Page:The Pilgrim's Progress, the Holy War, Grace Abounding Chunk3.djvu/81

Rh than otherwise it would have been. Thirdly, He continued to slight his birthright—"he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright" (ver. 34); yea, twenty years after he was found to despise it still. "And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself" (Gen. xxxiii. 9).

226. Now as touching this, that Esau sought a place of repentance, thus I thought: First, This was not for the birthright, but the blessing; this is clear from the apostle, and is distinguished by Esau himself—"He took away my birthright [that is, formerly], and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing" (Gen. xxvii. 36). Secondly, Now this being thus considered, I came again to the apostle, to see what might be the mind of God, in a New Testament style and sense, concerning Esau's sin; and so far as I could conceive, this was the mind of God, that the birthright signified regeneration, and the blessing the eternal inheritance; for so the apostle seems to hint—"lest there be any profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright." As if he should say, that shall cast off all those blessed beginnings of God that at present are upon him in order to a new birth; lest they become as Esau even be rejected afterwards, when they should inherit the blessing.

227. For many there are who in the day of grace and mercy despise those things which are indeed the birthright to heaven, who yet, when the declining day appears, will cry as loud as Esau, "Lord, Lord, Open unto us." But then, as Isaac would not repent, no more will God the Father, but will say, I have blessed these, yea, and they shall be blessed; but as for you, "depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." (Gen. xxvii. 34; Luke xiii. 25–27.)

228. When I had thus considered these scriptures, and found that thus to understand them was not against but according to other scriptures, this still added further to my encouragement and comfort, and also gave a great blow