knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. And he called the name of that place Bethel." Hallowed place indeed! Never was Jacob more truly honoured of God, than on this occasion, when, a homeless, houseless pilgrim, he sees open intercourse between heaven and earth, as though it were for his sole protection and blessing. He had but a staff in his hand, and no companion, yet was he not to journey alone. Without flocks or herds, he was rich in heaven being opened over him. Nor was this all-his eyes were not only strengthened for the vision, but his ears were opened to take in "exceeding great and precious promises;" and of these while some reached into the remote future, and one took up and made over to him the promise made to Abraham, then to Isaac, that grand comprehensive promise, the sure ground of all promises, "In thee, and in thy seed, shall all the families of the earth be blessed," there was another of direct present application to the homeless pilgrim-" And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest....for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." Well might Jacob feel amazement at having heaven brought so near to him, even as the disciples did on the Mount of transfiguration. Blessed as it is, there is, nevertheless, something solemn and fearful in first coming in contact with heaven. It makes us feel what it is to be of the earth earthy, and that were not heaven the region of pure grace, as well as of unsullied holiness, it could not be the place for us. "How dreadful is this place."

Jacob must learn under God's own hand the blessedness of the house of God, and return to Bethel in quiet repose of soul, without "being afraid with any amazement," either at having heaven brought so near to him, or at "the exceeding great and precious promises" made to him. (Gen. xxviii. 10-22.)

But how does Jacob start from Bethel after such a vision of the glory of God watching over him, and such unconditional and specific promises made unto him? The answer of Jacob to all these gracious promises of God, is but the answer of us all, even "an evil heart of unbelief;" and it required twenty years of severe discipline to teach Jacob that what God promised, He was able also to perform. God had absolutely said, "Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest." But Jacob must needs vow a vow, and put God on His trial, and not accept Him as his God till after he had fully proved Him. What losers we are by not receiving God in the gracious way in which he presents himself to us. "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God; and this stone which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that Thou shalt give me, I will surely give the tenth unto Thee."

* *

Jacob started from Bethel without the consciousness of his highest blessing, even the presence of the Lord. We, like him, are ready to take less than God gives, and seek to be satisfied with some blessing short of the Lord Himself, "in whose presence is fulness of joy, at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore."

But God "cannot deny Himself;" He was with Jacob every step of his way, however unconscious Jacob was of His presence. In all Jacob's servitude with Laban, whom God used to correct the subtilty of Jacob, by making him feel what it was to be imposed on by another, the Lord was with him. When Laban would have overreached Jacob in his hire, God overruled it for Jacob's increase; for "I" (said the Lord,) "have seen all that Laban doth unto thee. I am the God of Bethel where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto Me; now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred." But with this special warrant of his return, "Jacob steals away unawares to Laban the Syrian," so slow are we to act in confession of obedience to God. Laban pursues and overtakes Jacob, but God is with Jacob to prevent Laban doing him harm. "It is," said Laban, "in the power of my hand to do you hurt; but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." Surely God could have inclined Laban to dismiss Jacob in peace, had Jacob boldly avowed that he was about to return into the land of his father in obedience to God, but Jacob trusted in "fleshly wisdom," instead of "the grace of God." But God was with Jacob the way he went, and gave him a visible token of His presence. Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him; and when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host; and he called the name of that place Mahanaim." But this was not sufficient to quell Jacob's fear of his brother Esau. A guilty conscience needs not only the

"And

sense of God's power to protect, but of His grace to pardon and abound over all our sins. Distress leads Jacob to plead with God, to put Him in remembrance of His promises made to him both in Syria and Bethel. (Gen. xxxii. 9—12.) He pleads with Him as the God of his father Abraham, and the God of his father Isaac, but he had not yet received Him as his God, although he had the warrant from God Himself at Bethel to do so. Blessed indeed is it to say with the Apostle, "my God," but this we shall hardly truthfully do until we have been somewhat tutored in the same school as that in which Jacob was now about to be tutored. Instead of looking to God to dispose the heart of Esau kindly towards him, he thought to "appease Esau with a present." After all his prudential arrangements, Jacob is left alone. When a solitary wanderer from his father's house, he had the vision and promises of God at Bethel; but now in his return to Bethel, he has to learn what it is to be alone with God after another fashion. "And Jacob was left alone, and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day, and when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh." Visions, and promises, and mercies by the way, had not availed to work in Jacob dependance on God, any more than threatenings and severity subsequently availed to bring Pharaoh into obedience to God. The flesh, whether in its wisdom, strength, or goodness must be thoroughly crushed, ere we really depend on God, or give to Him His rightful place, as "the Almighty." When Jacob's thigh was put out of joint, he must needs hang upon God or fall. He must cleave to Him, and get a blessing from

Him, or be lost for ever. Never had Jacob prevailed with God or man till "he halted on his thigh." With God he prevailed, got the blessing, saw His face and lived, and then he prevails with man, finding kindness instead of hostility in Esau. Jacob had never known the full blessing of Bethel, had he not learnt the painful lesson of Peniel. And so with ourselves. When first brought to God through faith in the blood of Jesus, we start as Jacob did from Bethel with heaven opened over us, and more than even Bethel promises, for the name of the Father was not then revealed; but how little do we apprehend either our dignity or our blessings, and still less that the cross of Christ is "the wisdom and power of God." We must be beaten out of self-confidence in its varied phases, to learn truthfully that "the flesh profiteth nothing," and that "Christ is all." Our many disappointments in ourselves, our many failures, the constant struggle within, under the blessed teaching of the Spirit, lead us to acquiesce in the true doctrine of the cross, "Our old man is crucified with Him." The history of man in relation to God tells most plainly that man is irreclaimable. God may strive with him, yet he "prevails" not. The oracle given before the flood, "My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that He also is flesh," has only been receiving proof upon proof for four thousand years. Whether God deals with the flesh in judgment or in mercy, its incorrigibility is made manifest. The judgment of the flood improved it not, the giving of the law abundantly manifested its evil, the ministry of prophets reclaimed it not. "There was no remedy." Yes, God's only Son shall come, He shall win them