' Trust ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength,' Isa. xxvi. 4. His strength is such as needs not another's strength to uphold it. One man's ability to perform his promises depends on other's ability to pay theirs to him : if they fail, he is forced to fail. Thus, we see, the breaking of one merchant proves the breaking of many others, whose estates were in his hands. But God's power is independent. Let the whole creation break, yet God is the same, as able to help as ever : ' Though the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation : the Lord God is my strength,' Hab. iii. 17, 18. O, how happy are the saints ! a people that can never be undone, no, not when the whole world turns bankrupt, because they have his promise whose power fails not. The Christian cannot come to God when he hath not by him what he wants : ' How great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee ;' Psa. xxxi. 19. It is laid up, as a fatlier hath his child's portion, in bags ready to be paid him when the time comes. The saint shall not stay a moment beyond the date of the promise. ' There is forgiveness with thee,' saith the psalmist; it stands ready for thee against thou comest.
Section IL — Hope assures the Christian, that though God stays long, yet he will make an abundant recompense when he comes. As the wicked get nothing by God's forbearing to execute his threatening, but the treasuring up of more wrath against the day of wrath ; so the saints lose nothing by not having the promise presently paid, but rather treasiu'e up more joy against the joyful day, when the promise shall be performed, Rom. ii. 7 : ' To them who by patient continuance — seek for glory and honour, and eternal life.' Mark, it is not enough to do well, but to continue therein ; nor that neither, except it be patient con- tinuing in well-doing, in the midst of God's seeming delays; and whoever doeth this shall be rewarded for all his patience. Ploughing is hungry work ; yet, because in hopes of reaping an abundant increase, the husbandman faints not. O, my soul, saith hope, thou that wantest thy dinner hold but out awhile, and thou shalt have dinner and supper served in together when night comes. The sick fits which the Christian hath in the absence of the promise, are all forgot- ten, and the trouble of them over, when once it comes, and he is feasted with the joy it brings, Prov. xiii. 12 : ' Hope deferred makes the heart sick ; but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life ; ' that is, when it cometh in God's time, after long waiting, then it causeth an overflowing joy. As there is a time which God hath set for the ripening of the fruits of the earth ; so there is a time set by God for the good things of the promise, which we are to wait for, and not unseasonably pluck them, like green apples, off" the tree, as too many do, who, having no faith or hope to quiet their spirits until God's time comes, therefore snatch that, by unwarrantable means, which would in time drop ripe into their bosoms. And what get they by their haste? Alas ! they find their enjoyments like com reaped before it is fit for the sickle, wherewith he that bindeth the sheaves filleth not his bosom. Therefore we find this duty of waiting pressed under this metaphor, James v. 7 : ' Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.' Stay God's time, till he comes according to his promise, and takes you ofFyour sulf'ering work; and be not hasty to shift yourselves out of trouble : and why so? ' Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the early and the latter rain ; be ye also patient; establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.' The husbandman, (who, the proverb saith, is dives in novum annum, — rich in hope of the next year's crop,) though he gladly would have his corn in the barn, yet waits for its ripening in the ordinary course of God's providence. When the former rain comes, he is joyful, but yet desires the latter rain also, and stays for it, though long in coming. " And do we not see, that a shower sometimes falls close to the time of harvest, that plumps the ear, to the great increase of the crop, which some lose, who, through distrust of Providence, put in their sickle too soon ? Mercies come fullest when longest waited for. Christ did not so soon supply them with wine at the marriage of Cana, as his mother desired ; but they had the more for staying awhile. There is a double fulness which the Christian may hope to find in those enjoyments that he hath witli long patience waited for. First, A fulness of duration. Enjoyments snatched out of God's hand, are guests, come not to stay long ; like David's child, born in adultery, they com-
534 ^'^^ TAKE THE HELMET OF SALVATION.