or speak out in a loud tone of voice. But do you feel deeply engaged in your praying? Do you feel, in your inmost soul, the need of God's mercy in answering your request? Do you feel, as you ought, what a helpless, miserable siuner you are, and that it is only through Christ, you can hope to obtain the blessing which you seek? Do you feel a strong and affectionate faith in this Saviour? Do you feel that you cannot let God go unless he bless you; that you must strive and persevere in prayer as Jacob did?

Remember his wrestling with God. Think of the great condescension and mercy of God, in yielding to him, and in granting his request. God has the same condescension and mercy now, to bestow upon all who will go to him in faith, and with earnest and importunate supplication.

STORY XXVII.

ESAU IS RECONCILED TO JACOB.

JACOB had power with God.

We shall soon

see how he had power with men, and prevailed with his brother Esau.

The latter was now approaching, and with him his company of four hundred men. He had already met the separate droves, and the servants, that Jacob had sent to meet him. He had been told, with great respect, that they were all intended as a present for his acceptance. This mark of his brother's submission and friendship had softened his feelings, and prepared him to approach Jacob in a far different manner from what he otherwise would have done.

Placing the women-servants and the children who were with them in the front, and next behind them Leah and her children and Rachel and her only child Joseph, (the most precious to him of all,) in the rear,Jacob passed over before them to meet his brother.

Before he came near to Esau, he bowed himself to the ground seven times. This according to the customs of those times, was a mark of very great reverence. Esau was deeply affected by it. His kindlier feelings gained the ascendency. He ran to meet Jacob. He embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him and they wept.

Esau's eyes, as he looked up, met the

women and children, who stood in an imploring attitude, and probably still showing marks of fear, immediately behind Jacob. "Who are these with thee?" said he. "The children which God hath graciously given thy servant;" replied Jacob.

Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves. And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near, and Rachel, and they bowed themselves."

Every thing conspired to touch the heart of the stern and vindictive Esau, and to melt down his resentment into tenderness and affection. The large and costly present, the respect and kindness of his brother,-the winning aspect of the helpless women and children, the recollections of early childhood-the long absence of Jacob, and his return at length, before their aged father had died, all had their influence, and the hunter and warrior no longer comes to gratify his revenge, but to be appeased and reconciled.

Kindly addressing Jacob, "What meanest thou," said he, "by all this drove which I met?"

"These are to find grace in the sight of

my lord "a present to conciliate thy good will; to procure thy forgivenes of all that is past; and thy favour and friendship in future.

"And Esau said, I have enough, my brother, keep that thou hast unto thyself."

"And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand for therefore have I seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou was pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough; and he urged him and he took it."

Jacob, but a little while before, while praying and wrestling, had seen, as it were, the face of God, thus manifesting himself in a human form. It was a countenance of divine beauty and benignity; and in looking at it, especially when prevailing with God, and obtaining an answer to his request, he was filled with a transport of inexpressible delight at the condescending kindness and affection which it expressed.

He saw something of a similar condescension and kindness in the countenance of his

reconciled brother. He had prevailed with him also; and, in the strong language of the East, compared his present joy and gratitude to what he had felt when he beheld the face of God.

He was exceedingly anxious, too, to persuade Esau actually to accept of the present, and must have felt a peculiar satisfaction, and feeling of security, when he succeeded. For in the Eastern countries it was then, and is still, a prevailing custom, that if a present is received by a superior, (and as such Jacob acknowledged and treated Esau,) he is pledged to afford his friendship, and it can be relied upon. But if it be not received, every thing is to be feared from his disaffection.

Esau having given his pledge that he would continue to be the friend of his brother, invites him, to proceed on his journey, and to visit the land of Seir. He offers, at the same time, to go before him and his company, to show him the way, and to be, with his band of four hundred men, a protection against any dangers to which they might be exposed.

But Jacob declined the proposal of travelling with him in company, fearing that he