themselves detestable, yet not less useful to the universe than the lightning which sets fire to the good man's house, or slays the innocent child in the fields. Acting, therefore, under Rebekah's advice, Jacob stole upon his father's blindness, and carried off the blessing which Esau could not obtain; thus fulfilling at the outset, the will of Him who had chosen the younger branch of Abraham's line, in preference to the elder,—and certainly not the less respectable, through which to bring the Messiah into the world.

I will not go farther now,-for I have left much that bears upon this very important subject for a future opportunity. In the mean while let me point out, that though God may at times make use, and good use too, of our offences, for these offences, seeing that they are wilfully committed, no living man may hope to escape judgment. Neither may any human being presume to say when he is tempted to do wrong, that he is tempted.

of God. God tempts no man to evil -though, as I have just stated,-He who makes every thing work together for the general good, may convert even the moral offences of some of his creatures into the means of advantage to others. And there is one obvious mode of doing so, which we have all witnessed a hundred times, and which we shall witness over and over again, before we die. The really bad man very seldom thrives, even in this life; and the warning set before our eyes by the ruin and the decay of a profligate, is not afforded without a purpose. When we see the drunkard broken in health, broken in spirits, miserable when alone, incapable of enduring existence, except when reason and reflection are drowned, are we not then looking on a picture, which, however loathsome in itself, is to us of unspeakable value; and while our ears ring with the oaths of the blasphemer, is it not the first movement in our own breasts to exclaim,

O Lord, save me from becoming such as he. Aye, there is this great moral taught every where; and every where the bad man serves God's purposes, by stirring up the slumbering piety of those around him. But do you think the bad man himself will escape? No, my good friends, no. Miserable here, because despised and shunned, the wretched being will find no rest even in the grave, for beyond that dark chamber there is another, of which I will not speak, because I dare not presume to picture it. Let us beware lest we also come unto that state, through our own depravity. On the contrary, let us pray God to pardon where we have erred already. Let us pray Him to guide and to support us in time coming; and thus will the vices which we witness in others, be to us as beacons, warning us against the snares amid which others have perished, and guiding us in safety along the path that leads to life.

SERMON X.

JACOB'S FORTUNES.

GENESIS XXx. 26.

And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

THERE is a tide in human affairs, which often brings them back to the state from which some mighty impulse had driven them; and the history of Jacob, after he had stolen his brother's blessing, forms a remarkable instance of the mode in

which it operates. If we wanted proof that God, though he may make use of the deceit, does not approve, and never has approved of the deceiver, we should

find it in the narrative of Jacob's adventures. Aware that Esau's anger was kindled against him, and dreading its effects, he fled, by his mother's directions, towards Haran; after he had a second time imposed upon the good nature of Isaac, by representing his flight as a pious journey. As there happened to

him, while thus wandering eastward, at least one adventure of more than common interest, it will be well if I not only recall the occurrence itself to the recollection of my readers, but explain what it signified.

Jacob had advanced some way, when night overtook him in a valley, which, as we gather from its name, Luz, was shaded with almond-trees. He there lay down to sleep; and had not long closed his eyes, ere a vision fell upon him of most surprising glory, and wondrous import. He beheld in his dream, as it were, a ladder, of which the foot rested upon the earth, while the top reached to heaven; and he saw the angels of

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