SERMON CXXIII.

TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

TRUST IN GOD.

PROV. iii. 5, 6.- -Trust in the Lord with all thy heart, and lean not unto thy own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

[Text taken from the First Evening-Lesson.]

AMONGST the helps which God hath given the children of men, to enable them to pass their days with ease and satisfaction and peace of mind, is that disposition of mind, which we call hope; hope that, if things go ill with them, they shall be altered for the better; and that if their present condition be tolerably good, it shall continue to be so. Without this disposition, we should be very miserable; and with it, we cannot be so;and we are all naturally inclined to admit and cherish it, unless some grievous calamity befalls us, or melancholy oppresses our spirits. Now hope is ever accompanied with trust, reliance, and confidence on something; and it is either well or illgrounded; and it concerns us much, that it rests upon a solid foundation, and that we build not our house upon the sand.

The Scriptures direct us to trust in God; and assure us, that all other reliance is foolish and insecure; which will easily appear by considering what there is besides him, on which we are apt to repose our trust.

The good things of this life, which are the objects of our hope, are usually length of days, and health, and easy circumstances, and reputation, and friends, and a mind capable of enjoying them. These things men hope to obtain and secure.

Therefore, first, they sometimes trust in a thing of which they have a confused notion, and which they call 'fortune' or 'chance ;' which, they hope, will be always favourable to them. And yet as much evil as good may be expected from this imaginary deity, allowed to be a blind goddess even by her own votaries: so that this reliance is extremely absurd, and is not indeed so properly trust, as thoughtless stupidity, and inconsideration; from which the first untoward accident will awaken them.

Secondly, they trust in the favour of the world, and hope that, at least, if they behave themselves well, they shall be well used. But here they are liable to be often disappointed, through the vices and disorderly passions of others; and will probably experience the ill effects of envy, calumny, insolence, contempt, fraud, and violence, whilst there are so many worthless, selfish, and dishonest persons to be found in all societies, and in all ranks and degrees of men.

Thirdly, they trust in their friends. But these friends may desert them; may want the will or the power to serve them; may be removed far from them; or may die before them. Indeed, there are few immutable friendships amongst mutable

men.

Fourthly, they trust in their own riches or power, that is, in possessions which may be lost; or which may give them no pleasure and satisfaction; and which cannot secure health, or reputation, or peace of mind, or esteem, and love.

Fifthly, they trust in themselves; that is, in their own abilities, caution, forecast, prudence, and diligence; and so far they are much in the right, that it is more reasonable to place a confidence in ourselves, than in other men; for here we are sure at least of a friend, who will never fail and deceive us willingly. But man finds himself insufficient for his own happiness on all accounts, exposed to many evils from without and from within; and all the advantages which he possesses, of body, of mind, and of fortune, are of such a nature, that he cannot ensure to himself the continuation of them till the

morrow.

There remains, then, nothing in which we can reasonably trust, except the divine Providence; and here we shall find everything, that can be required for our satisfaction and security. God is perfectly good, and consummately wise, and supremely powerful, and constant and unchangeable, and everlasting; and hath frequently and expressly promised, that he will take us under his protection, if we sincerely desire it, and seek it in a proper manner.

Concerning this duty of reliance, several observations may be made, to excite us to it, and to direct us in the performance of it.

1. First, that our reliance may be rational, we should know what it is, that God hath promised; and what we may expect from him; else we may be disappointed in our hopes.

From the gospel we may learn, that no absolute promise is made of length of days, or health, or wealth, or friends, or reputation; and yet these are the common objects of men's desires. If so, it may be asked, What is there left, as to this life, worthy to be an object of our wishes, or in any degree answering the great things, which are delivered in Scripture concerning the advantages of religious trust, and the favour of God to those who confide in him?-Yes; there is one thing left, which is worth all the rest, and that is, contentment and peace of mind. What we may expect from our heavenly Father, is, that we shall probably receive a competency of the necessaries of life, and a heart capable of enjoying it; that we shall certainly obtain what, upon the whole, is most convenient for us, and conducive to our true happiness; that if disappointments, distresses, and calamities of any kind befall us, we shall be endued with strength of mind to support them; and that if our measure of worldly blessings fall short in some respects, it shall be abundantly made up to us, in another and a better way.

He, therefore, who will trust in God, must set his heart upon no particular present advantage; nor choose for himself; but leave that entirely to his heavenly Father as to the only proper judge, and acquiesce in his sacred will. If he is satisfied, he hath his reward; for he who is contented, cannot be unhappy.

2. Secondly, it is absolutely necessary, that reliance be accompanied with obedience, with a serious and settled purpose, and with honest endeavours to do the things which are pleasing to God. For God hath established, as it were, a sort of intercourse of giving and receiving, of mutual good offices between himself and us: and as he declares, that he is ever ready to bestow favours upon us, he expects something of a return, and represents himself as desiring something that we can accomplish. He hath assured us, that, in him, we may find a defender and a benefactor; but it is upon this condition, that we behave ourselves gratefully and dutifully. On this point, the Scriptures are clear and express. • What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.-Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. The steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord.-The Lord never faileth those that seek him.

6

Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed upon thee.-Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.'— And in the text, Trust in the Lord, with all thy heart, and lean not to thy own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him; and he shall direct thy paths.'-Thus God's protection and blessing are annexed to obedience: they who will not serve him, must not presume to trust in him, and to cast their cares upon him.

Reliance on God is founded upon his goodness. But as he is good, he is also just and holy, and cannot delight in any wicked creature. Vice, making us most unlike and opposite to God, cuts off all intercourse between him and us; and thus, though he continues unchangeably good and merciful, yet we, without obedience, can receive no benefit from his mercy. Reliance upon God is founded on the relation between him and us, by which he is our Father,' and we are his children:" but he calls none his children, except those who endeavour to resemble him.

6

Reliance upon God is founded on his promises: but he hath made no promises to the disobedient; they are all conditional, and extended only to the good.

Reliance, then, is a duty, which is not to be exercised, and cannot be exercised, by the wicked. They who will not serve God, put no confidence in him. They account his commandments to be grievous and impracticable; they fear him perhaps, but they love him not. They, therefore, find no inclination to address themselves to him, and no hopes of being the objects of his care. As long as they continue disobedient to him, they seek out other friends and protectors; they trust in the world and in themselves, and endeavour to put God far from their thoughts.

On the contrary, obedience to God will naturally be accompanied with reliance on God; because a religious person has all possible encouragement to exercise it, and nothing to hinder or deter him from it. It is, therefore, expedient that we should examine our hearts, and see whether we have this relying disposition; since hope, as well as faith and charity, is required of us; and since the want of it is a proof, that we are imperfect Christians at the best, and serve many masters, and have inconstant and inconsistent affections and inclinations. If we

distrust God's providence; if we have doubts of his good will towards us; if we cannot bring ourselves to cast our cares upon him; certainly something is defective and faulty in us, and must be amended: our faith is cold and weak; and our conscience reproaches us for some wilful offences; and therefore we cannot trust in God.

3. Thirdly, reliance should be accompanied, as with an observance of God's commandments in general, so in particular with supplications to him to bless us.

Our Saviour, who exhorts us to trust in God, commands us to recommend ourselves to his protection by first seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and particularly by asking his assistance in all our undertakings. He hath told us, that, if we seek, we shall find,' and that our heavenly Father is always ready to give to those who ask him.' Be careful for nothing,' says the Apostle; but in every thing,' in all your affairs, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.' This God requires of us, not as if he wanted to be taught by us what is proper for us; but, because prayer to him keeps up in our minds religious dispositions towards him; honourable thoughts of his power, wisdom, and goodness; and a sense of our perpetual dependance upon him, and natural inability to protect ourselves.

God, as he is immaterial and invisible, scems to be at an infinite distance from us: but, by trusting in him at all times, and addressing ourselves to him upon all occasions, and by preserving this intercourse and conversation and communion with him, we have him ever present to us. If we neglect him, and put him as far from our thoughts as he is from our senses, he is to us, as though he were not at all. Amongst men, a long absence and continued silence and disregard, produce a strangeness, and coldness, and indifference, even between friends and relations. The same holds true between us and our heavenly Father. If we never approach him, so long as we have any thing else to occupy or amuse us, never till some pressing occasion drives us, and we know not which way to turn ourselves, we shall approach with the diffidence of strangers, and the conscious shame of offenders; and shall find it impossible to trust in him, and to hope for a favourable reception.