8o8 Contemplations. LIB. II I. 10 kill his brother, becaufehewasmore accepted: I know not whether he were a A worfe fonne or brather; he hopes for his-fathers death;and purpofes hisbrother• and vows to lhed bloud infleadofteares.But wicked men cannotbe fo ill as they w~old· t~at flrong Wrefller againfl whom Iaco6 prevailed,prevailed with Efau and turned hts wotmds into kiffes. An hoafl ofmen came with E{••, an army of A;gelsmet laeo~: Efou threamed,I.lcoh ~rayed: Htsprayers and prefenrs have melted the heart of Ef•• mrolove. And wwmflead ofthe gnm and flern countenance ofan executioner, Iacoblees the face ofEfou, as the face ofGod. Borhmen and De,•ilsareflinte~, the fioureft heartcannodland our ag•inflGod. He that can wrefi!e earne!lly w~th ~od, IS fecure from the harmesof'?en. Thole minds which are exafperared with viOlence, and cannot be broken w1th feare, yet are bowedwithlove· when rhe wayesofaman pleafeGod, hewill make his enemie>at peace wirh him. ' B OfJAcoB and LAB AN. AACS life was not morereryred and quiet,then Itco6swasbufieand troublefome. In the one I fee the imageofconremplation,ofaCl:ion in the other. None ofthe Patriarks faw fo evill dayesas he; fromwhom ju!Hyhath the Church ofGod therfore taken her name. Neither were the faithfull ever ftnce called Abrahamits, but Ifraelites. That no time mightbe lofl, he beganhis flrife in thewomb; aiter that, he I! yes for his life from a cruel! brother to a cruell uncle. With a ll:affe goes he overJordan alone, doubtfull c and comfordeffe, not like the fonneofiJaac. Intheway, theearth ishisbed, and a fionc hi• pillow;Y t t even therehe fees avifionofAngels : IA<Dhs heartwas never tO full of joy, as when his head layhardefl. Godis moftprefent with us in our greatefi dejeCtion, and loves to give comfort tothofe that are forfaken oftheir hopes. Hecame farre to finde out an hard friend ; and ofaNephewbecomesaServant, No dotibt when L•h•,heard ofhis fillers fonne, he looked for the Camels and at· tendance that came to ferch his fi{(er B.ehecca, notthiking that Ahr1h1ms fervant could come better fumilhed then Ifa"'s fonne : but nowwhen he faw nothingbut a(laffe,he looks upon him,not as anUncle, buta mafler. And whilehe pretends to offer himawife asa reward ofhisfervice, hecraftily requires bisferviceas thedowry ofhiswife. D After the fervice of an hard ApprentiO:tiphathearnedberwhomheloved; his wife ischanged, andhe is in afort, fOrced to an unwilling adultery : His mother had beforeinacunningdifguifefi1bfiimred him whaw.. the youngerfonne, for the elder ; and now not longafter, his father in low bya likefraud , fubftirnres to him the elderdaughter for the younger: God comes oftentimes home ro us inourown kind; and even by the finne oforherspayes us our owne, whenwelooke not fur ir. · It is doubtfull whether it were agreater croffe to marry wliom he would not, or to be difappointedofher whombe defired.And nowhe mufl begin anew hope,where hemade account offruition. To raife upanexpel.lation once fruflrate, ismore dtf!icult, then to continue a longhope drawn on with likelihoodsofperformance: yet thusdeare i• Jaroh content topay for B.ache!, fourreene yeares lervimde.Commonly E Gods children come not eafily by their pleafures: whatmiferie5 will nor love digefl and overcomt? And if]acoh werewillingly confumed with heatin the day, and frofl in thenight,to become the fanne in law to Lah•n, What O:tould we refufetobe the fonnesofGod? l!.Achd whomhe loved,is barren : Lea which wasdefpifed,is fruitfull ;Howwifdy Godweighes outtous our favors and crolfes inan equallballance : fo temperingour forrows that they may not oppre!fe , and our joyes that thty may not tranfport us: eachonebath famematterofenvy toothers,andofgtiefero himfelfe. Le4 envies B~<htlt beauty, and love ; Rachtl envies Leahs fru'ttfulnell'e: Yet u•h would not bebarrennor llathelbloare-eyed. I fee in Bachtlthe imageofherGrandmother Slr4· both in herbeautyofperfon,in beraCl:ions, inherfucceiiC:: (healfo ' will
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