not be so done in our Country to give the younger before the first born. This was a ve ry poor excuse for the disappointment of Jacob, why did he not tell Jacob so when he proposed to serve him his younger daughter. believe that there was any custom like this, but that Laban wanted to dispose of his daugh ter to the best advantage: that is, to his own profit. Thus Jacob was punished for imposing on his father Isaac, in order to obtain the blessing. Jacob pretended that he was Esau, and Laban pretended to give him Rachel, but gave him Leah. Laban was unjust, deceitful and cruel, but the Lord was just and righteous in thus punishing Jacob for obtaining the blessing in a manner so improper, and at the same time to speak of the Lord God of Isaac in the manner which he did. Take heed, my dear children, beware of fraud and deceit; and be sure your sin will find you out.

seven years for Rachel. There is no reason to

2. The CHANGES he made in JACOB's WAGES.

When Jacob by his countenance saw that Laban was displeased. He said to his wives

that

that Laban had changed his wages ten times. It is supposed that after the first year when he saw that God favored Jacob with speckled, spotted and brown cattle, he changed the colour every six months for the re maining five years that Jacob was with him, but God suffered Jacob to be no loser, and Laban was no gainer by it. If Laban said, the speckled shall be thy wages, then all the Cattle bare speckled, and if he said the ring straked shall be thy hire, then all the cattle bare ring straked. Thus said Jacob to his wives, God hath taken away all the cattle that was your fathers and given them to me. It is God that has done all this. He saw what Laban did to Jacob, and God himself paid Jacob his wages, when he saw that Laban was not inclined to do it. God made Laban pay his debts; he was indebted to his daughters and to Jacob. He had kept back the portions of his daughter, and wanted to cheat his nephew out of his wages also.

3. We must notice LABAN'S TREATMENT of RACHEL and LEAH.

Hear how they complain, and very justly too. And Rachel and Leah answered unto Jacob and

1

said, "Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's honse? Are we not counted of him strangers? For he hath sold us and quite devoured our money. For all the riches that God hath taken from our father, that is ours and our children's." Jacob said it was his wages. Rachel and Leah said that it was their portions which their father had kept back, but which God had taken this method of restoring to them. Are not these 'Laban's daughters, yes, and they were Jacob wives, so that Laban in injuring them injured Jacob. How could they love such a father who had sold them as slaves for the best price he could get for them. That is to say, fourteen years hard labour from his own nephew Jacob, his sister's son. Well might they be weary of their father's house and glad to go with Jacob to his country. They seemed to had their minds so much hurt by their father's unjust treatment that they are quite willing to go without taking their last farewell of Laban their father, and without even taking leave of their brothers. We hear of no affectionate parting when they left their father's

house,

house. No blessing. No tears. No, not even a farewell look. Their father and their mother knew not when they went away; they told not Laban that they fled, but they passed over the river and journeyed on to Gilead.

III. The friendly AGREEMENT* that was made between LABAN and JACOB.

On the third day it was told Laban that Jacob had fled: and he took his brethren; that is, his neighbours and friends, and pursued after Jacob, but such haste had Jacob made that it was seven days before he overtook him. Na doubt he intended harm to Jacob, either to bring him back by force or take away part of his cattle. But the God of Jacob appeared to Laban in a dream the night before he came up with him, and said to him "Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." Laban accused Jacob of leaving him so suddenly that he did not allow him to send him away with music and songs, and that he had not even allowed him to kiss his daughters. He then told him that God had warned him not to do him any harm, and last of all accused him of stealing

*Covenant.

stealing his gods. It was bad enough to be cal led a runaway, but to be called a thief was much worse. Jacob denied the charge and told him to search all that he had. Laban did so, but did not find his gods. Rachel had taken them unknown to Jacob, and she hid them where her father could not find them.

When the search was ended and no images found, Jacob was angry and reproved Laban, and said, "What is my trespass and what is my sin that thou hast so hotly pursued after me. Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Set it here before thy brethren and my brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. These twenty years have I been with thee, thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, the rams of thy flock have I not eaten. That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee, I bear the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. Thus I was in the day, the draught consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

Thus