sense of his duty. A remarkable instance of such an interposi- tion occurs in the life of David. He, being incensed against Nabal for the contemptuous manner in which he had treated his messengers, and for his ungrateful refusal to administer to his necessities'*^, had determined to avenge himself upon him and all that belonged to him. But God put it into the heart of Abigail to go to meet him, and by mild representations to pacity his wrath \ Thus were the greatest impieties prevented through the intervention of this prudent female "\ And in this way God often directs the ways of his people, either sending a friend perhaps, or a minister, to suggest such considerations as shall influence their minds : or by some particular occurrence " raising, as it were, a hedge, or building a wall," to keep them in the path of duty ". It may be, that the occurrence may occasion much grief at the time : but God knows how to accom- plish his own purposes, and will constrain us all in due time to acknowledge that " he doeth all things well."]
We will ADD a few words,
1. To direct your exertions —
[Do not imagine that confidence in God is to supersede your own personal exertions. You are to labour, as much as if every thing depended on j^ourselves ; and then to trust in God, as if nothing had been done by you. You must also expressly commit your concerns to God in fervent and con- tinual prayer. The Psalmist particularly combines this with confidence in God : " Trust in God at all times, ye people ; pour out your hearts before him"." The confidence that is unaccompanied with prayer and diligence is mere presumption. We have a beautiful pattern in Jacob, when he was about to meet his brother Esau. He disposed every thing in a way most suited to pacify his brother's anger, or, in the event of not succeeding in that attempt, to secure that part of his family who were most dear to him : but, whilst he acted thus, he committed himself wholly to the Lord, and looked for success from him alone p. Thus let there be no want of prudence or of diligence on your part ; and then you may be assured that God will not suffer you to be disappointed of your hope.]
2. To regulate your expectations —
[Though God promises to direct your paths, he will not so direct you as to keep you from every degree of error. The apostles themselves, though in what they declared to be the will of God they were inspired to utter nothing but what was true, were not infallible in their own personal conduct. Peter
•^ 1 Sam. XXV. 4—11. 1 1 Sam, xxv. 18—31.
"^ 1 Sam. xxv. 32—34. " Hos. ii. 6, 7.
" Ps. Ixii. 8. 1' Gen. xxxu. 9—32.