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unto the Lord;" then he could add also, " Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin." When he held up his hands, Israel prevailed. Ye that want the same peace, use the same method: shall have the same success, as I trust not a few before me can bear witness.

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The field is too large to be entered upon very minutely in its particular branches. Let us just mention a few more instances of the success of wrestling prayer, and of the contrary. You found, after you believed through grace, you had a heavy cross of some sort or other continually to carry. You grew impatient, and, neglecting prayer, gave yourself up too much to a froward and complaining humour. But how was it with you when you cried indeed to the Lord for a submissive, resigned spirit? Have you not found it was with you as with the troubled sea when the Saviour spake the word " Peace, be still?" Thus, when you lifted up your hands, Israel prevailed. That sweet, humble calm of soul took place in you, which made your breast the very heaven in which Jesus delights to dwell, and the Most High was exalted in your soul. What pain have your sensual and worldly inclinations given you! what a difficulty even to desire Divine blessings! while the heart has been going astray after various vanities, and loving the things of the world with inordinate affection. You wrestled with the Lord, for that view of him, and that inward strength, which should discomfit

these Amaleks. Has not the Lord heard you; and after, it may be, a long hiding of his face, the God of Israel returns to you, sweeter and more delightful than ever, and grants you that free communion with himself which makes you say, with Ephraim, "What have I to do any more with idols?" And with regard to particular distresses and temptations, whether inward or outward, and from whatever quarter they proceed; or with regard to a discouraging sense of weakness and unfitness for duty and suffering, while you let down your hands, Amalek prevails; but when you wrestle at the Throne of Grace, does not Israel prevail, in a way far above what you could have conceived? for the Lord makes darkness light, and crooked things straight, before his people, above what they can ask or think. What encouragement hence for you to trust him, and live upon his grace, and wrestle with him for the performance of his promises in every time of need for the time to come, since you can say with thankfulness, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped me!"-You may be under discouraging thoughts of death at times. O wrestle with Christ, ye that know him, that you may have his hand with you at that trying hour; that you may prevail over Amalek to the end, and enjoy at length an eternal rest in the victorious arms of your Saviour, having been enabled, with good Jacob, to call him the

Angel that redeemed your soul from all evil, the God that fed you all your life long.

The use of this subject to the believer has appeared in the course of it: it loudly speaks, In all thy trials, burdens, and cares, wrestle with the God of Israel in prayer, and thou shalt prevail; and beware of neglecting this his appointed means, lest evil prevail over thee. And may not this subject be improved also for the benefit of families, as well as single souls, that they should unite in fervent, wrestling prayer for family blessings? Oh, where family prayer is kept up in vigour and life, how is the God of Israel engaged to protect and bless such houses! how will he bless them in family concerns, and own himself a God hearing prayer! On this account let me once more recommend to you the worship of God in your houses; alas! a too-long neglected duty. Forbid it, O our God, that any who know thee should through false shame live in the neglect of it. Let our intercessions be extended for our own country in general, and for the church of God in particular. Oh for wrestling spirits, that we might wrestle with our God in prayer for our Israel, that in the midst of judgments he would remember mercy!

I cannot conclude without a word to those who are strangers to hearty prayer. May God find them out, and apply the word to them with power! However you may deride

praying people, yet you must acknowledge they are far happier than you. In trouble, they can pour out their hearts to an unseen Friend, who will hear them in this life, and save them eternally in the next. But you have no such Friend you are strangers to this wrestling spirit, and all its consequences. Wretched men! if you will not pray here, it will be too late to pray in hell. Cry to God in Christ for mercy; you are on the brink of destruction! To live without prayer, is to live without God. But, oh begin to pray, lest God cast you away in his wrath! You will find he will hear, if you once begin to pray heartily; and Christ will present your prayers to his Father.

SERMON XXI.

THE STORY OF GIDEON.

JUDGES Vi. 11.

And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son, Gideon, threshed wheat by the wine-press, to hide it from the Midianites.

THERE never was a book in the world so beautifully simple and uniform as the Bible: it consistently points out one thing, carries on' one steady purpose, and centres in one object, from one end to the other. To glorify God, its author; to discover his true character to the sons of men; to testify the way in which only we can know, worship, honour, and enjoy him aright, is its grand design. Having briefly acquainted us with the creation and the fall of man, it ushers in the way of salvation by Jesus; and in type and in prophecy, in history and in doctrine, this is explained more and more to the end: nor does it cease till it has shewn us how the mystery of God will be finished, and his kingdom be completed for

ever.

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