Sermon 89
Psalm 119:81. My soul faints for your salvation: but I hope in your word.
This verse is wholly narrative, and consists of two branches. 1. The first clause shows how he stood affected to God's salvation: My soul faints for your salvation. Second, his support till that affection was satisfied: but I hope in your word.
Before we can make any further progress, in explaining and applying this Scripture, we must first see what is this salvation which is here spoken of; salvation in Scripture has various acceptations, it is put
1. For that temporal deliverance which God gives, or has promised to give to his people. So it is taken, (Exodus 14:13) Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord that he will show you today: that is, the wonderful deliverance which he will work for you. So (Lamentations 3:26) It is good that a man should both hope, and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Meaning by salvation, their recovery out of captivity. It was their duty to wait for this deliverance; and though it were long first, yet having a promise, they were to keep up their hope.
2. For the exhibition of Christ in the flesh. (Psalm 98:2-3) The Lord has made known his salvation: his righteousness has he openly showed in the sight of the heathen. He has remembered his mercy and truth to the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Clearly that Psalm contains a prediction of the setting up of Christ's kingdom, and a bringing of the Gentile world into subjection to it; which was first to be offered to the people of the Jews, and from there to be carried on throughout all the regions of the world. So old Simeon expresses himself, (Luke 2:29-30) Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word: for my eyes have seen your salvation. Meaning thereby Christ actually exhibited or born in the flesh, which was the beginning of the kingdom of the Messiah.
3. For the benefits which we have by Christ on this side heaven; as the pardon of sin, and the renovation of our natures, these are called salvation, as (Matthew 1:21) He shall save his people from their sins. And (Titus 3:5) He has saved us by washing in the laver of regeneration. And in the Old Testament, (Psalm 51:12) Restore to us the joy of your salvation. That is, the joy which we have, because God has freed us from our sins.
4. For everlasting life. (Hebrews 5:9) He is become the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him. And (1 Peter 1:9) Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Meaning thereby our final reward.
The text is applicable to all these. But (1) most simply we must expound it of salvation in the first sense, because the drift of the man of God in this Octonary, is to show how he was affected; since God heard him not at the first cry, or as soon as he prayed for deliverance: though he prayed for deliverance, yet the help promised, and hoped for, was delayed so long, till he was ready to faint, and had fainted altogether, but that the promise revived and kept up his hopes. (2) If these words be supposed to be spoken by the Church, and in her name, they fitly represent the longings of the Old Testament fathers after Christ's coming in the flesh. For as David expresses himself here, so does old Jacob, (Genesis 49:18) I have waited for your salvation, O Lord. That speech comes in there by way of interruption, for as he was blessing his children, he turns to the Lord, desiring his salvation by Christ, of which Samson belonging to the tribe of Dan, (the tribe which he was then blessing) was a special type. So it is said of Abraham, (John 8:56) Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Abraham knowing him to be the true Messiah, did earnestly desire to see that day, and to his great contentment got a sight of it by faith, it was a sweet and blessed sight to him. So (Luke 10:24) Many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. That is, David a king, and other prophets, longed for this day. So (Hebrews 11:13) Having seen the promises afar off, they were persuaded of them, and embraced them. Oh! they hugged the promises, saying, These will one day yield a Savior to the world. So it is said of all the serious believers of the Old Testament, (Luke 2:25) That they waited for the consolation of Israel. That is, for the redemption of the world, by the blood of Christ, and the pouring out of the Holy Ghost, upon which followed the calling of the Gentiles, and the setting up of the kingdom of God in the world. These things the saints longed for, waited for; and because the Lord suspended the exhibition of them till the fullness of time, and did not presently satisfy their desires, they might be said to faint, but the promise kept up their faith in waiting and confidence. I cannot wholly exclude this sense, because the salvation promised at the coming of the Messiah was the greatest, and common to all the faithful. They had many discouragements in expecting it, from the wickedness and calamities of that people from whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ was to descend. But though they were ready to faint, they did not give over the hope of that salvation, having God's word for it, and the remembrance of it kept afoot by the sacrifices and types of the law. (3) Since Christ has appeared in the flesh, and has wrought salvation for us, we must wait, and long, and look for that part of salvation which is yet to be performed; as the deliverance of the Church from various troubles, the freedom of particular believers from their doubts and fears, and finally our eternal salvation, which shall be completed at Christ's second coming. All that have the first-fruits of the Spirit are groaning for this, and hoping for this, (Romans 8:23-25). We are to desire heaven, yet patiently to stay God's time, for here is fainting and hoping, or as the Apostle says, hastening to, and yet waiting for the coming of the Lord, (2 Peter 3:12). One is the effect of desire, the other of hope; desire hastening, and hope waiting.
These things being cleared, let us first apply the words to temporal deliverance. Observe,
1. Doctrine. The afflictions of God's people may be long and grievous, before any comfort and deliverance comes.
For the affliction continued so long upon David, that his soul even fainted. There are three agents in the afflictions of the saints. 1. GOD. 2. SATAN. 3. Wicked men.
1. God has many wise reasons why he does not give audience, or a gracious answer at the first call.
First, because he will try our faith, to see if we can depend upon him when it comes to an extremity. Thus by silence and rebukes Christ tried the Woman of Canaan, that her faith might appear the more gloriously (Matthew 15:28): "Then Jesus answered, and said to her, O woman, great is your faith." And by extremities he still tries his children: our graces are never exercised to the life, till we are near the point of death; that is faith which can then depend upon God. (Job 13:15) "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." And (Psalm 23:4) "Indeed, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me." Many of his children are reduced to great straits; there may be no meal in the barrel, nor oil in the cruse, before God helps them. There may be many mouths to eat little food. (John 6:5-6) When there was a great deal of company, and little provision, Christ asks one of his disciples, "From where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" (And this he said to prove him, for he himself knew what he would do.) So many a poor believer is put to it. Children increase, trading grows dead, supplies fail — what shall they do? They pray, and God gives no answer. This he does to prove them. It is a strong faith which can hold out in such straits and difficulties.
Secondly, to awaken our importunity. (Luke 18:1) And he spoke a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint: compared with (Luke 11:8) with the parable ensuing. So again an instance in the Woman of Canaan — she turns discouragements into arguments. When Christ said, "It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs," she said, "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table" (Matthew 15:26-27). So the blind men (Matthew 20:31) — the more they were rebuked, cried the more; rather than his people shall neglect prayer, or grow formal in it, God will cast them into great afflictions; as Christ suffers the storm to continue till the ship was almost overwhelmed, that his disciples might awaken him (Matthew 8:25).
Thirdly, to make us sensible of our weakness; as Paul (2 Corinthians 1:9): "But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raises the dead." We are much given to self-confidence, therefore God will break it, and before he has done with us, make us trust in him alone. There is a twofold strength, natural and spiritual.
1. Natural; which arises from that courage that is in man as he is a reasonable creature. This will hold out till all probabilities be spent. (Proverbs 18:14) "The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?" Till a man be struck at the heart, his reason will support him.
2. Spiritual; faith, hope, patience. These may be spent when the affliction is deep and pressing, and God's help is long delayed. Faith is the strength of the soul; as faith decays, or is tired, the soul faints. Faith may be damped, and give up our case for gone (Psalm 116:11; Psalm 31:22). They throw up all, and think it is in vain to wait any longer. Thus will God discover our weakness to ourselves; the weakness of our reason, the weakness of our faith. I remember Solomon says (Proverbs 34:10): "If you faint in adversity, your strength is small." Grievous or long afflictions discover our strength, or weakness. Some are of a poor spirit, give up at first assault, before their strength fails them; before the probabilities which sense and reason offers, are spent. They are lazy, and love their ease. Some are negligent, do not make use of the helps of faith, but when evils continue long, and sit close, the strongest faith is seen to be too weak; God by this will humble us.
Fourthly, God does this for his own glory, and that his work may be the more remarkable and conspicuous. (John 12:6-7) Jesus loved Lazarus, and when he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days still in the same place where he was. Little love in that, you will say — a man would hasten to his dying friend. Christ may dearly love his own, and yet delay to help them even in their extremity, till the fit time comes, wherein the mercy may be the more conspicuous. It is said (Ecclesiastes 3:11): "God has made every thing beautiful in his time." Before its time, God's work seems harsh and rough; as a statue when it is first hewn out, but in its time it is a curious piece of workmanship. God in his own time and way knows best how to comfort his people.
2. It is the Devil's design to tire and weary out the people of God, and therefore stirs up all his malice against us. (Luke 22:31-32) "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not." The Devil, if he might have the shaking of us, and liberty to do his worst, he would drive us from the faith of Christ, and all hopes by him.
3. Men are unreasonable in their oppositions, and will not relent, nor abate any thing of their rigor. (Zechariah 1:15) "I was a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction." They are still adding to the church's trouble, and would destroy those whom God would only correct and purge; as the slave lays on unmercifully. Till God restrain it, their wrath never ceases. Well then,
1 USE. Let it not seem strange to us, that godly men in their afflictions, though they fly to God, and implore his mercy, are not presently delivered, nor always at the first instance. God has many discoveries to make, much work to do. Would you have faith rewarded before it be tried? Or the beautiful frame and link of causes disturbed for your sakes? Faith is not tried to purpose, till the thing we believe is not seen; nor have any probability, that ever we shall see it: indeed, till we see nothing but the contrary, and hope against hope: we must stay till the mercy be ready for us, and we ready for it; a hungry stomach would have the meat before it be roasted; our times are always present with us, when God's time is not come.
2. Let us prepare for grievous and tedious sufferings. We would turn over our hard lesson, before we have sufficiently learned it; we love the ease of the flesh, would have no cross, or a very short one. Things will not be so soon or so suddenly effected as we imagine. We make greater provision for a long voyage. We should be strengthened to long-suffering (Colossians 1:11), as for all sort of crosses, so for long and tedious crosses.
3. If our affliction be long, observe your carriage under it. Does faith and hope keep you alive still? (Hebrews 6:12) Be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Do you keep up your prayerful affections? (Romans 12:12) Continue instant in prayer. We pray as men out of heart, for fashion's sake, and with little life, rather satisfying our consciences, than expressing our hope and confidence. A damp on the spirit of prayer, is an ill presage. Can you love God, though you be not feasted with self-comforts, and present benefits? (Isaiah 26:8) Indeed, in the way of your judgments, O Lord, have we waited for you, etc. Our affections are bribed, when desired comforts are presently obtained; God will see if we purely love him.
4. For a close to this point. Our sufferings are like to be long; I speak not as determining, but to awaken a spirit of prayer, that they may be shortened: when Christ made as if he would go farther, they constrained him to tarry (Luke 24:28-29). These are sad symptoms of it,
First, When reformation is rejected, and corruptions are settling again upon their own base. (Hosea 7:1) When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, etc. (Ezekiel 24:13) In your filthiness is lewdness, because I have purged you, and you were not purged, you shall not be purged from your filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon you. This crime is not only chargeable on them who opposed the reformation, but on those who by multiplied scandals, dishonored the cause of God. Instance in Papists in Queen Mary's time, who got in by fraud and violence, not by miscarriage of the Protestants. Then 'twas sharp [illegible] short, ours is like to be tedious and long.
Secondly, When our deliverance is [reconstructed: likely] to prove a mischief and a misery, when we are not prepared to receive it. God will not give us things for our hurt. And we may fear as much from our brothers, our mutual bickerings, as from enemies; when God promises restoration, he promises unity. (Zephaniah 3:9) For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent. (Zechariah 14:9) And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. The dog is let loose, when the sheep scatter.
Thirdly, When there is a damp upon the spirit of prayer, and men give over seeking to God for deliverance, as a hopeless thing. God is near when the spirit of prayer is revived. (Ezekiel 36:37) Thus says the Lord God, I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock. And (Jeremiah 29:12-13) Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will hearken to you. And you shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. (Daniel 9:19-20) and (Psalm 10:17) Lord you have heard the desire of the humble, you will prepare their heart, you will cause your ear to hear. Et passim Alibi.
Fourthly, When God is upon his judicial process, and there is not any course taken to reconcile ourselves to him. God has been judging his people, judging the nation wherein they live. Judgment began at the house of God, what notable humiliation and reformation has it produced there? There is God's whole work to be done upon Mount Zion (Isaiah 10:12). What fruit of all those terrible judgments? Incorrigibleness shows our stripes will be many, our judgments long.
5. When dispensations tend to the removing of the candlestick, or look very like it. (Revelation 2:5) Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly, and will remove your candlestick out of its place, except you repent. That is done either by destroying judgments, taking away the subject matter of the Church, or by their own apostasy and spiritual fornication, or sad errors and confusions, ill treatment of God's people, opposing his interests by his enemies, and the sinful miscarriages and apostasies of professing friends, will help to wear out an unthankful murmuring generation.
2 Doctrine. When salvation is delayed, or deliverance long a coming, the soul faints.
- 1. The nature of this fainting. 2. The causes of fainting. 3. The kinds of fainting. 4. The considerations which may preserve us from fainting.
1. For the nature of this fainting. Here we must inquire what is meant by the fainting of the soul. Fainting is proper to the body, but here it is ascribed to the soul; as also in many other places, the Apostle says (Hebrews 12:3), Lest you be weary, and faint in your minds. Where two words are used, weariness and fainting, both taken from the body — weariness is a lesser, fainting a higher degree of deficiency; in weariness the body requires some rest or refreshment, when the active power is weakened, and the vital spirits and principles of motion are dulled: but in fainting the vital power is contracted, and retires, and leaves the outward parts lifeless and senseless. When a man is wearied, his strength is abated; when he faints, he is quite spent. These things by a metaphor, are applied to the soul or mind. A man is weary, when the fortitude of his mind, his moral or spiritual strength is broken, or begins to abate, when his soul sits uneasy under sufferings. But when he sinks under the burden of grievous, tedious, or long affliction, then he is said to faint; when all the reasons and grounds of his comfort are quite spent, and he can hold out no longer.
2. The causes of fainting. The fainting of the body may arise either from labor, sickness and travel, or else from hunger and thirst. So the fainting of the soul, is either first, from the tediousness of present pressures; or secondly, from a fervent and strong desire.
First, from the tediousness of present sorrows and pressures; as (Jeremiah 8:18), When I would comfort myself against my sorrow, my heart faints within me. And why? Because of the length of their afflictions (verse 20), The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. Sorrow does so invade their spirits, that they are by no means able to ease themselves: expectations of this side, and that side, are cut off; they long look for help and relief, but none appears. So (Lamentations 1:22), My sighs are many, and my heart is faint. They are overwhelmed with grief, and cannot bear up with any courage.
Secondly, it may be caused by a fervent and strong desire. (Psalm 84:2), My soul longs, indeed, even faints for the courts of God. Vehement desires cause a languor: so it is taken here, it is long, O Lord, that I have waited, and attended with great desire for deliverance from you. Those who vehemently desire any thing, are apt to faint. Where love is hot, desire cannot be cold. The benefit of the Church, liberty to serve God, do strongly move the saints; indeed, the Spirit of God increases the vehemency of these motions; for he makes intercession for the saints with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:20). He concurs to the vehemency of the desire, but the fainting is from ourselves, from our weakness. The soul is so earnestly fixed in the expectation of God's salvation, that it can no longer keep any equal tenor; so that this fainting is one of the love errors of the children of God, like a disease, which is incident only to the best tempers.
3. The kinds of fainting. 1. There is a fainting which causes great trouble and dejection of spirit. 2. There is a fainting which causes apostasy and defection from God, and the cause of religion.
1. There is a fainting which causes dejection and trouble; this is spoken of (Hebrews 12:5), My son despise not you the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when you are rebuked of him. There are the two extremes, slighting and fainting. Now this is a fault in the children of God to be much perplexed in their troubles, but yet this may be incident to them. Religion heightening their sense of evils, and their vehement desires of the comforts of God's presence increasing their trouble.
2. There is a fainting which causes defection and falling off from God out of cowardice and carnal fear, and cast off the profession of Christianity when they find it troublesome; they grow weary, incline to apostasy; this is not incident to the children of God. (Revelation 2:3), You have borne, and have patience, and have labored, and have not fainted, not given over the cause of God. There is a fainting which is a slacking or remitting somewhat in our spiritual course, when men begin a little to relent, and to give way to coldness and lukewarmness, and do not keep up their former zeal, and fervency or diligence in heavenly things. This may befall sometimes the servants of God, abate somewhat of their former forwardness (Ephesians 3:13), when either they suffer themselves, or those who are primarily instrumental in the work of the Gospel, are cast into a suffering condition. And there is a fainting which makes totally and finally to abandon the ways of God. (Galatians 6:9), He [reconstructed: shall] reap in due time, if he faint not. There it is not taken for some remissness which may be [illegible] the best of God's servants, but a total defection.
4. The considerations which may preserve us from fainting.
First, it argues that you are lazy, love the ease of the flesh, have small strength, if you faint upon every appearance of difficulty and trouble. (Proverbs 24:10), If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Sinners are not discouraged with every inconvenience occasioned by their sin, but can deny themselves for their lusts sake; and shall we be soon discouraged in God's service?
Secondly, others that have born far heavier burdens, do not sink under them: the Lord Christ (Hebrews 12:3), For consider him, who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself: lest you be wearied, and faint in your minds. In fact, many of his precious servants (Hebrews 12:4), You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin. If against sin, are we only to praise their courage, never show our own? Or do we think to go to Heaven without conflicts, when it does cost them so dear?
Thirdly, we have given counsel to others. (Job 4:5), But now it is come upon you, and you faint: it touches you, and you are troubled. It is an easier matter to instruct others, than to carry it well ourselves. The well will give counsel to the sick, and those that stand on land, direct those that are apt to sink in deep waters. But should not we remember these things ourselves?
4thly, God promises to moderate the afflictions of his people, and to sweeten the bitterness of them, to take off the oppressing weight of their troubles, lest their souls faint (Isaiah 57:16). "For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always angry; for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made." The consideration of man's infirmity and weakness, unable to hold out, causes the Lord to stay his hand; he will not utterly dishearten and discourage his people that wait for him. A good man will not overburden his beast.
5thly, When reason is tired, faith should supply its place, and we should hope against hope (Romans 4:18). For faith can fetch one contrary out of another, and get water out of the rock, as well as out of the fountain; when probable means miscarry, then it is a time for God to work; and faith should bear us out, when sense and reason cannot.
6thly, Give vent to the ardor of your desires in prayer. (Luke 18:1) He spoke a parable to them, to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint. And (Jonah 2:7) "When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in to you, into your holy temple." Keep up the suit; it will come to a hearing one day; though it be long before God arises to the judgment, yet then make sure work of it.
7thly, By waiting upon God, we learn to wait more. (Isaiah 40:31) "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint." Eternal blessings viewed and prepared for will support a fainting soul in the worst evil. (2 Corinthians 4:16) "For this cause we faint not; though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." The greatest troubles cannot make void your hope, if our spiritual state increases and our eternal hopes thrive.
3. DOCT. Though the soul be in a fainting condition, yet it will accept of nothing but God's salvation, [Your] salvation.
(Psalm 94:18) "When I said, My foot slips: your mercy, O Lord, held me up." And verse 19: "In the multitude of my thoughts within me, your comforts delight my soul." Men may seek to get out of their troubles from wicked men two ways, either by carnal compliance, or by the use of indirect means.
1. By carnal compliance, when men violate and prostitute their consciences for their peace's sake. It is said of some (Hebrews 11:35) that they accepted not deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. They might upon certain conditions have been freed from those cruel pains and tortures, but those conditions were contrary to the law of God. We have God's deliverance upon better terms than man's, and it is better in itself.
2. By using indirect means to get off the trouble; this is making too much haste. (Isaiah 28:16) "He that believes shall not make haste." Ravishing the blessing, rather than waiting for the issues of God's providence. Those that do so, God will reckon them with the workers of iniquity. (Psalm 125:5) "As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel." They that shift for themselves lose the benefit of God's protection. These are dealt with as open enemies. Now the reasons of the point are these.
First, because they are satisfied in God's providential government. God never puts power in the hands of wicked men, but for his own holy ends. Therefore while God continues them, they are observing what God will do by them. (2 Samuel 16:11) "Let him curse: for the Lord has bidden him." God has work for them to do, to mortify our wantonness, to break our stubborn humors.
2dly, because God's salvation will come in the best time, and in the best way. (Psalm 62:1) "Truly my soul waits upon God: from him comes my salvation." (Isaiah 30:18) "God is a God of judgment. Blessed are they that wait for him." God does all things with wisdom, and in the best manner.
USE. However afflicted we may be, let us not seek to be delivered in a way not allowed by God, nor take any sinister courses, or use any base shifts to rid ourselves out of danger. This is to distrust God, and to entangle ourselves the more, and to miscarry in a long voyage, after we are about to enter into the port. See the story of Saul's sacrificing, in (1 Samuel 13, verses 8 to 15). If he had tarried a little longer all had been well; before the day was quite over, Saul would sacrifice, and then Samuel comes and tells him. God had torn the kingdom from him, for his distrust and disobedience. So many will forestall the blessing.
4. DOCT. Hope keeps us alive in the midst of faintings. My soul faints: but I hope.
1. Observe here, that though the faith of God's children seem to faint, yet it does not die, nor wholly fail. Some seem greedily to catch at promises at first, but their ardor is soon spent; and when it is a troublesome business to wait upon God, they give it over. This is the faith and hope of temporaries, but the good ground brings forth fruit with patience (Luke 8:15). God's children wait his leisure; and though now and then they are ready to faint, yet they recover. Their faith, hope, and patience seem to be almost spent, yet it is not utterly put out: as David here was not broken with long and tedious difficulties, though he saw no end of his miseries, yet he would still depend upon God. There is an abiding seed (1 John 3:8). Their state is secured by God's covenant, that there shall be no total rupture, nor utter deficiency. Perseverance is a condition of the new covenant, not only required, but given, as all conditions of the new covenant are. There is Donum Perseverantiae, not only a power to persevere, but perseverance itself.
2. That which keeps our faith from dying, and sustains the soul of the faithful, and keeps life in them, is the resuscitation of our hopes; what does hope do to the supporting of a fainting soul?
First, it draws off the mind from things present to things future; and diversion is one way to cure trouble: while we pore only on our grievous troubles, they prove a temptation to us; but hope lifts up the head, and looks above these things. That poring on the affliction and trouble causes fainting. See Lamentations 3:18-20, but remembering God's mercies and promises revives us. The remembering the great depth of affliction and extremity overwhelms us; I have them in mind continually, and so am dejected; but when I begin to call to mind God's infinite mercies, I conceive some hope of recovery. That which was remembered is in verses 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26.
Secondly, hope represents the excellency and certainty of these future things, and so causes earnestness and patience.
1. The excellency. It is a question among divines, what is the difference between faith and hope, because they are much of a like nature? One difference is, faith looks to the truth of the promise, hope to the goodness of the thing promised: for faith respects the person giving his fidelity, and hope the persons receiving their benefit, and excites them to look for it. It is something worth the looking and waiting for, and such as will recompense present troubles (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).
2. The certainty: for though it mainly comforts itself with the goodness of the thing promised, yet it causes patience in waiting, because of the sureness. It sees things that cannot be seen and perceived by sense. Romans 8:25: If we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. It is good, and it will not [reconstructed: fail]; therefore we may, and must tarry God's leisure.
3. The most noble and principal object of hope is the great promise of eternal salvation. This must in chief be hoped for; partly because temporal salvation is not so surely promised, but under sundry cautions and reservations: as, if it be for our good, if God's glory will permit it, and the beauty of his work, and the many things God has to do before the deliverance be brought about; especially if it be a common salvation, wherein others are concerned as well as we; as, if their hearts be prepared, etc. Partly because Christians are to be at a point of greater indifference about outward things, than the believers of the Old Testament, now life and immortality is brought to light (2 Timothy 1:10). They were trained up by sensible things, both in their worship and promises. The cross is one of our conditions (Matthew 16:24): If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. We must look for afflictions, and those not ordinary afflictions, but the loss of all, or else we do not count the charges aright; we must refer all to God's will. Christ may let some slip through at a cheaper and easier rate, but all must resolve on it. Partly because this is propounded as the great comfort (Luke 12:32): Fear not little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom; and accordingly used by the saints. David in his disappointments (Psalm 39:7): And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in you. He means the hope of immortality, opposite to that vain show and false appearance which is in worldly things. This was that Job comforted himself with, that ancient believer (Job 19:26): Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. And the Maccabees (Hebrews 11:35): They were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Partly because that which God has promised in the world to come is only satisfactory, and able to quiet a man's mind, and make him patiently wait upon God in all his troubles. Here is enough to countervail all difficulties, to support us under them, to recompense us for them; it is not long before it will come to hand, it cannot enough be desired; it may be hoped for by the righteous in their greatest extremities (Proverbs 14:32): The righteous has hope in his death.
USE. For instruction. When your souls are apt to faint, let hope look out for better times, or better things.
1. For better times. God will not always chide (Psalm 103:9): He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger for ever. Nor shall the rod of the wicked always rest on the back of the righteous (Psalm 125:3). Therefore rouse up yourselves, and say as David (Psalm 42:5): Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? hope you in God, for I shall yet praise him, etc. Let us not always pore on our grievous miseries. Observe the season, when apt to be corrupted with ease and prosperity, and to carry it negligently to God, and proudly and oppressingly to men: there may come a change. So when apt to faint, seek out arguments of encouragement and hope that God will be good to us. Psalm 56:3: At what time I am afraid, I will trust in you. That is our business at such a time to strengthen our dependence, for still we must oppose the prevailing corruption.
2. Better things. That is the true Christian spirit that mainly looks after the world to come; that hope is freest from snares. An earthly hope makes men carnal, often entices them to use ill means to get it accomplished. Desires and hopes of temporal happiness, that the world may smile upon us, does not breed so good a spirit. This hope goes upon surer grounds, meets with fewer disappointments.
Well then, hope for these things: we shall hear of few in whom the former part of the text is verified, if understood of eternal salvation. My soul faints for your salvation. This temper is very rare, and few that have such a spirit as Paul had (Philippians 1:23): I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, etc. But all Christians should hope for eternal life, and prepare for it, and make this the great cordial and solace of their souls. God's people do too much please themselves with thoughts of temporal happiness; this is no good spirit. The appetite of temporal honor, wealth and peace, is natural to us; we should be at a greater indifference about these things, as not to be very solicitous about them.
5. DOCT. This hope is bred or nourished in us by the Word of God.
1. Because that is the law of commerce between us and God, in the promissory part it shows what salvation and deliverance we may expect from him: and in the mandatory part upon what terms, and who are the persons qualified to receive this deliverance; and without heeding of these things, hope is a groundless presumption: as if we expect things not promised, or not in the way wherein they are promised. We must have an eye both on the promises, and the precepts: the one to encourage us, the other to direct us. It shows our hope is of the right constitution. (Psalm 119:166) I have hoped for your salvation, and done your commandments. (Psalm 147:11) The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. And (Psalm 33:18) Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. As a man that consults with his charter and conveyance, is more assured of his right and title. The Scripture is cast into the nature of a covenant, or a mutual indenture drawn up between us and God. There we find God has deeply and strongly engaged himself to us, and we to him. This we have to show under his hand.
2. We should give such credit to the Word of God, as to believe it, when to sense there is no likelihood of the performance of it: for what is impossible to appearance, is not impossible to God: and the certainty of the promises does not depend upon the probabilities of sense, but the all-sufficiency of God. Firmia dicta tanti existimantur, quantus est ipse qui diceret. If God promise anything who is Almighty, and who is faithful, it will be accomplished, and we may rest upon it in the greatest extremities, perplexities, and seeming impossibilities. We must not confine God within the bounds of created power.
3. God's Word should be as good as deed: for his Word, and the beck of his will, does all things. Do not my words do good to him that walks uprightly? (Micah 2:7) Not say good, but do good; when it is said, it may be accounted done, the performance is so certain.
4. The best hold-fast we can have upon God, is by his Word. Whatever his dispensations be; though he withhold comfort and deliverance from us, yet it will do well in time. Therefore whether he smiles or frowns, his Word should be our support. His dispensations vary, but his Word is firm.
USE. Let the promises of God strengthen and revive our hearts.
If God has said anything, his people should believe him. His Word is a word of truth. (Hebrews 11:11) Sarah's faith was built upon this; she judged him faithful who had promised. His Word is a word of power, for he is a God of all power and might. (Hebrews 11:17-19) So Abraham's faith; by faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises, offered up his only begotten son. Of whom it was said, that in Isaac shall your seed be called: accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead. His power, as is his being, is infinite. Therefore having his Word this should give us rest and contentment of soul, though there be no appearance of performance, the promise is indeed and Amen, continues in one invariable tenor. Let not faith die.
