nor make a hair white or black. Without Jesus, believers can do nothing, not even think any thing good. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do that which is well pleasing to him. Our nature is never to be trusted, however pious it may appear to be, and then even the least of all; for from motives of mere self-love and self-complacency it may seek to grow and be something superior; hence also it is said, Mind not high things.' We ought not to take pleasure in ourselves. Our self-love is shrewd enough to take pleasure in making a display of gifts, grace, and a lofty standing, to regard them as a prey, and to let itself be seen by others in such array. It will gladly pass with Simon the sorcerer for some great one. This desire to become something may be the motive for much labor, effort, and diligence, in things which in themselves are holy and good; and a long time may elapse before the individual himself perceives it. We may be, or seek to be, superior Christians in our own eyes or those of others, and yet it may all be nothing; for what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God But the gracious path he takes, is always that of bringing to nought that which is, in order that he may be all in all.

When was Jacob blest? When did he receive the new and glorious name? When was he commended? Only after the wondrous conflict. And what occurred in the latter? Did he become increasingly stronger? Thus we naturally imagine it; and, according to our opinion, such is the mode of procedure. First, the individual succumbs under the power of his adversaries;

he then begins to struggle; whilst doing so, he increases in strength; at length he rises up, and treads his foe beneath his feet. Such is the idea reason forms of it. But with Israel, the case was entirely reversed. He begun the contest with his whole strength; which however gradually decreased; at length it entirely disappeared when his hip was dislocated. The conflict did not indeed cease then, but was changed into an entirely different method of warfare, which consisted in his throwing himself upon the neck of his opponent, who now became his only support. And the very moment when his strength forsook him, his wondrous antagonist saw that he could not prevail over Jacob, and declared himself vanquished. This is extremely strange; but the ways of the Lord are right. Thus the Lord continues to annihilate that in his children which is, that he may be all in all.

On the whole, we must recollect, that real, genuine religion consists in a very essential experience of sin and grace, of our own misery and God's glory, of our own weakness and God's strength, of our own blindness and God's wisdom; and remember, at the same time, that in reality we understand nothing more of it than what we experience. We must learn to know that God has interwoven the cross into all his providential dealings, and that the old man gradually bleeds to death upon it under them. The Scriptures speak of a salutary crucifixion and a dying with Christ, as well as a rising and being made alive again with him. Even as the latter is something very sacred and glorious so the former, on the contrary, like every other

mode of being put to death, cannot take place without anxiety and distress, as little as Jacob's conflict could be carried on without pain and tears. Before Israel was delivered out of Egypt, their distress had reached its height; and Paul always bore about him the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Christ might also be manifested in him.

When the disciples were about to be elevated to a higher state of grace, enlightening faith, and sanctification, their souls fell previously into great spiritual travail at the sufferings and death of Jesus Christ, in which they wept and mourned. It is extremely easy to talk of religious subjects and exalted states, and self-love can take great pleasure in so doing. But where essential grace exists, there all that is mere talk infallibly ceases; because all foundation for it is taken away, and if the individual be inclined to glory, it must be in his weakness. 'I thank thee that in faithfulness thou hast afflicted me and helpest me.' A life of believing dependence, in which the individual boasts only of the Lord, is in truth and reality a rare phenomena.

Now if the Lord has wrought in a soul an ardent hunger after a genuine state of grace, he conducts it thither in the way which is best pleasing to him; and, by means which his manifold wisdom selects for the purpose-means and ways which mostly seem to Reason any thing else than suitable, and appear to her ever the very reverse. For they are in conformity to the saying, 'He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.' Reason, which is blind in the ways of God,

hopes to become increasingly richer and stronger in itself, and to require less and less the help of the Lord. But it is just the contrary! Christ increasingly becomes the one and the all, the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; so that out of him, we can neither believe nor love, neither think nor desire anything good, neither hope nor be patient; and yet we are able to do all this, and even more, through Christ which strengtheneth us. Thus Jacob also, in the end, could neither stand nor walk. And it is then that praying without ceasing becomes easy to us, and that all that is necessary to life and to godliness is given without ceasing to us, and that the Christian has nothing, yet possesses all things, is weak and yet strong, is nothing, and hence is able to do all things.

The Lord blessed Jacob. This was an actual reply to Israel's question, 'Tell me, I pray thee, What is thy name?' The Patriarch experienced it internally. His former fear departed from his soul, like the dawning of the day expels the shades of night. Even as by its pleasing light the refreshing dew descends upon the grass-so a heavenly peace descended soothingly into the distressed soul of the weary Patriarch. The wild animals retired into their caves, and instead of their horrifying roar, the birds of heaven chanted their morning hymn, and Jacob's terrific idea of ruin and destruction dissolved into confident hope. The thought of threatening Esau and his four hundred men, no longer terrified him; he was overcome; and Jacob, more defenceless than yesterday, was to day, although lame, as bold as a young lion. He no longer needed to look at

the armed host. He knew in whom he believed, though Esau were to march against him with four thousand instead of four hundred men. His heart was enlarged in peaceful confidence in his God.

Thus the Lord blessed him, not in word, but by an essential impartation of his inward grace, which far exceeds all reason.

O glorious communication, more precious than if his mind had been refreshed by words, and literal promises, the effect of which is seldom wont to be of long duration! .O what mercy, when it is not single alleviations that are vouchsafed to us, and which are soon followed by new distresses; but when it is given us to come up out of the wilderness like pillars of perfume,' and to lean upon our beloved; and when it is said, "How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter!” What mercy, when it is granted us in future to act in a becoming manner towards the Friend of our souls, and to come boldly to the mercy seat; quietly to walk forwards in the profoundest poverty of Spirit, in genuine sincerity and complete faith; and when our state is like that of the Apostle, described in the words, '‘I am crucified with Christ. Now I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.'

In this blessing, every thing is comprehended which is requisite for our commencement and progress, and our awakening and deeper establishment ;-in a word, the essential appropriation, by the Holy Spirit, of the blessings of salvation purchased by Christ, and the Holy