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will not cast away a perfect man, till he fill his mouth with laughing, and his lips with rejoicing.a Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart.b Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.d

"The hope of the righteous shall be gladness. "Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.

"Ye now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your hearts shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you "g

Hath sorrow taken deep root in thy soul, that thou fearest thou shalt never find hearty joy? Apply, "He shall comfort thine heart." Is such a cross upon thee, that thou fearest thou shalt never forget it? Apply, "Thou shalt forget thy misery, as waters that pass away."

When thou knowest no way out of misery, for soul or body.

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."h

a Job viii. 20, 21. b Psalm xxvii. 14. c Psalm cxii. 4. d Psalm cxxvi. 5, 6. e Prov. x. 28. f Matt. v. 4. g John xvi. 22. h Jer. xxxiii. 3.

If thou wouldest have deliverance out of trouble.

"He will beautify the meek with salvation:" or, he will make the meek glorious by deliverance.a

"The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.b

"Happy is the man whom God correcteth; for he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole. He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.c Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."d

When thou art in many troubles, and fearest thou shalt never get out of all, apply, "The Lord will deliver thee out of all." If the Lord hath delivered thee once or twice, and thou fearest thou will not continue so still; as often as thou fallest into troubles, apply, 66 He shall deliver thee in six troubles; and the seventh shall not touch thee."

If thine enemies prevail.

"The rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hand unto iniquity.e I will call on the

a Psalm cxlix. 4. 8, 19. d Psalm 1. 15.

b Fsalm xxxiv. 17, 19. c Job v. 17,

e Psalm cxxv. 3.

Lord, so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces, the eyes of the wicked shall fail; their refuge shall perish, their hope shall be sorrow of mind.a The Lord shall cause thine enemies, that rise up against thee, to be smitten before thy face."b

Seest thou many rise up to trouble thee? Apply, "Thine enemies that rise against thee, shall fall before thy face." Hope they to prevail against thee? Apply, "Their hope shall be sorrow of mind." Have they great means to cause them to prosper? Apply, "Their refuge shall perish." Have they long oppressed thee? Apply, "The rod of the wicked shall not always rest upon the lot of the righteous." Seest thou no means to get from them? Say, with the prophet David, "I will call upon the Lord, so shall I be safe from mine enemies."

That thou mayest be delivered, and thine enemies afflicted.

"The Lord thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecute thee. The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright."d

a Psalm xviii. 3. 1 Sam. ii. 10. Job xi. 20. b Dout. xxviii. 7. c Deut. xxx. 7. d Prov. xxi. 18.

If thou wouldest have thine enemies destroyed.

"They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame, and the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to nought.a

"Behold all they which were incensed against thee, shall be ashamed and confounded; they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish; for I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. Thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff:"b by which mountains and hills is meant the greatest enemies.

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"They that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." These promises are to be applied by us, as they are the enemies of God and of his gospel, and ours for his sake.

If the wicked plot against thee.

"The wicked plot against the just; their sword shall enter into their own heart, their bow shall be broken: The Lord shall laugh at him.d

"The enemies shall surely gather themselves together against thee, but not by me; whosoever shall gather themselves together against thee shall fall."e

a Job viii. 22. b Isa. xli. 11, 13, 15. d Psalm xxxvii. 12, 15, 13. e Isa. liv. 15.

c 1 Sam. ii. 30.

In the troubles of the church.

"Thou shalt see peace upon Israel, thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Thou shalt come and sing in the height of Zion."b

When thou hast applied the promises, and used all the means, and yet findest not thyself filled with God as thou desirest, then comfort thyself with this, "Yet a little while, and when thou awakest, thou shalt be satisfied with his image."c

For the fall of Antichrist.

Because the time draweth near of the fall of antichrist, we must stir up ourselves to hasten the Lord by earnest prayers; and for the strengthening of our faith, apply these promises, "And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire.d

"Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And a mighty angel took up a stone, like a great mill-stone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that

a Psalm cxxviii. 6, 5. b Jer. xxxi. 12. c Psalm xvii. 15. d Rev. xvii. 16.

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