or congratulate yourselves on having so often gratified your vicious inclinations? Suppose on the other hand that ye were dying, like Isaac, in the faith of Christ ; would ye then say, What profit shall my birthright do to me? Would it then appear a trifling matter to have an interest in the Saviour, and a title to heaven ? Consider further, how probable it is that you may one day, like Esau, seek earnestly the inheritance you have sold, and yet find no place of repentance in your Father's bosom ! We mean not to say that any true penitent will be rejected: but the Apostle intimates, what daily experience proves true, that, as Esau could not obtain a revocation of his father's word, though he sought it carefully with tears, so we may cry with great bitterness and anguish on account of the loss we have sustained, and yet never so repent as to regain our forfeited inheritance1. At all events, if we obtain not a title to heaven while we are here, we may come to the door and knock, like the foolish virgins, and be dismissed with scorn and contempt. Having " sown the wind, we shall reap the whirlwind." Let us then " seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near."]
2. Those who value their birthright above every thing else —
[Amidst the multitudes who pour contempt on spiritual blessings, there are some who know their value and taste their sweetness. But how often will temptations arise, that divert our attention from these great concerns, and impel us, with almost irresistible energy, to the commission of sin ! And how may we do in one moment, what we shall have occasion to bewail to all eternity ! Let us then watch and pray that we enter not into temptation : and, however firm we may imagine our title to heaven, let us beware lest our subtle adversary deprive us of it : Let us fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into the heavenly rest, any of us should seem to come short of itm.]
1 Heb. xii. 17. m Heb. iv. 1.