to determine on the other fide, namely, that he is rejected and caft off for ever. What course shall we then take? Shall we give over waiting on God, and fay there is no hope? No, faith fhe, I will not take that way; for, ver. 26. It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the falvation of God. But yet there seems small encouragement for her fo to do, if things be with her as was expreffed: Things indeed (faith fhe) are very fad with me, My foul bath them ftill in remembrance, and is bowed down in me, ver. 20. but yet, fomewhat I recall to mind, and therefore have I bope, ver. 21, It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not confumed, because his compaffions fail not, There is mercy and never failing compaffion, in God; fo that though my own prefent condition be full of darkness, and I fee no deliverance; yet I purpose ftill to abide waiting on him: Who knows what thofe infinite ftores and treasures of mercy and relief that are with him, may at length afford unto me? And many instances of the like kind may be added. We may obferve by the way, how far this relief extends itself, and what it enables the foul unto. As, First, The foul is enabled thereby to refign itself unto the difpofal of fovereign grace, in felf-abhorrency, and a renunciation of all other ways of relief, Lam. iii. 29. He putteth his mouth in the duft, if fo be there may be hope. What God will, is his language. Here he lies at his difpofal, humble, broken, but abiding his pleasure. Though he flay me (faith Job) yet I will trust in him, chap. xiii. 15. " Is it all one how he deals "with me; whatever be the event, I will abide cleaving unto him. I will not think of any other way of "extricating my felf from my diftrefs. I will neither fly "like Jonah, nor hide like Adam, nor take any other "courfe for deliverance. Saith the foul, God is a God "that hideth himself from me, Ifa. xlv. 15. I walk "in darkness and have no light, chap. I. 10. My flesh "faileth; and my heart faileth, Pfal. lxxiii. 26. fo that "I am overwhelmed with trouble. Mine iniquities have taker 66. "taken fuch hold on me, that I cannot lock up, Pfal. xl. 12. Secondly, It extends itself unto a refolution of waiting in the condition wherein the foul is. This the church comes unto, Lam. iii. 26. It is good that a man Should both hope, and quietly wait for the falvation of the Lord. I will not give over my expectation, I will not make hafte, nor limit God; but I will ly at his foot, until his own appointed time of mercy fhall, come. Expectation and quietnefs make up waiting. These the foul attains unto, with this fupportment it looks upwards, as a fervant that looks to the hands of his master, ftill fixed on God to fee what he will do, to hear what he will speak, concerning him; miffing no feafon, no opportunity, wherein any discovery of the will of God may be made to him. And this he doth in quietnefs, without repining, or murmuring, turning all his complaints against himself and his own vilenefs, that hath cut him fhort from a participation of that fulness of love and grace which is with God: That this effect alfo attends this faith will fully appear in the clofe of the pfalm. Thirdly, Thirdly, It fupports unto waiting in the ufe of all mean, for the attainment of a fenfe of forgivenefs, and fo hath its effect in the whole courfe of our obedience. There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayeft be feared. To fear the Lord, is an expreffion comprehenfive of his whole worship, and all our duty. This I am encouraged, faith the pfalmift, unto in my depths; because there is forgiveness with thee. I will abide in all my duties, in all the ways of thy worship, wherein thou mayest be found. And however it may be for a while, the latter end of that foul, who thus abideth with God, fhall be peace. Let us then, nextly, fee by what ways and means it yields this fupportment. First, It begets a liking of God in the foul, and confequently fome love unto him. The foul apprehends God as one infinitely to be defired and delighted in by thote who have a fhare in forgiveness. It cannot but confider him as good and gracious, however its own eftate be hazardous, Pfal. lxxiii. 1, 2. Yet God is good to Ifrael, to fuch as are of a clean heart; as for me, my feet were almost gone, my fteps had well nigh flipt. However the state stands with me I know that God is good, good to Ifrael; and therewith fhall I fupport myself. When once this ground is got upon the foul, that it confiders God in Chrift as one to be delighted in, and loved, great and bleffed effects will enfue. 1. Self-abhorrency and condemnation, with refignation of all to God, and permanency therein, do certainly attend it. 2. Still fomewhat or other in God will be brought to mind, to relieve it under faintings; fome new fprings of hope will be every day opened. 3. And the foul will be infenfibly wrought upon to delight itself in dealing with God. Though in its own particular, it meets with frownings, chidings and repulfes, yet this ftill relieves him, that God is fo as hath been declared; fo that he says, however it be, yet God is good, and it is good for me to wait upon him. Without this discovery the foul likes not God, and whatever it doth, with refpect unto him, it is because it dares do no otherwife, being over awed with his terror and greatness. And fuch obedience God may have from devils." Secondly, It removes fundry overwhelming difficulties, that ly in the foul's way, before it clofe with this difcovery of forgiveness. As, ift, It takes away all thofe hindrances that were formerly infifted on, from the greatnefs, holiness and feverity of God, the inexorablenefs and ftrictness of the law, and the natural actings of confcience, rifing up against all hopes of forgiveness. All these are by this faith removed, and taken out of the way. Where this faith is, it discovers not only forgiveness, as hath been fhewed, but also the true nature of gofpel-forgiveness. It reveals it as flowing from the gracious heart of the Father, through the blood of the Son. Now, this propitiation in the blood of the Son, removeth all these difficulties, even antecedently unto our fpecial fenfe of an interest therein. It fhews, how all the properties of God may be exalted, and the law fulfilled, and yet forgiveness given out to finners. And herein lies no small advantage unto a foul in its approaches unto God. All thofe dreadful apprehenfions of God, which were wont to befet him in the first thoughts of coming to him, are now taken out of the way; fo that he can quietly apply himself unto his own particular concernments before him. 2dly, In particular, it removes the overwhelming confideration of the unspeakable greatness of fin; this. preffeth the foul to death, when once the heart is poffeffed with it. Were not their fins fo great, fuch as no heart can imagine, or tongue declare, it might poffibly be well with them, fay diftreffed finners. They are not fo troubled that they are finners, as that they are great finners; not that these, and thofe fins they are guilty of, but that they are great fins attended with fearful aggravations; otherwife they could deal well enough with them. Now, though this difcovery free men not from the entanglement of their fins as theirs, yet it doth from the whole entanglements of their fins, as great and ma ny. ny. This confideration may be abftracted. The foul fees enough in God to forgive great fins, though it doth not, as yet, to forgive his fins. That great fins fhall be pardoned, this discovery puts out of question; whether his fins fhall be pardoned, is now all the enquiry. Whatever any faith can do, that this faith will do; unless it be the making of particular application of the things believed unto itself. The foul than can no longer juftly be troubled about the greatness of fin; the infinitenefs of forgiveness that he fees in God will relieve him against it. All that remains is, that it his own fin about which he hath to deal, whereof afterwards. Thefe, and like difficulties, are removed by it. . Thirdly, It gives fome life in, and encouragement unto duty. And that, ift, Unto duty as duty; eyeing God by faith in fuch a fulness of grace, the foul cannot bur be encouraged to meet him in every way of duty, and to lay hold upon him thereby. Every way leading to him, as leading to him, must be well liked and approved of: And, 2dly, To all duties; and herein lies no fmall advantage. God is oftentimes found in duties, but in what, or of what kind, he will be found of any one in particular, is uncertain. This faith puts the foul on all; fo it did the spouse in the parallel to that in hand, Cant iii. 2, 3, 4 Now, what fupportment may be hence obtained, is eafily apprehended; fupportment, not from them, or by them, but in them, as the means of intercourse between God and the foul. From these effects of this difcovery of forgivenets in God, three things will enfue, which are sufficient to maintain the fpiritual life of the foul. First, A refolution to abide with God, and to commit all unto him. This the word, as was obferved, teaches us; There is forgiveness with thee, and therefore thou fhalt be feared. Because this I found, and this I am perfuaded of, therefore will I abide with him in the way of his fear and worship. This our Saviour calls unto, John xv. 4. Abide in me; except you do fo, ye can bear no fruit. So the Lord representing his taking the church |