So saith the psalmist, " In his word do I hope ; " that is, the word of promise. As the word in general is the adequate rule of all our obedience unto God and communion with him, so there are especial parts of it that are suited unto these especial actings of our souls to- Avards him. Thus the word of promise, or the promise in the word, is that which our faith especially regai'ds in our hope, trust, and waiting on God ; and it is suited to answer unto the immediate act- ings of our souls therein. From this word of promise, therefore, that
638 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver. ,j, G.
is, from these promises, dotli the soul in its distress take encou- ragement to continue waiting on God; and that on these two accounts : —
First, Because they are declarative of God, his mind and his will ; and, secondly. Because they are communicative of gi^ace and strength to the soul ; — of which latter we shall not here treat.
First, The end and use of the promise is, to declare, reveal, and make known God unto believers; and that, in an especial manner, in him and concerning him which may give them encouragement to wait for him : —
1. Tlie promises are a declaration of the nature of God, especially of his goodness, grace, and love. God hath put an impression of all the glorious excellencies of his nature on his word, especially, as he is in Christ, on the word of the gospel. There, as in a glass, do we behold his glory in the face of Jesus Christ. As his commands ex- press unto us his holiness, his threatenings, his righteousness, and severity; so do his promises, his goodness, grace, love, and bounty. And in these things do we learn all that we truly and solidly know of God ; that is, we know him in and by his word. The soul, there- fore, that in this condition is waiting on or for God, considers the re- presentation which he makes of himself and of his own nature in and by the promises, and receives supportment and encouragement in his duty ; for if God teach us by the promises what he is, and what he will be unto us, we have firm ground to expect from him all fruits of benignity, kindness, and love. Let the soul frame in itself that idea of God which is exhibited in the promises, and it Avill powerfully prevail with it to continue in an expectation of his gra- cious returns; they all expressing goodness, love, patience, forbear- ance, long-suffering, pardoning mercy, grace, bount}'', with a full satisfactory reward. This is the beauty of the Lord mentioned with admiration by the prophet, " How great is his goodness! how great is his beauty!" Zcch. ix. 17; which is the great attractive of the soul to adhere constantly unto him. Whatever difficulties arise, whatever temptations interpose, or wearisomeness grows upon us, in our straits, troubles, trials, and desertions, let us not entertain such thoughts of God as our own perplexed imaginations may be apL to suggest unto us. This would quickly cast us into a thousand impatiences, mis- givings, and miscarriages. But the remembrance of and meditation on God in his promises, as revealed by them, as expressed in them, is suited quite unto other ends and purposes. There appear, yea, glo- riously shine forth, that love, that wisdom, that goodness, tenderness, and grace, as cannot but encourage a believing soul to abide in wait- ing for him.
2. The word of promise doth not only express God's nature as
Ver. 5, 6.] suppoet in teouble from the peomises. 639
that wherein he proposeth himself unto the contemplation of faith, but it also declares his ivill and purpose of acting towards the soul suitably unto his own goodness and grace: for promises are the de- clarations of God's purpose and will to act towards believers in Christ Jesus according to the infinite goodness of his own nature ; and this is done in great variety, according to the various conditions and wants of them that do believe. They all proceed from the same spring of infinite grace, but are branched into innumerable particular streams, according as our necessities do require. To these do waiting souls repair, for stay and encouragement. Their perplexities princi- pally arise from their misapprehensions of what God is in himself, and of what he will be unto them ; and whither should they repair to be undeceived but unto that faithful representation that he hath made of himself and his will in the word of his grace? for " No man hath seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him," John i. 18. Now, the gospel is nothing hut the ivord of jiromise explained, in all the spi'ings, causes, and effects of it. Thither must we repair, to be in- structed in this matter. The imaginations and reasonings of men's hearts will but deceive them in these things. The informations or instructions of other men may do so ; nor have they any truth in them farther than they may be resolved into the word of promise. Here alone they may find rest and refreshment. The soul of whom we speak is under troubles, perplexities, and distresses as to its out- Avard condition, — pressed with many straits, it may be, on every hand ; and as to its spiritual estate, under various apprehensions of tlie mind and Avill of God towards it; as hath before at large been ex- plained. In this condition it is brought, in some measure, unto a holy submission unto God, and a patient waiting for the issue of its trials. In this estate it hath many temptations to, and much work- ing of, unbelief. The whole of its opposition amounts to this, that it is neglected of God. — that its way is hid, and his judgment is passed over from him, — that it shall not be at present delivered, nor here- after saved. What course can any one advise such a one unto for his relief, and to preserve his soul from fainting or deserting the duty of waiting on God wherein he is engaged, but only this, to search and inquire what revelation God hath made of himself and his will con- cerning him in his word? And this the promise declares. Here he shall find hope, patience, faith, expectation, to be all increased, com- forted, encouraged. Herein lies the duty and safety of any in this condition. Men may bear the fii'st impression of any trouble \A\X\ the strength, courage, and resolution of their natural spirits. Under some continuance of them they may support themselves with former experiences, and other usual springs and means of consolation. But