bakkuk. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." This is faith in God, and not merely in God's blessings; it is faith and joy in God, irrespective of his blessings.

This is the faith inculcated in Isaiah: "Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God." Yes! when he can see and feel nothing of good, then let him trust in the name and attributes of goodness, even in the name of the Lord, which is pledged for his deliverance; so doing, he trusts in the reality of goodness, and is stayed upon his God. Let Jehovah, though invisible, let God in Christ, though now hidden for a season, yet the God of mercy, of redemption, of salvation to sinners, be the stay and support of the soul. But let it not run, in the midst of spiritual darkness, to sensible supports, or to the guidance and comfort of lights and fires manufactured for that purpose, and not of God. Let it not run to self-gratification, or to men's promises or flatteries, or to any thing out of God's Word. For God hath said, by the side of the same command for the soul to be stayed upon himself,

ye

Behold, all that kindle a fire (in such a time of darkness), and compass yourselves about with sparks (your own poor, miserable fire-works); walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled; but to do that is your delusion and destruction; it may be rejoicing in self for a little time, but the end is death'; for this shall ye have at my hands; ye shall lie down in sorrow.

Sorrow indeed it is to be left of God, left to self, sinful, miserable self! But this trust in the simple name of God as revealed in his Word is faith, genuine faith, acceptable faith. It is faith in God, not merely in God's comforts. It will be seen at once that this comprises submission, a disposition sweetly resigned to God's will. If he leave but himself, the afflicted, sorrowing soul says, He may take what he will away. And he cannot take away himself. His Word forbids that. He has never promised in his Word any particular comforts, at the particular times of my will; but he has promised himself to all who put their trust in him; and come what may, my soul resteth upon God. My soul, rest thou only upon God, for my expectation and my hope are from him!

Now this is a thing that we learn only from experience; for ordinarily we set out with very different expectations. We know the theory of faith, and we speculate well, and mean to act accordingly; but when trial and

difficulty come, we are very much surprised at it. "By and by they are offended." Particular navigation on the seas of life by God's Word is a very different thing from the study of spiritual trigonometry and quadrants at school. When overtaken by a storm, instead of saying, Now is the time foretold, when God would exercise my faith, now is the time to prove my trust to be in him, and not in calm weather, we say, How shall I get rid of this trial? How clear up this storm, or fly from it? We think too much of present quietude and peace, look too much after it, and regret its loss too bitterly. Like Jonah, we are apt to be exceedingly glad of the gourd when it comes, and exceedingly angry when it is taken away.

But God does never too long continue his trying discipline; it is not all work and no play, but simply toil and trial for the purpose of teaching faith, and when that is somewhat accomplished, God's wisdom and love are glad to bestow blessings. He healed the fountain of Marah in the desert, when his people could not drink of it until he had poured his blessing upon the waters. It was infinitely better to have bitter water with God's healing, than the best of water without God. The very trials and disappointments of a Christian, if God comes with them, are better than all the blessings of the worldling. It was better to have the disappointment at first, and God's interposition afterwards, than to have found

A man already has seed of faith, and his this prayer offered by satisfactory proofs the that it was a growing p We all need to come fentimes we know no the apostles themselve praying for, when they fith They were in Lord would take what to produce a stronger fai they were praying for Spirit, a direct and pos his power in their souls ing, or difficulty on th greatly mistaken; and nity in that request, alth he answered their praye theirs; according to his their short-sightedness. They had formed the faith, and they were carr ritual things. They wish present ones, and they their prayers were answer ving discip