of retributive judgment in this, and that he, who had so grossly imposed upon his own father, was only

served in the same manner, so that with what measure he had meted to others, it was now measured out to him again. Well would it be for ourselves if every disappointment, every act of injustice or unkindness that we meet with, should bring our own faults to remembrance, and make us say with the suffering Job, "Why should a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins." Here Jacob received a part of his punishment he found himself bound to one whom he had never loved, and towards whom he could not but feel still greater repugnance, as having been herself a party in the cheat which had been put upon him.

The point was settled by the following expedient. It was proposed by Laban that at the end of the week of the marriage feast, Jacob should receive Rachel also as his wife for the service of other seven years, to which Jacob acceded. This leads me to make some observations on a practice which we find was so common among the patriarchs, namely, the practice of polygamy, or the marrying more wives than one.

The marriage of one man with one woman was the original appointment of God at the creation. This appears in the formation of only one of each sex, as is afterwards alluded to by the prophet Malachi, (ii. 15.) "Did he not make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit." And therefore could have made more, had he seen it fit. The prophet's argument goes wholly on the supposition that it was the original appointment of God that the man should have but one wife. The terms also in which their first union is spoken of, especially as they are commented on by our Lord himself, prove the same thing, "Have ye not read, that he who made them at the beginning made them male and female; and said, for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife and they twain shall be one flesh." Yet as no positive law was given, men forgot or overlooked the original appointment. That appointment has been however definitively established by the Christian law, "let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband." And herein, as in

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every other revelation of the divine will, the happiness of the human race is greatly consulted; all the finest feelings of both the sexes towards each other, and towards their common offspring, are called into exercise; domestic peace and tranquillity are promoted; irregular desires are checked; and the appointment forms, in every respect, the most admirable state of discipline for the formation of all our moral habits, and the reduction of all our vices, and at the same time most effectually secures the continuance, health, strength, and happiness, of all generations of mankind.

II. We will next consider the other circumstance mentioned in the text, namely, the service of Jacob, during six more years, for the cattle of which he became possessed. He had served Laban faithfully during fourteen years, without having gained any property for himself except his two wives and their handmaids. He had suffered much hardship during all that time, as he says in the preceding verse, "In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night,

and my sleep departed from mine eyes," and he appealed to Laban in these strong terms, "Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me. For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the Lord hath blessed thee since my coming." This Laban had acknowledged when inducing Jacob to remain still with him. "I pray thee," he said, "if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry; for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake." Under these circumstances, when Jacob had served him so long, when he had already so large a family of his own, and when Laban's substance had been so greatly enlarged for his sake, he very naturally asks the question; And now when shall I provide for my own house also?" This led to an agreement between them that Jacob should have all the speckled and spotted among the goats and all the brown among the sheep, and that henceforth all so coloured should be the property of Jacob, and the rest should be Laban's. Jacob immediately gave these unto

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