thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. The Lord will shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him.b "He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways: they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and the adder; the young lion and dragon shalt thou trample under foot." It matters not what be the lets that oppose us, when the Lord goes before us; he will easily beat them down: nor what strength resists such as he has promised to shew his strength for: nor how many be our dangers, when his angels have charge over us to keep us. Therefore go on in the work, and fear not the issue, being strengthened by the promises of Him that never faileth his. In times of danger. "The Lord will keep the feet of his saint.a Whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet for fear of evil. "Thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take rest in safety; also, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid. They which trust in the Lord shall a Deut. xxxi, 8. xci, 11, 12, 13. f Job xi, 18, 19. d.1 2 Chron. xvi, 9. Psalm Sam. ii, 9. e Prov. i, 33. be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth forever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people, from henceforth, even for ever.a "He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel will not slumber nor sleep, the Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand. b Seeing the Lord is our keeper, we need not fear the danger. When thou art in great trouble, &c. "When thou passeth through the waters,, I will be with thee, and through the rivers. they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. I will give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. "Surely in the floods of great waters, they shall not come nigh unto him. Thou art. my hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble: thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance..d" When thou seest thyself compassed with. many troubles, and beginnest to fear, apply, "I will be with thee, they shall not over Pealm cxxv, 1,. 2.. b Psalm.cxxi, 3, 4, 5. Isa xliii, 2, 20.. d Psalm.xxxii, 6, 7... flow thee." In the fire of affliction, thou shalt not only not be burnt, but the flame shall not kindle upon thee; the greatest trouble shall do thee the least harm, for God being with thee will bring thee out, as he did Israel through the sea, and the three children out of the fire, with not so much as the savour of fire about them: so shall not so much as the savour of evil be upon his, but he will compass them about with songs of deliverance. When thou seemest to be forgotten in afflic tion. "The Lord will also be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever, a "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they might forget; yet will not I forget thee.b "He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever. The Lord will not cast off for ever. But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his mercies.d" When thou fearest thou shalt die in misery. "They shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. e aPsalm ix, 9, 18. d Lam. iii, 31, 32. bisa. xlix, 15. ePsalm ciii, 9. eJob xxxvi, 11. When thy sorrows grow great. "Thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, till he fill his mouth with laughing, and his lips with rejoicing. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.e "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness.f "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.s "Ye now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."h Hath sorrow taken deep root in thy soul, that thou fearest thou shalt never find hearty joy? Apply, "He shall comfort thine heart." Is such a cross upon thee, that thou fearest thou shalt never forget it? Apply, "Thou shalt forget thy misery, as waters that pass away.", When thou knowest no way out of misery, for soul or body. "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, a Job xi, 16. bJob viii, 20, 21. cPsalm xxvii, 14. d Psalm cxii, 4. ePsalm cxxvi, 5, 6. f Prov. x, 28, Mat. v, 4. hJohn xvi, 22. and shew thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."a If thou wouldest have deliverance out of trouble. "He will beautify the meek with salvation:" or, he will make the meek glorious by deliverance.b The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.c "Happy is the man whom God correcteth; for he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee. Call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. e" When thou art in many troubles, and fearest thou shall never get out of all, apply, "The Lord will deliver thee out of all." If the Lord hath delivered thee once or twice, and thou fearest thou wilt not continue so still; as often as thou fallest into troubles, apply, "He shall deliver thee in six troubles; and the seventh shall not touch thee.” If thine enemies prevail. "The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the right- a Jer. xxxiii, 3. bPsalm cxlix, 4. Psalm xxxiv, 17, 19. dJob v, 17, 18, 19. Psalm 1, 15. |
