pose.

persecuted of his brother, the son of his own father; and the persecution of Jesus from the sinful world he came to save, began at his birth, continued through the whole of his life, and issued in a shameful, painful, and accursed death. "He came to his own and his own received him not. He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief."

"Before Rebekah conceived she was at ease: so before spiritual regeneration, all is peace in the soul: but no sooner is the new man formed in us, but the flesh conflicts with the spirit. There is no grace where there is no unquietness. Esau alone would not have striven; for nature will ever agree with itself. Never any Rebekah conceived only an Esau, or was so happy as to conceive none but a Jacob: she must be the mother of both, But what was seen in the mountain of the that she may have both joy and exercise. Lord, forms the closest resemblance, and afThis strife began early every true Israelite fords the sublimest instruction. In the sacribegins his war with his being. How many fice on Mount Moriah, we behold the father actions which we know not of, are not with- and son like-minded in presenting it cheerout presage and signification. In this con- fully at the command of God. Abraham withtest, Esau got the right of nature, Jacob of held not his son, his only son, and Isaac vograce: yet that there might be some pre- luntarily surrendered himself, as a lamb, for tence of equality, lest Esau should outrun a burnt offering. And on Mount Calvary what his brother into the world, Jacob holds him do we behold? "God so loved the world, that fast by the heel, so his hand was born before he gave his only begotten Son, that whosothe other's foot. But because Esau was ever believeth in him should not perish, but some minutes the elder, that the younger have everlasting life."*"God spared not his might have better claim to that which God own Son, but delivered him up for us all, and had promised, he buys that which he could how shall he not with him also freely give us not win. If either by strife, or purchase, or all things?" And Jesus gave himself for us, suit, we can attain spiritual blessings, we "a sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour unto are happy. Had Jacob come out first, he God." He "loved us, and washed us from had not known how much he was indebted our sins in his blood." Here also the Father to God for his advancement." Thus far the and Son like-minded, and in the same view, bishop. And thus, at the age of threescore and for the same end, the redemption of an years, and after twenty years from his mar-elect world. "O the height and depth, the riage with Rebekah, Isaac became the happy father of two hopeful sons. And here, the expiration of your time obliges me to interrupt his story. But I must not conclude the Lecture till I have, in a very few short hints, endeavoured to show you the analogy of Isaac the son of Abraham, and Jesus Christ the son of God.

length and breadth, of the love of God: it passeth knowledge!"

The private personal character of Isaac, a man of calmness, contemplation, and peace; the dutiful son of his affectionate mother; the respectful observer of his father's will, might, without doing violence to the subject, be brought into comparison with the pure and perfect character of his antitype, whose spirit nothing could discompose, whose nights were spent in prayer, and his days in doing good; "whose meat and drink it was to do the will of his Heavenly Father, and to finish his work," and whose dying breath uttered the accents of filial affection, and provided a son, a protector, and a home, for his desolate, afflicted mother. O the glorious excellency of that character, which exhibited the example of every personal, every relative virtue: which comprised the essence of all that is amiable in every other character, and left all created goodness at an infinite distance behind! Look to Isaac and be instructed. Look to Jesus and "grow in grace," and go on towards perfection, and "press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

They were both raised up for one and the same purpose; even to manifest the mercy and love of God to fallen men; the one as the bright and morning-star to usher in the day, the other as the meridian sun, "travelling in the greatness of his strength." Isaac, the natural root and progenitor of Christ: Christ, the spiritual author, root and head of Isaac. Isaac was the son of much expectation, the subject of many prophecies. The set time of his birth was determined and foretold by almighty Power, by unerring Wisdom, long before it happened; thus the birth of Christ, the desire of all nations, was announced to the world by a cloud of witnesses, not years, but ages, centuries, many centuries before the time. The time, the place, all the circumstances attending it, were written as with a sun-beam, so as to render mistake impossible. Both Isaac and The next Lecture, with the divine permisChrist were conceived out of the usual course sion, will contain the remaining part of the of nature, that the finger of God might be life of Isaac, from the death of his father to his seen and acknowledged in both events; own. May God communicate saving knowIsaac of a mother beyond the natural possi-ledge to us all, by every mean of instruction: bility of having children, Jesus of an im- and to his name be praise in Christ. Amen. maculate virgin. Isaac was early hated and

John iii. 16.

† Rom. viii. 32.

HISTORY OF ISAAC.

LECTURE XXI.

And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed, for my servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.-GENESIS xxvi. 23-25.

counter the most threatening dangers, to undertake the most difficult employments, and to render the most painful and costly sacrifices at God's command. The faith of Isaac, placid and contemplative, sought the happiness of communion with God in calmness and solitude, and satisfied itself with the secret, untumultuous delight of beholding his family built up, and the promises of God advancing to their accomplishment. The faith of Jacob, active and persevering, wrought upon and excited by the peculiarities of his ever-varying condition, supported a life of much bustle and industry, and surmounted disappointments and afflictions the most mortifying and oppressive. For it is the office of this divine principle, not to alter, to suppress, or eradicate the natural tempers and dispositions of men, but to guide, impel, or control them, in conformity to their proper destination.

It is a pleasing and an instructive view of the Divine Providence, to consider one and the same great design as carried on to maturity, in periods and by persons the most remote from each other, without communication of intelligence, without concurrence or exertion among themselves; to behold the great God moulding, guiding, subduing the various passions, purposes, and private interests of men to his own sovereign will; to behold the building of God rising in beauty, advancing towards perfection, by the hands of feeble workmen, who comprehend not the thousandth part of the plan which they assist in executing, and who, instead of co-operating, frequently seem to counteract one another. One digs his hour in the quarry; another lifts up his axe, and strikes a stroke or two in the forest; a third applies the square and the compass to the stone which his neighbour had polished. But their labours, Abraham, sensible of the ungovernable, their views, their abilities, however different, encroaching spirit of Ishmael, of the numerall promote the same end; and though they ous and pressing claims of his younger chiland their endeavours be frail and perishing, dren, and of the gentle, yielding, unresisting the work in which the Almighty employs nature of Isaac, had, with the prudent forethem is progressive, is permanent, is immor- sight of a good parent, made such a disposital-Here a shepherd, there a king; here a tion of his temporal affairs in his life time, little child, there a sage; here a legislator, as was most likely to prevent contention and there a conqueror; here a deluge, there a mischief after his death. Ishmael had been conflagration, fulfils the design of high Hea- dismissed many years before, had already beven; and the glorious fabric of redemption come the head of many numerous and powerrises and rises, though patriarchs, and pro- ful tribes, "twelve princes according to their phets, and apostles sink, one after another, nations,' "* and from habit, inclination, and into the dust. Man often begins to build, but necessity, had contracted a fondness for a is unable to finish, because he had not counted roving, erratic course of life. He had been the cost; but God "seeth the end from the be- brought into a transient connexion with his ginning." He can never want an instrument, brother Isaac, by an event which softens the who has heaven, earth, and hell at his dis- most rugged and obdurate dispositions, the posal. "Surely, O Lord, the wrath of man shall death of their common father; and their repraise thee," Satan is thy chained slave, and sentments, for a time at least, perhaps for"ten thousand times ten thousand mighty ever, are buried in the tomb of him to whom angelsminister unto thee." How then can thy they owed their birth. But difference of aim be defeated? How can thy counsels fail? interest, affection, and pursuit speedily sepaThe personal characters of the three lead-rates them again. Ishmael betakes himself ing patriarchs of the house of Israel, differ to his favourite occupations in the desert, exceedingly in many respects, and their man- and Isaac abides quietly in his tent, and tendner of life differs as much, while their ruling ing his flocks, by the well Lahai-roi. principle is the same. The faith of Abraham, The sons of Abraham by Keturah had been ardent and intrepid, was ever ready to en

Genesis xxiv. 13-16.

more recently removed, with a suitable pro- The distresses which embittered the revision, into a distant part of the country.* .*mainder of Isaac's life, were chiefly internal So that upon his father's demise, Isaac found and domestic; and, alas! had their source in himself in the quiet possession of by far the his own infirmity, namely, a fond partiality greatest part of his immense wealth, but ex- in favour of his elder son; the mischief of cluded from the 'society of those whom his which was increased and kept alive, by a own sweetness of temper and sense of duty, partiality, equally decided, which Rebekah and the proximity of blood, would have led had conceived in favour of Jacob. "Isaac him to cultivate and cherish. And thus loved Esau because he did eat of his venison; riches, the object of universal desire and but Rebekah loved Jacob."* Most of the pursuit, create more and greater wants than evils of a man's lot may be easily traced up those which they are able to remove. By to some weakness in which he has indulged exciting envy, jealousy, and suspicion, they himself, some error into which he has fallen, separate those whom nature has joined; some opportunity he has let slip, or some friendship is sacrificed to convenience; and, crime which he has committed. Of all the to enjoy in security what Providence has infirmities to which our nature is subject, given him, the unhappy possessor is con- none is more common, none is more unreastrained to become an alien to his own bro- sonable, unwise, and unjust, none more easily ther. We cannot refrain from bestowing, guarded against, none more fatal in its consein this place, a posthumous praise upon Abra-quences to ourselves and others, than that ham, who, uninfected by the tenacity of old age and selfishness, cheerfully surrendered, while he yet lived, a considerable part of his property, in order to insure the future peace of his family, and wisely left his principal heir a poorer man, that he might leave him happier and more secure. How unlike those sordid wretches, who will scatter nothing till death breaks into the hoard; and who care not what strife and wretchedness overtake those who come after them, in the very distribution of their property, provided they can keep it all to themselves, were it but for one day longer!

of making a difference between one child and another. It destroys the favourite, and discourages those who are postponed and slighted; it sows the seeds of jealousy and malice, which frequently produce strife, and end in violence and blood. It sets the father against the mother, and the mother against the father; the sister against the brother, and the brother against the sister. It disturbed the repose of Isaac's family, and had well nigh brought down Jacob's hoary head with sorrow to the grave. Parents ought to examine, and to watch over themselves carefully on this head. If they are unable to suppress the feeling, the expression of it, at least, is in their power; and policy, if not justice, demands of them an equitable distribution of their affection, their countenance, and their goods. For, if there be a folly which, more certainly than another, punishes itself, it is this ill-judged and wicked distinction between equals. One is ashamed to think of the reason which is assigned for Isaac's preference of his elder to his younger son,

66

Isaac had hitherto trusted every thing to the wisdom and affection of his kind father, and to the care of an indulgent Providence, even so far as to the choice of his partner for life. But his father being now removed by death, and his own children growing up fast upon him, he is under the necessity of arising and exerting himself. For the blessing of Providence is to be asked and expected, only when men are found in the way of their duty, and wisely employing lawful Isaac loved Esau because he did eat of his and appointed means of prospering. We venison." The original language expresses accordingly find him, with the prudent sa- it still more forcibly, "because his venison gacity of a good husband, father, and master, was in his mouth." By what grovelling and directing the removal of his family from place unworthy motives are wise and good men to place, as occasion frequently required; often actuated! And what a mortifying forming alliances with his powerful neigh-view of human nature is it, to see the laws bours, for their mutual security; and presiding in the offices of religion, his favourite employment. And though Providence has deprived him of the counsel and protection of an earthly parent, he finds, in his happy experience, that the man whom God continues to protect and bless, has lost nothing. "Father and mother have forsaken him, but the Lord has graciously taken him up," "hedged him round on every side," and put the fear and dread of him into all the neighbouring nations, who, though they envied, durst not hurt him.

*Gen. xxv. 6.

of prudence, and justice, and piety, vilely controlled and counteracted by the lowest and grossest of our appetites! It was not long before the effect of parental partialities appeared. A competition for precedency, and the rights of primogeniture, engaged the attention of the two brothers, and whetted their spirits against each other, from their earliest years. The pretensions of each were supported respectively by the parents according to favour, to the disregard of every maxim of good sense, and of the destination and direction of the Divine Providence.

*Gen. xxv. 28.

Who it was that prevailed in this conten- | of God over the hearts of men. The dread