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JhE ¥/RE?TLl)Nq WITH JaCOB. 
 
 jH 
 
 GENESIS XXXII. 
 
 ^fTiiAT portion of the sin^nilar history of Jacob wiiich 
 18 contained in tliis cha])ter, ami which rchitosto tho 
 wrestling of a man with him, is one full of beauty, 
 instruction, and deep spiritual significance. 
 
 It seems somewhat remarkable that most biblical 
 eommontators should have so overlooked the true 
 teaching of this n\ost interesting passage, attribut- 
 ing a sense to it that not only mars the beauty of 
 the passage, but is altogether at variance with the 
 true character of Jacob. And this has arisen fr<tm 
 
 ''*tho singular mistake in taking the c(mverse of the 
 scriptural expression, instead of the Word of God 
 as it stands. Hence it is that Jacob is generally 
 represented as wrestling icith an angel, and i>r evad- 
 ing, and therefore he is held up as an exaniple of 
 the efficacy of im])ortunate prayer ii\ gaining its 
 reward. But Scri])ture attirms that a man wrestled 
 .icith Jacob, and jmwailed 7iot,— the very opposite to 
 tho view taken by commentators in general. Jacob 
 wrestling with a man. and a man wrestling with 
 Jacob, are two totally ditferent tbings ; in the form- 
 er case Jacob tries to overcome the man, in the 
 latter case the man tries to ovcj'come Jacob.* 
 The whole history of Jacob is wonderful, show- 
 
 , * See Notes on Geiwdx, etc., by C. H. M., an admiraWo (yet 
 
 J not infallible) work of deep spiritual research, and moist ueetnl 
 to eveiy Student of the Word of God. The whole history of 
 Jacob is noticed in this work, wath .-^-iews on this portion oi it 
 einular to those above. 
 
ingon tho one Imnd tlio imrposo of God's Bovoro.gn l|h. « 
 graco, a..d on tho other, an onorgetic, cunning, dt- | ^^ 
 coitt'ul churaotoi— human nature at its NVor«t- and n^ ^^ 
 yet this was the man that tho Lord loved (soe.Kom. f| ^.^^^ 
 i» 11-13). Well may wo say with the Apostle, ' | /t^ ^^ 
 '«0 the depth of tho rielies hoth of the wis.lom and |f ^^< 
 knowledge of Gad ! how unsearchable arc His judg- f. ^ ^^ 
 mcnts,and His ways past rinding out 1 " (Jiom.x\.33). 
 The more dei)rave(l a man is, the more does God's 
 grace shine in his deliverance from condomnati(m: 
 tl.at wonderful verso— lie hath not l.eheld iniquity 
 in Jacob, neither hath He Been perverseness in Is- 
 rael " (^Ximbers xxiii. 21), is tho forerunnerof those ^ ^^^^.^^^ 
 blessed truths, bringing rest and peace to the sinnor'B |. ^.^^^ 
 ,,ul. through tho perfect sacrificeof Christ. '-There f-r-^^ .^^ ^ 
 
 lias a ^ 
 ^^'toset 
 
 walkin 
 aitht'u 
 !ihis pa 
 
 •sins w; 
 MS liiit 
 kliorne 
 
 of Goc 
 to ace I 
 ithie ac 
 ho con 
 dom a 
 
 soul, tnrougn luo p 
 
 is therefore now no conoemnativ^n to them which 
 
 are in Christ Jesus" {liomans viii. 1). " Aud hy 
 
 Him. all that believe are justiried from all tiiinos, 
 
 from which ye could not be justitiod by the law of 
 
 Moses" (Acts xiii. 39). *' He hath chosen us in 
 
 Him before the foundation of tho world. . . Vn 
 
 whom also after that yo believed, yo were s^saled 
 
 with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the ear-i ^ 
 
 nest of our inheritance." etc. (is>/i. i. 3-14). What r^>^^ i^^ 
 
 afoast to tho poor sinner's soul are these verses,Avheni^'^^ ^^ 
 
 received into the heart by faith with all ^^^^^^i^^^)' '|ri^i^ ^ 
 
 Let it be understood clearly that tho above qaotw-|«J^^^^^^^ 
 
 tions show the exceeding grace of God; and ^hati ^^ 
 
 although Ho does not see sin on tho believer (f*^,'"» -^ \ 
 
 his sins were laid on Christ on tho cross) Ho ^^oe^T .^^^ 
 
 BOO sin in the believer, for he sins daily and hourly,! ^^^^^^ 
 
 and it is these sins that we have to confess to Godj'v 
 
 h 
 
I's sovoroi^'n |^^»'^^ <^^^" ^""^'"""^''" ^"'^ •'^^" '" ^^''^^ *'"^^ ""^ '*** 
 
 liiv dir^ J^Jroken. Nogloctod confo^^si()n noon hrin^s (hirkuosH 
 
 ^w""lt^''and |of s'>ul and ubstmoeof bpiritiial coiniuuDioii. AVl.on- 
 
 Vfljuojn R«ver wo sin, wc leave the privileges under Ww law 
 
 ^^ \'^Jj'!W liberty, 'and enter int.. Londago, '' servantn of 
 
 "isdoin and r^'" " (^'-"^^'"^' ^''- 1<^)- ^^''^^'" '"'"^ ^""^''''' ""'' ''""* 
 ^'"^ "* . , I'ito our FaMior, wo arc set free from this l)ondjigo. and 
 ,vGilx^m^-u^^ br- .^-.t again into the freedom of cliiklren 
 valking in conununion Avilh their Fatlier. The 
 aithl'ulness and justice of Ciod is al>o nientione<l in 
 naonumuo.i. |^^^,^ ^.^^,.^^,0 (1 John i. 9), inasmueh as remission of 
 ihel<lini(iuit> ^.^^^ ^^_^^ promised hy God througli Christ, and "Ho 
 
 ) Wl^ 
 arcHisjiid 
 
 (Bom.K'\.33). ■ 
 redoes(.Toas 
 
 idenuiati<m 
 
 iiess 1 sv|.^ f^lithful that promised"; also Christ Ijaving 
 nnorot those ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^.^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^j^, Kitisfied (Jod's 
 
 !'!^T ""'-T We It-^'^tice for ever. The (Ireuk word, which is rendor- 
 lirist. ■ leie m-^^^ .^^ ^^.^ passage hy our English word ''for<jive ", 
 
 ^ '"Vnil h ' 1^*^'' ^^ secondary sense attached to it ; it also means 
 ■' ' ^ "* ^^ |*7osei/re(3 //"Oman rtcri<6(i^/o/i; thus, whenever a child 
 
 by tlie law oi m ^^^^^^^ ^.^^ ^^^^^^.^ ^^^^ (Mevelation xii. 10). And 
 chosen us jj||^j^|g^ j^(.^.^^g.^tio„ God sots his child fj-ec %)m when 
 ho confesses his sin to Ilim, and so restoi-es free- 
 
 rid. 
 
 were siSAled ^ 
 
 . . . , |aom and communion. 
 
 'tji^ Wl'^l ^P t^ ^^'^ ^^"'^ ^^ ^^'^ ^"^^'''^ wrestling, Jacob 
 
 'h' ^^ "^ ^^^'"^ ^^^^^^ "' ^^^' ^'"^ *'^^ '"^"^ prayer to 
 ieverses,w enu ,^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ trusted iu his own means and plans. 
 
 all humi 1 y -[Iri^i^ unhehef is specially shown in chapter xxviii., 
 le above quota- 1^^^^^^^^ ^^.^^^ ^^^ gracious promises made to him by 
 rod; and tha l^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ j^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^ ^,^^ to 'God begin- 
 
 believer Cto' . .^^^ ^.^^^ ^^^ „ j^„^ ^^^j^.^,^^ ^..^^^^ ^^ ^^^ubt on the pro- 
 •oss) ±10 ^^«^,|^i,^gj^,t given to him. This vow bespeaks the 
 ily ananouri} K ^^^^^ character of Jacob; it is as it were a bar- 
 lonfess to God,y "^ 
 

 gain with thu Alnii'rhty, that, if God would ^Ivc to 
 Jiicob all that ho riMiiiii-ed in this world, thou Jacob 
 wouhl promino tliat thoLOEDshouM ItohisGod! ! f 
 (versea 20, 21). ilow pivHuiniiig on (lOd'H gracious 
 lovo, nu'i't-y, and forhoaranco, is tho ignorance of 
 tho unconverted iimn. 
 
 The angeJH of God meeting Jacob do notseemtO' 
 have given him more confidence in God'w doalings 
 with him and protection of him; Jacob is fearful 
 of Eisan, and with good reason, after hin conduct in. 
 chapter xxvii. ; but now, after the promisOH of God, 
 ho sends to his l)rother Esau in a servile tone of 
 address, very unlike that of a brother, thinking to 
 ap])eaNe him by a semblance of humility {verse 4), 
 " My h)rd Esau ", and '' Thy servant Jacob ". Ou 
 hearing of his approach, Jacob begins to plan and 
 scheme as he considoi-s for the best, being "greatly 
 afraid and distressed ', so " he divided the people 
 that M-as with him, and the flocks, and herds, and 
 the camels, into two bands ; and said, if Esaucomo 
 to the one company, and smite it, then the other 
 company which is left shall escape " (verses^ 
 7, 8). Having taken his own counsel, he prays ta 
 God pleading His covenant (chapter Kxy'm. 13), His 
 command (chapter xxxi. 3), His mercies and His 
 promises {chapter xxviii. 13-15). Jacob's prayer 
 is exrollont in its basis, but was it offered in true 
 faith ? Surely not, for immediately it is offered he- 
 returns to his own jdans again, to try and avert that 
 which he has just asked God to do for him. Jacob 
 now puts his faith in the success of his present (verse 
 20) ! ! '' For he said, I will avpease him with tho 
 
 ■/' 
 
 sept 
 first 
 to I 
 
II 1(1 <jcivo to 
 tlioii Jacob 
 hiH(io'l!!r 
 I'm gracious 
 iioraiice of" 
 
 not Hcom to 
 ,'8 dealings 
 » is fearful 
 . conduct in 
 isos of God, 
 ilo tone of 
 thinking to 
 ,y {verse 4), 
 icol)". Ou 
 plan and 
 ng "greatly 
 the people 
 herds, and 
 f Esau eomo 
 [1 the other 
 )o " (verses- 
 tie prays ta 
 'iii. 13), His 
 es and His 
 ob's prayer 
 red in true 
 is offered ho 
 id avert that 
 lim. Jacob 
 resent (verse 
 iDi with the 
 
 present that gooth before mo ; " ho thus distinctly 
 admits that ho was really trusting to las own counsel 
 and wisdom for d jlivoranou, and did not depend 
 upoii any answer ti-...L Oodmightgivo to the prayer 
 
 Stiiathc had but just otfored up. This js not tho 
 mark of the true child of faith, who really places 
 his whole trust in a faithful God. How unnecessaiy 
 
 ? all this arrangement was, is shown in chapter xxxiii. 
 
 I 4. God was faithfid to His promise, — He had al- 
 ready appeased Esau. 
 
 Wo now come to the mopt interesting part of tho 
 thirty-second chapter, — tho wrocjtling : " And Jacob 
 was left alone ; and there wrestled a man with him 
 until the breaking of tho day." When JacoO was 
 left alcme, separated from everything that ho prizod 
 on earth, then tho Jjord moots him ! When God 
 has purposes of mercy towai'ds a sinner. Ho often 
 separates him from and strips him of earthly idols 
 first, so that his whole heart may bow in submission 
 to His will. And note especially that The Man 
 wrestled with Jacob; this man is ohown to bo 
 Christ in Hosea xii. 5. What u wrestling was this 
 of tho strivings of spiritual influences v/ith tho 
 carnal nature of Jacob? (so© Ephesians vi. 12). 
 But was his natural character one that was likely 
 V to ba influenced without spoclal power from on high? 
 His deceit and canning, his wealth, and position of 
 power as a prince among men, all tended to foster 
 pride and prevent his yielding his heart and will to 
 the gentlo wrestling of tho Lord. But Jacob was 
 one chosen of the Loi-d : tho foreknowledgo of God 
 pierced the fujUupo. Now waa tho Lord's timo to 
 
 i 
 
 ■f 
 
^1 
 
 8 
 
 make Jacob willing, now was the time of His power 
 —{Psalm ex. 3)— for in verse 25 it is written that 
 " When he saw that ho prevailed not against him, 
 he touched the hollow of his thigh ; and the hollow 
 of Jacob's thigh '.vas out of joint, as he wrestled 
 
 with him." 
 
 What is the Thigh a type of? If we look back 
 to Abraham we find that the thigh signified a point 
 of honour : " Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my 
 thigh, and I will make thee swoar by the Lord", etc. 
 (Genesis xxiv. 2, 3). If we turn to the Psalms, we 
 find it signifies a point of strength : " Gird thy 
 sword upon thy thigh O most mighty, with thy 
 glory and thy majesty " (Psalm xlv. 3), and for this 
 reason to smite on the thigh is a token of humility 
 — " Surely after that I was turned, I repented ; and 
 after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh ; 
 I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did 
 bear the reproach of my youth" (Jeremiah xxxi. 
 19). Among the Hebrew, Greek, Persian, and other 
 nations, smiting on the thigh was a mode of ex- 
 pressing grief and indignation ; smiting the point 
 of strength also indicates helplessness. Again, we 
 find the thigh signifies a point of dignity and pow- 
 er • " And He hath on his vesture and on his thigh 
 a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LOKD 
 OF LOKDS " (Revelation xix. 16). 
 
 What, then, does this putting out of joint of Jacob's 
 thigh tjTpify? Surely this beautifully sots forth 
 the humbling of Jacob; his pride of position, jA/wer, 
 and dignity, is brought lowj the Lord reveals him 
 to himself, and Jacob sees nothing now but his own 
 
 •» I' 
 
 t n 
 
i'. 
 
 [is power 
 ;ten that 
 nst him, 
 10 hollow 
 wrestled 
 
 )ok back 
 3d a point 
 under my 
 lord", etc. 
 salms, wo 
 Gird thy 
 with thy 
 id for this 
 • humility 
 nted ; and 
 iiy thigh ; 
 luiuse I did 
 uah xxxi. 
 and other 
 do of ex- 
 the point 
 Again, wo 
 '^ and pow- 
 i his thigh 
 rD LOKD 
 
 t of Jacob's 
 sets forth 
 ion, jiOvver, 
 Bveals him 
 )ut his own 
 
 
 r 
 
 1 1 
 
 
 1 
 > i(» 
 
 .»% 
 
 9 
 
 foolislincss and helplessness witliout the Lord — as 
 iilso Job did when God revoalod Himself to him : 
 he exclaimed — "I have hoard of Theoby the hear- 
 ing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth Tliee. Where- 
 fore I abhor my^^olf, and repent in dust and aslies" 
 {Job xlii. 5, G). It is at this moment that thcLord 
 ^ays— '' Let Me ao ". And for 'at rea.son was 
 this but to stimulate Jacob to supplicate a blessing 
 
 from Him ? 
 
 So Clod says — ''■ I will yet for tliis be enquired of 
 by the house of Israel, to do it foii tiie^i " (Ezek- 
 iel xxxvi. 37) ; and again, Jesus, in the journey to 
 Emmaus, '• made as though He would have gone 
 further" {Luke xxiv. 28), and this was simply to 
 make the two dist-iplos a^k Jesus to abide with them. 
 It is written— "Ask, and it ^su^ll bo given you; 
 seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be 
 opened unto you" {Luke xi. 9). Again, "There- 
 fore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, 
 when ye pray, uelieve that ye receive them, 
 iind ye shall have them " {Mark xi. 24). Note also 
 those precious verses in Ephcskuis i. 17-23. If be- 
 lievers had more faith in pleading with Gi)d with 
 His own Word and promises, what might they not 
 accomplish : the ])rayer of the poor Jew may ever 
 be on our lips, "Lord, I believe; help Thou my 
 unbelief" {Mark ix. 24). 
 
 Jacob, being humbled, and finding now utter 
 nothingness and helplessness in himself— his thigh 
 being out of joint — sees his necessity for seeking 
 strength from tho Lord, and says, "I will not lot 
 Thee go, except ^Thou bless me " {verse 26). He 
 
 (2-B) 
 
Ili^^ 
 
 |! 
 
 10 
 
 clings now ;to the jLord, his only hope; in what 
 niunner, wo lind thus recited-'' Yea, he had power 
 over the angel, and prevailed ; ho wept, and made 
 supplication unto him " {Hosea xii. 4). Now Jacob 
 prevailed, for the Lord loves to be constrained to 
 bless by the importunity of the prayers of thopo 
 who earnestly seek Messing from a deep sense of 
 their want of it ; roa<l those instances fall of instruc- 
 tion, where continued earnest prayer gains its object, 
 narrated in Matthew xv. 22-28; Luke xi. 5-8. 
 
 The earnestness of Jacob's prayer (for this indeed 
 was prayer from the heart)now causes the Lord to 
 tarry, and in verse 27, He asks Jacob his name, 
 '^ And ho said, Jacob ". What a simple answer, Imt 
 what volumes did it imply ! What is the meaning 
 of the word ? A deceiver, a cheat, a supplanter ! 1 In 
 this one word is comprised Jacob's confession of sin ;. 
 in this word is typitied the whole of Jacob's previ- 
 ous character (see chapter xxvii. 15-24, especially). 
 How tenderly, how graciously does the Angel now 
 persuade Jacob to confess his true character so as 
 to get a blessing ; an<l this is just the mind of tho 
 Lord towards all sinners at this present time as it 
 was in days of old {Jeremiah iii. 12-14 ; Romans x. 
 0, 10). AVhat, then, is the result of this confession ? 
 —forgiveness, and peace with God,— tho true con- 
 version of Jacob I Ho is now raised from tho bonei- 
 ao-c of tho sinnor to the liberty of the saint, and 
 inado a prince of God, and therefore henceforth to 
 be called no longer Jacol>, but 1811 AEL (verse 28). 
 His old name, typical of all evil, is now taken away: 
 he gets a new name, and a marvellous change of 
 
 i 
 
 i • 
 
 V th 
 
 •f 
 
 \4 
 
 (•t 
 
in what 
 ad power 
 iid made 
 ow Jacob 
 rained to 
 of thopo 
 » sense of 
 :)finstriic- 
 its object, 
 5-8. 
 
 his indeed 
 10 Lord to 
 his name, 
 iiswer, V)ut 
 c meaning 
 nter ! ! In 
 don of sin;, 
 ob's previ- 
 specially). 
 ingel now 
 cter 80 as 
 Ind of the 
 time aH it 
 Romans x. 
 jonfcsHion ? 
 ) true con- 
 m the bond- 
 saint, and 
 neeforth to 
 (verse 28). 
 aken away: 
 , change of 
 
 11 
 
 position. So is it now the glorious privilege of 
 every sinner who believes in Christ as his own Savi- 
 our, with the hoarl-grasp of a loving 'faith. lie 
 immediately becomes cleansed and forgiven ; it is u 
 present salvation, not a future one, as is written — 
 *' [The Father] who hath delivered us from the 
 power of darkness, and hath translated us into 
 the kingdom of His dear Son ; in whom we have 
 redemption through His blood, even tholforgivonoss 
 of sins " (Colossians I 13, 14). " Unto Him that 
 loveth us, and washed us from our sins in His own 
 blood, and hath made us a kingdom, — priests unto 
 God and His Father ; to Him be glory and dominion 
 for ever and ever " (Revelation i. 5, 6). How won- 
 derful, how gracious, how incomprehensible, save 
 to those taught by the Spirit of God, are these 
 words ; but to such, how inexpressibly blessed ! 
 
 And Jacob asked, " Tell me, I pray thee, thy 
 name ? " (verse 29). He does not at this moment 
 get this question answered, but he does got a bless- 
 ing. A parallel passage occurs in Judges xiii. 18, 
 where Manoah asks the name of the Angel of the 
 Lord. The answer then given was, that the name 
 was secret or ivonderful, showing that the Angel was 
 the Lord Himself (see Isaiah ix. 6). 
 
 It is not always that the Lord reveals Himself 
 when giving a blessing to a [sinner's soul ; faith is 
 often ;)rwe<:? before the realization of the truths of 
 the Gospel is given, but which, when given, causes 
 the soui TO rejoice ■ wiiii joy aur^puaKiiwiu an^ i«ii 
 of glory " (1 Peter i. 8). 'jaqvo are many who pray 
 for salvation. This is a mistake. If they read God'» 
 
I' 
 
 12 
 
 Word careluUy, tliey will find that salvation is free- 
 ly offered io all who will take it. The message is, 
 "Whosoever WILL, lot hiin take of the water of 
 lil'c freely" (BeveUtion xxii. H). How can the 
 Lord offer salvation more freely tlian this? And 
 yet how often is a poor sinner told by Satan that 
 salvation is offered only to those whom God elects ? 
 We do indeed read in God's Word that lie has an 
 elect people, saints, according to foreknowledge (1 
 Peter i. 2), but there is no such thing in God's Word 
 .as reprobation, or a people elected to be damned ; 
 for God says, "JJe is not willing that ANY should 
 perish " (2 Peter iii. 9). Every soul in hell will tind 
 that it came there of its own act and will, but never 
 find that God sent it there; Christ says, A man loses 
 his own soul {3ratthew xvi. 26). Similar truth re- 
 garding man's responsibilicy is taught in Proverbs 
 viii. 30. God sent His Son Je.-^us to bo a " propitia- 
 tion for the sins of the WaiOLE worhl " (IJo/mii. 
 2). Jesus came a ransom for ALL (1 Timothj n. 
 6), both Jews and Gentiles,— not for all the elect 
 people of God only, as some false teachers would 
 have it, thus adding to God's Word, against which 
 God especially warns us {Deuteronomy xi. 32), etc. 
 Thus seeing that Jesus died, and by Ills shed 
 blood He became a ransom for ALL, both the saved 
 and unsaved, none need perish if they truly believe 
 in Him (see 2 Peter ii. 1). God is even NOW BE- 
 SEECHING us to bo reconciled to Him (2 Corinthi- 
 xiM v. 20). These ai-e truths that God gives us, 
 leaving no excuse for the sinner, who finds himself 
 ix lost soul. But how differently some men teach, 
 
 "« 
 
 1 
 
)n is frco- 
 388ago is, 
 water of 
 ' can the 
 IB ? And 
 atan that 
 0(1 elects ? 
 Lo has an 
 vvledge (1 
 od'ttWord 
 damned ; 
 ^Y should 
 II will lind 
 but never 
 man loses 
 ti'dth re- 
 i Proverbs 
 " propitia- 
 (1 John ii. 
 Vimothj ii. 
 [ the elect 
 Lcrs would 
 inHt which 
 i. 32), etc. 
 • His shed 
 li the saved 
 uly believe 
 NOW BE- 
 (2 Corinthi- 
 i gives US, 
 Dds himself 
 men teach, 
 
 *9 
 
 13 
 
 tisscrting that a sinner must wait, and remain wil- 
 fully in 8in,nntil God calls him ; that he is unable 
 to accept the free salvation of God without some 
 fancied special message from Him, when Ho dis- 
 tinctly tells us in His Word that He commands all 
 men everywhereto repent {Acts xvii. 30); and if a man 
 believes not God's written message, neither would 
 he believe though one rose from thedoad (Liikexyi. 
 31). Such false teaching is pleasant to the natural 
 mind of man, for it places responsibility on God, 
 and puts away from themselves the duty of listen- 
 ing to and following the commands of God ; so they 
 continue in sin, waiting for a call from God; a 
 mgn, just like the Pharisees of old, spoken of in 
 Matthexo xvi. 4—" A wicked and adulterous genera- 
 tion secketh after a sign ; and there shall be no sign 
 ^iven unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas"; 
 the sign of Jonas being that of death and resurrec- 
 tion— -a type of salvation through Christ. One of 
 the most successful delusions of the devil is this, 
 by which he tempts souls to put off to a future time 
 the acceptance of God's freely offered salvation. 
 Othere again teach poor sinners that salvation is 
 a state that comes by degrees, and so, l>y little and 
 little, we become better and bettev ; and so at last 
 we may attain to such a state of faith in Christ, and 
 good works for Christ, that they may win eternal 
 life. The Lord's own children are often robbed of 
 peace by listening to the subtlewhisperingof theevil 
 y>«.. T..>fV>/^i. «^v..ji> fojfhfiilh' Imliftvlnfy God'aown word. 
 To pray that we may/eei that we are saved, be- 
 fore wc have truly believed, is another way of wish- 
 
t 
 
 14 
 
 ing to be saved without faith. True faith in God^n 
 promises must eomo first : assvronce of salvation is 
 the reward of true aud steadfast faith. Many weak 
 timid believers will be saved, who never had assur- 
 ance There are Home who think it premmption to 
 feel assured of eternal life. I would ask such 
 whether it is not /ar wore presumptuous to <i/steZ«j;<? 
 God's Word, and so make Him a liar. "He that 
 believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in 
 himself: ho that believeth not God hath made Him 
 a liar ; because ho believeth not the record that God 
 gave of His Son " (1 John v. 10). I have even known 
 a minister toll dying people that he would rather 
 they did not feel euro of salvation ! ! ! This was 
 only another way of telling thorn that it was better 
 to doubt God's Word ! What does Paul say of his 
 assurance—" Fori am persuaded that neither death, 
 nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, 
 nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, 
 nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to 
 separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ 
 JmvLB our Lord " (Romans viii. 38, 39),-a beautiful 
 chapter of blessed comfort to believers, beginning 
 with no condemnation, and ending with no separation! 
 And again, what does John say ?-" The.e things 
 httve I written to you that believe on the Name of 
 the Son of God, that yc may KNOW that ye have 
 eternal life" (1 John v. 13). Others, and many 
 there are such, wh^ having been brought up as those 
 under the law, are trying to do their best to obtain 
 and work out their :own salvation, as under the 
 Jewish dispensation : by keeping (as they imagine) 
 
 I 
 
 •■'^^ 
 
 
 4 
 
1 God'rt 
 ation is 
 ly weak 
 i RHHur- 
 ption to 
 ik such 
 'ishelieve 
 tie that 
 ness in 
 ide Him 
 h<at God 
 1 known 
 I rather 
 'his was 
 as better 
 y of Us 
 Br death, 
 powers, 
 r height, 
 ) able to 
 in Christ 
 beautiful 
 Q^inninf^ 
 parationf 
 le things 
 Name of 
 ye have 
 id many 
 p as thone 
 to obtain 
 mder the 
 imagine) 
 
 ^i 
 
 15 
 
 the toTi comniandments, thoy have a Hort of hope 
 that may be considered righteous in God's sight. 
 They do not read Grod's Word for themselves, and 
 understand that " Christ is the END of the law for 
 righteousness to eveiyone thatbelieveth" {Romans 
 X. 4), that they are " dead in trespasses and sins " 
 {Ephesians ii. 1), and can therefore neither do nor 
 thhik any good thing of themselves (Gmesis vi. 5), 
 and, until they are ])orn again, cannot obtain Halva 
 tion (John iii. 3). They do not see that they havo 
 nothing TO DO for salvation except BELIEVE 
 GOD'S WORD iJohn iii. 16), etc., and that immedi- 
 ately they do so they HAVE everlasting life. 
 
 Having thus by simple faith in God obtained life, 
 then is the time for them to work out the salvation 
 which they havo thus obtained {Philipjnans ii. 12, 
 13), by showing openly in their walk through life 
 that they bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and 
 are able to overcome the works of the flesh {Gala- 
 tians V. 19-25) ; thus proving the reality of their 
 faith by their woi-ks {James ii. 14-18). Oh that 
 people would study and read God's Word, with pray- 
 er for the Holy Spirit to instruct them, rather than 
 so continually trust to man's teaclnng, remember- 
 ing the words of God Himself in 1 John ii. 20, 27, 
 " Ye need not that any man teach you ", etc. ; yet 
 the greater portion, rather than search for them- 
 selves, they lean upon, and so are often led away by 
 the commentaries of so-called " learned divines ", 
 who arc uonHLimiiy i;unr*iuci cvi an iiUaiiij.-iv v^i^-.-s 
 tors of the Word of God, forgetting that power of 
 intellect is not required for this ptirpose, but the 
 
i 
 f! 
 
 16 
 
 undei'Htanding heart, that is taught by the Holy 
 8i)irit, and walking in close commiiniou with God. 
 Tiioro have been many such writers who have not 
 been even converted while thus pretending to ox- 
 plain Scripture, a task quite out of their power, 
 however otherwise learned they may be (see 1 Cor- 
 /n^/uansiii. 11-16). Eeader.s of God's Word need 
 to consider Ihvn-oughly this passage of Scripture, 
 and to note its important bearing on those opinions 
 of doctrinal teaching often put forward with much 
 assurance by unconverted persons professing much 
 religiousness, or even in the position of ministers 
 to congregations. From this passage of Scripture 
 it will be seen now how impossible it is for such to 
 give any opinion as to what is the truth of the 
 Word of God. Let us not forget the word in 2 
 Timothy iii. 7, written of these last days of thoso 
 who have 'Hho form of godliness, but deny the 
 power thereof ", such are " ever learning, and never 
 able to come to the knowledge of the truth'. Yet 
 commentaries are often very useful for giving his- 
 torical facts and meanings of words, and also oriental 
 customs, etc., information requiring research apart 
 from spiritual teaching; but, nevertheless, in these 
 latter days, while there is much precious truth to 
 be found written l)y dear children of God in some 
 8uch commentaries, and also other various publica- 
 tions, there is also oftentimes to be found much that 
 is not truth, and, occasionally, radical errors, most 
 
 . • J r.i^.wi;,..- ^-w-viirn^ ni-i -urith mid side 
 
 pernicious ;inu misiuaumjj, ins-^-.-.» ,»^. „iL.i, 
 
 i.y side with truth, making it of special consequence 
 to " seai-ch the Scriptures, and see if these things 
 
 / 
 
IS 
 
 Holy 
 th God. 
 ave not 
 to ox- 
 power, 
 
 1 Cor- 
 •d need 
 ripture, 
 ►pinions 
 \\ much 
 ig much 
 linistora 
 criptui-e 
 • such to 
 
 1 of the 
 »rd in 2 
 of those 
 cny the 
 id never 
 i'. Yet 
 v'ing his- 
 ) oriental 
 ■ch apart 
 
 iu theae 
 truth to 
 in some 
 , publica- 
 luch that 
 ors, most 
 
 aii'1 side 
 tsequence 
 je things 
 
 t 
 
 17 
 
 be so " {Acts xvii, 11), and so " prove all things ", 
 otherwise, we may bo led to heliove false teachings 
 and " traditions of men ", against whicA wo are so 
 Hpocially warned in ColossiamW.. 4, 8, 16, 18-23. 
 
 From verse 30'it is evident that the Lord did in 
 the end reveal Himself to Jacob, as shown by the 
 concluding sentence. Tt wan a received opinion of 
 these times when occasionally the Lord appeared 
 to man, that it was im])Ossil)le to see (jod and live. 
 So Manoah f^ays, " We shall surely die, because we 
 have seen God " (Judges xiii. 22), etc. But this re- 
 velation of thoLoi'd to Jacob was not only temporal, 
 but eternal preservation. So with sinners. God 
 generally (tor His ways are not limited) shows the 
 sinner to himself, his sinfulness, his danger, his 
 helplessness, his need of a Saviour ; ho puts his 
 thigh out of joint ; and then, when he cries from 
 his heart, 'Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief, 
 the revelation of God will como to his soul ; his 
 life will also be 'preserved ', and he will find the 
 peace of God that passoth understanding. 
 
 It was excellent advice of a Scotch minister, who, 
 in sjioaking to a poor ignorant girl, told her to pray 
 to God thus : — '' O God, show me myself \ " and some 
 littlo time aftei', when ho saw her again, and that 
 prayer had been answered, and the poor girl was in 
 sad mental distress at the sight of her corrupt and sin- 
 ful state by nature,he gave her another prayei',as sim- 
 ple and as short " O God, show me Thyself. This 
 
 jjrciyer was aiSO minwcrcu, iu.- nu^ luuiiu V/Hiibl lv/ 
 
 be indeed her Saviour, and obt^.-jed peace. T- first 
 prayer led to her conviction, the second to conversion. 
 
m 
 
 18 • 
 
 Jacob having seen God, " tho sun roHe upon him 
 :and he halted on hiH thigh " (verse 30, 31). 
 
 A boailif'ul ending of tho wrestling iH this. After 
 the night has passed, the tin o of trial, atiiiction, 
 chastening, purging, the time of. humbling, supi)li- 
 cation, and confession ; then comes blessing and 
 honour ; the Sun of Righteousness rises uy»on Jacob's 
 heart — that blessed realization of his spiritual com- 
 munion with God, seeing tho Lord by s]-iritual dis- 
 cernment, which only (lod's Holy Spirit can give, — 
 here was blessing aud joy. And here also Jacob 
 finds ])eace, for ' he halted upon his thigh ;' he found 
 rest in that ho was now humbled, and was brought 
 into submission to the will of God. Lowly, waiting, 
 and sitting at the feet of Jesus, is the only i>lacc 
 where we shall find rest, peace, sunshine, and joy. 
 " But unto you that fear my Name shall the Sun of 
 Righteousn'jss arise, with healing in His wingn " 
 {Maktchl iv. 2). The more wo see of the unsearch- 
 able riches of Christ, the morespiritual communion 
 wo have with God, the more we realize our high 
 position as one UHthChrist, " members of His body", 
 so much the more shall we soo our own utter em])ti- 
 noss and un worthiness, as Job did (c7ia/).xlii.5.6),and 
 therefore shall wo more truly soo tho necessity of 
 following these precepts contained in Cohssians iii. 
 1-17, keeping dead this old man that is still in us, 
 and crucifying it continually, so that wo may live 
 the life of Christ that is in us (GaMians ii. 20), 
 separating ourselves from ovcrything that is evil, 
 for "wo are tho temples of the living God" (2 
 Corinthians vi. 14-18 ; vii. 1, etc.). 
 
 
 c 
 
 I? 
 
 i 
 
)on him 
 
 8. After 
 Hiiction, 
 8iipi)li- 
 ing and 
 » Jacob's 
 iial i'om- 
 itual dis- 
 1 give,— 
 o Jacob 
 he found 
 brought 
 waiting, 
 ly ])lacc 
 and joy. 
 le Sun of 
 
 wingH " 
 msearch- 
 nmunion 
 mv high 
 is ^'Ody", 
 cr em])ti- 
 .5,6),and 
 essity of 
 'SsiaM iii. 
 nil in lis, 
 may live 
 s ii. 20), 
 
 ,t IH eVix, 
 
 God" (2 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 19 
 
 What gloriouH rest it in for those believers who 
 can realize these wonderful truths uttered by our 
 Saviour, " Verily, verily, I say unto you, "He that 
 hcareth my word, and bolieveth on llini that sent 
 Mo, IIATII EYEELASTING LIFE, u.mI shall not 
 come into condemnation; but IS PASSED from 
 death unto life" (.Mn -v. 24). Al.iO, ''My sheep 
 hear My voice, and 1 know them, and they folhtv/ 
 Me: and l^give unto them eternal life, and they shall 
 NEVEll jterish, jieithei* shall any man phick them 
 out of my hand " {John x. 27, 28). So also hy Peter, 
 " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 
 Chi'ist, which a^'cording to His abundart mercy hath 
 begotten us again untoalively hope bo the resurrec- 
 tion of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritaneo 
 incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadcth not 
 away, EESEIIVEJ) in heaven tor vou, who are K lOPT 
 m THE POWER OF GOD through faiih unto 
 salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 
 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now foi- :i sea- 
 son, if need be, ye are in heaviness through mani- 
 Ibld temj)tations : that the trial of your faith, being 
 much more precious than of gold t\vut perisiieth, 
 though it bo tried with fire, might be fotind utito 
 praise and honour and glory at the appearing of 
 Jesus Christ " (1 Peter i. 3-7). 
 
 But this peace, joy and rest, will only be ibund at 
 the feet of Jesus, — entire separation from every un- 
 clean thing, entire coming out from all the follies, 
 vanities. Avovhlliness, hisi of the flesh, pride f>f life, 
 every appearance of evil, and setting our aHeetions 
 on things above, daily ''washing our foot "' by the 
 
^^ 
 
 20 
 
 "water of tho word ". If wo really follow God'n 
 
 Word, w© cannot have any iViondslui> with tho 
 
 WORLD, under any excuse wlmtover : IN IT, a» 
 
 witnensort of tho truth, and of Josuh— as " living 
 
 ^jpiHlloH " read of all men, but not OF IT. (Head 
 
 carefully Jo/m xiii. 10, Eiihcsiansx. 2^,2 Corinthians 
 
 V. 14-21, Jdjnes iv. 4, and 2 Tivwthij iii. 1-5). 
 
 Thou it is that "tho work of righteousness shall 
 
 bo peace ; and tho oti'eet of righteousness, quietness 
 
 and assurance for over" (haiah xxxii. 17). 
 
 F.B. 
 
 Mq. i.-l WAS ONCE A CHILD OF WRAHT. 
 I AM NOW A CHILD OF GOD. 
 
 Mq. ^'-TJHl mETfuNG WJTH JACOB. 
 
 ^Q. ^.-THE'ToOK^ OF RUTH. 
 
 mq. 4.-exod7s1vl^ the manna. 
 
 M^. &-PEfERJjrPRJSON._ ACTS XI L 
 
 Mq. e.-BAPTIoM7cC0RDI!^'P ; , ^HE 
 HOLYJCR^PTU^REo. 
 
 eT®, m-THE^BmrOF THE LAMB. 
 WH O^ 1^ SHJ ? __ 
 
 ■^Q. c^^THE MYSTIC CITIES OF SCRIP- 
 TURT: ZION AND BABYLON. 
 
 Copies of either of the above, or complete nets, tient pont free 
 to any part of Canada or th.e Viiiteil Stfiten of Amcrlcd. 
 
 JOSEPH tOVKPAY, PRINTER AND PUBLISHER, OTTAWA, CANADA. 
 
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