brance. In this faith he met his trials, and came off triumphant. Notwithstanding his many weary steps, and his strong crying and tears under that sorrow, which never had its like, yet he knew that he should be heardand he was heard. His enemies fell before him but they rose and returned to the combat. Upon the word he casts his anchor again. He trusts to it; and he finds it firm and sure still. The storm is great; it continues; it increases; all thy waves and storms, says he to his God, are gone over me. But, my soul, trust thou still in the Lord; for my hope is in him. His word is my stay.

not be broken. I praise him for it

praise him for it. Trusting in it,

It can

again I

now my

fears are gone. God is my helper, and I will not fear what man can do unto me. O what a pattern is here set for us! May the meditation upon it be useful. May the gracious Lord, who is the author and the finisher of the faith, bless the means of his own appointing, for the strengthening of it. And in the use of them, looking up for the constant supplies of his Spirit, may he enable us to go

on from strength to strength, keeping this example always in view, until he bring us in peace unto the end of our faith.

These are some of the scripture grounds, upon which the Triumph of Faith is built. It stands upon the almighty power of God, as engaged to fulfil his word. For his word is his deed. To take him at his word is the proper exercise of faith. He hath promised, and it is done. To rest thus upon it, as what cannot possibly fail, is the foundation of Christian worship: and when it is established in the heart, in the love of the truth, it constitutes the chief of that service, which is perfect freedom: for God has declared himself well pleased with our trusting to his truth and faithfulness. He has commanded us to do it without doubt or wavering. He has promised grace sufficient to enable us thus to believe, and we cannot put too much trust and confidence in his arm and power. And he has also given us examples of those, who honoured him with the fullest reliance of their hearts, and had reason to rejoice in the Lord, who keepeth promise for ever.

Glory be to him for such encouragements of our faith. O that they may have their proper effect. May the Holy Ghost apply them by his grace, and give us such a faith as may be well pleasing unto God; such a faith as he has commanded, and for the full exercise of which he has made exceeding great promises. Help us, O God of all grace, to trust and not be afraid: for thou art faithful: thy word and thy promises give us full security to trust in the Lord at all times; because in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength and blessed are all they who put their trust in him.

But by what ways and means shall these arguments and encouragements have their full effect? This is the main point, and it is settled beyond dispute upon scripture authority. The same Spirit, who revealed the promises, is also the fulfiller of them: and he is almighty. The blessing on the use of the means is entirely from him. who teacheth man knowledge: him we are to seek it in prayer.

It is he

and from

With all

our reading, hearing, studying, meditating upon the scriptures, we must look up to him for his divine teaching. If any of you, believers, lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all askers liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him, but let him ask in faith. Here is a command and a promise. When we lack wisdom, which we always do, as much as we want breath, we are to ask it of the Spirit of wisdom, and it shall be given us. He will make us wise unto salvation. He will keep us in the use of means dependent on his leading us unto all useful truth, and of his revealing to us the things which are freely given to us of God, to show them to us as realities, and to put us into the enjoyment of them as blessings. In this dependence on him we live, and move, and have our being. Our spiritual life and faculties, and the exercise of them, and the improvement of them, are entirely from his influence. For the apostle, mentioning the several gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, says, "All these worketh that one, and the self-same Spirit, dividing to eve

ry man his own gifts, according to his own will." To him then we are to look up for every good gift, and every perfect gift. Whenever we open the bible, we should ask his light and his teaching. He is the chief commentator. He only can put the scriptures into our inward parts, and write them upon our hearts, so that we may experience them to be the power of God unto our own salvation. Our first reformers were of this sentiment, exhorting us to pray, that by the holy inspiration of God's Spirit, we may think those things that be good, and by his merciful guiding, may perform the same. Grant to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the Spirit to think, and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Ninth Sunday after Trinity.

As they prayed, so they sung: For we meet with two hymns, inserted by the reformers in the Common Prayer Book, appointed to be sung at the ordaining of priests,