2. There is hope in it ; for what a man hopeth for he will look for it, if he can see it a-coming: ' the earnest expectation of the creature/ cLTTOKapahoKla t?}? KTiaew^, Rom. viii. 19 ; the stretching forth of the head: Judges v. 28, 'They looked out at the window, and cried through the lattice, Why is his chariot so long a-coming?' So by S])iritual hope there is a lifting up of the eyes, or a looking out for Avhat God hath promised, or an intent observing all together : ' Our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour,' Phil, iii. 20. Faith keepeth the e3'e of the mind fixed upon the promise, and is ever looking out for deliverance : Ps. cxxi. 1, 2, ' I will lift up mine eyes to the hills, from whence cometh my help : my help cometli from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.' Thence they look and wait for succour; it must come out of heaven to them. They see it, they can sjjy a cloud a-coming ; that which a man caretli not for he doth not look for. David saith, ' I will pray and look up,' Ps. v. 3. Hope hath expectation of the thing or object hoped for.
3. There is patience in it, in persevering and keeping on our looking till mercy come, with faith and ardency in expecting God's help. Looking and waiting is to be conjoined, notwithstanding difficulties, till it procure deliverance: Ps. cxxiii. 2. ' Our eyes wait on the Lord,
VeR. 123.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 269
who will have mercy on iis.' This lifting up of the eyes doth not imply a glance, or once looking to heaven ; but that we keep looking till God doth help : Isa. viii. 17, ' I will wait on the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.' There is a constant depending, and patient attending upon God, notwithstanding the present tokens of his wrath and displeasure. As a man with- draweth himself from a party, and will not be seen of him, nor spoken to by him, but the resolute suitor tarrieth to meet and speak with him. So Micah vii. 7, ' Therefore I will look unto tlie Lord, I will Avait for the God of my salvation : my God will hear me.' Not give over upon every discouragement, as a merchant doth not discontinue trad- ing for every loss at sea. Certainly it is not faith and hope, unless we can endure and bear out. Natural courage will bear out for a while, but not long. A little touch breaketh a bubble, and a slight natural expectation is soon discouraged ; but to hope against hope, to pray when God forbids praying, to keep waiting when we have not only difficulties in the world, but seeming disappointments from heaven itself, when the promise and Christ seem to be parting from you, and refuse you ; yet then to say, I will not let thee go until thou bless me, as Jacob said to the angel. Gen. xxxii. 25, 26, when God saith, Let me alone.
Use. Let us turn ourselves towards God for help, and have our eyes on him, and keep them there : Ps. cxli. 8, ' But mine eyes are unto thee, 0 God the Lord ; in thee is my trust ; leave not my soul desti- tute.' Let us not give way to discouragements, though God delay us so long till all our carnal provisions are spent, no meal in the barrel, nor oil in the cruse, and we are brought to the last morsel of bread ; though brought to com])lain for pity to them that will show none, but pour vinegar into our wounds ; yea, till our spiritual provisions be spent. Faith will hold out no longer, hope can do us no service, patience lost and clear gone ; we fall a-questioning God's love and care. I say, though we grow weary, let us strive against it, acquaint God with it, renew faith in the word of promise. There is a holy obstinacy in believing.
To get this eye of faith —
1. There is need of the Spirit's enlightening. Nature is short- sighted, 2 Peter i. 9. A man cannot look into the other world till his eyes be opened by the Spirit of God : Eph. i. 17, 18, ' The Father of glory give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the know- ledge of him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' There needs spiritual eye- salve to get this piercing eye to look through the curtain of the clouds.
2. When your eye is opened, you must keep your eye clear from the suffusions of lust and woildly affections. A mortified heart is only a fit soil for faith to grow in. The world is a blinding thing, 2 Cor. iv. 4. While present things bear bulk in our eye, invisible things are little regarded by us. Dust cast into the eyes hindercth the sight, carnal affections send up the fumes and steams of lust to blind us.