66 ger is turned away, and thou hast comforted me. Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the fountain of salvation." Ο what reviving cordials did the father of the faithful draw out of it! who against hope believed in hope, that he should become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken: So shall thy seed be: And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God:" and being fully persuaded, that what he had promised, he was able also to perform. For this heroic faith, he is celebrated in scripture, and proposed to us for an example. One of his children was enabled to follow close the steps of his faith, through a life of continual and great sufferings, and to triumph in the prospect of a violent death. " I am now ready to be offer. ed up, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight: I have finished my course: I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me in that day, and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing." We have another example given us in the fifty-sixth Psalm. On whatever occasion the prophet indited it, the Spirit of prophecy teaches us to apply it to the Son of David, who is Christ the Lord. It describes his great trials, and continual persecutions, and his invisible faith, by which he was carried through them, when all the world was against him. The whole Psalm is a prayer made up of the most perfect trust and confidence in the faithfulness of God to his word; and he assures himself that heaven and earth shall pass away, before one jot or tittle of it could fail. He had enemies many, mighty, cunning, cruel, united together to destroy him, Acts iv. 27. but his heart was established, trusting in the Lord. He read, he knew, he believed the promises made to him, and, without doubt or wavering, he waited for the fulfilling of them. Thus he viewed the Father's covenant engagements, who had declared; "Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out, he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it: He that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein : I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and I will hold thy hand, I will keep thee, and I will give thee for a covenant of the people," &c. On this rock he built his faith, and could not be moved. "The Lord God," says he," hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back: I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting; for the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed: He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold the Lord God will help me, who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment, the moth shall eat them up." What an undaunted courage is here manifested? In this spirit of faith, he prays "Be gracious unto me, O God, because fallen man would devour me: all the day long he is fighting against me, and oppressing me: all the day long mine enemies would devour me; for they are many who fight against me, O thou most high. In the day, when I might have reason to fear, I will put my trust in thee: I shall praise God because of his word: in God I have put my trust, I will not fear what flesh can do unto me: all the day long they torture my words: all their devices are against me for evil : they assemble together; they hide themselves: they watch my steps, as if they were waiting for my life. Shall they escape for their wickedness? In thine anger, O God, thou wilt bring these people under. Thou D numberest my wanderings; thou hast put my tears into thy bottle: are they not recorded in thy register? In the day when I shall pray unto thee, then shall mine enemies be driven back: this I have known for certain, because God is on my side. I will praise God, because of his word: I will praise Jehovah, because of his word: in God have I trusted, I will not fear what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God. I will pay my thanksgivings unto thee: for thou hast delivered my life from death. Wilt thou not also keep my feet from falling that I may be able to walk in the presence of God, in the light of life everlasting ?" O what a perfect trust and confidence is this! and how loudly does it call upon us to look to his example, that God would give us grace to follow the steps of his faith. Observe, O my soul, and consider the pattern set before thee. He had God on his sidethe promises-the power-the providences of the Almighty. He knew that every step was marked, every tear noticed, and that God had them in the book of his remem |