These and the like considerations attending the actings of indwell- ing sin, do oftentunes entangle the soul in making a judgTiient of itself, and leave it in the dark as to its state and condition.
A few things shall be offered unto this objection also: —
1. The sensible powerful actings of indwelling sin are not incon- sistent with a state of grace, Gal. v. 1 7. There are in the same person contrary principles, — " the flesh and the Spirit;" these are contrary. And there are contrary actings from these principles, — " the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit agamst the flesh;" and these actings are described to be greatly vigorous in other place& Lust wars against our souls, James iv. 1 ; 1 Pet. ii. 11. Now, to war is not to make faint or gentle opposition, to be shghted and contemned ; but it is to go out with great strength, to use craft, subtlety, and force, so as to put the whole issue to a hazard. So these lusts war; such are their actings in and against the souL And therefore, saith the apostle, '"'Ye cannot do the things that ye would." See Rom. vii. 14-1 7. In this conflict, indeed, the understanding is left unconquered, — it condemns and disapproves of the evil led unto ; and the will is not subdued, — it would not do the e\al that is pressed upon it ; and there is a hatred or aversion remaining in the affections unto sin: but yet, notwithstanding, sin rebels, fights, tumultuates, and leads captive. This objection, then, may receive this speedy answer: — Powerful act- ings and workings, universal, endless strugghngs of indwelling sin, seducing to all that is evil, putting itself forth to the disturbance and dissettlement of all that is good, are not sufficient ground to conclude a state of alienation from God. See for this the other treatise before mentioned at large.
2. Your state is not at all to he measured by the opposition that sin
makes to you, but by the opposition you make to it. Be that never so
great, if this be good, — be that never so restless and powerful, if this be
sincere, — you may be disquieted, you can have no reason to despond.
' The author refei-s to his treatifse on " Indwelling Sin," p. 153 of this Toltime.
606 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver.5,6.
I liave mentioned these tilings only to give a specimen of the ob- jections which men usually raise up against an actual closing with the truth insisted on to their consolation. And we have also given in upon them some rules of truth for their relief; not intending in them absolute satisfaction as to the whole of the cases mentioned, but only to remove the darkness raised by them so out of the way, as that it might not hinder any from mixing the word with faith that hath been dispensed from this blessed testimony, that " there is for- giveness with God, that he may be feared."
VERSES FIFTH AND SIXTH.
Proceed we now to the second part of this psalm, which contains the deportment of a sin-perplexed soul, when by faith it hath dis- covered where its rest doth lie, and from whom its relief is to be expected ; even from the forgiveness which is with God, whereof we have spoken.
There are two things in general, as was before mentioned, that the soul in that condition applies itself unto ; whereof the first respects itself, and the other the wliole Israel of God.
That which respects itself is the description of that frame of heart and spirit that he was brought into upon faith's discovery of forgive- ness in God, with the duties that he applied himself unto, the grounds of it, and the manner of its performance, verses 5, 6: —
" I wait for the LoED, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morn- ing-"
Herein, I say, he describes both his frame of spirit and the duty he applied himself to, both as to matter and manner.
I shall, as in the method hitherto observed, first consider the read- ing of the words, then their sense and importance, with the suitable- ness of the things mentioned in them to the condition of the soul under consideration; all which yield us a foundation of the obseiTa- tions that are to be drawn from them,
1, The words rendered strictly, or word for word, lie thus: —
" I have earnestly expected Jehovah; my soul hath expected, and in his word have I tarried," or waited. " My soul to the Lord more than" (or before) "the watchmen in the morning; the watch- men in the moniing," or " unto the morning."
"I have waited" or "expected:" "•^''^i? fi-om "^1?,, " to expect,"
Ver. 5, 6.] verses 5 AND 6 OFENED. 607
"to hope/' " to wait." " Verbum hoc est, magno animi desiderio m aUquem intentum esse, et respicere ad eum, ex eo pendere;" — " The word denotes to be intent on any one with great desire; to behold or regard him, and to depend upon him ;" and it also expresseth the earnest inclination and intension of the will and mind.