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the person of the Son of God this wrestling in which Jacob, assisted by God, a match for an angel, was so ordered that he (see Gen. 32 c. 2S v.) might learn by this experiment of the divine assistance that neither Esau, nor any other man should have power to hurt him in a spiritual sense. We wrestle with God by prayer and through his mercy prevail over him The sons of Jacob on this occasion were guilty of a grievous sin, (see Gen. 34) as well by falsely pretending religion, as by excess of their revenue: though otherwise their zeal against so foul a crime was commendable. It appears that Jacob in his old age suffered many things, even to the loss of his son Joseph: but by the goodness of God Joseph was powerfully blessed in his station and became a great man, although his brethren did not like him, because he was blessed with the power of interpretation, and he was sold by his brethren to the Ishmaelites and they led him into Egypt. Gen. 37 c. 28 v. These dreams of Joseph were prophetical and sent from God, as were also those which he interpreted otherwise. Generally speaking the observance of dreams is condemned in the scriptures as superstition and sinful. Doth not interpretation belong to God? When dreams are from God as these were, the interpretation of them is a gift of God, but the generality of dreams are not of this sort, but either proceed from the natural habits or dispositions of persons, or the roving of their imaginations in the day, on such objects as they are much affected with, or from their mind being disturbed with cares and troubles, and being oppressed with bodily infirmities: or they are suggested by evil spirits to flatter or to terrify weak minds, in order to gain belief, and so draw them into error or superstition, or at least to trouble them in their sleep, whom they cannot move when they are awake: so that in general, in regard to dreams, is not to observe them, nor to give any credit to them. However, Joseph now being in Egypt, and was Governor in the land, and corn was sold by his direction to the people, and when his brethren had bowed down to him, he knew them, and he remembering of the dream which he formally had dreamed, he said unto them, you are spies. Gen. 42 c. 9 v.—This he said by way of examining them to see what they would answer, or else by the help of Pharaoh you are
