miscarriages of them all in the communication and obtaining this blessing; namely, of Isaac, Rebekah, and Jacob. For,

1. Whatever may be spoken in excuse of Isaac, it is certain he failed greatly in two things. 1st. In his inordinate love to Esau, (whom he could not but know to be a profane person,) and that on so slight an account as eating of his venison, Gen. xxv. 28. 2dly. In that he had not sufficiently inquired into the mind of God, in the oracle that his wife received concerning their sons. There is no question on the one hand, but that he knew of it; nor on the other, that he did not understand it. For if the holy man had known that it was the determinate will of God, he would not have contradicted it. But this arose from want of diligent inquiry by prayer, into the mind of God.

2. As for Rebekah, there is no doubt but that she was infallibly certain that it was the mind and will of God that Jacob should have the blessing. So far she had a sufficient ground of faith. But her contrivance for the obtaining of it, when she ought to have committed the event unto the providence of God, whose word was engaged for it, cannot be approved; nor is what she did to be made an example for imitation.

3. Jacob also had, no doubt, sufficient evidence that the birth-right was conveyed unto him; yet, although he followed his mother's instructions, and obeyed her commands in what he did, his miscarriages in getting the conveyance of it by his father's blessing, which were not a few, are not to be excused. But under all these mistakes and miscarriages, we may observe two things.

First. That true faith acted itself in all the persons concerned. The faith of Isaac was true and right in this, that the promise was sure to his seed by virtue of the covenant, and that he was instrumentally, in the way of external evidence, to convey it by his solemn benediction. The first was express in the covenant; the other he had by immediate revelation and inspiration; for his blessing was a prophecy of things to come, as it is in the text. But he missed it in the application of it unto the object in his own intention, though in matter of fact, by the divine disposal of circumstances, he was in the right. This mistake hindered not but that he blessed Jacob in faith.

One expositor, who abounds in conjectures, and is as unhappy in them as any man well can be, would have it, that the blessing of Jacob in faith doth not belong, or is not to be ascribed unto that solemn blessing which he pronounced over him when he mistook the person, supposing him to be Esau, ch. xxvii. 27-29, but unto what he said afterwards concerning him unto Esau, ver. 33, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed;' than which nothing can be more remote from the mind of the Holy Ghost. For in these words to Esau, he directly affirms that he had blessed him, and now only declares the consequent of it; namely, that he should enjoy the blessing: he shall be blessed.' Now this hath respect unto that former blessing, which was therefore in faith, notwithstanding the present mistake of the person, which he now understood by what he had done, as being under the immediate conduct of the Spirit of God.

So did true faith act itself both in Rebekah and Jacob, and they

were in the right from divine revelation, that the promises did belong to Jacob. Howbeit, they variously miscarried in the way they took for obtaining a pledge of it in the paternal benediction.

Wherefore it cannot be denied, but that sometimes, when true faith is rightly fixed on divine promises, that those in whom it is, and who truly believe, may through darkness, infirmities, and temptations, put themselves on irregular ways for the accomplishment of them. And as in these ways they may fail and miscarry, unto the scandal of religion, and a dangerous concussion of their own faith, so if they do succeed in such ways, as Jacob did, yet are not their ways accepted or approved of God, as they will quickly understand. But yet, although these mistakes may be such as to vitiate their works, and render them unacceptable to God, yet shall they not condemn their persons in the sight of God, neither here, nor hereafter.

Whereas, therefore, there yet remain many promises to be accomplished concerning the church, and its state or condition in this world; as it is our duty firmly to believe them, so it is our wisdom, not upon any temptations, provocations, or advantages, to attempt their accomplishment in any unwarrantable way and undertaking.

Secondly. We may see herein the infinite purity of the divine will, effectually accomplishing its own purposes and designs through the failings and miscarriages of men, without the least mixture with, or approbation of their iniquities or miscarriages. So did God accomplish his purpose and promise unto Jacob, by ordering the outward circumstances of the irregular actings of him and his mother unto his own blessed ends. And although he neither commanded nor approved of these irregularities in them, yet, whereas there was true faith in the persons themselves, though misguided as unto some outward actions, and that acted, as they judged, in compliance with his will, without the least design of injury unto any others, (for they aimed at nothing but what was their own by his grant and donation,) he accepted their persons, pardoned their sins, and effected the matter according to their desire.

Obs. I. And we may observe, that the failure, error, or mistake of any one leading person, with respect unto divine promises and their accomplishment, may be of dangerous consequence unto others; as here the failing of Isaac was the occasion of casting Jacob and Rebekah into all their irregularities.

These things being premised, as unto the story which respect is here had unto, the words themselves may be briefly opened: and there are three things in them. 1. What is ascribed unto Isaac, namely, that he blessed his sons. 2. How he did it, and that was, in faith. 3. What was the subject-matter of his blessing; and that was, things to come.

1. He blessed them, suλoynos. These patriarchal blessings were partly euctical, or prayers; partly prophetical, or predictions: and the matter of them was the promise made to them, with what was contained in them, and nothing else. They did not pray for, they could not foretell any thing but what God had promised. They were authoritative applications of God's promises unto the person unto whom they did belong, for the confirmation of their faith. So far as they were merely

euctical, or consisted in solemn prayer, they were an effect and duty of the ordinary parental ministry; and as such, ought to be used by all parents. Not as some, by the trifling custom of daily asking and giving blessing; whilst, perhaps, a curse is entailed on families by wretched examples; but by solemn reiterated prayer unto that purpose. But there were two things extraordinary in them. 1. A certain determination of the promise unto particular persons, as was here done by Isaac, which falls not within the compass of the ordinary paternal ministry. We may fail in our most earnest desires, and sincere endeavours for the communication of the promise unto this or that child. 2. Prediction of particular future events, falling within the compass and verge of the promise; so was it in the solemn blessings of Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. Herein were they acted by a spirit of prophecy and immediate revelation.

2. Thus he blessed his sons, and he did it TOTE, 'by faith.' But yet here is a difficulty that ariseth on both hands, from the one blessing and the other. For the blessing of Jacob was from immediate inspiration, and not intended by Isaac to be applied to Jacob; both which considerations seem to exclude his faith from any interest in this benediction. And the blessing of Esau related only to temporal things, and that not with respect to any especial promise.

I answer, that as to the first, or the blessing of Jacob, 1. There was a proper object of his faith which it was fixed on; namely, the promise of the covenant, that God would be a God to him and his seed,' and that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed.' Herein was his faith exercised in his blessing of Jacob, which was no way impeded by his mistake of the person. Faith was acted by the promise, and was guided as to its object by God's providence. 2. Immediate inspiration doth no way hinder the actings of faith on preceding revelations. He had the warrant of the word of God before revealed for the ground of his faith, and his immediate inspiration guided him to act according to it. And, 3. As for the blessing of Esau, although it respected only temporal things, yet he gave it him in faith also, in that it was the fruit of his prayer for him, and contained predictions which he had received by divine revelation.

3. The subject-matter of both these blessings were, Tepi μελλovTOV, things to come,' that is, things that were not yet, nor yet to have their present accomplishment. For that part of the blessing of Jacob, that he should be the lord of his brethren, as it is expressed in the blessing of Esau, 'thou shalt serve thy brother,' was not fulfilled in their days, there being a great appearance of the contrary. Wherefore the things contained in these blessings absolutely considered, were future, and yet for to come, in the days of and among their posterity.

Now the blessing of Jacob did not contain only a better portion in this world than that of Esau, as Grotius would have it, nor had there been any need of so great a contest about the difference between the land of Canaan and that of Edom; but as it did comprise also the numerous posterity of Jacob, their quiet habitation, power, and dominion in the land of Canaan, so the principal subject of it was the enclosure of the church, the confinement of the covenant, the enjoy

ment of the promise of the blessed seed, to him and his offspring. And it was the contempt hereof, and not of a double portion of earthly things, for which Esau is stigmatized as 'a profane person.'

VER. 21.—Πιστει Ιακωβ αποθνησκων ἕκαστον των υἱων Ιωσηφ ευλογησε και προσεκύνησεν επι το ακρον της ῥαβδου αυτου.

Аπо νηокшν, moriens, moriturus, cum moreretur, 'when he drew nigh to death,' the present tense; that which was then in the next disposition to the actual death that shortly ensued; probably a few days before his death.

Έκαστον, singulos filiorum, for ἑκατερον, οι αμφω, each, or both. Utrumque. Syr. b, every one,' both the sons of Joseph distinctly.

Επι το ακρον της ῥαΐδου αυτου. Vul. Lat. Et adoravit fastigium virgæ ejus, he adored the top of his rod;' leaving out the preposition ET,on, it corrupts the sense, and forceth the meaning of the words to be, of Joseph's rod,' whence a vain and foolish opinion hath been fancied about adoring or worshipping of creatures, as remote from the sense of this place as from truth. The Syriac properly, by o he bowed, or adored, on the top of his own staff.' Beza supplies innixus, which we render 'leaning.'

וסנד על

VER. 21.-By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, (each of them,) and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.

There are two things mentioned in the words. 1. That Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph. 2. That he worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff. But they did not fall out in the order in which they are here expressed. The latter of them is recorded before the former, Gen. xlvii. 31,And Israel bowed himself on the bed's head.' To which is added, that after these things, Joseph brought his children to him, ch. xlviii. 1.

From ch. xlvii. 28, to the end of the book of Genesis, an account is given us of the dying of Jacob, and what he did in order thereunto, as the apostle expresseth it, ano@vηoкwv, when he was dying.' What space of time, or how many days it took up, is uncertain, probably not many. The first thing he did in order hereunto, was to send for his son Joseph, to give him charge concerning his burial in the land of Canaan, which was an act and duty of faith with respect to the promise, ver. 29-31. This being done, it is said, that Israel bowed himself on his bed's head,' that is, he bowed himself and worshipped God. This is but once mentioned in the whole story, but an intimation is given therein of what Jacob did on the like occasions, especially in all the passages of his dying acts and words. When he had spoken or done any thing, his way was to retire immediately to God with acknowledgment of his mercy, and requests of more grace. And such indeed is the frame and carriage of holy men in their dying seasons. For as they have occasion to attend to other things sometimes, so on all advan

tages they bow down their souls, and bodies so far as they are able, in acts of faith, prayer, and thankfulness.

The person here whose faith is instanced in, is Iakw6, 'Jacob;' but there is some difficulty in the choice of the particular act or duty which the apostle chooseth to give instance in. For Jacob, as he abounded in trials and temptations above all the other patriarchs, so he gave sundry illustrious testimonies of his faith, seeming to be of greater evidence than this of blessing the sons of Joseph. Especially that was so which is recorded by the Holy Spirit in Hosea xii. 3, 4, By his strength he had power with God, yea he had power over the angel and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication to him, he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us.' In comparison hereof, this act of blessing the sons of Joseph is of an inferior consideration.

This is the only difficulty of this place, which yet by expositors is taken no notice of. But if we look into the thing itself, we shall find that it was divine wisdom in the apostle, whereby he fixed on this instance of the faith of Jacob. For in his blessing of the sons of Joseph, the good man being near to death, he makes a recapitulation of all the principal concernments of his life, as it was a life of faith; and we shall therefore consider some of those circumstances which manifest how proper this instance was to the purpose of the apostle.

1. It was the exercise of his faith in his old age; and not only so, but then when he had a certain prospect of the sudden approach of his death, Gen. xlvii. 29, xlviii. 21. We have therefore herein a testimony that notwithstanding all the trials and conflicts which he had met withal, with the weaknesses and disconsolations of old age, that he abode firm in faith, and vigorous in the exercise of it. His natural decays did not cause any abatement in his spiritual strength.

2. In this blessing of Joseph and his sons, he did solemnly recognize, plead, and assert the covenant made with Abraham, God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk,' Gen. xlviii. 15. That is, with whom God made the everlasting covenant, and who walked therein before him all their days. This is the life of faith, namely, to lay hold on the covenant, which he did herein expressly.

3. As he made a solemn acknowledgment of all spiritual mercies by virtue of the covenant, so he added thereunto that of all temporal mercies also, The God which fed me all my life long unto this day.' It was a work of faith to retain a precious thankful remembrance of divine providence, in a constant provision of all needful temporal supplies, from first to last, during the whole course of his life.

4. He reflects on all the hazards, trials, and evils that befel him, and the exercise of his faith in them all. 'Redeemed me from all evil.' Now all his dangers were past, all his evils conquered, all his fears removed, he retains by faith a sense of the goodness and kindness of God in rescuing him out of them all.

5. In particular, he remembers the acting of his faith in the matter recorded by Hosea, before mentioned, and therein of his faith in the Son of God in an especial manner, as he was the angel of the covenant, the angel, the redeemer. The angel,' saith he, that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads.' That by this angel, the person of the Son