[4.] Feed trust with arguments, and reason sometimes from the greater to the less. He hath given us his Christ and his Spirit : Rom. viii. 32, ' How shall he not with him give us all things else? ' Some- times from the less to the greater — ' If he clothe the lilies and feed the ravens, how much more will he provide for you, 0 ye of little faith,' Mat. vi, 26, 30. Reason from things past to things present : as David : 1 Sam. xvii. 37, ' The Lord hath delivered me from the paw of the lion and the mouth of the bear, and he will deliver me out of the hands of this uncircumcised Philistine.' And then reason from things past and present to things future : 2 Cor. i. 10, ' Who hath delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.' God hath provided for me hitherto, even when I lay in my mother's womb ; it was he prepared thy swaddling-clothes when thou wast not able to shift for thyself. He provided two bottles of milk for thee before thou wast born ; saad he provided for thee when thou hadst no reason, no grace, no interest in him ; certainly he will provide for thee now. And on the other side, reason from things to come to things present : Luke xiL 32, ' Fear not, little flock, it is your
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Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' If he will give iieaven, why not daily bread ? Thus may we help faith by reasoning. Christ hath taught us this skill.
[5.] Consider your relations to God, and improve them to increase your confidence. The apostle saith. 1 Tim. v. 8, ' He that provideth not for his own is worse than an infidel.' God is your creator, and you are his creatures ; and God is bountiful to everythmg that he hath made : Ps. cxlv. 15, 16, ' The eyes of all things wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season ; thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living creature.' He that is so tender of all his works, will he forget you and forsake you? The apostle saith, 1 Peter iv. 19, ' Commit your souls unto him, as unto a faithful creator.' They were in a great deal of danger, they carried their lives in their hands from day to day, and therefore the apostle gives them this advice. And then he is a shepherd, that is his relation to the visible church, and you may draw conclusions from it : Ps. xxiii. 1, ' The Lord is my e;hepherd, I shall want no good thing.' And then he is your father . Mat. vi. 32, ' Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.' And will a father be unmindful of his children ? Yea, he is your God, in covenant with you : Ps. xxxi. 14, ' I trusted in thee, 0 God ; I said. Thou art my God.' A man must make sure his per- sonal interest, and then it will be more easy to live by faith, and draw- comfortable conclusions from thence.
[6.] Consider the vanity of carking : Mat. vi. 27, ' Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature ? ' We cannot change the colour of a hair, nor make ourselves a jot taller or stronger. A man is pierced through with worldly cares, and yet the world frowneth upon him: Ps. cxxvii. 1, 2, 'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it. It is in vain to rise early, and go to bed late, to eat the bread of sorrows ; for so he giveth his beloved sleep/ There is a general and a particular meaning in this psalm. The general sense is this : there are many that follow their business close, with great wisdom and dexterity : they labour and toil, live sparingly, do this and that, and yet are destitute of these outward things ; it is the Lord must give the blessing. But then there is a more particular meaning in this psalm, concerning Solomon, who was called Jedidiah, the beloved of the Lord, 2 Sam. xii. 25, who was a builder ; 1 Chron. xxii. 9, Adonijah and Absalom thought to have stept into the throne, but it is in vain. .The Lord giveth his beloved rest. The kingdom is for Solomon, do what you can , so it is in vain for us to cark, and care, and trouble our- selves. The Lord giveth these things to whom he pleaseth ; Luke. v. 5, our Saviour Christ bids his disciples ' cast out the net.' They had toiled all night and wearied themselves, and caught nothing ; but at his command they cast out the net, and enclosed a multitude of fishes. Our diligence and toiling cometh to nothing without God's blessing. Thus do, and usually God prevents us with the blessings of his goodness ; or if we be pinched, and feel want, it is to make our supplies the more glorious. ' How many loaves have ye ? and they said, Seven, and a few little fishes,' Mat. xv. 34, 35. Here Christ, to supply the wants of the multitude, wrought a miracle ; he will have it seen what he will do, though he hath never so little to work upon.