God, or to doubt his veracity. We are not to suppose, that, because we see not how deliverance can come, God is at any loss for means whereby to effect it. It is well to " have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we may not trust in our- selves, but in God who raiseth the dead," and has promised to "judge his people and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and that there is none shut up or lefts."]
2. The proper office of faith —
[Faith is to look, above all created things, to God ; and to realize, under every dispensation, the presence of him that is invisible. It is to lay hold on God's word, and to rest upon it, and to expect its accomplishment, in defiance of men or devils. It is to hope, even " against hope." Its legitimate exercise may be seen in Abraham, when he was commanded to offer up his son : "I have no fear but that God will fulfil his promise in Isaac : even though I should reduce him to ashes upon an altar, God can raise him up again, yea, and will raise him up again, rather than suffer one jot or tittle of his word to fail." " Being strong in faith, and giving glory to God," he both formed, and acted upon, this assured expectation : and in pro- portion to the strength of our faith will be our confidence in God, even under the most discouraging circumstances. We shall say, " Though the fig-tree should not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines ; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls ; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation V
Had Israel on this occasion been able to confide hi God, how sweetly composed had their minds been in the midst of all their troubles ! Let us learn to exercise this grace of faith, and under the darkest dispensations to say, " Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him."]
3. The excellency of the Gospel dispensation —
[What Moses said to Israel, we are authorized and com- missioned to declare to you. You are under a bondage far more cruel than that which Israel experienced : but in the name of Almighty God we come to you, and proclaim, that he has entered into covenant with his Son for your redemption ; that he has confirmed that covenant with an oath ; that he will bring you out from the power of sin and Satan, and conduct you in safety to the heavenly Canaan. For the fulfilment of all this he pledges to you his word, saying, in relation to every part of the work, ' 7, the immutable Jehovah, will do it for you : I will work ; and who shall liinder V Only believe in
s Deut. xxxii. 36. h Hab. iii. 17, 18.