uncertainty. Isaac, like every good and wise man, turned his attention to his own death and to a serious and practical preparation for that important event.

From his words in our text, it is proposed to mention several considerations, which are suited to teach and show us the importance of death in respect to all persons.

1. Death will remove us from the connections and relations of this life. These may have been continued, extended and strengthened for years; or they may have been lately begun, with the tenderest affections and the most delightful prospects. But, by death, they will be dissolved in a moment and be severed forever.

2. Death will remove us from the objects and concerns of this world. Whether our affections and interests, our exertions and enjoyments have been confined to ourselves, or been supremely devoted to the glory of God and the progress of his kingdom on earth; whether we have chosen for our portion the dreams and shadows of time and the dust and ashes of the earth, or have placed our hearts upon things heavenly and eternal; this world with all its concerns will pass from us, at our death, in a

moment.

3. On the day of our death our time of trial will be closed for eternity. Whether we are in childhood, or youth, in early manhood, or in the midst of our days, in the decline of life, or in old age, whether we be saints or sinners; whether we be prepared for heaven or fitted for hell; after the day of our death there will be no farther trial of our character.

4. At death our character will be formed and fixed for the decision of the final judgment. If at death we shall be numbered with the righteous, we shall be prepared to hear the supreme and final Judge say, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." But if at death we have the character of the wicked, we must hear him say, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."

5. As our character shall be, when we die, so will be our condition for eternity. On the day of our death we shall enter the torments of hell without relief or hope forever: or we shall be received into the presence and

kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and be united with saints and angels in their enjoyments and praises world without end.

6. The day we shall die we shall know what will be our character and condition forever. The righteous then will have no more darkness, nor doubt, nor fear, respecting their salvation. And the wicked, at death, will be driven away in his wickedness from every prospect of good, from every means of grace and every gleam of hope.

The subject before us suggests the following reflections. 1. Since all mankind are subject to death, their condition in respect to this world is more equal than they commonly imagine. Though worldly possessions, enjoyments and honors be eagerly sought and be highly valued, they cannot prevent, nor delay the day of death. Nor do they remove or lessen, but rather increase the evils and terrors of that day. The richest miser and the poorest beggar, the proudest tyrant and the meanest slave, the gayest devotee of fashion and the sternest Stoic are constantly and equally under the sentence of death. They must soon pass from every external difference and distinction and become in the silent grave the food of

worms.

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2. It is unwise to place any great degree of dependence upon human beings. Surely every man walketh in a vain show." Why should we trust in him, who is of yesterday and knoweth nothing? and whose life" is even as a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away"? However we may be disposed to trust in ourselves, or in our fellow creatures, it is the voice of kindness as well as of wisdom, which says, "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of"? "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord." It is as dangerous as it is sinful to trust in man, who is at his best state altogether vanity.

It is in

3. No one can be relieved in respect to his own death, until he is truly submissive to the will of God. God "we live and move and have our being." terests for this life and in the future state are in his hand.

Our in

He says, "See now that I, even I am he; and there is no God with me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal: neither is there any, that can deliver out of my hand." No one can have any true rest and peace in his mind, until he turns to God and submits himself with all his concerns to his will and pleasure. "Go to now, ye that say, to-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city and continue there a year and buy and sell and get gain; whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live and we shall do this or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings all such rejoicing is evil.”

4. Since death is so important an event, a long life is to be accounted a great blessing. The changes and trials of many years are suited to promote the instruction, the holiness and happiness of human beings; and afford the most favorable opportunity to prepare for a peaceful dismission from the world and a joyful and triumphant entrance into the kingdom of glory.

5. They, who are prepared to die, are in a happy condition. They can adopt the words of the early Christians and say, "Whether we live we live unto the Lord; and whether we die we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." The same spirit of piety and of devotion to God, which prepares a person for death, prepares him for life. And happy is he, who can say, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain."

6. They, who live without a practical preparation for death, are guilty of the greatest folly. For they live to no wise and proper purpose. They gain no real good in this life. And they prevent and abuse all their privileges and enjoyments and afflictions to fit themselves for death without hope, and for future and endless misery. To him, who resolved to say to his soul in his temporal prosperity, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry," God said, "Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"

7. Since the day of our death is so important and yet to us unknown, let every one be awakened and engaged

to prepare for this solemn event. "It is appointed unto men once to die; but after this the judgment." What then should be our great and constant object, in the uncertain and precious moments of life? "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter; Fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

XILI.

BETHE L.

And he called the name of that place Bethel.
GENESIS, XXVIII. 19%.

SCRIPTURAL history will forever interest the attention and engage the affections of all persons, who have any proper regard to their Creator, their fellow-creatures and themselves. For with perfect faithfulness and simplicity, it gives such an account of individuals, families and nations, as agrees with the events of Divine Providence and the character and condition of men in this life. Yet how humbling, as well as instructing and affecting is the history of human beings, as it is given in the Bible! Who would have expected in the family of Isaac and Rebekah such events as were connected with the departure of Jacob from his father's house, and from the tender friendship of his mother? And how little could Jacob have expected, on the evening after an event in itself so unhappy and painful, the divine appearance of glory and grace, with which he was blessed and honored at the place, which he was induced, with the highest reverence and gratitude to God, to call Bethel !

From the words of our text it is proposed,

I. To consider the circumstances of Jacob at the time of this divine appearance.

1. He had, on that day, left his home. Until this time, although he was more than forty years of age, it is proble he had resided with his parents. But now he was leaving the home of his childhood and youth and early manhood; and passing alone and sorrowful to the untried and doubtful scenes of his future pilgrimage. Every object and event of his early life would rise before his mind and affect his heart. The conduct of his father and mother towards his brother and himself; his own con