I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jer. xxix. II. Their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more. I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. Jer. xxxi. 12, 13.

Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for He hath torn, and He will heal us, He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. Hosea vi. I.

Support under Troubles.-The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm ix. 9.

He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath He hid His face from him; but when he cried unto Him, He heard. Psalm xxii. 24.

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up. Psalm xxvii. 14, 10.

The

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand. salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, He is their strength in the time of trouble. Psa. xxxvii. 24, 39.

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm lv. 22.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar, and be troubled; though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Psalm xlvi. 1-3.

Support under Troubles.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm xviii. 2.

I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy; for Thou hast considered my trouble, Thou hast known my soul in adversities. Psalm xxxi. 7.

I have surely seen the affliction of My people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters; for I know their sorrows. Exodus iii. 7.

Blessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord I will deliver him in time of trouble. Psalm xli. I. Thou hast given commandment to save me; for Thou art my rock and my fortress. Psalm 1xxi. 3. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. Psalm cxii. 4. Who remembered us in our low estate, for His mercy endureth for ever. Psalm cxxxvi. 23.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me; Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy righ hand shall save me.

My flesh and my heart strength of my heart.

Psalm cxxxviii. 7. faileth, but God is the Psalm lxxiii. 26. fall, and raiseth up Psalm cxlv. 14.

The Lord upholdeth all that all those that be bowed down.

Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Isa. xxv. 4.

In measure, when it shooteth forth, Thou wilt debate with it; He stayeth His rough wind in the day of the east wind. Isaiah xxvii. 8.

He will not lay upon man more than is right, that he should enter into judgment with God.

Job xxxiv. 23.

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of His servant? that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Isa. 1. 10.

The Lord will not cast off for ever; but though He cause grief, yet will He have compassion, according to the multitude of His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Lam. iii. 31-33.

I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee ;-I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished. Jer. xxx. II. O Lord, my strength and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction. Jer. xvi. 19.

Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy! when I fall, I shall arise, when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me. He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteousness. Micah vii. 8, 9.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed.

2 Cor. iv. 8, 9.

These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John xvi. 33. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 2 Cor. i. 5.

Sickness and Old Age.

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.

Come unto Me, all ye that labour laden; and I will give you rest.

Nahum i. 7.

and are heavy Matt. xi. 28.

II.-Promises relating to Sickness, Old Age, etc.

Of Deliverance from Sickness.-Ye shall serve the Lord your God,-and I will take away sickness from the midst of thee. Exod. xxiii. 25.

If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in His sight, and wilt give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord that healeth thee. Ex. xv. 26.

He is gracious unto him, and saith: Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom. His flesh shall be fresher than a child's, he shall return to the days of his youth. He shall pray unto God, and He will be favourable unto him, and He shall see his face with joy; for He will render unto man His righteousness. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

Job xxxiii. 24-26, 28.

Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon-day. Psalm xci. 3, 5, 6.

The Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt-upon Deut. vii. 15.

thee.

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases. Psalm ciii. 3. Behold, I will bring health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. Jer. xxxiii. 6. Support under Sickness.-The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing, Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness. Psalm xli. 3.

The Lord preserveth the simple; I was brought low, and He helped me. Psalm cxvi. 6.

In Child-bearing.--Notwithstanding she shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. 1 Tim. ii. 15. He will also bless the fruit of thy womb.

Deut. vii. 13.

Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee, with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb. Gen. xlix. 25.

In Old Age.-Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth. Psalm 1xxi. 9.

And even to your old age I am He, and even to hoary hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear, even I will carry and will deliver you.

Isaiah xlvi. 4. The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. Prov. xvi. 31.

III.-Of Deliverance from Famine and Want.

In famine He shall redeem thee from death. At destruction, and famine thou shalt laugh. Job v. 20, 22.