On account of his love to God a true Christian puts his whole trust and confidence in Him and confides to His care all that he undertakes and does, as a loving and obedient child acts towards a kind and loving father. Unbelief in the heart of man is the root and source of sin; but the true believer in Christ loves God because of his faith, and through this faith and love he is able to put his whole trust and confidence and hope in God his heavenly Father. For, since God has revealed to him His infinite love through the Lord Jesus Christ, and has surrendered His only Son to suffer pain and death for his sake, that the penitent sinner might thus obtain salvation, therefore it is clearer than the noonday sun that God Most High desires the man's salvation from sin and his eternal happiness, and that, whatever the believer's lot may be, whatever sorrow or suffering may befall him in this transitory world, God overrules it all and permits it only in kindness and mercy. For in such ways as these the believer is gradually more and more weaned from love of the world, drawn nearer to God Most High, and endued with spiritual favours and blessings. Thus the true Christian is calm and contented under all circumstances, for he knows that the saying of the Apostle is true: 'To ¹ them that love God all things work together for good . . . . If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he

not also with him freely give us all things?' He can also join with David in saying:—

The ¹ LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He guideth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou hast anointed my bead with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

So also in another Psalm David says:

The ² LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? ...
Though an host should encamp against me,
My heart shall not fear:
Though war should rise against me,
Even then will I be confident.

The true Christian knows that God loves him so much that for his salvation He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world and gave Him up to suffer death upon the cross. From this