those that are under them. "Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion," Isaiah lii. 2. Now these bands were a disgrace; she was bound with these for her idolatry. But to yield the obedience of faith is to take the yoke of her Lord upon her, who is meek and lowly, and to be obedient to her heavenly husband. Again: rebellion is called a stiff neck: "Speak not with a stiff neck." Disobedience is what Christ complains of, and says to such, "Thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass." Now, humble submission and cheerful obedience is the reverse of all this. "Now, be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the Lord, and enter into his sanctuary," 2 Chron. xxx. 8.

But again: the neck is that part which joins or unites the head to the body. Christ is the head of the church, and the church is the body of Christ. Hence some are sharply rebuked for not holding this head, from which all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increased with the increase of God, Col. ii. 19. The neck, therefore, is the emblem of union between Christ the head and his church. Hence a good woman is often represented without a head, having no head of her own. The head of the woman is the man; and as a good woman submits to her husband, who is the head of her, and gives up her own will to his, so an obedient believer does the will of his Father. Solomon's advice to his son is, to aim at union with the covenant Head;

VOL. XVI.

"Keep thy father's commandment," says he. God has in these last days spoken to us by his Son. He has commanded his Son to speak the word of life to us; and this word keeps Christ and his people together. "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.'

"Forsake not the law of thy mother." Faith gives Christ possession of our heart; he dwells in the heart by faith; and by faith we dwell in him. But, as love is the bond of all perfectness, and as real faith works by love, and love being called a cord, Solomon would not that love should be lacking in our faith. "We have," says John, "known and believed the love that God hath to us;" and Paul says, "I am persuaded that neither life nor death shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." In the word of life God promises to love us freely, and that this his love shall draw us to Christ. Faith receives the promise, and believes in the love of God, and works by it. Tie these about thy neck. These, like a neck, will hold thee and Christ together. And, by virtue of this union, Christ will adorn thee with all grace and truth, which, like the chains of a bride's neck, will charm the bridegroom, and be the ornaments of thy profession. "My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck."

"When thou goest, it shall lead thee." All

along we have had two things to treat of, the command of the father, and the law of the mother; but now these two are become one; not these or them, but it; when thou goest, it shall lead thee. The apostle tells us to be followers of Christ as dear children; and it is by faith we walk, and not by sight. Fortune, luck, and chance, are banished out of the government of this world by faith. The believer is led by faith to watch the hand of God in all things. He discerns the universal providence of God. And what is providence but the goodness of God.displayed in providing for all his creatures? All seek their meat from God. Faith leads him to observe all the goodness of God that passes before him. "He that will observe these things, even he shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." Moses all through the wilderness, Jacob with his staff, and the apostles without purse or scrip, were led by faith to observe this, and found their account in it, and support by it. And as faith leads us to observe these things, so, upon every kind providence that appears, faith leads the believer to acknowledge it by praises and thanksgivings, which faith leads the soul to believe will be acceptable to God through Christ; and by these things faith gives glory to God. Should God appear to walk contrary to us, as in the three years famine for the blood of the Gibeonites, shed by Saul in the days of David; or should his hand go out against us, as in the case of Naomi; or should providence run

counter to the promise, as with Isaac and Rebekah (the promise to Abraham was that his seed by Isaac should be as the stars of heaven, but behold Rebekah is barren); faith, at such seasons, leads us to inquire of the Lord, and to entreat the Lord; and when these are removed, we are led by faith to love, bless, and adore the Almighty for making crooked things straight.

When any arch enemy, who lays in wait to deceive, brings or presents any new and strange things to our ears, or if it comes from a poor simple soul, who is charmed with every word, and we stand in doubt, not knowing whether right or wrong, whether to refuse or choose, we stand still, pray, watch, and wait; but as soon as a ray appears, (for he that believeth on me shall not abide in darkness,) faith leads the mind into this and that truth, which sets the whole matter aside as spurious; and where faith leads the mind follows; and thousands of snares does the saint escape by this leading; for his heart cannot embrace what faith doth not credit; for "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

When the mind of a believer is led to alter his station or situation in life, to alter his state and condition, the footsteps of providence are sought after; and if the path seems to be in deep waters, and the Lord's footsteps are not known, faith waits for his counsel, knowing that when he putteth forth his own sheep he goeth before them; the sheep hear his voice, and follow him. Nor

cah he move till these things are discovered; for though things may appear plain and plausible to reason, yet he must have an inward persuasion that it is of the Lord; for we walk by faith, not by sight; we walk by the confidence of God, and not by the light of nature. So, under any temptation to sin, faith leads the saint to the eye of the Lord; and this calls up fear and conscience against him, and these withstand him, and keep him in awe: and, when the snare is broken, faith leads the soul to exult in God. The snare is broken, and we are delivered. Thus faith leads the soul to the great deliverer, and to acknowledge the delive

rance.

Furthermore, there is peculiar to most believers something which crosses their will above every other cross; as sore eyes to Leah; deformity to Paul; a feeble tabernacle to Timothy; a particular sickness to Elisha; barrenness to Hannah; a thigh out of joint to Jacob; a plague all day, and a rod every morning for Asaph. Some have a persecuting wife, another a furious husband; some continual poverty; another is under a cruel oppressor; and some all their days in bondage; they can hold nothing fast but their chains, nor dare they give up their hope. There are times when faith declares to the heart, and leads such to confess with their mouth, that it is good for them to be thus afflicted, and to confess that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted me; yea, and to plead it in their own behalf in time of trouble: