thinking it was not the voice of Esau, he said, who art thou, my son. And Jacob said unto his Father, I am Esau thy firstborn. I have done as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my vension, that thy soul may bless me. Isaac still doubted, and said, how is it that thou hast found it so soon. And he said, because the Lord thy God brought it to me. O Jacob, what a falsehood! Surely Jacob did not then know his Father's God. He had no real or abiding sense of religion on his mind at this time. How could Jacob dare to bring the name of God into this lie. His father was not willing to trust his hearing alone. Isaac is not satisfied with the voice; for he said " come near I pray thee and let me feel thee, whether thou be my very son Esau or not, and when he had felt his hands, being deceived by the hairy skins of the goats, he said, the voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are Esau's hands:" still he had his doubts, and having nothing to depend on but the word of Jacob, he once more said unto him, Art thou my very son Esau: and he said, I am. He then desired him to bring the savoury meat to him. I will eat, said Isaac,

of

of my son's venison, that my soul may bless

thee.

er son.

How could Jacob say he was Esau his father's firstborn, when he was Jacob the youngHow could he say he had done as his father bade him, when he had followed his mother's commands and not his father's. How could he say it was his venison when it came from the fold, and not the field. Above all, how could he say, that the Lord had brought it to him, when he himself went and fetched the kids to his mother. How could Jacob tell so many stories, and after all bring in the name of the Lord. Was he not afraid that the Lord whom he had mocked and insulted, would punish him. This was not like Jacob, a plain man, but he was Jacob the deceiver, the liar. These things, my dear young friends, are not written for your imitation, but for your admonition and instruction. Beware of the first lie, which is often the cause of many more. Jacob obtains the blessing in a very sinful man ner. He had indeed reason to fear his father's curse, his brother's anger, and the wrath of God. Jacob sets the venison before his father, and he did eat, and he brought him wine,

and

and he drank. After the dinner was over, then comes the promised blessing. Thinking that it must be Esau, his father proceeds to pronounce the blessing. Let us therefore,

IV. Attend to the BLESSING which ISAAC GAVE to JACOB.

"And his father Isaac said unto him,come near now, and kiss me, my son, and he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed. Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be Lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be every one that blesseth thee."

He kissed him in token of peculiar affection; he praised him on account of the smell of his garment, which was like that of fragrant flowers and spices. Isaac first prayed for him and then prophesied concerning him. Jacob is blessed with three things, "PLENTY, POWER and

PREVALENCY

PREVALENCY WITH GOD." That is, intimating that he should have great influence by prayer with the Lord. "Let God be a friend to all thy frends, and an enemy to all thy enemies." "Cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee." This appears only to be a general blessing, nothing is said of the promises and mercies which is included in the covenant God. made with Abraham, because there were things which Esau had despised. Isaac thought he was blessing Esau and not Jacob. How great must have been his surprizé to find that he had been imposed upon and cheated. We must therefore now listen,

V. TO ISAAC'S ASTONISHMENT and E

SAU'S DISAPPOINTMENT,

And it came to pass that as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting. And he also had made savory meat and brought it to his father: and he said unto his father, let my father arise and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me. And Isaac his father said unto

him, Who art thou? And he said I am thy Son, thy firstborn Esau. And Isaac trembled very exceedingly and said, Who? Where is he that hath taken venison and brought it to me before thou camest and I have blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed." The good old man was at first angry with Jacob, but having reflected that what he had now done unknowingly ought to have been done willingly and cheerfully, confirms the blessing. These last words affected Esau very much, indeed his disappointment and anguish of mind was very great. "And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me al

so, O my father. And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, behold I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants! and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my Son. And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice and wept." Esau wept, but his tears could not absolve him from his oath. They could not wash from his memory that he

had