[Jacob had grievously sinned both against God and man, in personating his brother, in imposing on his father, in blas- phemously ascribing to God what was the fruit of his own device, and in fraudulently obtaining his brother's birthright. Having incensed his injured brother, he was now fleeing, to avoid the effects of his indignation. And in what manner should we suppose that God would meet him, if indeed he should deign to notice such a miscreant ? Would he not say to him, as he afterwards did to the fugitive prophet, " What dost thou here, Elijah?" Or rather, instead of noticing him at all, may we not suppose that he would send a lion to destroy hima? But behold, for the displaying of the riches of his own grace, he revealed himself to him in a most instructive vision ; he confirmed to him all the promises that had been made to Abraham and to Isaac ; and even extended beyond all former bounds the manifestations of his favour.
A similar instance we have in the Apostle Paul ; whom, at the very instant that he was labouring to extirpate the fol- lowers of Christ, God was pleased to stop, not, as might have been expected, with some signal judgment, but with singular expressions of his regard, conferring on him the highest honours, and communicating to him the richest blessings.
And may not we also admire the sovereignty of God in the exercise of his mercy towards ourselves ? Wherefore is it that we are favoured with the light of his Gospel, when so many myriads of our fellow-sinners are left in darkness and the shadow of death ? If we have experienced in our souls the efficacy of divine grace, may we not look back with wonder to the period of our conversion, when we were either drinking iniquity with greediness, or proudly establishing our own righteousness in opposition to the righteousness of Christ? Let us deliberately consider our state when God first caused a ray of light to shine into our minds, and implanted his grace in our hearts, and we shall esteem ourselves no less indebted to the electing love of God, than Jacob, or Saul, or any other whom he has ever chosen b.]
II. He times them seasonably —
[The fugitive patriarch was now in a very desolate and forlorn condition, wearied in body0, and distressed in mind. Probably his conscience now smote him, and he was saying with himself, as Joseph's brethren afterwards did, " I am verily guilty concerning my brother d." How welcome then must the tokens of God's regard be to him at that season ! What
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a 1 Kings xiii. 24. »> 2 Tim. i. 9.
c From Beersheba to Beth-el was about forty miles. d Gen. xlii. 21.