WAITING ON GOD. 369 Let us then now consider the words, as they contain the frame and working of a sin- entangled soul. Having been raised out of his depths by the discovery of forgiveness in God, yet not being immediately made partaker of that forgiveness, as to a comforting sense 'of it, he gathers up his soul from wandering from God, and supports it from sinking under his present condition. "It is," saith he, "Jehovah alone, with whom is for- giveness, that can relieve and do me good; his favor, his loving-kindness, his communication of mercy and grace is what I need ; on him therefore do I with all heedfulness attend ; onhim do I wait ; my soul is filled with expectation from him: surely he twill' come to me, be will come and refresh me ; though he seem as yet to be afar off, and to leave me in these depths, yet I have his word of promise to support and stay my soul, on which I will lean until I obtain the enjoyment of him and his kindness, which is better than life." And this is the frame of a sin-entangled soul, who bath really by faith discovered forgiveness in God, but is not yct made partaker of a comforting, refreshing sense of it. And we may represent it in the ensuing observations. The first proper fruit of faith's discovery of forgive- ness in God to a sin-distressed soul, is waiting in pa- tience and expectation. The proper object of a sin- distressed soul's waiting and expecting, is God himself as reconciled in Christ : " I have waited for Jehovah." The word of promise is the soul's great support in waiting for God " in thy word do I hope." 164
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