that would live by Faith he must not say in his heart Who shall ascend into heaven to bring down Christ or an issue from above or who shall descend into the deep to bring up a Christ or an issue from the dead But the word is near thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart The Word of Faith the Word in the Gospel which we preach This Point because there are several things in it of special concernment for us I shall deduce and branch out to you in four Heads 1. That really needy Saints who are put to live by Faith ought to be and will be much conversant with the Word that they may know what is for them and suitable to their case there 2. That as really needy Saints will be much conversant with the Word so they will judge of things according to the Verdict of the Word 3. That to fix them in that Resolution to judge of things according to the Word they must fix this Principle That the Word is of Divine Authority 4. That having fixt this That the Word is of Divine Authority the Believer must send out his Faith to believe and his hope to look for all that he finds in so Divine and sure a Word For the first of these I say That really needy Saints who are put to live by Faith ought to be and will be much conversant in the Word that they may know what is for them there and suitable to their case This is clearly imported in the Text while he saith I hope in thy Word He must know what is in the Word to lean his Faith and Hope upon for except he know he cannot lean his Faith and Confidence on it Hence David a great liver by Faith was much conversant with the Scriptures they were his meditation his meat his delight the men of his counsels his guides as ye may read at length what his esteem of the Scriptures was in that 119 Psalm And this being so it will infer not only that really needy saints should attend upon the Word preached but more especially that they should and will be much at the privat serious reading of meditation on and perusal of the Scriptures a duty that in the first place I would prove to be a duty And 2dly press it on you 1. I say it is needful to prove that it is a duty that the Scriptures be read by all in opposition to that cursed Popish principle that will not allow any laick or privat person without a peculiar licence to read the Scriptures whereby they turn that in a priviledge and confer on some only which God hath imposed as a duty on all yea further so Tyrannical are they in this that though they permit some to read the vulgar Latin or Translations according to it as they have turned it in English where Protestants are lest if they shuld hinder them in the use of that they should read other Translations without their liberty yet in other places as Spain and Italy they are sparing of these Licenses This is a damnable error not only contrair to the way of the ancient Church wherein they glory so much wherin privat persons were so well acquaint with the Word that they would make it the subject of their discourse while they were about their ordinary callings but is clearly repugnant to Scripture and principles deduced therefrom both in the Old and New Testament I shall not insist on controversial things but lay down first some instances from Scripture to which I shall add some Scripture arguments for clearing that Truth For Scripture instances look to the Old Testament it is marked Acts 15.21 That in old time Moses had in every City them that preached him being read in the synagogues every sabbath day and not the Books of Moses only but the Prophets And therefore our Lord in his solemn Sermon Luke 4.17 Read out of the Prophecy of Isaiah that Book being delivered to him Beside publick reading of the Scriptures we find privat reading enjoyned Deut. 17.18 The King was to have a Copy of the Law in a Book out of that which was before the Priests and Levits to be with him and he was to read therein all the days of his life Josh 1.8 The Commander of the people was not to let the book of the Law depart out of his mouth but to meditat therein day and night It was also to be read by mean persons for Deut. 6.6 These words commanded to the Jews they were to teach them diligently to their children to talk of them when they sat in their houses when they did walk by the way when they did ly down and when they rose up and this they could not do in all the ages of their Church unless they read the Books of Moses when Moses was gone We find that Eunuch in returning from Jerusalem in his journey reading the Scripture Act. 8.30 We find Timothy from a child instructed in the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 drinking it in with his milk and in a word Psal 1.2 We find the blest man in those days and in all ages of the Church to be that man who hath his delight in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth meditate day and night If again we turn to the New Testament we find that Christ commands the Jews to search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 We find the Bereans commended for comparing Christ Apostles Sermons with the Scripture searching the Scriptures whether these things were so Act. 17.11 We find it required That the word of Christ a well in us richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another Col. 3.16 which necessarily requires frequent reading of the Scriptures we find the Apostle supposing the Corinthians read them 2 Cor. 1.13 We wrote none other things to you than that you read and acknowledge and Eph. 3.4 Whereby when ye read ye may understand my knowledge We find him commanding it Col. 4.16 When this Epistle is read amongst you cause also that it be read in the Church of the Laodiceans and that ye likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea 1 Thes 4.27 He charges them by the Lord that that epistle be read unto all the holy brethren and if the Apostle John Rev. 1.3 pronounces them blest who reads the words of that prophesie which is a dark obstruse Book It is not the purpose of the Spirit of God that other plain Scriptures should be shut up from people But 2. Unto these Scripture instances we shall add a few Scripture Arguments as 1. For what end were the Scriptures plainly and legibly written and at first in a known language if not to be made use of and read when the Vision is written and made plain upon Tables Habakkuk tells the end of that is That he may run that readeth it 2. If the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did not spare to preach their Doctrine in the audience of all it cannot be rationally thought but that we may
will up and to their feet and recover themselves but their fools haste makes no speed while they look not to the causes of their declining and seek not to get them heal'd and herefore when the burnt of the Conviction is over they are where they were and do not amend a Physitian that would cure a Disease seeks first to know and remove the causes thereof and that is the method I would recommend to you to follow to consider what it is that makes the people of God back-slide sit up or decline in the course of Religion and Godliness there are some Causes without which I do not insist on when there is a dreadful shower of Spiritual Plagues rain'd upon a visible Church it is no wonder that some drops of it fall upon the godly to allude to that Mat. 24.12 Because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold Though I know the meaning of the place looks like another way that because of the abounding of iniquity folks shall not know with whom to walk or intimatly converse nor shall I need to put you in mind of that new-fangle humor that is in many That when Religion is new to them make a faird at it and thereafter sit up like Children that are taken up with Toyes and presently lose conceit of them and cast them from them so it is with many in the matters of God and godliness but there are several causes of upsitting within that ye would look unto The first I begin at is Conceit which not only many time evidences a man to be nothing If a man thinketh himself something while he is nothing he deceives himself Gal. 6.3 and Rev. 3.17 Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched poor blind miserable and naked But be a man what he will if he conceit of it his conceit of it sets his height upon his head he cannot make proficiency yea Conceit is the next door to Apostasie compare for this these two paralel places Hab. 2.4 his soul that is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live hy faith but if any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him says the Apostle Heb. 10.38 A lifted up Soul and a drawing back Soul go together therefore who would recover from their backslidden condition and find out the causes of it they would look first to conceit as a main cause O! how many a fair profession hath Conceit blasted how many a hypocrite hath conceit discovered to be but empty casks without substance yea more how many really godly hath conceit lost in the mire of apostasie till they considered and laid it to heart better than they did 2. Which hath affinity with the former of conceit Take notice of carnal confidence as another great cause when ever a Child of God wears out of a posture of poor and needy dependence when all beside Christ is not flesh to him a slide abides him When Job 29.18 said he should die in his nest and multiply his days as the sand he was near a shake When David Psal 30.6 said in his prosperity he should not be moved God hid his face and he was troubled his carnal confidence was backed with desertion from God Therefore beware of pride and carnal confidence as ye would not decline and backslide And ye that would seek out the causes of your decayed condition and endeavour a cure look well to these two as bringing you in the sad posture wherein ye are lying The Lord bless his word to you SERMON XX. Psalm 130. Verse 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait c. THat I may prepare the way for a more distinct handling of this great and important Duty of waiting on God and for God I proposed in the morning to speak somewhat upon perseverance and constancy in Religion and that partly in general in opposition to Apostasie and Backsliding and partly in particular in opposition to that fleiting frazing humour that may be in folk at some timâ— but soon passes over and is gone and in opposition 〈…〉 â—earying to wait on if they be delayed especialâ—◠〈…〉 d dispensations For the general I spoke somewhat to it and hinted in the first place at some Means of Tryal whereby folks may know more distinctly their sitten-up frame and I was cut off by the time from searching into the causes of up-sitting or declining that would be heeded by them that would prevent or recover themselves out of that temper several things occur which though divers of them may be one upon the matter yet I name them distinctly that under one notion or another of the same thing ye may take up your distemper I spoke in the first place to Conceit And 2. To carnal Confidence as main Causes of Apostasie Now I go on and in the third place ye shall take notice with me of this as a great cause of declining to wit idleness want of seriousness and sensible errands to Christ dayly when folks though they go about the Duties of Religion in privat and publick yet the most they have for them is to fill the field to observe a custom or to quiet the clamours of Conscience in this case folk are idle they have not sensible errands to Christ they have not their finger on their sore and as this evidences a declined Frame so it is a cause of declining in many to allude to that Prov. 19 15. Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep and an idle soul shall suffer hunger And Eccles 10.18 By much slothfulness the building decayeth and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through So negligence in performance of Service to God will soon bring a soul to a very poor posture and condition Further in the fourth place ye shall take notice of this that the not observing of gradual Decays is the great cause of the heightning that Decay and coming to a height in backsliding when folks slide down the braâ— piece and piece when they steal at leasure from their first Love and it is not observed by them it brings on a sinful frame ere they be awaâ—â—â—â—any through want of observation are like Sampson 〈…〉 hath his Locks cut and knows it not till the◠〈…〉 upon him Or like the blessed Virgin who supposing Christ to be in the croud miss'd him not but afterward had him to seek with sorrow Or as Pharaoh's Servants said to him Knows thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed like Ephraim gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth iâ— not As ye say of Hecticks they are worst to be discerned but easily cured in the beginning but when continued in they are easily discerned and worse to be cured so fares it with them that observe not their gradual decays And to this I shall add in the 5 place that folks would look well to Idols when they are harboured it 's
a great cause of backsliding and of idleness and inadvertance that brings on decay If Judas love the bag he will sooner or later betray his Master for money If Sampson will try conclusions by sleeping on the knees of a Delilah though he might once and again escape her snares yet Delilah will at last betray him into the hands of the Philistines An Idol entertained without mourning over it and labouring to mortifie it though Satan may let thee keep up a rank in good for a time yet sooner or later it will turn thee aside Then 6. If we would persevere and not decline we would lay the foundation very well see that it be upon the Rock It was not that which was above ground that carried the body of naughtiness in the stony ground but it was the deepness of earth that was wanting Mat. 13.5 The house that bides the storm hath the foundation bigged deep Luk. 6.48 Many folk are fair above ground but O! How naughty are they under ground That 's a good foundation that 's laid in mortification self-denial and needy dependance on Christ This hath relation to what I spoke before of idols and am to speak of unbelief yet I give it you distinctly an ill-rooted Professor cannot persevere but must decline a mortified Professor will be well-rooted and long-breathed as we use to speak in perseverance 7. Look upon unbelief and discouragement as a great cause of Apostacy the joy of the Lord is the strength of the Saints Neh. 8.10 But where this evil heart of unbelief is there will be a departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 And where there are hands hanging down and feeble knees that which is lame or halting will be soon turned out of the way Heb. 12.13 As many suffer shipwrack of their pursuit in the bosome of some Idol so many split upon the Rock of Diffidence and Discouragement which being given way to there is no remedy but to fall by or sit up dangerously 8. And I shall add no mo we would look well to stumbling as a great cause of Apostacy and declining When a man stumbleth at the directions of the word though alas There are many of us not so tenty at a Sermon as to notice them or shall take them not so near them as to try if they have corruption to stumble at them compare Joh. 6.60 61. with 66. Many of Christs Disciples when they have heard him speak of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood say This is a hard saying who can hear it Christ knowing their murmuring saith Doth this offend you And what comes of that v. 66. From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him they stumbled at his Doctrine and therefore drew back or whether folk stumble at the dispensations of providence when they are sad and afflicting Isai 33.14 It is said of the Hypocrites The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites who among us shall dwell with devouring fire who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings Alluding to the terrible aspect of Sennacheribs Army they looked on these as things that could not be bidden ye may think them weak and hypocrites that stumble at dispensations but let him that stands take heed lest he fall Remember when David stumbled at the prosperity of the wicked he came to that How doth God know and is there knowledge in the most high Verily I have cleansed my hands in vain and washen my hands in innocency There stumbling at providence turned him foolish and ignorant as a beast before God Psal 73 22. These things I have shortly named and if there be any sensible of their backsliding and of a decayed frame and afraid of it do not think that your whryning over it will prevent it or cure it but look on those things as the causes of this ill frame and ye will find ye have them or are ready to split on them and to cure the disease take away the cause and the effect will cease But a 3d word of Use shall be this if declining and backsliding be so frequent and where it is if it be so dangerous how much reason have they to bless God whose backsliding he prevents who are kept fresh and flourishing and fat and green and enabled to bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.12 Who in all the times they have come over have not met with an Idol they delight to fall asleep in the bosome of nor with a discouragement that they have not trode on nor with a dispensation they stumbled on they have been kept serious and diligent humble and denyed I am now marking a mercy of many that it may be they do not mark themselves some complain that all their time they get nothing they are kept poor and needy from the hand to the mouth they meet with nothing but delays tossing and restlessness any get leave to draw their breath but they and they think that they are very hardly dealt with but hast thou this mercy that thou art kept low thou has no ground of carnal confidence thou gets not leave to be idle thou art holden going diligent serious in errands to Christ Thy grievances will tell thee if thou bide away thy heart-searchings thou must vent in his bosome and shew before him thy trouble Read in that a mercy that thou art made to persevere though in a humbling posture Many have had sweet hours beside thee and have fallen asleep on them and thou art kept waking God is keeping thee on thy feet when others have fallen though with dispensations that are not satisfying to thy flesh But now I proceed to the other two looks that I proposed to be taken of this perseverance which are comprehended under the former and serve to obviat two great sources and causes of Apostacy The first is this Perseverance is to be looked on as it imports a constant tract of waiting on God and seeking of him in opposition to that brashiness fleettingness ups and downs that are in some who will have some odd fits of godliness they are now very hot and ere ye wot as cold This may be seen in very godly folks if they be at Ordinances especially solemn Ordinances how far up the Bâ—aâ— will they be as Saul among the Prophets Or when they are in some trouble how keen how eager and lively will they be But ere ye wot they are as dead like a Summer Brook that in a shower is over the Banks but within a little is quite out and dry Ye may take an instance of this in Israel when the Law was publish'd at Sinai with great Majesty and terrour who but they Deut. 9.27 All that the Lord our God will speak unto thee we will do it But the History tells if they were as good as their word Another instance ye have in Israel at the red Sea Psal 106.12 Then believed they his word and sang his
on and not be hasty under delays I shall offer four considerations to perswade you to it And the 1. which relates to what I spoke before of Faith is that ye would remember that delayed success is not denyed success so long as the Word speaks good news That the needy shall not always be forgotten that the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Psal 9.18 There is no cause why our hearts should envy sinners but that our hearts should be in the fear of the Lord all the day long For surely there is an end and our expectation shall not be cut off Prov. 23.17 So long as the Word speaks thus we are to bless our selves in it that delayed success is not denyed success and that therefore all that God hath promised were it never so long betwixt the promise and the performance will certainly come to pass as is marked in the Book of Joshua 23.14 That of all the good things which the Lord had promised to that people and many a time there seemed to be an utter impossibility of the performance of it not one thing had failed but all did come to pass A man that hath good things laid up for him in the Scripture though he be put to wait for them he needs not make a cheap Market of them they will be found forth-coming to him And Isai 60 22. The Lord will hasten it in his time which is alway the best time the Lord will afford mercy and grace to help not when we will but in the time of need Heb 4. ult He will make out his mercies in the time when they will be found double mercies for their seasonableness Psal 94.18 When I said My foot slippeth thy mercy O Lord held me up And as he will thus in due time make out all that he hath promised so in the mean time he will not deny support to them that wait on him it may be he let temptations such as are common to men ly on But 1 Cor. 10.13 He is faithful and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear but will with the temptation make a way to escape that they may be able to bear it It may be when they are crying for a good account of a messenger of Satan sent to buffet them that he remove it not but he will make out that My grace is sufficient for you my strength is made perfect in weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 That then is one Consideration to perswade you to waâ—t on That delayed success is not denyed success 2. This may press and perswade to on-waiting that if we be doing our duty we may very safely trust the love and wisdom of God with the time of doing us good There are three things which I have had occasion sometimes to hint at to you that I shall now resume in reference to this We may and ought to wait 1. Because God never comes out of time look things never so desperat-like to make up all that was looked for men may come out of season but God never comes out of season although it were come to that that there were nothing but dry bones in a Valley he can make these dry bones to live Ezek 37. Although there were no Witnesses left And O but it 's sad to see a decay of a faithful Ministry and few laying it to heart many going off the Stage and few coming in their room though they were killed after three days and an half they shall rise again and ascend up to Heaven in a Cloud and their enemies shall behold them Rev. 11.11 When thou hast said thy strength and thy hope is perished from the Lord it is as easie for him to make all things well as when thou hast all probabilities that things shall be well 2. We may safely remit the proofs of Gods love to himself if we consider he never delays so long but we may be getting good of delays It 's true thou may be ready to tyre fag and weary and look on thy continued trial as a lot thou wilt get no good of and thereupon turn idle or ly down and die but the longest trial if improven shall yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 If we were thrifty we might be getting good of every moments delay 3. We may and ought to wait and submit to the wisdom and love of God and trust him for good under our delays on this account that he never delays so long but he is able to give a satisfactory account of his delays Thou wilt say Why doth he delay so long from comâ—ng to comfort or give an out-gate But he can convince thee with satisfying reasons that his delays were needful When as it is Hab. 2.3 sense says The vision tarries he can make thy faith say Tarry for it because it will surely come and not tarry he can make thy self say he doth not tarry even when thy sense says he doth tarry This for the second Consideration for perswading you to wait on God under delays and not to be hasty 3. A third Consideration to perswade to waiting in opposition to making haste is That they that are sweet to wait would look if they be busie at work and at the work they are called to This is a needful diversion which I would offer to such folk were they busie in making use of long and feeding storms they would make less dinn in waiting for an issue of them but they would be ready to say rather Alas let him tarry never so long he will come ere I be ready for him ere I have reaped the blessed fruit of the dispensations of his providence that I am under And therefore a wearier and a hasty person under delays doth proclaim that he is an idle person not about his work for not only as ye know work is a mean to take away langour but in particular the thrifty improvement of a hard lot would make folk wonder that God should come to them at all 4. To perswade you to wait and that ye would not be hasty if none of the former Considerations will press you to it remember the Soveraignty of God and that ye are his Creatures when thou wearies to wait consider what thou art a bit of nothing a dependent bit of beeing to be made or not made formed or marred at his pleasure if he hath given thee a back why may he not lay on a burden and continue it on so long as pleases him Wherefore serves thy beeing in the world but to be at his disposing and to be what seems good to him This Argument prevailed with Job that was put otherways to it than any of us he was stripped in an instant of all that he had and sitting down on the dust he says Chap. 1.21 Naked came I out of the womb and naked shall I return God gave and God hath taken blessed be the Name
be a God of Judgment and therefore blessed are they that wait on him and blest shall ye be if ye believe these things and if ye make it your exercise to let your patience be seen in your meek waiting for him for there shall be a performance of these things which are told you from the Lord. I shall insist no further The Lord bless his word to you for Christ's sake SERMON XXIII Psalm 130. Verse 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and c. I Am now broken in a little upon this third part of the Psalmist's wrestling and exercise how that after his imploying of God by Prayer under trouble and taking a right method for purging away of the guilt of Conscience he is exercised with delays and protracting to his sense of delivery and comfort which he wrestles with by confident affectionat and patient waiting on God Having spoken somewhat to the general Doctrine of Perseverance and Constancy and broken in the last day upon and spoken to the first Head of these Words the Psalmist's exercise he was waiting I spoke to these two first Heads of Doctrine 1. That which was supponed here That the Psalmist was put to wait and shew that God may and often doth exercise his people when they are walking tenderly with delays And 2. I spoke to that which is proponed that when he is put to wait he doth wait under these delays waiting for other things from God according to his word than the present Dispensation did promise he waited he proved he did believe without making haste and he waited without bitterness fretfulness passion c. These two I took some time the last day to press on you as needful Lessons that when God exercises you with delays and suspends the performance of Promises ye should wait for God believing his Word not making haste with meekness and calmness of Spirit I proposed a second thing to be spoken to in the Words to which I proceed and that is the Object of his exercise I wait for what for the Lord says he that was the Object of his waiting whether he was waiting for Comfort against desertion or for delivery out of trouble or for both he is waiting for the Lord and this if we shall batter out a little will give some mo things to be taken notice of in a man that is truly a waiter for God and what I would say on it I shall briefly reduce to these three which I conceive imported in it 1. A waiter on God hath his Eyes taken off all other things and set on God only for what he wants and would have That is one thing imported in it not only is a waiter on God taken off sinful shifts that will disappoint all that use them as it is said when the Lord should smite Egypt and Ethiopia the people of that Isle or Countrey should be ashamed of Ethiopia their Expectation and Egypt their Glory and they shall say in that day Behold such is our expectation whither shall we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria and how shall we escape Isa 20.5 Now there our expectation is blown up And Jer. 3.23 Truly in vain is salvation looked for from the hills and from the multitude of mountains That is all the poor shifts they had betaken themselves to they shall be frustrat as to their expectation of help from them But I say not only are waiters on God taken off sinful shifts but have what they will to eye this is the Character of a waiting man that his eyes are taken off all things and set on God Psal 62.5 My soul wait thou only on God for my expectation is from him And ye have the posture of them whom God will notice Zeph. 3.12 I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people and they shall trust in the Name of the Lord They are a people emptied of all expectation from any other art but trusting in God they are left on him and betake themselves to him alone Now the Saints that are waiters on God indeed are put to this shift of waiting on God on divers accounts 1. Because all other shifts may and often do misgive upon their hand not only sinful shifts but all other disappointment on disappointment from one thing to another may be the lot of them that are put to this exercise of waiting on God it was not enough for David that Saul persecute him that the Ziphits were ready to betray him and that near relations Father and Mother should forsake him as he hints Psal 27.10 but he must be put to that Psal 142.4 I looked on my right hand and beheld but there was no man that would owne me refuge failed me There was no man that cared for my soul when he is shut up in the Cave all his men that were about him slight him think him an unhappy man and themselves unhappy in following him And Psal 124.1 If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us They had swallowed us up quick c. There the people of God are left on him alone And Psal 94.17 Vnless the Lord had been my help my soul had almost or as it is on the margine quickly dwelt in silence There was nothing betwixt me and utter off-cutting but God's stepping in to be my help From this in the by ye may take this with you that the waiting people of God are never tryed enough till all things fail them but God till they be stripped naked of all things they expected help from and they left on God alone and whatever be God's condescendency to their weakness in giving them means of help at any time they would lay their account to be brought that low as to have none to look to for help but God only 2. The saints have their eyes only on God in their waiting because when they are stript of all other things that promised help They see there is ground enough to wait on God for all that They look not on the blasting of all their expectations as a nolumus on the back of their Bill or as inviting them to say there is no help They will wait on God when nothing invites them to it and why I shall offer to you a threefold account on which saints afflicted emptied and stripped of all things without God do not give over waiting on God 1. This is one they see God all-sufficient to do their turn not only without the help of second Means but when seemingly they combine to oppose what they would be at they wait for Jehovah and see their delivery or comfort not to be further off that there be nothing visible promising it yea when all visible means and causes threaten the contrary why Their King is Jehovah who can command deliverance Psal 44 4. Thou art my King O God command deliverance for Jacob A word from him can bring deliverance though
people of God that they do not forget prosperity and learn to have their desires spiritual and to make up the want of all things in God if they were spiritual in their desires whatever their difficulties were it would be all a matter to them if they got more of God if all their difficulties and wants did run in this channel to pursue for more of God to have him not to be their terror but their hope in an evil day Though they should want the Ordinances he should be a sanctuary to them Though men should curse What then It is all a matter if he bless Though they should be counted the off-scourings of all things contemned reproached no matter if their names be written in Heaven O spiritual desires would not only further an issue but be a present issue in all difficulties but hardly are the children of men out of one of three snares either they are mad on their Idols while they have them or they are mad for the loss of them when they want them or when they are restored to them they surfeit on them as Israel did on flesh in the Wilderness Therefore while their desires are not spiritual carried forth on God and heavenly things to make up the want of things earthly It 's no wonder their delivery be foreslowed of these things and will be forslovved till they cleanse their desires of vvhat they are so much vvedded to and cause lamenting over their buried Idols knovving it vvill be a plague to them to have them restored SERMON XXIV Psalm 130. Verse 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope AS in handling the former tvvo Verses I had a great Gospel Truth and Priviledge among my hands so in the fifth sixth Verses there is a lively description of a great and concerning Gospel-duty patient affectionat and confident waiting for God The Duty that is a great Characteristick of a godly man vvho hath a Well vvithin him that neither Summers heat nor Winters frost can dry up but as it is Zech. 14.8 In summer and winter shall it be there and vvho must prove this by his being well breathed to vvait on God vvhen his Promises and Dispensations seem to clash one vvith another vvhen his Word gives one report of him and his dispensations a quit contrair When His Word calls him The hearer of Prayer and His Dispensations say That prayer is shut out and his anger smoaks against the prayers of his people When his vvord says he that hath promised to come will come and will not tarry and his dispensations say not only that he tarrieth but that he vvill never come Here is the vvell breathed Grace of Patience affectionat and confident expectation to believe to vvait on and not to make haste and to be keeped meek in vvaiting on I have spoken to tvvo Heads here from the Psalmist's exercise he is waiting and the Object of his vvaiting he is waiting for the Lord his eyes are taken off all other things and set on God for vvhat he vvould be at and in the faith of that he vvaits on God and keeps his vvay and vvhen any thing of that kind is not accomplished to the satisfaction of sense he waits for the Lord that more enjoyment of him may make up the vvant of these things Sad Dispensations spiritualize his desires It is not any good that vvill satisfie him but it is one thing to behold the beauty of the Lord to have the communion of God and to have the light of his Countenance Novv I proceed to the third thing in the Words That is his affection in vvaiting vvaiting is his exercise the Object of it is the Lord The manner of his vvaiting is affectionat my soul doth wait I do vvait affectionatly and what the measure of his affection in vvaiting is he resumes verse 6. My soul writs for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I shall here speak to tvvo Observations and for the ground of the first Mark That the Psalmist vvhile he professes to vvait he declares that he sets himself against all haste passion and fretfulness about vvhat he vvaited in opposition to these he waits for God But now he finds it necessary to guard against another extream it might be said ye wait and are not fretted with delays and why ye are indifferent for what ye wait for it is indifferent for you whether ye get or want it and therefore ye may wait inconcernedly without wearying No says he though I do wait my affection is not asleep in waiting my soul doth wait I have affection to that which I want yet I labour to have it I have a waiting affection to it with a submissive affection in waiting for it Hence observe 1. That as patient waiting for God is opposit to passion fretfulness bitterness and carnalness on the one hand so on the other it is opposite to dulness stupidity and carelesness about what we want Here the Psalmist professeth himself both a waiter that is not wearied nor cankered and yet he is a soul-waiter with his affection aloft for what he waits for This particular may lead me to take notice of a General to be observed in the way of God's people That is that a mixed condition is their best condition for here ye have a frame made up of Patience and Affection affection running out for that it would be at and patience clogging its wings that it run not out of breath We are full of Byasses and always ready to run on extreams without this mixture if a man have affection it is ready to pick quarrels at delays if he have somewhat of patience that patience is ready to fall asleep but these two make up a sweet frame I might here take notice of these advantages or advantageous mixtures both in the frame of the Saints and in their lots in their lots take them successively we will find odd mixtures in them a rapture to Heaven and a Messenger of Satan sent to buffet them on the back of it It was needful that that eminent servant of God in his exaltation should be keeped with arms of such a messenger and beside these successive mixtures we will find few lots of the saints but a mixture may be observed in them Psal 40.17 I am poor and needy yet thought upon by God 1 Cor. 12.10 When weak yet strong Isai 40.31 When faint yet made to run and not be weary and to walk and not be faint when laid-by men yet made-up men their foot slipping yet Gods mercy holding them up Psal 94.18 Troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed 1 Cor. 4.8 9. As unknown yet well known as dying yet living as chastned and not killed as sorrowful yet always rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things 1 Cor. 6.9 These are
godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Many never mind this that godliness and making sure an interest in Christ is the only thriving gate as for such as find prosperity in another method I shall speak to them just now But for you that are godly or pretend to godliness to be taken up in seeking things in time ye forget your main work when ye are too eager and keen in your pursuit of these things wherein if God love you he will not let you thrive I wot not what of this is among you but if there be a nearness a nippedness and eagerness after the things of the world in that you may read your poverty if ye be seeking God and making an Idol of the world or any things in it he loves you better than to let you prosper in that pursuit and if ye would thrive indeed put godliness in the first place begin at it as the work of all your thrift But 2. Because many may laugh at this Exhortation founded on this that other mercies come as the result of Redemption through Christ and therefore that folk ought in the first place to sicker an interest in him and think that they speed best in things of time that neglect Piety I might bid them laugh at leasure Many profane folks that have had more prosperity than heart could wish and have thought they should never be in adversity and that they had no need of God to hold to their head they have win through it all and have been put to imbrace dunghills and in their straitned condition have been contemptible when the godly have shined in their greatest poverty But that which I press here is that every lot that folk have they would see how they hold it by what Title and Right thou that gets the mercy of prosperity or a delivery out of trouble if thou be not interested in Christ and a Student of holiness it 's but as a Bone cast at a Dog for thy portion as it is Psal 17.4 And I shall tell you the Testament of such men from that parable Luk. 16.25 Son saith Abraham to the rich glutton remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented Thou hast prosperity while thou neglects piety but it may be thou art getting what thou gets in wrath and while thou art running to Satan and perdition thou gets outward mercies as a Post-horse to further thee in that deplorable Journey yea thou who art a child of God may be getting outward mercies when God is not pleased with thee There is a sad word 1 Cor. 10.5 after the Apostle has spoken of great mercies conferred on Gods people he subjoyns But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness And therefore thou that would put a right value on mercies read them at that rate Isai 42.16 where when he hath spoken of bringing the blind by the way they knew not making darkness light before them and crooked things straight he subjoyns These things will I do unto them and not forsake them look if thou has God with what thou hast Have a man what he will till he have interest in him and stand in his favour he has little cause to insult or boast If thy mercies be not the result of redemption through Christ they will turn a snare But a 3d word of Inference from this is that it is an invitation to the fearers of God who have an interest in his love and are studying to walk tenderly to look sweetly on their portion and lot in time what-ever it be it may be thy share in the things in time is little thy troubles many thy breathing times betwixt troubles short thy comfort mixt with what is bitter and sad but that which will make all relish is that the same love that has given Christ for thee and to thee and will give thee everlasting happiness hath afforded these mercies as the result and appendices of that great redemption and that same love will sanctify all thy crosses and make them work for thy good And O! How sweet might sorry accommodations mean food and raiment be to have this written over them That love that hath given Christ for me and to me and will give me a Crown one day hath given me these This might be rich and sweet Sauce to a sober Diet excellent Furniture to a poor House to learn to look on these as the result of the great Bargain Seek to have your interest in Christ your Union and Communion with him more near and warm and to be more tender That thus ye may look on your mercies and be comforted the Lord bless what ye have heard SERMON XLII Psalm 130. Vers 7. And with him is plenteous redemption MAny are the exceptions and grounds of fears which the people of God entertain for fostering their discouragement and no fewer are the Cordials that are allowed in God to make out that to them that when they are afraid they are called to trust in God when Israel is invited to hope in God if misery and ill-deserving retard their obedience to that command they are told here that with the Lord there is mercy If they look on themselves as lawful Captives and none have a right to offer to rescue or ransome them they are told here that with the Lord there is redemption a Soveraign Authority Right and Power to step in when he will and vindicate them into freedom If they look upon it as hard and impossible ever to get out of the bonds they are under with him is plenteous redemption as the Psalmist sings Psal 146.7 To loose the Prisoners and open the prison doors and set them at liberty This is that I was speaking to in the morning That with God there is redemption I cleared that this Redemption imported Authority and Right to redeem and power to reedeem and vindicate And I came in the second place to clear in what respects this Redemption is so called or in what respects his delivery of his people is called a Redemption of them And the first to which I have spoken it 's because all their deliverances are founded upon and are the result of their eternal Redemption through Christ the Uses whereof I mentioned and shall not repeat I proceed now in the 2d place to clear that their Redemption is so called or their delivery is called Redemption in relation to their trouble and the instruments of their trouble from whom God will redeem them not by paying a price for them for that is already payed to Justice for doing away the controversie that God the principal Creditor had with them who therefore put them in Bonds and under Arrest but by the strong hand he redeems them from the instruments of their trouble to their
is needful to have the renovation of the Disposition to be a Seal of the pardon of sin that when thou hast gripped pardon thou may know by this that thou art not delivered because it sends thee back to get sin subdued and mortified with greater eagerness and bensil of spirit that if the pardon of sin take not away the filthiness of sin yet it sets thee in a stated war with it and opposition unto it that thou and it shall never be friends and God then evidences the pardoning of thy sin when he helps thee to subdue sin And it is no wonder that folk have a cold Coal to blow at when they are under a temptation that they are not pardoned and have nothing to witness that they have any thing like the renovation of their disposition though in that case God forbid that I should forbid such to run to Christ for pardon but in running to him for pardon of sin through the merit of his death and in gripping to pardon carry alongst the vertue of his death for the subduing of sin 3. This leads me to a 3d word of Inference many of you may say ye are put to a hard task when ye are put seek redemption from iniquity from the power of sin as well as from the guilt of sin And I grant it is a hard task indeed and they that essay it in earnest will find it an insuperable task Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may they also do good that are accustomed to do evil Twin them of their life as soon as twin them of their Delilah or take their darling-sin out of their bosome What shall they then do with it This point tells that God can and will redeem Israel from all their iniquities I would in order to this have you looking two ways on Gods interposing to subdue iniquity one is that ye would never look on the subjugation or subduing of sin as leill come wherein ye are not put to employ God There be many evils that ye are not tempted to or if tempted to them ye get them easily under foot ye are never sent to God to subdue them Ye have reason to suspect ye have never been tryed enough with these evils if in earnest ye be tried with evils ye will be sent to God for the mortification of them otherwise any mortification ye get of ills without him it will fail you when ye have most ado with it and ye will find that Satan is not cast out but gone out and will return and surprise you for ye must be put to God for a right redemption from iniquity And 2. on the other hand I would have you looking on no iniquity even that which most enslaves you as on an iniquity that he cannot subdue or were not willing to subdue if he were seriously employed ye have his word for it Mic. 7. where when he hath said v. 18. He is a God that pardons iniquity and passes by transgression He adds v. 19. that he will have compassion and subdue our iniquities He can break in pieces the Gates of Brass and cut in sunder the bars of Iron To allude to that Psal 107.16 and Isai 45.29 He can burst all these bonds under which a sinner is shut up in slavery and servitude and deliver him from those base lusts that carried him captive and held him in bondage How deeply was Paul engaged in persecution How mad was he in pursuance of that woful Trade Yet when God interposed he made him stand unholden What Monsters were these 1 Cor. 6.8 9. Fornicators idolaters adulterous thieves covetous drunkards effeminat c. Yet v. 11. he tells them Such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God As upon the one hand I would not only have these that are puddled with their corruptions that all their purposes and resolutions to reform misgive them looking upon it as a cause of their ill success that Christ is little employed but also I would have them looking on no prevailing predominant evil as impossible to his power to subdue it So on the other hand O that this might speak a word to profligat profane persons that cannot sleep except they do ill that cannot go to bed unless they be full as beasts that rake the life from them rather than twin them and their lusts they are so habituat to excess and riot they cannot forbear it Thinks thou that an excuse that thou cannot help it What an excuse would it be for a Thief arraigned at the Bar to say he must be forgiven for he cannot hold up his hands No more will it excuse thee for drunkenness lasciviousness c. To say Thou cannot help it it 's an aggravation of thy crime and no excuse But here I would leave it at the door of all profligat wretches as a witness against them that God is able to redeem from all these iniquities if they will come to him God is able to cast out all these Devils that enslave thee That deaf Devil that will not let thee hear what God speaks to thee That dumb Devil that will not suffer thee to pray to him That filthy swinish Devil that will never suffer thee to be out of the mire of some abomination I here leave it I say at the door of such Monsters that there is power in God if they will employ him to redeem them from all their iniquities But here it sticks the power of God is little employed to redeem from the power of sin because the Conscience is little touched with the guilt of sin O! pray to God that your Conseiences may be awak'd that ye may cry What shall we do to be saved That sin may be a burden to you as it will be when the Conscience is touched and if ye will not pray know that God can do that when you little dream of it as ye may see in Cain Judas Achitophel who could not keep their Consciences asleep to tell that folk have not Consciences at their command but if the Conscience be touch'd with guilt know there is power in God to redeem from iniquities 4. A fourth word of Inference is That if God as ye heard in the Explication do redeem from all iniquities then not only must ye endeavour the pardon of sin and the mortification of sin but that the mortification of sin be universal ye must spare a Zoar a Delilah a bosom sin or idol but seek that all sin may be subdued the man that is rightly engaged against sin it will not satisfie him that he hath got the wings of sin clipped and made it to couch that it break not out but he must be at war with it so long as there is a tapoun of sin as ye use to speak under ground it must be his exercise to be about the mortification of