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great danger of experiencing the most painful proofs of it. God regarded all their boasted wisdom as folly, however much they had said that was true and excellent; and testified, respecting his servant Job, whose whole wisdom was at last comprised in this single expression, I know that my Redeemer liveth,' notwithstanding all that he had uttered in his haste, Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.'. We must hope that in this manner, their own wisdom and righteousness were in mercy put to shame, and that they learnt with Job to comfort themselves with a Redeemer, and with Elihu to look unto the One of a thousand, who says, 'Deliver him from going down to the pit.'

Esau and his posterity soon established themselves in Mount Seir, and had already kings of their own, whilst Israel's descendants were still in circumstances of difficulty; as a proof that the Divine favor and temporal sufferings may not only well exist together, but that the cross generally accompanies grace, and that those are not necessarily the children of God, with whom every thing succeeds according to their wish. Jacob called his life a pilgrimage, and thus proved that he sought a country beyond the limits of the visible world. He gladly chose Christ, even with the cross; which mind was afterwards manifested very gloriously in Moses, that true Israelite, when he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season!

But what ideas must Esau have had of the blessing of God, on comparing himself with Jacob? The lat

ter called him 'his Lord,' and himself his servant.' And such it really seemed, according to outward appearance. "Ah," may Esau have thought, "what a superstitious fool I was, to attach so much value to my father's blessing, as to weep because my brother forestalled me in it! How little reason I had for doing so! How every thing succeeds according to my wish! And my brother, how does it fare with him and his blessing? It is only superstition. And according to reason, he was in the right. But did Jacob think so too? Did he think, "What am I profited in being preferred to Esau ? Wherein consists my preference? In suffering, in persecution, in misfortune?" Did he think, "The blessing was of no importance, and it was very unnecessary for my mother to have been so anxious to appropriate it to me?' O no! His Redeemer was his treasure, which he would not exchange for any consideration. He regarded all he possessed as a gracious present of the good pleasure of God; and this made the little more precious to him, than the abundance which Esau possessed, and respecting which, it was doubtful whether he possessed it in wrath or from favor. David preferred spending a day in the courts of God's house, to a thousand in the tabernacles of the ungodly. Israel desired the confirmation of the promised blessing, by which, according to the predecessor Abraham, all the should be blessed in his seed. everything else; and that justly. 'I have enough,' said Esau; but Jacob, I have abundance; for whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth

assurance given to his nations of the earth This he preferred to

that I desire beside thee. Though flesh and heart fail, yet God is the strength of my heart, and my portion.' This confirmation was Israel's primary wish.

The second thing of which he was rendered desirous was a deeper establishment in grace, greater liberty in it, a greater facility in boldly resigning and committing himself to it, by which he might be divested of a multitude of anxious cares. He had received the blessing from his father he had experienced repeated confirmations of it from the Lord; he had received glorious promises, and the most striking proofs of his kind providence and goodness; but all this had not produced the effect upon his state of mind, befitting such gracious intimations. He was still subject to much anxiety and fear respecting Esau. One would be inclined to think and say, 'How is it possible, that with such marks of favor, and after such experience, he could still be apprehensive that Esau might slay him, together with his children, since the promise of God would then be rendered void ?" Jacob was fully sensible how painful and unbecoming this was, without being able to alter it; and felt compelled to apply to God in prayer, that, together with the promise, he would grant him the ability duly to co-operate with it.

Such is also frequently the case with the Christian. After having been so often enabled to receive the promise of the Gospel, and Jesus Christ himself, with joyful confidence, and to swear, 'In the Lord have I righteousness and strength;' after having been a hundred times translated from darkness to light, and from pressure into peace; after having been most firmly as

sured of his having been received into favor, and frequently inundated with consolation, and been so often able to trust in the Lord, that he will surely perform what he has promised, he becomes in some measure ashamed of always doubting of his reception to favor, as he did at the beginning: yet still he possesses no real peace and rest for his soul, and cannot yet fully commit himself, with filial confidence and resignation, to God, and all his concerns to the Lord, and still feels occasionally fear and anxiety. There are many, indeed, who think it cannot be otherwise here below; and that every one must satisfy himself with it as well as he is able. There are also others who have a supe

rior idea of grace. They know, beyond a doubt, that grace is more powerful than sin; that the heart may be established with grace; that the knowledge of Jesus Christ may be exceedingly abundant, so as to cause us to count all things but loss for it; that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, may make us free from the law of sin and death; that we may be purged from an evil conscience, and that we may find rest for our souls; that from being children we may become men and fathers in Christ, and that our hearts may be knit together in love, unto all the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. In short, the individual is compelled to form no mean, but great ideas of a really evangelical and New Testament state of grace, with respect to enlightening peace, sanctification, and power, as is only just and rea

sonable. And not only so, but he also feels a powerful hunger and thirst after righteousness after this perfect liberty, faith, and love; and finds himself compelled to declare with Jacob, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.'

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It is therefore no longer single, transient enlightenings and seasons of refreshment which he desires, but a dwelling and abiding of Christ in the heart, a walking before him and in him, and a being rooted in him. Be it that the soul is not clearly conscious of this; yet still there is an impelling principle of the Spirit of God within her, which desires, with David, to be translated out of a strait place into a large room. Thus it manifested itself also in the disciples, when they prayed, 'Lord, increase our faith!" Lord, teach us how to pray!' because they could no longer be satisfied with their former mode of believing and praying. Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us,' said they; and Jesus promised them the Holy Spirit, who should satisfy all their desire. Paul was not satisfied with the believing Corinthians, but calls them babes and carnal; nor with the Hebrew Christians, for when for the time they ought to have been teachers, they needed that one should teach them again, which were the first principles of the oracles of God.' He says to the Galatians, that he must travail again in birth with them, until Christ be formed in them. Christ reproves his disciples for being so devoid of understanding; and Peter says, 'Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.'

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No one, however, can add one cubit to his stature,