July 18

Genesis xxxii.—9. And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee!

10. I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands. 11. Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children. 12. And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude. 24. And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25. And, when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him.

Jacob had emancipated himself from his long dependence upon Laban, and, with his numerous household and flocks, was returning to Canaan. As he approached the Jordan, his sin against his brother returned to plague him. His route lay across the northern frontier of the region occupied by the raving tribes of Esau; and he had reason to dread his brother's long threatened revenge. Jacob's company, though large, was not in fighting condition; and Esau was approaching with a band of four hundred warriors. Jacob sought to conciliate him with friendly and even obsequious messages, and with most liberal gifts; but, while using the policy which was so marked a trait in his character, he sought guidance and help from God.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Father of mercies, accept our humble thanksgiving for all the tokens of thy love. We thank thee for thy watchful care over us during the past night, and for the light and the comfort of this morning. For life and health and reason, for the bounties of thy providence, for our individual and domestic blessings, for all that mingles in the cup of life to make life happy, we offer our grateful praise. Thou hast led us in all our past days, and hast ordered our way in mercy. Oh! guide us with the wisdom that is from above. Give us heart and courage for the duties of this day. Keep us in our going-out and our coming-in. Preserve us from all danger and evil, from accident, and from sudden death. Plentifully endue us with thy grace, that we may walk worthy of our high calling, and in all things adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour. Let not sin have dominion over us. Save us, we beseech thee, from the consequences of our own mis-doings, and help us to walk uprightly. Oh! give us the spirit of believing and prevailing prayer, and the victory of faith.

26. And he said; Let me go; for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go except thou bless me. 27. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 28. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel; for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. 29. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. 30. And Jacob called the name of the place Penuel; for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved. 31. And, as he passed over Penuel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. 32. Therefore the children of Israel ate not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day; because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

With humility and gratitude he ascribed all his prosperity to the divine favor; with meekness and faith he cast himself upon the divine promise; and then, with an importunity and a persistence which ever since have been the pattern of believing prayer, he prevailed with God.

His brother met him with a cordial magnanimity; and the feud of twenty years was buried in a covenant of peace, which was soon after sealed at their father's grave. Whatever our straits, whatever our faults, whatever our perils, whatever our deserts, let us cling to God as our one constant friend, and prove the power of prayer to bring him to us "face to face" for our salvation. It is the effectual fervent prayer that availeth much.

Prayer.

[Nos. 48, 56, 188.

Ever keep this household in thy love. [Oh, may these children be preserved from all harm, from all evil, from all sin, and made happy in thy love! May they shun the way of folly, and choose the fear of the Lord!]

The blessings which we ask for ourselves, let it please thee, O God! to extend to all who are dear to us by the ties of nature and affection. Lift upon them the light of thy countenance, and satisfy them with thy goodness. Hear us when we pray for the good estate of the whole catholic Church. Clothe thy ministers with salvation, and let thy chosen people rejoice. Have pity upon the nations, and fill the world with thy glory. Strengthen the sons of toil, and comfort the children of sorrow. Be thou the father of the fatherless, the judge of the widow, and the rest of the weary.

Our Father in heaven, take us to the bosom of thy love, and keep us evermore, through Jesus Christ our Saviour; to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be glory everlasting. Amen.