[In some circumstances, the fulfilment of the promise seems to exceed all reasonable hope, if not the limits of pos- sibility itself. But in proportion as it seems to exceed hope, we are to " believe in hope," just as Abraham did, when the promise was given to him of a posterity as numerous as the stars of heaven P. Our blessed Lord has taught us this in a very striking manner. To his Disciples, who expressed their surprise that the fig-tree, which he had cursed, should wither away in one single night, he said, " Have faith in God : for verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea ; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those ijiings ivhich hesaith shall come to pass ; he shall have whatsoever he saith. There- fore I say unto you, " IVhat things soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them'^." The truth is, that God, if I may so say, feels his own honour implicated in fvdfilling his own word : and therefore, if not for our sakes, yet for his own name-sake, " he will accomplish the thing which hath gone out of his mouth." Yet not for his own sake only will he do it, but for our sakes also : for, " them that honour him he will honour."]
Address,
1. Those who are unconscious of their need of wisdom —
[Though men are sensible enough of their ignorance in re- lation to human sciences, they almost universally fancy them- selves competent to decide every thing relating to their faith or practice. But very pointed is that declaration of Solomon, " He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fooP." Respecting spiritual things we are all by nature blind, and need, the learned as well as the unlearned, to have our understandings opened, to understand them*. We all " lack wisdom" exceedingly : and to all equally would I address those words of Solomon, *' Trust in the Lord with all thine heart ; and lean not to thine own understanding : in all thy ways acknowledge him ; and he shall direct thy paths* " ']
1. Those who are discouraged by their want of wisdom —
[If you look cither to the greatness of your difficulties, or your own insufficiency to meet them, you may well faint and fail : but if you look to God, there is no ground for dis- couragement at all. For, can he not " ordain strength in the
mouths
P Rom. iv. 18—20. "^ Mark xi. 22—24. ' Prov. xxviii. 26. ' ' Rev. iii. 17,18. Lukexxiv. 45. ' Prov, iii. 5,Q.