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That holy man of God said, My flesh and my heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever, Psa. lxxiii. 26. Likewise Jonah; I said, I am cast out of thy sight, yet I will look again towards thine holy temple, Jonah ii. 4, 7. And again. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came up unto thee, into thine holy temple; that is, as if he had said unto God, I prayed unto thee in the name of Christ, and thou didst hear me. When you walk in the darkness of affliction and inward discontent, He, to whom God gave the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in due season to him that is weary, gives you counsel, saying, Who is among you that fears the Lord, and obeys the voice of his servant, that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God, Isa. l. 4, 10. Psa. xxvii. 13, 14. Observe it, he that fears the Lord, and obeys his voice, yet may be in darkness and have no light; what darkness is this, but that spoken of ver. 4. viz. an afflicted weary soul, without light or comfort? And men, thus distressed, must trust in the Lord, and stay upon their God.

(7.) Fears of not enjoying the promises, for not sufficiently performing the conditions.

Yet these poor souls, who, whether they should be sharply reproved, or pitied more, is hard to say; I am sure they deserve both, will yet object strongly, It is true, they that fear God and obey him, may trust in the Lord, and stay upon God. And he has made most rich promises to them that know him, and do fear and obey him. See, here is a promise with condition, saith one, I must fear the Lord, I must obey him, I know God will do his part, if I could do mine, but these I do not; what warrant then have I to look for comfort, or any thing at God's hand, for his promises belong not to me?

I know well, that with this doubt the devil does much perplex the afflicted souls of many of God's dearest children, and by it keeps off all the remedies which God's word can afford, so that they fasten not