Forty-Five Sermons Upon Psalm 130, Sermon 29
SERMON XXIX.
Pſalm 130. Verſe 5. — And in his Word do I hope.
WAiting for God being the great and trying taſk of of the godly man, as ye have heard, who afterhend his wreſtling with the deeps of difficulties, and with inſupportable preſſures of guilt, muſt learn alſo by patient waiting for God, to wreſtle with delays to the anſwers of Prayer, or the longed for outgate prayed for, whether as to iſſue, or comfort: Theſe that are put to this trying taſk, and ſeriouſly engaged in it, had need to be well ſupported, that they may bide it out till they meet with the end of the Lord. This is it which I am now upon in theſe words, wherein the Pſalmiſt, after that he hath profeſ… he is waiting, waiting for the Lord, & that his ſoul doth wait; he adds in the next place an account of his ſupport in waiting, that therefore he waited, becauſe he hoped in the Word of God, I wait, &c.
I have ſpoken already to the firſt general Doctrine in theſe words, that patient waiting on God cannot be gotten cheriſht without the exerciſe of Faith and Hope; no man can ſay, I wait for the Lord, my ſoul doth wait, but he that can ſay, he hopes and truſts in God. I wait, (ſaith he) becauſe I hope. I have alſo near put a cloſe to what I would ſay from the ſecond general Obervation, to wit, that this Faith and Hope that ſupports the patient waiter for God, that ſends the believer, and carries him thorow in waiting for God, till the outgate come, muſt take the Word for its ground and meaſure; I wait, becauſe I hope, and hope, becauſe I have the Word of God for the ground of my hope. Ye may remember, that from this I have ſpoken to theſe three (which I wiſh may not evaniſh with the Preaching.) 1. That really needy Saints, put to wait for God, and in waiting for him, put to live by Faith and Hope, will be much converſant with the Word of God; they muſt learn to be acquaint with the Scriptures, to know what is there for their direction, or encouragement, or both. 2. That theſe who would wait for God in the way of believing and hoping, muſt learn to judge of things according to the Word, and be determined by the Word, that it may be the ground of Faith, and beget Hope, otherwiſe it will be to little purpoſe for a man to be acquaint with the Scriptures from end to end, if he improve it not, but ſtarve beſide his allowance. And 3. For this end ſuch as are put to wait for God, and to have their encouragement from the Word; that they may lean weight upon it, they would be fixed in this Principle, that the Word of God is of Divine Authority, and infallible certainty; they would believe and hope in in it as Gods Word, In his Word do I hope. And as the day before I preſſed upon you th… uſe of your Bibles, that ye might be better acquainted with them, and with the grounds of your Faith and Hope therein contained; ſo the laſt day I inſiſted long to give you a right impreſſion of the Bible, that it is the Word of God, and of Divine Authority; the Hiſtorical verity whereof being granted, which cannot rationally be denyed, the Scriptures will prove themſelves to be of Divine Authority; and I would now intreat you to ſtudy theſe two Sermons well, that ye may have the Divine Authority of the Scriptures fixt upon your hearts, that ye may lay weight on them, feed on them, and converſe with them with more delight: And then what ſhall I ſay for the need of proofs for the Divine Authority of the Scriptures, when the efficacy of it upon your hearts ſhall be a proof thereof, as the effects and ſucceſs of it of old is a ſtanding Witneſs, that it is not the word of man, but the Word of God, that works effectually in them that believe.
I proceed now to a 4 thing which I have yet to add, and that is to put the two Points together, Faith and Hope, and hoping in his word; That ſince we have the Scriptures, and ſince the Scriptures are of Divine Authority, we would put forth Faith and Hope to feed upon that which is contained there; Faith to believe, and Hope to look for all that we find in ſo divine and ſure a word, and that I may make ſomething out of this (and ſo have done with this Verſe) I ſhall hint at ſome things diſtinctly required, both to Faith and Hope.
And 1. For Faith, the Apoſtle tells, Heb. 11.1. That faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for. The word (foreign) properly ſignifies, that it is the ſubſiſtence of things hoped for; Things hoped for being held forth in the Word, Faith gives them a ſubſiſtence, before they exiſt in themſelves, which is not to be underſtood abſolutely, for it is in the Promiſes of God, revealing the purpoſes he hath concerning theſe things, and the Power of God effectuating them, that gives them an abſolute ſubſiſtence before they be; Faith gives them a ſubſiſtence inſtrumentally and relatively, while it leads the believer to cloſe with the Promiſes, wherein thoſe things ſubſiſts, and while it gives them a ſubſiſtence in the heart of the believing man. Now this ſubſiſtence Faith gives to things promiſed two ways. 1. More abſolutely, while Faith enables the believing man, to look on whatever God hath promiſed, as no leſs certain than if it were in his hand, like theſe that reckon their riches, not ſo much by their preſent ſtock, or that which they have in their hands, as by what they have owing them by Bonds of reſponſal Debitors. So the Believer reckons God's Promiſes as ſo many Bonds, making the things promiſed as ſure, as if they were in his hands, and this had need to be looked to by us; for I know not if every man that hath the Promiſes among his hands puts forth his Faith vigorouſly to believe them; a man may have the Promiſes, and not contradict them, nor doubt of them, while he lets them ly by him, and does not rouze up his Faith to actual exerciſe in cloſing with them, and reſting upon them; and when folks are not actually doubting, Chriſt finds it neceſſary to rouſe up and quicken them actually to believe, as Mark 11.22. Have faith in God, (ſaith he to the Diſciples) look that your Faith be on foot, and in exerciſe, that ye take not the Promiſes lying by you, without contradicting them for Faith, but rouze it up to improve them: and Joh. 11.25. When Chriſt is holding out precious Promiſe… to Martha, That he is the reſurrection and the life; That he that believeth on him, though he were dead he ſhall live, he ſhall never die: He finds it neceſſary to put her to it with this queſtion, Believeſt thou this? I ſuppoſe thou wilt not doubt of it, Martha; but is thy Faith quickned, and put forth to exerciſe, on what I have ſaid to thee, actually to cloſe with it and reſt upon it, as the true and faithful ſayings of God?
But 2. Faith gives things a ſubſiſtence, not only by way of contemplation in bringing the Believer to believe they are true, but by way of application to himſelf; that is, it ſo gives a Subſiſtence to them, as the believing man gets the ſubſtance of them (as the word is Tranſlated in that forecited place, Heb. 11.1.) for his preſent uſe, comfort and encouragement, till the performance come: It gives them a ſubſiſtence, when the ſubſtance of the things promiſed is made out to the believer, as if they were performed: ye uſe to account them dyvors and ſpend chriſts that forenail their rent continually; but Faiths vertue ſtands in forenailing, yet without diminiſhing the things promiſed; the believer ſuſpends not all the things in the Promiſes till he get them in his hand the beeing of the Promiſe is a foundation to him, and Faith brings in the ſubſtance of the thing promiſed, 1 Pet. 1.8. Though he ſee not Chriſt, yet believing, he rejoyceth with joy unſpeakable and full of glory: and it is a notable word which ye have, Joh. 3.36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlaſting life. He is not a man only that ſhall have everlaſting life but he hath it already in ſeveral reſpects, in right and tittle and in the firſt fruits; his very believing puts him in a begun poſſeſſion of everlaſting life; this is the unknown Art of the Life of Faith, that it fetches its food from far to him that hath it, it brings the firſt fruits of the promiſed Land, to the wanderer in the wilderneſs, a cluſter of Grapes from the brook Eſcol, to the barren deſart; it mounts up with wings as Eagles, to bring down life and quickning to our creeping and wreſtling motions here below.
Thus ye have a very brief hint of Faith, of that Faith whereby ye are to live and feed on what is in the Word of Promiſe, though it be not accompliſhed. I ſhall only give you one inſtance of it, which may diſcover to many, how little they know of this Act of living by Faith, cloſing with the Promiſe, and feeding on it ere the performance come. The inſtance is that of the Patriarchs, who lived before Chriſts Exhibition in the fleſh, look upon it in Abraham, of whom it is ſaid, Joh. 8.56. He rejoyced, or (as the word will bear) he skipped for joy to ſee Chriſt's day, and he ſaw it, and was glad; whether he ſaw it in the Promiſes only, or generally in the Sacrifices alſo, or particularly in that Providence of the Ram, put in his hand to offer up in ſtead of his Son Iſaak, Gen. 22.13. It is all a matter, he got ſuch a ſight of Chriſt in thoſe, and ſo cloſed with the thing Promiſed that he skipped for joy. And the like inſtances we have given of all the Patriarchs in that word, Heb. 11.13. (which may make many bluſh when they read it) Theſe all (ſays the Apoſtle) died in faith; They were not content meerly to have a life of Faith, but they died in faith, not having received the promiſes; or though they received not the things promiſed. But what did they? Having ſeen them a far off (to wit in the Promiſes, and in the Types illuſtrating them) What more? They were perſwaded of them (the firſt thing I ſaid before of Faiths giving a ſubſiſtence to things hoped for; and what more?) They embraced them, they hugged them, and what more? They confeſt they were pilgrims, or ſtrangers on the earth; They ſaw as much by Faith in the Promiſes, which were not to be accompliſht in all their lifetime, as made them up, and made them to confeſs that they were pilgrims here; Try your ſelves by theſe meaſures, and ſee what ye have won to, like this Faith; believing and putting forth Faith to exerciſe, feeding on, and fending by Faith in the word of Promiſe.
In the next place, I ſhall ſpeak ſomewhat to hoping in his word; The term in the Text is, In his word do I hope; as Faith gives ſubſiſtence to things promiſed, and doth not ſuſpend all benefit and uſe of the Promiſes until they be performed; So hope looks out for the actual accompliſhment and performance of the Promiſes. A Saint believing the Word, and feeding on that which Faith gives a ſubſiſtence to in the word, he looks out by hope for the accompliſhment of that which it finds to ſubſiſt in the word.
I ſhall deduce this as briefly as I can, (and leave this Note and the Verſe) in theſe two, 1. Remember, that true Believers wealth lyes in hope, or things before their hand; They have no exiſtence but in the word of promiſe; The firſt, or at leaſt a very conſpicuous mark of an adopted Child of God is, that he is put to his Hopes; to his Too-looks, and to live that way; he that 1 Joh. 3.2. can ſay, I am a ſon of God, and it doth not appear what I ſhall be, but when he appears, I ſhall be like him, for I ſhall ſee him as he is: Muſt add in the 3. verſe, He that hath this hope in him muſt purifie himſelf, &c. He that according to Gods abundant mercy is begotten again, is begotten unto a lively hope. His Regeneration breaths out Hope, becauſe his happineſs is before his hand, 1 Pet. 1.3. And beſide his too-looks to iſſues here that he holds by hope, his great too-look is his Hope, which is laid up for him in Heaven, Col. 1.5. and in that forecited place, 1 Pet. 1.3. He that is begotten again unto a lively hope by the reſurrection of Chriſt from the dead; it is to the hope of an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, that fadeth not away, reſerved for him in Heaven; his great hope is, the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, promiſed before the world began, Tit. 1.2. His hope is a hope ſet before him, Heb. 6.18. Now a Believers wealth lies in things before his hand, or the Saints portion lies in their hopes and too-looks, becauſe God is reſerving their happineſs for the fitteſt place and ſeaſon, he will have them brought where their happineſs is, before he give them the wealth he hath promiſed; becauſe neither could they be capable of it, nor guide it here: and while he ſuſpends their Hope, he does them good by holding them waiting, looking out, and purſuing for theſe things promiſed; a purſuers life being the beſt life.
2. As the great portion of the Saints is before their hand, ſo their great work lyes in the exerciſe of Hope; It is not enough for a ſaint to be begotten again to a lively hope of an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and that fades not away, reſerved for him in heaven; but he muſt be putting out his Hope to feed upon it, to look and long for it. If ye conſider Negatively, what a ſaint is without hope, in reference to temporal iſſues. David will tell you in that Pſal. 27.13. I had fainted, unleſs I had believed to ſee the goodneſs of the Lord in the land of the living; if my hope had failed me, I had been undone, and in reference to Eternity, Paul tells us, 1 Cor. 15.19. If in this life only we have hope in Chriſt, we are of all men the moſt miſerable; which may be underſtood both of things hoped for, & of the Grace of Hope looking for them; and hence Heb. 6.19. Hope, is called, the anchor of the ſoul, ſure and ſtedfaſt, entring into that within the vail, to aſſure us, that if hope be not exerciſed, ſtorms will drive a toſſed ſoul, and make it run the hazard of ſhipwrack; but hope, the ſouls anchor, caſt upon good ground, drives not, and preſerves the ſoul from ruine. Hence alſo, Eph. 6.17. Hope, is called, the helmet of ſalvation, becauſe it is that which keeps off many a deadly ſtroke off a ſaint. The head being the ſeat of the ſenſes, eſpecially of the judgment and memory; If a man keep his head, and a bit about his heart well, there is the leſs hazard of wounds in other places of his body, that they prove deadly. Now Hope is an Helmet to keep the head. And as conſidering Negatively, what a ſaint is without hope, we will find great need of the exerciſe of hope. So look on it poſitively; hope exerciſed and kept at work, brings in many noble advantages to the ſoul, as I ſaid of the man that is a Believer, ſo may I ſay of him that is a hoper indeed; O what a made up man is he, he may ſay, I will wait, becauſe I hope in his word; he is a great gainer by Tribulation, and may glory in it, when tribulation works patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not aſhamed, Rom. 5.3.— Ye have it recommended, Rom. 12.12. To rejoyce in hope, and that will produce patience in tribulation, and continuing inſtant in Prayer; hope exerciſed, makes patience and prayer to thrive well, and a man to go on in his way, not heartleſly, but rejoycing. And Heb. 3.6. We are bidden hold faſt our confidence, and the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end: & what ſhall I ſay of them, Heb. 10.34. who not only ſympathiſed with others in affliction, but took joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods; Why? knowing in themſelves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring ſubſtance, they had the hope of a better Treaſure.
From all that hath been ſaid on this, let me exhort you, who have been put, and may yet more be put to it, To wait for God, to ſtudy to be better acquaint with your Bibles, to believe the divine Authority of the Scriptures, and on that account, to put forth your Faith and Hope to exerciſe upon the Scriptures, that ye may feed on the Promiſes by Faith, and rejoyce in hope of the accompliſhment of them; that will make you patient in tribulation and to continue inſtant in prayer: And for a cloſe of all that hath been ſaid to you on this matter; would ye know what ye are doing in this exerciſe of Hope, in your waiting for God, or the good things be hath promiſed; or what Characters ye have of it, I ſhall only deſire you to look to theſe three;
1. Look to Hopes langour, if ye be waiting for God, and if your waiting be an affectionat waiting, if your ſoul be waiting and looking out in hope to that great and ultimat hope of Believers; try what languor is in thy affection for the marriage day, What languor thou haſt to ſee how the Crown and the Robe will ſet thee, to ſee God as he is, to ſee God incarnat in thy own nature, to ſee the Lamb, and to follow him wherever he goes, and to be made like him. Try what there is of warmneſs of affection longing without fretfulneſs, haſte, or paſſion upon the one hand, and careleſs indifferency and ſtupidity upon the other, that is a good ſign of a lively hope, when thy affection is keeped warm in waiting for the things promiſed; Art thou ſaved by hope, then with the whole Creation thou wilt be groaning waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of thy body, Rom. 8.23. —Thou wilt be looking for, and haſtning unto the coming of the day of the Lord, 2 Pet. 3▪13.
And 2 Thou that would look to thy Hope, and have it of the right ſtamp, ſee what purging vertue is in it, look if thy languor reſolves in thy ſtudy of the increaſe of Sanctification, that thou mayeſt be ripened and fitted for the iſſue that thou art looking out for, 1 Joh. 3.3. He that hath this hope in him purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure. And 2 Pet. 3.11 …eing all theſe things ſhall he diſſolved, what manner of perſons ought ye to be in all holy converſation and godlineſs, looking for, and basting unto, &c. Tit. 2.13. The grace of God that brings ſalvation, teacheth us, that denying ungodlineſs and wordly luſts, we ſhould live ſoberly, righteouſly and godly in this preſent world, looking for that bleſſed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour. And Phil. 3.20. Our converſation is in heaven, from whence alſo we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall change our vile body, &c. There is a Character of a lively hope, a Touchſtone of true languor, when thy hope bids thee haſte to ripen faſt for that thou hopeſt for, that thou may be like Enoch, walking with God, and who was not, for God took him; Gen. 5.24. That thy grace may be increaſed, till grace take needfire in glory.
And 3. Thou that would look to thy hope, ſee what mortification is in thy hope, what thou can ſubmit to want and be weaned from, upon the account of thy hope; that hath been the practice of Saints in reference to out-gates hereaway, To ſtudy mortification, ſee it in David, while enemies ſought his life, and laid ſnares for him, ſpoke miſchievous things, and imagined devices all the day long; he was as a deaf man that heard not, and as a dumb man that opened not his mouth, to all the injuries done or deviſed againſt him. Why? In the Lord did he hope, and believed that he would hear him, Pſal. 38.12. And in reference to a mans everlaſting happineſs, this alſo would be his ſtudy, 1 Pet. 1. compare the 3, 4, and 5. Verſes, with the 6. Ye are begotten again unto a lively hope, to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fades not away, reſerved in the heaven for you, who are keeped through the power of God to ſalvation, through faith, ready to be revealed in the laſt time; wherein ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon, if need be ye are in heavineſs, through manifold tentations. In a word, ye that are hopers in God, look well to theſe three, what warmneſs of affection and languor is in your hope, for the things promiſed, look what endeavours are to be prepared and fitted for them; and what mortification to the things in time, upon the account of the great happineſs ye expect when time is gone, and your hopes ſhall be fulfilled, and made out to you.