And withal, ' pour out thy heart to God ; ' for where there is trust there is prayer. ' Trust in God at all times, and pour out thy heart before him, for he is our refuge.'
And so, ' trust not in oppression and robbery. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them ; for God hath spoken once, and twice, that power belongs to God,' Ps. Ixii. 11. Trust not any other thing but God. Power and mercy belong to him. This is a notable way to trust in God, to know that power and mercy belong to him. If another man love me, hath not God another man's heart in his hand ? ' The king's heart is in his hand,' Prov. xxi. 1. Therefore trust in God for the favour of men. Hath he not all the power ? That that another man hath that afiects me, it is but a derived power from him. He hath inclined him to do good to me. All mercy and love, it is from God ; and he turns and disposeth it as it pleaseth him. As it is the Scripture phi-ase, the language of Canaan, the heart is in God's hands ; he inclined the heart Of such a man. The knowledge of God, with prayer and stirring up ourselves to trust in God, and checking our souls for the contrary, it is a notable means to trust in God.
And though we feel no present comfort from God, trust him for his word, trust him for his promise, though he seem now to be a God hidden. As a child in the dark he holds his father fast by the hand. He sees not his father, but he knows his father's hand is strong. And though he see him not, yet he believes it is his father, and holds him though it be in the dark.
Men they cast anchor in the dark, at midnight. Though they cannot see, yet they knov/ that the anchor will hold fast. Cast anchor upon God in darkness and temptation. Hold God fast in the dark night, although we see nothing. We shall alway find this, that he is a God able to fulfil his promise, that he is a true and faithful and able God. Cast anchor in him therefore. Though thou feel or see nothing, be sure in all extremities to trust in God.
2. Besides other things, ti'ust in God is properly and primarily wrought by the pro^nises. Trust in God so far as he hath discovered himself to be trusted. I can trust a man no farther than I have a writing or a word of mouth from him, or a message from him.
Now, what have we from God to trust him for ? We have his word •written, and that is sealed by the sacrament. The way to trust in God, thei'efore, is to know the promises.
(1.) The general j)romises that do concern all Christians and all conditions
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 9. 151
and estates of men. ' God will be a sun and a sliiold ; ' a snn for all good, and a shield to keep away all evil. ' And no good thing shall be wanting to him that lives a godly life,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. Again, general promises for issue. ' All things shall work for good to them that love God,' Rom. viii. 28. And, ' He will give his Spirit to them that ask him,' Luke xi. 13. It is a general promise to all askers whatsoever, that they shall have the Spirit of God, which is a promise that hath all particular graces in it. For the Spirit is the fountain of all grace. It is the Spirit of love, of faith, of hope. All are in the promise of the Spirit, and God hath promised this. Let us trust in God for these general things.
(2.) And for paiiictdar promises. He hath made a promise to be ' a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless,' Ps. Ixviii. 5. He will ' regard the cause of the widow,' Ps. cxlvi. 9 ; and he is a God ' that comforteth the abject,' 2 Cor. vii. G. He hath made promises to those that are afflicted, to all estates and conditions of men. Trust in God for these.
But how ? He hath made these with conditions in regard of outward things. Let us trust him so far forth as he hath promised, that is, he will either protect us from dangers or give us patience in dangers. He will give us all outward things, or else contentment, which is better. Take him in that latitude. Trust in him as he will be trusted to. For outward things, he will either give the things or give the grace, which is better. He will either remove the grievance, or he will plant the grace, which is better. If he remove not the evil, he will give patience to bear it. And what do I lose if he give me not the good thing, if he give me contentment ? I have grace to supply it, which makes me a better man.
If he give me the thing without the grace, what am I the better ? A carnal reprobate may have that.