See the whole article Providence in the H. E. I., and the other references given under this heading in the “Index of Arrangement.”

[2] See Outline: Every Man’s Life a Plan of God, chap. xlv. 5.

[3] P. D., 863, 865, 867, 868, 2101, 3239.

“God’s help is always sure,
His mercies seldom guessed;
Delay will make our pleasure pure,
Surprise will give it zest;
His wisdom is sublime,
His heart profoundly kind;
God never is before His time,
And never is behind.”—Lynch.

A Happy Conversion.

x. 20. And it shall come to pass, &c.

Consider, I. What is said of their former error. When it is said that they “shall no more stay upon him that smote them,” it surely implies that they had done this before: this was their error. They had stayed upon another—upon Assyria as a refuge and defence against the confederacy that threatened Ahaz (chap. vii. 1–12, viii. 4–9), just as at other times they relied upon Egypt as a defence against Assyria,—and they were to be delivered for this tendency to trust in human help, and were to be taught to “stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” Three things are here implied and expressed. 1. They had exercised an improper dependence. To this we are all naturally prone. We need help, and are apt to seek it in some creature rather than in the Creator. The evil of this course is, that thus we are kept away from God (H. E. I., 169–177). 2. Their dependence had been disappointed. That on which they stayed, not only failed them, it injured them (2 Chron. xxviii. 20; Jer. xvii. 5, 6). Creature confidence brings a curse upon us in two ways. (1) By disappointments (Prov. xxiii. 5; Ps lxii. 9, cxlvi. 3, 4; Isa. ii. 22). (2) By Divine rebukes (Jer. ii. 17–19; Jonah iv. 6, 7). 3. Their folly was to be corrected by their sovereign. They were to be taught wisdom by the things they suffered. But, alas! men often harden themselves against even such instruction (Isa ix. 13; Jer. v. 3; Amos iv. 6–11). Here we see the depravity of human nature in rendering inefficacious all these Divine chastisements. When this is the case, there is a danger of one of two things: either that God in anger will throw down the rod (Hos. iv. 17), or that He will fulfil His own threatenings (Lev. xxvi. 21, 23, 24, 27, 28; H. E. I., 145–147). God has a merciful design in all your crosses, trials, and afflictions (H. E. I., 56–74). When this is accepted, and afflictions thus sanctified, the penitent sufferer will put his trust in God only. Thus the prodigal was starved back “He began to be in want”—and it was a blessed want that led him to think of his father’s house, and resolved him to return. You have no reason to complain when your earthly props are taken away, if thus you are induced to take fresh hold of God.

II. What is said of their renewed experience. “But shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.” Glance at three views of it. 1. It is an enlightened confidence. Confidence is the offspring both of ignorance and wisdom; ignorance leads some persons to entrust precious deposits to strangers or to villains, but the wise man seeks first to know those in whom he is asked to trust. It is foolish to trust without inquiry, and to refuse to trust the trustworthy. The Christian stays himself upon God, because he has ascertained what His character is (Ps. cxix. 107; 2 Tim. i. 12). 2. Their confidence is very extensive. It covers all times (Ps. lxii. 8; Isa. xxvi. 4); all events that can awaken our anxiety; every condition in which we can be found; all that appertains to life and godliness, not only grace, but glory; not only our journey’s end, but also the way. Thus it should be with us, but it is not always so. Strange to say, while we readily trust God for eternal life, we often find it difficult to trust Him for what we need in this life. How foolish is this (Rom. viii. 32; Ps. lxxxiv. 11)! 3. It is a blessed confidence (Prov. xxix. 25; Ps. cxxv. 1; Isa. xxvi. 3; Jer. xvii. 7, 8; H. E. I., 1191–1934; P. D., 1157, 1160).

III. The reality of their change. “They shall stay upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.” This confidence is distinguishable, 1. from mere pretensions. There are those who profess to know God, but in works deny Him. It seems strange that persons should act the hypocrite here, for what do they gain (Job xx. 5, xxvii. 8)? 2. From imaginary confidence. Persons may not endeavour to deceive others, yet they may deceive themselves (Prov. xxx. 12). How unreal may be the confidence that seems most assured. (Comp. Mark xiv. 27–31, with verse 50.) Therefore—

“Beware of Peter’s word,
Nor confidently say,
I will never deny Thee, Lord,
But grant, I never may.”