Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 22
SERMON XXII.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 5. I wait for the Lord, my ſoul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
I Am now (as ye may remember) laying before you the Pſalmiſts exerciſe of waiting on God; and having in the morning ſpoken to what is ſuppoſed in theſe Words, That the Saints may be put to wait on Gods delaying to perform his promiſes, I came to that which is propoſed, that they ſhould wait; the import whereof I laid open to you in theſe three; There is the faith of the Saints, as the ground of their waiting; There is the patience & waiting on of the Saints, in oppoſition to their being haſty; And there is the meekneſs and calmneſs of their ſpirits, in oppoſition to their fretfulneſs, though they hing on when they are delayed.
It remains, that I inſiſt a little to commend theſe three unto you: As for Faith, except that I touch it in the paſſing, it will come better in to be ſpoken to afterwards, and therefore I ſhall here ſpeak a word for perſwading you not to be haſty. 2. A word for perſwading you to meekneſs, not to fret. And 3. I ſhall ſhut up both, with a general word, to perſwade you to this waiting.
For the firſt, that ye may wait 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 wa…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 com…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 of the Lord. And Chap. 2.10. he ſays to his Wife, Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and ſhall we not receive evil. O! there is a ſtooping to Soveraignty in the greateſt ſtraits and ſhakes that ever befell any, except our Lord Jeſus; and that Argument is made uſe of by him to his Diſciples, in the matter of timing mercies, Acts 1. Lord, ſay they, wilt thou at this time reſtore the Kingdom to Iſrael? He anſwers, It is not for you to know the times and ſeaſons which the Father hath put in his own power: Proud duſt miſkens it ſelf, when it dare offer to preſcribe to God; and were Soveraignty more ſtudied, and practically improven in the lots that befall us, and in their continuance, we would often find matter of a ſong, where we make a quarrel.
Now as theſe Conſiderations might preſs waiting, in oppoſition to haſtineſs; ſo there are ſome other Conſiderations that ſerve to preſs meekneſs and calmneſs of ſpirit, in oppoſition to bitterneſs and fretfulneſs; and among many, I ſhall only name three.
1. Meekneſs and ſweetneſs is commendable on this account, that it takes the poiſon and ſting out of all our lots. The Apoſtle, Rom. 12.21. when he hath been ſpeaking againſt paſſion and fretfulneſs, at our neighbours that angers us, he hath a very ſpeaking word that he cloſes with, Be not overcome of evil; as if he ſaid, ye think your ſelf victorious, when ye have gotten your crop and ſpleen wracked on crowing over them that have wronged you, but ye are far miſtaken, the ſoil is yours, ye are overcome of evil, ye are ſlaves to your own corruption, in venting your paſſion and bitterneſs. So is it here, it's fretfulneſs and bitterneſs that poiſons any ſad lot we are under, Lam. 3.19.— When a man remembers the affliction and the miſery, and the wormwood and the gall, and hath them ſtill in remembrance, his ſoul ſinketh in him, but when he gets victory over theſe, he ſays, It's of the Lord's mercy that we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſſions fail not. He that had ſaid before, that his ſoul was removed far from peace, and he forgot proſperity, he finds proſperity among his deſpiſed and undervalued lots. It's not your continued croſſes, and long delays that is your affliction, it's your bitterneſs that is the poiſon and ſting of them all, and makes them ſo afflicting: It's with you as with that man Solomon ſpeaks of, Prov. 19.3. The fooliſhneſs of man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth againſt the Lord: When he hath perverted his way, he would blame God for his own unthrift. There is no outgate of a Croſs comparable to this, the coming off with a meek mind, as that word Pſal. 55.18. holds out, He hath delivered my ſoul in peace from the battel that was againſt me. O! look to the peace of your mind under continued difficulties, let not that break. Ye know not what affliction means till ye get an imbittered mind, which will make a Mole-hill a Mountain, nay, will create a Croſs to it ſelf, yea is a Croſs in it ſelf, and can contrive a Croſs where there is none, even when a man is convinced his lot is good: Set him in a Paradiſe of pleaſure, his imbittered mind will make it a torment to him; therefore look on an imbittered mind as the greateſt ſting and poiſoner of all that can befall you, and guard againſt it.
2. It may perſwade folks to ſtudy meekneſs and calmneſs of ſpirit, when they conſider what an imbittered fretful diſpoſition portends; what doth it import and portend to a man? I ſhall tell you, it portends mo and ſharper rods to tame that wild and imbittered heart, to humble that fretful diſpoſition: a man who though he hing on, yet is fretful, cankard, bitter, all that he meets with in his lot, is the wormood and the gall to him; he is like a feveriſh man, that hath ſomething in his ſtomach that muſt be purged, his taſte is marred, which makes that which is ſweet bitter; and though thou belong to God, yet (as it is ſaid of wicked men) if thou walk contrary unto him, he will walk contrary unto thee, Levit. 26. And thou may expect ſeven times more yoke upon yoke, croſs upon croſs, till thou be tame, and ſubject thy ſelf to him. In a word, ſo long as a man is in a bitter frame, he evidences that the medicine God hath given him, hath never won to the root of his diſeaſe, and he may look for a harder potion.
3. It may perſwade to the ſtudy of meekneſs, and to ſet againſt bitterneſs, to conſider that bitterneſs is unreaſonable, Iſai. 45.9. Wo to him that ſtrives with his Maker, let the pot ſheards strive with the pot ſheards of the earth; ſhall the clay ſay to him that faſhioneth it, what makeſt thou? He is the Lord, to whom, who can ſay, What doſt thou? Ponder that word which I have often occaſion to mind you of, Job 18.4. He teareth himſelf in his anger: (a lively and pathetick deſcription of a fretful diſpoſition, he would eat himſelf in his anger,) but ſhall the earth be forſaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? Is there no more ado but turn all the wheels of providence up-ſide down, when ye take the pett? When ſuch a goodly thing as thou art not pleaſed with it, ſays Bildad to Job, O fretful body, wilt thou ſit down and aſk, who ſhould guide the world? Who ſhould have the Throne? Whether God or thou? Whether ſhould he guide thee, or thou guide thy ſelf? Whether wilt thou yield to God, or have him yield to thee? Shall not God bruſk his Throne and Government, but thou like a Child of Belial envyeth it? Nay further, let me plead for God, bitter body, what ails thee? what would do thy turn? Thou can name many things thou wants, and would have, but thou knows not where thy diſeaſe lyes, it is within thee that ails thee; let God cut thee ſhort of favours, or reſtore them to thee, put thee in trouble, or deliver thee, it will not cure thee, thou wilt never want a croſs, ſo long as that baſe luſt of bitterneſs abides in thee unſubdued; that which was a luſt in the enjoyment of favours, will turn a luſt in the deprivation of them; change thy caſe every day, it will not eaſe thee, thou art like a ſick man, that crys for drink, but it doth not ſlocken him, the cooling of his blood, and purging of his diſtemper muſt do that; therefore look on bitterneſs and fretfulneſs in your frame, as a moſt abſurd irrational thing.
Now as theſe Conſideratious ſhould perſwade you to look on the excellency and advantage of waiting on God, in oppoſition to making haſte, and to fretfulneſs ſeverally; So I ſhall ſhut up both with a general Word, preſſing waiting, from the advantages that generally reſults from it, and I can give you no better thing to command it, than that of our Lord, Iſai. 30.18. Bleſt are all they that wait on him; It is beyond all peradventure, that a waiting people on God, in difficult times, are a bleſt people; Their lot may ſeem accurſed; but their waiting on God proves, that the curſe is taken out of it, Bleſt is the man and woman that wearies not, that frets not under difficult lots, Why? becauſe they are at their duty; Thrice bleſt are they (as I may, if the Lord will, handle in the progreſs) that love their duty for it ſelf with an eye to Divine approbation, whatever may be the iſſue of it. But I ſhall add three Evidences of Bleſſedneſs, that attends waiting on God.
1. A waiter on God is bleſt, becauſe by waiting, he keeps more than trouble can take from him; ye have a very Emphatick word for this, Luke 21.19. In your patience poſſeſs ye your ſouls. Sharp Tryals long continued may diſpoſſeſs you of all other things, liberty, wealth, reputation, or whatever is dear to you; but, ſays he, if ye continue patient, ye ſhall have this bleſſing, ye ſhall poſſeſs your ſelves; an impatient man is a ſort of mad-man, he is not at himſelf, he poſſeſſes not himſelf, becauſe that Time, or Inſtruments in Time, have done him a prejudice, he will do himſelf a worſe, becauſe they have taken this or that away from him, he will caſt a ſweet frame and mind away after it; and that is to do himſelf a worſe turn than the world can do to him; in ſo doing, he caſts more away than the World can take from him: So on that account, the waiter on God is bleſſed, even on that, becauſe of the ſweet frame he is keeped in; Caſt the waiter on God where you will, ſtill he will fall on his feet, and on that account, Bleſt are all they that wait on God: But again,
2. Bleſſed is the waiter on God, upon the account that the through-bearing that attends waiting on God, will attend him, till he get a good iſſue: O! to ſee the deſperat ſhifts that impatient, fretful thoughts will put folk to in difficulties, they go like mad-men, as the Word is, Iſai. 51.20. They are like wild bulls in a net, full of the fury of the Lord: O! how do they daſh themſelves on ſnares, and run themſelves on Rocks to their ruine: The foul ſlips of fretful bodies are many; & though they be dear to God, that temper will bring them halting home: But would ye ſee the Bleſſedneſs of the waiter on God, read at your leiſure, Iſai. 40.29. He gives power to the faint, and to them that have no might, he increaſeth ſtrength; He deſires none of your furniture to ſerve him with, in a waiting poſture; and, (in the by) if ye think ye have much furniture, he will empty you, and ye muſt be in a fainting poſture, ere he give power, and be having no might, ere he increaſe ſtrength; and then, even the youths (Bahurim ſelected ones) ſhall faint and be weary, and the young men ſhall utterly fail: but they that wait on the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength, they ſhall mount up with wings as eagles, they ſhall run and not be weary, they ſhall walk and not be faint; one would think, yoke youths with the faint, and them that have no might, it were eaſie to determine who would carry the Prize; But here the faint, the feckleſs waiting on God carry it when the youths are laid by. How many a great Spirit hath Tryals broken? When thou art a weak feeble body, and yet has keeped up thine heart and held on the way; How many a gallant have got a daſh? when thou a craſy crauling creature are kept to the fore, and made to renew thy ſtrength through waiting on God.
And 3. (Reverencing Providence that I have been detained on this Subject,) They are neceſſarly bleſſed who are waiters on God, on the account of the out-gate: The waiter on God ſhall have an out-gate from all his difficulties, Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the Patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender Mercy; I dare aſſure you, that Song abides waiters on God, which ye have Iſai. 25.9. It ſhall be ſaid in that day, Lo, this is our God, and we have waited for him, and he will ſave us; This is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad, and rejoyce in his ſalvation; It is not a God wrapped up in a Promiſe, it is not a God covered with a cloud, of whom the World ſaid, Where is their God? Mic. 7.10. But, lo, there he is whom we waited for; and the additional word is, We will be glad and rejoice in his ſalvation; It ſhall be ſeen and ſaid then, Bleſt are they that wait for the Lord; Canſt thou not then wait and watch for one hour? when thou knoweſt not but in the hour that thou gives over, he may come; Therefore wait on the account of the bleſſed out-gate, Pſal. 40.1. I waited patiently on the Lord, and he inclined his ear unto me, and heard my cry; he brought me alſo out of a horrible pit, and miry clay, and ſet my foot on a rock, and eſtabliſht my goings; and he hath put a new ſong in my mouth, even praiſe unto our God; A new Song is the reſult of waiting on God; Believers and the Church may hing their harps on the Willows, and they may weep, when they remember Zion, and ſay, How can we ſing the Lord's ſong in a ſtrange Land? Pſal. 137. But a new Song in Gods good time, ſhall be put in the mouths of all that are waiters on God: And if I might inſiſt to add a word further, I would lead you to uncipher that Text, I cited before, Iſai. 8.9. Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you. I ſhall not determine the ſcope of the place; but the time comes when his waiting ſhall be ſeen to be gracious; that waiters on him ſhall be convinced, he took the fitteſt opportunity to manifeſt himſelf gracious; and if ſuch had come ſooner, there ſhould no ſuch Grace have been ſeen in it; Fleſh under difficulties thinks that he waits to be cruel; but look again, and thou will find, he waits to be gracious; and not only ſo, but he will be exalted, that he may have mercy on his on-waiters, he will make it out, that if he be an exalted God, he will be a merciful God; and ſo, as his people that wait on him, ſhall acknowledge him to be an exalted God in that, and ſhall ſing, Who is a God like unto thee, glorious in holineſs, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders; And whereas thou may think, there is little regard to be had to thy fighting, pingling life, in waiting on him; he will make it out, that he is a God of Judgment, pondering their condition he hath to do with; as Phyſitians conſider the condition of their Patients, and weigh their Doſes conform, and will not add a grain more than what is needful; ſo will he deal with them that wait on him, he will be ſeen to be a God of Judgment, and therefore, bleſſed are they that wait on him, and bleſt ſhall ye be, if ye believe theſe things, and if ye make it your exerciſe to let your patience be ſeen in your meek waiting for him, for there ſhall be a performance of theſe things which are told you from the Lord. I ſhall inſiſt no further. The Lord bleſs his word to you for Chriſt's ſake.