March 3rd

Still very frail all over, and rest broken. I now observe there is much night and day crying recorded in the Scriptures, and many complaints of not being heard, and yet many mercies recorded. He seems to be doing more than He says in taking off the yoke, and in setting meat before them, in sufficing them with little, so that they are not utterly cast down, and not entirely cut off from hope. And still they feel so far off. But when they remember what He reveals Himself to be as Mediator, and what they have experienced in the past, it is not easy for unbelief to get standing. Many of their cries are against themselves, being all they can do to acknowledge how justly they are treated under His hiding. The roving of the vain mind also makes them cry, seeing how often they are taken up with vain trifling, instead of staying near the fountain of wisdom and grace. Lord, stay our minds on Thee, and may our meditations of Thee afford sweet thoughts.