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neighbour. When he faw Efau advancing, his heart fainted within him: for there is actually in guilt, that, which in the braveft tempers operates for a time, like downright cowardice. But how much was he mistaken, or rather, how little did his fear give him paufe to confider the natural and potent affections of the human heart!

The abfence of a friend foon buries our refentment, and revives the images of tenderness; and when the frantic moments are past when the dear offender is gone far from us, how bufy is imagination to confider ourselves as the aggreffors: how anxious to recall the conversations of kindness, and the fentiments of endearment! Hence one may reasonable believe, that Jacob was fcarce departed, before Efau relented, and fighed for his return: Oh Jacob, my brother, my brother, (perhaps he might fay) why wert thou fo eager to leave me? the reflecting hour would foon have vifited me -nay, it is already come, and I again weep for thy fociety: the love which was formed

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formed in the cradle, fhould not be interruted by our tumultuous paffions, and I have a heart, Jacob, that throbs to embrace thee wherefore then, my dear brother, ah wherefore wenteft thou away? Indeed, the fentiments of Efau, at their first meeting, juftifies this fuppofition: for, when Efau faw him, he ran to meet him, fell with inexpreffible fondness upon his neck, and gave him the fraternal kifs. He then enquired after his attendants, and paid a proper refpect to his wives and his children ; after which, both the brothers - wept. Here is the fubject of a noble fcripture-piece the whole moving treafures of Jacob drawn up in order; the mothers with their children and attendants, with Jacob at their head, on the one hand; and Efau, with four hundred in his train, on the other. They meet-a filent fufpence prevails this moment-the next locks the brothers in the embrace of each other. In the mean time, what must be the fenfations of the fpectators? the female tear could not furely be repreffed, the attend

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dants must have remained in delighted aftonishment, and the infants themselves must

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tion, and wept for joy. ther part of this meeting too interesting to be neglected, and to which, therefore, I Thall pay the attention of a comment.

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allude to the generous deportment of Efau, upon Jacob's offering, as they may be called, the prefents of reparation. What meaneft thou, questions he, by all this drove? Thefe, replied Jacob, are to find grace in the fight of my lord. What exceffive beauty is there in this humility of expreffion! The prefents were not given as adequate compenfations for former injuries, but they were of fered with all poffible delicacy of diffidence: they were to find grace, i. e. to have the honour of becoming acceptable in the fight of my lord. There is also an elegance in Jacob's calling him his lord. He, whom we have wronged, has fome claim to our veneration; and becomes, indeed, additionally refpectable, from having been undeservedly injured. But Efau's refufal of these preE 5

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fents fets his character in a very distinguished and amiable light. I have enough, my brother; keep that thou haft, to thyself. Jacob, however, was ftill earnest to have them received, and, in a language fcarce refiftible, thus urged his request: nay, I pray thee, my brother, if nów I have found favour in thy fight, if I am still regarded and reckoned as a brother, I pray thee receive my prefent; receive it, if it be only as a token of our reconciliation ; this day fhould be diftinguished, fince it has restored me to the embraces of Efau : and, believe me, brother, to see thy face again, and to fee it in fmiles, is a transport for which I have no expreffion: I rejoice in the prefence, as in the prefence of a god. As to poffeffions, I have as thou, more than fufficient to the moderation of my wishes. Deal then courteously with me, and accept the trifling teftimonies of my love. There is a moment beyond which denial is unkind, and it is even poffible for that, which was this minute difinterestedness, to become rudeness in the next. Had

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Had Efau remained any longer inflexible he might have juftly been charged with cruelty but he understood the precife point of delicacy much better, and finding his brother's heart in the request, he oblig ingly yielded to his entreaties, and took the prefents. Immediately after, we find Efau preffing Jacob to pursue his journey, offering himself to lead the way: "Let us "now take our journey, and let us go, and "I will go before thee." Jacob's reply hereto is another inftance of fcriptural fimplicity, and was at the fame time, a teftimony of the speaker's humanity and domef tic virtues he said, 66 My lord knoweth "that the children are tender, and the "flocks and herds with young, are with and if men fhould over-drive them

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one day, all the flock will die. Let my "lord, I pray thee, go before, and I will

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pafs on foftly, as the cattle that goeth "before me, and the children are able

to endure." In the last place, Efau was defirous to leave fome of his own people with his brother, to render him any affiftE 6

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