Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 29
SERMON XXIX.
Pſalm CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe, and will obſerve theſe things: even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Am proceeding ſtill, in directing your Obſervation of the motions of Divine Providence, eſpecially in the diſtribution of rewards and puniſhments. Two things I have already of this nature obſerved, I now proceed to a third, which will make a Fifteenth Obſervation.
Obſerv. 15. It is a very ordinary thing for the Providence of God to diſtribute the afflictions and puniſhments of this life, to the very beſt of his people; and as to them ſometimes to ſpare the very worſt of men. I muſt ſtill mind you that there is no rule ſo general, but it will admit exceptions as to particular caſes, though this hath as few as any. The Apoſtle hath told us, Heb. 12.6. Whom the Lord loveth, he chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth every ſon whom he receiveth: if you endure chaſtening, God dealeth with us as with ſons: for what ſon is he whom the Father chaſteneth not: but if you be without chaſtening, whereof all are partakers, then are you baſtards, and not ſons. Hence that ſo uſually quoted paſſage of one of the ancients, Ʋnicum Deus habui…t filium ſine peccato, nullum ſine flagello; God had one, and but one Son without ſin, but he never had any Son without a croſs. Hence ſome particular ſervants of God, have been under ſome temptations at ſome times, to queſtion their ſtate as to the favour of God, becauſe their life hath had ſo little of the croſs in it: but they have been rare examples, to whom Satan hath had an advantage to ſuggeſt ſuch a thought. And as Divines determine it difficult to determine, what ſin a child of God may not fall into, and juſtly too, when-as David fell into murther and adultery, Lot into drunkenneſs and inceſt, and even Peter curſed and ſware, and denied his maſter: ſo it is a matter more difficult to ſay what puniſhment of this life may not fall upon the beſt of men. Indeed ſome Antinomians have made it a queſtion, Whether the afflictions of Gods People may or ought to be called puniſhments or judgments; but it is a ſtrife which they would raiſe about words: if they by puniſhments or judgments, intend ſuch legal demands as God ſhould make for ſatisfaction to his Juſtice, none who underſtandeth what he ſaith, will call the afflictions of good men puniſhments in this ſenſe; if they mean any thing elſe, they much betray their ignorance, for the Scripture expreſly calls them by both. God telleth his People that they ſhould not be altogether unpuniſhed; and the Apoſtle telleth us, That when we are chaſtened, we are judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.32. Moſt certain it is, that it is a very ordinary thing for God in the motions of his Providence to diſtribute all kinds of temporary afflictions, to ſuch as moſt fear his glorious Name, and ſometimes as to ſuch, to ſpare even the worſt of men. Job expoſtulates it with God, Job 21.7. Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in power? their ſeed is eſtabliſhed in their ſight with them, and their off-ſpring before their eyes; their houſes are ſafe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. David confeſſed, that his feet were almoſt gone, his ſteps had well-nigh ſlipt, when he ſaw the proſperity of the wicked: though v. 9. they ſet their mouths againſt heaven; yet v. 4. their ſtrength was firm, and there were no bands in their death; they are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men, v. 7. Their eyes ſtand out with fatneſs, they have more than heart could wiſh. In the mean time, v. 14. David was plagued all the day-long, and chaſtned every morning. This motion of Providence hath been evident in the experience of all ages, and there is none who liveth, but may obſerve it every day: but this is accounted one of the Chapters of Divine Providence, which are hard to be underſtood. I ſhall therefore reſerve my further diſcourſe upon it, till I come to the laſt part of my intended diſcourſe, where I ſhall make it my buſineſs to give you an account of it, and at preſent paſs on to ſome further Obſervations.
Obſerv 16. The next thing I ſhall commend to your remark, is this: That where to humane appearance Providence moveth moſt flowly, either in the puniſhment of the ſinner, or the rewarding the righteous there at laſt it diſtributeth moſt plentifully. I obſerved to you before, that both the puniſhment of the wicked and the reward of the righteous is certain and conſtant, though not always ſenſible nor uniform. Now I deſire you to obſerve that by how much the ſlower it is in the puniſhment of ſinners, or in bringing rewards to the righteous, by ſo much the greater the rewards of the godly men, and the puniſhment of ſinners are when they come. I mean ſenſible rewards and puniſhments, for otherwiſe it is true, which I before told you, God is puniſhing ſinners and rewarding righteous men every day. But as to ſenſible rewards and puniſhments, God is very often ſlow in the diſtributions of them. The Heathens were wont to ſay, tardè molunt Deorum molae, the Gods Mills grind ſlowly; and that their Gods had laneos pedes, feet ſhod with wooll. It is moſt certaintly true of the true and living God. His Mill with which he grindeth ſinners to powder is alwayes going, He is angry with the wicked every day, but it grindeth ſlowly; he is moving always in order to this end, but he hath woollen feet: we cannot hear nor diſcern his motions. But to ſpeak diſtinctly, here are two things in this obſervation. 1. That the Providence of God doth ordinarily move ſlowly in the diſtribution of ſenſible puniſhments to wicked men, or ſenſible rewards to righteous men.
2. That the more ſlow it is in the diſtribution of the one, or of the other, the greater the puniſhment or reward is ordinarily when it cometh. I will begin with ſhewing you the reaſonableneſs of the firſt.
1. How elſe ſhould God juſtifie his attribute of long-ſuffering and patience? The attribute of clemency, patience, long-ſuffering, ſlowneſs to conceive a wrath, is an attribute which God maketh himſelf known by, and doth much glory in, Pſal. 103.8. The Lord is merciful and gracious, ſlow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. Nehemiah in his prayer Neh. 9.17. impleadeth God thus, Thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſs. Joel maketh uſe of it as an argument to perſwade people to repentance, Joel. 2.13. And Jonah telleth God, that he knew him to be ſuch a God, Jonah 4.2. Now how ſhould God juſtifie this name of his, but in his bearing with ſinners a long time, though they be, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction.
2. How elſe ſhould God lead men by patience to repentance, and render ſinners that continue impenitent inexcuſable. This is that account which the Apoſtle Peter giveth us of this diſpenſation of providence. 2 Pet. 3.9. The Lord is not ſlack concerning his promiſe, as ſome men do count ſlackneſs, but is long-ſuffering to us-ward, not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance: and St. Paul Rom. 2.1. ſaith, Therefore thou art inexcuſable, O man, v. 4. deſpiſing the riches of his goodneſs, and forbearance, and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance. When God giveth men and women ſpace to repent, and they repent not, they become inexcuſable, and God is juſtified in the vials of his wrath which he poureth out upon them at laſt.
3. How elſe ſhould God exerciſe the faith, and patience of his people? The exerciſe of faith is upon an unſeen reward, believing what we have no ſenſible evidence of; the exerciſe of hope lies in a looking out for it, for what we ſee, why do we yet hope for? (ſaith the Apoſtle) the exerciſe of patience is in waiting for it, and a quiet ſubmiſſion to the will of God, in bearing what the Lord will pleaſe to lay upon us, while we are in our way to our promiſed reward. If Gods providence were not ſlow in executing his juſtice, he could not magnifie his own patience and long-ſuffering, and if he were not ſlow in the diſtributions of ſenſible rewards, he could not exerciſe our faith or patience: this is the Reaſon why the Providence of God doth often move ſlowly in the diſtribution both of rewards and puniſhments.
2. But ſecondly obſerve, by how much the ſlowlier God proceedeth to judgement againſt ſinners, by ſo much the more ſmart the vengeance is when it comes; and by how much God appeareth more ſlow in the rewards of the righteous, by ſo much the greater the reward is. It is obſerved that thoſe men who paſs their lives with the leaſt ſickneſs, are uſually cut off by, or eſcape very narrowly from the firſt ſickneſs they meet with, either becauſe the conſtitution of their bodies is ſo ſtrong, that a light ſickneſs will not ſhake them but ſome very acute and malignant diſtemper, or becauſe in their long time of health, they have by degrees contracted a very ill habit of body, ſo that when they fall down it is a very hard matter to reſtore them again. The ſame may be obſerved as to Gods providential diſpenſations to wicked men, there are ſome againſt whom God proceedeth a long time very ſlowly: though he be angry with them every day, yet he ſpareth them, and doth not fall upon them by any ſevere diſpenſations; but when he doth ſtrike he ſtrikes not twice, he maketh a full end. God bore with the Amorites a a great while; they were a wicked people in Abrahams time, but their iniquitie was not full, Gen. 15.16. God bare with them four hundred years after that, but when he brought judgement upon them, it was a dreadful judgement, as you may both learn by the ſeveral commiſſions given out by God to the Iſraelites againſt them, and the dreadful deſtruction of them, of which you read in the book of Joſhua. Before them God bare with the world a long time, after he had taken up a purpoſe to deſtroy them, and revealed it to Noah, Gen. 6.1, 2, 3. he gives them yet the ſpace of an hundred and twenty years; but they abuſing his patience in that time alſo, he brought the flood upon them, and conſumed them all but Noahs family. With that generation of the Iſraelites which came out of the land of Egypt the Lord ſhewed himſelf ſlow to wrath, forty years long the Lord was grieved with that generation; (forty years is a great while for one generation, the life of man being but ſeventy years) but at length he deſtroyed them all, ſo as only Caleb and Joſhua entred into Canaan. God bare two hundred and forty years with the Kingdom of Iſrael, (for ſo many years there were from their Apoſtacy in the time of Jeroboam, until they were carried away captive by the King of Aſſyria) but then they were ſo deſtroyed as to this day none knoweth where they are, or any of their poſterity. With the two tribes and an half God yet bare much longer, but at laſt they were carried into the captivity of Babylon for ſeventy years. After their reſtoration God bare long with them, though they were exerciſed under a variety of afflictive providences, till at laſt they were utterly deſtroyed by the Romans from being a Nation. The like obſervation might be made of particular perſons. It is obſerved concerning the Kingdom of Iſrael after the defection from the houſe of David, that they never had one good King. Moſt of them had very ſhort reigns, except Jeroboam the ſon of Joaſh who reigned forty two years, and Jehu who had done ſuch ſervice againſt the houſe of Ahab who reigned twenty eight years. There were two that reigned twenty two years, both wicked men, and heads of ſeveral idolatrie: Jeroboam, he brought in the worſhipping of the true God by Calves ſet up at Dan, and Bethel; and Ahab, who brought in the worſhipping of Baal, both of them very wicked men, and God proceeded to execute vengeance ſlowly upon them; but when it came, it was a dreadful vengeance. Of Jeroboams houſe none but a little Son came to the grave in peace. For Ahab himſelf, you know, he was ſlain in a battel, his queen was thrown headlong out of a window, and her brains daſhed out, and the dogs licked her blood; his ſecond Son was ſlain by Jehu: ſeventy more of his Sons were ſlain by the command of Jehu. It were eaſie to give you infinite inſtances out of ſtory, but I leave it to your experimental obſervation. Mark any perſon whom you ſee exemplarily wicked, yet God is patient with him a long time, and obſerve what havock God makes with him and his poſterity when he beginneth to reckon with him. And indeed it ſeems very reaſonable if you conſider,
1. That by reaſon of Gods ſlowneſs to puniſh the ſinner, his ſins are multiplied and aggravated to an exceeding great number and degree. It was Solomons obſervation, which we ſhall ſee verified in our daily experience, Eccl. 8.11. Becauſe ſentence againſt an evil work is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the heart of the ſons of men is fully ſet in them to do evil. The iniquity of the Amorites had not been full, if God had not been ſo patient with them. This makes them, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God. Now the righteous God rendring to every man according to his work, muſt proportion his judgements to peoples ſinnings. The more their ſins are, the greater ſhall his wrath be.
2. The more patience is abuſed, the more means of grace are loſt, the greater alwayes is divine vengeance. Now where God proceedeth ſlowly to vengeance, there he exerciſeth moſt patience. There patience is moſt abuſed, there more ſpace and time for repentance is loſt; there is moſt deſpiſing of the riches of divine goodneſs, forbearance and long-ſuffering. Et laeſa patientia fit furor, abuſed patience turns into fury. It maketh a patient and long-ſuffering God cry out by his Prophet, Ah! I will eaſe me of mine enemies, and avenge me of my adverſaries; him that knoweth not how to give up Ephraim, to ſet him as Admah and Zeboim, two of the Cities whom he ſo dreadfully deſtroyed by fire and brimſtone. It maketh God, who is a Lamb in his own nature, to transform himſelf into a Lion, a Leopard, a Bare rob'd of her whelps. O it is a dreadful thing to abuſe much divine patience! Now where the providence of God hath appeared ſlow in puniſhing ſinners, there muſt much patience have been ſhewn. And it muſt have been abuſed too if a ſinner continues hard-hearted and impenitent. I have given ſpace (ſaith God) to repent of her fornication, and ſhe repented not, Rev. 2.21, 22. Behold I will caſt her into a Bed, &c. into great tribulation, and I will kill her children with death. Beſides, that God ſeldom exerciſeth patience long with ſinners, but he gives them alſo other means of grace, and they are abuſed and ſlighted. Noah preached to the old world; ſaith God, My Spirit ſhall not alwaies ſtrive with man: and I need not tell you how dreadfully God threatneth Corazin, Bethſaida and Capernaum for their abuſing the means of grace they had had above other places. The like might be proved concerning the providence of God in the diſtributions of rewards; the ſlower the motion of Providence is in the giving them, the greater ordinarily the rewards are. It was a great while before Abraham had a Son, but when he had him, it proved to be one that was a great bleſſing both to his Fathers family and to the world. Rebeccah went twenty years without Children, Gen. 25.20, 26. but then twins ſtruggle in her womb, and ſhe brings forth two great Princes, and one of them who was to be the head of the only people God had upon the earth. Rachel was for ſome years barren, Gen. 29.31. c. 30. v. 1. when God gave her a Child it was Joſeph, who proved ſuch an eminent bleſſing to his Fathers houſe. The Wife of Manoah was barren, Jud. 13.2. ſhe bringeth forth Samſon. Hannah 1 Sam. 1. was barren, ſhe bringeth forth Samuel. Elizabeth was barren, ſhe brings forth John the Baptiſt. Thus you ſee it as to the bleſſing of Children. It was a long time before God brought the ſeed of Jacob his ſervant out of their difficulties, but when he did he brought them into Canaan, the Land which the Lord cared for, upon which his eyes were from the beginning of the year unto the end thereof, a land which flowed with Milk and Hony. There was a great time betwixt Joſephs dream and his exaltation in Egypt. There were eight years betwixt Davids Ʋnction and Coronation in Hebron. More inſtances might be given, but it is no more than we ſhall ordinarily obſerve in the motions of divine providence; the ſlower the mercy cometh, the fuller it is and greater bleſſing when it cometh: Gods people have ordinarily their greateſt peace and comforts after their longeſt, and greateſt trials, and afflictions.
The reaſonableneſs of this motion of divine Providence appeareth in this, that look as in puniſhing of ſinners where Providence moveth ſlowly, it uſually hath a great heap of ſins to reckon with men for; ſo here it hath great faith and patience to reward in this caſe. Tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, ſaith the Apoſtle Rom. 5. where there is long tribulation there muſt be the exerciſe of much faith, much patience, much hope, and this brings forth much experience: Gods greateſt rewards of joy and peace in the inward man, of eternal life, glory and happineſs, come after much waiting. The Apoſtle telleth us Heb. 10.36. You have need of Patience, that after you have done the will of God you might receive the promiſe. The receiving of the promiſe then is after much patience in doing the will of God, and Rom. 2.6, 7. The Apoſtle tells us, that God will render unto every man according to his deeds, to them who by patient continuance in welldoing, ſeek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life. But I have been large enough in the confirmation of this obſervation, I proceed to ſome application of it.
Ʋſe 1. In the firſt place, What can ſtrike a greater trembling into the loins of ſinners than this? I ſhewed you before that the puniſhment of a reſolved impenitent ſinner is certain and conſtant. As well may he promiſe himſelf that he ſhall not dye, as that he ſhall not be turned into Hell, and at laſt hear that dreadful ſentence, depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting burnings: it is conſtant though he is not ſenſible of it, yet God is angry with him every day: he every day groweth worſe and worſe, more blinded and hardned, given up more to vile affections, a reprobate mind, a conſcience as it were ſeared with an hot iron: all that he hath to bleſs himſelf in, and for, is that all things continue with him as formerly, he yet ſees no alteration in his eſtate, he feeleth nothing of the wrath of God. Now this obſervation ſpoiles all the ſweetneſs of this. The Heathens obſerved that the Gods though they had laneos pedes, yet they had ferreas manus; though they had woolen feet and moved gently, ſoftly, inſenſibly, yet their hands were of iron; when once they laid hold of wicked men they cruſhed them to pieces. I am ſure it is true of him who is the true and living God. He is ſlow to conceive a wrath, and beareth with great ſinners a long time, but when he enters into judgment with men that abuſe his long-ſuffering and patience, which ſhould lead them to repentance he falleth upon them with a dreadful deſtruction. O let all ſinners that hear this, fear and tremble. There is no ſuch dreadful vengeance as that which God taketh for abuſed patience. Bleſs not your ſelves therefore in your preſent impunity. Hoſea 13.12. The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his ſin is hid, ſaith the Prophet, bound up as in a bundle. There are ſome other Scriptures much to the ſame ſenſe, Deut. 32.33, 34. Their wine is the poyſon of Dragons, and the cruel venome of Aſps. v. 34. Is not this laid up in ſtore with me? and ſealed up amongſt my treaſures? Job. 14.17. My tranſgreſſion is ſealed up in a bag, and thou ſoweſt up my iniquity. Lam. 1.14. The yoke of my tranſgreſſions is bound by his hand: they are wreathed and come up upon my neck. It is the great folly of ſinners, they will ſay with Agag, the bitterneſs of death is paſt; they ſin and go on a long time in ſin and God ſpareth them, and they conclude all is forgot. No ſaith God it is not, the iniquity of Ephraim is not like a looſe paper blown away, it is bound up as papers in a bundle, it is not forgot, it is but hid with me, I have their ſins ſtill in remembrance. I held my peace (ſaid God by the Pſalmiſt) and thou thoughteſt me ſuch a one as thy ſelf, but I will reprove thee, and ſet thy ſins in order before thee. Some think that the Metaphor in Hoſea is taken from labourers that labour in husbandry, who bind up in faggots wood that is to be kept ſome time before it be thrown on to the fire. Ephraim thinks his iniquity is forgotten becauſe ſin is not preſently puniſhed: but ſaid God, his ſin, that is, (ſay ſome but I ſee no need of it) the puniſhment of his ſin (as indeed it often is taken in Scripture), is but bound up and concealed a little. Others think it a metaphor drawn from men, who bind up mony in bags till the day of payment comes, and thus it agrees with that Job; 14.17. my tranſgreſſion is ſealed up in a bag. Beſides that the word foreign ſignifies a purſe, or bag, they are bound up, they are not pardoned or forgotten: thus the binding of ſins, Matth. 16.19. ſignifieth a remaining unpardoned. Some think the metaphor both in Job and in Hoſea, is taken from Lawyers, who carry their informations and enditements ſealed up in a bag, or bound up in a bundle, that they may not be loſt and ſcattered, but be forthcoming when they will put them into Court. This is a dreadful meditation for an impenitent ſinner, that all his ſins are bound up in a bundle, ſealed up in a bag, hid, not from God (nothing can be ſo hid) but hid with God. What loads of Faggots hath many a poor creature bound up for him againſt the great day of burning! what a bundle of informations and inditements have ſome poor creatures bound up for them, againſt the time that the Judge ſhall ſit, and God ſhall come forth to recompence men for their evil deeds! Thou thinkeſt the vanity and wickedneſs of thy youth, thy oaths and blaſphemies, thy lies and ſabbath profanations, thy drunkenneſs and uncleanneſs is done with: No ſuch matter poor creature! if thou goeſt on in thy impenitency, they are but ſealed up in a bag, they are but bound up in a bundle, they are but treaſured up (to uſe the Apoſtles expreſſion Rom. 2.) againſt the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God, which if it be not in this life (as very often it is) yet will certainly be in the life that is to come. Remember Ahab, he was a wicked Prince, God bare with him a long time, he ſhed much blood, was a great perſecutor, ſet up a moſt odious idolatry. God held his peace a great while, and proceeded ſlowly. Two and twenty years he ran his courſe, God ſealed up all in a bag; but obſerve with what a dreadful vengeance God comes upon him at laſt. It may be thou canſt ſay, oh! but I have gone on longer, twice two and twenty years: it may be ſo, but what ſaith the Scripture? if a ſinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet it ſhall not be well with the wicked, there are but ſo many faggots more bound up, ſo many enditements more againſt thee in Gods bag ſealed up, oh! let the ſinners in the world be afraid, let trembling ſurprize them all. The ſlower vengeance cometh, the more dreadfully it cometh. That upon you may come (ſaith our Saviour) all the righteous blood that hath been ſhed from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zacharias. There were great quantities of blood ſhed in Jeruſalem betwixt the time of Abel and the blood of Zacharias. Verily (ſaith our Saviour) all theſe things ſhall come upon this generation. O let every impenitent ſinner tremble at the hearing of this, that there is coming upon his ſoul, his body, his family, all the ſin that he hath committed, from the ſin that clave to him in his Mothers womb, where he was conceived in ſin, and brought forth in iniquity, unto the ſin of the laſt hour that he hath lived in the world. It was a dreadful reckoning that God made up at laſt with Jeruſalem for all their blood, and it will be a dreadful reckoning, Sirs, God will have to make up with every ſinners ſoul, eſpecially with old ſinners.
Ʋſe 2. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord (ſaith the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 5.11.) we perſwade men. And O that my counſel might be acceptable to every hard-hearted reſolved impenitent ſinner that heareth me this day; that he would break off his ſins by true repentance, and ſecure his ſoul by getting an intereſt in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Bleſſed is he (ſaith the Pſalmiſt Pſal. 32.1.) Whoſe iniquities are forgiven, and whoſe ſins are covered, and to whom the Lord imputeth no iniquity. That man is accurſed whoſe iniquity is hid with God, laid by, bound up, ſealed in a bag, reſerved and in cloſe keeping for an after-reckoning. O but that is a bleſſed man whoſe ſins are covered by God! O let no man deſpiſe the riches of Gods goodneſs, forbearance and long-ſuffering, but let him know that the goodneſs of God leadeth him to repentance, Rom. 2.4, 5. If he continueth in the hardneſs and impenitency of his heart he doth but treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God. Wrath againſt thee for thy ſins lyeth hid at preſent, poſſibly thy Conſcience keepeth ſilence and doth not arreſt and diſturb thee; the providence of God as to thee keepeth ſilence, judgement is not executed ſpeedily: but there will be a revelation of divine wrath, either in this life or that which is to come; oh therefore break off your ſins by a true repentance. He that hideth his ſins ſhall not proſper, Prov. 28.13. Our ſins cannot be hidden from God, they are all in the light of his Countenance; a man then covereth and hideth his ſins from God when he doth not confeſs and bewail them. So long as a man covereth his ſins God will not cover them: See that experience of David which you have recorded Pſal. 32.2, 3, 4. When I kept ſilence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day-long, for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me, my moiſture was turned into the drought of ſummer. Selah. verſ. 3. I acknowledge my ſin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I ſaid I will confeſs my tranſgreſſion unto the Lord, and thou forgaveſt the iniquity of my ſin. Selah.
Ʋſe 3. In the laſt place, this obſervation calleth upon all ſuch as fear the Lord, and walk before him: for a progreſs in the wayes of God and a patient waiting for the promiſe. The Apoſtle tells us, Heb. 10.36. That we have need of patience, that after we have done the will of God we might receive the promiſe. It is our duty as to do well, ſo not to be weary of well doing: it is preſſed upon us, Gal. 6.9. And let us not be weary in well-doing, for in due ſeaſon we ſhall reap if we faint not. And again, 2 Theſſ. 3.13. but you brethren be not weary in well-doing. There is nothing ſo far conduceth to make us faint and weary in our duty, as when we ſee nothing comes of it: we have hopes and promiſes, but no iſſue, no performance; you know Solomon tells you, hope deferred makes the heart ſick. Now this is a great cordial in ſuch a caſe for us to hear, that when providence moveth ſlowly in bringing rewards to the righteous, it recompenceth our patience at laſt with the riches and liberality of the reward. Indeed here are three or four arguments, which together with this obſervation the Apoſtle hinteth me in the afore-mentioned Text out of the Epiſtle to the Galathians, we ſhall reap, we ſhall reap in due ſeaſon. Our fainting will ſpoil our reaping. The longer it is before we reap, the greater the crop of mercy and bleſſing ſhall be which we ſhall reap.
1. We ſhall reap. He that ploweth up the fallow-ground of his heart and ſoweth to the glory of God, and to the good of his own ſoul in righteouſneſs, he ſhall reap. The Husbandman that ſowes his Wheat and Barly cannot promiſe himſelf that he ſhall reap; the ſouldier, the plunderer may reap what he hath ſown; a tempeſt, an eaſt-wind, lightning, many other things may hinder his reaping; but he who ſowes righteouſneſs he ſhall reap, nothing ſhall hinder his reaping.
2. He ſhall reap in due ſeaſon. It may be he ſhall not reap in his ſeaſon, the ſeaſon which he expected; but he ſhall reap in due ſeaſon, in ſuch a time as the wiſe God judgeth moſt ſeaſonable; and when he cometh to reap, he ſhall alſo acknowledge the ſeaſonableneſs of it that it is in due ſeaſon; we do not know the fitteſt time for our own mercies, God knowes the fitteſt ſeaſon, we ſhall reap in due ſeaſon.
3. Conſider that our reaping dependeth upon our not fainting, we ſhall reap (ſaith the Apoſtle) if we faint not. If any ſoul draweth back, Gods ſoul will have no pleaſure in him; he who draweth back, draweth back to his own perdition.
4. and Laſtly, our reward will be ſo much the greater, by how much it is ſlower: the rewards of Gods people are ordinarily proportioned to their patient waiting. The Apoſtle Rom. 2.6. having ſpoken of Chriſts coming to render to every man according to his work, addeth v. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life. Yea and certainly degrees of glory will be proportioned to our patience: thoſe that have had leaſt ſenſible rewards in this life (if there be ſuch a thing as degrees of glory) may expect ſome of the higheſt ſeats, and manſions of glory in that life which is to come. But I ſhall add no more to this Obſervation.