arises. On the other hand,
if our trust in the Lord is real, help will surely come, "According unto
thy faith be it unto thee."

It is a source of deep sorrow to me, that, notwithstanding my having so
many times before referred to this point, thereby to encourage believers
in the Lord Jesus, to roll all their cares upon God, and to trust in Him
at all times, it is yet, by so many, put down to mere natural causes,
that I am helped; as if the Living God were no more the Living God, and
as if in former ages answers to prayers might have been expected, but
that in the nineteenth century they must not be looked for.

WILL OF GOD.

How important it is to ascertain the will of God, before we undertake
anything, because we are then not only blessed in our own souls, but
also the work of our hands will prosper.

Just in as many points as we are acting according to the mind of God, in
so many are we blessed and made a blessing. Our manner of living is
according to the mind of the Lord, for He delights in seeing His
children thus come to Him (Matt. vi); and therefore, though I am weak
and erring in many points, yet He blesses me in this particular.

First of all, to see well to it, that the work in which he desires to be
engaged is _God's work;_ secondly, that _he_ is the person to be engaged
in this work; thirdly, that _God's time_ is come, when he should do this
work; and then to be assured, that, if he seeks God's help in His own
appointed way, He will not fail him. We have ever found it thus, and
expect to find it thus, on the ground of the promises of God, to the end
of our course.

1. Be slow to take new steps in the Lord's service, or in your business,
or in your families. Weigh everything well; weigh all in the light of
the Holy Scriptures, and in the fear of God. 2. Seek to have no will of
your own, in order to ascertain the mind of God, regarding any steps you
propose to take, so that you can honestly say, you are willing to do the
will of God, if He will only please to instruct you. 3. But when you
have found out what the will of God is, seek for His help, and seek it
earnestly, perseveringly, patiently, believingly, and expectingly: and
you will surely, in His own time and way, obtain it.

We have not to rush forward in self-will and say, I will do the work,
and I will trust the Lord for means, this cannot be real trust, it is
the counterfeit of faith, it is presumption; and though God, in great
pity and mercy