faith is weakened by that instance of distrust;
for faith with every fresh trial of it either increases by trusting
God, and thus getting help, or it decreases by not trusting Him; and
then there is less and less power of looking simply and directly to
Him, and a habit of self-dependence is begotten or encouraged. One or
other of these will always be the case in each particular instance.
Either we trust in God, and in that case we neither trust in
ourselves, nor in our fellowmen, nor in circumstances, nor in any
thing besides; or we no trust in one or more of these, and in that
case do NOT trust in God. 3, If we, indeed, desire our faith to be
strengthened, we should not shrink from opportunities where our faith
may be tried, and, therefore, through the trial, be strengthened. In
our natural state we dislike dealing with God alone. Through our
natural alienation from God we shrink from Him, and from eternal
realities. This cleaves to us more or less, even after our
regeneration. Hence it is, that, more or less, even as believers, we
have the same shrinking from standing with God alone,--from depending
upon Him alone,--from looking to Him alone:--and yet this is the very
position in which we ought to be, if we wish our faith to be
strengthened. The more I am in a position to be tried in faith with
reference to my body, my family, my service for the Lord, my
business, etc., the more shall I have opportunity of seeing God's
help and deliverance; and every fresh instance, in which He helps and
delivers me, will tend towards the increase of my faith. On this
account, therefore, the believer should not shrink from situations,
positions, circumstances, in which his faith may be tried; but should
cheerfully embrace them as opportunities where he may see the hand of
God stretched out on his behalf, to help and deliver him, and whereby
he may thus have his faith strengthened. 4, The last important point
for the strengthening of our faith is, That we let God work for us,
when the hour of the trial of oar faith comes, and do not work a
deliverance of our own. Wherever God has given faith, it is given,
among other reasons, for the very purpose of being tried. Yea,
however weak our faith may be, God will try it; only with this
restriction, that as, in every way, He leads on gently, gradually,
patiently, so also with reference to the trial of our faith. At first
our faith will be tried very little in comparison with what it may be
aft