518 Chap. i?. AxExpof,:tion upon the Bookof J O B. Verf.13. will exercife the grace ofpatience in us, by caufing us to wait for our reward, as he exercifeth the graces of love and zeal, in commanding us to do his will ; and ufually without waitingafter we have done his will, there is no receiving of the reward for doing his will. And for the Promifes and Prophefies in general,ahougb Godnever fail in bh own time.yet hefeldome comes at ours : That great promifeabout the deli- verance of thepeople of lfrael our of .aEgypt, was performed pundlually to an hour ("Exod. 12.41.42., It came to parr at the end offour hundred and thirtyyeares, even that very night, it cametopafs,:bat God brought out all the ßoß ofIfrael. The time being out in the night,God did not flay till morning. but brought them out thatvery night we count it a very venial fin tobreak our word for a day, or to let a man wait a day beyond the time promifed; we commonly fay.A day breaker no fquare : It is not fo with God, he keeps his time punEtu ally, he will not breakhis word one day. We read ofthe fhortning ofevil times, but not of their lengtlíning _ God never makes his people wait for good longer then he bath promifed. But though God keep his time exactly, and come jufl at the moment he bath prefixed and forefhewed, yet we are apt to antedate the promife of God, and to fet it a time before Gods time; we are thortlighted and (hort breathed; that which is but a moment in the Kakndar of heaven,feems more then anage tous. Now in this regard there is much need of patience, ofwaiting patience, to tarry, not only our time, but Gods time ; which is the'meaning of the Pro - phet Habakbuk (Chap 2.,3.)Tbe vifion is for an appointed time, but at the end it will(peak andnot lye, though it tarry,waitfor it;becaufeat willfurely come, and will not tarry r The Prophet advifes, Though it tarry,waitfir it ; there's our duty, yet he prcfently affirms, it will not tarry : So then it may tarry, and yet it tarrieth not ; it may tarry beyond our time, but it tarrieth not beyond Gods time ; it will come, and will not tarry ; that is, not beyond the time which God hach prefixed, though it may loon tarry beyond the time which we havepi...fixed ; therefore ifit tarry, wait ; there is no remedy but patience. The Apostle James gives the rule"Chap, 1.g ) Let patience bave herperfeJ work: that is, Let all manner of patience work
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