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man.-Perfons of this description may occafionally fall into the ftate mentioned in the following words.

That walketh in darkness, &c. Every intelligent reader of the Bible must have obferved, that darknefs and light are often spoken of in fcripture in a figurative sense, that the former denotes trouble and perplexity, and that the latter fignifies the oppofite ftate of ferenity, happiness, and joy. This feems plainly to be the meaning of these terms in the expreffions before us. Those who fear the Lord and obey his voice, are fometimes involved in diftrefs, deftitute of tranquillity and confolation. Afflicted in their perfons or families, in their friends or poffeffions, haraffed by manifold temptations and corrupt paffions, oppreffed with a fenfe of guilt, afraid of the awful threatenings denounced in the word of God, and difquieted by the accufations of their confciences; they cannot perceive their intereft in the divine favour and love, nor fee by what way they may emerge from their troubles, and obtain deliverance. In this forlorn fituation, though they indulge not in fullen fadnefs, nor repine at divine difpenfations, their fatisfaction and joy are impaired by folitude and anxiety, their hope is enfeebled by disappointment, and their confidence weakened by the difficulties with which they are embarraffed. Though the divine procedure in this inftance may be the fubject of mournful complaint, when the important purposes are rightly confidered, that may thereby be promoted by infinite wisdom and love, the affliction will be greatly alleviated, and light will fpring up out of obfcurity. Unto the upright who walk on in their integrity; light arifeth in darknefs, For the Lord will not caft off for ever. But though he caufe grief, yet will. he have compaffion according to the multitude of his mercies*. By allowing his people to fall into fuch diftreffing circumftances, the bleffed God difplays his glorious fovereignty; he fubdues VOL. III. 4 P

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Lam. iii. 31, 32.

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their corrupt paffions; he exercises and improves their graces; and teaches them highly to prize his mercies, and the light of his countenance. In this state they greatly need fupport and relief, for obtaining which to each of them, it is faid,

. Let bim true in the Lord, &c. There two expreffions which point out the duty of thofe who walk in darkness are of fimilar import, the latter ferving to explain and inforce the former. To truft in the Lord, and to ftay upon God, is not rafhly to prefume on the divine goodness, or to entertain delufive hopes of the favour and protection of Jehovah, whilft we provoke his difpleafure, by adopting measures to obtain deliverance, that he hath prohibited. It is not like the chief men in Jerufalem, to judge for reward, to teach for hire, and to divine for money, and yet to lean upon the Lord and fay, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us *. It is not to blefs ourselves in our hearts and to fay, We fhall have peace, though we walk in the imagination of our evil hearts f. This is not to truft upon God, but upon lying vanities. To traft in Jehovah, is in the diligent performance of duty, and the faithful improvement of appointed means, with firm perfuafion of the divine goodnefs and power, to place entire dependance on the Almighty, to prevent the evils we fear, to remove those which we feel, and to bestow every good thing neceflary to deliverance and happinefs. It is in the exercise of humble believing expectation, to repofe unfufpecting confidence in the attributes, providence and promifes, of Jehovah, which frees from perplexing doubts, defponding fears, and difquieting difcouragements. It is to look to our Maker, and to have refpect to the Holy One of Ifrael; it is to caft our burden upon the Lord, and to rely on him for the feasonable communication of every promifed bleffing fuited to our circumitances.-This truft ought to be fixed,

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In the name of the Lord, i. e. in Jehovah himself, who manifefts his glorious perfections in delivering those who put their truft in him. This is the meaning of the expreflion in the directory for prayer given by Jefus Chrift, where he teaches to fay, Hallowed be thy name.' Let the God of heaven and earth with his infinite excellencies, be fuitably acknowledged, fanctified and honoured, throughout the whole world. As men are diftinguished one from another by their names, fo the Moft High God is known by the revelations he hath vouchfafed to give of himself, which afford fatisfying proofs of his infinite majefty and glory, and exhibit him as the proper object of truft and dependance.

In his omnipotence we may fafely confide. All other fupports may fail, but he is the rock of ages, and they who rely on him, fhall never be moved. If we fpeak of ftrength, lo, he is ftrong. By the word of his power he made the worlds, and upholds them in existence. Many aftonishing deliverances hath he wrought for his church. In the perfon, the life, the death, and refurrection of Immanuel; in the converfion, fanctification, and prefervation of his people, to his everlasting kingdom, his glorious power is nobly difplayed. When therefore you that fear God are in perplexity and trouble, truft in the Lord; commit yourselves to him who is able to do for you exceeding abundantly above all that you can afk or think.-In his goodness, we may place unfufpecting confidence. He is incomparably good, good unto all, especially unto them that hope in his mercy, in whatever condition they are placed. When walking in darknefs, he can eafily difpel the gloom, and cause the day fpring from on high to vilit them. When in trouble, he can revive and fend relief; in temptation he cant fuccour and deliver. When oppreffed by a sense of guilt and depravity, he is ready to forgive and to heal every spiritual diftemper. When diftreffed with fears of death, he will be with you, and make

his rod and staff to comfort you. No want fo great that he cannot fupply, no difficulty fo urgent from which he cannot extricate, no defire fo large that he cannot gratify, no bleffing fo precious that he will refufe to grant. Truft then in the Lord, that he will beftow all that you are difpofed aright to receive, and your expectations fhall not be difappointed. On his faithfulness we ought firmly to rely. He is the God of truth, for whom it is impoffible to lie; one title of his word fhall not fail of receiving its full accomplishment. He is faithful who hath promised, who also will perform. He who poffeffes Almighty power and confummate goodness, can never be deftitute of ability and inclination to fulfil the promises ke hath made to advance the interests of his people. In all ages and in every condition, they have experienced his conftancy and fidelity, infomuch that no one inftance can be specified wherein the Lord hath failed to confer the good things he hath promised. Truft in Jehovah at all times, ye people pour out your heart before him, God is a refuge for us.

And stay upon his God, with whom he that feareth the Lord ftands intimately connected in the most endearing relations. He is thy gracious Father, who gave thee being, breath, and all things; who regenerated thee by his Spirit, and admitted thee into his divine family. He is thy faithful friend, who by all the difpenfations of his providence and grace will certainly advance thy happiness and falvation. He is thy God, whofe perfections and providence fhall be employed to promote thy beft interefts, who himself will be thy exceeding great reward, and for ever enrich thee with fubitantial proofs of his favour, that is better than life. Truft, then, in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; fret not thyfelf becaufe of him that profpereth in his way. Delight thyfelf, alfo, in 'the Lord, and he fhall give thee the defires of thine heart; commit thy way unto the Lord, trust

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alfo in him, and he fhall bring it to pass *. Stay and reft upon him, and he will difpel your perplexing fears and forrows; hope in him, and you fhall yet praise him who is the health of your countenance and your God.

11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compafs yourselves about with fparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. have kindled. This fhall This fhall ye have of mine hand; ye fhall lie down in forrow.

Our Prophet concludes this portion of his excellent discourse by folemnly declaring that the adverfaries of the kingdom of God, who walk in the evil ways of their own hearts, fhall certainly perifh. To this momentous interesting subject, which ought to be confidered with the utmost provident folicitude, he demands ferious attention. The perfons who are especially addreffed are thus figuratively defcri-bed-All ye that kindle a fire, &c. Thefe words, which ought not to be literally understood, are used fymbolically, to represent the artful devices formed by wicked people, whereby they aim to comfort themselves under awful denunciations of terrible judgments which shall be inflicted upon them, if divine mercy and true repentance do not intervene. -That compass yourselves about with sparks, or, according to the translation of the late bishop of London, who heap the fuel round about.' In either fense the words ftrongly intimate the perfevering affiduity with which perfons of this defcription endeavour by improper means to folace themselves, and to harden their minds against the complicated miferies which they refuse to adopt proper meafures to escape. They likewife point out the inefficacy of all the vain expedients and ill-judged attempts of obftinate tranfgreffors to attain the ends they

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* Pfal. xxxvii. 3, 4, 5.

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