3 66 Waiting on Godwherein it conffs. Pfal. i 3c. be afhamed, or confounded. And that becaufe this Haile turns men off from believing, and fo difappoints their hopes, and leaves them unto fhame and corrfuf: ;n. Men with a fenfe of the guilt of tin, having force difcovery made to them of the Rett Eafe and Peace whi.h they may obtain to their fouls by for- givenefs, are ready to catch greedily at it, and to make falje, unfound, undue applications of it unto themtèlyes. They cannot bear the yo'k that the Lord hathput upon them, but grow impatient under it, and cry with Rachel, Give rae chil- dren or I dye. Any way they would obtain it. Now as the ftrfl duty of fuch a foul is to apply its felt unto waiting; fo the tìrft entrance into waiting contifls in this Silence and uietnejs of heart and fpirit. This is the fouls endeavour to keep its Pelf rkuruble, fatisfied with the foveraign pleafure ofGod in its con- dition, and refuting all waies and means ofReti and Peace,but what it is guided and diret`ed unto by the Word and Spirit. 2. As it is oppofed unto Haile, Co it is unto tumultuating thoughts, and vexatious difquictments; the foul is filent, Pfal. 39. 9. I was dumb, I opened not my mouth, becaufe thou didfl it, He redoubles the expreffion, whereby he lets out his endeavour to quiet and flit/ his foul in the Will ofGod. In the condition difcourfed of,the foul is apt to have many trumultu.tingthougbts, or a multitude ofperplexing thoughts of no ufc or advantage unto it. How they are to be watched against and rejeâed, was b:fore declared in our General Rules. This &uictnefs inwaiting will prevent them. And this is the firtt thing in the duty pre- scribed. Secondly, Diligence, in Oppofition unto [jiritualfloth, is in- cluded in it alto. Diligence is the aóivity of the mind in the regular use ofmeans, for the pursuit of any end propofed. The End aimed at by the foul, is a comforting refreshing interefi in that forgivenefs that is with God. For the attaining hereof, there are fundry means instituted and bleffed of God. A neg- lea ofthem through regardlefnefs or (loth, will certainly dis- appoint the foul from attaining that end. It is confeffTedly fo in things natural. He that fowetb not, mutt not think to reap he that cloatheth not himfelf will not be warm ; nor he enjoy health, who neglec`s the means of it. Men underhand this as to
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