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the reason.

I ask, where has God ever broken his promise to man. I would like to have any skeptical man put his hand upon any promise that God has not kept. "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent." Has he not said it, and will he repent? It is unreasonable for a man to say he cannot believe God. Why cannot you? Has he ever disappointed you? You will find him true when everyone else is untrue. You will find him a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Let us look at the ninth Psalm and tenth verse: "And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, has not forsaken them that seek thee." A man that knows God cannot help but trust him. That is a good proof we have that these things are true. Men that know most about God, trust him the most. It is these men who don't know God, that don't trust him. Did you ever see a man that was well acquainted with the Bible, and well acquainted with the teachings of the Spirit, that didn't have full confidence in God? I never did.

Suppose a man made me a hundred promises, and he had ten years to fulfill them, and the next month the ten years will expire. He has fulfilled ninety-nine of the promises, and is able to fulfill the other. Would not I have good reason to trust him that he would fulfill it? Has not God fulfilled all his promises, and shall we doubt him, and say we cannot trust him? They that know him, trust him. I can imagine some one saying: "How am I going to know him or get acquainted with him?" I will read from the thirteenth verse of the tenth chapter of Romans: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved; how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed." A man will not call upon a man in whom he has no confidence. If you believe Jesus Christ is an impostor, you will not call upon him. "And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of them which bring the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. But they have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Now, if men will not read the Bible or hear it proclaimed, how can it be expected they are going to believe? If a man will only acquaint himself with God, he will be at peace. Job says, "Acquaint thyself with him, and be at peace, thereby good shall come unto thee." If a man knows God, he will trust him.

A party of gentlemen in Scotland wanted to get some eggs from a nest on the side of a precipice, and they tried to persuade a poor boy that lived near to go over and get them, saying they would hold him by a rope. They offered him a good deal of money to go; but

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they were strangers to him, and he would not go. They told him they would see there was no accident happened to him;-they would fasten him securely. At last he said, "I will go if my father wil! hold the rope." He trusted his father. A man will not trust strangers. I want to get acquainted with a man before I put my confidence in him. I have known God for twenty years, and I have more confidence in God than I ever had before; it increases every year. In this Bible, some things that were dark ten years ago are plain to-night; and some things that are dark now will be plain ten years hence. We must take things by faith. You take the existence of cities on the testimony of men that have been in those cities; and we ask you to take our testimony, who have found joy in believing. We ask you to trust in God.

I will call your attention to the fruits of those who trust in God. The world is in pursuit of peace. If it could be sold at auction how many would bid very high for perfect peace. Many a man would go around the world and spend thousands of dollars if he could only get peace. That rich man spoken of in Scripture says: "I will tear down my barns and build larger, and then I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."" That man was after peace. People think if they get money they will get peace. That is not my experience. If I want to get the testimony of those who know most about the peace of God, I would not go to the rich men of Philadelphia; I would rather be in the poor-house trusting in my God, than in the grandest palace in Philadelphia, if I did not know him.

Turn to the 16th chapter of Proverbs at the 20th verse: "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good; and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he." Now you know men are after happiness. Some men, seeking an hour of happiness, try to find it at the theatre, circus, or some vile place. Here it is said the man who puts his trust in God is happy. Cannot you who are the children of God, from the depth of your heart say, "It is true; I am a thousand times happier than I was before I put my trust in God." Put your trust in God; that is the true source of happiness. Come up to the tree and pluck this fruit of happiness. "Happy is he "that is what the Word of God says.

Then you get something else. In the 32nd Psalm at the 10th verse, it is said: "He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about." The Lord deals in mercy with him. Mercy shall compass the man's path who puts his trust in God. I can imagine some people say: "I have tried to trust him over and over again; I do not believe what Mr. Moody says." The very word "try" implies you don't do it. If a man said, "I will try and believe you," it would imply I had deceived him sometime, and he had hard work to be

lieve what I told him. Drop the word "try," my friends, and put in the word "trust," and then you will have peace and joy. A great many put peace and joy and all those feelings before trust. Suppose I found men on the street laughing at the top of their voices; I come up to them and say: "I find you very happy; why are you so happy?" They say, "We don't know." I say, "What is the reason?" They say, "We are so happy we cannot tell." I would say they had gone clean mad. If you have peace and joy, you need to have some reason for it. It is because you put your trust in God. You must put your trust in God first. You do not have this peace and joy until you do put your trust in God. You are trusting yourself to keep your soul; you have tried and failed; stop trying and begin to trust in him, and say as Job: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Let the consequences be what they will, I will trust him. Are you not willing to say that? Are you not willing to come to that decision to-night? Is there anything to hinder you? About two weeks ago, I used this illustration in the inquiry-room. Suppose this book was one hundred thousand dollars; my soul is worth more than that; no one would sell his soul for one hundred thousand dollars. If the money lay here no man would say: "I will give up all my hope of eternal life for one hundred thousand dollars." He would say: "What, sell my birthright for that; no, ten thousand times no." There might be some reckless man would; but I doubt it. Suppose I have this one hundred thousand dollars; I am afraid some thieves will break through and steel it from me; I am anxious about it. I take it to the best bank in Philadelphia, and I deposit it. I trust the bank to keep that money for me. St. Paul says: "I know in whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." He is able to keep my deposit; that is the true meaning of it. Will you make your deposit to-night? your deposit to-night? Will you not trust him with all your heart to save you? I tell you he will do it, if you trust him. The Lord does not tell you to do something that is impossible for you to do, and then punish you if you do not do it. With the command comes the power to obey. When Christ said to the man with the withered hand, "Stretch forth thine hand," the man might have said, "I have tried, and I cannot do it." With the command came the power. With the command to trust in the Lord, comes the power to obey. Don't let the devil deceive you by telling you you cannot trust him. Make up your mind that you will trust him, from this hour; and you will do it. As I was preaching at one of our meetings I noticed a lady looking very steadily at me, and she seemed to fetch home to her heart every word that fell from my lips. After the sermon I went down and asked her if she was a Christian. She said: "No, but I wish I was, I have been seeking Christ for three years, and I cannot find him.

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