for us all. He takes nothing but shame to himself, and casts himself wholly on the mercy of his father. O that there were in us also such a heart! for not the Pharisee who commends himself, but the Publican who smites on his breast and cries for mercy, shall obtain the blessings of grace and glory.]
2. A simple reliance on the promises of God —
[Jacob puts God in remembrance of the promise which had been made to him twenty years before ; " Thou saidst, I will surely do thee goodf." And this is the true ground on which alone we can venture to ask any thing of God. He has " given us exceeding great and precious promises g," which he has also " confirmed with an oath, on purpose that we may have consolation" in our souls h, and be encouraged to spread before him all our wants. Behold how David laid hold of the promises, and pleaded them before God in prayer: " O Lord God, thou hast promised this goodness to thy servant: do as
thou hast spoken ; do as thou hast said1" Again, and
again, and again does he in this passage remind God of the promises he had made; and declares, that on them all his prayers, and all his hopes, were founded. In this manner then are we also to come before him ; " Put me in remembrance," says God : " let us plead together : declare thou, that thou mayest be justified k." Are we anxious to obtain the forgive- ness of our sins? we should take with us such promises as these; " Whosoever cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out:" " Though your sins be as crimson, they shall be as white as snow." Do we want deliverance from some grievous tempta- tion? we should remind the Lord, Hast thou not said, " There shall be no temptation without a way to escape, that thou mayest be able to bear it ? " So, whatever our want be, we should take a promise suited to it, (for what trial is there that is not provided for amongst the promises of God?) and plead it, and rest upon it, and expect the accomplishment of it to our souls.]
3. A determination to persevere till we have ob- tained the desired blessing —
[This is the particular point mentioned in our text. And it is that without which we never can prevail. Jacob, though lamed by his antagonist, still held him fast. And thus must we do also : we must " pray, and not faint." A parable was delivered by our blessed Lord for the express purpose of teaching us this invaluable lesson1. It should be a settled point in our minds, that " God cannot lie," and " will not
f ver. 12. s 2 Pet. i. 4. h Heb. vi. 17, 18.
* 2 Sam. vii. 25—29. k Isai. xliii. 26. l Luke xviii. 1—8.