"I being in the way, the Lord led me."-Gen. 24:27.

If Abraham offering up Isaac suggests to us the Father giving the Son, we are naturally led to find in Jacob, as some one has suggested, the agency in some way, in this scene, of the Holy Spirit. it must be, of course, the Spirit ever in us, and exercising us, through all our failures and wanderings. Who would have thought of Jacob's life suggesting to us the agency of the Spirit ? yet how clearly it does! for as Jacob's life was in the far country, but the end in blessing at last, so the Spirit in the believer, in the Church, with us forever, has been checking, humbling, breaking down, and lighting up, these eighteen hundred years, and will lead home at ast to eternal rest.

All this history of Jacob's life, until his return to he land, occurs in the latter days of Isaac.

If we compare these latter days of Isaac with the latter days of Abraham, we shall find in those of Abraham a brief history that compares, but contrasts, with that of Jacob in an interesting and instructive way, evidently so placed of God to strike our attention. I refer to the twenty-fourth of Genesis, to the brief history of Abraham's servant-the Spirit in type-sent to the same far country to bring home the bride for the son. Here we have, in beautiful contrast-no failure and no wandering-and yet a history that takes us over the same track as that of Jacob. How great the difference! In the one, we have the perfect action of the Spirit; in the other, the human failures that are reflected to-day in the history of the Church, mingled with the recoveries and leadings on by the same Spirit.

How richly are we furnished then by our God in His word!-a history that shows how we might do, and the perfection of the Spirit's guidance ; and again, a history that warns us, and yet assures us, or happily reminds us, how the Spirit of God is ever with us through all our failures.

Moreover, the history of Abraham's servant is set in a framework of Abraham's latter days; and the history of Jacob in a framework of Isaac's latter days, in such a way as to tell us very distinctly that we are invited to note the parallel, as already referred to. In Abraham's case the servant's history comes in between Abraham's victory over mere natural affection in offering up Isaac, and the end of his days, when his two sons bury him. In Isaac's case the history of Jacob comes in between Isaac's failure to overcome mere natural affection and self-indulgence in desiring to put Esau first, and the end of his days, when also his two sons unite in burying him. So Abraham showed his energy, and held the reins of government, to the end ; he directed his faithful servant, in sending for Isaac's bride, with emphasis and particularity; and finally he gave gifts to, and sent away from Isaac, the sons of the concubines. Nothing was left to haphazard, or to be corrected by God's overruling mercy afterward. In such a framework is set the beautiful picture of the faithful servant's obedience to him that sent him.

But what precedes Jacob's history is Isaac's failure to govern himself or his house. The reins drop from his hands; Rebecca's energy directs Jacob in his fraud and arranges his flight; and though Isaac's life is prolonged until Jacob's return from his long wanderings, nothing more is said about him until the mention of his death and burial. Abraham dies at 175, and is buried by Isaac and Ishmael; and Isaac dies at 180, and is buried by Esau and Jacob. Isaac, whose eyes were dim long before, has to live on and on a generation or more, to witness the working out of what his self-indulgence had set in motion-but to see God's overruling hand in unfailing mercy.

Note, in contrast with Jacob's fugitive life and self-' seeking, the happy path of Abraham's faithful serv-ant. He goes forth having taken care to know the mind of his master-he goes forth an honored servant intent on serving his master-he is aware that he is sent on important business, counting on guidance from above, and is aware that he carries a message bringing rich blessing and joy to the recipient. Where Jacob is carried on by circumstances, and delivered again and again by providential dealing of God, the faithful servant, consciously obedient and counting on guidance, beholds the way opening before him, and is filled with joy. "And the man bowed down his head and worshiped the Lord ; and he said, Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham. . . . I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren." (Gen. 24:26.) So when he leaves with Rebecca, he leaves not by stealth, as Jacob did, but openly, with the consent of all, under the sure hand of God, and pursues his journey, with no hindrance, to the end. May we be consciously doers of the Lord's will, knowing the joy of that word, " I being in the way, the Lord led me" !

In Abraham's servant, then, we have the unhindered leading of the Spirit; in Jacob, the patient
dealing of God, by the Spirit, with us in all our wanderings, to the journey's end.

May we note both the goodness and severity of God! May the heart be won by His patient grace and long-suffering! God is for us. "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." E. S. L.