the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither. He shall strengthen thine heart.b Thou shalt be steadfast, thine age shall be clearer than the noon-day; thou shalt shine. forth, thou shalt be as the morning. They that love the Lord, shall be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might.d Now we see that nothing can hinder the sun in his might, but it chaseth away the darkness and clouds before it, and ceaseth not till he has run his race: So shall the child of God, for the Lord hath said it; we need not doubt of it. If thou fearest thine own weakness, and the power of temptation, with the subtilty of satan, apply, That God whose power and wisdom over-reacheth all other, hath said, "He will confirm you to the end. He shall establish thine heart; thy leaf shall not fade." Art thou hard pursued by sin and satan? Apply, That God whose power and wisdom over-reacheth all,-He hath said, "He will establish thee.” If thou be ready to fall and faint, apply, "The Lord upholdeth all them that fall, and lifteth up all them that are ready to fall: thou shalt not slide." If thou fearest that though thou be kept from sin, yet thy graces shall decay, apply, a Psalm i, 3. b Psalm xxxi, 24. c Job xi, 15, 17. d Judg. v, 31. "The righteous shall flourish as a palmtree, and shall grow as a cedar in Lebanon. They shall bring forth fruit in their old age; they shall be fat and flourishing: thou shalt bring forth fruit in season; thou shalt be stable: thine age shall appear more clear than noon-day; thou shalt shine as the morning." If thou art fallen, and fear the Lord will leave thee so. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved." "Though he shall fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever.b "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." When thou art fallen, and feelest a great load of sin or misery upon thee, and no power to unload thyself; thy graces so weak that they will not help thee, and therefore thou thinkest thy state desperate, apply, "Though he fall, he shall not be cast off, for the Lord putteth under his hand.” There fore, though sin and misery be ever so heavy, to press thee down, yet the powerful hand of God, when thou art at the lowest, being under thee, shall easily lift thee a Psalm lv, 22. b Psalm xxxvii, 24, 28. Jer. xxxii, 40. up: thou hast his promise, "He will not suffer thee to fall for ever. When thou fearest the Lord hath forsaken thee, and will not return again. "For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that [ would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be moved; but my kindness shall not depart from thee; neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.a "I will establish my covenant betwixt thee and me, an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee.b "I will be with thee, I will not fail thee, neither forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.c "I will not forsake my people. "The Lord is with you, while you be with him.e a Isa. liv. 7, 8, 9, 10. b Gen. xvii, 7. Deut. xxxi, 8. d1 Kings vi, 13. 2 Chron. xv. 2. "Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man.a "Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any.b "I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving kindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness."c When thou feelest thy vileness, and fearest the Lord will loath thee for it. "My soul shall not abhor you d "I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from them.e "I will love thee.f "He that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him; my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.g "I will rejoice over them to do them good." When thou seest a multitude of sins, so that thou seemest most loathsome, apply, "My soul shall not loath you." When thou seest nothing in thyself that should anove him to love thee, but all to the contrary, apply, "I will love them freely." a Job viii, 20. b Job xxxvi, 5. c Hos. ii, 19, 20. d Levit. xxvi, 11. e Hos. vii, 13. John xiv, 21, 23. xiv, 4. f Deut Jer. xxxii, 41. If thou fearest thy many sins will cause the Lord not to delight in thee, apply, "1 will delight in thee." If thou fearest thy sin will cause the Lord to hide himself from thee, apply, "I will shew my own self unto him." When thou feelest thy spiritual poverty. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.a "To him will I look, saith the Lord, that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my words." When thou feelest thy sins many, and thy graces are few, and therefore fearest that such a miserable creature as thou art, shall not inherit heaven, apply, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." up If thou fearest the Lord will not look on thee, apply, "To him will I look, saith the Lord, that is of a contrite spirit.” When thou art in a strait. When thou art in a strait, either in some truth, or something that is to be done, and thou knowest not what to choose, apply, "Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose; his soul shall dwell at ease. "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths: Commit thy © Psalm XXV, a Mat. v, iii. bIsa. lxvi, 2. 12, 13. |