1. A word of caution, however, may not be un- seasonable—
[It may be supposed, that, whilst we thus consider God as engaged to help us, we are at liberty to sit down in sloth and inactivity. But God will help those only who endeavour, as far as they are able, to help themselves. Hence, when the Church of old cried to him, " Awake, awake, O arm of the Lord ! awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of old!" he replied, "Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem!" and again, " Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zionb!" The paralytic, notwithstanding his impotence, endeavoured to put forth his arm ; and in that effort he was healed0. And so also shall it be with us : let us labour to the uttermost to maintain our own cause, and God will then both make it his own, and plead it for us ]
2. A word of encouragement, at all events, must not be omitted —
[If God make our cause his own, what have we to fear? for " who can be against us, if He be for us?" Let our Sa- viour's consolations in the depth of all his troubles be applied by you for the comfort of your own souls : " The Lord God will help me ; therefore shall I not be confounded : therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me ? let us stand together : who is mine adversary ? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me ; who is he that shall condemn me ? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them upd." Rely on God thus, and all will be well : for of " those who thus trust in God, not one shall ever be confounded."]
b Isai. li. 9, 17. and Hi. 1. c Matt. xii. 13. d Isai. 1. 7 — 9.