the space of three thousand six hundred years is de- clared in the 11th chapter to the Hebrews ; toward the close of which, we are told what it enabled them to r/o", and what to suffer^. It was that which the Psalmist prescribed to himself as the cure of his disquietude :
1. '^ Hope in God"—
[We are too apt in our troubles to flee unto the creature for help™. But it is God who sends our troubles; (" they spring not out of the dust",") and he only can remove them. We should therefore look unto him, and put our trust in him. This is the direction which God himself gives us : he reminds us of his wisdom and power to over-rule our trials for good ; and exhorts us, when weary and fainting, to wait on him as our all-sufficient Helper".]
2. Expect deliverance from him —
[To what end has God given us such " exceeding great and precious promises," if we do not rest upon them, and expect their accomplishment ? The refiner does not put his vessels into the furnace, to leave them there ; but to take them out again when they are fitted for his use. And it is to purify us as " vessels of honour," that God subjects us to the fiery trial. We should say therefore with Job, " When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold?." It was this expectation that supported David: " I had fainted," says he, " unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the li\-ing'i." We are told that " light is sown for the righteous'^." That is sufficient for us. Between seed-time and harvest there may be a long and dreary winter ; but still every day brings forward the appointed time of harvest ; and the husbandman waiteth in an assured expectation of its arrivals Thus must we wait, however long the promise may seem to tarry * : and as those who are now in heaven were once in great tribulation like ourselves^, so shall we in due season be with them, freed from all remains of sin and sorrow. In our darkest hours we should hold fast this confidence, " I shall yet praise hira^."]
3. View him in his covenant relation to you —
[It is observable, that our Lord, in the midst of his dere- liction, addressed his Father, " 3Iy God! my God!" Now thus should zve do. God is the God of all his people ; yea, he
k Heb. xi. 33, 34. i Heb. xi. 36, 37. ™ Hos. v. 13.
n Job v. 6. " Isai. xl. 28 — 31. p Job xxiii. 10.
1 Ps. xxvii. 13. r Ps, xcvii. 11. ^ Jam. v. 7.
t Hab. ii. 3. " Rev. vii. 14.
'^ Compare Ps. cxviii. 17, 18. with the text.