justify those, who open the sacred records, and expect that the portion of Scripture, on which they cast their eye, shall be a kind of literal direction to them ; (a most unwarranted and delusive method of ascertaining the mind of God !) but this we must affirm, that, whatever we want, whether wisdom, or strength, or grace of any kind, it shall be given us, if we ask in faith. And the experience of all the saints attests the truth of that promise, " Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."]
IV. He continues them faithfully —
[God had given promises, not to Abraham only and to Isaac, but to Jacob also, while he was yet in his mother's womb. But instead of fulfilling them to him after this flagrant instance of misconduct, he might well have said to him, as he did to his unbelieving posterity, " Thou shalt know my breach of promise11:" " I said indeed, that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever : but now it shall be far from me : for them that honour me I will honour ; and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed1." But he had spoken, and would not go back : for his word's sake he would not cast off his offending child, or even suffer one jot or tittle of his promises to fail.
Thus to his descendants in future ages did God manifest his fidelity ; insomuch that Joshua, after eighty years' experience, could appeal to the whole nation, saying, " Ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you ; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof k."
To us also will he approve himself faithful. " He will not cast off his people, because it hath pleased him to make us his people1." He has said, I will never leave thee, I will never, never forsake theem. " He may indeed hide his face from us for a moment ; but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy on us : the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed ; but the covenant of my peace," says he, " shall not be removed : for like as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more cover the earth, so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee11."]
Improvement —
1. For caution —
[We have seen that Jacob inherited the blessing which he had gained by treachery ; and that, where sin had abounded,
h Numb. xiii. 34. » 1 Sam. ii. 30. * Josh, xxiii. 14.
1 1 Sam. xii. 22. m Heb. xiii. 5. n isa# ijv% 7 — 10#
45.] Jacob's pillar at beth-el. 229
grace did much more abound. But shall we do evil that good may come ; or commit sin that grace may abound ? God forbid. We must never expect the blessing of God but in the way of duty.]
2. For encouragement —
[If through temptation we have fallen into sin, let us not flee from God, like Adam, but go to him in humble hope that he will magnify his mercy towards the chief of sinners.]