How come we to trust a man ? When we know his honesty, his fidelity, his wisdom, and his sufficiency, then we trust him. Therefore, St Paul adds here that we should ' trust in God that raiseth the dead,' that is, ' in God Almighty.' From whence I raise this general, that The best way to trust in God is to know Imii as he is. We know his attributes by his principal works. We know his nature by his works, as here is one of the principal set down, ho is God ' that raiseth the dead.' A sound, sanctified trust in God is by knowing of him. ' They that know thy name will trust in thee,' Ps. ix. 10. There are three ways of the knowledge of God : His naturi', jnvmisi's, cmd irorks —
To know what he hath engaged himself in, in all the promises that con- cern us ; and then to know his strength, how able he is to make good these promises ; and then to know his works, how his nature hath enabled him to make good those promises.
1. Especially /i/s nature; as to consider his goodness and his wisdom. Every attribute, indeed, doth enforce trust, for he is good freely, he is good to us of his own bowels. We may trust him that hath made himself a Father, out of his own mercy in Christ, when we were enemies. His good- ness and wisdom is infinite as himself, and his power and his truth. As the Scripture saith ofttimes, ' Faithful is God that hath promised,' Heb. xi. 11. St Bernard, a good man in evil times, saith he, ' I consider three things in which I pitch my hope and trust, charitatem adopt ioitis, the love of Gofl in making me his child ; and veritatem j^romissionis, the truth of God in performing his promise. His love is such, to make me his child ; his truth is such, to perform his promise. Thirdh-, I consider his power, that is able to make good that that he hath promised ' {w).
This threefold cable is a strong one. His love in adoption, his truth in performing his promise, and his power in making good all this. This three- fold cable will not easily be broken. Let my sottish flesh murmur against me as long as it will. As the flesh will murmur, who art thou, that thou darest trust in God ? What is thy merit, that thou hopest for such great glory ? No, no, saith he ; ' I know whom I have believed,' 2 Tim. i. 12, as St Paul saith. I answer with great confidence against my sottish, mur- muring flesh, ' I know whom I have trusted.' He is able, he is good, he is true. This that holy man had to exercise his faith.
I name it, because it is the temper of all believing souls that are so in truth. The believing heart considers the nature of God, the promise of God, and though the murmuring, rebellious flesh say, AVhat art thou ? how darest thou that art flesh and blood look to God '? Oh ! he is faithful, he is good and gracious in Christ. He hath made himself a father. I know whom I have believed. God is all-sufficient.
Trust and confidence doth grow in the soul, in what measure and pro- portion the knowledge of him whom we trust in grows, and as his strength gi'ows. The more rich and strong a man grows, in whom I trust, and the more gi'acious and good he grows, and the more my knowledge of him is increased with it too, that I see he is so able, so true, so loving a man, a man so aflected to me, the more he grows, and my knowledge of him, the more my trust is carried to him. So a Christian, the more he considers the infiniteness of God's love, of his wisdom and goodness, the more he is carried in trust, and confidence to it.
l50 COMMENTARY ON
Not to trouhlc yoix with many places, tlio 4 2d Psalm is an excellent psalm for trust and confidence in God. The whole psalm is to that pur- pose, to stir up himself to trust in God ; for that follows knowledge ; when upon knowledge we rouse up our hearts. ' God is my rock, and my salvation, and defence.' Is he so ? Then, my soul, ' trust in God.' Ho chargeth it upon his soul, '.Therefore I will trust in God.' And then he blames his soul. Is God so ? Why art thou so disquieted, 0 my soul ?'
This is the exercise of a Christian heart, when, upon sound knowledge, he can charge his soul to trust in God, and check his soul, ' Why art thou cast down ? Still trust in God.' Why dost thou not trust in him ? Is he not true ? Is he not wise ? He is the ' God of my salvation.' And in ver, 8, ' Trust in God at all times,' in prosperity, in adversity. Why ? * God is my refuge.'
There he sets forth his nature. If our troubles be never so many, there is somewhat in God that is answerable ; as in Ps. xxviii. 7, ' He is a rock and a shield.' He hath somewhat in him that is opposite to every ill.