Ezekiel 35:15

REFLECTIONS

READER! what an awful thing to be of the Esau race! By nature, and by practice, a race of evil-doers: children that are full of hatred and bitterness against the Lord and his Christ. And not only born under the condemnation of a broken law, but their very nature indisposed to all desires after Christ and his righteousness. How truly solemn and affecting is the exhortation the Apostle delivers to the Church, of watching against this root of bitterness springing up in the soul. Lest (saith the Apostle) there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. Despising Christ; he soon advanced to this point to get rid of him! Lord! blessed forever be thy name, in keeping thy redeemed, thine Israel, from the Esau's of every generation!

Blessed Lord Jesus! how sweetly doth this scripture set forth, as in all other places, thy watchful and tender regard over thy Israel. Dost thou indeed, dear Lord, take their cause as thine own, and declare thy determinate purpose to punish all that offend thee, in offending them? Oh! then, enable all thine exercised family to keep a constant eye to thee, whilst thou art looking after them, and defending them. May everyone of thine household, O Lord, feel a growing and increasing confidence in thee, and the assurance of thy favor and protection; and be continually crying out with the Prophet of old, rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; when I fall I shall rise: when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me.