good things prepared for them, to increase their longings after
them, and animate them to press forward and make their way to the
possession.

Such may be some of the reasons of those varied scenes through which
the people of God are doomed to make their way to glory.

Often the saints find themselves unable to penetrate the design of
heaven in the trials through which lies their way--especially in the
hidings of God's face, so that they cannot discover him. This made no
small part of Job's trial--"Behold I go forward but he is not there;
and backward, but I cannot perceive him; on the left hand where he
doth work, but I cannot behold him; he hideth himself on the right
hand that I cannot see him." Could he have known the reasons of his
trials it would have been a great consolations, but it was denied him,
and the reasons of God's hiding his face from him, no less than those
of his other trials.

So it is also with others. The darkness which involves them makes part
of their trials. It is a common trial of the saints. God will have his
people "live by faith and walk by faith." To live by faith, implies
want of light, and ignorance of the designs of providence. A great
part of the good man's trial here, consists in trusting God without
knowing why such things are required, or such trails ordered out to
him. In this way the saints had great trials under the former
dispensations. A veil was then spread over the method of grace, or way
in which God would bring salvation to men. Even the religious rites
enjoined by the law, were not understood, though they made part of the
duties of every day; they remained mysterious, till Christ removed the
covering cast over them; made known the hidden mystery, and opened
"the way into the holiest by his blood."

Under every dispensation religion greatly consists in referring every
thing to God, and trusting in him, without being let into his designs,
or knowing reasons of his orders. "Blessed is he who hath not seen and
yet hath believed"--Blessed is he who without penetrating the designs
of heaven trusts in God, and conforms to his requirements, not
doubting but all will turn out right--that God will lead him in right
ways, though they may be ways which he knows not.

Abram discovered much of this temper--in obedience to divine order he
left his father's house, and "went forth, not knowing whither he
went." And afterwards, when commanded of God, he took a three days
journey, to o