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hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.'

Such is the history. What does it teach us? That we should not stop half way in the spiritual course, but press forward to the mark. Even in spiritual things we may stop, after having smitten thrice, when we ought to have done it six times. Some satisfy themselves entirely with the externals of religion; and are contented with having smitten once, so to speak. Propriety of conduct, going to church, and the reception of the sacrament, constitute the whole of their religion. They ought, however, to go on to repentance and faith, and thus smite five or six times. Some smite the ground twice, and add to their outward observances, attendance at meetings, and a greater degree of prayer; they also feel a little distressed, and are then a little relieved, and are like the foolish virgins who carry lamps without oil; are ever hearing and learning, and yet do not attain to the knowledge of the truth. Others possess genuine grace, poverty of spirit, sorrow for sin, and a hungering and thirsting after righteousness; and yet, like Joash, they do not obtain a complete victory, although they obtain salvation: their faith rests upon their feelings, and is as mutable as the latter. It depends upon the consciousness of the characteristic marks of a state of grace, and is founded more upon the grace in them, than that which is in Christ Jesus; and hence they are never comfortable; they smite the ground twice or thrice; they do not proceed in a direct line towards Jesus; and resemble a man who looks at a star through a telescope held by a

trembling hand-he sees it sometimes, but not at others, and must then seek it again.

There are also some who, like the Corinthians whom Paul reproves, are soon satisfied. They have had some experience in religion, their acquaintance with which induces them to reckon themselves amongst the children of God, notwithstanding all their present coldness and estrangement from Jesus; and to regard it as faith, and even strong faith, that they do not doubt of their state of grace. But believing in Jesus is certainly something else than the belief in our own state of grace; and salvation is promised, not to the latter, but to the former. If we are in the vine, where is the sap? They have ceased to smite, when they ought to have continued to do so.

But there are others who look steadfastly unto Jesus, and do not receive him half, but entirely; not occasionally, but continually; and maintain an uninterrupted intercourse with him. They are wholly sinners in their own esteem, and let Jesus be their entire Savior; and thus they smite five or six times, until they consume the Syrian host.

Jacob, terrified at the wrath of his brother Esau, has recourse to the Lord in prayer. Scarcely has he begun to do so, when a man lays hold of him, in the darkness of the night, and struggles with him. He endeavors not only by bodily strength to expel him from the place, but also to drive him from the throne of grace, by setting before him his sins; both, however, solely with the intention of exercising his faith, and occasioning him a new victory. Jacob resists with his bodily

powers, and especially by his tears and prayers, according to Hosea. (xii. 4.) The struggle becomes more violent, so that the patriarch's thigh is dislocated by the touch of his antagonist. But the very moment in which he was unable to continue the conflict, in consequence of being deprived of his strength, and when compelled to sink down completely overcome, so that he must necessarily fall into the hands of Esau, he throws himself upon the neck of his opponent, who then declares himself vanquished; thus he is in Jacob's power, and cannot depart unless the patriarch voluntarily releases him. Wonderful procedure! As long as Jacob possessed strength he was overcome, and conquers at the moment when it forsakes him. When I am weak, then am I strong.' To them that have no might, increased power is given, whilst the strong grow weary and fall. Who can understand it, or comprehend the wonders of the kingdom of God? Only they to whom it is given. To others it is a stumblingblock, and foolishness. Jacob perceived very clearly what was implied in the words, Let me go;' he perceived that his opponent was in his power, yielded himself to him, and virtually said, 'Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession.' And he faithfully took advantage of this when he answered, 'I will not let thee go unless thou bless me.'

We consider,

What the blessing implied:

Jacob's resolution not to let the Son of God go, before bestowing it; and lastly,

The result.

The Lord, in his word, has opened the door of grace to us to an astonishing extent. If we had faith, and, like Jacob, made a due and bold use of it, we should experience marvellous things. It is said in general, 'Ask, and ye shall receive. Ask, and it shall be given you, that your joy may be full.' And there is no limitation prescribed, either in asking or in giving; on the contrary Christ says, 'What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them;' and adds, 'Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall belive those things which he saith shall come to pass: he shall have whatsoever he saith.' What a bill-if I may speak in a mercantile manner-has He whose name is Amen, here drawn upon himself!-and since his riches are unsearchable, there is no doubt of the payment. 'Yes,' says Paul, he is rich unto all that call upon him.'

It is however said, 'Have faith in God!' and there is great want of this upon earth. The testimony of man is received; but the testimony of God, which is greater dreadful thought!-no man receiveth. But he that receives it, sets to his seal that God is true; and he that does not, deprives himself of eternal life. (John iii. 32, 33.)

In how many different ways the Savior seeks to encourage boldness in prayer! He asks parents whether they would give a stone to their children when asking for bread, or poison instead of food; and teaches us to

draw the conclusion, that God who is gracious, and even love itself, is certainly ready to bestow blessings which cost him nothing, since men are capable of doing good, though they are evil, and though it costs them something. Is it possible, that a friend can show kindness to another, when urgently entreated, although it occasion him trouble; and you will not place a similar confidence in God, who, by a mere nod, can communicate the greatest blessings to you, without being the least incommoded by it? You think it possible that a haughty and unrighteous judge, who neither fears God nor regards man, may be induced, by the persevering entreaties of an inconsiderable widow, to grant her request; and yet imagine that your kind and gracious Father will unfeelingly suffer you to supplicate him in vain ?-He who says, 'Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee.' Be ashamed of your incredulity! If he has given up his Son-the best, and dearest, and most excellent of all he possessed-shall he hesitate about infinitely inferior benefits? Will he not rather, with him, freely give us all things? Is it not irrational, absurd folly and sin to cherish the smallest doubt of it? Ah, Lord, teach us how to pray! for it is a wonderful art to be able to pray aright.

We know neither how we ought to pray, nor what we ought to pray for as we ought. But the Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. And certainly prayer is a very different thing to the sound and arrangement of the words that are used; and it is a question, with respect to many, whether ever they prayed in their lives, however often

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