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also deny us; if we believe not, yet he remaineth faithful, he cannot deny himself. (2 Tim. ii. 12, 13) Our unbelief cannot. render the faith of God without effect.' (Rom. iii. 3) But did he really desire that Jacob should exonerate him from the obligation to do him good? Certainly not: but he wished to have the pleasure of seeing how firm, by his grace, are the hearts of his allies, even when many waters of affliction go over them; and how the seed of God remains in his children. It was therefore uncommonly pleasing to him, when Job exclaimed, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him;' and equally so when his disciples said, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life;' and in the same manner when his church continues to cleave firmly to him in the extremity of tribulation and temptation. He himself is the author of this constancy; and hence it is, that it is so pleasing in his sight; for he takes pleasure in all his works. What joy it will have caused him at being unable to shake off Jacob; when the latter held firmly by his word, and did not suffer himself to be moved away from the spot, whatever the Lord might say or do to him, after he had once engaged to do him good; that he even threw himself upon his neck, after he had deprived him of the ability to stand alone, and continued immutably firm, when it was said to him. Let me go!' And what pleasure it still causes him, when the Christian does not suffer himself to be dismayed by afflictions and temptations, but even then cleaves to his word and his grace, when every thing seems against him; when he continues faithful unto death!

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'Let me go.' The Lord said this to the Patriarch, to try him whether he really loved him who attacked him so severely, and caused him such sensible pain. That which the Lord here says to Jacob, was said to Job by his wife, Dost thou still retain thine integrity, although God visits thee with such unheard of afflictions? Take leave of him and let him go. It is in reality no small attainment, not only to act patiently in tribulation, but even to glory in it, and not to doubt for a moment of the goodness, compassion, and merciful kindness of the Lord. And when induced to complain with the church, in Isaiah lxiii. 15, Where is the sounding of thy bowels and thy mercies towards me? are they restrained?' still to say, "Doubtless thou art our Father;' to confess with David, 'Thy way is in the sanctuary;' and with Jeremiah, in his Lamentations, 'Thy goodness is every morning new! This is no easy

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In the present season of distress, God has certainly given many of his children an opportunity of refusing to learn this lesson; and the Tempter may have said to many, what the enemies of Jesus called out to him, when he hung upon the cross: He trusted in God, let him deliver him now.'

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'Let me go.' The Lord spoke thus to the Patriarch to put his faith to the test, and ascertain whether he would still cleave to the promise, I will do thee good,' although the hostile conduct of the Son of God seemed to prove just the contrary.

Faith has various gradations: at one time, it is a faith which arises from seeing, feeling, tasting, and

from the Lord's drawing near in loving kindness and tender mercy to the pardoned soul, in such a manner that the individual is able to say, "I believe, not merely because of thy word, but because I experience in myself that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the soul." This is valuable experience, sweet in the sensation, and precious in the fruit. But faith, which seems in these circumstances to be uncommonly strong, is in reality very weak. It supports its steps with the staff of sensation. Sensible joy in the Lord is its strength. It has its foundation more in itself than in the Lord; and often sinks down to the extreme of despondency, when the transports it previously felt diminish. A higher degree is, not to see, and yet believe; pray according to the word, and believe that the prayer will be answered, although there is no tangible proof of it; believe that the Lord's ways are goodness and truth, although reason does not see them to be so.

But it is a step further still, when we believe in hope, where nothing is to be hoped for-nay, even against hope, and against feeling. Thus the Captain of our salvation believed, in defiance of every thing to the contrary, when, forsaken of God, assaulted by the visible and invisible world, he hung upon the cross for three hours together, full of pain in body and soul. God laid him in the dust of death, and yet he called him, in faith, his God.

This is the highest degree of faith. He who is desirous of exercising it, must be established in the knowledge of the mystery of God, and far advanced in the denial of himself; the joint of confidence in his own

strength and wisdom, must be considerably dislocated; he must be able to look pretty deep into the heart of Jesus, and yet say with Paul, 'We are perplexed, but not in despair.' (2 Cor. iv. 8) I believed, therefore have I spoken.' (Psalm cxvi. 10.)

'Let me go.' Jacob's courage was also put to the test, "Let him go," he might have thought. "Thy tears, thy prayers, have been altogether fruitless. He has put thy thigh out of joint, and what else does the pain of it tell thee, than that he cherishes no favorable sentiments towards thee. Who knows what injury he may still occasion thee? Although he sees that thou must miserably sink to the ground, and thus, without even being able to escape from Esau, must fall into his cruel hands, yet he desires thee to let him go." But Jesus had already taken care that he should not be able to let him go, by leaving him no choice, but placing him under the necessity of cleaving to him. No, Jesus must himself repulse him, and let go, his hold of him; but this he did not do, and rejecting is what Jesus cannot do; for he has said, 'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.' Hence we must exercise courage, or else give up all for lost. Jacob was constrained to act thus.

O happy souls, whom Jesus has wounded in such a manner that he alone can heal them, and whom he binds to himself by the feeling of their misery; to whom he leaves only the choice between life and death; and who are compelled to say with Hosea, 'Come and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will

bind us up. He will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.'(ch. vi. 1, 2) Happy is he who feels compelled to continue cleaving, though he may be under the necessity of persevering in doing so, even to the end of his life, without receiving consolation; because, unless he does so, he sees nothing but death and destruction before him! O wait on the Lord; though he tarry, be of good courage and undismayed, and wait, I say, on the Lord!

'Let me go.' What courage must this have imparted to Jacob! For what did the words imply? That the Son of God was in his power, and that he would not depart, unless Jacob gave his consent to it; and this he had himself rendered impossible. What a futile reason was that which he adduced, ' For the day breaketh.' "Let it break," might Jacob have replied, "what is that to me? I have a thousand reasons why I will not let thee go, and even the breaking of the day is one of them. A painful day is approaching. I am afraid of my brother Esau. I stand in especial need of thy blessing. Thou dost well to remind me of it, that I may cleave to thee still more closely."

O how pleasing must it have been to Jesus, that his pupil stood the test so well, and that his good work. shone forth in such a lovely manner in him! In consequence of the promises which are given us, Jesus is also in our power in like manner; and however wonderfully he may deal with us, as his name imports, yet he can deny neither himself nor his word. If he reproaches thee with being a sinner, justify him in doing so; but plead with him, in return, that he is the Savior

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