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Spirit himself.

When Jesus, at the close of his residence on earth, and as a pre-intimation of his employment in heaven, lifted up his hands, and blessed his disciples, they no longer hid themselves behind closed doors from fear of the Jews; they began to praise and give thanks; they assembled together openly of one accord in the temple, for prayer and supplication. Thus the Lord first awakened in the mind of the Patriarch an urgent craving after the blessing, so that he could affirm and say, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.' The Lord then let him wait awhile, that he might be the more profoundly conscious, that it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy; and in order that he might be the more completely emptied of all his own activity and then he blessed him there, on the very spot where he had been obliged to wrestle. Hence the place became very memorable to him, and he called it Peniel-the face of God.

It was indeed worth the while; for such a blessing is every thing. In earthly things it causes the seed to grow, the fruit of the vine not to deceive the hope, business to succeed, and prevents loss and injury; for the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; ability is not sufficient for the procuring of a maintenance, nor prudence for the acquisition of wealth. If the Lord do not build the house, they labor in vain that build it; unless the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh in vain. It is in vain to rise up early, to bread of sorrows; for he giveth it his beloved sleeping. In vain thou weariest thyself in

sit up late, to eat the

the multitude of thy ways, and takest thought in vain

But the Lord's blesssorrow with it: every'Bless me also,' cried

to add one cubit to thy stature. ing maketh rich, and addeth no thing then comes as of itself. Esau, and yet did not obtain the blessing; as a proof that even earnest and real longing after the blessing is the Lord's work in the soul. Ah, Esau the elder still seeks to have the blessing, and to be something great and powerful; seeks to compel God to regulate the way of salvation according as he thinks best, and to be righteous and perfect in himself. But in this he will never succeed; he will not obtain the blessing, however much he may murmur and complain. The less, the younger, the new man receives it, but only when the hip of self is dislocated, when it is at length said to him, I have chosen thee, thou art mine."

To Him be the kingdom, and the power, and the glory; for ever and ever! Amen.

SERMON XI.

Ir was an unparalleled, wonderful, and incredible method, in reference to which it is impossible to find language sufficiently glorifying to God, that king Jehoshaphat employed, when he went forth to war, and gained the victory; on which occasion it pleased God to manifest his glory in such an extremely striking manner, as we read in 2 Chron. xx.

In the enemy's great superiority of power, which constrained Jehoshaphat to confess and say, ' We have no might against this great company that cometh against us;' and which placed him in such a dilemma that he exclaimed, Neither know we what to do ;' and which urged him to call upon God, saying, 'Our eyes are upon thee;' we see, at the same time, the object of all the afflictions through which we are called to pass. We are by them to be rendered lowly, little, nothing, impotent, and helpless, and to give God the glory; even as Jehoshaphat said, 'Wilt thou not judge them?" How desirable, that we should also be brought, from heartfelt conviction, to say, 'We have no might;' and be enabled at the same time to lift up our eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh our help. How admirable is the power of faith! Its basis is the promise, 'Thus saith the Lord.' Its object is God: 'The battle s not yours, but God's.' Its effect is peace and com

posure: Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you! It also produces deep humility. The king prostrates himself with his whole people. It excites to thanksgiving and praise, and the ground of thankfulness is this, 'His mercy endureth forever.' It terminates in complete victory. Behold what power God can give to those, in whom there is no might, and who know not what they ought to do. He can enable them still to believe in the Lord, and to feel safe, when everything appears against them; and can cause them to thank and praise with a loud voice on high,' not merely after having obtained the victory, but even before the commencement of the fight; for the Lord is wonderful in his believing people, and glorious in his saints.

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Oh, if we could only believe, and do nothing else but believe! For all things are possible to him that believeth. But this is only learnt in those paths in which Jehoshaphat learned it: Not in us, but in thy hand is the might and the power.' In this manner the Patriarch Jacob also learned it.

GENESIS XXXII. 30, 31.

And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for I have seen' God face to face, and my life is preserved. And as he passed over Peniel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.

THE Lord had blessed Jacob; therefore he now let him go. He inwardly felt, that though the Lord might visibly disappear from him, yet he remained with him and in him. Such was also the case with the disciples at the ascension of Jesus. He departed from them bodily, but spiritually and essentially he remained with them, and continues with us even to the end of the. world. And of this we are conscious from his Spirit," which he hath given us; and from the peace, joy, and power, which operate in us.

The whole affair with Jacob deserved a memorial. He instituted this, by giving a new name to the place where this remarkable event occurred. Nature presented him with an emblem of it—the rising sun; and he had a memento of it in his own body—he was lame. The Son of God had given Jacob a new name. The Patriarch could not apply a new name to God in return, since his goodness is every morning new, ever alike fresh and lovely. He therefore gave the place a new and suitable name, by calling it Peniel—that is, the face of God. He explained what he meant by this new name, by adding, "I have seen God face to face;' and the effect of this was, 'My life is preserved.' But God himself instituted a memorial of the event, which shall last as long as the world stands, by causing it to

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