faith he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God And Paul Rom. 8.24 when he had told that we are saved by faith adds but hope that is seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for Hope and Faith are only for things invisible to any other sense or faculty And for the continuance of trials it is clear that it's Faith must see the issue as Hab 2.2 with Heb. 10.37 Write the vision and make it plain on tables that he may run that readeth it speak out my promise why For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak and not lie though it tarry to sense wait for it c. And how shall this be done The just shall live by faith If it be enquired how it comes to pass that the Lord puts the mercies of his people so far out of sight by the greatness and long continuance of trouble That it is only Faith that can discern the issue I shall briefly clear this to you in four words 1. He doth it that he may acquaint his people with the solid truth of his promises that he may let them see and bring them to know experimentally that his promise is not a blaâ—lume but though all things in the world were against us it 's a true word it 's a tryed word like silver purified seven times in the furnace Psal 12.6 and shall have an accomplishment The longer folk rest on the Bible and the more they try it they will esteem of it the more It 's of Divine Authority to which I shall speak a word afterwards when I come to that of the Psalmist where he calls it his Word 2. For this end the Lord gives this work to the faith of his people that he may acquaint them more and more with himself in whom they believe that when they are put to the Bible to live by faith in his Word they may study his Divine Attributes his Veracity that cannot lie his Omnipotency that in greatest difficulties can commad deliverance to his people his infinite Wisdom that can by contraries bring out his Wisdom about their delivery and by this means they have a great advantage when they are brought to know God the Author of the Promises better Hence Psal 9.10 â—t's said They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee They that know him will put their confidence in him And Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 said For the which cause I suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed How is that For I know whom I have believed and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him to keep against that day therefore I am not ashamed therefore my confidence succumbs not 3. The Lord by giving Faith this work brings his people experimentally to know the worth of Faith and that 's a necessary Lesson we will not â—y get Sailing near the Shore within sight of Land but must Lanch forth into the deep that Faith may be put to it and in this case what advantage is it to know the worth of Faith Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living What had become of me if I had not believed And that gave him to know the worth of Faith which had an excellent advantage And Psal 28.7 My heart trusted in him and I was helped I never tryed Faith but it brought me some ease and relief though not a compleat out-gate And 4. The Lord give faith this work that he may get much glory of his people by their dependance hoping and believing Thus Rom. 4.20 Abraham was strong in the faith giving glory to God Thou thinks it would honour God much if thy mouth were filled with songs for deliveries sweet comforts love-blinks c. I grant these are sweet and speaks his praise but God is more honoured by believing when thou wants these and hath only his naked word to lean to thou then glorifies God more eminently though not so satisfactorily to thy self when thou sticks by believing in continued difficulties when thou art tempted to cast away confidence All I say from this Branch and come to the 2d shall be to tell you that were these things believed we would not be so ready to stumble whatever our difficulties were when sense and carnal reason were laid by and non-pluss'd with want of all appearances and probabilities of an issue But who are they who when they are left on a word of God do not find themselves at a loss and as ye use to speak at the next best whereas if we considered that this were God way to exercise his people with such great and continued Trials that their Issues and Out-gates from them may be the Object of Faith and not of Sense or carnal Reason and particularly were this studied our being holden long at work hinging on would not tempt folk to weary and give over waiting on God a thing which many of us have cause to mourn for and many fear that if God refine us with silver we will discover more than we thought had been in us O consider it that ye stumble not weary not fret not quite not your confidence in great continued troubles it is an evil not so much to be dung from your confidence as to take the pet to cast it away and give way to discouragement and lie down and die But to press this I come to the second Branch in the Point That as the Tryals of Gods people may be such as only Faith can see an out-gate so when they are so Faith if it be chearfuly employed will apprehend a promised delivery in greatest difficulties it will make a man wait on God in the saddest exercises without succumbing and to say this with the Psalmist I wait c. for I hope in his word If a man be living by Faith and so a just man Though the Vision tarry to sense it will make him wait for it and expect it because at the appointed time it will speak and not lie And for the grounds on which this truth is founded amongst others take these three 1. That let Tryals be never so great and long continued they alter not the ground of Faith the ground that Faith goes on still continues the same Whatever befal the people of God they get not a new Bible or a new God all the gloomy days that past over them has not blotted out one Promise or Attribute of God and these things they see in God and his Promises in a fair day they may see them to be the same in a foul day now if the ground be the same if the Promises be the same if God be the same if our Rock have not sold us Faith closing with that ground must wait for a delivery were the Tryal never so great and long continued
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
he had not done without cause all that he had done in it And doth not the evil improvement of Trouble and folks security and negligence under trouble justifie God in the long continuance of trouble when we are ready to cry how long Lord how long shall this calamity last The Lord may retort it upon us Why will ye die O house of Israel For as it is Jer. 44.10 The Lord may say They are not humbled even unto this day neither have they feared nor walked in my Law A sight of this that God keeps a sincere serious godly man so long waiting on under delays for comfort and out-gate may silence the clamors of them who are not yet begun to think on a suitable walk under their troubles and the right improvement of them But 3. If the Lord for the ends before-mentioned may long delay his people and keep them waiting in trouble take heed that Faith the great support of Patience fail not in that exigent as I told you in the deducing of the Doctrine the great thing tryed in the people of God under delays is their Faith whether they will believe his word and therefore when Faith is tryed look that it be not found drossie when Faith is weighed see that it be not found light I speak it because I find the Faith of the Saints has gotten sore shakes under delays when they have been put to wait on Psal 116.11 I said in my haste all men Samuel Gad and others that had told me I should come to the Crown and Kingdom are liars And Jer. 15.18 while speaking to God hath a dreadful word when he reflects on the Promises God made to be with him in his Ministry says he Wilt thou be to me altogether as a liar and as waters that fail When we find so strong Cedars so shaken we would look well to it that our Faith be not brangled and that Faith be not brangled we would beside be looking well to the Atheism of our hearts for there is a seed of Atheism in every bosom that if the Lord put us hardly to it and make not out that Promise Isai 48.10 I have refined thee but not with silver I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction It may put us to tremble what stuff may boil up in our hearts and they are not sicker in the matter of their Faith that are not mourning over their heart-atheism but beside that I say we would guard against wrong conceptions of the Promise as that wherein the great stumbling lies as to this matter when we conceive more to be in the Promise than we are allowed and make a carnal Commentar on a Spiritual Text and as the saying is The Bell to clink as the fools think As also we would beware of limiting God to our time but give him his own time to make good his Promises These that are not mourning over the Atheism of their heart that are not cautious in understanding the Promises a-right and are not leaving God to his own time for performing them may take a snapper in their Faith when tryals are continued But a fourth word of Use shall be this That ye would learn to read Gods delays aright delays make discoveries and that is the exercise of many folk Jer. 8.15 We looked for peace but no good came and for a time of healing but behold trouble But if thou would read aright Gods delays I shall shortly offer thee these four and wise confiderers will find them to be the work of the generation 1. If thou read delays aright thou will find that God calls thee to exercise and that the best thing within thee as in a storm best Anchors and Ropes and the best things of the Ship are brought out so in a Trial when he delays he calls thee to exercise the best things in thy bosom and if God call thee to exercise Grace bring not out Corruption though at first thou may cast a scum of Corruption Grace is to be brought out afterwards If he call for Affection meet not his Call with Bitterness if he call to Diligence do not intertain that Call with Idleness remember God by delays calls for the exercise of Graces affections and diligence in his people 2. If thou read delays aright Thou will read That every days delay is a new Tryal and I may add every moments delay is a new Tryal When thou art carried through the day thou must not take that for surety that thou wilt through the next day without Self-denial and needy dependance The day may discover that which the foregoing day did not discover and the morrow may discover that which lies hid this day and therefore though thou may set up one Ebenezer at every step of thy way and say hither to hath the Lord helped Remember that thou art not yet off the stage and thou must not think because thou art hasted with the Tryal thou art better buckled to bear it but know there is still a necessity of Self-denial and needy-dependance lest the length of Trial discover that which the greatness of the Trial did not discover 3. If thou would read delays aright read in them a Call as I said in the Explication of the Doctrine to die to and to be above Time and the Consolations in Time then men go through Afflictions rightly when they read Their light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while they look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4.17 Then men will be patient and stablish their hearts when they consider that the coming of the Lord draws near Jam. 5.8 In a word when God exercises with delays that is an useful Preaching which ye have 1 Cor. 7.29 This I say brethren the time is short he touches the Glass and lets them see it is near run out It remaineth that both these that have wives be as though they had none they that weep as though they weeped not they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not One serious look of Time and Eternity will break many a snare that mens Corruptions expose them to while under trouble they meet with delays But 4. If ye would read delays rightly this is to be read in them that well improved delays are full of rich advantages Thou art keeped under continued difficulties and delayed as to comfort or satisfaction external in thy personal and privat concerns and as to what relates to the publick and it may be thou wins not to inward sensible comfort but if thou were thrifty thou mayest find many things granted in the delay or denyal of that which thou would be at as much humility mortification to Time and the things of it communion and fellowship with God and though some particulars be delayed if these were pursued after and in any measure attained times of delay would not be looked on as
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
there were no promising evidence of it but rather the contrary 2. Another is saints when stript and emptied of all things do not give over waiting on God because he is not only able if he will to do their turn when all refuge fails them but his owning his people in difficulties is a special part of his glory which he will not give to any other little do we understand the intricacies of Divine Providence little know we wherefore he blasts probabilities and defeats all the expectations of his people but whatever else be in it it is for this chiefly that Himself may be seen to be their Deliverer and none other Therefore he does with them as he did with Gideon's army when he brought them to three hundred and with these three hundred with Trumpets and lamps in pitchers defeat the Midianites Judges 7. That their Delivery might be seen of him And if this were well seen it would give the people of God a comfortable look of God's laying by all second Causes stripping them naked of all helps making Dispensations threaten ruine they would say our Masters feet are behind these this is but a dark hour before the dawning So doth David reason in that forecited Psalm 142.4 5. When he looked on the right and left hand and there was no man that would know him refuge failed him no man cared for his soul What follows I cryed unto thee O Lord I said thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living And Psal 94.18 When I said my foot slips thy mercy O Lord held me up When there was nothing betwixt him and ruine but Gods Mercy he found that a present help But 3. The Children of God when stripped of all things but God have ground to wait on God and do wait on him not only because he is able to deliver them and delights to lay by other things that he may be seen in their delivery but whereas guilt is a great impediment and stares the waiter on God in the face that he knows not how to expect good from God till that be removed and taken out of the way yet he waits on God on this account that there is hope in Israel concerning that thing that his guilt shall be no impediment to his delivery or any good thing he wants and is needful for him if he do with it as the Psalmist doth here verse 3 4. If he take with it be humbled for it lay claim to pardoning Mercy in the right method he may notwithstanding say I wait for the Lord There are two notable grounds of encouragement which as they would not be abused so being rightly improven are very useful to waiters on God One is that right taking with guilt and repentance for it after much incorrigibleness is attainable when we have called our selves for any thing we can see in our selves or expect from means reprobat silver yet the Lord can humble and tame that uncircumcised heart Jer. 32.19 He can turn Ephraim who has resisted many means and hath been as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke Another is that which I am upon guilt taken with and acknowledged needs not hinder a man to wait on God These places that I cited the last day proves it as Isai 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hides his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him Though he be a God that is provocked to withdraw and hide his face yet I will wait on him look for him And Micah 6.7 8. When the Church is low yet she will look to the Lord and will wait for him and wait for the God of his salvation believing her God will hear her and on that ground bids the enemy boast at leisure She answers that Objection concerning guilt that she will bear the indignation of the Lord because she hath sinned she will take with guilt and stoop to his correcting hand till he plead her cause and execute Judgment for her she looks over the mountain of her guilt when she hath taken with it and waits for the Lord. So ye see what is first imported in this waiting for God that the eyes of the waiting man must be taken off all things and set on God only and that these who would wait on God would lay their account to be more and more stript of all things till they be left on God and being so they have good ground to wait on God and the waiter on God taking with guilt and pleading for mercy may in that humble posture wait still for God I proceed to the second thing imported in this waiting on God and that is The waiting man left on God and seeing an all-sufficiency in God to do his turn in the faith of that he so waits for God That is to wait for the Lord when the confidence of Gods help encourages the waiting man in waiting on God to stick closs by the way of God that he will not have a comfort but in his way he will not have a delivery but that which comes with Divine approbation He will not purchase a Delivery of Out-gate with the price of the least sin Why he waits for God in his way Troubles and delays are a great temptation to shake off tenderness the pressure and continuance of the least of troubles are ill counsellors in a waiting posture they will bid run to the leest row to the best shore take any course for an out-gate But he who is a waiter on God indeed his tenderness grows as his trouble grows and as his delays are protracted he studies to be the more tender I shall not insist on this but 1. It is certain a waiter for God should be and in so far as he waits rightly on God he is and will be a tender man as the Word is Psal 37.34 Wait on the Lord and keep his way a waiter on God hath his Ears nailed to the Posts of Divine Direction so that neither to the right nor left hand dare he move but as he hath a warrand from God So Heb. 11.35 There were folks that were tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection mark it they were not tortured because deliverance was not granted but because deliverance could not be accepted on sinful Terms when offered The greatness of their trouble did not diminish their tenderness whatever it did augment it if at any time they found tenderness necessary they found it especially when their trouble was great 2. Ye shall mark that as true waiting requires tenderness so tenderness is attainable that is through Grace it is attainable That a Saint waiting on God in his way in a tender frame may attain to go through difficulties without sinning against God It is true temptations to sin will go thick and threefold when a Saint is put to wait for God in continued troubles and meets with temptations delays difficulties and pressures which as I said
their sin to mortifie sin to caution them against sin for the future 4. That many trials and afflictions come on pardoned sinners wherein God doth not pursue them for sin but is trying their faith and their graces Such were Jobs trials though Elihu tells him what he was he had sin and his sin deserved all was come upon him yet betwixt God and Satan all his trials were stated on this whether he would prove a godly man and continue so notwithstanding of them all and such were these trials under which the Apostles and other godly persons did glory God in these was not pursuing sin but taking service and proofs of their faith love zeal patience c. under the cross from them and to this pertains that of Joh. 9.2.3 When the Disciples asked him sayng Master Who did sin This man or his parents that he was born blind Christ answers Neither hath this man sinned nor his parents That is God was not punishing his nor his parents sin in that stroak of blindness but that the works of God might be made manifest in him These truths being conceded there are other some things to be caution'd against as error and I shall reduce what I would say for Caution to these three Heads 1. It is certain that sin is the in-let to all affliction Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Death that is all calamities which are a begun death and the great death the separation of the soul from the body And hence what-ever may be God's design in any affliction he sends on godly men it is their wisdom while they are under the Cross to search out and be sensible of sin and to be humbled for it before God as we said before when we was on the 2 and 3. verses That sense of trouble should be attended with the sense of sin The sense of sin is good company when sense of trouble is sharpest and therefore though Job was under a cleanly tryal yet Elihu tells him he had sin to deserve all that was come upon him and if he considered his sin he would quarrel less when his friends mistook him What-ever other exercise affliction calls to this is one to search out and be humbled for sin and it is a shrewd evidence that that affliction is not blessed of God that is not well Varnished with sense of sin But 2ly Not only is sin the in-let to all afflictions but even godly persons pardoned of sin may be under affliction upon the account of sin I shall not speak of those common and absolutely determined afflictions as that all godly men must die and godly women must have pain in child-bearing as well as others but godly pardoned persons may come under peculiar afflictions upon the account of sin and that either before sin is committed or after sin is committed Before sin be committed godly men may come under affliction upon the account of sin How many afflictions got godly men upon the account of their corrupt dispositions to prevent sin to withdraw them from their purpose to hide pride from man to keep back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword Job 33.17 18. How many are such hard Rocks that they must have hard Wedges to rent them How many are so prone to wandering that were not their way hedged up with thorns and the cross laid in their way they would ruine themselves in following their lovers How many would be intolerable to live with if their nose were not holden on the Grindstone How many are made beggers because they cannot bear wealth Thus ye see godly men may be put under the cross with an eye to sin to prevent sin Again they may be brought under peculiar afflictions upon the account of sin even when it is committed and that either before it be pardoned or after it is pardoned Before it be pardoned as when a sinner is lying under unrepented guilt singing himself asleep in his provocations If a godly man with David 2 Sam. 11. drive such a Trade to fall into scandalous sins and ly over in security the Lord will send a hurl upon him not to satisfie his justice but to shake him out of his secure posture and to set him to his feet to the exercise of repentance and humiliation he will send a rod that he may hear the voice thereof and who hath appointed it Hence David Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray before I got the cross I wandered and knew not what I was doing but now have I kept thy word That 's affliction upon the account of sin committed before it be pardoned to waken out of security and put to repent for it again afflictions may come on the godly upon the account of sin even when it is pardoned when the pardoned man falls in sin especially if it be a scandalous sin he may not win easily away with that escape but may be made to go with a born-down-back after it is pardoned all his days 2 Sam. 10.12 13. The Lord tells David that he had pardoned him yet that the sword should not depart from his house for all that We suppose the Corinthians were godly men and pardoned for the abuse of the Lords Supper yet 1 Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged But when we are judged we are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world Where ye may see affliction is let out upon the account of sin remitted And if ye ask Why doth the Lord so I answer not to take a satisfaction to his justice that 's already compleatly made by Christ but he doth it partly to vindicat his own honour whatever be betwixt him and his pardoned children if they fall in sin that the world observes he will let the world see that he will not wink at their miscarriages The sword 's not departing from David's house was not to satisfie justice for his sins that were pardoned but because by his scandalous out-breaking he had made the enemies to blaspheme He will let the world see that if his darling David bourd with him and fall in sin he hath made an ill bargain Partly he doth this upon the account of sins remitted that even the Saints who are pardoned may see yet more the bitterness of their folly and wandering The Lord looketh not upon it as a sufficient discovery of sin and the evil thereof that a child of God may win to in repentance antecedent to pardon but when he is pardoned he will sharply afflict him that he may know the bitterness of sin and that he made an ill bargain when he gave way to it and upon this it will result that when the Lord afflicts the pardoned they are not to forget daily to
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
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
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
still the fore-start of it from the beginning it was not so says Christ Mat. 19.8 What Book so antient as the Book of Moses out of which the rest are to be proven The Hebrew was the most antient Language Moses who wrote in the Hebrew Language was dead long before the Theban War and Siege of Troy the first thing written by the Heathen and for the antiquity of the matter it is the most antient the matter first whereof it treats concerning the Creation of the Heaven and the Earth the Creation of Man and his fall the effects whereof the Heathen have felt though they could not ascend to the cause The History of the Worlds Creation being first Man that was made the sixth day could not have known unless God had revealed it unto him Nay Tit. 1.2 It speaks of Promises made by God that cannot lie before the World began and that these are not Impostures of men their accomplishment in every age makes out 2. For the Instruments imployed in transmitting the Doctrine of the Scriptures to us some of them were learned as Moses Daniel Paul though all their Learning could not reach that Doctrine but generally they were simple illiterat men and to convince us further their Doctrine was of God they could not be deceived they would not deceive and though they would they could not deceive 1. They could not be deceived Why Either they had their Doctrine from God and a good Spirit or from Sathan and an evil Spirit if they had it from God and a good Spirit as indeed they did have it they could not be deceived and from Sathan and an ill Spirit they could not have it for he would not inspire Doctrine in men so destructive to his Kingdom and interest 2. As they could not be deceived so neither would they deceive when impostures comes out to cheat others any with half an eye cannot but see some design in their cheat but what design could the instruments employed to carry this Doctrine have They walked not in craftiness they handled not the Word of God deceitfully they affected not humane Wisdom but by manifestation of the Truth commended themselves to every mans Conscience as in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 The world saw they reaped no advantage by their Doctrine but a sore skin they relinquisht all their own interest and worldly advantages in their faithful discharge of their trust And 3. As they could not be deceived and would not deceive so though they would they could not deceive and that because these things they preached and wrote of were not done in a corner but before all they came not out as the Papists to tell of miracles in corners which none saw but themselves but of things done in the open view of the world so that if they had vented any untruth there were myriads of men to witness against them and give them the lie Apian confesses many things concerning the Jews The Pharisees confesse of the Apostles Acts 4. That a notable miracle was wrought by them which was manifest to all that dwelt at Jerusalem and none could deny it The Philosophers and Heathens confessed that many things were true of the Christians But 3. Let us consider the matter of the Scriptures and O! what beams of Divinity will we find shining there look on it in the bulk no such systeme of Doctrine concerning God and his Attributes the Creation of Man and Providence the Fall of Man and his Redemption concerning mans Duty the immortality of the Soul the resurrection of the Body Eternal Life and happiness c. as this Book holds out Consult all the Philosophers all the Druids and Brachmans all the Magicians that ever spoke or wrot of Divine things and put all their Doctrines together in one they cannot parralel this Book and the matter contained in it it is such a compleat Transcript and System of Doctrine and this proves it to be of God Why Could the mind of man what way soever have found out what is in this Book no certainly these wonders of Nature parts abilities would never have left it to some poor illiterat Fisher Men to discover that they should bring forth such transcendent sublime Truths demonstrats the Scriptures to be the word of God Look upon it in the parts the Histories contained in it though written by so many several men living in so far distant ages places of the world yet have a wonderful harmony holding out a true Chronology and supputation of time which proves their divine authority and infallible verity Here ye have a true History of what the Heathen involved in Fables for if it were fit to insist on it I could clear their first Saturn was Adam and the next Noah whose three Sons Shem Ham and Japheth were Transformed by them Ham into Jupiter Japheth into Neptune and Shem because they hated the blessed race into Pluto and that all their other Fables are but obscure and dark intimations of the Histories which in the Bible are clear and plain here we have Histories not so much concerning great Kings and Princes as of poor Believers not so much concerning things that occurred as the Providence of God in bringing them about And as Scripture Histories are exact true and distinct So Scripture dogmata and Doctrines are so clear many of them and so consonant with Natures light that in some measure they may be known by it as that there is one God the first cause of all That it is reasonable he should be served c. That reasonable Creatures have immortal souls and die not as beasts which made the Heathen to cry out as Deut 4.8 What nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous and others of them though they be not known by natural reason yet they are not contrary to principles that are naturally known concerning the Power Wisdom and Goodness of God and being revealed will be acknowledged to be very rational Thus though man know not the way of Redemption but by Divine Revelation yet he may find himself an object of pity which alone can be expected from God and of justice if he find not out some remedy Again though some mysteries transcend the Light of Natural Reason as the Trinity of Persons the Incarnation of Christ c. Yet that will not bring the Doctrine in question partly because no Doctrine even of the Heathens but it hath its own secrets and partly because there are many things in nature which we see are and yet we cannot tell why what and whence they are But further consider the Scriptures and as we will find them clear as to the Histories and Doctrines therein set down so as to the Prophesies therein contained we will find an exact answerableness of so many future events to their predictions in the Word The Heathens hold their amâ—â—guous Oracles so adapted to the events that they might put their own Commentars upon them
out of the Depths when he has not only been looking upon his trouble but sensible of sin and following a right method for pardon of sin on right Terms carefully and diligently going about his duty he is put to this I wait for the Lord. The Lord indeed hath made many rich and precious Promises relative to every pressure his people can be under there is not a distress or difficulty they can be in but there is a Promise for it yet he hath reserved the timing of the accomplishment and performing of them in his own hand Isai 60. ult and it is not for us to know the times and the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power hence it comes to pass that though the Lord in fulfilling his Promises never misses his own time yet seldom doth he come at our time we by reason of our corruption and weakness are often put to cry How long Lord how long Psal 6.3 How long wilt thou forget me how long wilt thou hide thy face Psal 13.1 And as it is Jer. 8.20 The harvest is past the Summer is ended and we are not saved All which complaints do not import that God keeps not his time but that he comes not at our time in performing his Promises and yet further this is to be taken along with us during our being exercised with delays that though God put us to wait he doth not that meerly on the account of his Soveraignty though he might do so but for the exercise profit and advantage of his people and to clear and make out this I shall instance it in four ends the Lord hath before him in delaying the fulfilling of Promises till his own time 1. Hereby the Lord trys whether we will believe the thing he hath promised though it be delayed it is not the tryal of Faith when we see rich and precious Promises meeting with sad times and cases to close with them providing God will let us see them presently accomplished when we would but here is the tryal of Faith if we will wait till Gods time come Rom. 8.25 After the Apostle hath pleaded that hope seen is not hope for what a man seeth why doth he yet hope for he adds but if we wait for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it If we hope to get the thing promised though we see it not then it will kythe in our patient waiting for it 2. The Lord by delaying his people searches them whether there be any latent and hidden dross in them or not It is not the first heat of the furnace that will try what is in the Saints neither is it so much the greatness of the Tryal as the lengthning of it that will sift them and discover what is in them When men at first ingage in Tryal and have the Promises before them and their blood hot their whole spirit will go along with them but stay till their blood cool till Temptation seek and soak in till disappointment give them a dash after dash and till year after year and day after day says the matter is hopeless and that will bring out that which folks did not believe was within who would have believed the corruption and weakness that kythed in David if the lengthning of his trouble had not discovered it all men are liars saith he I shall now one day perish by the hand of Saul There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape into the land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 27.1 3. The Lord delays his people that when they have studied Faith and Patience and have resolved upon it as their duty to give God his own time for performing his Promises they may have access to the blessed Fruit that comes in at that door Rom. 5.3 We glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience patience experience c. There are two remarkable things in that Text one is That the blessing of God on cankering fretting irritating Tribulation can make it a mean in his hand to bring forth Patience That which puts folk out of tune he cannot only make it fit on their back till they stand unholden but through his blessing on it he can work them up to patience by it And another is that till a person study Patience under Tribulation he stops the door on all the good he might get by it or meet with under it it is but tint labour till he win to patience but when Tribulation hath wrought Patience Patience worketh Experience And 4. To add no more The Lord delays his people that he may wean them from Time and these things they are given to dote upon in time Although in time they be trysted with many needful encouragements with Meats in their journey in passing through the Wilderness yet he will have them to know that their home is not here that their Rest is not in time therefore he so trains on his people in Time as they find no place for satisfaction in it but that they must feed on hunger and thirst and so go on seeking for that Rest that abides them beyond Time That is one of the great Lessons that God inculcats on his people by delays even to wean them more from Time and to make them fall in love with Eternity Well then seing it is so Take four words of Inference from it and I shall leave it And 1. The godly that are seeking God sincerely and seriously would hence be Cautioned not to judge of their sincerity and diligence by their present success comfort or out-gate here is a man crying to God out of the depths verse 1 2. Taking with guilt verse 3. gripping to pardoning Mercy on right terms verse 4. And yet here he is put to wait in opposition to delays It is a groundless Temptation to measure divine approbation by present success here we see folk may be acceptably employed and yet meet with delays but this may occur afterward and therefore I here pass it 2. Hence ye shall gather that if the Lord delay a man in the posture that this holy man was in crying serious in Prayer in taking with guilt in pleading for pardon what wonder he delay others who under difficulties are not so exercised much more these who are at no such exercise are not to think it strange though they meet with such delays What wonder the Babylonish Captivity last for seventy years when at the close of it it might be said as Dan. 9.12 All this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth The carriage of the visible Church is such as it justifies God in bringing on trouble Ezek 14.22 He tells his people when the remnant should be brought forth and they should see their ways and doings they should be comforted concerning all the evil that he had brought upon Jerusalem and should know that