Gods Waiting to be Gracious Unto His People, Sermon · Part 1
Vse.
And before we come to the maine Vse the holy Ghost makes of this truth here in the text, this Doctrine of Gods waiting will serve to many gracious purposes.
1. To discover Gods Patience 1. Towards his enemies.To teach us to admire and adore the infinite patience of God even toward the enemies themselves; who, when his justice and fury might have surprized them before they had done halfe so much mischiefe or spit halfe so much venome and malice, and have kickt them into hel for the first box on the care which ever they gave any of his beloved children, doth yet suffer them to goe on and take their fill of sin and drinke themselves even drunke with the blood of his people!
This was that which the Prophet Habakkuk stood and wondred at, O Lord (saith he) thou art of purer eyes then to behold evill, and canst not look on iniquitie: i.e. with approbation: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deale treacherously, Habb. 1.13.and holdest thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous then he? how comes it to passe that while the enemies of thy glory, truth and people, beate and wound, and slay thy people before thy face, thou standest still and holdest thy peace, and dost not so much as say, Why doe ye so? for though thy people are bad, thine enemies are worse; though thine Israel is not so good as they should be, yet they be better then Babylonians, more righteous then they; Lord I know thou dost not approve and justifie their wickednesse and crueltie, for thou art of purer eyes, &c. but why Lord dost thou suffer it? what parent on earth could have the patience to see a slave whom he bought with his money smite a tenderly beloved Childe on the face before his eyes, and not either teare him in pieces, or turne him presently out of doores, with the language and jealousie of Ahasuerus, Esth. 7.8.What will he force the Queene before my face? what will hee murder my Childe before my face, Villain thou shalt not stay one houre in my house! This was the Prophets wonder (brethren) and it may be ours: and surely were hee not a God in patience as well as a God in power, the enemie should not live to give one of his family a second blow.
And secondly as admirable is his patience toward his people, the mixed multitude, 2. Towards his people in generall. Acts 13.18.while hee waites from time to time, and from yeare to yeare for their repentance and reformation, about the time of fortie yeares (it is said of the Israelites) *foreign dicitur cum melior pejores fert m…xes, ut bonus maritus cogitur mores uxoris morosae ferre. Aret.suffered he their manners in the wildernesse, he being good bare with their evill manners which he could not approve; (for so the word signifies.)
Alas, all that time (as afterward) what adulteries and idolatries, what murmuring and infidelitie, what contradiction and blasphemie did God put up at their hands? the Epitome whereof ye have pathetically exprest by the Prophet Ezek. Chap. 20.13.16.21. They rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me, they did not cast away every one the abomination of his eyes, neither did they forsake the Idols of Egypt, then I said I would poure out my furie upon them, to accomplish my anger against them, &c. but I wrought for my names sake. They rebelled, I lifted up my hand to destroy them, but I wrought for my names sake, and this foure times repeated over in this Chapter: yea so often repeated in their practise, till God at length could forbeare no longer, 2 Chron. 26.14.15.16. How may we read this Chapter over England for the space of fourescore yeeres and upward, we have rebelled by Idolatry and Adultery, and Sabbath profanation, by pride and fulnesse of bread, Heresie in Doctrine, corruption in Ordinances, superstition in worship, &c. and he hath lifted up his hand to destroy us, threatned to drown us in a red sea of blood in Queen Maries dayes, but he wrought for his names sake; lifted up his hand to destroy us by Water in 88. and by Fire in the Gunpouder Treason, but he wrought for his names sake, he hath lifted up his hand of late, and threatned as it were to destroy us by the tyranny of the Prelacie, and the frequent treacheries of the popish partie, as the Lord liveth there was but a step between us and death; 1 Sam. 20.3.but still he hath wrought for his names sake, so that wee may Christen our deliverances with an Eben-ezer, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us.
Oh beloved Christians, all these yeares what pride and contempt, what oaths and blasphemie, what temptations and bitter provocations hath God put up at the hand of a sinfull and foolish generation? and is not England yet destroyed? is she not consumed with Sodomes fire that hath boyled in Sodomes lust? hath she acted Israels sins, and hath she not yet suffered Israels plagues? Oh wonder of patience!
Thirdly, consider it thou also that hearest in particular these words or readest these lines, consider how God hath followed thee from Sabbath to Sabbath, from Sermon to Sermon, from Ordinance to Ordinance; yea, it may be, from Tavern to Tavern, from Alehouse to Alehouse, from one sin to another, and from one place and company of sinning to another; thou hast been drunk it may be more times then thou canst reckon, told more lies then thou canst number, multiplyed acts of uncleannesse above possibility of account, out-sworn the number of thy haires, curst or denied God in thy heart; quencht the Spirit, crucified the Son of God afresh by thy unworthy receiving the Lords Supper, there shed his bloud, and then trampled it under thy feet in a vile and wretched conversation; out-sinn'd the number of the starres, the sands of the sea, and art thou yet out of hell? how often hast thou stradled over the mouth of the bottomlesse pit, and art thou not yet falne into that boyling Canldron, that fiery flaming unquenchable furnace. Oh stand and wonder at the Patience of God; admire, feare; bow thy head and worship, and say, Who is a God like thee, pardoning sin and passing by iniquities?
Consider what Saul said to David, 1 Sam. 24.19.If a man finde his enemie, will he let him goe well away? but God hath found thee, he hath had thee at a thousand advantages, thy feet have been in the stocks, he hath had thee under his knees in such a sicknesse and such a danger, and hath he not yet bound thee hand and foot and throwne thee into Hell? Job 13.27.Oh mirrour of long sufferance and patience! Rom. 2.4.Studie to know what is meanes, and follow the ducture of it, or else thou art undone for ever.
Well, wonder at it, I say, Vse. 2 but that thou maist not wonder and perish, take heed England, take heed man woman, or who ever thou art, take heed thou doe not over burden the patience of God, by new delaies of repentance and reformation, for I heare God complaining, Amos 2.3.Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. Behold! ah, how can we behold it without feare and astonishment? that hee who by a word of his mouth beares up Heaven and Earth, should complaine of the burthen of our sins as unsupportable, pressed as a cart that is full of sheaves, that cracks, and is even ready to burst under its pressure; by reason whereof you may heare him threatning as well as complaining, Isai. 1.24.Ah I will ease me of mine enemies, and be avenged of mine adversaries. Take heed I say what you doe, for if the Axletree of his Patience burst, the burden will fall upon you, an heavie burden: Isai. 30.27.Behold, the Name of the Lord commeth from farre, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavie, a burden so heavie that you would be glad to change it for hils and mountaines; for so I heare some crying out, Revel. 6.17.Mountaines, Fall on us, and Rocks cover us, and hide us from the face of him that sits on the throne, &c. at best expect that if ye put God to his How longs, now; God put you to your how longs, hereafter; if ye put God to complaine still, How long refuse ye to keep my commandements, Exod. 16.28.and my lawes? Numb. 14.11.How long will this people provoke me? How long will it be ere they beleeve me, for all the signes which I have shewed among them? Vers. 27.How long shall I beare with this evill generation that murmur against me? Psal. 4.2.&c. How long will you turne my glory into shame, how long will ye love vanitie? How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicitie?Prov. 1.22.
How long shall thy vaine thoughts lodge within thee? Jer. 4.14. Jer. 23.14. Jer. 31.22. Hos. 8.5. Matth. 17.17.How long shall this be in the heart of the Prophets that prophesie lies? How long wilt thou goe about, O backsliding daughter? How long will it be ere they attaine to innocencie? How long shall I suffer you?
If you still, I say, put God to complaine thus, look that God will also one day pay you in your own coyne, & put you to your how longs, and then you complaine.Psal. 6.3.
But thou, O Lord, how long? Psal. 13.1.2.How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord, for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take Counsell in my soule, having sorrow in my heart? How long shall my enemie be exalted over me? Psal. 14.10.O God how long shall the adversary reproach, shall the enemie blaspheme thy Name for ever? Psal. 19.5.How long Lord wilt thou be angry forever, shall thy jealousie burn like fire? Psal. 89.46.How long Lord wilt thou hide thy selfe for ever, shall thy wrath burn like fire? Psal. 90.13.Return O Lord, how long? Lord how long shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked triumph? how long shall they utter and speake hard things, and all the workers of iniquitie boast themselves?
Expect that God put you to complaine with your brethren in Ireland and Germanie.
How long shall I see the standard, Jer. 4.21.and heare the sound of the trumpet? Jer. 12.4.How long shall the land mourne and the hearbs of the field wither? How long O Lord of Hosts, Zech. 1.12.wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah? Revel. 6.10.How long O Lord, Holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth?
Expect it, I say, yea and that in the midst of all these sad complaints that be our condition which the Church bewailes:
There is no more any Prophet, Psal. 74.9.neither is any left among us that knoweth How long? If you aske how long, there be none to tell you How long; or that which is worst, lest it be such an answer as God makes to the Prophet Isaiah's How long? Isai. 6.11.Make the heart of this people fat, and make their eares heavie, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed: a sad and fearefull commission! Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Vntill the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the land utterly desolate, and the Lord have removed men farre away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the Land. This would be a cutting answer, (worse then silence) take heed this be your answer; The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own waies: Prov. 14.14.he loves backsliding, and he shall have his belly full of it, he drawes back from God, and God will draw back from him; he puts God to his How longs? and God will put him to his how longs? If thus you would not have it befall you, accept the Counsell of the Holy Ghost, To day if ye will heare his voice, Heb. 3.7.8.harden not your hearts; If you would not wait long for Gods Salvation, let not God wait long for your Repentance and Reformation; call thou upon thy soul as well as on God, not only Make no long tarrying, O my God, but make no long tarrying O my Soule; Remember Salvation hangs not upon a yeare, but a day, To day if you will heare, &c. and that day is but the foreign, the Now, the present moment. Now is the accepted time, 2 Cor. 6.2.Now is the day of Salvation.
Thirdly, Vse 3 To Gods own people by peculiar Covenant must a word of counsell be directed.To stirre God people to godly sorrow.
Doth God wait for a fulnesse of sorrow in you, doe you then hasten deliverance by answering Gods expectation, doe you labour to draw water and poure it out before the Lord. More mourners, more sorrow, more tears, more soul affliction: for the Lords sake, for the Lands sake: and make hast, make haste. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, consider ye, Jer. 9.17.and call for the mourning women, that ye may mourn. Consider ye, i.e. gather together all the humbling considerations both of sin & wrath, both nationall and personall. Call for the mourning women, i. e. use all advantages to worke these considerations so impressively upon your hearts, that if it were possible Jeremiahs wish might be fulfilled in you, Your heads might be waters, Vers. 1.and your eyes a fountaine of tears, that you might weep day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people.
There want not incentives to this duty, Motives. for first me thinks I hear the Churches in Germany, Bohemia, Motive. 1 the Palatinat with our afflicted slaughtered Brethren in Ireland cry out to us, The Churches afflictions. Lam. 1.12.Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by? doth it nothing concerne you? Ye that like the Priest and Levite look on my wounds and passe on carelesse, pittielesse, O behold and see whether there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. Pittie me oh my friends, pittie me oh my friends in England, pittie me oh my friends in Scotland, for the hand of the Lord is gone out against me. Motive. 2
Secondly, The sins of Gods people have an hand in the Churches trouble.Consider that what evils are upon Sion, you have had an hand in the procuring of them, that fire which you behold devouring Kingdomes, and laying wast Cities and families to the very ground, your sinnes have either been the coales that have helpt to kindle it, or the faggots which have added to the flame. It is not, (beleeve it) it is not the sinnes of the prophane Idolatrous multitude, Deut. 32.19.that have made this great combustion in Christendome, it is the provocation of his sonnes and daughters that have caused him to hide his face; and therefore let me bespeake you as the Prophet Malachi did the Priests of his time (and I pray God with better successe) And now I pray you beseech God, Mal. 1.9.that he will be gracious unto us, this hath been by your means, you have had an hand in this great combustion; As therefore you have brought the fewell of your sins to encrease the fire of his wrath, so cast on the waters of true Repentance, lest it break forth and there be none to quench it.
Thirdly, Motive. 3 Remember that none shall rejoyce with Sion but those that mourn with her. None shall rejoyce with Sion, but those that mourne for her. Isai. 66.10.Rejoyce with Ierusalem, and be glad with her all ye that love her, and rejoyce for joy with her all yee that mourne for her; they and they only shall rejoyce in the Churches joy that weepe her teares and mourne her sorrows, The Prophet Habakkuk understood this mystery, Hab. 3.16.and therefore he tells us: When I heard (namely, that dreadfull captivity by the Babylonians threatned, Chap. 1. from the 6. verse to the 12.) my belly trembled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottennesse entred into my bones: A grievous horrour it was that did enervate all his sinews, and disjoynt all his bones, that one limbe could hardly hang by another, and what was the end of all this? it followes, And I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble. Observe and consider it, none shall rest in the day of trouble, but those that are troubled in the day of rest.
Fourthly and lastly, Motive. 4 Wicked men make haste to fill up the measure of their sins, therefore &c.Look abroad and you shall find wicked men making hast to fill up the measure of their sinnes, and therefore doe you make hast also to fill up the measure of your sorrow; they fill up the bag apace, they croud in their sinnes as fast as they can into the bag, as I shall shew you hereafter; Oh doe you make hast to fill up the bottle with your tears, if the bag be full and not the bottle, we may thank our selves & not our enemies, that our deliverance makes no more hast. Oh let not God wait at thy doore, it may be thy tears, thy sorrows will doe it, oh let not so glorious a deliverance as is already within view, goe back and miscarry for want of thy Contributions.
I should proceed to make some farther use of this doctrine, the breasts of it are full of consolation, out of which you may such and be satisfied; but because the work is long and my time short, I will therefore hasten to the use which the holy Ghost makes of it, here in the Text, which is to stirre up all the people of God, that since God waits to be gracious, &c.
They should therefore learne to wait upon God. Blessed are they that wait on him.
Wherein there are two things.
1. The duty of the Saints, scil. To wait on God.
2. An Incentive to the duty, viz. Blessednesse, it is a blessed thing to; or they are an happy people that wait on God. Blessed are all they that wait on him.
First, for the duty.
It is a duty David commends to all the people of God under the pressures and oppressions of wicked men. Wait on the Lord and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land. Psal. 37.34. The dutie of waiting on God.When man would thrust thee down, and cast thee out of the land, thou hast nothing to doe, but to wait on God, and let nothing turn thee out of thy rode, God shall exalt thee, and thou shalt inherit the land.
And the Prophet prescribes thee no physick but such as he took himselfe: he gives thee no counsell, but such as he chargeth upon his own soule. Psal. 27.14.Wait on the Lord, he bespeaks himself, as you may see, verse 13. I had fainted, unlesse I had believed. Well, saith he, doe so still oh my soule, wait on the Lord; wait I say on the Lord; doe it, see thou doe it. I charge thee wait on God, and thou shalt not lose thy labour, He will strengthen thy heart. Yea, it is a duty that God enjoyns all his people at all times, Turn thou to thy God, Hos. 12.6.keep mercy and judgement, and wait on thy God continually. What ever the strait or danger may be, they have nothing to doe but to repent and reforme, and to wait on God.Consists of 3. Ingredients.
In the opening and pressing of this duty, I will briefly shew you
1. What it is to wait on God.
2. Some directions to get your heart into a waiting frame.
3. Some encouragements or Motives.
For the first take notice that there be three especiall ingredients goe to the making up of this duty, which I will but name, and then presse them upon you by way of Exhortation.
The first ingredient in waiting on God is, 1. Ingredient, Faith. Heb. 11.1.Faith.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. That is, Faith gives the soule a substantiall, firme and clear bottome to stand upon, while it waits upon God, though the things we wait for do not appeare to sense and reason; and therefore saith David in the forequoted place, Psal. 27.13.I had utterly fainted, unlesse I had beleeved. [I had utterly fainted] is not the Text; the Hebrew reads onelyonly, unlesse I had beleeved, the other is in the sense. I had fainted, I had sunk over head and eares in fears and despairs, had I not beleeved. Faith was the bottome of his waiting on God. Aquin. 1. 2. q. 40. Art. 4. desperatio importat quendam recessum à re desideratâ propter impossibilitatem adipiscendi. 2 Kings 6.33. Nullum peccatum donec animus victus impatientia resistendi. Tertull. de ira. Omne peccatum est impatientia. Idem.Faith discovered to him on what grounds he might stand; as namely, Gods faithfulnesse, and All-sufficiency, &c. and therefore he doth still encourage himself to hold on this course, wait on God, wait I say on the Lord. He that beleeveth not, doth not wait but despaire. And therefore the Schooles define despaire to be Quando animus impossibilitate victus, cedit, when a man taken captive with the apprehension of impossibility gives over waiting and working, as he did, This evill is of the Lord, why should I wait on the Lord any longer? As Tertullian observes of sinne, that it is the yeelding up of the soule when it is impatient of resisting any longer: So may I say of despaire, it is the yeelding up of the soul when it is impatient of waiting any longer.
The second ingredient is Patience; 2. Ingredient, Patience.Waiting implyes delay, and delay without patience is insupportable. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. Prov. 13.12.Delay is a sore sicknesse, and patience is the onelyonly cure of it, without which, that sicknesse will prove death, I had utterly fainted, ut sup. If we hope for that we see not, Rom. 8.25.then doe we with patience wait for it. Patience is the very soule and life of waiting, waiting without patience is nothing else but fury and enraged discontent.
The third Ingredient is diligence and activity, 3. Ingredient, Diligence.He that waiteth for a merciemercy, must serve Gods providence in the use of all the means which God hath sanctified for the accomplishment thereof, it is diligence as well as faith and patience that must inherit the promises, We desire that every one of you doe shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end, Heb. 6.11.12.that ye be not slothfull, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Waiting without diligence is nothing but slothfulnesse and security.These three prest by way of Exhortation. 1. Wait Beleevingly.
Give me leave now to presse these three upon you by way of Exhortation.
First then, Wait beleevingly, oh thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, whether for the Churches sorrows, or thine owne sufferings, He that shall come, Hab. 2.3.will come, and will not tarry. The vision is for an appointed time (saith the Prophet Habakkuk to the Church and people in his dayes) but what shall we doe (might they say) in the mean time? why, you must tarry, wait for it. How? it follows in the next verse, The just shall live by saith. He that cannot beleeve, cannot live; when troubles come, and dangers come, and fears come, his hope will dye, his comfort will dye, his heart will dye, and sinke within him like a stone, as Nabals did; get faith, or in a time of trouble you are but dead men. Christians should wait for God, as the husbandman doth for the harvest. Jam. 5.7.Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the pretious fruits of the earth, how doth he wait? as with patience, so with faith. Husbandmen even such as want divine and saving faith, doe yet by a naturall faith bear up themselves in the expectation of a harvest; a naturall faith, I say, arising meerly from the observation of the constant course and circle of providence, wherby he sees it comes to passe (according to the Promise and Covenant of God after the deluge) that Seed-time and Harvest, Gen. 8.22.cold and heat, summer and winter, &c. doe never cease: and therefore herein he doth comfort and support himselfe over all his cost, and travell of feed-time, his harvest he hopes will make him amends for all. Let Gods people learne of the Husbandman; and from the constant experience and observation of Gods faithfulnesse, and all-sufficiencie in the constant Methods of his providence towards his suffring Church and people, learn to wait on God not with a naturall only but a divine faith, and gracious recumbencie of Spirit. Light is sowne for the righteous: Psal. 97.11.and joy for the upright in heart. Light is sowne, it is seed time now, it will be harvest hereafter, when they that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: when they that carry forth precious seed weeping, shall come againe rejoycing, and bring their sheaves with them.
Thus doth the Church beleevingly encourage her selfe, Isai. 25.9. 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. See how holily confident she is! it is not peradventure, or it may be, or who knowes? (as some where in Scripture) but He will save us, we will, or we shall rejoyce and be glad in that Salvation which he will vouchsafe unto us. As a wife whose husband at his departure sets her a day wherein she should expect his returne; till the day comes she waits, and supports her selfe with the approach of the promise of his returne: and when the day comes, she waits till dinner time, but he comes not (it may be) till supper, and she cannot see him; it growes late, and her servants desire her to goe to bed, for surely say they the Master will not come to night; nay, but she waits still from houre to houre, and resolves to wait till break of day, for saith she, he will come, he promist me he would come, and he never broke promise with me yet; I know he will not faile me now, if he be alive: So saith the beleeving soul, This is our God, we have waited for him, he will save us, he hath promised to save us, Psal. 9.10.18.if we wait upon him, and he never failed his people yet; and therefore though some unbeleeving and distrustfull thoughts would tempt it to lie downe in despaire, yet the soule resolves to wait till the day dawne and the sun of Righteousnesse arise upon it with healing in his wings. He will come, he said he would come; we shall rejoyce and be glad in his Salvation.
And therefore let all that mourne for Sion, and sigh and weep for her pressures and oppressions read over the Promises wherein God hath engaged himselfe for the rescue and redemption of his persecuted languishing Church and people; and make Catalogues of all the Monuments and Experiences of Gods Faithfulnesse and All-sufficiency both publike and personall in making good his Promises; the Result whereof is as the waters of Noah, Isai. 54.9.or as the Covenant which God made upon the drying up of those waters: scil. that as God sware then that the waters of Noah should no more return to cover the earth, so hath he also sworne that a deluge or inundation of affliction and persecution shall no more cover and drowne his waiting Church and people wholly and for ever. The Vision may be for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speake, and not lie, and therefore though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry; though it may seeme to tarry your time, it will not tarry Gods time; wait Beleevingly: it will be your support, Psal. 27.14. and Gods glory, Rom. 4.20.
Secondly, wait Patiently, 2. Wait patiently in Opposition 1. To restlesnesse of minde.and that in a two-fold respect, scil.
As Patience is opposed to
Restlesnesse.
Making haste.
First, wait Patiently, as Patience is opposed to Restlesnesse. In all the pressures and oppressions that may or doe befall you, whether Nationall, Domestique, or Personall, take heed of giving way to disquieting and distracting feares and perturbations of minde; take heed of uncomely and unchristian deporture, either of inward impressions, or of outward expressions by word or gesture, such kinde of distempers the Prophet David saw raigning in gracelesse people, and dwelling in Gods owne children; himselfe and other of the Saints were too prone to fall into such unbeseeming fits; and therefore he layes in this Caveat in case of the insultings and prevailings of wicked men; Fret not thy selfe; Psal. 37.1.7.impatience doth not onelyonly not ease, but extremely aggravate an affliction: it is not as Oile, but Salt & Vineger in the wound which causeth it to fret, and scald and burne the more. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him; wait patiently for his Promise, and rest in his worke, rest in his will: Labour to quiet and calme all those tempestuous workings and boilings of spirit, with that word wherwith Christ becalm'd the raging sea, Peace, be still. So David, Psal. 42.5. Why art thou cast downe, Oh my Soule, and why art thou disquieted within me? hast thou any cause thus tumultuously and tempestuously to rise and rage within me? Is this done like a Son of Abraham? doth this become a David? a Beleever? a Child of Promise? will this bring honour to God, or ease to thee? The Cup that my Father giveth me, shall I not drink of it? downe proud heart, be still oh my impatient unbeleeving spirit, not a word more, wilt blubber and sob, and fullen in this unworthy manner? Peace, I charge thee, fetch another sigh if thou darest; Hope thou in God, is he not able, faithfull, willing to help and deliver? did he ever faile thee? fie for shame, what a quile is here? thus he questions and chides, and charges his owne heart, as the mother the sullen froward childe, that is like even to spoile his face, and even to split his heart in a peevish Mood. Psal. 73.22.Doe thou as David did, expostulate the matter with thine owne impatient heart, chide thy selfe with bitter language, foole, beast, mad man what dost thou? art got no further yet, after so much hearing and praying, and experience? art still to seek as if thou hadst no God, or one, thou darest not trust? Lay charges and commands upon thine owne soule, say, Hope in God, I charge thee in the Name of God, be quiet, wait patiently upon him; and if the winds and stormes will not obey thee, goe, run to Christ, awake him, with the Disciples, Master, carest thou not that I perish? and desire him to speake the word of command once more, Peace, be still; and if he will speak, there shall be a gracious calme, and a sunshine in thy Soule; stormes and tempests will obey Christ, though they will not obey thee. Remember this, a Christian should give way to no more sadnesse and dejection of Spirit, then he can give good reason for; Why art thou cast downe, &c.
Againe, wait Patiently, 2. In opposition to making haste. Isai. 28.16.as Patience is opposed to Making haste. Indeed he that beleeveth will not make haste; or at least so farre as he beleeveth: for there is in our natures this great evill, that we are quickly weary of our burdens; and make more haste a great deale to have them removed then our sins, which are the cause of those burdens whether nationall or personall. God takes notice of it, and discovers it to us, because we will not easily discover it in our selves. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, Isai. 51.14.and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should faile, &c. that is, men surprized and taken captive in any affliction whatsoever (for it is a figurative speech, and under one kinde of affliction, all is understood) makes haste to be delivered: thinkes every houre a weeke, and every weeke a yeere, and every yeere seven till he be set free; as a poore wretch taken prisoner in a strange Countrey, reasoneth thus within himselfe; Well, this bread will not long keepe life and soule together, here I shall certainly be starved to death, I shall never be delivered; so, men in their unbeleeving impatient hasty fits, when afflictions presse hard and lie long upon them, resolve with themselves, well I shall never be delivered, we shall never see good day more; oh what shall become of us, we are undone, we are undone. The Jewes in Captivitie were in such a fit, when they said, Ezek. 37.11. Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost, we are cut off for our parts; as if they had said. Do ye tell us of a return from Captivitie? talke ye of seeing Sion againe? a likely matter! dry bones may as soone live again as ever Israel get out of Babylon; no, no, our best dayes are gon; farewell Sion; neither we nor any of ours are likely ever to see thee againe; this Babylonian Captivity will eat us and our children quite out; and there will be an end of us; we are as sure here as a dead man in his grave. And thus because enlargement came not in in their time, they would not beleeve it should come at all: because they were not delivered presently, they conclude they shall never be delivered. Hab. 1.5.Thus they that would not beleeve the Captivitie when threatned in the day of their securitie, would not now beleeve their return when promised in the day of their trouble. Securitie alwayes ends in Despaire. But that by the way. David himselfe was in such an hasty moode. I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes. Psal. 31.22.David made such haste to be delivered, that he thought he should never come out of trouble; no, God will stand by and see me murdred before his face by this bloud-sucker, Saul; I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul; I am but a dead man; Psal. 116.All men are lyars: Samuel himselfe that told me I should be King: alas, I am cut off in the very sight of God.
Thus, I say, men make haste to be delivered; and more haste then good speed many times: for by over-hasting their deliverance they many times se… it back many degrees by which it had gon forward while they take not the right course; what is that … it followes in the next vers. Isai. 51.15. But I am th… Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared the Lord of Hosts is his Name. q. d. Men make hast… out of their afflictions, but they goe not the right way to worke; they doe not look up to me, the mighty God; I that divided the red sea, and then when it was most tempestuous, when the waves thereof roared, and made it a way for my Redeemed to passe over: I could as easily divide the seas of affliction, when most rough, when deep cals to deep by the noise of the waterspouts; and make a safe and a speedy passage through them into a place of rest; I that am the Lord of hosts, and have all the armies of Heaven and earth attending upon my command, I could easily scatter and destroy the Armies of the Rebels; I could and would soone have subdued their enemies, Psal. 81.14.and turned my hand upon their adversaries; with the turning of an hand I would have destroyed them, and delivered my people, if they would have learn'd to wait upon me, and stay my leasure: but I said, Isai. 30.15.in returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietnesse and in confidence shall be your strength, and ye would not, there is the mischiefe; if people may not have deliverance in their own time and their own way, they will have none at all. It was a desperate speech of that wretch (whether the King or his servant, I well know not,) 2 Kings 6.33.This evill is of the Lord, why should I wait upon the Lord any longer? why shouldst thou? nay wretch, why shouldst thou not wait upon the Lord longer? thine own mouth shall convince and condemne thee, for if the evill were from the Lord, none could remove that evill from thee, but he that laid that evill on thee. Fooles in the impatience of their spirits doe sin against God and their owne arguments. Saul was in a fit of despaire and madnesse when he forsooke God to go to the witch; as if because God would not help him the Devill should. It is a dangerous thing to be too quick with God, short-spirited men give away their hopes for nothing, it cost Saul both his kingdome and his soul too. To morrow shalt thou be with me, said the Devil; Happy had Saul been if God had said so, and it may be he might have heard those words from God, if he had used as much pains and patience in seeking God, as he did the Divel.
David was in a sweet temper in his affliction, which he reports to all the world for their imitation. I waited patiently for the Lord. Psal. 40.1.How long did he wait? himself will resolve you, even till he cryed himselfe weary, his throat dry, and his eyes dimme. I am weary of my crying, Psal. 69.3.my throat is dried, mine eyes faile while I wait for my God. Oh invincible patience! unconquerable expectation! though he was weary in waiting, he was not weary of waiting.
And truly David lost nothing by it, for so it follows, And he enclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me also out of an horrible pit, &c. And he hath put a new song within my mouth. Psal. 40.2.3.David praying is at length David speeding. David sinking is now David rising. David walking, David waiting is now David singing, David triumphing. What followes? Many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Oh that you would! oh that you might be some of the many, that from such experiments of your owne and others, would learn to see, fear, and patiently wait for, and trust in God. A blessing would tread upon your heels, as on the heels of these words, verse 4 Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud (the enemies of God how great and proud soever) nor such as turn aside to lies. The Apostle calls them to this exercise of patience in their temptations and trials, Let patience have her perfect worke. There is a work of patience, James 1.4.and there is a perfect work; to bear a little burden a little while is a work of patience, but to beare the heaviest burden and a long time, this is a perfect work: but how long may some say? the Apostle will answer, Be patient Brethren till the comming of the Lord. James 5.7.Till his comming? when? not in the last judgement, (I conceive that not the meaning in this place) but till his coming in this or that particular deliverance out of any triall or temptation. In brief, as long as the Lord staies, so long to wait, this is to let patience have line and rope, a perfect worke: His instance of the husbandman shews this to be the meaning, Behold the Husbandman waits for the precious fruits of the earth, and hath long patience for it: how long? it follows, till he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; i. e. be ye also so patient, patient till ye receive, patient till ye reape, wait, and wait patiently, as patience is opposed to making hast, wait till the comming of the Lord, and be of good chear, saith he, it draweth nigh. So may I say, it draweth nigh, nigh to thee, beleeving, patient soule, nigh to England, as I shall shew you hereafter. Be ye also patient, stablish your hearts, for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Well, wait patiently, as patience is opposed to
Restlesnesse.
Making hast.
Remember the word of our Saviour (and I have done with this branch) In patience possesse ye your souls. Patience is a possession, Luke 21.19.better and richer then all the possessions in the world, for it is the possession of ones soule, without it a man is not owner of his own soule, and what shall a man gain if he get the whole world and loose his owne soul. He that hath lost his patience hath lost his soul, he is besides himselfe, a mad man, furor ira brevis, passion is a little phrensie: recover your patience, and you recover your wits; possesse patience, and you possesse your selves, your souls, and with your souls all things else: and therefore in all your troubles wait on God, till he arise to the prey, to the help; Zeph. 3.8.Wait beleevingly, wait patiently.
Thirdly, 3. Wait diligently.Wait actively, wait diligently, waiting is no idle posture, or sitting still, no lazy expectation which is the posture of most; so is the report that the walkers who went to and fro through the earth gave in to the Angell, Zech. 1.10.11.Behold all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest, truly if it be peace and plenty within mens private walls, if the beams of God shine upon their tabernacle, the publike condition of Sion, the sinnes or sufferings of the Church are little laid to heart with most men, they can easily be perswaded to wait for the taking off of publike burdens, especially spirituall, that yoke which neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear. They can be content well enough to wait for Reformation, and let it come at leisure, God may come or goe, and stay as long as he please, and they will wait his leisure, but it's idly and lazily and securely, they will doe nothing toward the mending of the matter. The Apostles complaint may be revived in our later times, Phil. 2.21.All men seek their owne, not the things of Jesus Christs. Their own pleasures, their own profits, their owne ends, their own advantages: not the things of Jesus Christ, not Christs Truths, not Christs ORdinances, worship, not Christs kingdome, glory, greatnesse, &c. And there are not a few of this temper, but many; All, all seeke their owne, all indeed to speak of.
Had not the Common wealth been kept in bondage as well as the Church, had not civill freedome been taken captive as well as spirituall, and had not mens particular Interests been bound up in the publike concernments, how few would there have been think ye, that would have stept over their thresholds and embarkt themselves, and all their interests in the quarrell and cause of Jesus Christ and his precious Gospell?
But God hath been pleased in much mercy to begin to awaken the Kingdome out of that deep sleep of aJudg. 18.7.Laish security, which threatned us with a bvers. 27.28.Laish destruction (as I shall shew you more fully in this ensuing discourse) wherefore let every one awake and rouze up himself to goe forth to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and to serve the goodnesse and providence of our God (which hath prevented us) in a diligent operative active way, according to those faculties and provisions wherewith God hath furnisht every one in their ranke and station. None so meanly invested, but may doe some thing toward Sions enlargement, either by command, authority, learning, riches, counsell, encouragements or prayers. Be doing some thing though it were but to carry a letter for Jesus Christ; if thou hast not gold, silver, precious stones, blew, silk, purple, fine twined linnen, &c. thy Badgers skin and Goats hair may contribute something, and be accepted towards the building of the Tabernacle, the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, Vp and be doing, and the Lord be with thee.
Consider God waits to be gracious to his people, he waits for opportunities that he may doe his people good in the best season: but he doth not fit still all that while, He hath prepared his throne for judgement, Psal. 9 7. and he hath prepared the instruments of death for the enemie, Psal. 7.13. He is preparing the mercy for his people, and them for the mercy; and when he hath fitted them for mercy, he will shew them mercy. God as the Schools speak is summè activus, a pure act, a living God; The Lord Jesus was exceeding active while he was on earth; He went up and down doing good, &c. The Divel waits for mens souls, but he doth not sit still all that while, He goeth up and downe like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure. 1 Pet. 5.8.Our enemies wait to doe mischiefe and to destroy us, but they doe not sit still all this while, they are counselling and plotting, laying snares and digging pits, Psal. 64.5.6.preparing the instruments of cruelty and death: They are (we see) skilfull and apt to destroy.
Is God active to save? was the Lord Christ active to save? the Divel and damned men active to destroy? and shall we alone sit still and doe nothing for our own safety and enlargement? Oh prepare to meet your God, Amos 4.22. with prayers, tears, reformation, seasonable and proportionable fruit to all his cost and pains bestowed on us. Prepare to meet your enemies with all kind of artillery both of nature and grace, that you may not be afraid to speak with them in the gate; or rather that you may be able to keep them off, that they may never come so neer you, they are more easily kept out then cast out. Know ye not that the vowes of God are upon you? hath not God brought you into the bond of the Covenant, for the maintaining of the Gospel, his Majesties Person, Honour and Posteritie, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberties of the Subject, and mutuall defence and safetie with your lives, power and estates? Now therefore brethren and beloved clothe your selves with faith, courage and resolution sutable to the great engagements which in the presence of God, men and Angels you have laid upon your own soules, to wait on the Power, wisdome, and goodnesse of God, which is gon out before you in all just and honourable waies, every one in his place for the making good the oath of God; and the ripening and hastning of our desired enlargement and Salvation; lest otherwise while we sit downe in an idle and prophane security; the enemies rage our owne guilt and perjury, dig our graves for us, and over our tombe be inscribed this Epitaph:
Here lies England that dyed to save the charges of defending themselves.
Oh England wait thou upon God, but wait not sleepingly but seekingly: especially wait upon him in prayer, in dayes of humiliation, in reforming your selves and families, in purging your hearts and lives from whatsoever may hinder or retard our desired and expected deliverance: that we might be able to say with the Church, Isai. 26.8.In the way of thy judgements have we waited for thee, O Lord, the desire of our soule is to thy Name, and to the remembrance of thee. Even in this sence also, Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde so doing. So waiting Beleevingly, Patiently, Actively. More might be added for the qualifying of this duty of waiting on God, but I have farre to goe, and therefore must hasten to the second thing I undertooke, and that is to lay downe some Helps or Directions to get our hearts into a waiting frame and disposition.
To this end I will briefely propound to you a few Considerations, Meanes or Directions to perswade the heart to wait on God.which I shall desire every one to work upon his heart by deep and serious meditation: for it is heart-work, and therefore must be done by taking much paines with our owne hearts and spirits, by meditation and prayer.
First therefore consider the emptinesse and vanitie of all Creature-succours, 1. The Insufficiencie of second causes. 2 Kings. 19.35. Gods All-sufficiencie.and the fulnesse and All-sufficiencie of divine helpe and protection. Sennacherib brings with him an hundred fourescore and five thousand armed men, and sits downe with them before Jerusalem; an army one would have thought able to have conquer'd a whole world before it; who would not have given Jerusalem for lost? and who would not have said, that had gone out of town and left Jerusalem in such a taking, within a few weekes after, by this time Jerusalem is utterly destroyed? Isai. 17.13.and yet behold before the next morning they are but so many dead corpses. Judg. 7.God sends out Gideon with but three hundred poore unarmed men, to encounter a mighty innumerable host of the Midianites, and crownes them with victory and triumph; a thousand such instances might be multiplyed. Holy David had this observation in his eye and heart, when he prayed so earnestly, Give us help from trouble, Psal. 6.11.10.for vaine is the help of man: in the former verse he askt a question, and answeres it himselfe, Who will bring me into the strong Citie, who will lead me into Edom? can Joab my Generall, and all mine host doe it? or if I should hire thousands of Egyptians, and ten thousands of the Assyrians will they serve the turne? no, the horse and the rider will not, cannot doe it, Wilt not thou O God? if thou wilt not, it will never be done while the world stands; while thou hast cast us off, and hast not gone out with armies; we have been beaten, and gone down the wind before the basest and most contemptible of our enemies, whom sometimes we would have laughed to scorne, as poore inconsiderable wretches, but now every one is too hard for us, and can crow over our heads. Now upon this foundation he builds this Petition, O give us helpe from trouble, for vain is the help of man; all the help of man will do us no good if thou help not: and hereupon he doth raise up himself to a sweet and holy dependance upon God; In God we shall doe valiantly, q.d. the Creature cannot, God can, God will. I will wait upon him. See how this consideration fetcht off the people of Israel from their carnall confidence, Jer. 14.22. Jer. 14.22.Are there any of the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause raine, i.e. are there any of the idols of the heathen whom they vainly, and foolishly, and falsly call gods, that can cause raine? they had indeed in times of drought sought to these poore dirty vanities for raine, but alas they were notable to create one drop of water. Can the heavens give showres? they had waited on the heavens; they had observed the windes and the clouds, and the signes and tokens of heaven; and when the wind blew South, and the Moon chang'd; and the skies lookt red and louring; Matth. 16.3.and such and such planets met in their Conjunction; and when the clouds gathered together, and the like; then they said Now it will raine, surely before it be long we shall have some showres: thus they studied their Almanacks more than their Bibles, lookt up to the heavens of God more than to the God of heaven for raine and showres. But when God had confuted all their lying observations, then they could see and confesse their idolatrous folly; for so the question implies a strong negation, Is there any of the vanities of the Heathen? Oh there is not, there is not; can the Heavens give showres? oh they cannot, they cannot, the Heavens of God cannot let fall a drop of rain, but by the command of the God of Heaven; no, no, thou art he that must doe it, O Lord our God; thou, thou only: and what then? why now see how they raise up their hearts into a sweet humble beleeving, patient waiting Resolution, Therefore we will wait upon thee: We will wait no more on the Heathen vanities, we will wait no longer on the heavens, but on the God of the Heavens; He that made the Heavens, he onelyonly can command the Heavens; we will wait on thee; For thou hast made all these things.
Take along with you a parallel place, Jer. 3.23. Truly in vain is Salvation looked for from the hils, and from the multitude of mountaines, i.e. either from their Idols who were plac'd and worship'd in the Hils and mountaines, or from Princes and Nations who over looke their neighbours as much as the hils doe the poore low vallies, or the mountaines the little hils; yea though there were multitudes of them, hils upon hils, mountaines upon mountaines, people upon people, armies upon armies, multitudes of nations and people united and combined together with power and policie, in vaine is salvation, deliverance and rescue looked for from them all; they had found it by dear-bought experience, and so they confesse, ver. 24. for shame hath devoured the labours of our fathers, &c: when the Egyptians were upon them, then they ran to Assyria for helpe, and when the Assyrians came against them, then they fled to Egypt for succour; Ephraim is a silly dove without heart, they call to Egypt, Hos. 7.11.they goe to Assyria. And they wearied themselves in running about for help and deliverance, from one Countrey to another, Jer. 2.36.and from one people to another, but all would not doe; all they got for their labour and travell was but shame and sorrow, as it was threatned, They shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. Isai. 20.5.6.And they shall say in that day, Behold, such is our Expectation whither we flee for help; and so they did indeed as here, Shame hath devoured our labours, our flockes, and our heards, our sonnes, and our daughters, we lie downe in shame, and our confusion covereth us, &c.
Now from this consideration the like inference is implyed here, which they made before in the former place; Therefore we will wait upon thee; and it is exprest in some such language, Hos. 14.3. Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse finde mercy.
Brethren, let their folly and our own too teach us wisdome; and from such experiences lets learne to dispute and reason our selves into a sweet holy waiting frame of heart. Second causes will not doe, It is not armies, nor Kings, nor Parliaments that can deliver us; it is not the multitudes nor combinations of creatures that can help us, Therefore we will wait upon God, My soule wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him. Psal. 62.5.In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: Isai. 26.4.or as the Hebrew expresseth it, A rock of Ages: one Age passeth away but the Rock remains; another Age dyes, but the succeeding Age findes the Rock in its place, unmoveable; and so from age to age to thousand generations the Rock remains; the Creature is but a Rock of an age, a yeere, a monethmonth, a day, it may be quickly beat down about our eares: Isai. 25.20.away Christian to the Rock, the Rock of Eternity, there hide thee, there wait till the indignation be overpast.
The Name of the Lord is a strong Towre, Prov. 18.10. Isai. 33.16.or Munition of Rocks, as Isai. 33.16. Rocks within Rocks, Rocks beneath Rocks, Rocks above Rocks; Rocks so deep no Pioner can undermine them, Rocks so thick no cannon can pierce them, Rocks so high no ladder can scale them.
Object. I but there he may be starved for want of bread, no: bread shall be given him; bread, and it shall cost him nothing, it shall be given; I but a Rock is a dry place though strong, there he may be chokt for want of water; neither: his waters shall be pure; God is an everlasting fountaine as well as an everlasting Rock. He can and will fetch water out of the Rock for his thirsty people that take Sanctuary in him. Oh runne hither and be safe; and by this Consideration winde up your hearts with David into a waiting frame, Psal. 50.9.Because of his strength, I will wait upon God, for God is my defence. No strength but in the Lord Jehovah, no defence but in the Rock of Ages; Therefore will I wait on God.
Secondly, consider God hath waited a long time for us. 2. God hath waited for us.How long did God wait upon thee before thy Conversion? calling inviting, intreating, beseeching, wooing, promising, swearing unto thee, and thou wouldst not heare? How long hast thou made Christ wait at thy doore since thy Conversion? and knock there many times for entrance, Cant. 5.2.till his head hath been wet with the dew, and his locks with the drops of the night, i.e. very long, very late. Well, thinke with thy selfe if God waited so long for me, it is but an equall and an easie censure, if he make me wait a little while for him. If we should make a King wait at our doores an houre, it were more then if he should make us wait at his gates a week, a monethmonth, a yeere. I will beare, said the Church, the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. Micah 7.9.We will wait (may we say) the Lords leasure, because we have made him wait upon us a long time, it is the Churches resolution in the same place, vers. 7. she had considered her carriage against God in the former part of the Chapter, and could see nothing but murder and oppression, and covetousnesse, and treachery, and disloyaltie, and disobedience, &c. in the midst of her streets, and therefore concludes, Well, I have made God wait all this while under my sinnes, therefore I will wait under his punishments, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my Salvation, Vers. 7 my God will heare me. Gods patience under our sins may well purchase our patience under his afflictions.
Thirdly, yea consider, that even now, 3. God doth wait now.it is God that waits, not we. God yet waits for us rather then we wait for God: for some of those purposes which I discovered to you in the opening of the words. He is ready at this instant to give deliverance, but we have not been, neither are to this day fit to receive deliverance, else we had had it before this time. The Patient under his corroding and purging physick, cals for his cordials and restoratives, and complaines of his Physitian, if he delay him, as if he made him stay too long for his cordiall draughts: whereas in truth, the Physitian stayes for him, not he for the Physitian; the cordiall is ready in the Physitians closet, were the Patient fit for it: but alas the malignant poysonous humor is not yet purged and eaten out; to give a cordiall before that time were to gratifie and strengthen the distemper, not the patient.
Thinke thus with your selfe when nationall and personall pressures seeme to lye too long: Oh if we, or I were fit for delivereance we should have deliverance; God hath no delight to afflict more then need; were our pride and idolatry, and selfe love, and other malignant distempers purged out, deliverance would come in alone, God waits for me; I will wait for him: The Lord waits that he may be gracious, &c.
Fourthly, 4. The blessing doth not consist so much in the removing as in the sanctifying of an affliction. Psal. 94.12.consider that the blessing doth not consist in the removing of an affliction, whether publike or private, but in the sanctifying of it. Blessed is the man whom thou correctest and teachest in thy Law. He saith not, Blessed is the man who was in prison, and is enlarged; nor blessed is the man who was sick, and is recovered; nor blessed are the people, who were likely to have been consumed by civill warres, but now a Pacification is made, all warres are husht and gone, and the like; but blessed is the people or person whom thou correctest and teachest, when teachings go along with corrections there is the blessing; when by affliction God teacheth a people or person, the sinfulnesse of sinne, the blessednesse of exact walking, the emptinesse of the Creature, and the fulnesse of Christ, they are blessed indeed. So David acknowledgeth, Psal. 119.71.It is good for me that I have been afflicted: wherein? that I might learne thy statutes. By his afflictions God taught him to walk more exactly, and therein consisted his happinesse. It is good for me; Oh I would not have beene without this affliction for a world. And therefore if you would not make more hast then good speed out of your afflictions, labour more to get them sanctified then removed; chuse rather that the affliction should lie upon the all thy life then be removed before God hath done thy soule good by it: and by this consideration, work thy heart in a waiting frame.
Fifthly, learne to prize a waiting frame of heart more than a present deliverance: God may give a deliverance in wrath, but he never gives a waiting frame of heart, but it is in love. Impatience, frowarnesse, and unbeliefe may wrest a temporary deliverance out of Gods hand, but a woe will tread upon the heeles of such a deliverance; such a deliverance makes way for a greater judgement. But a waiting frame of Spirit is a Grace gotten by the exercise of Grace, given in grace and favour, a speciall fruit of Gods Love, and an infallible forerunner of a gracious enlargement: when God hath brought us to this that we can freely and cheerefully say to God, Thy will be done, God is ready to say so to us, Blessed are they that wait for him.
I have done with the Directions how to get your hearts into a waiting frame; but I would not that you should have done with them also: but doe with them as you doe with oyle to a stiffe joynt, rub and chafe them upon your hearts by deep and frequent meditation and prayer; for remember that a waiting heart is a gift and grace of God, and must be fetcht out of the bloud of Christ; wrastle with God for it, and never let him goe, till he blesse you with it.
I come now to the Motives and encouragements which lye in the heel of the Text, Blessed are they that wait upon him.
It is a blessed thing to wait on God; Motives to wait on God.Or, They be blessed that wait on God. And that in divers respects.
First, 1. They shall not be oshamed that wait on God. Isai. 49.23.They that wait on God shall be blessed in the accomplishment of their hopes, in the answer of their expectation. They shall not be ashamed that wait for me. It is a shame to a man when he waits and misseth of his expectation. The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Shebah waited for them, Job 6.19. namely, for the streams of brooks, vers. 15. which they saw when they passed by that way in winter, but now in the heat of summer, when they stood in most need of them, when their tongues were ready to cleave to the roofe of their mouths for thirst, they were vanisht and consumed out of their places, vers. 17. What then follows? They were confounded because they had hoped, they came thither and were ashamed. Such is the fruit of creature confidence, and waiting on second causes, when God is left out or neglected: Second causes may prove abortive; Parliaments may miscarry; Navies may be broken with furious storms, 1 Kin. 22.48. Armies may be like leaves driven with the wind, Men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are (worse) alye. All the Creature is but an Egyptian reed to trust to. Such were Job's brethren and friends to him in his distresse, My Brethren have dealt treacherously as a brook, &c. vers. 15. Such were Egypt and Assyria to Israel, Isai. 20.5.They shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Ethiopia their glory: But they shall not be ashamed that wait for God. Old Jacob waited for the salvation of God, Gen. 49.18.and saw it in himselfe and his children; temporall and eternall. Psal. 116.1.2.3.David waited for God and was delivered out of the mire, where others would have sunke and perisht, and was set upon a rock, a throne established surer then a rock on the promise of God, Psal. 89.29.Thy throne will I establish as the dayes of Heaven. Good old Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel, and saw it, Luke 2.25.27.and embraced it in his armes.
Oh all you that with Jacob have waited for God's salvation, and with Simeon have waited for the consolation of our English Sion, be of good chear, you shall not be ashamed of your expectation; wait and wait beleevingly; wait, and wait patiently; wait, and wait actively; Surely the Lord will wait to be gracious to England; surely he will be exalted that he may have mercy upon England. Psal. 9.18.The expectation of his poor waiting servants in England shall not perish for ever; It may be deferred, but it shall not perish. And therefore if God be waiting to be gracious, let us stirre up our selves to wait till he be gracious.
And me thinks it should not be long first; that voice seems to sound in mine eares. Thus saith the Lord, Isai. 56.1.keep judgement and doe justice for my salvation is neer to come, and my righteousnesse to be revealed. The righteous salvation of God toward his poor people in England is comming, and that not farre off, It is neer to come and ready to be revealed. God certainly my Brethren, intends to doe good to England, and (I could beleeve) it is neer, even at the very door, only if our unbeliefe and impatience doe not set back the clock of providence, and turn that journey into the land of promise which might be dispatcht, in forty dayes into a forty years pilgrimage, through a wildernesse of danger, difficulty and opposition.
I say therefore to encourage and bribe all Gods people to a beleeving, patient, active waiting-for of God, Isai. 62.11.His salvation is neer to come, and his righteousnesse at hand to be revealed.
And though I cannot preach this good newes to England as the Prophet did to Israel by immediate revelation; yet I speak not without good grounds of warrantable observation: for while I observe wherabout the finger of God is in the Diall of Providence, I doe humbly conceive I may tell this good news to all that fear God, and wait for him in England, Behold thy salvation commeth, behold his reward is with him and his work before him.
That therefore I may not conceale from you the bottome and foundation of my humble confidence, I shall discover to you such Arguments as in my observation of the times I have collected together; which By that time you have throughly viewed and seriously observed what proportion they hold with Scripture, Rom. 15.4.that eternall rule of truth, comfort, and hope; and with the methods and dispensations of God toward his Church and people held out therein, I shall leave every spirituall discerning eye to judge what strength they bear, and with what comfort and encouragement they doe invite you to wait upon God.
There be therefore twelve Argu ments that put me into good hope that God is waiting to doe good to England, the most like the teeth of the Spouse compared to a flock of sheep which goeth up from washing, Cant. 6.6.every one bear twins; and if there be any that goe single, there be others of so fruitfull a wombe, that they will make up the number with a liberall overplus. Surely there is none barren among them.Twelve Arguments that God is doing good to England. First Arg. The approch of Babylons downfall conjectured 1. by a prophesie. Dan. 12.11.