2. Diligence, in opposition unto spiritual sloth, is included in it also. Diligence is the activity of the mind, in the regular use of means, for the pursuit of any end proposed. The end aimed at by the soul is a comforting, refreshing interest in that forgiveness that is with God. For the attaining thereof, there are sundry means insti- tuted and blessed of God. A neglect of them, through regardlessness or sloth, Avill certainly disappoint the soul from attaining that end.
Ver.5,6.] WHEREIN WAITING ON GOD CONSISTS. 613
It is confessedly so in things natural. He that soweth not must not think to reap ; he that cloth eth not himself will not be warm ; nor he enjoy health who neglects the means of it. Men understand this as to their outward concerns; and although they have a due respect unto the blessing of God, -^et they expect not to be rich without in- dustry in their ways. It is so also in things spiritual. God hath appointed one thing to be the means of obtaining another; in the use of them doth he bless us, and from the use of them doth his glory arise, because they are his own appointments. And this diligence wholly respecteth practice, or the regular use of means. A man is said to be diligent in business, to have a diligent hand ; though it be an aftection of the mind, yet it simply respects practice and opera- tion. This diligence in his waiting David expresseth, Ps. xl. 1, •"''li? "T*^^!?. We render it, " I have waited patiently," that is, "Waiting I have waited;" that is, diligently, earnestly, in the use of means. So he describes this duty by an elegant similitude, Ps. cxxiii. 2, " Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us." Servants that wait on their masters and look to their hands, it is to expect an intimation of their minds as to what they would have them do, that they may address themselves unto it. " So," saith he, "do we wait for mercy ;" — not in a slothful neglect of duties, but in a constant rea- diness to observe the will of God in all his commands. An instance hereof we have in the spouse when she was in the condition here de- scribed. Cant. iii. 1, 2. She wanted the presence of her Beloved; which amounts to the same state which we have under consideration ; for where the presence of Christ is not, there can be no sense of for- giveness. At first she seeks him upon her bed : " By night upon my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth : I sought him, but I found him not." She seems herein to have gone no farther than desires, for she was in her bed, where she could do no more ; and the issue is, she found him not. But doth she so satisfy herself, and lie still, waiting until he should come there unto her? No; she says, " I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth." She resolves to put herself into the use of all means whereby one may be sought that is wanting. In the city, streets, and fields, she would inquire after him. And the blessed success she had herein is reported, verse 4; she " found him, she held him, she would not let him go." This, then, belongs unto the waiting of the soul : diligence in the use of means, whereby God is pleased ordinarily to communicate a sense of pardon and forgiveness, is a principal part of it. What these means are is known. Prayer, meditation, reading, hearing of the word, dispensa-
614 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ver.5,6.
tion of the sacraments, they are all appointed to this purpose; they are all means of communicating love and grace to the soul. Be not, then, heartless or slothful : up and Le doing ; attend with diligence to the word of grace ; he fervent in prayer, assiduous in the use of all ordinances of the church; in one or other qf them, at one time or other, thou wilt meet with Him whom thy soul loveth, and God through Him will speak peace unto thee.
S. There is expectation in it, which lies in a direct opposition to all the actings of unbelief in this matter, and is the very life and soul of the duty under consideration. So the psalmist declares it, Ps. Ixii. 5, " My soul, wait thou only iTpon God ; for my expectation is only from him." The soul will not, cannot, in a due manner wait upon God, unless it has expectations from him, — unless, as James speaks, he looks to receive somewhat from him, chap. i. 7. The soul in this condition regards forgiveness not only as by itself it is desired, but principally as it is by God promised. Thence they expect it. This is expressed in the fourth proposition before laid down, — namely, that sin-distressed souls wait for God with earnestness, intension of mind, and expectation. As this ariseth from the redoubling of the expression, so principally from the nature of the comparison that he makes on himself in his waiting with them that Avatch for the morning. Those that watch for the morning do not only desire it and prepare for it, but they expect it, and know assuredly that it will come. Though darkness may for a time be troublesome, and con- tinue longer than they would desire, yet they know that the morning hath its apj)ointed time of return, beyond which it will not tarry; and, therefore, they look out for its appearance on all occasions. So it is with the soul in this matter. So says David, Ps. v. 3, " I will direct my prayer unto thee "^SVXl^ and look up:" so Ave. The words before are defective : '"^p 'H^^'? "'P-^^, " In the morning," or rather every morning, " I will order unto thee." We restrain this unto prayer: "I will direct my prayer unto thee." But this was ex- pressed directly in the words foregoing: " In the morning thou shalt hear my voice;" that is, "the voice of my prayer and supplications," as it is often supplied. And although the psalmist doth sometimes re- peat the same thing in different expressions, yet here he seemeth not so to do, but rather proceeds to declare the general frame of his spirit in w^alking with God. " I will," saith he, " order all things towards God, so as that I may wait upon him in the ways of liis appointment, "^SiVX^^ and will look up." It seems in our transla- tion to express his posture in his prayer; but the word is of another importance. It is diligently to look out after that Avhich is coming towards us, and looking out after the accomplishment of our expec- tation. This is a part of our waiting for God ; yea, as was said, the