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For we, according to his promise, look for new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness*. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ'; if ye continue in the faith, grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel" looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour, Jesus Christ"; putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation"; wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come3. And now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming: waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm you to the end', in the hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began'; building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life'. Now, the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost".

God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world*. For I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not 1, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me'. We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh". We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end". For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the

* 2 Pet. iii. 12, 13.

n Tit. ii. 13.

1 John, ii. 28.

t Jude, 20, 21.
y Gal. ii. 20.

11 Pet. i. 13.

• 1 Thess. v. 8.

1 Cor. i. 7, 8. "Rom. xv. 13. 2 Phil. iii. S.

m Col. i. 23.

p 1 Thess. i. 10.
Tit. i. 2.

* Gal. vi. 14.
Heb. iii. 14.

Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself".

SECT. 12. A steady trust in God, and the comforts flowing from it, expressed in the prayers and praises

of the Saints.

Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength; and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. For the Lord is our defence, and the holy One of Israel is our king. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name, will put their trust in thee; for thou hast not forsaken them that seek thee". Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat; when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou wroughtest for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide him in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee; because he trusteth in thee. Since the beginning of the world, men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him'.

O God of our salvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea. Let all those that put their trust in thee, rejoice. Let them ever shout for joy; because thou

b Phil. iii. 20, 21.
§ 12 a Ps. lxxxix. 15-18.

Psalm xxxi. 19, 20.
Psalm lxv. 5.

b Psalm ix. 9, 10.
* Isa. xxvi. 3.

Isa. xxv. 4.
Isa. lxiv. 4.

defendest them. For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee'. Our fathers trusted in thee; they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded*. O Lord, be gracious to us, we have waited for thee; be thou their arm every morning; our salvation also in the time of trouble'. Behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us". Art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee; for thou hast made all things". Our soul waiteth for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in him; because we have trusted in him. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never bẹ ashamed. Be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me; for thou art my rock, and my fortress; thou art my strength". Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee; let me not be ashamed; for thou art the God of my salvation, on thee do I wait all the day. O keep my soul, and deliver me; for I put my trust in thee'. Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in God. But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me, my glory, and the lifter up of mine head'. I will wait upon thy name, for it is good before thy saints'. I wait for the Lord; my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the

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Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption". Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. When I said, my foot slippeth; thy inercy, O Lord, held me up. I cried unto thee, O Lord; I said, thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living'. Remember thy word unto thy servant, on which thou hast caused me to hope; for I have hoped in thy judgments. And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. I have trusted in thy mercy, iny heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. Lord I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments; uphold me according to thy word; and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort; for thou art my rock and fortress". Thou art my hope, O Lord God; thou art my trust from my youth; by thee have I been holden up from the womb; thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels. I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge. Blessed be the Lord my strength, my goodness, and my fortress, my high tower, and my deliverer, my shield, and he in whom I trust'. The Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee; when I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back; this I know, for God is for me". In God have I put my trust; I will not fear what man can do 'unto me'. I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more*. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only'. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever; I will trust in the covert of thy wings". I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for thou only makest me dwell in safety". I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing of thy mercy in the

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morning; for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of troubleo.

My Father, thou art the guide of my youth'. Because thou hast been my help; therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. I am continually with thee; thou hast holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee'. My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope". As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness*.

Examples of genuine trust, in the characters of Abraham, Joshua and Caleb, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah.

"THERE are many texts relating to this important subject of trusting in God, which are not quoted in this chapter. Many of these will occur in the following chapter, Of Resignation; and others will be found in Part I. Chap. XVII. Of the Truth and Faithfulness of God."

"But before we leave this article, it will not be improper to mention a few instances of distrust, and its fatal consequences; and some examples of a holy confidence in God, and the blessed fruits arising from it.”

"Of the first sort, the people of Israel give us many melancholy instances. They had been signally favoured of God, who, by many miracles and wonders, had brought them out of Egypt, and supported them in the wilderness by the same miraculous interposition. But

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