rious coming, as the joyful consummation of all the prospects of faitn-"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment." PART XI. 81. My soul fainteth for thy salvation; but I hope in thy word. THE salvation of the Gospel was the constant object of faith and desire to the Lord's people under the old dispensation. Long had the Church triumphed in the glowing anticipation, as if in the full possession of the promised blessing "It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation; he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness; as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." 112 And as it was the joy of their living moments, so was it the support and consolation of their dying hours. "I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord,"--was the expression of the dying patriarch's faith. And how cheering were the last words of this "sweet Psalmist of Israel," whose "soul was now fainting for God's salvation," even in his dark and foreboding family prospect!" Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow." Good old Simeon, in the break of the gospel-day, was ready to "depart in peace, for his eyes had seen God's salvation."5 And shall not we, under this heavenly in-. fluence, naturally appropriate these feelings of ancient believers to ourselves? What interpreter but experience will be needed to explain them? The uneasiness felt in any interruption of our enjoyment, will show the soul to be "fainting for this salvation." Nothing will satisfy but the Saviour. The tempting offer of "all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them," will fail in attraction. Still the cry will be, "Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation." "Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord; even thy salvation, according to thy word." As the lowest expectant of this salvation, am not I richer than the sole possessor of this world's portion? And therefore if the 1 John iv. 17. 4 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. 2 Isaiah xxv. 9; lxi. 10. 5 Luke ii. 28-30, also 25. 6 Psalm XXXV. 3 Gen. xlix. 18. 7 Verse 41. Lord hides his face, I would look to no other quarter; I would stay by him, and "wait on him," though days and months and years "until he have mercy upon me."1 may pass away, "My soul fainteth for his salvation," and-pressing to my lips the fullest cup of earth's best joy-my heart would burst with despair of satisfaction, "but" that "I hope in his word."2 "By this hope I am saved." In "the patience of hope" I am resolved to wait until the last moment, lying at the footstool of my Saviour. I am looking for the "assurance of this hope's when, in the joyous anticipation of eternity, and with "the earnest of" the heavenly "inheritance" in my soul, I shall echo the voice of my coming Saviour"Even so come, Lord Jesus." 276 Oh, how precious and important a part of our armor is Hope! As a "helmet," it has "covered our head in the day of battle" from many a "fiery dart of the wicked." In times of darkness-when the restless foe hides the prospect from the eye of faith, and the child of God can scarcely, if at all, mount up and sing-even then hope remains, and lights a taper in moments dark as the chamber of the grave--" Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day-time; and in the night-season his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life." And when the afflicted, tempest-tost soul is trembling at the prospect of impending dangerat this moment of infinite peril, Hope holds out the "anchor sure and steadfast;" so that in the awful crisis, when "deep calleth unto deep, and all the waves and billows are going over us," most unexpectedly "an entrance is ministered unto us abundantly," in the Lord's best time, into our desired haven." And it is this hope alone that sustains us. Were we to conceive of God according to the notions of our own hearts, we should give way to most unbelieving impatience. But the Divine character-as it shines forth in the word, with such love and wisdom, such tenderness and grace-invigorates our hope. The strength of the strongest of God's people proves but small, when afflictions press heavy, and expected help is delayed. But though the "soul fainteth," it cannot fail. We depend not on what we see or feel, but on what the word promises. If God has engaged, it must be fulfilled, be the difficulties-nay, impossibilities-what they may. Fixed, therefore, upon this sure foundation, with our father Abraham, against hope from what we see, "we believe in hope from what God has promised."12 Thus the word is faith's sure venture for eternity-stamped with such a marvellous, mysterious impression of Divine glory and faithfulness, and communicating such Divine power and refreshment, that the believer cannot but produce his experience of its efficacy for the support of his tempted brethren-"I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."i 82. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? THOUGH the believer may be enabled, in the habitual working of faith, to sustain his "hope in the word," yet "hope deferred maketh the heart sick." Still, Christian, as you value the promise, trust the assurance. Do not be discouraged by present appearances. The sunshine is behind the storm. "The vision is for an appointed time; though it tarry, wait for it." "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise," but we are hasty in looking for it.* The failing of our eyes is the impatience of the will, "limiting God" to our own time, ways, and means. Faith may be exercised in not seeing his reasons-not being able to harmonize his promises with his providences, or his outward dispensations with his Divine perfections. But let us leave this to him, and "be still, and know that he is God." We shall find in the end, that perseverance in waiting has turned to double advantage; and that even when the present answer to prayer, and also sensible comfort and acceptance have been withheld; yet that important blessings have been accomplished, and the merciful purposes vouchsafed in bringing the wayward will into more entire subjection to himself. Yea, the blessing will be so much the sweeter, from being vouchsafed in the Lord's best time. Waiting time-whatever weariness may attend it is precious time, and not a moment of it will be lost. The Lord secretly upholds faith and patience, so that every step of feeble perseverance in the way brings with it unspeakable delight. Even while our eyes fail for the fulfilment of the word, peace is found in submission and joyful expectation; and instead of a time of hardness, indolence, or carelessness, the Lord's return is anticipated the more intensely, as his absence had been felt to be the most painful trial. For as well might the stars supply the place of the sun, as outward comforts, or even the external duties of religion, supply to the waiting soul the place of an absent God. Never, however, let us forget, that the real cause of separation between God and a sinner is removed. The way of access is opened by the blood of Jesus; and in this way we must be found waiting, until he look upon us. Here will our cry-"When wilt thou comfort me?" be abundantly answered; and though the sovereignty of God will be exhibited in the time and measure of his consolations, yet the general rule will be-" According to your faith be it unto you.' 279 But if unbelief clouds our comfort, turn the eye more simply to the "word" as testifying of Jesus. Here alone is the ground of comfort; and the more confidently we expect, the more patiently we will look. Nor shall we ever look in vain. Sin will be rebuked.io But restoration and acceptance are assured. We shall obtain-not the spurious comfort of delusion-but those wholesome comforts, founded upon the word of promise, and connected with contrition, peace, love, joy, and triumph. The Gospel shows hell deserved, and heaven purchased-thus combining conviction and faith. Indeed, conviction without faith would be legal sorrow; as assurance without conviction would be Gospel presumption. Paul's experience happily united both. Never was man at the same moment more exercised with conflict, and yet more established in assurance.1 Thus may we maintain our assurance as really in wrestling trouble as in exulting joy; honoring the Lord by a humble, patient spirit-in Bernard's resolution-'I will never come away from thee without thee' in the true spirit of the wrestling patriarch-"I will not let thee go except thou bless me."2 But we sometimes seem to go "mourning without the sun". "shut up, and we cannot come forth"4-straitened in our desires and expectations-doing little for the Lord-with little enjoyment in our own souls, and little apparent usefulness to the Church. At such seasons it is our clear duty and privilege to "wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and to look for him."s "He waiteth that he may be gracious. He is a God of judgment: and blessed are all they that wait for him.” He waits-not because he is reluctant to give, but that we may be fitted to receive. 83. For I am become like a bottle in the smoke, yet do I not forget thy statutes. WHAT an affecting picture of misery! Not only were his patience and hope-but his very body-" dried up" by long-continued affliction. This is he, who in the prime of youth was "ruddy and of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to❞—now shrivelled up like a bottle of skin' hung up in the smoke! "Such is the mark that the rod of "chastening" leaves on the body of humiliation."10 The soul is strengthened-the body withers-under the stroke. What might naturally have been expected to have been the result of this lengthened exercise? Saul, under protracted trial, resorted to the devil for relief." An infidel nation took occasion from thence to throw off the yoke.12 Even a good man, under a few hours' trial, murmurs against God-nay, even defends his murmuring. How did this man of God behave ?13 When his soul was 1 Comp. Rom. vii. 14-25; viii. 33-39. 3 Job xxx. 28. 4 Psalm lxxxviii. 8. 2 Gen. xxxii. 26. 6 Ib. xxx. 18. "Thou mayest seek after honors, and not obtain them; thou mayest labor for riches, and yet remain poor; thou mayest dote on pleasures, and have many sorrows. But our God, of his supreme goodness, says-Who ever sought me, and found me not? Who ever desired me, and obtained me not? Who ever loved me, and missed of me? I am with him, that seeks for me. He hath me already, that wisheth for me; and he that loveth me is sure of my love. The way to come to me is neither long nor difficult."-Augustine. 7 Prov. xvii. 22. 8 1 Sam. xvi. 12. 9 Josh. ix. 4. Matt. ix. 17. 10 Ps. xxxix. 11. Comp. xxxi. 12; cii. 3. The history of Job: xxx. 30. The woful misery of the church: Lam. iv. 8: v. 10. The sufferings of the Saviour; Psalm xxii. 15. Isaiah lii. 14. 11 1 Sam. xxviii. 6, 7. 12 Mal. iii. 13, 14, with ii. 17. 13 Jonah vi. 7-9. fainting, his hope in the word kept him from sinking. Under the further continuance of the trial, the same recollection gives him support-yet I do not forget thy statutes.2 Now-Christian-do not expect a new way to heaven to be made for you. Prepare for the cross. It may be as with David-a heavy, long-continued burden; and, should it come-look on it as your appointed trial of faith, and your training discipline for more enduring conflicts. And remember that your determined resolution rather to pine away in affliction, than "make a way of escape" by sin-is the proof of the reality of his own grace in you, and of his faithful love towards you. Think how honorably he manifests your relation to Christ, by causing "his sufferings to abound in you," and making you "bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus." And do you not thus realize, as you could not otherwise do, the sympathy of our High Priest, who was himself "a root out of a dry ground, having no form nor comeliness, and no beauty that he should be desired despised and rejected of men" to the end? Oh, what a supporting cordial to his afflicted people is the sympathy of this suffering, tempted Saviour !5 4 But to look at David, under his long-continued trials, preserving his recollection of the Lord's statutes-what a striking evidence of the presence of his God, and the sustaining power of his word! If we then-blessed with much larger Scriptures than he-fail in deriving from them the same support, it can only be, that we do not search them in a dependent, prayerful, and humble spirit-that we do not simply look for the revelation of Christ; to mark his glory, and to increase in the knowledge of Him." In this spirit we should have more to say of the comfort of remembering "the Lord's statutes;" and of their upholding influence, when all other stays were found as "the trust in the shadow of Egypt-shame and con fusion." Job's history strikingly illustrates both the trial and its sanctified results. When "scraping himself with a potsherd, and sitting down among the ashes," the temporary victim of Satanic power-he might well have taken up the complaint, "I am become like a bottle in the smoke." But when in this hour of temptation he was enabled to resist the tempter in the person of his own wife, and commit himself with implicit resignation into the hands of his faithful God, "What! shall we receive good at the hand of God; and shall we not receive evil?"—was not this the confidence,—yet do I not forget thy statutes? This confidence is indeed an encouraging seal of the Lord's love on our souls. For we never should have remembered his statutes," had he not written his covenant promises upon our hearts." And how much more honorable to our God is it than the despond |