1. Because of God's promise, because of the mercy of God pawned to us in his promises. He hath told us, none shall seek his face in vain, Isa. xlviii. 19; Prov. viii. 17; Ps. xxii. 11, 20. One that seri- ously and diligently is seeking after God, before he hath done his search, he shall have some opportunity to bless and praise the Lord ; some experience of grace shall be given to him, if he conscionably, diligently, and seriously seek it.
2. Because of the mediation of Jesus Christ, you may come in his name and seek the favour of God : Ps. xxxvi. 7, ' How excellent is
416 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CL.
thy loving-kindness, 0 Gocl ! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.' Interpreters upon that place conceive the shadow of God's wings docs not allude to an ordinary similitude of a hen that, when vultures nnd kites are abroad, covers her little ones, gathers her chickens under her wings : no ; but they think the allusion to be to the outstretched wings of the cherubims ; and this is the ground of our trust and dependence upon God. Let the sons of men put their trust under the shadow of his wings, there to find God reconciled in Christ ; for the throne of grace was a figure of that propitiation. He is called the propitiation, God pro]>itiated and reconciled in Christ is the throne of grace interpreted. However that be, it is clear, Ps. Ixxx. 1, ' Thou that dwellest between the cheru- bims, shine forth.' When they would have God hear, they give him the title of one that sits upon the mercy-seat, reconciled by Christ. Though the cloud of sin doth hide God's favour from thee, he can make it shine again ; and here is our ground, the merciful invitation of God's promise, and then God propitiated in Christ.
Use. Oil ! then, let us turn unto the Lord in prayer, and in the use of all other means, humbling ourselves and seeking his favour.
1. Waiting for it with all heedfulness: Ps. cxxx. G, ' My soul doth wait for the Lord, more than they that watch for the morning ; ' and he repeats it again, ' I say, more than they that watch for the morn- ing.' Look, as the weary sentinel that is wet and stiff with cold and the dews of the night, or as the porters that watched in the temple, the Levitcs, were waiting for the daylight, so more than they that watch for the morning was he waiting for some glimpse of God's favour. Though he do not presently ease us of our smart or gratify our desires, yet we are to wait upon God. In time we shall have a good answer. God's delays are not denials. Day will come at length, though the weary sentinel or watchman counts it first long ; so God will come at length ; he will not be at our beck. We have deserved nothing, but must wait for him in the diligent use of the means; as Benhadad's servants watched for the word ' brother,' or anything of kindness to drop from the king of Israel.
2. Work for it : for I press you not to a devout sloth. All good things are hard to come by ; it is worth all the labour we lay out upon it. There is no having peace with God, any sense of his love, without diligent attendance in the use of all appointed means: 2 Peter iii. 14, ' Be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless ;' and 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure.' That comfort is to be suspected that costs nothing, but, like Jonah's gourd, grows up in a night, that comes upon us we know not how.
Fourthly, God's children, when they beg comfort, also beg grace to serve him acceptably ; for ' teaching God's statutes ' is not meant barely a giving us a speculative knowledge of God's will : for so David here, ' Make thy face to shine,' and, ' Teach me thy statutes.' And why do they so ?
1. Out of gratitude. They are ingenuous, and would return all duty and thankfulness to God, as well as receive mercy from him : therefore they arc always mingling resolutions of duty with expecta-
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lions of mercy ; and wlieu they carry away comforts from him are thinking of suitable returns. And while they take Christ for right- •eousness, they devote and give up themselves to his use and service. The nature of man is so disposed, that when we ask anything, we pro- mise, especially if a superior : Hosea xiv. 2, ' Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously ; so will we render the calves of our lips.' The children of God resolve upon duty and service when they ask favour. So Ps. ix. 13, 14, ' Have mercy upon me, 0 Lord ; consider my trouble ; that I may show forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion.' We are thinking of honouring and praising God at that time when we seek his favour.