Finally He alleges, as the grand reason of his departure, the command of God. The same Angel who had directed him to observe the accomplishment of his former dream, at the same time added, I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

Let us pause, and observe with attention this important passage. I am the God of Bethel! Such words could never have been uttered by a created angel; nor does the appearing in the form of an angel, or messenger, accord with the scripture account of God the Father: it must therefore have been the Son of God, whose frequent appearances to the patriarchs afforded a prelude to his incarnation. Paul, speaking of Christ in his pre-incarnate character, says, that being in the form of God, he thought it not robbery to be equal with God. But to what does the Apostle refer? When or where had he appeared equal with God? In such instances as these, no doubt; wherein he constantly spake of himself, and was spoken to by his servants, as God; and in a manner which evinces that he accounted it no usurpation of that which did not belong to him.

What sat

I am the God of Bethel! When at Bethel, the Lord said, I am Jehovah, God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac. He might have said the same now; but it was his pleasure to direct the attention of his servant to the last, and to him the most interesting of his manifestations. By giving him hold of the last link in the chain, he would be in possession of the whole. The God of Bethel was the God of his fathers, Abraham and Isaac; the God who had entered into covenant with the former, had renewed it with the latter, and again renewed it with him. isfaction must it afford, to be directed by such a God! It is also observable, that in directing Jacob's thoughts to the vision at Bethel, the Lord reminds him of those solemn acts of his own, by which he had at that time devoted himself to him. I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and vowedst a vow unto me. It is not only necessary that we be reminded of God's promises for our support in troubles, but of our own solemn engagements, that the same affections which distinguished VOL. V.

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the best seasons of our life may be renewed, and that in all our movements we may keep in view the end for which we live. The object of the vow was, that Jehovah should be his God; and whenever he should return, that that stone should be God's house. And now that the Lord commands him to return, he reminds him of his vow. He must not go to Canaan with a view to promote his own temporal interest, but to introduce the knowledge and worship of the true God. This was the great end which Jehovah had in view in all that he did for Abraham's posterity, and they must never lose sight of it.

Ver. 14-16. Jacob, having given the reasons for his proposed departure, paused. The women without any hesitation acquiesce, intimating that there was nothing in their father's house that should induce them to wish to stay in it. It is grievous to see the ties of nature dissolved in a manner by a series of selfish actions. I am not sure that Rachel or Leah were clear of this spirit towards their father: their words imply that they were sufficiently on their own side. Yet the complaints which they make of him were but too well founded. The sordid bargain which he had made with Jacob, exacting fourteen years labour from him as the price of his daughters, appears to have stung them at the time; and now that an opportunity offers, they speak their minds without reserve. They felt that they had been treated more like slaves than daughters, and that he had not consulted their happiness any more than their husband's, but merely his own interest. Moreover, they accuse him of having devoured all their money. Instead of providing for them as daughters, which the law of nature required,* he seems to have contrived to get all that private money which it is common to allow a son or daughter while residing with their parents, into his hands, and had kept them in a manner pennyless. Hence they allege that all the riches which had been taken from him and given to their husband, were theirs and their children's in right; and that God, knowing their injuries, had done this to redress them. Upon the whole, their mind is that Jacob should go, and they will go with him.

*2 Cor. xii. 14.

We have seen some things in the history of these women which has induced us to hope well of them, notwithstanding their many failings but though in this case it was their duty to comply with the desire of their husband, and to own the hand of God in what had taken place between their father and him; yet there is something in their manner of expressing themselves that looks more like the spirit of the world than the spirit which is of God. A right spirit would have taught them to remember that Laban, whatever was his conduct, was still their father. They might have felt it impossible to vindicate him; but they should not have expatiated on his faults in such a manner as to take pleasure in exposing them. Such conduct was but too much like that of Ham towards his father. And as to their acknowledging the hand of God in giving their father's riches to their husband, this is no more than is often seen in the most selfish characters, who can easily admire the divine providence when it goes in their favour. The ease, however, with which all men can discern what is just and equitable towards themselves, renders the love of ourselves a proper standard for the love of others, and will, sooner or later, stop the mouth of every sinner. Even those who have no written engraven on their consciences;

revelation have this divine law

they can judge with the nicest accuracy what is justice to them, and therefore cannot plead ignorance of what is justice from them to others.

DISCOURSE XL.

JACOB'S DEPARTURE FROM HARAN.

Gen. xxxi. 17-55.

VER. 17-21. Jacob having consulted with his wives, and obtained their consent, the next step was to prepare for their departure. Had Laban known it, there is reason to fear he would either have detained him by force, or at least have deprived him of a part of his property. He must therefore, if possible, depart without his knowledge. At that time Laban was three days' journey from home, at a sheep-shearing. Jacob, taking advantage of this, effected his escape. The women returning from the field, collected their matters together in a little time ; and being all ready, Jacob rose up, set his family upon the camels, and with all his substance, set off for his father's house in the land of Canaan. Being apprehensive that Laban would pursue him, he passed over the Euphrates, and hastened on his way towards mount Gilead.

I do not know that we can justly blameJacob for this his sudden and secret departure: but when we read of Rachel's availing herself of her father's absence to steal his images, a scene of iniquity opens to our view! What then, is the family of Nahor, who left the idolatrous Chaldees; the family to which Abraham and Isaac repaired, in marrying their children, to the rejection of the idolatrous Canaanites-i this family itself become idolaters ? It is even so. But is Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, not only capable of stealing, but of stealing images? Some, reluctant to entertain such an opinion of her, have supposed she might take them away to prevent their ill effects on her father's family but