in the exercise of the riches of His free and sovereign grace, was about to reveal Himself: for we read, that Jacob "dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of."

What could have been more merciful? what more gracious? and, withal, what more adapted to Jacob's requirements? With nothing whatever to commend him-with the sin of craft and lying fresh upon his conscience (if indeed that conscience had as yet been rendered becomingly susceptible of right and wrong) -with original and actual sin upon him—and without any evidence whatever of his having even in the most formal way sought the Lord, we find that self-same Lord revealing Himself to him in the most merciful, tender, and gracious way. Well might Jacob exclaim, as he awoke out of his sleep-doubtless the most refreshing, though seemingly the most exposed sleep he had ever taken-" Surely the Lord is in this

place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it. And he called the name of that place Beth-el: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first. And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God: and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that Thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto Thee."

Reader, do you know anything of the Lord's meeting you in the self-same merciful and gracious way? You were immersed in the world, it may be, or

"Sunk in carnal, vain delights,"

following the giddy multitude to do evil, saying, "To-morrow shall be as to-day, and much more abundant;" and God, of His great mercy, was pleased to arrest you in your downward progress-to stop you in your mad career. And He did so, not with upbraiding, not with censure, not by as it were shaking you over hell, as in some cases He has done; but in the utmost pitifulness, and tenderness, and compassion. Jacob was not in a position at this time

to be thus dealt with. Had such scenes come upon him now as did come upon him afterwards, when he was better enabled to bear them, oh, how pitiful would have been his condition! He could not have borne

This would have been to

terrors and dismay now. have overwhelmed and crushed. But he is dealt with in mercy-in the utmost tenderness and forbearance-in sweet kindness and compassion; so gently, so soothingly, so persuasively. It was such an appeal to the heart, and so sweetly coupled with a promise and a pledge-so large, so full, so gracious.

Reader, do you know anything of these dealings?

CHAPTER XXIII.

JEHOVAH TRUE TO HIS WORD HIS PROVIDENCE CONFIRMING HIS PROMISE-MEASURE FOR MEASURE, OR THE FRUITS OF SOWING TO THE FLESH- JACOB'S LOVE FOR RACHEL, AND THE CONSEQUENT SEEMING SHORTNESS OF HIS SERVITUDE WHOLESOME SUGGESTION TO THE SERVANTS OF JESUS-A WANT OF STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS IN JACOB JEHOVAH MANIFESTIVELY TAKING MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HAND FOR THE PATRIARCH'S PRESERVATION.

IN the next chapter we see how the Lord began graciously to open out, in rich and blessed fulfilment, His promises respecting Jacob. God's providence invariably confirms God's word. As Jehovah led Abraham's servant in the important matter of seeking a wife for Isaac, so Jehovah led Jacob towards one who in due time was to become his wife also. But the circumstances in relation thereto strikingly confirm the word which says: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting;" and again, "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you again." Jacob

had deceived Isaac, and, in time, Laban deceives him. He served as he thought for Rachel, but he is put off with Leah. He afterwards testifies to his wives: "Ye know that with all my power I have served your father: and your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times." Again, with respect to Joseph's coat of many colours, Jacob was subsequently deceived by his sons.

These facts may well impress with the lesson of ever seeking to deal with our fellow-men as in the sight of Him who "searcheth the heart and trieth the reins of the children of men." Men we may

deceive and this only for a time; God never! And remarkable are the means which the Lord employs for bringing to the light the craftiness and the subtlety of the human heart. Oftentimes it is seen that the longer a matter in which deception has been practised, lies concealed, the more remarkably, and to the greater dismay and confusion of the deceiver, is the thing brought to light.

There is one striking fact spoken of in regard to Jacob's service for Rachel. It is said, that "Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her." When we pass from the less to the greater, and when we contrast human with spiritual love, how well may the servants of Jesus take shame and reproach to themselves with respect to their service for Him! Alas! how cold is their love! And, instead of regarding with comparative indifference the little trials and afflictions they are called to endure for His sake,