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 fainteth for thy salvation.' This temper is very rare, and few have such a spirit as Paul had : Phil. i. 23, ' I desire to be <lissolved, and to be with Christ,' &c. 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
360 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. LXXXIX,
with thoughts of temporal happiness ; this is no good spirit. The ap- petite of temporal honour, wealth and peace, is natural to us ; we should be at a greater indifFerency about these things, so as not to be very solicitous about them.
Doct. 5. This hope is bred or nourished in us by the word of God.
1. Because that is the law of commerce between us and Grod. In the promissory part it showeth 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 pre- cepts— the one to encourage us, the other to direct us. It showeth our hope is of the right constitution ; Ps. cxix. 166, 'I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments ; ' Ps. cxlvii. 11, ' The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy ;' and Ps. xxxiii. 18, ' Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy ; ' as a man that consulteth with his charter and conveyance is more assured of his right and title. The scripture is cast into the nature of a covenant or mutual indenture drawn up between us and God. There we find God hath 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 cloth not depend upon the probabilities of sense, but upon 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 doth all things : ' Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly ? ' Micah ii. 7. Not say good, but do good ; when it is said, it may be accounted done, the performance is so cer- tain.
4. The best holdfast we can have upon God is by his word. What- ever his dispensations be, though he withhold comfort and deliverance from us, yet it will do well in time. Therefore, whether he smileth or frowneth, 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 hath said anything, his people should believe him. His word is a word of truth, Heb. xi. 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 : Heb. xi. 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 thy seed
'■ Qu. ' omnia ' ? — Ed.
VeK. 82.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 361
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 yea and amen, and continueth in one invariable tenour. Let not faith die.
SERMON XC.
Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, Wlien wilt thou comfort me. — Ver. 82.
In this verse the man of God expresseth — (1.) His earnest expectation of the comfort of the promises ; (2.) His longing desire after it ; as hope is wont to vent itself by serious thoughts, intermixed with strong desires of the blessing promised. His earnest expectation is expressed in the first clause, mine eyes fail for thy word. His longing and strong desire in the following words, saying, When loilt thou comfort me?
His earnest hope and expectation is first to be considered ; and here his hope is described —