and 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, 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.

$5. The subject matter of both these things were (MEλOVTWY) 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," or, as expressed in the blessing of Esau, "thou shall 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 yet to come 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 comprised 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 enjoyment of the promise of the blessed seed, to him and his offspring; and it was the contempt of this, and not of a double portion of earthly things, for which Esau is stigmatized as a profane person.

VERSE 21.

By faith Jacob when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning on the top of his staff.

f1. Jacob's faith, in blessing the sons of Joseph. 2. Why this instance selected. §3. This holy reverence and faith. $4, 5. Observations.

$1. "By faith Jacob when he was a dying;" (obvyuwv, moriens, moriturus, cum moreretur,) when he drew nigh to death; probably a few days before his death; "worshipped leaning on the top of his staff;" (εTI тo anpov тys paßde avls) The Vulg. Lat. (et adoravit fastigium virgæ ejus,) he adored the top of his rod, leaving out the preposition (ET) on, corrupts the sense; and hence a vain and foolish opinion hath been fancied about adoring or worshipping creatures, as remote from the sense of this place as from truth.

§2. But why does the apostle choose to instance in this particular? for Jacob, as he abounded in trials and temptations above all the other patriarchs; so he gave sundry illustrious testimonies of his faith, seemingly of greater evidence than this of blessing the sons of Joseph.

This is the only difficulty of the place, which yet by expositors is taken little or no notice of. But if we look attentively into the thing itself, we shall find that it was an effect of singular divine wisdom in the apos tle, 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, 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; his natural decays abated not in the least his spiritual strength.

2. In this blessing of Joseph and his sons, he solemnly recognized, pleaded, and asserted the covenant made with Abraham; "God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk," Gen. xlviii, 15; this is the life of faith,-"to lay hold on the covenant,”—and this he did 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 that day." It was a work of faith to retain a precious thankful remembrance of divine Providence, during the whole course of his life.

4. He reflects on all the hazards, trials, and evils that befell him, and the exercise of his faith in them all. "Redeemed me from all evil."

5. In particular, he remembers the actings of his faith in the matter recorded by Hosea, chap. xii, 3, 4; and of his faith in the Son of God in an especial manner, as he was the angel of the covenant. "The angel, saith he, that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads." By this "angel" the person of the Son of God, as he was to be the messenger of the covenant and the redeemer of the church is undoubtedly intended.

6. The difference here made between the sons of Joseph, when he was blind, the disposal of his hands, contrary to the desire of their father; with the prediction of their condition many ages after,-were all evidences of the special presence of God with him, and consequently of his own faith in God.

7. He laid the foundation of his faith in an especial revelation; Gen. xlviii, 3, "And Jacob said unto Jo

seph, God Almighty, (God in covenant with me) appeared unto me at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me," &c. On all these considerations (and several others that might be mentioned) it is evident, that the apostle fixed on this instance of faith in Jacob, for weighty reasons.

§3. The latter clause of the words, or the other instance of the faith of Jacob, that "he worshipped leaning on the top of the staff," hath a peculiar difficulty in it, from a difference between the words of the apostle, and those of Moses concerning the same thing, Gen. xlvii. But we should not forget that the apostle doth not tie himself to the express words of the original text in his allegations out of the Old Testament, but only gives the certain sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost in them. The word in the original () may have a different pronunciation by a different supply of vowels, and so a dif ferent signification. If we read it mittah,it signifies a bed, as we render it in Genesis; if we read it mitteh, it signifies a staff or a rod, on which a man may lean; both from the same verb (M) to extend or to incline. And hence the difference arises. Although I will not contend that the words in that place have a double signi. fication, of a bed and a staff, yet this is the true solution of this difficulty; the apostle did not design a precise translation of the words of Moses, but intended only to express the same thing; and whereas that was undoubtedly the posture of Jacob in worshipping God, the apostle useth his liberty in expressing it by his "leaning on his staff;" for that he did bow towards the head of the bed," and at the same time "lean on his staff," we are assured by comparing the divine writers together; see 1 Kings i, 47. Jacob's leaning on his staff, added to-his "bowing himself unto the head of the bed," completes the representation of his rever

ence and faith: by the one he bowed down, by the other he sustained himself; as whatever sustains and supports, is in scripture called a staff.

§4. Hence observe,

1. It is an eminent mercy when faith not only holds out to the end, but waxeth strong towards the last conflict with death; as in the case with Jacob.

2. It is also a signal mercy to be able by faith in the close of our pilgrimage to recapitulate all the passages of our lives, in mercies, trials, afflictions, so as to give glory to God with respect to them all; thus did Jacob.

3. That which enlivens and encourages faith, as to other things is a peculiar respect to the angel, the Redeemer, by whom all grace and mercy is communicated to us.

4. It is our duty so to live in a constant exercise of faith, as that we may be ready and strong in it when we die.

5. Though we should "die daily," yet there is a pe culiar season, when death is in its near approach, which requires particular actings of faith.

§5. 1. "In all acts of divine worship, whether solemn or occasional, it is our duty to dispose our bodies to such a posture of reverence, as may ward frame of our minds." So did reckoned as an act of his faith.

represent the inJacob; and it is

2. There is an allowance for the infirmities of age and sickness, in our outward deportment in divine worship, so that there be no indulgence to sloth, and that a due reverence of God and holy things be preserved. These postures which are commended in Jacob, would not become others in their health and strength. So David affirms that he would "rise at midnight (out of his bed) to give thanks to God," Psalm cxix, 62.