Forty Sermons, Sermon 35
SERMON XXXV.
GEN. 49. 18.
II. Sermon Preached at St. Maries, Octob. 13. 1650I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.
BUt this leads me to the fourth Particular at firſt propounded.
That the Iſrael of God in all their ſtraits ſhould Doct. 4 wait for his Salvation. Yea, in the way of thy Judgments, O Lord, have we waited for thee, ſaith the Church, Iſa. 26. 8. Wait on the Lord, Pſal. 27. 14. And Jacob here by a Spirit of Luther. Pererius.Faith and Propheſie, as he foreſeeth the miſeries of his Poſterity, that they had need of Salvation, ſo he foreſeeth alſo how God from time to time would raiſe up Judges and Kings, and others to deliver them, and ſo he comfortably and confidently waits for it, nay prevents the danger with expectation of deliverance, foreign in the Preter Tenſe, even long before, I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord. So old Jacob here, which old Simeon, Luke 2. 30. otherwiſe expreſſeth, Lord, mine eyes have ſeen thy Salvation; which two Speeches of theſe two old dying Men, ſet out the difference of the two Teſtaments. The one ſaith, Lord, I wait; the other, I have ſeen; but both the ſame Salvation. So that now that our Saviour is come, we ſee that which So Luke 2. 25, 38.they waited for. But becauſe he is to come again a ſecond time, and till then perfect Salvation will not fully be come, but mean while many difficulties and dangers will be coming between; as we ſhall have need, ſo it will be our duty in this preſent condition with Jacob here to be waiting for God's Salvation. Which waiting contains in it three Particulars; 1. An earneſt deſire. 2. A confident expectation of it. And, 3. a meek ſtaying of God's leaſure, and attending upon him for it.
1. An earneſt deſire and out-going of the Soul to the Salvation that it waits for. The word foreign here uſed.
In the riſe of it (as Oleaſter and Foſter obſerve) hath an affinity with foreign, and ſo ſignifieth an extended ſtretching and reaching out of the Soul: And in the uſe of it, is joined with others that ſignifie a diligent ſeeking, Pſal. 69. 6. an earneſt defiring, foreignIſa. 26. 8. an ardent breathing, as the heated Labourer or Traveller doth after the cool ſhadow, Job 7. 2. Such a breathing, and even breaking of the Soul there is in waiting, as the Watchman, that in a cold dark night waits for the Morning, Pſal. 130. 6. with many a long look and longing deſire, as David's Soul went out to Abſalom in his long abſence; and Siſera's Mother upon 2 Sam. 13. 39.his long ſtay looks out at the Window, and cries through the Latteſs, Why is his Chariot ſo long in coming? Why tarry the Wheels of Judg. 5. 28.his Chariots?
And ſuch an foreign, as the Apoſtle calls it, Rom. 8. 19. ſuch an out-looking and longing, ſuch an out-going and reaching ſtretching out of the Soul, ſuch breathing and panting, in Waiters at Court are wont to be Suiters.moſt fervent Prayers and ardent Deſires after God's Salvation, doth he work in them that wait for it, and expect from them, that being in ſtraits ſtand in need of it.
And this,
1. That he may have the honour of the Gift, whilſt all eyes with long looks are up to him, and all hands ſtretched out towards Zech. 9. 1.him, thereby proclaiming, that they expect all from him, as Pſal. 145. 15.
2. That hereby alſo it may appear, that they are ſenſible of their need. This poor Man cryed, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 34. 6. pointing at himſelf as a poor Begger, whilſt he is crying for an Alms. The dry Earth ſaith it's thirſty, when it gapes for Heaven's Rain; and ſo do we under preſſures and burdens tell God, (as fainting Jacob here in the Text) that we are ſpent and out of breath, when we breath after his Salvation, as Iſa. 38. 14. O Lord, I am oppreſſed, eaſe me, or undertake for me.
3. That ſo he may the more haſten the Mercy and Deliverance. When the Child crieth earneſtly, the Mother comes running in ſpeedily. Nor is our Heavenly Father oft wont, when his Children cry aloud, to ſtay long. When Iſrael in Egypt ſighs, and cries, and groans by reaſon of their bondage; their cry came ſoon up to God, Exod. 2. 23, 24, 25. and it was not … they came out of that Furnace: As it's ſaid of that travailing Woman, Rev. 12. 2. which ſignifieth the Suffering Church, foreign, ſhe cryed travailing in Birth, and pained to be delivered. Clamabat parturiens. Her crying out in her Pains, was both a ſign and a means of her delivery now at hand.
And truly for this very end God oft-times quickens throws, to force our cries, that ſo he might haſten the Birth. On purpoſe he multiplies and aggravates Afflictions and Burdens, that he might quicken our deſires, and call out our more earneſt Cries and Groans, the more to quicken the earnings of his Bowels towards us, and ſo the more to haſten our deliverance.
Which tells us in theſe times of our perplexities and dangers, Ʋſe. what bad Friends we are to our ſelves, and what Enemies to our Salvation, in our neglect of this firſt Particular of waiting for it.
1. In want of theſe ſtronger out-goings of the Soul, and theſe warmer breathings after that Deliverance and Mercy, which we ſtand in ſo much need of; not that our outward peace and ſafety were either in it ſelf, or in our deliberate eſteem leſs deſireable, no leſs than Health and Life is to a Man in a Lethargy. But that Diſeaſe makes him ſenſleſs, ſo as that, when he ſtands in moſt need of it, he is leaſt of all affected with it, and ſo lieth ſtill as dead, without deſires of it, or any other way making out for it. O the deadneſs of our hearts! ſuch a Lethargy, I fear, hath too much ſeized on us. Our Straits are many, our Dangers very great, and yet our Hearts very dead, becauſe of later years we have been accuſtomed to troubles, and now like a Man before tired out with labour and watching, fallen into ſuch a deep ſleep as he cannot be wakened. We are very far from an awakened frame of Spirit to look up to God, and to look out for Salvation; and the right way to come by it, as the Prophet complained, though we fade like a Leaf, and our iniquities like the Wind are ready to take us away, (as a bluſtering Wind doth the fading Leaves from the Trees in Autumn) yet there is none that calleth upon God, that ſtirs up himſelf to take hold of him, Iſa. 64. 6, 7. We are very ſecure in the midſt of danger. The drunken Man is aſleep on the top of the Maſt, in the midſt of the Sea. And although Prov. 23. Dan. 7. 2.the four Winds of the Heaven ſtrive upon the great Sea from all quarters of the World, nothing but Storms and Tempeſts, … ever, yet thoſe ſweeter gales are very ſilent, a ſpirit of Prayer is very much down; and when the ſaid, as Jonah, 1. 2.Wind is down, the Showr is wont to pour down. The Lord grant it may not be a Showr of Fire and Brimſtone, that Sodome's ſins may not bring upon us a Sodom's overthrow. But ſo much for the firſt particular of this waiting, viz. an earneſt deſire.
2. The ſecond, was a confident expectance: For waiting is an act of Hope, and Hope the Daughter of Faith, and Faith is foreign Hebr. 11. 1. the very ſubſiſtence of things hoped for. Faith aſſures, and thereupon Hope expects, and thereupon alſo waits. My Soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him, Pſal. 62. 5. Waits as long as it expects, and no longer; as long as you expect a friends coming, ſo long you will wait, though it be very long: but give over looking for him, and then you will wait no longer. When that deſperate Courtier in a pang of deſpair ſaid, Behold this evil is of the Lord (which he will not, and we cannot remove, and ſo deſpair of remedy) then what followed but that deſperate concluſion, why ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? 2 King. 6. 33. But a meekned Believer, becauſe he expects much, is very willing to wait long, and in this patient waiting he continues confidently expecting, according to that Iſa. 8. 17. I will wait upon the Lord, and I will look for him. Believing Waiters are men of great hopes and expectations. Mordecai is confident that enlargement and deliverance ſhall ariſe to the Jews, Eſther 4. 14. Our God whom we ſerve is able▪yea and he will deliver us, ſaid Daniels three fellows, Chap. 3. 17. and fainting Jacob here in the Text, though whileſt he foreſaw the ſtrength and prevalency of Enemies, and the ſins and ſufferings of his poſterity, and eſpecially of the Tribe of Dan, which he now ſpeaks of; yet (as old Simeon, having it revealed that he ſhould not ſee death before he had ſeen the Lord's Chriſt Luke 2. 25, 26. So old Jacob here) ſeeing for certain a great deliverance by Sampſon, and a greater by Chriſt, in the midſt of all diſheartning diſcouragements, whileſt he expects he waits, and whileſt he waits, he expects Gods Salvation.
This did he, and this ſhould we, and that in greateſt ſtraits, wait and look, wait and look to God, 2 Chron. 20. 12. nay wait and look for much from God, as the Cripple, foreign, looked on the Apoſtles expecting to receive ſomething of them, Act. 3. 5. Eſpecially when Peter had before in the 4th verſe ſaid to him, look on us. And the very ſame word God ſaith to us, when we ly before him in a more miſerable condition, look unto me and be ye ſaved, Iſa. 45. 22. As the Stung Man looked on the Braſen Serpent in aſſurance of cure, and the Servant on the hands of his Maſter in expectance of a langeſs: ſo our Lord and Maſter in this our waiting poſture would have us by Faith look to him not only with deſire, but with expectance of Salvation.
And this as very much making alſo,
1. For the Glory of God, which was much advanced (in the former particular) by having the Eyes of all Creatures looking to him in way of deſire, but much more (in this) when they are fixed on him in expectation. That ſpake him an alſufficient Soveraign, but this proclaims him a gracious and bountiful one: for otherwiſe with men, ſome may be ſo able that much is deſired of them, but withal ſo ſtrait-handed, that it's but little which is expected from then▪ but how glorious is our God, that is as gracious as great, not more powerful than bountiful, from whom his ſervants may promiſe themſelves as much as they ask? My God will hear me, Micah. 7. 7. yea, expect more than they deſire, as being both able and willing to do more, than we can ask or think, Epheſ. 3. 20. This glory of his free and rich Goodneſs, is his great Deſign, eſpecially in the Covenant of Grace: and therefore it is that he makes choice of the recumbency and expectance of Faith, by which he will diſpenſe not only eternal, but even temporal Salvation, as that which in ſo doing much ſets forth this his Glory.
2. And ſecondly, as much furthers and facilitates our Deliverance: for great Expectations are great Obligations, even with Men of generous ſpirits to do much for them, that rely much on them, and promiſe themſelves much from them, that the others good thoughts may not exceed their goodneſs; and this ſometimes to thoſe that can plead no Merit, that it might appear to be mere Goodneſs and Mercy. If thus with ingenuous Men, then much more than ſo with an All-Gracious God, who hath profeſſed, that he delights in them that truſt and hope in his Mercy, Pſal. 147. 11. and therefore takes pleaſure to anſwer and exceed our good thoughts of him with his better performances to us. Our good perſwaſions of God prove very ſtrong perſwaſions with him to do us good, that it may appear that we cannot outthink his infinite Goodneſs, that our thoughts of him cannot be better than his are towards us, nor our heart more enlarged by Faith to hope and expect a mercy than his hand opened with bounty to beſtow it. And therefore open thy Mou…h wide, and I will fill it; ſo in the old Teſtament: and according to thy Faith be it unto thee, ſo oft in the New. Under both, God hath oftentimes in very unlikely caſes gratified the Faith and expectations of his Servants with extraordinary mercies and deliverances.
And therefore for the application of this branch alſo, ſeeing Ʋſe. the dangers are great that we may fear, and the Salvation great that we ſtand in need of; let not Sloth and Ʋnbelief keep us from what we may have by asking and expecting. We ſtrengthen our forces to fight with our Enemies; but it is (I do not ſay our cheapeſt, but I am ſure) our ſafeſt and ſureſt way to ſtrengthen our Faith by expecting of much, to prevail for much from him. But we have low thoughts of God, and that keeps us from riſing high: Miſgiving hearts, which keeps God from being on the giving hand. Thou wouldſt not ſo readily gratify another with that, which thou knoweſt he entertains ſo hard thoughts of thee about, that he thinks thou wilt not be ſo kind as to grant. God fully knows all our hard unkind thoughts of his unkindneſs; which diſcourageth him much from vouchſafing much of that which we need, & he otherwiſe is ready to give. The Prophet wanted not Oyl, but the Widow Veſſels. The Fountain, or River is full, but one carrieth away nothing from it, becauſe he hath no Veſſel to receive it, & another but a little, becauſe his Veſſel is ſo. Thank, nay blame unbelieving contracted hearts, that they hold no more of God's goodneſs; hands ſhrunk up like Jeroboam's, and paralytick, that can graſp no more, nor lay any faſter hold on his bounty. Joaſh ſtrikes with his Arrows but thrice, and therefore he overcomes the Syrians no oftner. O thou of little Faith! That's the reaſon why thou receiveſt no more, either of Spiritual or 2 King. 13. 18, 19.Temporal Salvation: and therefore, ſeeing that God is ſo unwilling to diſappoint the Faith, and fruſtrate the expectations, which his own Spirit hath raiſed in Believers, that it's but hope and have; let us in a way of God even in moſt dangerous times hope much that we may enjoy the more.
I ſaid, in a way of God. And that leads us to the following particulars. That we may with Jacob wait on God for Salvation, with ſuch expectance and confidence it's required, that,
1. Our ſelves be under Covenant: for though to others God oft grants temporal Salvation, yet it's certain, that they, as ſuch, have no ground with confidence to expect it. A Rebel may poſſibly be ſpared, but it's a loyal Subject that may juſtly expect his Princes Protection, whileſt the other according to his demerit, may ſtand trembling at the Barr, and juſtly expect the Sentence of Condemnation. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of a fearful looking for of judgment by ſome, Heb. 10. 27. But they are the Righteous, whoſe Hope is gladneſs, whilſt the expectation of the wicked ſhall periſh, Prov. 10. 28.
2. The Mercy or Salvation we would expect be under promiſe: for what God doth promiſe, we may confidently expect that he will aſſuredly perform, ſo that in doubtfulleſt times and caſes, our Courſe and Duty is not ſo much to ſearch into God's ſecret Will, what he will do, as into his revealed Word, what he hath therein promiſed, either in general to his Church at all times, or particularly to his People in ſome ſpecial times and caſes. So Daniel looks into his Books, and finds that there, which inables him to look up to God for the return of the Jews captivity, Chap. 9. 2. But our Self-love oft promiſeth us Salvation, when God's Word, if conſulted, threatens Deſtruction; as it was with Judah before their threatned Captivity, who looked for Peace, but no good came; for a time of health, and behold trouble, Jer. 8. 15. and 14. 19. Scriptures, Promiſes, and Prophecies, eſpecially that of the Revelations ſhould be much read, and ſtudied in theſe doubtful times, that we may know what to expect or fear by what is therein promiſed or threatned.
3. Our preſent way and courſe be under the Condition of the Promiſe: for elſe though we be in Covenant, and the Mercy be promiſed, yet if our preſent habitude and poſture be not according to that Condition, that either we are under the actual guilt and defilement of ſome provoking ſin, or in the uſe of unlawful means, inſtead of the Mercy expected, we may meet with the Miſchief which we looked not for: Though Iſrael was no Servant, nor homeborn-Slave, yet he is ſpoil'd, when God hath that to ſay to him, And now what haſt thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Sichor? And what haſt thou to do in the way of Aſſyria, to drink the water of the River? Jer. 2. 14, 18. as before that, Joſh. 7. 13. though they were in Covenant with God, and had the promiſe of Canaan, yet, when they had an accurſed thing in the midſt of them, they received a repulſe at Ai, inſtead of gaining the victory. Salvation from God is only to be found in a way of God. Even an honeſt Man in by-paths may meet with Theeves and Robbers. Fouler ſins put us out of God's protection, daſh and fruſtrate expectation, whereas make but ſure of theſe three, that the Mercy be found in a Promiſe, our ſelves in Covenant, and our way and temper within the Condition of it, and then we may not only with comfort deſire, but alſo with confidence expect Salvation.
3. But yet ſo, as then in an humble and meek Patience ſilently to ſtay God's leaſure for it, which is the third particular, wherein this Waiting moſt properly and formally conſiſts, as ever including ſome longer or ſhorter ſtay: and therefore expreſſed in the New Teſtament uſually by foreign, or its compounds, foreign, or foreign, a ſtaying, abiding and ſitting down by it: and in the Old Teſtament uſually expreſſed by this word in the Text, which (I ſaid) ſign fieth an Extenſion or Prolongation as of the deſire, ſo often of the thing deſired. In the firſt particular of it (as we have ſeen) it contained in it long looks▪ and longing deſires; but not like Womens longings, that are ſo ſhort-winded, that they cannot ſtay, or like ſhort-winged Birds, that can make no long flight. No, foreign Even in the way of thy judgments, O Lord, have we waited for Iſa. 26. 8. In itinere. ſo Junius.thee. Though the way be deep, a way of judgments, and long too, as the word foreign imports, yet, foreign, their line is ſtretched out to its length: and as long as God ſtayeth, they will wait▪ In waiting they will wait, Pſal. 40. 1. Patiently they will wait, Rom. 8. 25. and this every day, continually, Hoſ. 12. 6. foreign ▪ a Believer's juge ſacrificium, which day by day he attends upon God with, and this all the day, Pſal. 25. 5. and this, although it be a very Stormy Winter day, all the days of my warfare will I wait, ſaith Job. Chap. 14. 14. and Jacob here, though this Salvation which he expects was not till divers hundreds of years after his death, yet becauſe he knoweth that God is ſo true and faithful, as never to forget his Word at laſt, and ſo wiſe and merciful, as to be ſure to remember it at that time which ſhall be moſt fit: therefore although this Tribe of Dan was one of the laſt that was ſetled in its Lot, and therein very much moleſted by the Amorites, eſpecially by their bad Neghbours the Philiſtines, yet, Dum ſpiro, ſpero, as long as he lives, he hopes, and when he is now a dying, his Hopes die not with his Life: but he both liveth in hope, and when he dieth, reſts in hope: he be-believes that his Covenant will be able to reach his Seed when he is dead to a thouſand Generations, Pſal. 105. 8. and therefore expects that now, which ſhall betide them then: Mean while patiently waits God's leaſure: And now being upon the point of Death, he layeth his Head in his Father's Boſom, and there quietly breaths out his Soul with this warm Breath, (And how ſweet is it!) I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord; which comes to this, that we are to ſtay God's Leaſure, and to wait upon him for Mercy.
1. Though intervening Occurrences come croſs, as it was in the Danites infeſtations from Amorites and Philiſtims. I acknowledg this puts Faith to it, as it did David's; who, after that he was promiſed to be King, was purſued as a Traytor; whereupon he ſometimes thinks it long, and crieth out, O when wilt thou come unto me? Pſal. 101. 2. And ſometimes grows very quick and haſty, and in that haſte ſaith, All Men are Lyers, Pſal. 116. 11. even Samuel himſelf, who promiſed him a Kingdom, and behold, nothing but Miſery and Thraldom. But let Iſrael, even when the Sea is before them, and the Egyptians behind them, and ſo nothing in view but em…inent Deſtruction in ſtead of the promiſed Deliverance and Salvation, let Iſrael, I ſay, even in that poſture ſtand ſtill and wait, and ſee God's Salvation, Exod. 14. 13. The Man may be taking the greateſt Leap, when he goes moſt backward, and God may be then about to do moſt for his People, when there is the leaſt appearance of any thing but of the quite contrary. Iſrael at laſt ſhall be ſettled in Canaan, though, when now upon the Borders of it, they are driven back in the way to the Red-Sea again. Stay therefore God's Leaſure and wait upon him, though intervening Providences ſeem croſs.
2. Though delays be very long. The Danites had their Lot with the laſt, and yet in reference to them Jacob's Faith could reſt on God, and ſay, I have waited for thy Salvation, foreign, Hab. 2. 3. Though it tarry (and the word is in forma duplicata, to expreſs a longer double delay) yet wait for it. The precious Fruit, that the Husbandman with ſuch patience waits for, lieth ſometimes long under ground, and ſo it is oft with God's preciouſeſt Mercies: Oftentimes they have but ſlow beginnings, and no haſty progreſs (it may be) afterwards, but As the Alder-Tree, Borel. l. c.ripen very faſt towards the latter end, like a natural motion, ſlow at firſt, but quick in the cloſe. After God's Promiſe of multiplying Abraham's Seed as the Stars of Heaven, Gen. 15. 5. for above 200 Years of the 400 mentioned, ver. 13. The holy Seed were no more than Seventy. Chap. 46. You will ſay, It was but a backward Spring; but yet for all that, proved a very plentiful Harveſt: Though their beginning was ſmall, yet their latter Job 8. 7.end did greatly increaſe: When that Seventy in a leſs time, grew to ſix hundred thouſand Men, beſide Children, Exod. 12. 37. And of Dan, one Huſhim, Gen. 46. 23. comes to Sixty two thouſand ſeven hundred, Numb. 1. 38, 39. As ſingle Numbers may be but As an Elijah's Cloud, 1 Kings 18. 43, 44, 45.few, but ſoon riſe to vaſt Sums, if you go on to multiply them. And the ſame People in their laſt year in the Wilderneſs, advanced as much towards Canaan, as they had before done in all the former thirty nine. As he that runs fair and eaſily in the beginning of the Race, puts on apace, and makes all ſpeed when now towards the end of it. And ſo God tells the Prophet, that the Viſion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will ſpeak and not ly: Though for the preſent you hear nothing of it, yet at the end it will ſpeak out to purpoſe, and proclaim God to be True and Faithful; and therefore he might well add, though it tarry, yet wait for it. When the Maſter tarries, the Servant waits: And therefore, if God tarry as a Maſter, Faith ſhould teach the Believer to wait as a Servant.
And this not only in fair Way, and the lightſome Summer's Day of Peace and Proſperity, (for, if ſo only, our meaning is, that God ſhould wait on us rather than we on him) but even in deepeſt Ways and fouleſt Weather, and darkeſt Winter-nights of Adverſity and Afflictions, foreign, Yea, even in the Way of thy Judgments, have we waited for thee, O Lord, Iſa. 26. 8.
An irkſom task, I confeſs, and to Fleſh and Blood intollerable, which thinks it's for Melancholick Fools to ſit ſo long waiting and ſtarving in the Dark, and to be looking for a late Morning-light in ſuch long Winter-Nights. It's very hard meekly to tarry God's leaſure, eſpecially when he tarries long, and not one of theſe three ways to miſcarry, and yet all contrary to waiting. After a longer ſighing under Preſſure, and breathing after Eaſe, not, 1. Either to ſink in Diſcouragement, Lam. 3. 18. Or, 2. To riſe up in Diſcontent, as Job, & Pſal. 39. 3. Or, 3. To ſtart out in ſome unwarrantable Way, ſo to make a ſhorter cut to our Freedom, 1 Sam. 27. 1. For we are naturally,
1. Senſual and Brutiſh, extremely affected with preſent Pain and Eaſe, Wants and Enjoyments. Want the wiſdom of a Man, to foreſee what may be beſt for hereafter, and the Faith of a Chriſtian, which is the ſubſtance of things hoted for, and ſo are impatient of waiting upon even God himſelf, of whom we will have preſent Payment, and will give him no more time (though he always allows for it) eſpecially if it be ſomething that we are ſo greedy of, that with Eli's Sons, we will rather have it raw, than ſtay for it.
2. We are very Weak: And a weak Body cannot ſtand long under an heavy Burden without ſinking. How much to do hath a weak ſick Man to get over a long Winter's Night without fainting? Job was half at that paſs, when he ſaid, What is my ſtrength that I ſhould hope? Job. 6. 11, 12. And my ſtrength and my hope is periſhed, ſaid the Lamenting Church, Lam. 3. 18. When her Strength is ſpent that ſhe can bear no more, her Hope is alſo gone with it, that ſhe can wait no longer.
3. Ʋnbelieving. As he that believeth maketh not haſte: So Iſa. 28. 16.nothing ſinks the Heart ſooner than Deſpair, which gives over hoping and waiting together, 1 Sam. 27. 1. They wait (Iſa. 26. 8.) when the deſire of their Souls by Faith is carried out to Piſcator.the remembrance of his Promiſes.
4. Not more Weak than Froward, as the ſick weak Man uſeth to be; and the froward Child crieth fiercely, if you ſtay long. A Burden on a galled Back frets, and makes the Man go fretting, that he cannot ſtandſtill.
5. And very Proud too. Now waiting, as it puts Honour upon him that is waited on, and therefore great ones affect it, ſo it debaſeth the Waiter: And therefore the proud Man cannot endure it, is haſty, cannot wait; no, not upon God himſelf, 2 King. 6. 33. It's not ſo with us, when we are humble; but ever ſome ſtirring of Pride, when we cannot quietly wait, and ſit ſtill.
6. And laſtly, We are very full, as of Self-love, ſo of Self-conceit. The one concludes for our Safety, and the other conſults for Means of it of our own, which uſually are next hand, and ſo we cannot ſtay to wait on God's Counſel, Pſal. 106. 13. This we ſee in Saul, who cannot ſtay for Samuel's coming, when he apprehends preſent danger, 1 Sam. 13. 11, 12. and ſo ſtrains Courteſie and Conſcience together, and Chap. 14. 19. he cannot tarry to wait for an anſwer from God, when he conceives he hath thought of a better Courſe than God could direct him to. Which even David alſo had a ſtrong touch of, Chap. 27. 1. when conſulting with his own Heart about the beſt way of his Safety, he cannot ſtay and wait upon God, who had ſo conſtantly preſerved him: But he muſt needs both dangerouſly and diſhonourably run away to the Philiſtines. No greater Enemy to our truſting and waiting upon God, than leaning to our own underſtandings, Prov. 3. 5. Thus Weakneſs and Ʋnbelief ſink us, Pride and Frowardneſs make us ſwell, and haſtily riſe up againſt God; Self-love, and Self-conceit, make us in unwarrantable ways of our own ſtart out from him; all ſeverally and joyntly keep us from an humble, meek, faithful, ſelf-reſigning Waiting upon him. Which yet there is all reaſon we ſhould endeavour and pr…ctice, if we conſider:
1. Who, and how great that God is, that we are to wait on: O ſhame we our ſelves, whilſt we think how long we can endure to dance Attendance on great Men, and have not the patience to wait half the time on the Great God. How blaſphemouſly irrational was his reaſoning? 2 Kings 6. 33. This evil is of the Lord: What ſhould I wait on the Lord any longer? The Prophet teacheth us a better and a quite contrary Inference, Hoſ. 12. 6. becauſe he is Elohim; the Great God, and ours, we ſhould therefore wait on him continually.
2. Who, and how Mean we are that do wait: poor Beggers; and Beggers may well be Waiters: The poor of the Flock waited on me, ſaith the Prophet, Zech. 11. 11. We are Poor, let us not be ſo Proud, as not to be willing to wait, but ſo Ingenuous as to bluſh, when we think how long we let the Begger wait at our Doors, and yet have not our ſelves the patience to wait any time at God's, who yet are but Beggers.
At beſt but Servants: And doſt thou expect that thy Servant ſhould wait on thee, and not thou on God? Eſpecially ſeeing Waiting in Scripture is put for Service, Prov 27. 18. So it's that piece of Service, which God ſometimes only calls for, only to wait on our Maſter, when we cannot work for him: That which both fits us for Work, and which God expects (even Waiting upon him both for Pardon and Acceptance) after all our Working, Luke 17. 7, 8.
3. As Great as God is, and as Baſe as we are, yet conſider, whether in waiting God hath made us ſtay long:
Either abſolutely, when ſometimes he hath prevented our Prayers and Thoughts, Iſa. 65. 24. So that as it is Chap. 30. 18, 19. He hath waited, that we might not wait: Not we ſo much, as He hath waited to be Gracious. And have we ſo much cauſe to be thankful to God, that He hath oftentimes reſcued us ſo ſpeedily, and can we ſee no cauſe then to be content when (always for ſome good Cauſe) He ſometimes comes in more ſlowly? Oft-times abſolutely it hath not been long that God hath made us wait.
At leaſt comparatively, not ſo long; as
Our Betters have waited on him. Heman from his Youth, Pſal. 88. 15. and David, all the day, Pſal. 25. 5. Our ſelves have waited on Men for leſſer Matters: Have made others wait on us for Trifles.
Nay, have made God himſelf wait on us, (1.) For firſt Converſion; Hand held out all the day long, Rom. 10. 21. (2.) Afterwards for further Entrance and Communion. Chriſt ſtands and knocks at his Spouſe's Door till his Head be full of Dew, and his Locks with the Drops of the Night, Cant. 5. 2. for that which after all his waiting he hath gone away without, (as in both thoſe places); and 1 Pet. 3. 20. His Long-ſuffering waited One hundred and twenty years in the days of Noah, and yet was diſappointed.
4. Though never ſo long, yet not longer than till we be once fit for it. Though till then it did tarry, yet then it will not, Hab. 2. 3. Till then God waits, and not we.
5. Fifthly, for the moſt part we have not uſed to wait ſo long on God for Mercies in our want of them, as God hath waited upon us with Mercies in our enjoyment of them. Many of us muſt ſay, that our Fevers have neither been Quotidian, nor Hecticks; our Good days have been more than our Ill days; as with us in this Climate, our longeſt Winter-nights are not longer than our longeſt Summer-days: Our Peace longer than our War, and our Plenty than our Penury; and therefore either abſolutely we have not waited long, or at leaſt in all the former Particulars not ſo long Comparatively that we have cauſe to complain of it.
And though it ſhould be longer, yet not longer, if we conſider the weight and worth of the Mercy we wait for. It's ſometimes no leſs than Chriſt and Salvation thou waiteſt for; aſſurance of God's Love, the mortifying of an habituated Luſt, like the healing of an old Sore, and curing of a Chronical Diſeaſe. It may be it's now the Reſcue of a whole Land from Deſtruction: A right Settlement of Church and State upon ſafe and laſting Foundations. Lameut only after the Lord, and he not too haſty to fret againſt him, though the time be long, 1 Sam. 7. 2. It's a great Load; think not much that it comes not in gallopping, but be drawn on heavily and come in ſlowly: a rich Fraight and Lading; think not a long Voyage long. The Husband man waits with much Long-ſuffering, for the precious Fruit of the Earth, James 5. 7. And ſhall we have no patience left in waiting for the more precious things of Heaven? Say not ſo much, that the Evils are great, which we therefore would make haſte to be rid of: But argue, and think withal, that therefore the contrary Mercies are proportionably great, and therefore ſhould be quietly ſtayed, and in God's Way and Time waited for.
6. And the rather, becauſe humble and ſilent waiting at laſt will never be in vain, and wholly diſappointed, Pſal. 9. 18. At the end the Viſion will ſpeak and not lye, Hab. 2. 3. God bids us wait, Pſal. 27. 14. and if we mean not to diſappoint them, whom we bid ſtay, far be it from us to think God ſo unfaithful, as to let his People's Eyes quite fail with waiting. No, their Experiences and Praiſes bear witneſs for him to the contrary, while they can ſay, Lo, this is our God, 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, Iſa. 25. 9.
7. I might add, that this Salvation, the longer and the more patiently it hath been waited for before it come, it will be moſt ſeaſonably and fully, with more Comfort and Bleſſing: Though, whilſt deferred, it made the longing Heart ſick, yet when come, it is a Tree of Life, Prov. 13. 12. An Iſaac, a ſon of Laughter, that was long waited for. Thus, it will not be in vain at laſt.
8. No, nor for the preſent, were there nothing but what the faithful Soul meets with in the Interim, and whilſt it ſtays waiting, even a Lamenting Church may truly, and feelingly ſay: The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the Soul that ſeeketh him, Lam. 3. 25. And therefore, ver. 26. It is good that a Man ſhould hope, and quietly wait for the Salvation of God. Truly, ſo good, that for many a Mercy it's better with us in the waiting for it, than in the rejoycing of it. More of God's glorious Power (as ſome obſerve) manifeſted to Iſrael, waiting upon him in the Wilderneſs, than when ſettled in Canaan: And more of God's Grace and leſs Sin, expreſſed by David, whilſt he waited upon God for a Kingdom, than when he was poſſeſsed of it. The waiting Soul is all that while kept more awful, humble, heavenly, cloſer to God in Prayer, and Spiritual Communion. Faith, Hope, Love, Meekneſs, Patience, Wiſdom, Courage, are Ingredients in waiting into the very Subſtance (and not only in the Infuſion) and in livelieſt, ſtrongeſt Exerciſes and Operations. Whilſt they wait on the Lord, they renew their ſtrength, they mount up with Wings as Eagles, they run and are not weary, and walk and yet not faint, Iſa. 40. 31.
And therefore upon theſe and the like Conſiderations, in greateſt either outward Dangers, or inward Faintings, let us live by Faith believing, and even die in Hope, then Waiting; and with dying Jacob, in the Text, even breath out our Souls into our Fathers boſom with his I have waited for thy Salvation, O Lord.
Which was the fourth Point, That all in ſtraits we ſhould after his Example wait for God's Reſcue and Salvation. But that's not all. Something yet more which a Fifth Point held out, and that (as ſome think) according to the ſpecial meaning of the Text.