Forty-Third Sabbath—Morning.

THE RESOLUTE JACOB.

"I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me."-Gen. xxxii. 26.

JACOB was greatly alarmed when he learned that Esau, his brother, was coming against him with four hundred men. He adopted precautionary measures, by dividing his people and his flocks into two companies, by preparing a large and valuable present for his brother, and by retiring to the brook Jabbok to wrestle at a throne of grace for divine protection. Let us attend to the parties wrestling, the lengthened struggle, and the satisfactory result.

The parties wrestling were Jacob and the angel. Jacob, many years before, had left his father's house very hurriedly. His brother Esau had threatened to kill him, and, to secure his safety, his parents found it necessary to send him away to his uncle Laban. Jacob was now returning to Canaan a prosperous man, with wives and children, and numerous flocks. Still afraid of Esau, he cautiously, and prudently, disposed of his family and flocks, and chose to be alone for the night, that he might commit his cause to God. How good to be alone ere we retire to rest! Yet Jacob was not alone, for an angel met him, with whom he wrestled until the breaking of the day. This angel was, doubtless, Christ,

who assumed, for a temporary purpose, a human body, for in the narrative he is called "man," and "God." It is also evident that Jacob was aware that he had hold of the God-man, the Mediator, the only daysman between God and us. Hence, he said, "I will not let Thee go except Thou bless me."

The lengthened struggle.-"There wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day." And Jacob said, "I will not let Thee go." This struggle showed that Jacob was in earnest. Like Abraham interceding for Sodom, like the woman of Canaan pleading with Christ, his soul was in his wrestlings. He knew that his life, and his family, and his flocks were in danger, and that he had no other refuge but a divine one; hence his earnestness. He was not only earnest, but he was hopeful of success. He had on former occasions obtained answers to his prayers, and remarkable divine interference on his behalf. God had prospered him in a strange land, far beyond his expectations, and in spite of great oppression, and God had delivered him from the wrathful Laban, who sought to injure him, but was prevented, and now he was hopeful that God would help him again, and deliver him from Esau. Hope thus encouraged him, and made him redouble his efforts. He was resolute, and persevering. He held the angel fast, not for minutes, nor for hours, but all night, and would

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not let him go, and so great were his importunity and perseverance, that He who guides and controls all worlds, was for a time controlled. Thus, prayer moves Him who moves the world. Let me, in all my difficulties and dangers, be earnest and importunate with God, and the kingdom of heaven will suffer violence, and the violent will take it by force.

The satisfactory results.-The efforts of Jacob were great, and they were crowned with success. His name was changed from Jacob to Israel. Jacob means a supplanter, and this name was appropriate. Israel means a wrestler, a prince with God, and having power to prevail, and this name was also appropriate after this extraordinary crisis in his life. When he began life for himself, he had nothing but à staff in his hand and the blessing of his parents, but now he has flocks and herds in abundance, and is made a prince with God. The angel blessed him. This blessing was probably the same which he heard from the top of the ladder. It included the promise of the divine presence, divine protection, divine provision, the certainty of being brought to his father's house in peace, and that the Messiah would be descended from him. What a noble result to importunate, persevering, prayer! Who would not be a wrestling Jacob, that he might become a prevailing Israel?

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."—Prov. xxii. 29.

THE Scriptures instruct us in temporal affairs as well as in the affairs of the soul. They tell us how to make the best of this world, as well as how to prepare for the world to come. Every one should have a business or calling; every one should be diligent in his business; and those who are so are sure of success.

Every one should have a business.-" His business. The Word of God says, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return unto the ground." "This we commanded you, that if any would not work neither should he eat." It is thus the will of God that every one should have something to do. Even Cain and Abel, the two eldest sons of Adam, were trained to a business, and those who have nothing to do lead a miserable life. Our own happiness should induce us to work. "The idle soul shall suffer hunger." "Drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." If any one has nothing to do, he is sure to get into mischief, and make others miserable as well as himself. "The sluggard is wiser in

his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason." The uncertainty of the future teaches us to labour. One says, I have riches, and do

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not need to work; but do not riches sometimes make to themselves wings and fly away? Should not those who do not need to labour for themselves, labour for the good of others? What a comfort, what a luxury is it, to do good!

Every one should be diligent in his business"Seest thou a man diligent in his business?" Observe, it is in our own business that we are to be diligent. How many are diligent in other men's matters, and neglecting their own! How many are keeping other people's vineyards, while their own vineyard they have not kept! Surely, "He that passeth by and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears." If you hold a dog by the ears, he will snarl, and if you let go, he will bite you. Diligence includes strict attention and unbending integrity. Neglect or dishonesty is the principal barrier to success, and the only thing secured by either is the curse of God. The young, especially, should form habits of strict attention to business, for such habits, once formed, make labour light. They should also be sternly honest. The dishonest cannot succeed in life; they cannot have the approbation of God, nor the respect of men. Diligence supposes hard work. Like the bee or the ant, we should improve our time, for "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule; but the slothful shall be under tribute." Two hours lost every day during a life of seventy

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