1. By the effect, his looking after the accomplishment of the pro- mise ; as, Judges v. 28, when Sisera's mother expected him, ' She looked out at a window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming ? why tarry the wheels of his chariots ? ' and Eom. viii. 19, ' The earnest expectation of the creature waiteth,' &c. — uiroKapahoKta Tf]<; Krlcreoj^i, the lifting up or stretching out of the head, as we use to do when we look for anything, to see if we can spy it coming.
2. By the incident weakness, because of the delay of help, ' Mine eyes fail for thy word.' He had looked and looked long, till he was weary of looking ; what he said before of the soul, here he speaketh of his eyes. There the object was salvation, here the word.
Observe, first, that hope keepeththe eye of the soul so fixed upon the promise, that it is ever looking for deliverance and salvation. Hezekiah useth almost the same manner of speech, Isa. xxxviii. 14, ' Mine eyes fail with looking upward,' that is, to God for ease and relief ; as when we expect anybody's coming, we send our eyes towards the place from whence he cometh. Reasons : —
1. The children of God make more of a promise than others do, and that upon a double account — partly because they value the blessing- promised, partly because they are satisfied by the assurance given by God's word ; so that whereas others pass by these things with a care- less eye, their souls are lifted up to the constant and earnest expectation of the blessing promised. It is said of the hireling, that he must ha\o his wages before the sun go down, Deut. xxiv. 15, ' Because he is poor, and hath set his heart upon it ; ' or, as it is in the Hebrew, ' lifted up his soul to it,' meaning thereby both his desire and hope. He esteemeth his wages, for it is the solace of his labours, and the main- tenance of his life ; and he assuredly expecteth it, upon the promise
362 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XO.
and covenant of him wlio setteth him awork. So it is with the children of God ; they esteem the blessings promised, and God's word giveth them good assurance that they do not wait upon him in vain : 1 Tim. iv. 10, ' Therefore we both labour, and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.' They know God is good to all, much more to his covenant servants. They value his salvation, and venture their all upon his salvation and the truth of his word ; and therefore lift up their souls to him in the midst of their jDressures and difficulties.
2. It is some satisfaction to enjoy the blessing in idea and contem- jilation, before we have it indeed. Hope causeth a kind of antici- pation and pre-union of our souls with the blessedness expected : as heirs live upon their lands before they have them. And that is the reason why joy is made to be the fruit of hope, though it be proper to fruition and enjoyment: Eom. xii. 12, ' Eejoicing in hope of the glory of God.' It refresheth them in their pilgrimage, aud affecteth them in some measure as if it were in hand. So Eom. xv. 13, ' The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace m believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost' While be- lieving, waiting, hoping, wliile conflicting with difficulties, they carry themselves as if they had already obtained the thing promised ; for by eying the promise they are cheered and revived. Hope giveth a foretaste, especially when the comforting Spirit addeth his impression thereunto.
3. The opening of the eye of faith argueth a closing of the eye of sense, which giveth a double benefit — (1.) That we are not withdrawn by vain objects ; (2.) Not discouraged with contrary appearances.
[1.] That we are not withdrawn by vain objects. Nothing doth quench zeal and holiness and joy in the Lord, nor cast water upon that sacred fire which should be kindled and kept ever burning in our bosoms, so much as keeping the eye of sense always open to behold the lustre and beauty of worldly vanities. Alas ! then hope of heaven and salvation from God is a cold heartless thing ; we think of it care- lessly, desire and press after it very weakly. But now, when the eye of sense is shut, and the eye of faith kept always open, then hope advanceth itself with life and vigour, and present things seem less, and things to come greater and more glorious in our eyes : 1 Peter i. 13, 'Be sober, and hope to the end,' &c. Sobriety is the moderation of our affec- tions in the pursuit and use of earthly things. The delights of the pre- sent life burden the soul, glue it to the earth, and to base and inferior objects ; but when our souls are kept in the fresh, lively, and serious expectation of better things, all the things of the world appear more contemptible. It is not for eagles to catch flies, nor for the heirs of promise to be captivated by the delights of sense ; so that every day our hope is more certain and powerful, our pursuit more earnest. The mind is not darkened with the fumes of lust, nor diverted from those noble objects.