Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 20
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 tim… but ſoon paſſes over and is gone, and in oppoſition … …earying to wait on, if they be delayed, eſpecial… …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 bra… 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 awa… …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 i… not: As ye ſay of Hecticks, they are worſt to be diſcerned, but eaſily cured in the beginning, but when continued in, they are eaſily diſcerned, and worſe to be cured; ſo fares it with them that obſerve not their gradual decays.
And to this I ſhall add in the 5 place, that folks would look well to Idols, when they are harboured; it's a great cauſe of backſliding, and of idleneſs, and inadvertance, that brings on decay: If Judas love the bag, he will ſooner or later betray his Maſter for money: If Sampſon will try concluſions, by ſleeping on the knees of a Delilah, though he might once and again eſcape her ſnares, yet Delilah will at laſt betray him into the hands of the Philiſtines: An Idol entertained, without mourning over it, and labouring to mortifie it; though Satan may let thee keep up a rank in good for a time, yet ſooner or later it will turn thee aſide.
Then 6. If we would perſevere and not decline, we would lay the foundation very well, ſee that it be upon the Rock: It was not that which was above ground that carried the body of naughtineſs in the ſtony ground, but it was the deepneſs of earth that was wanting, Mat. 13.5. The houſe that bides the ſtorm hath the foundation bigged deep, Luk. 6.48. Many folk are fair above ground, but O! How naughty are they under ground? That's a good foundation that's laid in mortification, ſelf-denial, and needy dependance on Chriſt: This hath relation to what I ſpoke before of idols, and am to ſpeak of unbelief; yet I give it you diſtinctly, an ill-rooted Profeſſor cannot perſevere, but muſt decline, a mortified Profeſſor will be well-rooted, and long-breathed (as we uſe to ſpeak) in perſeverance.
7. Look upon unbelief and diſcouragement as a great cauſe of Apoſtacy, the joy of the Lord is the ſtrength of the Saints, Neh. 8.10. But where this evil heart of unbelief is, there will be a departing from the living God, Heb. 3.12. And where there are hands hanging down, and feeble knees, that which is lame or halting will be ſoon turned out of the way, Heb. 12.13. As many ſuffer ſhipwrack of their purſuit in the boſome of ſome Idol, ſo many ſplit upon the Rock of Diffidence and Diſcouragement, which being given way to, there is no remedy, but to fall by, or ſit up dangerouſly.
8. And I ſhall add no mo, we would look well to ſtumbling, as a great cauſe of Apoſtacy and declining. When a man ſtumbleth at the directions of the word, though alas! There are many of us not ſo tenty at a Sermon, as to notice them, or ſhall take them, not ſo near them, as to try if they have corruption, to ſtumble at them, compare Joh. 6.60, 61. with 66. Many of Chriſts Diſciples, when they have heard him ſpeak of the eating of his fleſh, and drinking of his blood, ſay, This is a hard ſaying, who can hear it? Chriſt knowing their murmuring, ſaith, Doth this offend you? And what comes of that? v. 66. From that time many of his diſciples went back, and walked no more with him; they ſtumbled at his Doctrine, and therefore drew back: or whether folk ſtumble at the diſpenſations of providence, when they are ſad and afflicting, Iſai. 33.14. It is ſaid of the Hypocrites, The ſinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulneſs hath ſurpriſed the hypocrites: who among us ſhall dwell with devouring fire? who among us ſhall dwell with everlaſting burnings? Alluding to the terrible aſpect of Sennacheribs Army; they looked on theſe as things that could not be bidden: ye may think them weak, and hypocrites, that ſtumble at diſpenſations, but let him that ſtands, take heed lest he fall. Remember when David ſtumbled at the proſperity of the wicked, he came to that, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the moſt high? Verily I have cleanſed my hands in vain, and waſhen my hands in innocency. There ſtumbling at providence turned him fooliſh and ignorant, as a beaſt before God, Pſal. 73 22.—
Theſe things I have ſhortly named, and if there be any ſenſible of their backſliding, and of a decayed frame, and afraid of it; do not think that your whryning over it will prevent it, or cure it, but look on thoſe things as the cauſes of this ill frame, and ye will find ye have them, or are ready to ſplit on them; and to cure the diſeaſe, take away the cauſe and the effect will ceaſe.
But a 3d word of Uſe ſhall be this, if declining and backſliding be ſo frequent, and where it is, if it be ſo dangerous, how much reaſon have they to bleſs God, whoſe backſliding he prevents, who are kept freſh and flouriſhing, and fat and green, and enabled to bring forth fruit in old age, Pſal. 92.12.— Who in all the times they have come over, have not met with an Idol they delight to fall aſleep in the boſome of, nor with a diſcouragement that they have not trode on, nor with a diſpenſation they ſtumbled on; they have been kept ſerious and diligent, humble and denyed. I am now marking a mercy of many, that it may be they do not mark themſelves; ſome complain, that all their time they get nothing, they are kept poor and needy, from the hand to the mouth, they meet with nothing but delays, toſſing and reſtleſsneſs, any get leave to draw their breath but they, and they think that they are very hardly dealt with; but haſt thou this mercy, that thou art kept low, thou has no ground of carnal confidence, thou gets not leave to be idle, thou art holden going, diligent, ſerious in errands to Chriſt. Thy grievances will tell thee if thou bide away; thy heart-ſearchings thou muſt vent in his boſome, and ſhew before him thy trouble: Read in that a mercy, that thou art made to perſevere, though in a humbling poſture. Many have had ſweet hours beſide thee, and have fallen aſleep on them, and thou art kept waking; God is keeping thee on thy feet, when others have fallen, though with diſpenſations that are not ſatisfying to thy fleſh.
But now I proceed to the other two looks that I propoſed to be taken of this perſeverance, which are comprehended under the former, and ſerve to obviat two great ſources and cauſes of Apoſtacy. The firſt is this, Perſeverance is to be looked on, as it imports a conſtant tract of waiting on God, and ſeeking of him, in oppoſition to that braſhineſs fleettingneſs, ups and downs that are in ſome, who will have ſome odd fits of godlineſs, they are now very hot, and ere ye wot as cold: This may be ſeen in very godly folks, if they be at Ordinances, eſpecially ſolemn Ordinances, how far up the B…a… 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 praiſe, when the waters overflowed their enemies; but they ſoon forgot his works, or made haſte to forget them, they waited not for his counſel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderneſs, and tempted God in the deſart. Now in oppoſition to this, it's the great mercy of Saints, when not only they hold out as it may be to the end, and get their ſouls for a prey, but they endeavour to be ſolid, fixed, conſtant, equal, to draw out (as ye ſpeak) an even threed of a godly walk; not but that they have their ups and downs of comfort and abaſement, but they guard againſt their braſhy fairds and fits, and againſt their being at a hight now, and ſinking again as low.
And the grounds why ye would guard againſt this fleeting unſtable diſpoſition are, 1. A fleeting temper is not to be truſted to; that which light unſolid hearts are at in a faird, they are not wiſe that lean to it. God at the firſt view tells Iſrael, their goodneſs was as a morning cloud, or as the early dew, Hoſ. 6.4. promiſing fair, but paſſing away: And when they make their great ran…, Deut. 5.27. Who but they for obedience? O, ſaith the Lord, v. 29. that there were ſuch a heart in them; I know them better than themſelves do, I know they want that heart they profeſs, to be ſolid and conſtant in their obedience to me. 2. This fleeting diſpoſition would be guarded againſt, becauſe theſe hot fits that folk ſometimes have in the way of godlineſs, will be a dreadful witneſs againſt them, when they turn their back upon it. What a ſad check is that Chriſt gives to the Jews, Joh. 5.35. John was a burning and a ſhining light, and ye rejoyced to walk in his light for a ſeaſon; Who but John for a time to you? but ye ſoon tyred. And ſee how the Apoſtle beats home a reproof for this, Gal. 4.14.— My temptation which was in my fleſh ye despiſed not, nor rejected; but received me as an Angel of God, even as Chriſt Jeſus. Where is then the bleſſedneſs ye spake of? &c. Where is that heat and edge now? 3. This fleeting diſpoſition would be look'd to, becauſe theſe unſolid fits have no preſent acceſs and acceptation, as they are not laſty, ſo they are little noticed for the time: Hoſ. 6.4. O Ephraim, what ſhall I do unto thee? for your goodneſs is as a morning cloud, &c. What ſhall I do with that? What ſervice can I have of it? What is in it to be noticed? For thou a…t unſtable as the morning duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page cloud, is ſoon dispelled, and the early dew, ſoon evaniſhes. 4. This fleeting humour would be guarded againſt, becauſe (beſides, it's not acceptance with God) it keeps folk that they know not the good of godlineſs: It's not fai…ds and braſhes that will bring home the real advantage of piety, Hoſ. 6.3. Then ſhall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord, his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he ſhall come unto us as the rain, as the former and latter rain upon the earth. And Joh. 8 31, 32. When there were many that profeſſed to believe on Chriſt, he ſaith to them, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my diſciples indeed, and ye ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free; if ye hold at that which ye profeſs, ye ſhall find the good of Religion, and be Diſciples to me.
From all that I have been ſpeaking on this, folks would learn not to be cheated with braſhes and fairds of this kind; it may be folks pleaſe themſelves in an ill courſe, becauſe now and then their minds have been under dwams, and they have had their fits and motions (and they ſhould beware of ſlighting theſe, leſt folks be given over to their own hearts luſts, to walk in their own counſels) but ſuch folk ſhould look to it, ye that are braſhie, either hot and frazie, or key cold: There is much of this in a natural temper, that in ſome ſkips from hot to cold, from livelineſs to deadneſs, and holds at nothing. But that ye may learn to be ſtill the ſame, in ſo far as is attainable, in this ſtate of miſery, I would recommend to you partly, that ye would labour to fix your ſelves on rational principles; know what ye are doing, and the grounds whereon ye go, when ye cloſe with Religion; be as Peter, Joh. 6.68 — When many went back, Lord, ſaith he, to whom ſhall we go? for thou haſt the words of eternal life. And we believe, and are ſure that thou art the Chriſt, the Son of the living God. Stuff thine heart ſolidly with rational and ſolid grounds to go upon in Religion, and theſe put in the hand of God, will be a conſtant ſpring to feed thy diligence. 2. To theſe rational grounds, add ſolid reſolutions, that (as Barnabas perſwaded the Chriſtians, Acts 11.23.) Thou may with full purpoſe of heart cleave unto the Lord; it muſt not be a ſurpriſal, like one in a paſſion, that ſets thee on to ſeek God, but a ſolid, fix'd purpoſe of heart: And when thou haſt laid down rational grounds, and backed them with ſolid reſolutions, thou muſt in the 3d place wait on God; it's he that muſt unite thy heart to fear his Name, Pſal. 86.11. It's he that can gather the fleeting heart, and fix it on the nail that's faſtened in a ſure place; It's he in whoſe hand thou muſt put all thy reſolutions and purpoſes, as David, who when he hath reſolved well, Pſal. 17.3.— Thou haſt tried me, and ſhalt find nothing: I have purpoſed that my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs. Concerning the works of men, I have by the words of thy lips kept me from the paths of the deſtroyer. He adds, v. 6. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footſteps ſlip not. Theſe are reſolutions that are ſettled and backed with needy dependence on God; elſe though thou were never ſo well fixt in thy reſolutions, they may prove like Sampſons Cords, when thou art aſſaulted with a new temptation. Theſe few directions through the bleſſing of God, may fix you in the way of godlineſs, prevent fleeting unconſtancy, debording and deviating from it.
But now in the 3d place, to give you a look of perſeverance, as it is oppoſed to wearying, lying by, ſitting up, and it may be, the taking of many ſinful ſhifts on delayes; and when difficulties are met with, that is, when a needy perſon goes about the means, frequents the Ordinances, and gets nothing, his Word is a ſealed Book, the Preaching of the Goſpel is under a Cloud: when they go to God in Prayer, they come no ſpeed, they are not heard, and it may be wrath meets them in the teeth, ſuch may be ſtrongly tempted to give over and weary; and it's in oppoſition to this, the Pſalmiſt will wait on God, and in oppoſition to ſuch temptations, we are to fix this truth, that no delay we meet with in Gods way, ought to cut our perſeverance ſhort. No delay ſhould make us ſay with that wicked King, 2 King. 6.33. This evil is of the Lord, why ſhould I wait on the Lord any longer? And readily the man that will not wait on God, hath that which he had with it, v. 31. God do ſo to me, and more alſo, if the head of E…ſha the ſon of Shaphat ſhall ſtand on him this day. The godly man reſolves to be like the infirm man at the Pool, Joh. 5.57 There will he ly… were it never ſo long, till the water be troubled, and ſome put him in; or till Chriſt by his immediat hand cure him: This was the Pſalmiſts way here, after he is put to cry out of the deeps, and to wreſtle with guilt meeting him in the teeth, and to cry for pardoning merciemercy, and no relief appears, he reſolves during the delay, to wait on God. I wait for the Lord, my ſoul doth wait, and in his word do I hope: My ſoul waits for the Lord, more, &c. And Pſal 62. after he hath ſaid, Truly my ſoul waiteth on God, from him comes my ſalvation, v. 1. he preſſeth it over again, v. 5. O my ſoul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him; he will wait, and better wait, and continue in waiting.
Now the proſecution of this would lead me to the particulars in the Text, wherein theſe four or five things are clear. 1. The Pſalmiſts exerciſe, I wait. 2. The object of his exerciſe of waiting. I wait for the Lord. 3. His affection in waiting, My ſoul doth wait. 4. His ſupport in his waiting, My ſoul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 5. The great meaſure of his affection in waiting, My ſoul waits for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning: I ſay, more, &c. Theſe are the particulars in the Text, in the proſecution whereof, we may have ſundry things for laying open this exerciſe of waiting on God; I ſhall now ſpeak a few words, and cloſe. I ſhall not touch on this, that duty is ours, and event is Gods; a man having done his duty, may, if he could win up to the uſe of his allowance, ſleep very ſound under croſs events, but it is our unhappy temper, that we would ſtill be at the Throne, and have the guiding of things: we are like the ill Scholar, that's buſier at his neighbours Leſſon than his own. But to paſs this, conſider four ſhort words, and I have done.
1. Wai…ing on God is a bleſt mean appointed of God, in order to an out-gate out of all difficulties. Iſai. 30.18. Bleſt are all they that wait on him. A man by waiting on God, and brooking delays with faith, patience, affection, and ſubmiſſion, may find an out gate without a delivery.
2. Waiting on God in the caſe of delays, and perſevering in waiting, is commendable on this account, that we can do no where elſe ſo well, as to ly ſtill at his door; a man that wearies to wait on God, would look what he will do next, ere he give it over. When Chriſt aſk'd Peter, Will ye alſo leave me? He anſwers, To whom shall we go? We had need to ſeek a better Maſter ere we quite thee, and that we cannot find, thou hast the words of eternal life. What will a man do next, if he wait not on God? David is faſht with waiting and dependence, and he will go down to the Land of the Philiſtines; and the Hiſtory tells what befell him there, he is forced to lie, he is likely to be brought in a ſnare, by fighting againſt the people of God and his intereſt, and in Ziglag, in hazard of being deſtroyed by the Amalekites; a man may well get an ill Conſcience by apoſtacy and declining, he is never a ſtep nearer delivery, ſo that go the world as it will, waiting on God is the beſt of it.
And 3. When we weary of waiting on God, becauſe of outward diſpenſations, we bewray too much affection to the things of time, thou art in a difficulty, & thou wearies becauſe of the calamity that lies on, and thou gets not an out-gate; but it were better for thee to mourn over thy inordinat affection to the things of time, that makes thee weary, and that would make way for thy out-gate, and lighten thy burden:
4. Remember that even a delivery from any difficulty out of Gods way, without waiting on God, is a plague. When a man comes not under a ſignal plague till he come under this, that, as the word is, Mal. 3.15. he tempts God, and is delivered. And therefore rather abhor ſuch an iſſue that is a plague, than luſt after it.