Yet, in exercising faith, we must guard against presumption; for if our faith be of an unhallowed kind, and go beyond the promise, it shall not be crowned with success. When Elisha heard that the widow's son was dead, he sent his servant with his staff, conceiving that the touch of that would suffice to restore him : but God had promised no such thing ; and there- fore the attempt failed r. But in exercising faith, let us exer- cise it assuredly indeed, but humbly, and in an exact conformity to the command of God.]
3. The wisdom of treasuring up the promises of
God in our mind —
[These are the true ground and measure of our expecta- tions from God. And, if we look into the Holy Scriptures, we shall find, that there is not a state or condition in which we can be placed, but there is a promise exactly suited to it. We go with confidence to an honourable man, when we have a promise of any thing under his own hand : with what confi- dence then may we go to God, when we can take his promises along with us! Look at Jacob, how he pleads with God a promise that had been given him many years before s: see David pleading in like manner*: and learn from them the true use of the promises ; " nor ever stagger at them through unbelief; but be strong in faith, giving glory to God." They are " exceeding great and precious," commensurate with all our necessities. Let us therefore account nothing too great to ask ; but " open our mouth wide, that God may fill it :" " nor shall one jot or tittle fail of all the good things that he has promised to us."]
r 2 Kings iv. 29, 31. s Gen. xxviii. 15. with xxxii. 12.
* 2 Sam. vii. 25. Ps. cxix. 49.