he contendeth with us ?" Like Jacob, we should " wrestle with him all the night, and say, I will not let thee go until thou bless me :" and, having regained his presence, we should labour constantly to " keep a conscience void of offence towards both God and man." Were we thus to exert ourselves in the first instance, we should walk continually, as it were, in the light of his countenance : but if we disregard the first intima- tions of his displeasure, and suffer him to depart, from his throne to the threshold, from the threshold to the court, from the court to the gate, we shall find it no easy matter to recover the testimonies of his love, and the influences of his grace. " Be instructed then, (says the Lord,) lest my soul depart from thees." Be instructed in the necessity of unintermitted watch- fulness and prayer. Be instructed to " guard against the very appearance of evil," on your own part, and against the smallest withdrawment on the part of God. Thus will your whole life be a continual feast; and God will be greatly glorified in the whole of your conversation.]
s Jer. vi. 8.
Ezek. xii. 23. The days are at hand, and the effect of every
vision.
EXCEEDINGLY diversified were the ways by which God communicated his mind to his ancient people. At Mount Sinai he spake to them by an audible voice, and by legible characters engraven on tables of stone. To the high-priest he imparted the knowledge of his will, by means of the Urim and Thummim, which constituted his breast-plate. To the prophets he revealed himself by dreams, and visions, and inward inspiration. The Prophet Ezekiel was favoured with many and most extraordinary visions ; some of which were very obscure ; whilst others were either manifest in themselves, or were made clear by a special revelation of their import. On many occasions the prophets were directed to make use of some sig- nificant actions, which were to convey to the people a knowledge of the events which awaited them. Of this last kind was the revelation now made to them by the Prophet Ezekiel. Many of the Jews had been