By faith, says Paul elsewhere, we are to receive the promised Spirit; and calls the Galatians, who had understood it otherwise, foolish and bewitched. Read the chapter in which this occurs-yea, the whole Epistle; but do it as a humble scholar, do it with a prayerful looking unto the Lord, that you may learn from himself the true method of becoming a partaker of his blessing; for our own reason will be here of no avail, but the sentiment conveyed in the words, 'I thank thee, Father, that thou hast hid these things from the wise. and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.'

We need say little respecting the necessity of this blessing. It might be imagined, that every one would clearly perceive it. Or are ye the people, who, after having sown or planted any thing, can yourselves cause it to spring up and increase? Or are there princes anywhere, to whom we may apply, in order to obtain sunshine, rain, or healthy seasons? Are you yourselves the wise, and able, and powerful people on whom the direction of success and the seasons depends? If so, we will confess that you are little gods. Can you impart to yourselves the impulse to all that is good, and hatred to all that is evil? Are you able to expel from yourselves sin, self-love, envy, self-interest, and unbelief? Can you render yourselves meek, humble, benevolent, patient, heavenly minded? If so, we must confess that you are really the whole that need not a physician, and the righteous, who require no repentance; confess that you have some other progenitor than Adam the sinner, and that consequently you can reasonably do without the second Adam; that Paul's

you

assertion, that there is no difference, for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,' does not extend to you; and that make an unheard-of exception. As for us, we believe that it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do; that we are not sufficient as of ourselves to think anything good, but that our sufficiency is of God; are of opinion that it is the work of God, when we believe on the name of the Son of God; and think that Jesus is quite in the right, when he says, 'Ye are not able to make a single hair either white or black.'

When we call ourselves sinners, we do so because we really know not by what other term to designate ourselves, and thus nothing is left us but to have recourse to Him, on whose neck Jacob hung; and to declare with him, 'I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me!' Do Do you know any better way? God himself said, 'I know of none.'

Finally, we have still to remark the possibility of obtaining this blessing, and the certainty of it for all who are of Abraham's faith. 'Seek, and ye shall find.' This cannot be said with so much certainty of earthly blessings, otherwise we should have a greater number of rich people. But with respect to this blessing, we are empowered by supreme authority, even by the King of kings, to assert that he that seeketh findeth. him therefore, who esteems it a matter of importance, betake himself to the search; and let him who is seeking it, say with Jacob, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.' Of this, therefore, we have still to speak: but this we will leave till another time.

Let

See to it, therefore, that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. There is something terrible in the words, 'He refused the blessing, and chose the curse, therefore it shall come upon him.' Terrible are the words which are spoken of every transgressor of the law: "Let him be accursed.' This people that knoweth not the law is accursed.'

Beware of esteeming earthly blessings too highly, and spiritual ones too meanly; and know that you have long lain under the curse, unless you believe in Jesus Christ. See to it betimes, that the sentence of death and damnation already pronounced upon you be not executed, and that by the mediation of Christ it be transformed into a sentence of justification unto life. What will otherwise become of you? Wrestle for the blessing like Jacob, with all your strength, and with all your energy. Say, I must and will know how it stands with reference to my soul's salvation; otherwise I will not rest. You will never repent the labor, although it may be painful to you, even as Jacob also experienced labor and pain. But how glorious was the result; when it is said, He blessed him there.' How happy you will esteem yourselves; with what thankfulness and joy you will point out the hour, the opportunity, the place, where you will be assured of the blessing, become partakers of it, and be translated from the kingdom of lies into the kingdom of truth, and yourselves experience its wonders! The Lord will then remain with you, and guide you safely through the wilderness, until at length you are present with the Lord. Amen.

6

SERMON V.

GENESIS XXXii. 26.

And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

We

On a recent occasion, we considered the former part of the subject contained in the words of our text. have still to meditate upon the conduct of Jacob expressed in the words, 'I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.'

This blessing comprises in it, generally speaking, the appropriation of the salvation purchased by Christ, from its first scarcely perceptible commencement in the individual, to its completion in heaven; from the first inclination of the will towards God and his truth, to the standing before the throne of the Lamb; from the anxious inquiry, 'What must I do to be saved?' to the being satisfied with Divine felicity as with a stream ; in which appropriation there is a commencement, a continuation, and a completion observable.

Jacob expresses a strong and ardent desire for this blessing. He does not however mean its first beginnings; for he had no doubt of the favor of God, of the forgiveness of his sins, and that the renewing of the Divine image had already been commenced in him. He had no doubt of the validity of the blessing received

from his father, although not in an entirely correct manner; since not only his father, but God himself, had confirmed it. He had not the smallest hesitation with regard to the Divine sealing of the promise he had received, but appeals to it in the twelfth verse, with all boldness. He did not consider himself as one in whom the Lord had hitherto had no pleasure, but although entirely unworthy of it, as the favored object of his mercy and loving kindness, of which he had received the most visible and affecting proofs.

But still he was not satisfied. He longed to be blessed in a superior, more inward, and profound manner than before. And the Lord himself had excited this desire, this hunger, and this longing within him. The Lord had awakened in him the feeling of necessity for a superior blessing, for a-more substantial impartation of grace. He had inflicted a deep wound upon him, not only outwardly but inwardly also, which rendered him desirous of being healed. He could no longer exist in the manner he had done hitherto, nor be any longer satisfied with his state of grace. He wished for more. From being Jacob, he desired to become Israel. The eagle felt its wings and wished to soar aloft with with them. It was with him as with the grain of wheat in the lap of earth, whose germ bursts the husk, and springs forth. He felt as though what had been said to his grandfather Abraham, had been also said to him: Walk before me, and be thou perfect; for I will make a covenant between me and thee.' From being a youth he wished to become a man.

When a soul is called from an inferior to a higher