II. Our duty with respect to them —
As " we know not the times or seasons which the Father has reserved in his own power/' it becomes us to wait,
1. In humility —
[We can claim nothing at the hands of God. If he were to deal with us as he did with the fallen angels, we should have no more than our desert. The most distant hope of obtaining mercy is a marvellous favour conferred upon us. We should therefore lie low before him, as conscious of our utter unworthi- ness. We should implore mercy, only for the sake of that adorable Saviour who died for us. And we should cheerfully leave to God the time, the manner, the degree, in which he will shew mercy towards us.]
2. In faith —
[We must " not stagger at any of the promises11" on ac- count of the greatness of them, or of our own unworthiness. We should remember who it is that promises ; how sovereign he is in the distribution of his favours, and how mighty to fulfil his word. It is true, a promise of pardon to such guilty wretches, and of everlasting happiness to those who deserved nothing but misery, appears great and incredible : but he has given us his only dear Son ; and will he not with him also freely give us all things ? Let us not then be requiring signs to confirm our faith1, but believe that it shall be even as God has said unto us k.]
3. In patience —
[If God should defer granting our requests till the latest moment of our lives, we should wait contentedly upon him : his blessing, if given at the expiration of a thousand years, would amply repay us for all our solicitude and suspense. Let us consider how long he has called, and we have refused to answer ; and shall we be impatient if he delay to answer us ? We exercise patience in hopes of obtaining in due season the fruits of the earth1 : let us do the same in hopes of that grace which shall supply all our wants, and satisfy all our desires m.]
Infer —
1. How attentive should we be to the promises which God has made us !
[There is not a situation in which we can be, wherein we
h Rom. iv. 20. i Judg. vi. 36 — 40. k Acts xxvii. 25.
> Jam. v. 7, 8. m Heb. x. 36.