ON HOSEA XIV.- VERSES 3, 4. 139 of flesh, or to droop when that fails us ; not to say in our prosperity, Our mountain is so strong that"we shall not be shaken, nor in our sufferings that our wuund is incurable, or our grave so deep that we shall never be raised again. But to make the name of the Lord our strong tower ; for they who know his name will trust in him ; and for direction herein we must learn to trust in God. [1.] Absolutely and for himself, because he only is absolute and of himself. Other things as they have their being, so have they their working and power of doing good or evil only from him, Matt. iv. 4. John xix. 11. And therefore till he take himself away, though he take all other things away from us, we have matter of encouragement and rejoicing in the Lord still, as David and Habakkuk resolve, 1 Sam. xxx. 6. Hab. iii. 17, 18. All the world cannot take away any promise from any servant of God, and there is more reality in the least promise of God than in the greatest performance of the creature. [2.] To trust him in the way of his commandments, not in any precipices or presumptions of our own : " Trust in him and do good," Psa. xxxvii. 3. First fear him, and then trust in him ; he is a help and shield only unto such, Psa. cxv. 11. It is high inso- lence for any man to lean upon God without his leave, and he alloweth none to do it but such as fear him, and obey the voice of his servants, Isa. 1. 10. [3.] To trust him in the way of his providence ; and the use of such means as he hath sanctified and appointed. Though man liveth not by bread alone, but by the word of blessing which proceedeth out of the mouth of God ; yet that word is by God annexed to bread and not to stones ; and that man would not trust God, but mock and tempt him, who should expect to
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