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not fend him into exile, on that account, without the promise of his prefence in it. Nor will he fuffer any of his people to be tried beyond the measure of ftrength which he confers upon them. He can eafily fit the most timorous faint for the greatest hardfhip; and, by his grace, carry them through the greatest difficulty.

2. THE feafon of divine manifeftations on the one hand, and folemn engagements on the other, fhould be carefully obferved, and fuitably improved. The beauty of both privileges and duties takes rife from the feafon of them: And there is no one thing at which the enemy of mankind so much aims, as to make perfons make light of the feafon of both: As the pirate gives the keenest chace unto the veffel which is moft richly laden. Let every one then acknowledge, that both divine favours and duties are most beautiful in God's feafon.

DISSER

DISSERTATION IV.

ON JACOB's COVENANT.

GEN. xxviii. 12-15. 18-22.

N furveying this Tranfaction, I fhall-I. Confider the Character of the Parties Covenanting. II. The Parts of the Covenant.-III. The Rites of Confirmation.-IV. The Occafions.-Then conclude with an Inference or two from what is propofed.

FIRST, Ifhall confider the Character of the PARTIES Covenanting.

1. THE chief party in this tranfaction is the Great God our Saviour. He revealed himself to Jacob, at this time, in the following manner: "I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Ifaac*." This decla

Gen. xxviii. 13

ration from the mouth of God himself could not but have a very cheering effect on Jacob's heart; as it taught him that he was already in the poffeffion of covenant-privileges, and under covenant-engagements unto the Lord: It also taught him to deal with God as a re conciled God, in covenant through Chrift. Were fuch an intimation made to many at this day, they would readily reply, they had nothing to do with the God of their fathers; nor did they acknowledge their receipt of any privileges, or the obligation of any duties by virtue of the covenant of their fathers:-They would aver, that they would not be bound unto the God of their fathers, nor by the covenant of their fathers! But that which is matter

of great abhorrence at this day, was, by the grace and wifdom of God, of great comfort to Jacob at that time. This defcription alfo taught him, as it doth every member of the Church fill, to confider the Angel of the Covenant as the Eternal Jehovah. "And the An gel of God fpake unto me in a dream, faying, Jacob, and I faid, Here am I. And he faid, I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedft the pillar, and where thou vowedft the vow." This meffage was too important to be trufted to any inferior angel, and the honour too fublime to be conferred on any below the Great God. The majesty of Deity ftruck the patriarch with profound awe and reverence: The meeknefs of the Mediator difpofed unto

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holy confidence and cheerfulness in dealing with

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2. THE other party in this covenant is Jacob, the younger fon of Ifaac. As there was a feparation of Ifaac from Ishmael, fo there was a feparation of Jacob froin Efau, in this tranfaction; though the former was the younger, and the latter the first-born. There was not only an inward and eternal separation in the purpose of God; but alfo an outward feparation, by the difpenfation of God's covenant. There was a ftruggle between these two perfons even before they were born, being twins; which continued through the various fucceeding periods of their life: The younger took the firft-born by the heel in their mother's womb, and afterwards tripped up his heels, by the purchase of his birth-right, while they were yet young; and likeways obtained the patriarchal bleffing before his father's death. Jacob obtained, from the impartial judge, the character of a PLAIN MAN; yet he was guilty of moft egregious deceit, in fome parts of his conduct. Sovereign grace must be glorified in delivering him, as well as others, from inbred guile. This patriarch was alfo more feverely tried than any of his ancestors, in refpect of the number of his trials at leaft; but they were all neceffary to chaftife his deceit on the one hand, and to difplay the ftrength of divine grace, in fupporting him under them,

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on the other. His trials, and his triumphs in in like manner, prefigured the humiliation and exaltation of the Meffiah *; as well as the affliction and deliverances of his myftical body. Though it is plain, from many places of Scripture, that Jacob fuftained a typical character; yet it is equally certain he was a ge nuine believer, and a real faint. Some lines of his character, which are for our imitation, will be afterwards confidered.This patriarch, in one word, was favoured with a more numerous progeny than both his predeceffors: And none of his children, like fome of theirs, were caft out of God's covenant. The whole of his fons became heads of diftinguished fami lies in the Church of God. The promise made, then, unto Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, received an ample accomplishment in the latter, as to the literal import of it; as it refpected the multiplication of their feed: And the members of both the Old and New Teftament Church are called by his name, and reckoned to his fpiritual offspring; as well as unto the family of Abraham. The former is the father of the praying and wrestling, as the latter is of the believing family; and, ftrictly speaking, both are one For the prayer of God's children is the prayer of faith.

*The Gospel meaning of this type is explained, Witf. Oecon. Fæd. Lib. IV. cap. iii. § 24-26. Mather,

P. 103.

SECONDLY,

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