JACOB'S VOW:

OR THE

MODESTY AND REASONABLENESS OF JACOB'S DESIRE.

GEN. XXVIII. 20.

AND JACOB VOWED A VOW, SAYING, IF GOD WILL BE WITH ME, AND WILL KEEP ME IN THE WAY THAT I GO, AND WILL GIVE ME BREAD TO EAT, AND RAIMENT то PUT ON, SO THAT I COME AGAIN TO MY FATHERS HOUSE IN PEACE, THEN SHALL THE LORD BE MY GOD, &c.

THE

HE only thing that I intend to confider upon this place of holy Scripture, is the modesty and reafonabienefs of Jacob's Defire. He doth not defire greatness of wealth, or honour, or power, or fplendor, or great equipage in this world; but all that he defires in reference to this world, is, 1. That the comfortable prefence and the fenfe of the favour and love of God fhould be with him: If God will be with me. 2. That the protection of the Divine Providence may be continually over him; and will keep me in the way that I go: 3. That he would fupply him, not with curiofities or delicates, but with neceffaries; and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on.

And the truth is, this fhould be the rule and measure of every good man, in reference to this life, and the enjoyments of it, and the defires of them, until he come to his Father's houfe in peace; that houfe wherein there are many manfions, that the great Father, of whom all

the

the family in heaven and earth is named, hath provided for fuch as fear, and love, and obey him.

Indeed the two former of thefe, though they be no more than what the bountiful God freely affords to all that truly love him, and depend upon him, are of a ftrange and vaft extent. First, the comfortable prefence of God fupplies abundantly all that can be defired by us, and abundantly countervails whatsoever elfe we feem to want; it is better than life itself. And when the antients would express all that seemed beneficial or profperous in this life, they had no fuller and comprehensive expreflion of it than that God was with him; as of Jofeph: And when his master saw that the Lord was with him, and that the Lord made all that he did to profper! The wisdom and courage and fuccefs of David is refolved into this one thing, The Lord was with him 2.

But certainly, though the divine prefence should not manifeft itself in external fucceffes and advantages, the very fenfe of the favour and comfortable prefence of God carries with it an abundant fupply of all other deficiencies 3. The light of the countenance of Al mighty God is the most fupereminent good, and occafions more true joy and contentment, than the redundance of all external advantages. Secondly, the Divine Protection and Providence is the moft fure and safe protection, and fupplies the want of all other. The munition of rocks is thy defence; and all other defences and refuges without this, are weak, impotent, and failing defences. Except the Lord watch the city, the watchman watcheth but in vain.'

6

That therefore which I fhall fix upon is the last of his three defires: If he fhall give me bread to eat and raiment to put on.'

The defires of a good man, in relation to the things of this life, ought not to be lavish and extravagant; not to be of things of grandeur, or delicacy, or excess: but to be terminated in things of neceffity for his pre'Gen. xxxix. 3. 21 Sam. xviii. 14. 28. 2 Sam, v. 10. 3 Psal. iv. 6. 7.

fent

fent fubfiftence, convenient food and raiment. If Almighty God give more than this, it is matter of the greater gratitude, as it was to Jacob: I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, &c. for with my 'ftaff, I paffed over this Jordan, and now I am become 'two bands!.' But if he gives no more, we have enough for our contentation. Almighty God, who is never worse than his word, but most commonly better, hath not given us any promise of more, neither hath he given us commiffion to expect or ask for more.

If he gives more than neceffary, he exalts his bounty and beneficence and yet, if he gives no more, it is bounty that he gives so much; and is matter both of our contentation and gratitude.

Thus the wife man Agur, made his requeft: Give 'me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me 2." This our Lord teacheth us to afk, in his excellent form of prayer, Give us this day our daily bread;' and this is that which the apostle prefcribes, for the rule of our contentation: • And hav'ing food and raiment, let us be therewith content 3.'

And truly, if it pleaseth God to allow us a fufficiency, and competency, for the neceffity of our nature, we have very great reafon to be contented with it, not only as it is a duty enjoined unto us, but upon moft evident conviction of found reafon, both in regard unto Almighty God, in regard of ourfelves, and in regard of others. I fhall mingle thefe reafons together.

1. It becomes us to be contented, becaufe whatsoever we have, we have from the free allowance and goodness of God: He owes us nothing; but what we have, we have from free gift and bounty. If a man demands a debt of another, we think it just he fhould be paid what he demands; but if a man receives an alms from another, we think it reafonable that he fhould be content with what the other gives, without prefcribing to the meafure of his bounty. But the cafe is far ftronger here; we are under an obligation of duty to be charitable to Gen. xxxii. 10. 2 Prov. xxx. 8.

3 1 Tim. vi. 8.

others

others wants by virtue of a Divine command; but Almighty God is under no other law of conferring benefits, but of his own bounty, goednefs and will.

2. It becomes us to be content, becaufe our measure and dole is given unto us, as by him that is abielute Lord of his own bounty, fo by him that is the wifeft difpenfer of his own benefits: He knows, far better than we ourfelves, what proportion is fitteft for us: He hath given us enough for our neceffity, and we are defirous to have fomewhat more; the wife God knows, it may be, that more would do us harm, would undo us; would make us luxurious, proud, infolent, domineering, forgetful of God: The great Lord and Mafter of the great family of the world, knows who are, and who are not able to bear redundancy: And therefore if I have food convenient for me, I have reafon to be content, because I have reason to believe the great and wife God knows what propertion best fits me; it may be, if I had more, I were ruined.

3. We must know that we are but stewards of the very external blefling of this life, and at the great audit, we must give an account of our ftewardship, and thofe accounts will be ftrictly perused by the great Lord of all the family in heaven and carth. Now if our external benefits be but proportionable to our neceffities and neceffary ufe, our account is eafily and fafely made: Imprimis, I have received fo much of thy external blefings as were neceflary for my food and cloathing, and for the feeding and cloathing of my family: But on the other fide, where there is fuperfluity and redundance given over and above our neceffary support, our account is more difficult. Where much is given, much will be required. There will be an account required, how the redundant overplus was employed; how much in charity, how much in other good works; and God knows that too, too often very pitiful accounts are made of that furplufage and redundancy of a liberal eftate; which will be fo far from abating the account, as it will enhance it: Item, fo much in excefs, debauchery

debauchery and riot; fo much in cofly apparel, so much in magnificence and vain fhews, and the like.

4. Our natures may be well enough fupplied with little; natura paucis contenta; and whatfoever is redundant, molt commonly turns to the damage and detriment of our nature, unlefs it meet with a very wife proprietor: For the excels in the abufe of fuperfluities in eating and drinking, and gratifying our appetites, or the excefs of care and pains in getting, or keeping, or difpofing fuperfluities and redundance, commonly doth more harm, even to our natural complexions and conftitution, than a mediocrity proportionable to the neceffities of nature.

5. Whatfoever is more than enough for our natural fupport, and the neceffary fupply of our families, and fo employed, is in truth, vain, ufeless, unferviceable; and fuch a man is rich but in fancy and notion, and not in truth and reality: For the ufe of externals is to fupply our natural neceffities; if I have a million of money, and yet an hundred pounds are sufficient, and as much as I fhall ufe to bring me to my grave, the reft is vain and needlefs to me, and doth me no good: It is indeed my burthen, and my care, and my trouble; but it is of no more ufe to me in my cheft, than if it were in the centre of the earth. It is true, I have thereby a happy opportunity if I have a large and wife heart to difpofe of it for the glory and fervice of God, and the good of mankind, in works of piety, charity, and humanity: but if I keep it in my cheit, it is an impertinent trouble, neither ufeful for myfelf, becaufe I need it not, I have enough without it; nor as I order it, is it ufeful for others, no more than if it were an hundred fathoms under ground.

6. Aftale of mediocrity, or fupplies proportionate to my neceflity, is infinitely more fafe to me, even in refpect of myfelf, than an eftate of glory, wealth, power, and abundance. An eftate of mediocrity and commenfuratenefs to our exigence and neceffity, is the

nature is content with a little.

freeft