When Jesus Christ comes to the soul he brings joy to the soule Esay 9. 3. They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest and as mon rejoyce when they divide the spoile When the Eunuch had his soul bedewed with this raine He went on his way rejaycing Acts 8. 39. The ground of his rejoycing you may see v. 32 33 35. Philip had acquainted him with Christ and Christ upon Philips preaching had rained down a soaking shower upon his soule that created a holy gladnesse in his heart Christ is the onely cheerer of the heart He can remove spiritual melancholy he can take off spiritual heaviness and put unspeakable joy into the soule 'T is true many of the members of Christ want spiritual joy This ariseth either from the restraining of this raine or from their not discerning of this raine When ever the distressed soul shall come to the feeling of these showers it will rejoyce and be no more sad The Doctrine of Christ is a cheering Doctrine The whole Doctrine is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Doctrine of good tidings All the Ordinances of Christ are cheering Ordinances I will make them joyful in my house of prayer God hath planted Jesus Christ as a root of joy to his people As he is a plant of salvation so he is a plant of consolation no joy is either real or lasting which is not bottomed upon Jesus Christ That soul that hath received this raine into his heart shall have some joy here and he shall have everlasting full soul-satisfying joy in Christ and with Christ and from Christ in the other world This is the second Christ is like raine in respect of usefulnesse 3. Christ is like the raine if we consider the manner of its descending There is a great similitude between the manner of Christs descension upon the soule and the descension of the rain upon the earth I shal instance in seven particulars First The raine comes down successively and gradually now a little and then a little The raine doth not fall down all at once but it comes now a shower and then a shower as the earth stands in need of it God pierces now one cloud and then another in a pleasant succession Jesus Christ comes now a little and then a little as the condition of the soule requires A drop in one Ordinance and a drop in another Ordinance A shower falls in this Sermon and a shower at another Sermon This is that which the Prophet mentions Esay 28. 10. Precept must be upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Now one comforting influence comes down and then another now one quickning impulsion then another now one promise is rained down then another 1 Jesus Christ would have his people in a constant dependance on himself 2 He would have them wait constantly upon every Ordinance 3 He would not have them surfet either upon his Doctrines or comforts therefore he observes a succession in his distillations of good things upon them 4 He would have every Doctrine and every comfort soak into their hearts Luke 9. 44. 5 Christ would have nothing lost which he is pleased to bestow 6 Christ would endear every drop of his grace to his people 7 The soules of his people are like narrow mouth'd vessels they cannot receive much at once without spilling 8 We are such bad husbands that Christ dares not trust us with much at once For these and such like reasons doth he cause all he gives to distill in a way of succession Jesus Christ doth in a way of wisdome parcel out all the good which he raines down upon the souls of his people Secondly The rain comes down irresistibly When God doth by his Word of command speak to the cloud to distil its moisture upon the earth it is not in the power of all the creatures in heaven and earth to hinder its falling down As the clouds cannot open their own veines till God give the word no more can they â—â—â—â—ch themselves when God sets them a bleeding Jesus Christ comes down upon the hearts of men with an irresistible power and efficacy whether we understand it of his Doctrine or of his Scepter or of the influences of his Spirit he doth descend with a forcible and mighty power His Word is called a powerful Word Heb. 4. 12. The Word of the Lord is quick and powerful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Scepter is called a Scepter of strength Psal 110. 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Sion His Spirit is a Spirit of might and it s said to work mightily in the hearts of his people Col. 1. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let Pelagians and Arminians talk what their wilde fancy dictates of the resâ—stibility of grace the Scripture mentions no such thing the raine will come down whether men will or no and let the earth be never so hard it will soak into it When Christ by his Word and Spirit descends it is with a mighty power that the soul is not able to resist it I shall shew the power of Christs Word Spirit and Scepter in three great works Conviction Conversion Consolation To speak particularly to these 1. For Conviction When Christ comes down with an intention thoroughly to convince the conscience of sinne and righteousnesse the soul though it may stand out for a time yet it is through the mighty smitings of Christs Word and Spirit so powerfully over-ruled that it cannot but yield we have an instance of this in Paul Act. 9. 6. Jesus Christ doth with such an invincible evidence come upon his conscience that though he was in a violent motion carried on in a contrary course yet he yields up himselfe as a prisoner into his hands crying out Lord what wilt thou have me do He hath no strength to stand out any longer nay not so much as to dispute it with Christ Of this convincing power the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. Jesus Christ when he comes down with a purpose to bridle the conscience doth deal so effectually that the proudest sinner is brought upon his knees and made to passe sentence against himself Yea with such a mighty power doth he come down upon the soule that even those who are not savingly brought in have their mouths stopped and are unable to say any thing for themselves Thus it was with those that brought the woman taken in the act of Adultery to Christ John 8. 9. They were so mightily convicted by the Word and Spirit of Christ that they were not able to abide in his presence but shrunk away one by one as men self-condemned Thus it was when Christ descended in the word of Stephen Acts 6. 10. Though they would not yield yet they were so powerfully convinced that they could not resist the Spirit by which he spake Christ doth so demonstratively smite the conscience that carnal reasoning hath no door of evasion Of this powerful
Ordinance through which it is conveyed Seldome are our eyes lifted up so high as Christ We should labour to be better informed for time to come What ever conduit pipe be used Christ is the fountaine and foundation of every drop of comfort Christ is the God of all true consolation It is not in the power of all the Angels of heaven to give any soul one drop of comfort Nor can all the Ministers on earth give you one dram of comfort They can speak the words of comfort but they cannot cause the soul to receive comfort God comforts by them 2 Cor. 6. 6. Titus was but an instrument Comforting is called frequently in Scripture the speaking to the heart Hoseâ— 2. 14. Who is able to speak to the heart but he who is the Lord and Commander of the heart God hath put all the oyle of spiritual joy into the hands of Christ Esay 61. 3. and none but he can give it out He that wants comfort must go to Christ he that hath received any true comfort must ascribe it to Christ All my springs saith the Church are in thee Ps 87. 7. 5. Let the Israel of God take heed of being a discomfort to Chrâ—st We cannot properly be either a comfort or diâ—comfort to Christ by any thing we do He receives properly no joy from us nor is he capable of enduring any sorrow from us yet our sinnes are said in a figurative sense to be a grief and discomfort to him If Christ were capable of sorrow nothing would go neerer his hear then this to see his people sinne against him What the Apostle saith of the Spirit we may in the same sense say of Christ Ephes 4. 30. It is but a disingenuous and unfriendly thing to be a grief to him that is a consolation to thee If Christ be thy comforter it 's an unworthy thing in thee to be his tormentor The Apostle speaks of some who crucifie to themselves afresh the Sonne of God Heb. 6. 6. Every sinne is in a sort the cruifying of Christ afresh if there be any dram of thankfulnesse in our hearts we shall loath the thoughts of vexing Jesus Christ 6. Maintain close communion with Christ Vse 3. Consolation to the people of God 'T is better in his hands then in ours we are cruel to our selves foolish 1. In case of the want of outward comforts It 's often the loâ— of Gods people to be cut short of outward things God sees they are apt to surfeit on this sweet fruit therefore he with-holds it Well Christ is thy consolation These things could not comfort thee without Christ he can comfort thee abundantly without these 2. In case of spiritual heavinesse and trouble of heart Remember Christ is the consolation of Israel First He can comfort in all cases 2 Corinth 1. 4. Secondly He can comfort against all difficulties He can bring comforts through hell through an host of temptations to the soule Hosea 2. 14. Thirdly He can give the soul ability to receive comforts Esay 66. 13. Wait on him and on his Ordinances and you shall have comfort as much as is sufficient Fourthly he is full of comfort Fifthly â—e is willing to comfort He hath undertaken to be thy consolation as well as thy salvation He 's anointed to comfort them that mourne Esay 61. 1 2 3. Say not I have been so long without Comfort Jesus Christ can drop that into thy soul in one moment which shall make thee forget all thy discomfort Only wait on him wait patiently wait beleevingly Wait on him at the pipes of comforts the Ordinances and desire grace rather then comfort and thou shalt finde heart-revivings before thou die Vse 4. Advice to them that are without Christ Labour to close with him he is the consolation of Israel What poor comforts are those which you now feed upon You feed on ashes you eat husks you are jolly and brisk and full of a frantick joy If Christ be not yours no comfort in Scripture is yours Come and taste of these comforts They are pure They are soul-satisfying They are eternal All your comforts will be your torments if Christ be not your comfort Luk. 2. 25. XXX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lonâ— June 6. 1653. Waiting for the consolation of Israel I Proceed to the second doctrine which is this viz. Doct. 2. That true believers do wait for the accomplishment of divine promises even those that are most unlikely to be fulfilled No promise which God ever made to man had more improbabilities and seeming impossibilities to break its way thorough then the promise of Christ He is called a root out of a dry ground Esay 53. 2. He was to be borne of a Virgin Awâ—-man shall compasse a man Jer. 31. 22. and yet this good man having a Revelation from God that he should not depart this life till his eyes had seen him did wait for the fulfilling of this promise If any should wonder why Simeons waiting for Christ should be noted as an act of such singular faith when as now the generality of the Jewes were big with the same expectation Câ—â—mnitius gives two good Reasons of it 1. The common bulk of the Jews did expect Christ onely for external advantages They expected him onely as one that should restore their outward liberties which were now invaded and taken away but Simeon waited for him as a spiritual Redeemer that should save their souls from sin and hell 2. Simeon expected his coming to be neer at hand according to the predictions of the Prophets whereas the generality of the Jews had but onely a loose uncertain expectation of him Simeon waited for a speedy coming of Christ therefore doth the holy Ghost take such strict notice of it Other examples we have in Scripture of the holy waitings of godly men for the fulfilling of Divine promises Abraham waited for the promise of a Sonne when his body was even dead and his wife unlikely according to the course of nature to conceive the Apostle mentions â—â— â—om 4. chap. 20 21. 18. 19. David waited many years for the promise which God made to him of succeeding Saul in the throne Though upon difficulties and crosse providences which did arise he was sometimes put to a stand yet he did expect the accomplishment of the thing promised He doth often in the book of Pâ—almes make mention of his waiting as Psal 62. 1 2 5. Daniel waited for the accomplishment of Gods promise for the restoring of the Church from their captivity though there were many difficulties in the way the Church being then as dâ—y bones Ezek. 37. 3 4 5 6. yet Daniel beleeved and waited for it as appears by chap. 9. init He did count the number of the years and when they drew neer a period then he stirs up himself to pray with more then ordinary faith The whole Church waited for the fulfilling of this promise Micah 7. 7. I wiâ—â— wait for the God of my salvation my
Armour 1. No other Armour will serve Sauls Armour will not serve Gods souldiers 2. This Armour will serve it was never battered it will never be broken Take it therefore and put it on 1. Put it on wholly 2. Put it on speedily 3. Use it when it is on 4. When you have done all hide your selves in Christ who is here called for their comfort Latibulum à vento of which comfortable point I shall speak the next time ESAY 32. 2. And a man shall be as a hiding place IX SERM. at Mary Wolnoth Lon. Feb. 15. 1651. from the winde TWo things I observed in this Text. 1. A danger intimated in this word Winde 2. A remedy prescribed A man shall be as a hiding place The Observations were two 1. That Christians must expect to meet with windy dayes even under the Kingdome of Christ Of which I have spoken Doct 2. That Jesus Christ is the beleevers hiding place in all the windy dayes which they meet withal in the world He is latibulum or Absconsio à vento whether they be windy dayes of outward trouble or windy dayes of inward trouble temptation desertion discouraging feares and terrours Christ is a hiding place to them in all these days and in all these cases Here are foure words used in this text which set out this hiding vertue that is in Christ hiding place covert rivers of water shaâ—ow of a rock Many other Scriptures bear pregnant testimony to this truth Esay 4. 5 6. The Lord will creatâ— upon Mount Sion upon every dwelling place of Mount Sion and upon all her assemblies a cloud c. This is spoken of Christ the beautiful branch of the Lord v. 2. This glorious and beautiful branch the root of the stock of Jesse shall be a cloud and smoak a defence a Tabernacle a shadow a place of refuge a covert and that not to one but to every dwelling place of Mount Sion and to all her Assemblies To this agrees that of our Saviour Cant. 2. 14. O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock and in the secret place of the staires Jesus Christ is this cleft of the rock he is this secret place of the staires Christ is called Shiloh Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh is from the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies in quietâ— vel pace agere tranquille in otio vivere all safety is in Christ The tunicle in which the infant is wrapt in the mothers belly is called by the Hebrews Shiloh because it lies there securely out of fear In the prosecution of this point I shall open these three things 1. What it is in Christ that is a hiding place 2. What it is of theirs that Christ hides 3. Why Christ is a hiding place to them 1. There are several things in Jesus Christ which make up this hiding place indeed every thing in Christ is a hiding place I shall instance in some 1. The providence of Christ The Scripture tells us that the eyes of the Lord runne to and fro thoroughout the earth 2 Chron. 16. 9. Jesus Christ hath the same watchful eyes of providence over his people that the Father hath Col. 3. 17. By him all things consist It 's one Argument Divines bring to prove Christs divinity because be governs the world by his providence as the Father doth John 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto and I work It 's meant of his providential working And Heb. 1. 3. Christ is said to uphold all things by the Word of his Power which is an act of providence Now as Christ by his providence watcheth over all things and and creatures so do his eyes watch continually over his people Esay 27. 3. I the Lord do keep it I will keep it night and day This is one great stone of this biding place 2. The Attributes of Christ All the Divine Attributes are ascribed to Christ as well as to the Father Eternity Micah 5. 2. Almightinesse Esaâ— 9. 6. Omniscience Heb. 4. 13. It 's spoken of Christ our high Priest Wisdome Prov. 9. 1. He is called God onely wise Jude 25. All these Attributes are as so many stones that make this hiding place Prov. 18. 10. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Christs name the Prophet mentions Esay 9. â— Wonderful Counsellor c. every one of these names is a room in this hiding place 3. The Promises of Christ All the promises of God are in Christ yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Christ hath purchased them they all have their ratification and accomplishment in Christ The Scripture is full of promises of all sorts of protection provision deliverance salvation Every promise is a piece of this hiding-place Ps 18. 30. The Word of the Lord is tryed He is a buckler to them that trust in him Christs Word of Promise is the souls defence 4. The merits of Christ. Christ hath by the shedding of his blood merited for his Elect whatsoever is necessary These merits are a beleevers hiding place O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock Cant. 2. 14. those foramina petrae are vulnera Christâ— There the beleever hides himself in the time of danger As the dove when she is pursued flies to her windows so the beleever flies to the wounds of Christ and there is hid 5. The intercession of Christ The Scripture tells us that Christ appeares continually before the Father for us he is still moving for us at the right hand of God His Intercession in heaven is the beleevers Sanctuary on earth So the Apostle tells us in two places Heb. 6. 18 19 20. and Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save c. because he lives for ever to make Intercession for us Christ directs Peter to this Luke 22. 31. 2. What it is of a beleever that Christ is a hiding place unto 1. Christ is a hiding place to the outward man He hides that in time of stormes Christ hides that two wayes 1. Sometimes he hides it from danger He keeps his people from the rage of them that would swallow them Thus the Church was hid Rev 12. 6. The woman fled into the Wildernesse where she hath a place prepared of God that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred sixty dayes Thus David was often hid from the fury of Saul and his Courtiers that sought his life 2 Sometimes God hides it in danger That though his people be in danger yet they are not destroyed Thus the Church was hid in Egypt The bush was burning yet was not consumed Ex. 3. 2. 2. Christ is a hiding place to the inward man And herein he excells all other hiding places 1 He hides the soul from sinne The best of his people would sinne more frequently and more grievously if Jesus Christ did not hide them from sin 2 He hides the soule from temptations He chaines up Satan from tempting them that he cannot bait them so furiously as he would and when
2. 10. To shew that this eternal 〈…〉 from him 1. He hath merited this salvation for the Elect 'T is his purchase 2. He keeps it for them and them 〈…〉 1 John 5. 11. 3. He will actually put them into full possession of it when he returnes from heaven in the latter end of the world of which he speaks John 14. 3. Thus much for the first particular namely the extent of that salvation of which Christ is said to be an Horn. He is the salvation of the Elect Privatively from all evil Positively to all good till he have brought them to heaven the place of eternal salvation 2. Why Christ is called an Horn of salvation That we may come to the full understanding of this let us consider how the word is used in Scripture Now we finde that this word doth Metaphorically denote two things especially 1. Glory and dignity So we finde it used Lam. 2. 3. where the Church complaining of the misery which had befallen her hath these expressions The Lord hath cut off in his fierce anger all the Horn of Israel That is whatsoever was glorious or excellent in Israel God hath now removed So we may see cleerly if we reade the first verse The Lord hath cast down from heaven unto earth the beauty of Israel he hath covered the daughter of Sion with a cloud c. and then it follows He hath cut off all the Horne of Israel The glory of God manifested in his appearings when he brought Israel out of Egypt is expressed by this Metaphor Hab. 3. 3 4. His glory covered the heavens c. His brightnesse was as the light He had hornes coming out of his hand c. So Psal 9â— 10. My Horn saith the Psalmist shalt thou exalt like the horn of an Vnicorn that is thou shalt encrease my glory and dignity 2. Serength and Power So 't is used Lam. 2. 17. He hath set up the horn of thine Adversaries saith the Church that is he hath encreased the power and strength of thine Adversaries So when God threatens to weaken the power of Moab he doth it by this Metaphor Jerem. 48. 25. The Horn of Moab is cut off and his arme is broken The breaking of the arme doth fully expound the cutting off of the Horn. And when God promiseth to give his people power to subdue their enemies he useth this expression Micah 4. 13. Arise and thresh c. for I will make thine horne Iron Now then when Christ is called an Horn of salvation the meaning of the Holy Ghost is 1. The glory of his salvation 2. The strength of his salvation First The glory of his salvation Jesus Christ is a glorious Saviour and the salvation which he brings to his people is a glorious salvation in three respects 1. Consider the person of Christ. God raised up many hornes of salvation for his people when they were in distresse The History mentions them Neh. 9. 27. According to thy manifold mercy thou gavest them Saviours which saved them Gideon and Jepthah and Sampson c. they are called Saviours because they saved instrumentally the people of God from their enemies But they were but mean Saviours in respect of Christ his person 〈…〉 They were but men He God 〈…〉 person Though his glory was 〈…〉 eyes of carnal men yet they that had spiritual eyes did behold it John â— 14. We 〈…〉 glory the glory as of the 〈◊〉 begotten of the Father If the person of Christ be compared with the persons of other saviours it will appeare that he is a glorious Saviour All other horns of salvation were but wooden horns Christ is a golden Horn of salvation 2. Consider the nature of the salvation it self 'T is spiritual salvation 't is eternal salvation All those hornes of salvation which were raised up in sundry ages for the defence of the Church were but horns of outward salvation and of temporary salvation They saved onely the outward man and that neither but for a time The Church was in as much peril after they had wrought salvation for them as ever they were before When Gideon was dead the children of Israel fell into as great danger as they were in before So after the death of Jepthah and after the death of Sampson they were overwhelmed with as great hazards as before as you may reade in the story in the book of Judges But now Christ is a Horn of salvation to their soules as well as to their bodies He saves them from their spiritual enemies Sinne Satan as well as from men He saves them from the wrath to come 1 Thes 1. 10. And then he saves them for ever The Church never can be never will be in that danger again as they were before this Horn of salvation was raised He hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. 3. Consider the glorious manner of the working of this salvation Never any salvation so glorious at this There are three things in it 1 He saved the Elect by his own power The power by which all other hornes of salvation delivered the Church was by a power one of themselves the strength they had was none of their own but the power by which Christ saved and still saves his Church is from himselfe the Divinity impowered the Humanity Psal 98. 1. His own right hand and his own holy Arme hath gotten him the victory 2 He saved the Elect solely Other horns of salvation had the concurrence of many besides themselves Gideon and Jepthah and Sampson c. They blew the trumpet and gathered multitudes to assist them in the battels which they fought for the salvation of the Church All Israel came after them But this Horn of salvation wrought the Churches deliverance alone Esay 63. 3 5. I have troden the wine-presse alone c. He had no other Horne to help him He entred the field and fought the battel alone and by himself obtained the victory 3. He saved the Church by his own death Other hornes of salvation delivered the Church by the death of the enemy Ehud slew Eglon but he himself did not die Iudges 3. 21 22. Gideon shew Zeha and Zalmunna the enemies of Israel Judges 8. 21. but he himself was not slain But now this Horn of salvation got the victory by dying his Crosse was his Conquest He triumphed over principalities and powers on the Crosse as the Apostle speaks Col. 2. 15. He subdued all the horne of the 〈…〉 of his blood 〈…〉 life his grave is our victory 〈…〉 do fully prove that Jesus 〈…〉 salvation that is a gloriouâ—â—â—lvation 〈…〉 first Secondly The strength of his 〈…〉 Christ is a strong Saviour the salvation 〈…〉 he works for his people hath strength in it He hath raised up a mighty salvation for us so some translations render this text To this agrees that of the Prophet Psal 89. 19. I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the
wait on him for his promises Now a child of God would not willingly cast any reproach either on God or his promises from which he receives so much good Ergo. And then Fourthly They are not unmindful how long and with how much patience God waited on them for their obedience They remember God tarried Sermon after Sermon year after year for their conversion The Apostle speaks of Gods long-suffering in waiting on the old world 1 Pet. 3. 20. Every one of Gods children are sensible of Gods patient waiting on them when they had no minde to know him When they slighted grace when they scorned mercy God waited this makes them so ready to waite on God Esay 30 18. And then Fifthly Their own undeserving of the good promised The children of God know that all Gods promises are free as to them Jacobs acknowledgement will be readily assented unto by them Gon. 32. 10. They know how well they deserve the heaviest threatning but how unworthy they are of the least mercy They do with an unfeigned heart say as David did when God had promised him to build his house 2 Sam. 7. 18. Who am I O Lord God and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto A childe of Gods Moâ—to is Lâ—sse then the least of all the mercies of God This makes them wait And Sixthly They know how certain the promises of God are They have had experience how he hath made good the promises that are past and they know he will shew the same unchangeablenesse in those that are to come They know his Name is Jehovah God that hath his own being from himself and that will give being to all his promises This encourages them to wait It was the Apostles Logick in their generation 2 Cor. 1. 10. It is ignorance of God that causes the heart to distrust They that know thy Name saith David will put their trust in thee Psal â— 10. Gods children know his Name therefore they will wait And Seventhly The satisfaction they expect from the enjoyment of what is promised They know every promise of God will bring â—ull contentment of heart when it is fulfilled They cannot now expect so much as they shall then finde in the promises of God They know they are as the Apostle speaks of them in 2 Pet. 1. 4. Exceeding great and precious promises They know the harvest will make amends for all their expectation therefore they wait for it The Uses are for 1. Information 2. Reprehension 3. Exhortation 1. For information This teacheth us three lessons 1. That Godly men have a very good opinion of God They dare take his Word for that which they love with the dearest affection They are willing to wait the whole time of their life for the accomplishment of that good which he hath promised As they dare follow God when they know not whether he will carry them Heb. 11 8. so they dare wait on God when they see no reason for their waiting Did they not bear a singular affection to him they could never with so much satisfaction waite upon him 2. The excellency of grace Grace is a choice thing in it self and its choice in its effects This is one excellent effect of grace that it doth enable the soul to wait on God for things that are most difficult to be brought to passe Corruption teacheth the heart to wrangle with God but grace teacheth the heart to waite on God A gracious spirit is a choice spirit 3. That faith doth not only look to things present but to future things Sense onely mindes things present but faith mindes things that are a great way off Heb 11. 1. It is as willing to wait on God for a future good as it is to receive a present good Faith hath an Eagles eye and a Lions heart It hath a Lions heart to bear present evils and it hath an Eagles eye to see future good It 's said of the Patriarchs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they saw the promises and embraced them afar off Heb. 11. 13. A beleever is as able to live upon good in reversion as on good in present fruition This is the first use of the point 2. For reprehension To those that will not wait for the fulfilling of Gods promises These are of two sorts 1. Such as are over-hasty that would have the promise fulfilled before its time And then 2. Such as never minde the promises of God look no more after them then if they had never been made Simeons practice blames both these First For those that would anticipate God in his promises They are so eager for the fulfilling of the promises that they would have them accomplished before their time I would desire such men to consider these three things 1. This is a very sinful frame of heart Whatever may be pretended as an excuse or extenuation it cannot be denyed but the sinne is great to be over eager with God to give being to his promise before the time Consider five particulars 1 'T is an implicite denyal of Gods right to appoint his own time The Scripture puts times and seasons as well as things and persons under the jurisdiction of God It 's his right to determine times Acts 17. 26. He that made time hath the sole power to appoint and set times Our Saviour tells his Disciples Actâ— 1. 7. That times and seasons God hath put in his own power Now not to be willing to stay Gods time is to devest God as far as we are able and to invest our selves with this great piece of royalty and sovereignty of appointing times It is interpretatively to say that we will be the Lords of time and not God 2 'T is a limiting of God Moses reproves the Jews for this as a great presumption that they limited the holy one of Israel Psal 78. 41. Men that are free will not be limited much more unfit is it that God should be limitted To limit God is to exalt our selves above God as if we were wiser then he We are not wise enough to improve the times which God hath set much lesse are we wise enough to set God â— time To endeavour to reduce or circumscribe God to our time is to take away from him his freedome and liberty in working 3 'T is a questioning of Gods faithfulnesse as if we were fearful he would not be as good as his word When we hurry men too hastily to fulfil their promise before the time we give them cause to think we suspect their honesty as if their words were but winde To be over-hasty with God argues a secret suspition in the heart that God will let time slip 'T is a sign that we do not esteem Gods bond as good as ready payment Abraham by wishing that Ishmael might live Gen. 17 18. did argue some inward doubt whether he should have an Isaac or no. Turbatâ— adbâ—c vacillantis animi vox ista est as Calvin notes Though he did