This may be fitly illustrated by what is said concerning the poor, _impotent_, _blind_, _halt_, and _withered_ persons, _waiting_ at the _pool of Bethesda_, for the _angels troubling the water_; after which, he that _first stepped in, was made whole_, John v. 2-4. Nevertheless, we do not find that every one who waited there embraced the first opportunity, and received a cure; for some were obliged to wait many years; and if they were made whole at last, they had no reason to think their labour lost. This may be applied to those who have the means of grace. Many sit under them who receive no saving advantage thereby, till God is pleased, in his accepted time, to work those graces which render these ordinances effectual to salvation. This blessed success attending them, is from God; he could, indeed, save his people without them, as he converted Paul, when going to Damascus, with a design to persecute the church there; being not only unacquainted with, but prejudiced against the means of grace. But this is not God’s ordinary method. He has put an honour on his own institutions, so as to render it necessary for us to pray, wait and hope for saving blessings, in attending on them. Thus when he promises to _put his Spirit_ within his people, and _cause them walk in his statutes_, he adds; yet _for this will I be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them_, Ezek. xxxvi. 27, 37. accordingly we are commanded to _seek the Lord while he may be found, and to call upon him while he is near_, Isa. lv. 6. Hereby we testify our approbation of that method which he has ordained for the application of redemption; and by our perseverance therein, as determining not to leave off waiting till we have obtained the blessing expected, we proclaim the valuableness thereof, and subscribe to the sovereignty of God, in dispensing those blessings to his people, which they stand in need of, as well as pray and hope for them in his own time and way. Thus we are to wait on the means of grace. And it is farther observed, that this is to be done with diligence; not in a careless and indifferent manner, as though we neither expected nor desired much advantage from them. This implies in it an embracing every opportunity, and observing those special seasons, in which God is pleased, in his gospel, to hold forth the golden sceptre of grace; as also our having earnest desires and raised expectations of obtaining that grace from him which he encourages us to wait and hope for[20]. Which leads us to speak particularly concerning those outward means, as contained in the following answer. Footnote 15: _See Vol. II. Quest. XXVIII, XXIX, and Vol. III. Quest. LXXXIX._ Footnote 16: _See Vol. II. Quest. XLIV. Page 273-290._ Footnote 17: _See Quest. LXX, LXXI. Vol. III. p. 66-96. and what was said under those answers, to explain the doctrine of justification._ Footnote 18: _See Quest. LXXVI. Vol. III. p. 166._ Footnote 19: