(1.) The immediate effects of unbelief. We do not depend and rely upon the word with that full trust and confidence that are due to the infallible word of a faithful and unchangeable God. You may see the ground of this faintness in that Scrip-ture, I had fainted unless I had believed,” Psal. xxvii. 13. Faith is the only cordial that relieves the heart against these faintings and despondencies. where this is wanting, or is weak, no wonder our hearts sink at this rate, when discouragements are before us.

(2.) Our judging and measuring things by the rules of sense; this is a great cause of our discouragements. We conclude, that according to the appearances of things, so will be their issues. If Abraham had done so in that great trial of his faith, he had certainly lost his footing; but against hope (that is, against natural probability) he believed in hope, giving glory to God,” Rom. iv. 18. If Paul had done so, he had fainted under his trials. ++ We faint not,” saith he, whilst we look not at the things that are seen,” 2 Cor. iv. 16, 18, as if he had said, that which keeps up our spirits is our looking off from things present and visible, and measuring all by another rule, namely, the power and fidelity of God firmly engaged in the promises.

(3.) In all these things, Satan manages a design upon us. Hence he takes occasion to suggest hard thoughts of God, and to beat off our souls from all confidence in him, and expectations from him. Ile is the great causer of opposition betwixt God and the saints, He reports the difficulties and fears that are in our ways, with advantage, and labours to weaken our hands and discourage our hearts in waiting upon God. And these suggestions gain the more credit with us, because they are confirmed and attested by sense and feeling.

But here is a desperate design, carrying on under very plausible pretences, against our souls. It “concerns us to be watchful now, and maintain our faith and hope in God. How blessed is he who can resign all to God, and quietly wait for his salvation. To assist the soul in this difficulty, I shall offer some further help besides what hath been fogmerly given under the first caution, in the following considerations: oe

First consideration. Though Providence do not yet perform the mercies yon wait for, yet you have no ground to entertain hard thoughts of God; for it is possible God never gave you any ground for your expectation of these things from him. It may be you have no promise to found your hope upon; and if so, why should God be suspected and dishonoured by you in a case wherein his truth and faithfulness were never engaged to you? If we are crossed in our outward concerns, and see our expectations of prosperity dashed; if we see such or such an outward comfort removed, from which we promised ourselves much; why must God be accused for this? These things you promised yourselves; but where did God promise you prosperity, and the continuance of those comfortable things to you? Produce his promise, and show wherein he hath broken it. It is not enough for you to say, There are general promises in the Scripture, that God will withhold no good thing,” and these are good things which Providence withholds from you; for that promise, Psal. Ixxxiv. 11, hath its limitations, it is expressly limited to such as “walk uprightly 5” and it concerns you to examine whether you have done so, before you quarrel with Providence for non-performance of it. Ah! friend, search thine own heart, reflect upon thine own ways; seest thou not so many flaws in thine integrity, so many turnings aside from God, both in heart and life, that may justify God, not only in withholding what thou lookest for, but in removing all that thou enjoyest? And, besides this limitation as to the object, it is limited (as all other promises relating to externals are) in the matter or things promised by the wisdom and will of God, which is the only rule by which they are measured out to men in this world; that is, such mercies, in such proportions as he sees needful and most conducive to your good; and these given ont in such times and seasons as are of his own appointment, not yours.

God never came under an absolute, unlimited tie for outward comforts to any of us; and if we be disappointed, we can blame none but ourselves. Who bid us expect rest, ease, delight, and things of this kind in this world? He hath never told us, we shall be rich, healthy, and at ease in our habitations; but, on the contrary, he hath often told us we must expect “troudles in the world,” John xvi. 33, and that through many tribulations we must enter into his kingdom,” Acts xiv. 22. All that he stands bound to us by promise for, is, to ““be with us in trouble,” Psal. xci. 15, to supply our real and absolute needs. When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them,” Isa. xli. 17, and to sanctify all these providences to our good at last: All things shall work together for good to them that love God,” Rom. viii. 28. And, as to all these things, not one tittle ever did or shall fail.

Second consideration. But if you say, you have long waited upon God for spiritual mercies to your souls, according to the promise, and still those mercies are deferred, and your eyes {ail whilst you look for them; I would desire you seriously to consider of what kind those spiritual mercies are, for which you have so long waited upon God. Spiritual mercies are of two sorts; such as belong to the essence, the very being of the new creature, without which it must fail; or, its well-being, and the comfort of the inner man, without which you cannot live so cheerfully as you would. The mercies of the former kind are absolutely necessary, and therefore put into absolute promises, as you read: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me,” Jer. xxxii. 40. But for the rest, they are dispensed to us in such measures, and at such seasons a0 as the Lord sees fit, and many of his own people live for a long time without them. The donation and continuation of the Spirit to quicken, sanctify, and unite us with Christ, are necessary, but his joys and comforts are not so. A child of light may ‘” walk in darkness,’ Isa. I. 10, he lives by faith, and not by feeling.

Third consideration. You complain, Providence delays to perform to you the mercies you have prayed and waited for; but have you right ends in your desires after these mercies? It may be that this is the cause you ask and receive not, James iv. 3. The want of a good aim is the reason why we want good success in our prayers. It may be we pray for prosperity, and our end is to please the flesh: we look no higher than the pleasure and accommodation of the flesh: we beg and wait for deliverance from such a trouble and affliction, not that we might be the more ready and prepared for obedience, but freed of what is grievous to us, and destroys our pleasure in the world. Certainly, if it be so, you have more need to judge and condemn yourselves, than to censure and suspect the care of God. ad —-

Fourth consideration. You wait for good, and it comes not; but is your will brought to a due submission to the will of God about it? Certainly God will have you come to this before you enjoy your desires. Enjoyment of your desires is the thing that will please you; but resignation of your wills is that which is pleasing to God. If your hearts cannot come to this, mercies cannot come to you. David was made to wait long for the mercies promised him, yea, and to be content without it, before he enjoyed it; he was brought to be

«as a weaned child,” Psal, exxxi. 2, and so must you.

Fifth consideration. Your betters have waited tong upon God for mercy, and why should not you? David waited till his “eyes failed,” Psal. lxix. 3. The church waited for him in the way of his judgments,” Isa. xxvi. 8, Are you better than all the saints that are gone before you? Is God more obliged to you than to all his people? “They have quietly waited, and why should not you?

Sixth consideration. Will you lose any thing by patiently waiting upon God for mercies? Certainly not at all; yea, it will turn to a double advantage to you to continue in a quiet, submissivewaiting posture upon God: for though you do not yet enjoy the good you wait for, yet all this while you are exercising your grace; and it is more excellent to act grace, than to enjoy comfort. All this while the Lord is training you up in the exercise of f2ith and patience, and bending your wills in submission to himself; and what do you lose by that? Yea, whenever the desired mercy comes, it will be so much the sweeter to you; for how much faith and prayer have been employed to produce it, how many wrestlings you have had with God for it; so many more degrees of sweetness you will find in it, when it comes. O, therefore, faint not, however long God delay you.

Seventh consideration. Are not those mercies you expect from God worth the waiting for? If not, it is vour folly to be troubled for the want of them: if they be, why do not you continue waiting? Is it not all that God expects from you for the mercies he bestows upon you, that you wait upon him for them? You know you have not deserved the least of them at his hands. Vou expect them not as a recompense, but a free favours; and if so, then certainly the least you can do is to wait upon his pleasure for them.

Eighth consideration. Consider how many promises are made in the word to waiting souls. One Scripture calls them blessed that wait for him,” Isa. xxx. 18. Another tells us, none that wai for him shall be ashamed,” Psal. xxv. 3, that is, they shall not be finally disappointed, but at last be partakers of their hopes. A third Scripture tells us, they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,’ Isa. x1. 31, a promise you had need make much use of in such a fainting time; with many more of like nature: and shall we faint at this rate, in the midst of so many cordials as are prepared to revive us in these promises?

Ninth consideration. How long hath God waited upon you for the time when you will comply with his commands, and come up to your engagements and promises? You have made God wait long for your reformation and obedience, and therefore have no reason to think it much iff God make you wait long for your consolation. We. have our /iow longs, and hath not God his? We ery, “But thou, O Lord, how long?’ Psal. vi. 3. How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever! How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” Psal, xiii. 1, 2. But, surely, we should not think these things long, when we consider how long the Lord hath exercised his patience about us. We have made him say, How long, how long? Our unbelief hath made him ery, How long will it be ere they believe me?”” Numb. xiv. 11. Our corrupt hearts have made him ery, «How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee?’ Jer. iv. 14. Our impure natures and ways have made him cry, “How long will it be ere they attain to innocency?” Hosea viii, 5. If God wait upon you with so much patience for your duties, well may you wait upon him for his mercies.

Tenth consideration. This impatience and unbelief of yours, expressed in your weariness to wait any longer, as it is a great evil in itself, so, very probably, it is that evil which obstruets the way of your expected mercies: you might have your mercies sooner, if your spirits were quiet and more submissive. And thus of the second case.