fleeting meteor. Our light must be steady and increasing, like
that of the sun. The tree is known by its fruit; and the just
by their light''; and a false profession will deceive us to our eternal ruin".]
2. For consolation —
[There are many true Christians who do not enjoy much comfort, and the darkness of their minds sometimes makes them doubt whether they be upright before God ; but they often write bitter things against themselves without a cause. Dis- tress, whether temporal or spiritual, argues nothing against our integrity. Job never shone brighter than in his trouble ; nor Christ, than in the depths of his dereliction. Let him then that is in darkness, stay himself upon his God^. It is to such persons that God sends us with words of comfort ^. To them in parti- cular is that delightful declaration addressed'^. Wait then the Lord's leisure, ye afflicted souls, and trust in him. Soon shall your " light rise in obscurity, and your darkness be as the noon-day ; " nor will God be glorified less in your patience, than in more active services.]
d Eph. v. 8. e 1 John i. 6. and ii. 9, 11.
f Isai. 1. 10. e Isai. xxxv. 3, 4. ^ Isai. liv. 7 — 10.
Prov. iv , 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence ; for out of it
are the issues of life.
IT is certainly of infinite importance that we be deeply convinced of our utter inability to do any thing that is good, and of our entire dependence upon God for the effectual aids of his Holy Spirit. But we must not imagine, that, because we have no suffi- ciency of ourselves to do the will of God, we are not bound in duty to do it, or not to be exhorted and stimulated to the performance of it. Our duty is the same, whatever be the circumstances to which we have reduced ourselves ; and it is in, and by, our personal exertions, that God has promised to " work all our works in us." Hence, in the Scriptures of Truth, we are continually exhorted to serve our God in the way of his commandments. It is obvious that we cannot preserve the life of our bodies for one single moment ; yet God expects, that we keep