THERE is no subject of contemplation more | rival sisters, rather than not mortify each pleasing, more instructive, more composing other, voluntarily mortify and degrade themto the mind, than the wisdom and goodness selves, by raising their handmaids to a parof the Divine Providence, in adapting and ticipation of their husband's bed. Envy and adjusting, with such consummate skill, the revenge, if they can but hurt an adversary, understanding, the dispositions, and the ex- regard not the wounds which they inflict at ertions of men, to their various and succes- home. Unhappy Jacob! my heart bleeds for sive situations, relations, employments, and him. His time, and labour, and strength, fortunes. What so feeble, so helpless, so are at the disposal of a selfish, hard-hearted, necessitous as a new-born infant? But its insatiable father-in-law; his very person and proper aliment has accompanied it into the affections are insolently settled, disposed of, world. Its first cry has awakened ten thou- and transferred at the pleasure of two jealous, sand fond affections in one, who, at the ha- wrangling sisters: while, behold a family zard of her life, brought it forth, and at the rising and increasing upon him, without the hazard of her life, is ready to preserve it. power or means of making any provision for What so giddy, rash, inconsiderate as youth? it. The mind of his beloved Rachel, whom But the father is proportionably thoughtful, he had earned at the hard price of fourteen serious, and attentive. Man, of all animals, years painful service, is soured and chastands longest in need of support and pro- grined by the want of one blessing. The latection; therefore natural affection in man bours of the field through the day, are not is more intelligent and of greater duration relieved at night by the tenderness of symthan in any other creature. Instinct and pathy and love, but embittered and aggra reason unite their force, in aid of the length-vated by womanish altercation and strife. ened infancy and childhood of the human What could have supported him but relirace. Parents often, and unjustly, complain,gion? that their care and tenderness meet not with reciprocal returns of attachment and affection from their children; not considering, that this current sets continually downward, and that the love which we bear to our off spring nature has intended they should repay, not to us, but to their offspring. Do our children grieve and vex us with their levity, and thoughtlessness, and folly? Let us have a little patience. By and by they shall become fathers and mothers; and then shall they be cured of what now gives us so much uneasiness; and then shall they be grieved, vexed, and mortified, in their turn.

Leah has, at various intervals, borne Jacob six sons and a daughter: and Rachel's grief and despair are at their height, when God, whose counsels move not, nor stand still in complaisance to our desires or caprices, thinks meet to remove her sorrow and reproach; and she becomes the joyful mother of a son. What ingenious pains the silly mothers take to perpetuate the memory of their jealous sentiments and contentions, in the names which they impose upon their children; impiously presuming to drag in Providence as a party to their quarrel; foolishly and wickedly transmitting their contemptible hatred The anxieties which Jacob's dissension and animosity to the disturbance and distress with his brother occasioned to their fond pa- of their posterity; and madly sowing the rents are now thickening upon his own head. seeds of a plague, which might one day break In the last period of his life, we saw the ho- out and consume them! O how different the nest shepherd following his simple employ-jealous spirit which at first dictated the names ment with cheerfulness and joy; drinking delicious draughts of love from the approving eyes of his amiable shepherdess; and beguiling the tedious months of servitude in converse with his Rachel, and with the prospect of that bright hour, which was to crown his hopes, and to reward all his toil. But those soft moments have passed away, and vanished like a dream; their flight was not perceived; their value is understood and prized after they are forever gone. The cares, and troubles, and apprehensions of a father now occupy his mind. Jealousy and strife disturb his repose. Why multiply elaborate arguments against the practice of polygamy? Look into the wretched disorder and discord of those families which have been built upon that unnatural system, and be assured it is not, it cannot be, from Him, who loves the children of men, and all whose institutions aim at making them happy. The

of the twelve heads of the tribes of Israel, from that prophetic spirit which foresaw and predicted their future characters and situations, as it breathed from the lips of their dying father; and, from the mind of God, who was employing female spleen and passion, to declare his own purposes and designs.

About the time of Joseph's birth, it would appear, the term of Jacob's servitude had expired. He now therefore naturally thinks of the home which he had left so long before, and of the obligations which he lay under, to exert himself in the maintenance and provision of his numerous family. He therefore modestly applies to Laban for his dismission. That greedy kinsman, well aware of the advantages which had accrued to him from Jacob's diligence, fidelity, and zeal, expresses much regret on hearing this proposal. But, it is not regret at the thought of parting with his daughters and grandchildren: it is not

the tender concern of bidding a long farewell to a near relation and faithful servant. No, it is regret at losing an instrument of gain: it is the sorrow of a man who loves only himself.

that one here and there through the flock should be thus distinguished, we can easily believe to happen without a miracle. But, that the great bulk of the young should bear this signature; that, as the impressing object Hitherto, the profits of Jacob's industry had was exhibited or withdrawn, the dams should been wholly his uncle's. He had most un- conceive uniformly and correspondently, is, generously taken advantage of his nephew's on no principle of nature or of art, to be acpassion for his daughter, to reduce him into counted for. The finger of God is therefore a mere drudge for his own interest. From a to be seen and acknowledged in it. Thus sense of shame, as well as a regard to inte- was the condition of Jacob speedily and wonrest, he is at length constrained to Jacob's derfully changed to the better: "And the sharing the fruits of his own labour with him. man increased exceedingly, and had much Laban's craftiness had proved too hard for cattle, and maid-servants, and men-servants, Jacob's candour and integrity; but the wis- and camels, and asses. * And thus, the dom of Heaven, at last, proves more than a world is instructed, that he who fears and folmatch for even the cunning of a Laban. Ja-lows God, will sooner or later find his reward. cob, whether prompted from above, or instructed by natural sagacity, aided by experience, proposes as his hire, such a part of the flocks which he fed, as should be, in future, produced of a certain description, "the ring-straked, speckled, and spotted,"-which were so few in number, that they might rather be reckoned the sportings than the regular productions of nature. Laban acquiesces without hesitation in this proposal; wondering in himself, I doubt not, that Jacob should be so simple as to make it. An entire separation is accordingly made, without delay, between the cattle of the description which had been stipulated, and the rest of the flock. They are removed to prevent all occasion of suspicion and complaint, to the distance of a three days' journey; and delivered into the custody of Laban's sons, men too like their father to throw any thing into Jacob's scale, either through good-will, neglect, or carelessness. Jacob continues to tend the remainder of the flocks, pure from all mixture, and they were by far the greatest part of the flock, for his father-in-law.

But it seems determined of Providence, that Jacob should never find a place of rest. Lately, he was poor and dependent, and thence anxious in his own mind, and liable to insult, and unkindness, and oppression from others. Now, he is rich and prosperous, and thence exposed to hatred and envy. And envy, like a plague or a torrent, sweeps every thing before it. We may easily conceive with what watchful jealousy Jacob's carriage and his charge were observed by such men as Laban and his sons. With what astonishment and indignation did they behold the best and most beautiful of the ewes and she-goats bringing forth nothing but "speckled and spotted!" Their rage and discontent are, for awhile, expressed by sullen looks and secret murmurs only. At length they become too violent to be suppressed, and break forth into open scurrility and abuse. The tongue of the gloomy father indeed says nothing-What can he say? But his averted looks, his glaring, dissatisfied, indignant eyes, fully declare the anguish that preys upon his heart. I confess I am malicious enough to enjoy it. I love to see the envious man goaded and stung by the lashes and snakes of his own dark, empoisoned conscience; because I love to see mankind happy. It gives me pleasure to see the generous rival of a sordid miser, surpassing him in wealth, eclipsing him in estimation and success: galling him by his prosperity and liberality.

The device which he employed, and which seems to have been suggested to him in a dream, is well known to all who read the scriptures. It has been disputed, whether the success of it was in the ordinary course of natural cause and effect, or was entirely produced by a miraculous interposition in favour of our patriarch. Indeed, there seems in it a great deal of both the one and the other. That the female, in the moment of Jacob, however, is unable to stand it. And, conception, should be more than usually sus-judging it better for all parties that they ceptible of strong and extraordinary impressions, and capable of transmitting that impression to her young, so as clearly to mark and distinguish it, is too fully proved by experience to be denied. But this happens too seldom in the usual walk of nature, to permit us to suppose that the extraordinary increase of Jacob's cattle was in the mere current of things, aided a little by human sagacity and skill. That one lamb, or kid, should be marked with "the streaks of the poplar, hazel, and chestnut rods," or,

should separate, to save himself the distress of encountering the bitter words and sour looks of unkind relations, and to spare them the misery of witnessing his growing pros perity, he proposes to return to his aged, kind parents, from whom he was certain of meeting with a cordially affectionate reception.

The dialogue which passed between Ja cob and his wives upon this occasion, lets us deeper into the distresses and discomforts of his present condition; and exhibits the

* Gen. xxx. 43.

Gen. xxxi. 4-16.

HISTORY OF JACOB.

[LECT. XXVI

pose; a family such as this, was in a condition very unfavourable to the journey which they are about to undertake, especially, liable as they were to be pursued and overtaken by incensed Laban; or, intercepted and cut off by the way, by the equally incensed Esau. But, Jacob is following the direction of Heaven, and therefore proceeds with humble confidence. What a destroyer of human comfort is wealth, that universal object of pursuit! See, it has alienated the affections of one man from his own family; it has driven another to flee from that person as an enemy, whom he had once sought unto as a friend. In one shape or another, this evil affection, the love of riches, is, I am afraid, at the botthe ills which we suffer. tom of most of the ill we do, and of most of

to his family, and obtained their hearty conJacob, having communicated his intention currence, takes advantage of Laban's occu

to steal away homeward. And he has the felicity of gaining three days' journey, before the news of his flight have reached the uncle. But encumbered as he was, this is but a slight advantage, if a pursuit were attempted; and he must be indebted for his safety, after all, to the protection of that God whom he was following, and not to his own wisdom, foresight, speed, or force.

picture of a covetous man in still livelier, but therefore the more odious colours. From it we learn, that the sordid father, not contented with exacting of his son-in-law the rigorous performance of his hard bargain, according to the rules of strict justice, (and the justice of a miser is stern, unfeeling, and severe indeed) frequently had recourse to trick and chicane to over-reach and defraud him. No fidelity could please, no submission mollify, no attachment subdue, no tie of justice bind, no call of nature awaken his impenetrable, selfish heart. Ye know that with all my power I have served your father. And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times, but God suffered him not to hurt me. 19 and Leah answered and said unto him, Is "And Rachel there yet any portion of inheritance for us in our father's house? Are we not counted of him strangers? For he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money."+pation in the business of his sheep-shearing Whom do men commonly cherish and love with peculiar tenderness? Their daughters and grandchildren. For whom do men usually save, and gain, and lay up in store? For their daughters and grandchildren. But behold, here is a father who has sold his daughters for hire, who treats them as strangers to his blood, defrauds them of their undoubted right! Behold a grandfather taking pleasure, not in the innocent prattle, not in the dawning genius, not in the increasing to remove nothing but what was, by a clear Jacob, I dare say, was scrupulously careful stature of the young ones who descended and undoubted title, his own. from his own loins; not in smoothing for them repeatedly and patiently submitted to impoHe who had the rugged path of life, not in extending and sition and oppression, for the sake of quietbrightening their prospects, not in rearing ness, was not likely to provoke enmity, and and establishing their fortunes! but, in di- justify vengeance, by robbery and plunder. verting the streams of their subsistence; But Rachel, in what view, and for what reabut, in grasping to himself the hard-earned son, it is not easy to determine, has "stolen fruits of their father's industry; but, in un-away the images which were her father's." dermining, counteracting, destroying their Many solutions have been attempted, of this interests and their hopes! for the world, that this vile passion is neither Some of them I shall just mention, leaving How happy it is strange and unaccountable piece of theft. immortal nor omnipotent! God is, in spite of Laban, fulfilling to Ja- ter. It is alleged by some Rabbins, that she you to form your own judgment of the matcob the covenant and promise which he en- carried off the Teraphim or idols, lest her tered into at Bethel. Jacob had stipulated father, by consulting them, should discover but moderate things for himself, "bread to the route which Jacob had taken, and so pureat and raiment to put on," whilst he was sue with the greater certainty of overtaking from home; and a peaceable and safe return him. Some ascribe her conduct to piety and to his father's house and lo, an indulgent natural affection, as if she meant to make Providence has far exceeded his expecta- Laban sensible of the weakness of deities tions, and even his desires. But, if he be which would suffer themselves to be stolen increased, he is also encumbered; if his away, without giving notice of such a design, stock be larger, so is also his care; have his and were incapable of making any resist comforts multiplied? he is but the more vul- ance; thereby hoping to detach her father nerable. A retinue, consisting of two wives from the absurdity and impiety of idol wor and as many concubines; twelve children, ship. Others, less charitably disposed to the eldest but thirteen years old, and the wards her, represent her as a true daughter youngest under seven; of the servants ne- of Laban, instigated by covetousness, to purcessary to a family so numerous; of a live loin the deities, for the value of the precious stock so extensive, to be removed, and of the materials of which they were composed, or attendants absolutely needful for that pur-whereby they were ornamented. And Chrysostom, with almost equal severity, accounts

Gen. xxxi. 6, 7.

V r. 14, 15.

for the robbery from her predilection in favour of idolatry.

Thus Jacob left his father-in-law: or, to use the marginal reading, which is sufficiently warranted by the Hebrew words, "stole away the heart of Laban the Syrian;" that is, either he acted with so much prudence and caution, that Laban suspected not, fathomed not his design; or, he stole away that which was dear to him as his heart and soul, his precious, precious wealth. The sequel abundantly justifies this latter interpretation. For Laban is no sooner informed of his son-in-law's escape, than, without the shadow of a pretence to molest him on his way, or to force him back, makes after him with a powerful body of his friends, if not to plunder and murder him, at least, to oblige him to return. After seven days' hasty marching, he overtakes him and his cumbersome train, in Mount Gilead; and he is ready to seize on his defenceless prey. But the God in whom Jacob trusted, plants around him a fence more impenetrable than the adamantine rock. Laban's gods could not hinder themselves from being stolen away by a simple woman, and packed up among other lumber, to be conveyed off: but Jacob's God is watching and protecting him night and day; nay, watching his enemy too, to check and repress him. For, the vision of the Almighty, is not only with them that fear him, to direct and comfort them, but sometimes also with them that fear him not, to restrain, to threaten, and to terrify them.

mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? Thou hast now done foolishly, in so doing."* But truth will appear through the closest disguise. With all this pompous parade of kindness and affection, he is weak enough to avow the violent purpose with which he had undertaken the pursuit, and, from his father-in-law's own lips, Jacob has the satisfaction to learn that he owed his safety to the kind interposition of a heavenly, not to the altered mind of an earthly parent.

But, figure to yourselves Jacob's surprise, when charged by Laban with having stolen his gods. If there was a thing about Laban's house more odious and contemptible than another in his eyes, it was his Teraphim.He would justly have reckoned such an impure mixture among his goods as the corrupter and destroyer of the whole. His defence therefore is simple, yet forcible; because it is the language of genuine truth, and of conscious innocence and integrity. Í like Jacob's speech throughout. It is the language of a good and honest heart. Your time permits me not to make any commentary upon it. Indeed it needs none. Observe only, in general, how generous is the fear which he expresses, lest Laban should violently resume the wives whom he had given him. Some of them had been obtruded upon him by fraud, others by persuasion; but they are the mothers of his children, and therefore he cannot bear to think of parting God, in a dream by night, charges Laban, with them, though he might have been per-, in a manner which he could not but under-mitted. How noble is the disdain and instand, feel, and remember, charges him at his peril to offer Jacob any injury in word or deed: "for when a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemy to be at peace with him." Thus warned, he comes up with his nephew next morning; and, like many, who, when they are galled by an ill conscience, endeavour to ease themselves of its reproaches, by transferring the blame from themselves to the persons whom they have wronged; he reproaches Jacob with a conduct, which, he well knew, had resulted entirely from his own harshness and severity, and upbraids him with unkind behaviour to his daughters, fully convinced all the while, that they had no ground of complaint against any one, so much as against their own unnatural, unkind father, who had counted them as strangers: for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money."

dignation which he expresses, on being charged with the theft of Laban's gods! How manly the recapitulation of his past services and sufferings! How bold the defiance he bids to malice and resentment!

But, it discovers too much of a great and generous spirit, to be passed over thus slightly. I must therefore take the liberty to resume it, and to enlarge a little upon it-and now hasten to conclude, with this single idea, of the analogy which we never wish for a moment to lose sight of. Jacob, leaving Canaan, solitary and poor, banished from his father's house, and degraded into slavery: and Jacob, returning, loaded with the spoils of churlish Laban, and blessed with a numerous, prosperous, and increasing family, without a violent stretch of thought, prefigures to us-Jesus, descending from heaven, and the original splendours of his nature; voluntarily depressing himself into the form of a servant, and meekly submitting, for a season, and to accomplish a great and important purpose, to the want of the smiles of his heavenly Father's countenance: and "Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly," the glory that followed"-his triumphant

It is pleasant to hear a miserly wretch talk of the liberal and generous things which he intended to have done, after the call and occasion are over, and his generosity is in no danger of being brought to the test.

and steal away from me? and didst not tell me that I might have sent thee away with

return to heaven, adorned with the spoils of
*Gen. xxxi. 27, 28
† Gen. xxxi. 36-42

HISTORY OF JACOB.

LECTURE XXVII.

And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy servant : for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.-GENESIS xxxii. 9-11.