'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — June 28

It is the indispensable duty of believers at all times to trust in the Lord alone. This holy confidence can be tuned to the highest notes of the musical scale. A confident soul moves in a higher orbit than other saints and leads the band of heaven's militia. Patience is hope lengthened and confidence is faith strengthened. The elixir of faith carries with it courage and fortitude, and is the opposite of carnal fear and despondency of spirit. Blessed is that man, though attacked on all sides, that has maintained his ground with firmness. He has exhausted the devil's quiver of all its arrows and yet exhibits no symptoms of surrendering. On the contrary, he does not recede a single footstep from the favourable position that he has previously occupied (Isa. 12:2). Thus, David undaunted said, 'The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psa. 27:1). His confidence in God quietly extinguished in his heart the base, sneaking fear of man. Holy confidence stole the heart of Joseph of Arimathea to go in boldly and beg the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43). David encountered Goliath, and took the bear by the teeth and the lion by the beard. Let a believer make God his trust and, but once know his duty, it is enough; he will with a courageous and undaunted mind cheerfully undertake it and commit both himself and his success to God. What are the effects of a holy trust? A fervent, effectual, constant prayer to God; a sincere, universal, spiritual, cheerful, constant obedience to God. They that expect to enjoy what God promises will be sure to perform what God commands; and even now will experience a soul-ravishing joy. If the Lord is our trust and strength, he will surely be our joy and song.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Thomas Lye, Puritan Sermons 1659-1689, I:369-375
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