And in this there is good and imperfection. Good, that we have some- thing to wait for ; imperfection, that we are to -wait for it, that we have it not in fruition ; and till we be in heaven we are in a state of waiting. In the Revelations, ' Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly,' Rev. xxii. 20, there is a glorious state of a church set forth ; but while all is done, it hath not what it would have. We cannot be in such a state in the world ; but there is place for a desire, namely, immediate and eternal communion with Christ in heaven. And therefore ' it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for him.'
I will add a little to this state of waiting before I go farther. God will not have our condition presently perfect, but have us continue in a state of waiting.
Reason 1. First of all, it is his pleasure that ice should live by faith, and not by sight. We have sense and feeling of many things ; he reserveth not all for heaven. How many sweet refreshments have we in the way ! But the tenor of our Hfe is by faith, and not by sight. God w^ill have us in such a condition.
Eeason 2. Again, ice are not fitted for sight of the glory to come here. Our vessels are not capable of that glory. A few drops of that happiness so overcame Peter in the transfiguration, that he knew not himself,
Eeason 3. God is so good to us that he would have us enjoy the best at the last. The sweeter is heaven, by how much the more difficult our w^ay thither is. Heaven is heaven, and happiness is happiness, after a long time of waiting. For waiting enlargeth the capacity and desires of the soul to receive more ; it commendeth the happiness afterwards. And therefore God kcepeth the best for the last, because he will never interrupt the happiness of his children. When they be in heaven, there is a banish- ment of all cause of sorrow. He will have a distinction between the church miHtant and triumphant. He will train up his children here before he
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bringeth them to heaven. He will perfume his si^ouse, and make her fit for an everlasting communion with him in heaven.
The third thing is, that as there be promises, and these promises are not presently fulfilled, which put us in a state of waiting, so God giveth grace to iqihold in icaiting. Waiting is not an empty time, to wait so long, and no grace in the mean time ; but waiting is a fitting time for that we are to receive afterwards.
We see in nature, in the winter, which is a dull time to the spring and harvest, and the times are verj' cold ; yet it ripens and mellows the soil, and fits it for the spring. There is a gi'eat promotion of harvest in mnter. It is not a mere distance of time. So between the promise and heaven it- self, it is not a mere waiting time, and there is an end ; but it is a time which is taken up by the Spirit of God in preparing the heart, in subduing all base lusts, and in taking us ofl' from ourselves, and whatsoever is contrary to heaven. The time is filled up with a great deal of that which fits us for glory in heaven. The gracious God that fits us for heaven, and heaven for us, fits us with all graces necessary for that condition. As faith to beUeve, patience to wait for, and to depend on that which he seeth not, to be above sense ; a gi'ace of hope to wait for that which he beUeveth, to be an anchor to his soul in all conditions whatsoever. And then a gi'ace of patience to wait meekly all the while. And then long-suffering, patience lengthened out. As the tediousness is long between us and heaven, so there be lengthening graces. We would have all presently, ' How long. Lord, how long ?' Rev. vi. 10. We are so short, even David and others ; and there- fore God giveth grace to hold out and lengthen oui* spiritual faith, and hope, and perseverance, and constant courage to encounter with all difficulties in the way. When the spirit of a man beholds heaven, and happiness, and God, it makes him constant, in some sort as the things he beholdeth, for the Spirit transformeth him to the object. Now, he beholds a constant covenant ; and as faith looks upon a constant God, constant happiness, and constant promises, it frameth the soul suitable to the excellency of the object it layeth hold upon.
And then the Spirit of God in the way to heaven subdueth all evil mur- murings and exceptions, in suflering us not to put forth our hands to any iniquity. Though we have not what we would have, he keeps us in a good and fruitful way ; for to wait is not only to endure, but to endure in a good course, fitting us for happiness, till grace end in glory.
In the fourth place, God tiill jjeifonn all his j)^'omises in time. As the church saith here, ' This is the Lord ; we have waited for him.' Now, he hath made good whatsoever he hath said.