HeB. XII. 14.] AND BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 239
oil out of the flinty rock ; ' that is, he made him to suck water that was as sweet as honey out of the rock, out of the flinty rock. Oh, re- member that a patient waiting for mercy is the only way to greaten your mercy. The longer, said the emperor's son, the cooks are a-preparing the meat, the better the cheer will be. His meaning was, the longer he stayed for the empire, the greater it would be. So the longer a soul waits for mercy, the greater and the better it will be when it comes ; as you may see in that famous instance of the poor man that lay eight and thirty years at the pool of Bethesda, John v. 2, 16. Famous was the patience of Elijah's servant, who, in obedience to his master's command, went seven several times up and down steep Carmel, 1 Kings xviii. 8, which could not be without danger and difficulty, and all to bring news of nothing, till his last journey, which made a recompense for all the rest, with the tidings of a cloud arising. Oh, so do but patiently wait upon the Lord, and that grace, that favour, that mercy, will come at last, which will fully recompense you for all your waitings. Kemember that the mercies of God are not styled the sioift^ but the sure mercies of David, Isa. Iv. 3, Mercy may be sure, though it be not presently upon the wing flying towards us. And the same prophet saith, ' The glory of the Lord shall be thy rere-ward,' Isa. Iviii. 8. Now this, we know, comes up last, to secure and make good all the rest, for where grace leads the front, glory at last wiU be in the rear. Oh, do but patiently wait, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry, Heb. x. 37 ; not a year, not a quarter, not a month, not a week, not a day, no, not an hour beyond the pre- fixed time that he hath set of shewing mercy to poor sinners. Oh, how sad was it that Saul should lose his kingdom for want of two or three hours' patience ! but oh, how much more sad will it be if thou shouldst lose all the prayers that thou hast made, and all the sermons that thou hast heard, and all the tears that thou hast shed, and all other pains that thou hast taken, and all for want of a little more patience ! yea, how woeful-sad would it be if thou shouldst lose thy God, and lose thy Christ, and lose thy soul, and lose an eternity of glory, and all for want of a little patience to wait the Lord's leisure ! Oh, therefore resolve to hold on waiting to the death, and if thou must perish, to perish in a waiting way, which if thou shouldst, thou wouldst be the first that ever so perished. Oh, remember that if God should come, and mercy come, and pardon come, and grace come, when thy sun is near setting, when thy glass is almost out, and when there is but a short step between thee and eternity, it will infinitely recompense thee for all thy waiting ; and therefore wait still. And to keep up thy spirits, and to uphold thy soul in a waiting way, oh that thou wouldst make these following promises thy daily food, thy daily friends, thy daily companions : Ps. xxvii. 14, ' Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart ; wait, I say, on the Lord ; ' Prov. xx. 22, ' Wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee ; ' Isa. xxx. 18, ' And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you : for the Lord is a God of judgment. Blessed are all they that wait for him ; ' chap. xl. 31 , ' But they that wait upon the Lord shaU renew their strength : they shall mount up
240 THE NECESSITY, EXCELLENCY, RARITY, [Heb. XII. 14.
with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint ; ' chap. xlix. 23, ' They shall not be ashamed that wait for me ; ' and chap. Ixiv. 4, * For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear ; neither hath the eye seen, 0 God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him ; ' Prov. viii. 34, ' Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.' Oh, how should these precious promises encourage your hearts to wait on the Lord ! Oh, how should they lengthen and draw out your patience to the utmost ! But,