The reasons are taken from the act and the object. The act is trusting and staying ; the object is God, or the name of God. The benefit we have by this act, the encouragement we have from this object.
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1. The ntility and profit of tiusting : 2 Chron. xx. 20, 'Believe in .the Lord your God, so shall you be established.' If you would be
delivered or supported, trust and stay upon the Lord, This allayeth our fears : Ps. Ivi. 3, ' At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee ; ' Ps. cxii. 7, ' He shall not be afraid of evil tidings ; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.' A christian is, or may be, immovable in all changes of condition. It overcometh our sorrows. There was a storm in David's spirit, how doth he calm it ? Ps. xlii. 5, ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance ; ' and ver. 11, ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.' He is at it again and again. It keepeth us from fretting: Ps. xxxvii. 7, 'Eestinthe Lord, and wait patiently for him ; fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.' It preserveth us from fainting : Ps. xxvii. 13, ' I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.' Yea, from defection and apostasy : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' They that cannot trust God cannot be long true to him.
2. There is much in the name of God to encourage trust : Ps. ix. 10, ' They that know thy name will put their trust in thee.' The name of God is anything by which he is made known. It compriseth two things — what God is in himself, and what he will be to his people.
[1.] What he is in himself; a wise, powerful, and holy being: his three grand attributes are wisdom, goodness, and power. Now nothing can be amiss that is done by a God of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness ; and what may here not be expected from him ? He that can do all things can do whatever you stand in need of ; he that knoweth all things can never be at a loss, either in preventing evil or bestowing good ; he that is so good will not be backward to pity and help us. Our choicest consolations are fetched Out of God's nature ; in his works we see much of him, but in his nature we see an infinite sea of all perfections.
[2.] Consider what God will be to his people, in his providence, in his covenant.
(1.) In his providence. In his works he discovereth his nature. As he is a powerful God, so nothing can be done but his leave and hand is in it, and it is governed by his counsel and will. Your per- secutors cannot stir or move or breathe without him. The saints are in his hand : Deut. xxxiii. 3, ' Yea, he loved the people ; all his saints are in thy hand.' We are in a friend's hand : John vi. 20, ' It is I, be not afraid.' His goodness : God is concerned in th e condition of his people as well if not more than themselves ; they do not suffer but he pympathiseth : Isa. Ixiii. 9, ' In all their afflictions he is afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them ; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old ; ' Zech. ii. 8, ' He that toucheth you toucheth the apple
60 SERMON UPON ISAIAH L. 10.
of his eye.' In short, lie is full of tenderness and moderation. His wisdom : we may trust his wisdom in carving out a portion for uSf better than our own understanding : ' Should it be according to thy mind ? * Job xxxiv. 33. Men would have all things done according to their own will : no, better let God alone with it ; for he is a God of judgment, and guideth all things with great moderation and equity : Job xxxiv. 23, ' For he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God.' He will not afflict above deserving : Ezra ix. 13, 'And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve.' We are in captivity ; we might have been in hell. Nor beyond strength : 1 Cor. x. 13, 'Who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able.' Above what he hath given, or is ready to give ; nor more than to do them good by it : Rom. viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love God.' Now, which is most just, that we should have the disposal of ourselves, or God ? He will do what he pleaseth, whether we be pleased or displeased.