of Israel will not forsake them; I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah-tree, and myrtle, and the olive-tree; I will set in the desert the fir-tree, and the pine, and the box-tree together." So, now though thou feelest thy heart barren, know that God will be the gardener to thy barren heart, to make pools, and plant pleasant grapes of graces; therefore seeing he taketh upon himself the work, fear not the badness of the ground, for he will make it good as a fruitful garden. If thou wantest the Spirit of God.

"I will put my spirit within you.b "If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him!c

"I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.d And also upon the servants, and upon the handmaids, in those days will I pour out my Spirit.

"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may alsa. xli, 17, 18, 19. bEzek. xxxvi, 27. c Luke xi, 13. dJoel ii. 28, 29,

abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth: He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you.a ""

When thou canst not pray thyself, stay thyself on these prayers, that Christ hath prayed to the Father to give the Spirit, and he was heard in all he prayed for; therefore thou mayest claim it, though thy prayers be but weak.

If, looking on God's love, thou canst not love God again.

When thou lookest upon the great love of God unto thee, and canst not find thine heart enlarged in loving God again, apply this promise, "I will circumcise thine heart, that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul." If thou canst not bring thine heart to delight in the Lord.

"Thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and glory in the Holy One of Israel.c

"In thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.d

"For then shall thou have thy delight in the Almighty.

"For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. "

aJohn xiv, 16, 17, 18. 16. dPsalm lxxxix, 16. xxxiii, 21.

Deut. xxx, 6. e Isa. xli,
Job xxii, 26. Psalm

When thou seest cause of rejoicing in the Lord, and yet canst not move thine affections, apply, "They shall rejoice in him."

If, through many troubles and temptations, thou findest thy joys often interrupted, apply, "They shall rejoice continual ly in thy name."

If thou feelest not the fear of God in thine

heart.

"I will put my fear in their hearts.a " If we would have a reverent fear of God when we perform any holy duty, or at other times as thou feelest thy need, urge the Lord with this his promise, for he delights to be sued to upon his promise, by his servants; "I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them."

If thine heart will not praise the Lord. "This people have I formed for myself, they shall shew forth my praise.c

"Ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God."

"They shall praise the Lord that seek him.e 99

When thou seest what great things God hath done for thee, and findest not thyself able to set forth his praise, apply, "They shall set forth my praise.

*Jer. xxxii, 40. bEzek. xxxvi, 37. cIsa. xhii, 21. dJoel ii, 26. ePsalm xxii, 26.

When thou findest thy ungrateful heart not affected with the mercies thou enjoyest, and they stir thee not up to praise the Lord, apply, "He shall eat and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord."

If thou wantest wisdom.

When thou seest thy want of wisdom makes thee not walk like a Christian, so unblameable as thou oughtest, apply, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.a

When thou findest, thou wantest wisdom to improve thine afflictions to the best advantage, or for the ordering of thy actions, occasions, and course of life, to God's glory, and the good of others and thyself, then fail not to ask wisdom, and doubt not of the obtaining it.

If thou canst not understand God's voice.

When thou canst not understand the voice of God, in his word or works, not knowing what to learn by them, apply, "The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped:b" that is, those that were deaf, not understanding any thing, shall be made to hear, that is, to understand. "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and

James i, 5. bIsa. xxxv, 5.

they shall hear my voice." Which is a promise to the Gentiles, that they shall understand the voice of God.

If thou canst not see into the mysteries of the gospel.

"The eyes of the blind shall be opened.b "He shall open the eyes of the blind.c "He hath sent me to recover sight to the blind.d "

These places tell what Christ will do to his people, therefore we need not fear our disease, seeing Christ is our physician. If every creature do that for which it was ordained, then He will surely do that which he was sent to do of the Father,"to give sight to the blind.”

If thou seest a good way, and hast no power to walk in it.

When thou seest a good way and hast no power to walk in it, or art to perform any duty, ordinary or extraordinary, and feelest no strength to walk in that way, apply, "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.e

When thou lookest at the greatness of the duty which God commands, look also at

c

a John x, 16. bIsa. xxxv, 5. © Isa. xlii, 7. d Luke iv, 18. e Ezek. xxxvi, 27.