__________________________________________________________________ Title: The Complete Works of Thomas Manton, D.D. Vol. VIII. Creator(s): Manton, Thomas (1620-1677) Print Basis: London: James Nisbet & Co. (1872) CCEL Subjects: All __________________________________________________________________ THE WORKS OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D. VOL. VIII. COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION. __________________________________________________________________ W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh. JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh. THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University, Edinburgh. D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh. General Editor REV. THOMAS SMITH, D.D., EDINBURGH. THE COMPLETE WORKS OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D. VOLUME VIII. CONTAINING SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE CXIX. PSALM. LONDON: JAMES NISBET & CO, 21 BERNERS STREET. 1872. PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS. PAGE SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE CXIX. PSALM. SERMON CIV. ?Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me,? ver. 98, 3 CV. ?I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation,? ver. 99, 9 CVI. ?I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts,? ver. 100, 14 CVII. ?I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word,? ver. 101, 25 CVIII. ?I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me,? ver. 102, 36 CIX. ?How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth,? ver. 103, 43 CX. ?Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way,? ver. 104, 53 CXI. ?Therefore I hate every false way,? ver. 104, 59 CXII. ?Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,? ver. 105, 64 CXIII. ?Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,? ver. 105, 74 CXIV. ?I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments,? ver. 106, 80 CXV. ?I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments,? ver. 106, 88 CXVI. ?I am afflicted very much: quicken me, Lord, according unto thy word,? ver. 107, 94 CXVII. ?Quicken me, Lord, according unto thy word,? ver. 107, 100 CXVIII. ?Accept, I beseech thee, the free-will-offerings of my mouth, Lord, and teach me thy judgments,? ver. 108, 106 CXIX. ?My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law,? ver. 109, 114 CXX. ?The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet I erred not from thy precepts,? ver. 110, 127 CXXI. ?Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart,? ver. 111, 134 CXXII. ?Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart,? ver. 111, 141 CXXIII. ?I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always to the end,? ver. 112, 148 CXXIV. ?I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love,? ver. 113, 155 CXXV. ?Thou art my hiding-place and my shield: I hope in thy word,? ver. 114, 166 CXXVI. ?Depart from me, ye evil-doers: for I will keep the commandments of my God,? ver. 115, 177 CXXVII. ?Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live; and let me not be ashamed of my hope,? ver. 116, 188 CXXVIII. ?And let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe; and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually,? ver. 116, 117, 198 CXXIX. ?Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood,? ver. 118, 208 CXXX. ?Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies,? ver. 119, 220 CXXXI. ?My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments,? ver. 120, 230 CXXXII. ?I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors,? ver. 121, 238 CXXXIII. ?Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me,? ver. 122, 248 CXXXIV. ?Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me,? ver. 122, 257 CXXXV. ?Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness,? ver. 123, 263 CXXXVI. ?Deal with thy servant according to thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes,? ver. 124, 273 CXXXVII. ?I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies,? ver. 125, 285 CXXXVIII. ?It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law,? ver. 126, 296 CXXXIX. ?Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold,? ver. 127, 307 CXL. ?Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way,? ver. 128, 320 CXLI. ?Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them,? ver. 129, 333 CXLII. ?Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them,? ver. 129, 342 CXLIII. ?The entrance of thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple,? ver. 130, 346 CXLIV. ?I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments,? ver. 131, 357 CXLV. ?Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name,? ver. 132, 365 CXLVI. ?As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name,? ver. 132, 371 CXLVII. ?Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me,? ver. 133, 381 CXLVIII. ?And let not any iniquity have dominion over me,? ver. 133, 389 CXLIX. ?Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts,? ver. 134, 398 CL. ?Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes,? ver. 135, 408 CLI. ?Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law,? ver. 136, 420 CLII. ?Rivers of water run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law,? ver. 136, 431 CLIII. ?Righteous art thou, Lord, and upright are thy judgments,? ver. 137, 437 CLIV. ?Righteous art thou, Lord, and upright are thy judgments,? ver. 137, 447 CLV. ?Thy testimonies, which thou hast commanded, are righteous and very faithful,? ver. 138, 454 CLVI. ?My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words,? ver. 139, 465 CLVII. ?Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it,? ver. 140, 477 CLVIII. ?I am small and despised; yet do I not forget thy precepts,? ver. 141, 489 __________________________________________________________________ SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE CXIX. PSALM. VOL. VIII. SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE CXIX. PSALM. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CIV. Thou, through thy commandments, hast made me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me.--Ver. 98. I COME now to the second consideration, they are wiser than their enemies as to security against their attempts, and that enmity and opposition that they carry on against them; they are far more safe by walking under the covert of God's protection, than their enemies can possibly be, to have all manner of worldly advantages. I shall prove it by this argument, because they are more prepared and furnished as to all events. A godly wise man is careful to keep in with God; he is more prepared and furnished, can have a higher hope, more expectation of success, than others have; or if not, he is well enough provided for, though things fall out never so cross to his desires. 1. As to success. Who hath made wiser provision, think you, he that hath made God his friend, or he that is borne up with worldly props and dependences? they that are guided by the Spirit of God, or they that are guided by Satan? those that make it their business to walk with God step by step, or those that not only forsake him, but provoke him to his face? those that break with men and keep in with God, or those that break with God? Surely a child of God hath more security from piety than his enemies can have by secular policy, whereby they think to overreach and ruin him. The safety of a child of God lieth in two things--(1.) God is his friend; (2.) As long as God hath work for him to do, he will maintain him and bear him out in it. [1.] God is his friend; and that must needs be a man's wisdom when he complies with the will of him upon whom he depends. All things do absolutely depend upon the providence of God; he hath wisdom, strength and dominion over all events. The wisdom of God is on his side, and therefore it is but the wisdom of men against him. If the difference only lay between men and men, the craft and policy of their enemies and their own craft and policy, the scales would soon break of their enemies' side, for they are wiser in their generation, Luke xvi. They have great abilities and great malice, which sharpens men's understandings; they have a large conscience, and more liberty to do what they will; so that a child of God is gone if it were to oppose craft with craft; and usually they carry their matters more subtilly, laying hidden snares and profound counsels; whereas the children of God carry it simply and plainly. But then there is a wise God to act for a foolish people, and sometimes God may give his people great abilities; as Joseph was wiser than his brethren, Moses wiser than the Egyptians, Daniel than all the magicians of Babylon. But yet usually parts and secular wisdom are given to the enemies. Only a child of God hath this point of wisdom above the enemies, he taketh in with the wise God, which is the ready and compendious way to success; whereas secular wisdom takes a long way about, and must work through many mediums and subordinate causes before the intended effect can be brought about: Ps. xxxvii. 12, 13, The wicked plotteth against the just.' God is the other party: The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming.' He doth not say the just counterbalance the wicked, or strains his wit to match his enemy with craft, but God hath a providence and love, ever waking on his behalf; therefore it lies not between policy and piety, but between men's craft and God's wisdom. Then he hath the power of God on his side, and therefore he is wiser than his enemies, he is of the stronger side: Gen. xvii. 1, I am God all-sufficient; walk before me and be thou perfect.' All warping comes from doubting of God's all-sufficiency, evidenced by our carnal fear, and our distrustful care what shall become of us and how we shall do to live. Certainly, if God be able, we need not doubt, or run to in direct courses. Again, he hath him of his side who hath dominion over all events. Carnal policy is full of jealousies; they know not what will succeed, they have no sure bottom to stand upon; they are not sure of events, when their business is never so well laid. But now a child of God is wiser, and hath much the more comfortable course, as well as successful; he can do his duty, and leave the event to God. When a business is never so well and cunningly laid, yet God loves to dispose of events, and to take the wise in their own craft,' Job v. 12, 13. They are outwitted, and they outreach themselves, that so Christ may, as it were, get upon the devil's shoulders, and even be beholden to his enemies. Never are they such fools as when they seem to say things wisely against God and his people. Carnal wisdom is the greatest folly: it brought Moses to the flags, but Pharaoh to the bottom of the sea. The devil was the first fool of all the creation, and ever since his first attempts against his God he hath been playing the fool for these thousands of years. The tempting our first parents seemed a masterpiece of wit, but it was indeed the ruin of his kingdom. So in the attempts of wicked men against his people, God still disposeth of the event contrary to their aim. [2.] As long as God hath work for him to do, he will maintain him and bear him out in the midst of all dangers; that is certain; as he did David in the very face of Saul. There is an invisible guard set upon plain-hearted and zealous Christians; every day they do as it were, by their pleading against the corruptions of wicked men, exasperate them; they are in the secret of God's presence, and are kept none know how; none so nigh to dangers, yet none so free from them; in the lion's mouth, yet preserved, as Christ lived in the midst of his enemies, yet they could not touch him till his hour was come, John xi. 8-10. Christ had work to do in Judea: Master,' say the disciples, the Jews of late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? And Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world; but if a man walk in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.' In the disciples' question is bewrayed the true genius of carnal fear. Oh, men say, why will you go run yourself into the mouth of danger? They think the discharge of duty will cost them their utter ruin: Master, the Jews sought to kill thee.' Now Christ's answer showeth that men should not choose their way according to their apprehensions of danger and safety, but as God cleareth a call to them; he answers by a similitude taken from God's order in the course of nature. God made the day for work, and the night for rest and sleep; now as long as men have daylight they will not stumble, but if they set forth in the night, then they would stumble. The meaning is, as long as a man hath a clear call from God (for a call from God is compared to the day), and can say, This is a duty God hath put upon me, he hath daylight, he shall not stumble; though he doth come and go in the face and teeth of enemies on God's cause, and plead against their corruptions and base miscarriages, he shall not stumble. Indeed, when a man is in the dark, and knows not what God's mind is, then he is ever and anon stumbling. A Christian is to study his duty rather than his danger, and then leave t he care of all events to God; he is in a safe course when he is in God's way, and shall not be interrupted till he have finished his work: Luke xiii. 31, 32, The Pharisees said unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence, for Herod will kill thee. And he said, Go tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.' If he cast himself into troubles, he is sure they are not sinfully procured; but men that run on danger without a calling may meet with many a snare, or he that doth not observe his call meet with more difficulties than ever he thought of: 1 Peter iii. 13, And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?' The best way to eschew trouble is to adhere closely to what is right in the sight of God; he can allay their fury, putting convictions upon their conscience. A man would think to stand nicely upon terms of duty is to run in harm's way; and there are none so much harmed, maligned, and opposed in the world as those that follow that which is good, as those that will have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but will reprove them rather; possibly they may hate and malign you if you keep to that which is good, but they cannot harm your consciences. God can allay the rage of men, by putting convictions upon their consciences, evidencing your sincerity; as the history saith, when the Arians persecuted the orthodox Christians, they durst not meddle with Paulinus out of reverence. Therefore who will harm you if you be followers of that which is good? 2. In case things succeed ill with him, and contrary to his expectation, yet they are wiser than their enemies can be, because they have provided for the worst. Carnal policy is but wisdom in opinion for a time, not always, while they have matter to work upon in the world; but these always, in prosperity and adversity. [1.] Because he hath secured his great interest, which lies in the favour of God and in hopes of eternal life. God, by his commandment, hath taught him this wisdom, to make sure of the kingdom of God, and then a man is safe; whatever happens, nothing can befall him that doth endanger his hopes, or endamage his interest in Christ; if they kill him, they do but put him there where he would be; he hath secured his great interest; persecutors cannot reach the better part: Luke xii. 4, they kill the body, after that they can do no more.' A good man, let them do what they can, can come to no hurt; he is indeed like a die; cast him high or low, still he falls upon his square; he hath a bottom to stand upon, hopes to support him. [2.] Because he hath fitted his spirit for all kind of conditions. A man that is to go a long journey must prepare for all weathers; so a Christian must learn to be abased as well as to abound, Phil. iv. Now a mortified man hath the advantage of all the world; a man that is dead to worldly interests hath the advantage of all others for doing and suffering for God, and in noble and generous actions. It is our affections that increase our afflictions, that make us so base and pusillanimous: 1 Cor. vii. 31, Rejoice as if you rejoiced not, weep as though ye wept not.' If our hearts did not rejoice so much in the creature, if we were in a greater indifferency to worldly things, the loss and miscarriage of them would not surprise us with so great terror. A mortified man is wiser than other men, because he hath plucked out the root of all trouble, which is an inordinate affection; and then let his condition be never so bad, he is fortified. Temperance makes way for patience: 2 Peter i. 6, Add to temperance, patience.' Temperance, or a moderation in the enjoyment of all things, tends to patience in the loss of them. A man that possesseth them without love can lose them without grief. They may lessen his estate, but cannot lessen his comfort. Therefore this is the man that can pray always, rejoice evermore, in everything give thanks,' for giving and taking, for the word of God hath taught him this holy weanedness from worldly things. [3.] He can look to the end of all things, not only to the present, but the future: Heb. xi. 1, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.' He can see victories in a down fall; and this is a wisdom proper to faith, to see the overthrow of the church's enemies when they rise up and prosper. A natural man may look above his condition as long as he seeth any probability in second causes, but faith is the evidence of things not seen.' When there is no probable way, then it can look above them. Reason usually is short-sighted, it cannot see afar off,' 2 Peter i. 9; it cannot look be yond the cloud and veil of present discouragement. But now faith can see one contrary in another, see a good end in bad means, and those things that make against them to make for them; and what in itself is hurtful, is altogether tempered by God's hand, and to the greatest good, Rom. viii. 28; Ps. xxxvii. 37, 38, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace but the end of the wicked shall be cut off;' and Ps. lxxiii. 17, I went into the sanctuary, and there I understood their end.' Those that are governed by sense, will, and passion, cannot be wise, for they do not see to the end; but he that lives by faith looks not to appearances, but seeth the end; therefore this man can bear up with hope and courage in the midst of all difficulties and troubles. Use 1. Caution against two things--carnal fear and carnal policy. 1. Against carnal fear. Many are troubled when they consider the power and cunning of the enemies of God's people. Ay! but you need not be dismayed when you do, in the simplicity of your hearts, give up yourselves to the direction of God's word; you need not fear all their craft; when they are confounded and broken to pieces by their own devices, you shall stand firm. It seemeth to be the greatest folly in the world to keep at a distance from the rising side; in time it will be found to be the greatest wisdom. You think they carry their matters with a great deal of cunning, whilst they slight God and tread the unquestionable interests of Christ under foot, and that the cause of God will never get up again. Since they reject the word of God, what wisdom have they? Jer. viii. 9. When you fail, will you believe the word of God, or the doubtful face of outward things? Be sure once you are in God's way, and then you cannot miscarry finally. Will not Christ uphold the ministry in despite of the devil and evil men? Have we not the word of God to secure these hopes for us? Therefore what need we fear what wicked wretches attempt against us? Doth not God love righteousness? Will he not take vengeance? And in their highest prosperity, may not we see their downfall? Therefore why should we be afraid? 2. Then take heed of carnal policy; for we are made wiser than our enemies through the commandment. We must not oppose craft with craft, for so Satan will be too hard for us in the use of his own weapons. That is not wisdom to run to shifts, and to carnal and sinful devices. There is a wisdom that is necessary for the children of God: Mat. x. 16, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves; be wise as serpents, simple as doves.' Ever it was so with God's people; they are sheep in the midst of wolves, destitute of all outward support: Be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves.' Carry yourselves prudently and holily in my service. That wisdom and knowledge which doth not agree with justice, but puts upon doing things that are unjust, that is craft, not wisdom. Now though Christ hath bid us be wise, yet he hath forbidden us to be crafty. When you run to carnal shifts, you think to be wiser than God. All the mischiefs of the present age have merely been occasioned by unbelief. We durst not trust God in his own way, but will run to carnal practices merely to prevent evil, and you see how we are entangled in all manner of confusion. Jeroboam would be wiser than God; God would have settled the kingdom upon him, but he ran to a way of his own, and that was his undoing. Take heed of this fleshly wisdom: 2 Cor. i. 12, Not in fleshly wisdom, but in simplicity and godly wisdom.' The more simple and plain a Christian walks according to the direct letter of the scripture, the more safe he is; but when he doth run to those baser courses, merely out of distrust to God, all things come to ruin. Carnal policy never succeeds well with the children of God; never did a Christian thrive by carnal policy, or using carnal fetches for carnal ends; God crosseth them. A man that will walk by the light of his own fire is sure to be led out of the way of peace and happiness. When they for sake the light of God's word and Spirit, and follow a false light, they run into sorrow and inconvenience; and therefore weaker Christians are sometimes safer than those of stronger parts, that lean to their own understandings and trust to carnal policy. Use 2. To prize the scriptures, because of this wisdom, that is to be gotten in them. A very poor creature that walks in the fear of God is wise to avoid the chiefest danger, to secure the greatest interest, to avoid hell beneath, Prov. xv. 24; that wisdom hath escaped the greatest danger, the wrath of God, and made sure of heaven, Christ, and salvation, his great interest. He that gives up himself to be governed by God's word, though never so plain and simple, will be found to be the wisest in the issue: Ps. cxix. 24, Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors.' When God's testimonies are the men of our counsel, this is that which will give true wisdom. All things in this world are mutable and uncertain, they continue not long; we cannot foresee all changes, therefore a wise man may be mistaken sometimes, and do things he could wish were never done if he had consulted with God. Therefore now be wise; this will tell you when to act and when to forbear, not to be over-wise nor over-foolish. Use 3. To get this wisdom from, the word of God that will make you wiser than your adversaries: Prov. iv. 7, Get wisdom, that is the principal thing, and with all thy gettings get understanding.' There are some maxims (if we would have this wisdom so as to be wiser than our enemies) and some graces. First, Some maxims:-- 1. Season the heart with this principle, that it concerns you to secure your interest in Christ rather than the world, Mat. vi. 34; Luke xiv. 26. 2. That we should not be solicitous about events so much as duty about dangers so much as sin, 1 Chron. xix. 13; 2 Tim. iv. 17, 18. 3. That in a way of duty it is better to depend upon Christ's care over us, without using any carnal reaches to secure ourselves 1 Peter v. 7, iv. 19. 4. All that befalls the people of God is either, good, or tends to good, Rom viii. 28. 5. That when deliverance is more for our turn than bondage, yokes, and oppression, we shall be sure to have it. God hath engaged himself by covenant that he will withhold no good thing,' Ps. lxxxiv. 11. 6 Close adherence to God, and constancy in obedience, is the surest way to present ease and future deliverance Ps. cxxv. 3. 7. It is better to attend God's leisure than to get out of trouble by any carnal means of our own, Isa. xxxviii. 15. 8. No man can be a loser by God, though he suffers never so much for him, Rom. viii. 18; 2 Cor. iv. 17. 9. Then is our adversary wiser than we, when his opposition draws us to sin; then and then only are we foiled by our adversary. Secondly, There are some graces also make us wise 1. To this wisdom faith is necessary. If we could but depend upon God in a good, plain, and downright course, we would not run to shifts, nor change ourselves into all shapes and colours, cameleon-like (unless it be white); but you would support yourselves with this, that he would maintain you and bear you out. 2. Fear of God, which makes us tender of spirit, that we dare not offend God nor break a rule for all the world; he fears a commandment more than a thousand dangers: Prov. xiii. 13, He that fears the commandment shall be safe from fear of danger.' If a commandment stand in his way, he dares not go through; it is more than if all the terrors of the world stand in his way; he will endure all hazards rather than break through a command. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CV. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.--Ver. 99. DAVID had spoken of his affection to the word of God, and then mentioned one special ground thereof, which was the wisdom that he got thereby; now this wisdom is amplified, by comparing it with the wisdom of others. Three sorts of men he mentioneth--enemies, teachers, ancients. The enemies excel in policy, teachers in doctrine, and ancients in counsel; and yet by the word was David made wiser than all these. Malice sharpens the wit of enemies, and teacheth them the arts of opposition; teachers are furnished with learning; but ancients, they grow wise by experience: yet David, by the study of the word, excelled all these. In the text we may observe two things:-- 1. David's assertion concerning his profiting by the word of God, I have more understanding than all my teachers. 2. The reason, taken from his diligent use of the means, for thy testimonies are my meditation. For the first of these, I have more understanding than all my teachers,' to clear the words:-- 1. It is certain that he speaks not this of his extraordinary revelations as a prophet, but of that wisdom which he got by ordinary means. The holy men of God in the Old Testament, considered as prophets, so they had extraordinary visions and revelations. Now David speaks of that kind of knowledge got by the ordinary means, not those special revelations made to the prophets; for he renders the reason of it, Thy testimonies are my meditation.' 2. It is certain he speaks not this by way of boasting; for this is a psalm of instruction, not a history or narrative. Now the children of God would not commend their failings to the imitation of others, and this which David speaks is rendered as a reason of his respect; by the word he got wisdom above his teachers, enemies, and ancients. Briefly, the intent and use of this assertion will be known by considering the quality of these teachers here mentioned. You may look upon them either--(1.) As faulty or defective in their duty; (2.) As performing their duty. In both these notions David was wiser than they, or a man of a better understanding. 1. If you look upon them under a diminishing notion; so some would understand it thus, that those which instructed him in human learning and civil discipline had not understanding as he that meditated in God's testimonies. If this were the sense, there is no boasting, but only comparing knowledge with knowledge, the knowledge of the word with the knowledge of ordinary sciences; and it gives us this lesson, that the great sages of the world that do excel in secular wisdom are but fools to a child of God; they know the secrets of nature, and he knows the God of nature; they dispute about the chiefest good, and he enjoys it; they know the use of natural things, and he knoweth the use of spiritual. This wisdom and skill in outward things, compared with the fear of God, is but vanity; and the wisest man must become a fool that he may be wise' with this kind of wisdom, 1 Cor. iii. 18. 2. You may look upon them as corrupt and sinful. In those days of Saul, the teachers might be corrupt as well as other ranks and orders of men; and then it only implies this, that God gives greater understanding to his people than to their corrupt guides: Luke xi. 52, Woe unto you lawyers; for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.' The expounders of the law were corrupt, and hindered others from entering into the kingdom of God. It is a great evil when the church of God is given up to such kind of guides. But now, in such a case, they that make conscience of God's ordinances, use private means with diligence, have more understanding than their teachers: Mat. xxiii. 2, 3, The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.' Though they were naught and corrupt themselves, yet if they bring God's message, it should not be slighted, because of the office and lawful authority with which they are invested, though not every way qualified for their station; and in this sense a child of God may be wiser than his teachers. 3. We may look upon them as contenting themselves with the naked theory of God's law, without making conscience of practice; that they were such kind of guides that never tasted themselves what they commended to others, or practised what they taught; then I have more understanding than my teachers.' He that excels in practice hath the best understanding. Practical knowledge is to be preferred before speculative, as much as the end is to be preferred before the means; the end is more noble than the means. Now speculative knowledge is the means to the end: Ps. cxi. 10, A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.' Not only know what is to be done, but do what is to be known. As for others, whatever light they seem to have, they have not wisdom and understanding: Jer. viii. 9, Lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?' They were boasting of the knowledge of the law, yet there was no wisdom in them. A mean Christian, that fears God, is a man of more understanding than he that hath a great deal of head-light and in this sense may it be well said, the children of God are wiser than their teachers. Many times those that are unlearned rise up and take heaven by violence, when others, by all their literal and speculative knowledge, are thrust down to hell. Suppose it spoken no way in diminution to these teachers, but that they did their duty. 4. Some comment thus; that David had more understanding than all his teachers who taught him the first rudiments of religion, that he transcended them by far, by God's blessing, in making further progress in this kind of knowledge. If this were the sense, it would teach us not always to keep to our milk and to the first principles of religion, but to wade further and further into these mysteries, Heb. v. 12, 13. We should go on still, and grow up to a greater fulness in knowledge according as we have more means and advantages. But this is not the sense, for he saith, than all my teachers.' Why then, secondly, take it for his godly teachers that were every way qualified; and it is no new thing for a scholar to exceed his master, and Christians of a private station many times to excel those that are in office. Look, as in secular things among the heathens, Aristotle was wiser than Plato his master, and opposed him in many things, and therefore is called an ass's colt, that as soon as he was full with the dam's milk, he kicks her; he forgot that he was his father. We should, if we can, exceed our teachers, but not despise them; and Daniel, chap. i. 20, was wiser in civil arts than all his teachers, so also it is true as to holy things. Jesus Christ at twelve years of age puzzled the doctors. Eli brought up Samuel in the fear of God, but he proved wiser than Eli; Paul, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, Acts xxii. 3, proved a more notable instrument of God's glory; and Austin was taught by Ambrose, but grew afterwards more eminent than he. Thus David was wiser than his teachers, and yet they might be faithful and holy. Now he mentions this partly to commend the Lord's grace, Thou hast made me wiser than my teachers;' and partly to commend meditation in the word, the means by which he got it; not to boast of his own attainments, but to commend grace, and commend the means of grace to others. What may we observe from this assertion of David, I am wiser than my teachers'? Obs. 1. The freeness of God's grace in making a difference between men and men as to measures and degrees of knowledge: 1 Cor. iv. 7, Who made thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou hast not received?' Some have more and some less understanding, and all is as God gives out. There is not only a difference between men and men as to their great distinction of election and reprobation, but within the sphere of election as to measures of grace. God manifests himself to some more than to others; they are admitted to this favour, to see more than others into the mind of God, though they have the same teacher, God's Spirit; the same rule and direction, God's word; the same principles of grace; yet they have greater measures of knowledge: the reasons lie in God's bosom and grace. Now this should be noted, that those which excel should be kept humble, as being more indebted to grace than others are. and surely none should be proud because more in debt; and that those who are excelled might submit, and be contented to be outshined: John iii. 30, He must increase, but I must decrease.' It should be a rejoicing to them that God is likely to be glorified more by others; especially teachers should rejoice that God should give such a blessing to the ministry, that they which seem to be under them should see more than they. When those two quarrelling pronouns, meum et tuum, mine and thine, have no more use, as in heaven, then we shall fully rejoice in one anothers' gifts and graces, and what they enjoy it will be our comfort: as, in a choir of voices, one sings the treble, another the bass; they are refreshed, and every one delights not only in his own part and performance, but in the part of each other; all concurs to the harmony; so one hath this measure of grace, another another, and all concur to the glory of God. Obs. 2. Not only the freeness of God's grace in giving wisdom to one more than to another, but observe also the sovereignty of God's distribution. The treasures of grace are at his free disposing, and he will not be tied to any order; he gives to every one that measure of understanding which he sees fit. Indeed his ordinary course is to bless the teachers of his people with an increase of knowledge, for he hath promised a more especial presence with the public gift than with private: Mat. xxviii. 20, I am with you to the end of the world.' Yet many times private believers excel their godly teachers in wisdom and piety. Wisdom is not so tied to the teachers but that God is free to the giving as much, nay, more, to those that are taught. Though the general course is, in the ordinary way, that teachers should know more than the taught, yet God sometimes doth work extraordinarily, to show his prerogative, and absolute sovereignty; and things revealed to babes may be hid from the wise and prudent, to show that it is at his disposing, to hide and manifest as he pleaseth. Obs. 3. The equity and proportion that he observes in the dispensation of his sovereignty, for David ascribes it to God, but observes that this came to him as a blessing upon the use of means, For thy testimonies are my meditation.' God gives knowledge to whom he pleas eth, but those that meditate most thrive most. There are three sorts of meditation--(1.) Of observation; (2.) Of study and search; (3.) Of consideration or inculcative application; and all these conduce to make us wise. 1. There is a meditation of observation, when a man compares the word and providence, and is still taking notice how such a promise is accomplished, such a threatening made good; this man will grow more wise and more understanding than others: Ps. cvii. 43, Whoso is wise, and will observe those things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.' That is, he that is comparing the prediction and event, God's proceedings either in justice or mercy according to his word, how he doth punish and reward his people, and what visible comments his works are upon his word, he hath a clearer discerning than others, and they will see more cause to adhere to God, and yield him more faithful obedience than others. 2. There is the meditation of study and search, they that are inquiring into the word of God to find out his mind: Eph. v. 17, Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.' They that exercise themselves in the word to find out his mind shall have more of his blessing than those that rest in hearing and reading: For with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear, shall more be given,' Mark iv. 24. It is spoken of measuring to God in ordinances; as we measure to God in the use of means, so the Lord will measure out to us in his blessing and the influences of his grace. 3. There is a meditation of consideration, when we consider that which we read and hear, how it may be for use and practice, and of what moment it is for our eternal weal or woe. The scripture calls it consideration: 2 Tim. ii. 7, Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things;' Ps. l. 22, Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.' The more men consider things with application to their own soul, the more wise will they grow, and the more understanding in the things of God, and able to apply all for their own direction; he will see more than the teacher ever could express when he gives forth the general doctrine of faith and manners. But let any meditate upon it, and urge his own heart, and he shall find something the teacher thought not of; and this principally is the sense spoken of in this place. A man that urgeth his own heart with what is taught, when he hath a general doctrine applies it to his own soul, and reflects the light of it upon his own heart, meditates upon it by serious and inculcative thoughts, will ever find something either the teacher saw not, or seeing expressed not, see further into this truth than the teacher was aware of. The life and success of all means doth lie in this meditation. Obs. 4. I have more understanding than my teachers.' We learn this, that private means is a duty, and meditation must be joined with public hearing. Many content themselves with public ordinances, but make no conscience of private means, as secret prayer, and debating with themselves by serious inculcative thoughts returning upon their own heart. Oh! make conscience of this private duty. You may prosper and thrive more in a way of grace. When the apostle laid down the privileges of a justified estate, Rom. viii. 31, he concludes, Now what shall we say to these things?' implying we should urge our own heart upon every general doctrine, or rouse up ourselves with such a smart question, Heb. ii. 3, How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' Obs. 5. We learn, again, that it is good to submit to God's institutions; though the persons employed in them be never so mean, yet if they be clothed with lawful authority, by a conscientious attending upon God's ordinance, we may get a great deal of wisdom more than the teacher ever had, as they set your thoughts awork. Surely, if teachers be corrupt, as they sit in Moses' chair, though they are corrupt, yet as far as they do God's message they are to be regarded. Certainly we are not to turn back upon one meaner gifted if godly, or be a discouragement to those that are weak, though they are not so able, and have not so strong a gift. God may make a mean teacher a means for the increasing of knowledge. Obs. 6. We learn the glory of all profiting; it must not be given to the instruments, but to God, for the scholar may become wiser than the teacher; that is, God may give more grace by an instrument than the instrument hath in himself, to show that all is of him, that it doth not lie in the teacher's gift. All profiting must be ascribed to God; therefore the glory of all must redound to him, to his grace: 1 Cor. xv. 10, By the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain: I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.' If never so able, it is still from God. Secondly, The reason, I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.' Point. That meditation is a great help towards gracious improvement. David grew in such a manner as that he did excel all his teachers, and he giveth this reason of it: For thy testimonies are my meditation.' The scripture calleth for this: 1 Tim. iv. 15, Meditate upon these things, give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. So consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things;' and Ps. l. 22, Consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver;' and Luke ii. 19, Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.' Here I might show--(1.) What this is; (2.) What a notable means this is for spiritual improvement and growth in knowledge; to debate things with himself, Who made him, and for what end he was made. But of this you may see at large, ver. 15. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CVI. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.--Ver. 100. MAN is a rational being, and should close with things more or less as they do perfect and polish his understanding. Now among all the inventions of mankind to remedy the defects of nature, not one of them can compare with the means which God offers for curing of the blindness and darkness of the mind which is introduced by the fall. Man hath found out grammar to rectify his speech, rhetoric to adorn it and make it more cogent and powerful in persuasion, logic to revive reason, medicine or physic to preserve the health of the body, politics for government of human societies, and for ordering our converse with others in the world, economics for prudent ordering of families, ethics for the tempering of each man's spirit, that it may live under the dominion of natural reason. But mark, for commerce and communion with God, wherein our happiness lies, there all the inventions of man are very short, and only the word of God can guide us, and furnish us with this wisdom; and because of this is the word so desirous [1] and precious to the saints. Oh, how they love the law of God!' for it is their wisdom. Well, David having showed how it prevailed with his own heart, Oh, how I love thy law!' for thereby I get spiritual wisdom and understanding; to draw in other men to love and study the word, and to make this motive strong and pressing upon them, he doth compare the wisdom that men may get by the word with other things that look like wisdom; he compares it with the sagacity of enemies, the speculation and knowledge of the teacher, and the prudence we get by age and experience. 1. With the sagacity of enemies, whose wit was sharpened with their own malice. There he shows that a man that taketh counsel of the word to secure his great interest, by getting into the favour of God, and walketh by the plain rule of the word, without consulting with flesh and blood, hath the advantage of all other men, and will be found to be the wisest man at length. He compares this wisdom he got by the word with the speculations and knowledge of teachers. He that doth not content himself with the naked rules delivered by them, but labours with his own conscience to make them profitable to his own soul, he will see more by his own eyes as to the particular duties and concernments of the spiritual life than his teachers could ever direct him unto. 2. He compares it here in the text with the wisdom of the ancients, or men of long experience. By the elders or ancients may be meant either men of former times, or aged men of the same time. [1.] Men of former times: Heb. xi. 2, By it the ancients or elders obtained a good report;' that is, the holy patriarchs of their time. If this be meant of men in former times, then thou hast made me wiser than the ancients recommends this observation to us, viz., the church of God is growing always, and one age sees more than an other. A dwarf upon a giant's shoulders may see further than he. The ancients had their measures of light, so hath the present age: Joel ii. 28-30, In the latter days'--meaning the times of the gospel, all that efflux of time which was between Christ's ascension and his second coming, is called the latter days'--I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions,' &c. The knowledge which younger ones shall get under the New Testament is expressed by visions, dreams, and prophecy. These three were the ways of God's revealing himself to the old prophets; therefore it implies that those very truths which the prophets and holy men of God had by visions, dreams, and prophecies, by such extra ordinary ways of revelation, will then be commonly known by preaching and catechising and other means of instruction in the church of God: and thus, I have more understanding than the ancients.' Succeeding ages may see more into the mind of God; therefore antiquity should not sway against truth, and former ages should not prescribe to succeeding, which grow up to a further latitude and increase in knowledge. [2.] Rather let us take it, I have more understanding than the ancients;' that is, than many old men of the same age. They that are slow and dull of conceit, yet by long use they grow wise; and having smarted often, they learn by their own harms to become circumspect. But here is the excellency of the word, that it made a young man wiser than those that are men of age and experience. Youths well studied in God's law may exceed men of great experience and knowledge in arts and sciences. True zeal and piety, and the defects of his age and want of experiences, are recompensed by the exactness of his rule that he takes to guide him; if he will but wholly subject and give up himself to the directions of this rule, he will not need much experience; he hath enough to guide him: I understand more than the ancients: because I keep thy precepts.' In which words you have-- 1 The benefit that we get by God's precepts, that is understanding. 2. This benefit is amplified by comparing it with the understanding that is gotten by age and experience, I understand more than the ancients. 3. The manner of obtaining this more excellent benefit, by a diligent heed and practice, I understand more than the ancients.' Why? Because I keep thy precepts. So that from hence three points are to be observed:-- 1. That understanding gotten by the precepts of the word is better than understanding gotten by long experience. I observe this, because David doth not speak this so much to commend his own proficiency, as to set forth the exactness of our rule and goodness of the word of God; therefore this point lies couched here. 2. That young ones may sometimes have more of spiritual wisdom than those that are ancient. I observe that, because David instanceth in his own person, though young, that he exceeded many, not only of his equals, but of his seniors. 3. The way to increase in spiritual understanding is to be studious in practical holiness. I observe this, because the reason rendered was his own diligent practice, I understand more than the ancients.' Why? Because I keep thy precepts.' Doct. 1. That understanding gotten by the precepts of the word is better than understanding gotten by long experience. It is better in four regards:-- 1. It is more exact. Our experience reacheth but to a few things, but the word of God reacheth to all cases that concern true happiness. The word is the result of God's wisdom, who is the Ancient of days, therefore exceeds the wisdom of the ancients, or experience of any man, or all men. God is more ancient than they, sees all things that have been, are, and shall be, at one view and sight; and therefore, if he will give us a rule, certainly that is more than all our experience. Experience will show us the evils of this world, and give us some rules to escape it; but the word of God tells us of evils in the next, and that with more persuasiveness and evidence than if one came from the dead, and had been wallowing in those devouring flames that had been kindled in the other world, Luke xvi. 30, 31. There is more exactness and completeness in this rule than possibly can be in experience: 2 Tim. iii. 17, The word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.' By the man of God is meant the teacher; the prophets are called men of God, and the public teacher is the man of God. If there be enough to furnish the teacher to every good work, surely there is enough to furnish the practiser. There is enough to furnish the maw of God, who is to consult not only for his own private necessity, but the necessities of others. 2. As it is a more exact, so a more sure way of learning wisdom, whereas experience is more uncertain. Many have much experience, yet have not a heart to see and to gather wisdom from what they feel: Deut. xxix. 2, 3, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt. Yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.' They saw it, that is, had experience of it, yet not a heart to improve it: Ps. xlix. 13, This their way is their folly, yet their posterity approve their sayings.' The father gets an estate; when gotten, he thinks to enjoy it; God takes him off; their posterity live by their carnal maxims, and do not profit by their experience. Though they stand upon the graves of many that made a great bustle in the world to compass their worldly ends, yet they are never the wiser for all this. Therefore it is a great advantage to have a stated fixed rule to our hands, to have a rule of wisdom and principles given us by God himself, wherewith to steer and guide our course. 3. It is a safer and cheap way of learning, to learn by rule, than to come home by Weeping Gross, and to learn wisdom by our own smart. Experience is too expensive a way; and if we had nothing else to guide us, into how many thousand miseries should we run! how would a man's life be exposed to inevitable hazards and soul-dangers! And if by chance he should get out of the snare (which is uncertain), yet the taint of former practices will remain in him a long time; therefore it is God's mercy he will teach us by precept rather than by experience; that he doth not teach us, as Gideon taught the men of Succoth, by briars and thorns, but that we may learn wisdom at a cheaper rate. If we were only to know (as God saith of his people, Jer. ii. 19, Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee') when we had smarted for it, this were an expensive costly way; but if we will hearken to God's precepts, all this smart and trouble and bitterness of affliction may be saved. Therefore the precepts of God are better. 4. The way by age and experience is a long way, and so for a long time all a man's younger age must needs be miserable and foolish. Now here you may come betimes to be wise, by studying the word of God: Prov. i. 22, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and ye fools hate knowledge?' It concerns a man not only to be wise at length, but to be wise betimes. The foolish virgins were wise too late, but never any were wise too soon. Therefore surely that is better which will make us wise betimes, as soon as we come to be exposed to dangers. In these respects he that applies himself to God's precepts will get more wisdom than he that gets wisdom by age and experience; he hath it in a shorter way, a safer way, a less expensive way, and in a more certain and exacter way. Use I. To reprove the folly of men that will not take God's directions, but will be trying experiments at their own cost; as Solomon gave out his heart to a critical search, he would find where happiness and comfort was, and at length was forced to come home by Weeping Cross, to the fear of God and keeping of his commandments. This is the whole of man, he had tried pleasure, profit, and all things. The prodigal would be running out of his father's house, and we all would be trying because we will not take God's word. God hath given his word here to man, we need not search elsewhere; and it is a thousand to one that, when you are trying, that ever you recover yourselves out of the snare. Here or there a man returns; I found them, saith Solomon, but there are very few; and therefore, as the prophet saith, Jer xxxi 32 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter?' Why do you compass about? There is a shorter way to true happiness, if we had a heart to take it. Oh, but we must have our swing and our scope, and then come home by shame and sorrow: Mat xi. 28, Come to me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden.' Mark, they that come to Christ, come not only laden with their sins, but weary with vain pursuits. But this is the fashion of man, to be running about, to be wearying himself, and contract weariness and thirst, as the prophet speaks, Jer. ii. 13. Use 2. To recommend the study of the word. O Christians! hath provided for us better than the heathens, who were forced to hunt up and down to find a spark of wisdom here and there; it is all brought home, and suited to your hands in the word of God; there is more wisdom to be gotten there for the guiding of your affairs and course of life in order to true happiness than by age and long experience you can possibly reach. Two ways doth this appear:-- 1. Because the word doth sufficiently instruct us in our duty: Prov. ii. 9, Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.' Then! when? When you give up yourselves to God's direction, and take the law from his mouth, and walk in the way that is pointed out by his word and Spirit; you shall have enough to direct you in all your ways. 2. It doth warn us of all our dangers. It doth not only in the general call upon us to watch,' Mat. xiii. 37, and walk circumspectly,' Eph. v. 15, but it discovers all those deceits particularly whereby we may be surprised, diverted, and turned out of the way. There are snares in prosperity, snares in adversity; temptations you meet with in praying, trading, eating, drinking, in your public undertakings, and in your private converse; it shows your danger in all your ways, before you feel the smart of them. Therefore give up yourselves to God's direction, reading, hearing, meditating, believing, and practising; read, hear it often, then the deceits of Satan will be laid open, and the snares of your own hearts. Christians! an exact rule is of little use if you do not consult it: Gal. vi. 16, Peace and mercy be upon all them that walk according to this rule;' that order their conversations exactly. The word signifies, that try their work as a carpenter doth by his square; they examine their actions by the word of God, what they are now a-doing, therefore consult with it often; then meditate of it, ponder it seriously: 2 Tim. ii. 7, Consider what I say, and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.' If we would have understanding by the word, there must be consideration. Man hath a discursive faculty to debate things with himself. Why! this is my duty. What would become of me if I step out of God's way? Here is danger and a snare; what if I should run into it now it is laid before me? And then believe it surely: Heb. iv. 2, The word profited not, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.' Believe God upon his word without making trial. You hear much of living by sense and by faith; living by faith is when we bear up upon the bare word of God, and encourage ourselves in the Lord; but living by sense is a trying whether it be so or no; as they that will not believe hell shall feel hell, and they that will not believe the word of God shall smart for it: Heb. xi. 7, Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark.' It may be there were no preparations to the accomplishment of the curse and judgment; the word threatened, it is a thing not seen, yet he prepared an ark. When a man is walking in an unjust course, all things prosper for a-while, the misery the word threatens is unseen. Ay! but if you would grow wiser by the word than men can by experience, you must look to the end of things: Ps. lxxiii. 17, I went into the sanctuary of God, then understood I their end.' And then practise it diligently. A young practiser hath more understanding than an ancient notionalist: Ps. cxi. 10, A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.' It is not they that are able to speak of things, and savour what the word requires, but they that do what they hear and discourse of, Gregory saith, we know no more than we practise, and we practise as we know; these two always go together. The word doth us no good unless there be a ready obedience; therefore this is wisdom, when we give up ourselves to God's direction, whatever it cost us in the world. Doct. 2. That young ones may have many times more of this wisdom than those that are ancient. Divers instances there are. Joseph was very young, sold into Egypt about seventeen years of age; and when he was in Egypt, Ps. cv. 22, He taught his senators wisdom,' speaking of the senators of Egypt. With how much modesty did he carry himself when his mistress laid that snare! Isaac was young, and permitted himself to be offered to God as a sacrifice. Samuel was wise betimes: 1 Sam. ii. 26, it is said, The child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord and also with men.' From his infancy he was dedicated to God, and God gives him wisdom to walk so that he was in favour with God and men; yea, God reveals himself to Samuel when he did not to Eli. David, when he was but fifteen years of age, fought with the lion and bear; and some while after that with Goliath, when he was a ruddy youth. Josiah, when he was but eight years old, administered the kingdom; before he was twelve, sets upon serious reformation. Jeremiah was sanctified from the womb, Jer. i. 5; and John the Baptist leaped in his mother's womb, Luke i. 35. In the 32d of Job, the ancients, Job's friends, are spoken of pleading their cause; wise young Elihu brings wiser words and better arguments than those that came to comfort Job. Solomon asked wisdom of God when he was young. Daniel and his companions, those four children as they are called: Dan. i. 17, 18, it is said, The Lord filled them with wisdom above all the ancient Chaldeans.' And Timothy, the apostle speaks of his youth, and bids him flee youthful lusts;' he was young, yet very knowing, and set over the church of God. Our Lord Jesus at twelve years old puzzled the doctors. In ecclesiastical stories we read of one who at fifteen years of age died with great constancy for religion in the midst of sundry tortures. Ignatius pleads the cause of the bishop when he was but a very youth, but a man powerful in doctrine and of great wisdom; and therefore he saith, he would have them not look to his appearing youth, but to the age of his mind, to his wisdom before God. And he saith, there are many that have nothing to show for their age but wrinkles and grey hairs. So there are many young ones m whom there is an excellent spirit; and in all ages there are instances given of youth of whom it may be said that they are wise beyond their years. For the reasons, why many times young ones may have more wisdom than those that are aged: God doth so-- 1. That he might show the freedom and sovereignty of his grace. He is not bound to years, nor to the ordinary course of nature, but can work according to his own pleasure, and give a greater measure of knowledge and understanding to those that are young, and otherwise green, than he will to those that are of great age and more experience in the world. You have this reason rendered: Job xxxii. 7-9, I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.' There is the course: But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment.' Though all men have reason and a spirit, yet the Spirit of God is a wind that blows where he lists. Those that exceed others in time, may come behind them in grace. He gives a greater measure many times of grace and knowledge, to show his freedom and sovereignty. 2. Sometimes to manifest the power of his grace, both in the person that is endued with it, and the power of his grace upon others. As to the person himself in whom this wisdom is found, when they are young, the Lord doth show he can subdue them by his Spirit, and make their prejudices vanish, enlarge their understanding, and overrule their heart: 1 John ii. 14, I write to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.' In that slippery age, when lusts are boisterous, temptations most violent, and they usually uncircumspect and headstrong, and give up themselves to an ungoverned license, yet then can God subdue their hearts, and make them stand out against the snares of the devil. And then with respect to others, when by the foolish he will confound the wisdom of the wise, and blast the pride of man, and cast down all conceit in external privileges, and give young ones a more excellent spirit than the aged, as the apostle intimates such a thing, 1 Cor. i. 26, Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty.' And our Lord: Mat. xi. 25, 26, Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.' Usually God will do so, when he will punish the unfaithfulness of those that are in public place and office: The law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancient.' God will not take the usual way and course, but will give his Spirit and graces of his Spirit to them, and deny it to those that should be builders. Now what use shall we make of this? There may be an abuse of such a point as this, and there may be a very good use. To prevent the abuse-- 1. This is not to be taken so but that there should be reverence shown to the aged, Job xxxii. 4-6. Elihu had waited till Job's friends had spoken, because they were elder than he. It is an abuse of men of a proud persuasion of their own knowledge and learning to despise the aged, especially when they also have a competent measure of the same spirit. The scripture speaks of Paul the aged;' certainly there is a reverence due to grey hairs. And it argues a great disorder when the staff of government is broken, and the established order is overturned; when a child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient,' Isa. iii. 5, and young men shall peak up to the despising of their elders, Deut. xxviii. 2. This is not to be applied so as to prejudice the general case of consulting with the ancients, which was Rehoboam's sin. Though God sometimes giveth wisdom to young men, yet the usual course is that, Job xxxii. 7, I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.' Certainly those that are old they are freer from passions, bettered by use and experience, and long continuance in study, have more advantages to add to their knowledge; therefore usually, though the bodily eyes be dim, the understanding may be most clear and sharp. Use 2. The use in general is twofold--that young men should not be discouraged nor despised. 1. Not discouraged. We use to say Youth for strength and age for wisdom: but if they apply their hearts to religion and the study of God's will, and with knowledge join practice, they may profit, and so as they may be a means to shame those that are elder, while they come behind them in many gracious endowments. They are not to be discouraged, as if it were too soon for them to enter into a strict course, or grow eminent therein; for God may glorify himself in their sobriety, temperance, chastity, zeal, courage, and the setting their strong and eager spirits against sin is a mighty honour to God: Ps. viii. 2, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies,' &c. The graces of God in young ones do mightily turn to the praise of his glorious grace, and God is admired in them, and it is an honour and comfort to you, also: Eph. i. 12, In Christ before me:' it is a just upbraiding to elder people that lie longer in sin. 2. Nor yet should youth be despised: 1 Tim. iv. 12, Let no man despise thy youth.' God's gifts should not be despised in any, nor stir up rancour. God may speak by them as he spoke by Samuel, and to Samuel when he spoke not to old Eli. Having premised this, let me come to apply it particularly, though briefly. It conduceth then-- 1. To the encouragement of youth to betake themselves to the ways of God. Oh, consider! let us begin with God betimes; do not spend your youth in vanity, but in a serious mortified course. This is your sharp and active time, when your spirits are fresh: therefore, if your watch is set right now, you may understand more than the ancients. Give up your hearts to a religious course; let not the devil feast upon the flower of your youth, and God be put off with the fragments and scraps of Satan's table. While you are young take in with God; it is a great honour to God, and it will be an honour and an advantage to you. Mat. xxi. 15, 16, when the children cry Hosanna to the Son of David,' and the Pharisees reproved him for it, Christ approves of it, saying, Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?' When young ones take kindly, it is a great blessing. Therefore is judgment hanging over this nation, that youth is so degenerated; whereas formerly they were addicted to religion, now they are addicted to all manner of lusts and vanity. Then it would be an honour and comfort to you; the sooner we begin with God, the more we glorify God, and the more praise to God: Eph. i. 12, That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.' They that get into Christ above [2] others, they glorify grace above others: Rom. xvi. 7, They were in Christ before me.' He that first gets into Christ, he hath the advantage of others; seniority in grace is a preferment, as well as in nature. And then it is a great advantage: Eccles. xii. 1, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth.' When we begin betimes with God, we have more opportunity of serving and enjoying God than others have. A man should bear the yoke in his youth,' Lam. iii. If the bent of our inclinations were set right in our youth, it would prevent much, and hinder the growth of sin. Though a man cannot plant grace in his heart--that is the Lord's own work--yet it keeps sin in, and prevents inveterate custom, for they will grow upon us; and therefore it makes for the. encouragement of you that they should sooner begin with God. 2. It makes for the encouragement of those that have the education of youth; as masters of families, parents, and the like. Do not say it is too soon for them to learn; no age is too soon for God: 2 Tim. iii. 15, Thou hast from thy infancy learned the scriptures.' When we suck in religion with our milk, it is a great advantage; those things we keep with us that we learn young: Prov. xxii. 6, Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' When the new vessel is seasoned with this precious liquor, it will keep the taste; tender twigs are bent this way when they are as wax, capable of any impression. Use 3. Caution for young ones. If young men should obtain this benefit, to grow wiser than the ancients, notwithstanding this, yet they should learn to show reverence to the aged, Job xxxii. 4-6; and then to ascribe it to God. Saith he, ver. 8, There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.' It is not the sharpness of our wit, but the inspiration of his grace; he is the author of all this wisdom that is wrought in us. Use 4. To humble the aged, that have not made conscience of their time and ways, and therefore are more blockish than many children: Isa. lxv. 20, There shall be no more an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days;' old men that are ignorant of the mysteries of faith, after they have long sat under the word of God, and had many advantages to improve their youth: Heb. v. 12, When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.' In this sense God is said to take away the understanding of the aged; that is, by a just judgment for their unfruitfulness and unprofitableness under the means of grace. They that are much younger than you are wise in comparison of you, when they excel you for ripeness in wisdom, for solidness and settledness in manners, in a course of godliness. Those old men that draw near to the grave before they have considered either the end wherefore they came into the world, or the state into which they shall be translated when they go out of it, those are children of one hundred years old, that have nothing to reckon age by, but wrinkles and grey hairs. Doct. 3. That the way to increase in spiritual understanding is to be studious in practical holiness. The word, that will give you understanding, will keep you out of all snares, sufficiently direct you to true happiness. But how shall we get it? Refer it to practice; practise what you know, and you shall know more: it must needs be so:-- 1. Because these are such as have God's promise: John vii. 17, If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.' They that make conscience of their ways, season their course in the fear of God, that take God's direction with them, God will tell them, they shall know what doctrine is of God. 2. They have a greater clearness of mind and understanding, therefore must needs discern holy things. Why? Because they are freed from the clouds of lust and passion, which do insensibly blind and make them stay in generals: Mat. v. 8, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' Saith Nazianzen, Where there is purity there is brightness; where there is a pure heart, there is a great deal more clearness in the understanding. Reason and fancy are dark, unless a man have a command over his passions and affections; over his passions, of anger, fear, grief; and over his affections, of love and joy, and appetite towards sensual delights; unless he be able to govern these things, he will never truly discern the mind of God for the seasoning his course in living a holy life, That of the apostle is notable, 2 Peter i. 5, Add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance.' Unless they be able to govern their affections in the use of worldly delights, pleasures, and profits, they will never have this practical knowledge; and therefore the only way to know divine things, as Nazianzen well observes, is conscientiously to keep the commandments of God.' If you would know the will of God, do not spend your time in heaping up notions, but framing your heart to obedience, governing your affections by the fear of God, and suiting your hearts to the word of God. Alas! those that seek knowledge out of ambition, curiosity, and vain ostentation, and lie under the power of vile affections, get but very little true spiritual light; they may have the understanding of teachers, but not the understanding to season them, and guide them in their communion with God. 3. The more we practise, the more religion is exemplified and made sensible, so that we come to understand more of the sweetness of it; and, on the other hand, the more of difficulty is in it when there is nothing but bare notions and naked apprehensions. There we have a double advantage, an exact rule, and more experience of the sweetness of religion: Prov. iii. 17, All her ways are ways of pleasantness.' When we practise what we know, then we come to know the sweetness of entertaining communion with the Lord; and they know more of the difficulty of religion, they know where their hearts are more averse, and more in danger: whereas others that soar aloft in notions, and idle and lofty speculations, have not this experience. 4. They that practise, study things with more affection than others, mightily help the understanding. The more piety and zeal any man hath, the more will the Lord bless his studies. Paul profited in the Jewish religion above many of his equals. Why? Gal. i. 14, Being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of my fathers.' A man that hath a zeal in anything will profit more than others; so he that hath a zeal for the things of God profits above others. A blunt iron, if red hot, will pierce through an inch board sooner than a cold tool, though never so sharp; so those that have blunt parts in comparison of others, yet if they have zeal and good affections, they will pierce deep into the mysteries of religion; they that have sharper parts, want the fire of zeal. 5. The more fruitful any grace is, the more doth it abound with us; and therefore when your knowledge is fruitful you will find it increased by laying out your talents: Col. i. 10, Be fruitful in every good work, always increasing in the knowledge of God.' First he presseth knowledge in order to practice, then he presseth practice in order to knowledge. Saving knowledge is the cause of practice, and it is the effect of it. Use 1. Learn how much practice exceeds speculation, and whereby a man's understanding is to be valued. Who is to be accounted a spiritual understanding man? Not he that hath finer notions, but he that is most skilful, and ready to every good work.' Do not content yourselves with a few fine opinions well dressed and curiously set forth, for all this is nothing to practice. It must needs be so, for practice is the end of knowledge. Now the end is always more worthy than the means; all the means have their loveliness from their end, and all the means have their order and measure from their end; that is, we must so use the means that we may come to such an end. Well, then, knowledge is worthy for practice sake, and only to be sought after in order to practice; not to soar aloft, but we are to be wise to sobriety; nor as wanton fancies, such as affect conceits of wit, and empty frothy notions; all should be suited to practice. Use 2. Again, I might apply it, how ill they do that sever knowledge and a good conscience. When the age grew more knowing they were less moral in Seneca's time; as it was so with them, so it is with Christianity many times. It was the saying of one, When I compare former times with ours, times of ignorance, darkness, superstition, they had more zeal, we have more light; where there was less knowledge there was more practice. Now we have notions like a carbuncle, which seems at a distance to be all fire, though it is quite cold; so we seem to have high floating notions concerning godliness; the head is stored with these, but hearts empty of grace, hands idle, less circumspect, more careless and loose, fruitless in good works. It shows us the cause why many, that have great dexterity in wit and excellent gifts in other things, yet are very stupid and blockish in the things o God. There is now a decay of gifts and knowledge. Why? Because professors do riot refer all to practice; and then ungodliness and less practice provokes the Lord to withdraw the light. God punished the heathens with spiritual blindness, because they did not improve their knowledge; and we may justly fear it may prove so with us, who are all head, little heart; much in speculations, little, very little in practical holiness. __________________________________________________________________ [1] That is, ?desirable,? or ?desired.?--ED. [2] Qu. before'?--ED. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CVII. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.--Ver. 101. THE great work of a fast-day is to put away the evil of our doings; as when a fire is kindled in a house, and begins to rage and burn fiercer, it concerns those that would stop the fury of it to remove the combustible matter. The fire of God's wrath hath been kindled amongst us, and is not yet quenched. I suppose none of you doubt your business is to remove the combustible matter, to put away your sins; this scripture will be of some use to you to that purpose. David had spoken of that wisdom which he had got by the word of God above enemies, teachers, ancients. It was not such a wisdom as consisted in speculation, but practice; not only such as did enable him to talk high, and set his tongue awork. No; it was such as did enable him to do things worthy of God, as did set his feet awork. Our feet are slow and heavy in God's ways, but very swift to that which is evil; and therefore herein did David's wisdom consist, to bridle himself, to refrain his feet, that he might not run headlong into all manner of evil; and not only so, but that he might be also more ready to that which is good: I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.' Where-- 1. We have David's practice, I have refrained my feet from every evil way. 2. His end or motive, that I might keep thy word; that he might be exact and punctual with God in a course of obedience. 1. In his practice. You may note the seriousness of it, I refrained my feet.' By the feet are meant the affections: Eccles. v. 1, Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God.' Our affections, which are the vigorous bent of the soul, do engage us to practise, therefore fitly resembled by the feet, by which we walk to any place that we do desire, so that I refrained my feet;' the meaning is, I keep a close and strict hand over my affections, that they might not lead me to sin. Then you may note the extent of it. He doth not only say, I refrained from evil,' but universally, from every evil way.' But how could David say this in truth of heart, because of his offence in the matter of Uriah? Ans. This was the usual frame and temper of his soul, and the course of his life; and such kind of assertions concerning the saints are to be interpreted voce [3] et conatu, licet non semper eventu. This was his errand and drift, his purpose and endeavour, his usual course, though he had his failings. 2. What was his motive and end in this? That I might keep thy word;' that I might be exact and punctual with God in a course of obedience, and adhere to his word uniformly, universally, impartially. Doct. He that would keep the word must refrain his feet; that is, stand at a great distance in heart and practice from all sin. For the illustration of the point observe-- 1. A Christian must do both; he must stand at a distance from sin, and he must keep the word. There is a negative and an affirmative part in every commandment, precepts and prohibitions; we need both the bridle and the spur; the bridle, to refrain the feet from sin; and the spur, to quicken us to walk closely with God, according to the direction of his holy word. A simple abstinence from sin, without exercising ourselves unto godliness, will not serve the turn: Ps. xxxiv. 15, Depart from evil, and do good.' So Ps. xxxvii. 27. There is a double principle in every renewed man, flesh and spirit, Gal. v. 17; and his work is to restrain the one, to keep in the flesh that would fain break out, and range abroad in unseemly actions; and to encourage and put forth the other, the spirit in its necessary operation, with vigour and life. There is a double estate laid before us, heaven and hell; therefore we are not only to forbear sin, which is walking to hell, but we must walk worthy of God in all well-pleasing, and be fruitful in good works, which is our way to heaven, Eph. ii. 10, Forbearing evil, and doing good.' The Pharisee's religion ran upon negatives: I am not an adulterer, an extortioner,' &c., Luke xviii. 11. Many are not vicious rather than godly, they keep themselves in a middle lukewarm estate; and though they be not defiled with foul sins, yet do not set themselves seriously to serve the Lord. 2. Both must be done with the whole man, or regarded both in heart and practice. It is not enough to leave off evil, but to hate it, nor to do good, but we must do it with a love and an affection. Com pare three places: Isa. i. 16, Cease to do evil, learn to do well;' Amos v. 15, Hate the evil, love the good.' And it is expressed with a further emphasis, Rom. xii. 9, Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.' These places compared together will show that the outward act is not only to be regarded, but the frame of the heart. There should not only be an abstinence from the act of sin, but mortifying of the love of it; for there are many that outwardly forbear sin, but yet do not inwardly hate it. On the other side, we are not only to do good, but there must be a love to good; for many may externally do good when the heart abhors it. And on. the other side, if there be a love to good, God passeth by many failings; it should not be a bare hatred, or a cold love, but such as hath life and vehemency in it, abhorring that which is evil, and cleaving to that which is good--the soul of Jonathan cleaved to David--it must be a knitting love. There is Haman's refraining, Esther v. 10, and David's refraining. It is said Haman refrained himself, when his heart boiled with rancour and malice against Mordecai; and there is David's refraining in the text, I refrained my heart from every evil way.' His heart is engaged, when the heart cleaves to him, not easily to separate. 3. Both are regarded, and both with the whole man. Now the one is required in order to the other; we must refrain from evil that we may do good, and do good that we may refrain from evil; mortification and vivification do mutually help each other. The more lively grace is the more sin droopeth, the more lively sin is the more is the new nature oppressed. Without refraining our feet from evil there is no doing of good, for vivification is increased according to the degree of mortification: 1 Peter ii. 24, That we, being dead to sin, might be alive to righteousness.' As long as we are alive to sin, active and delighting in the commission thereof, we are dead to righteousness. But now, as the love and life of sin is weakened in our hearts, so is grace introduced, and we are quickened and carried on with more strength in holy duties; the strength and fervour of the soul is diverted, and runs in another channel; the same affections that are carried out to sin, the same current and stream of soul that ran out towards our selves, then is carried in a way of grace, the same affections, but carried out to other objects. And so on the other side, wherever there is an affection to good, there will be a cordial detestation to evil; the affection to the one will awaken and increase the hatred of the other; for still the soul draws that way which our affections carry them. 4. As the one must be done in order to the other, so our care in the first place must be to avoid evil, or to stand at a distance from every known sin. He begins with that as necessary to the other; first, I refrained my feet,' and then, that I might keep thy law;' he was to be more exact in a course of obedience. In planting of grace God keeps this method, he roots up the weeds, and then plants us wholly with a right seed, and so far as we are active under God in the work, we first put off the old man with his deceitful lusts,' and then, put on the new man,' Eph. iv. 22. We put off the rags of sin before we put on the garments of salvation. The plants of righteousness will not thrive in an unhumbled, proud, impenitent heart; therefore God's first work is the destruction of sin, and then the introduction of grace. The heart is purified for faith, as well as purified by faith. First, It must be purified for faith, that being the work of the Spirit of God; for John v. 44, How can ye believe that seek honour one of another?' As long as any fleshly lust remains unmortified, be it ambition, vain glory, affecting honour, reputation, esteem in the world, the heart is not purified. Secondly, The heart is purified by faith, Acts xv. 9; more and more this corruption is wrought out. And then the heart is purified for fear: I will give a new heart,' Jer. xxxii. 40. And then purified by fear, as Job feared God, Job i. 1. So the heart is purified for love and by love; for love: Deut. xxx. 6, And the Lord will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul.' A believer is to be considered in the act of conversion and in the state of conversion; in the act of conversion, so first we turn from evil by a sound remorse: true grace is first planted, first purified for grace, then purified by grace: Job feared God, then eschewed evil. Preparing grace is implanted in us, then it hath an exercise upon us for the weakening of sin more and more. 5. Keeping at a distance from evil; it must be as it is evil and contrary to the holy nature and will of God. I observe this, because David did not refrain his feet from evil upon any foreign and accidental reasons, for fear of men, or any sinister and by respect, but merely out of tender love and respect to the law of God, to testify his obedience to him: I refrained my feet from every evil way.' And what was his motive? That I might keep thy word.' A child of God hates sin, as it is contrary to his drift and purpose. If we do not love good for good's sake, it is not good we love, but some other thing that cleaves to it, the temporal benefit that we think will come thereby. So if we do not hate evil as evil, but because of the loss and detriment that attends the practice of it, it is not sin that we hate, but inconveniences. As Austin saith of the eternal reward, There are many non peccare metuunt, sed ardere--they are not afraid to sin, but are afraid to be damned. So a natural conscience may upon foreign and accidental reasons stand aloof from sin, as a dog may forbear a morsel for fear of the cudgel; convinced men may forbear sin out of horror of conscience, and not out of any serious dislike of heart against it. Briefly, there is custom, education, penalty of law, infamy, shame of the world, difficulty of compassing sin, shame in practising. These are but accidental reasons, these may make us refrain, they may breed a casual dislike, but not a natural hatred; for a gracious refraining must be upon a religious reason. David gives an account, not only of his practice, but his motive: I refrained my feet from every evil way.' And why? That I might keep thy word.' 6. This refraining must be from every sinful course. The grace of justification will teach this, and the grace of sanctification; the grace of justification, that pardoneth all sin, will teach us to deny all, Titus ii. 12; and the grace of sanctification will teach us to deny not one, but all, for that introduceth a settled hatred against sin in the soul. Now hatred is pro`s ta` ge'ne, to the whole kind; he that hates one sin as sin, hates all sin, as Haman thought scorn to lay his hands upon Mordecai alone, but sought to destroy all the seed of the Jews, Esther iii. 6. So this hatred is universally carried out against all sin. Indeed they do not mortify any sin that do not mortify every sin; one lust remaining unmortified keeps the devil's interest afoot in the soul. Pharaoh, when the Israelites would have gone, would fain have a pawn of their return, their flocks, their herds, or their children, that they might be sure to come back again. So Satan, if a man be touched in conscience, and will bethink himself, and look after religion, if he can get but a pawn, a corner of the heart, one sin, he knows his interest is still kept. Herod did many things, but he had his Herodias, and that held him fast and sure to Satan. The young man had a sense of eternal life upon him, Mat. xix. 22, and he did many things, All these have I kept from my youth,' but he was worldly. There are certain tender parts in the soul that are loath to be touched; but now if we would be sincere with God, we must refrain from every evil way. Any one man entertained besides the husband, it breaks the marriage covenant; any one sin allowed in the soul, be it never so small, it. forfeits our privileges by grace. But now, because particulars are more effective, and do strike upon the soul with the more smart blow than generals, briefly consider:-- 1. We must refrain from every evil way; not only notorious sins, but those that are plausible and of more reputation in the world, that are not so rank in the nostrils of men, and expose us to such disgrace and dishonour. There are open sins that are found hateful, that have a turpitude in them, and bring shame: Gal. v. 19, e'rga tes sarko`s, the works of the flesh are manifest;' such as murder, adultery, gross oppression, these are rank weeds of an ill savour, that stink in nature's nostrils, and are accompanied with shame and disgrace. To refrain from these is little thanks, Luke xviii. 11. The Pharisee wipes his hand of these, I am not an adulterer,' &c. Ay! but he was proud, censorious, and covetous. There are pride, censoriousness, covetousness, and worldliness, cloaked sins that are not of such disgrace in the world, all these should be hated by you. Many times those sins that are majoris infamiae, of greater infamy, are not always majoris reatus, they do not leave the greatest guilt upon you. Un belief is not infamous in the world, neglect of the gospel of grace, want of love to Christ Jesus, these are great sins: and therefore you must not only abstain from notorious sins, but those which are more plausible, and are not of such ill fame in the world. 2. You must abstain from sins outward and inward, Isa. lv. 7. The sinner must not only forsake his way, but his thought; by his way is meant his outward course and practice, but he must make conscience of his thoughts, and secret workings of heart. Practices may be over ruled by by-ends, but thoughts and desires, these are the genuine immediate motions and issues of the soul, that do come immediately out of the fountain, and are restrained only by grace. 3. Sins profitable and pleasant, as well as those that have no such allurement and blandishment in them. There are many sins that have nothing of allurement in them, that are entertained only upon sin's account and evil custom, as rash swearing, blasphemy, malice and the like; but there other sins that allure and entice the soul by the promise of profit and pleasure, those two bastard goods that do make us often quit the good of honesty and duty. Now, you are to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts,' Titus ii. 12; worldly lusts, whatever would endanger the soul, all inordinate inclinations that carry you out to these things of pleasing the flesh and gratifying worldly interests. 4. In refraining the feet from every evil way, that is, from sins against either table, Rom. i. 18. Mark, God hath owned both tables, not only revealed his wrath against ungodliness, breaches of the first table; but against unrighteousness, breaches of the second table. Many indeed will not be unjust, intemperate, unkind to their neighbours; ay! but they express no affection to God by worshipping him in their hearts, by faith, fear, and love, or in their houses by constant prayer morning and evening, and secret and familiar in closet converses with God; they are guilty of ungodliness though not of unrighteousness. And there are many that would be much in worship, in praying, fasting, and hearing, but they forget their neighbours; they are unrighteous, they do not make conscience in their dealings with men, and in the duties of their relations are unfaithful, many times to the great dishonour of God; they do things heathens would boggle at. 5. There are great sins and small sins. Many make not conscience of small offences, count these venial. Certainly he that would have a tender regard to God's law, no sin should seem little to him that is an offence to the great God. It is Satan's custom by small sins to draw us to greater, as the little sticks do set the great ones on fire, and a wisp of straw enkindles a block of wood; and by small sins we are enticed by Satan. The least sin allowed of is of a deadly and dangerous consequence: Mat. v. 19, Whosoever shall break the least of these commandments, and teach men so.' It is treason to coin a penny as well as a pound. To break the least of God's commandments, to make no conscience of them, because it is a small thing, argues a naughty heart. Bodkins may wound and stab as well as swords. Look, as we read of the prophet, he was devoured of lions, so we read of Herod, he was eaten up by lice. Small sins may be a very great mischief to the soul. Little sins are often the mother of great sins, and the grandmother of great punishments and of plagues from God; and therefore these lesser sins we must refrain from: I kept myself from every evil way.' 6. We must not commit anything that is evil out of a good intention, if it be an evil, but stand at a distance from it. Do not turn aside to any crooked path upon any pretence soever. Some have a good action but a bad aim. Now these do, as it were, make God serve the devil; they do the action which God hath required, but their aim is that which gratifies Satan. There are others that have a good aim but a bad action. These make the devil serve God, as if God could not provide for his own glory well enough without their sin. Therefore, if it be an evil way, refrain it, though you think you may bring good out of it. Saul would be offering sacrifice, an unwarrantable action for him to invade the priestly office, 1 Sam. xiii. 13, 14, He was loath to go to battle until he had sacrificed, and would not tarry till Samuel came. What then? See what Samuel saith, Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of the Lord thy God which he commanded thee.' Here was a good aim, but a bad action, and you see how severe judgment fell upon him. I say, he forfeited his kingdom by doing an undue action, though for a good end. Uzzah he put forth his hand to stay the ark, which was an undue circumstance; he had a good aim in it, that the ark of God might not be shaken, that it might not fall and be shattered in pieces, and the mysteries of their religion prostituted: 2 Sam. vi. 7, And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there for his error, and he died.' Many think to bear out themselves by good intentions that are drawn into an evil way; they hope to bring things to a better pass. It is dangerous to step out of God's way; God's ends can best be brought about by God's way. The judgments of the Lord upon these nations have been mainly for unwarrantable actions upon good intentions; and though usually we have committed one sin to help another, yet there hath been a pretence of a good intention, a good aim. 7. We are not only to avoid such sins as seem to lie remote from our temper and course of our business and interest, but our own special sins; those sins which suit better with our condition, constitution, calling, employment: Ps. xviii. 23, I was upright before thee, and kept myself from mine iniquity.' Every man hath his iniquity; as every man hath his particular temper, so he hath his particular sins, and if he belong to God he hath his particular graces. The saints have their particular graces; Timothy for abstinence and temperance, Job for patience, Abraham for faith, therefore styled the father of the faithful; Moses was eminent for meekness. So there are particular sins; men are passionate, worldly, voluptuous, ambitious, and as the channel is cut, so corrupt nature finds a vent and passage: Isa. liii. 6, All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way.' We are all out of the way, but every man hath a particular way of sin. Look, as in the natural body, every man hath all the faculties of a man, yet some this faculty more vigorous and lively than other, some for memory, judgment, invention, quickness of wit, so it is as to particular sins. Now these should be most resisted and most opposed by us. The scripture requires of us, Mat. v. 19, To cut off our right hand, and pluck out our right eye;' these, if they be not watched, will run into scandal; our particular sins make us dishonour God, dishonour our profession, and become a reproach to the gospel. It is notable, when our Saviour dissuaded from giving scandal, Mat. xviii. 8, 9, he revives those sentences of cutting off the right hand and plucking out the right eye. These sins will make you a dishonour to the gospel if you do not watch over them. 8. There are the sins of the times wherein we live, vitium seculi. Indeed it is hard to keep our ground in a great flood; when a stream is strong it is ready to carry us away; but he that would be punctual with God should keep from the sins of the times. Peter dissembled with the Jews, and the godly Jews fell a-dissembling of their religion, insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation, Gal. ii. 13. When sin seems to be authorised by a general practice, it concerns you to stand at a distance, to have nothing to do there. Noah was an upright man, feared God, and served him in a corrupt age, Gen. vi. 9. They are dead fishes that are carried away with the stream. We are not to walk kata` te`n aiona, according to the course of this world,' Eph. ii. 2, but to walk according to the rule,' Gal. vi. 16. In many ages there are certain sins, until light disprove them, and the Lord clears up his will, that men run into, and are carried away by violence of the stream, while the stream runs that way in their age. But this will be no excuse, you are to be upright, and not carried away by vitium seculi, the evil way of the times. 9. We are not only to refrain our feet from evil, but from all the occasions and appearances of evil; and not to stand so much as within the scent of a temptation; as crows and ravens, when they are beaten away from the carrion, will stand within the scent. We are to stand at a great distance from all that seems to tend to sin, not only from evil, but the appearance of it, 1 Thes. v. 22. Sin should be so hateful to us, that the very picture of it should be abhorred. Many times some sins are the occasion of others, as covetousness is occasioned by distrust there certainly we are to avoid occasions as well as sins themselves. Ay! but if the thing be lawful, and we know our weakness, we should not easily ride into the devil's quarters, and run into the mouth of temptation. Look, as Solomon in that particular sin adviseth the young man, Prov. v. 8, Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.' He would not have the young man venture upon the occasion. And God's strictness to the Nazarite is very notable, Num. vi. 3, 4, as he was to drink no wine or strong drink, so no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, nor drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried; and afterwards he was not so much as to eat either the husk or kernel of the grape. Thus God would have us stand at a distance. This was a typical figure, to show at how great a distance we should stand from sin, and refrain ourselves from all evil; as the apostle saith, Hate the garments spotted with the flesh,' Jude 23, an allusion to those that touched an unclean thing. Bushing upon snares and occasions of evil, we hazard the surprisal of our souls. As Caesar said of his wife, Oportet Caesaris uxorem non solum castam esse, &c.--she should not only be chaste, but free from all suspicion; so God will have his people to be void of suspicion, and to be clear and innocent from all kind of transgressions. Thus you see how we are to refrain from every evil way. The reasons of this are two--(1.) Because sins will weaken our graces; (2.) They will weaken our comfort; both which are necessary to the keeping of God's law. Therefore, if we would keep the law, and be punctual and close with God in a course of obedience, we must stand at a great distance in heart and practice from all sin. 1. Sins will weaken our graces. There are several graces necessary to the keeping of God's law, as faith, fear, love, hope. You know, at conversion God puts a vital principle into us, that is diversified and called by these several names. These graces are planted in us as principles of operation, and as these decay, our acts of obedience will be more or less; a sickly faith can produce but weak operations; as if the root wither and decay, the branches will not long flourish. So when our fear and reverence of God is lessened, as it is by every act of sin, the spiritual life will not be carried on with that exactness and care. So when our love waxeth cold, we will not be so diligent and serious, for these are the principles of operations, Rev. iii. 3. When they left their first love, they left their first works. If there be a decay and diminution of our graces, then there will be an intercession of acts and operations; these graces will suffer a shrewd loss; they are qualities, and therefore capable of increase and remission, being more or less. As love may wax cold, Mat. xxiv. 26; fear may be greater or less; so faith; though there be some seed of grace, remains to preserve the interest of the soul, yet things may be ready to die and faint. How do they decay? By sins. Gal. v. 17. These things are contrary--flesh and spirit; that is, always warring upon one another and weakening one another; and here lies the Christian's advantage, to observe which is up and which is down. By every act of deliberate sin the flesh is strengthened and grace weakened; these are up and down in a renewed heart; therefore it is good to see which prevails, that you may not weaken your strength. If you gratify the flesh, you hearten your enemy, and strengthen your clog, and so grace languisheth. 2. It weakens our comfort. Comfort is necessary to make us lively and cheerful in God's service. The Lord knows we drive on heavily when we have not that peace of conscience, serenity of mind, and want the comforts of God's Spirit. The more our hearts are enlarged the more we run the way of God's commandments, Ps. cxix. 32. What is an enlarged heart? Chiefly by joy and comfort; it is joy that enlargeth the heart. Now sin weakens this joy, this comfort which is our strength. When Adam sinned, his soul was filled with horror, Gen. iii. 10; and David, when he had been tampering with sin, lost his comfort: Ps. li. 8, Make me to hear of joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice;' and ver. 12, Restore to me the joy of thy salvation.' He that pricks himself with a needle or sharp thing must needs feel pain; so whosoever gives way to sin. certainly will have trouble of soul, confusion, grief, fear, sorrow, and loseth his sense of salvation for a time, and sins away his peace. Always the more exact our walking, the more is our peace of conscience: 2 Cor. i. 12, This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience,' &c. Well, then, if we would be punctual with God, we see how much it concerns us to stand at a distance from every evil way. Use 1. To show how far they are from a course of obedience that live under a full power of their sins. Never think you seek after that which is good while your evil scent remains with you, and your former evils are in life and strength to this very day. All those that wallow in brutish sins of drunkenness and adultery, so those that are guilty of common swearing, Sabbath-breaking, and such like gross sins, these have good thoughts of themselves, they have sincerity towards God; but such have a spot that is not the spot of God's people. Twice there is a caution interposed that such should not be deceived, 1 Cor. vi. 9; Eph. vi. 6. You will say, Where lies the danger of any deceit? The worst are apt to deceive their own hearts. There is a world of these deceivings in the hearts of men; the best of saints have fallen into as great sins. They think these are but petty slips and human infirmities, and God's patience will suffer all; grace will pardon all at length, and no man is perfect; therefore they have some hopes to even those that are drunkards, adulterers, and abusers of themselves with man kind; though their sins be as Sodom, those that fall into the grossest sins; they are apt to be deceived. Be not deceived; these things are not consistent with grace. 2. It shows how far they are from the temper of God's children that are not punctual with God in a course of obedience, that hate one kind of evil, not another. Many hate prodigality, yet not covetousness; hate covetousness, and are given up to sensuality; hate an epicure, and such a one as squanders away his estate, think as evil of him as can be, but not hard hearts, such as shut up their bowels, and do no good in their places j and some hate sensuality, but not pride, but cherish that; there is some sweet bit under his tongue, as Zophar speaks, Job xx. 12. Christians! though we can subdue no sin as we should, yet we are to resist every sin, and especially to bend all the force and strength of your souls against your sins, that sin which is most apt to prevail with you: this is a sign of uprightness, Ps. xviii. 23. And therefore, if you would know whether you have given up yourselves to walk with God, to keep his word, what labouring hath there been with your own hearts? what pains have you taken to set against your own sins? are you most jealous of it, pray most against it, often turn the edge of the word upon it? are you observing the decays, or do you keep it under the tongue? Reason with yourselves upon the world to come; is it reserved corruption or remaining corruption? Have you never been dealing with your hearts to suppress such a corrupt inclination as you have been often foiled with? Use 2. To press those that would be exact with God, to stand at a distance in heart and practice from every known sin; whatever urging and solicitations you have within yourselves, though it would break out, yet have you refrained. To this end let me commend two graces and two duties. The two graces are love to God and his word, and fear to God and his word. For the graces:-- 1. A love to God, a love to the word of God. A love to God: Ps. xcvii. 10, Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.' It is as natural and as kindly to the new nature to hate the chiefest evil, as it is to love the chiefest good. Do you talk of love and communion with God, and never exercise yourselves in refraining your feet from every evil way? Certainly if you have any love to God, you will hate that which God hates; for idem velle et nolle, to will and nill the same things, that is true friendship; therefore if God be your friend, you will hate as he hates, that which makes a breach between you and God, and makes you grow shy of God, and lose your familiarity with him. As love to God, so love to his word: Ps. cxix. 113, I hate vain thoughts, but thy law do I love.' Certainly if a man hath a love to the law, he will not only hate sin in practice, but vain thoughts, what tends to breaking the law in his thoughts, any lesser contrariety, contradiction, or defiance of God's law; for our hatred is engaged by love. Well, get this love, set it a-work, improve it by reason (for every affection is fed by discourses of the mind). All sins are set a-work by some discourse, so graces are set a-work by discoursings of our minds. Now set this love a-work. Oh! shall I, that have tasted so much of the love of God, or that do pretend to love God and Christ, and enjoy communion with him, yield to follow sin? Ezra ix. 13, What I after such a deliverance as this, should we again break thy commandment?' When God hath delivered us, not only out of Babylon, but, you may say, out of hell, how should we set love a-work? The great instance of God's love was the giving his Son: 1 John iv. 9, 10, Herein is love,' &c. Now, then, if God hate and resist sin, reason and argue from this love: What! shall God give his Son for me, and I not spare a lust for God? When God did not stand upon his Son, that was so dear and precious to him, shall I stand upon my sin? What! shall Christ die for me, to ransom me from hell? is this my kindness to my friend? Cyprian brings in Satan pleading thus, as vaunting against Christ: I never spilt one drop of blood, my back was never mangled with whips and scourges, I never had a heaven to bestow upon them; yet among all thy beneficiaries, show me any so busy, painful, diligent, exact in thy service, as these are in mine. Thou hast shed thy blood, and endured a painful and an accursed death for them; yet they are not so dutiful to thee as to me. You see whereto this tends; and shall Christ do so much for us, and we not deny our lusts for him? Surely if we have any sense of the love of Christ Jesus, it will work this hatred, this abhorrency and refraining ourselves from every evil way. Thus set love a-work. 2. Another grace is a fear of God and his word. A fear of God: Prov. viii. 13, The fear of the Lord is to depart from evil;' Job i. 1, Job feared God, and eschewed evil.' Surely a fear of God will make you refrain yourselves from every evil way. And not only so, but a fear of his word, that is useful: Prov. xiii. 12, He that feareth a commandment shall be rewarded.' It is not said he that fears a judgment, but he that fears a commandment. If the word stands in his way, it is more than if all the inconveniences in the world stand in his way. This also should be improved by holy reasoning and discourse. You may reason as Joseph: The Lord seeth me, and how can I do this wickedness and sin against God?' Gen. xxxix. 9. Shall I break the Lord's laws before his face? What! when my heavenly father hath forbidden me? The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab, Jer. xxxiv. 5, 6, they were afraid to drink wine when the prophet brought pots before them. No, we dare not; our father hath commanded us the contrary. Their father was dead, and could not take cognisance of their actions, to call them to account for breaking the rule of the institution; but there was an awe upon them. But our Father's eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth. Therefore when you are tempted to sin and folly, say, I dare not; God hath commanded me in his word to the contrary. Set fear a-work; here is a commandment stands in my way; the great God he sees all things, and will one day call us to an account. The two duties into which these graces do run and issue themselves are watchfulness and resistance. Watchfulness; we are poor creatures, in the midst of snares, very easily may miscarry, partly through our constitution; there is flesh as well as spirit, and the flesh doth always stir, and not lie idle. Old sins, that seemed to be laid asleep, may easily waken again. The devil suits the bait to the season and affections we are under, as angels furnish their hook with a proper bait. Oh! saith Bernard, here are fears, there snares; that which pleases is apt to tempt me, that which frightens is apt to terrify me. What should a poor creature do? Be watchful, stand upon your guard, that you be not surprised by the craft of Satan, that you may not swallow the hook when he sets the bait to your appetite. And then powerful resistance of evil, that sin may not prevail, and we more and more drawn off from God. Do not yield a little; smaller sins make way for greater; when the gap is once open, it is wider and wider; if sin be not stifled at first, it will increase. __________________________________________________________________ [3] Qu. voto'?--ED. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CVIII. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.--Ver. 102. IN the former verse he had spoken of his vigilancy against evil, as the result of that wisdom which he got by the word; now he speaketh of his constant adherence to God's direction. Here you may take notice of two things--(1.) David's exactness and constancy in obedience, I have not departed from thy judgments. (2.) The reason of it, for thou hast taught me. Branch 1. By misphalim, judgments, is meant God's law, for thereby he will judge the world. And the word departed not intimateth both his exactness and constancy; his exactness, that he did not go an hair's-breadth from his direction: Deut. v. 32, Ye shall observe to do what the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.' And his constancy is employed in it; for then we are said to depart from God and his law when we fall off from him in judgment and practice, Jer. xxxii. 40. Branch 2. God's institution and continual instincts. The Septuagint, enomothe'tesa's me; and thence the vulgar, Legem posuisti mihi--thou hast given me that law; and so the reason would be drawn from God's authority; but rather it is meant of his internal illumination and constant direction. Observe-- 1. A man that would show love to the word must show it by a constant and exact adherence to the directions thereof, whatever temptations he meet with to the contrary. David produceth this as one evidence of that affection in the first verse of this section or part: Oh, how I love thy law!' I shall show you-- 1. What temptations there are to the contrary. 2. What reason there is to be exact and constant. First, What temptations to the contrary. 1. From the natural instability of our own hearts; nothing is so changeable as man. We have certain heats for the present, but we soon cool again; and when temptations arise, are carried off from God, and that exactness and care that we were wont to show in our obedience to him. What was said of Reuben is true of every man in some degree, Gen. xlix. 4, Unstable as water.' It is carried hither and thither, in various and uncertain motions. So are we up and down, off and on, ebbing and flowing, not steadfast in any good frame; some times seen to have strong motions towards God and holiness, but anon grow cold and careless, or as a bird is now upon the top of a tree, by and by upon the under branches, and then upon the ground. Such a different posture or spirit may every one observe in himself, and some times in the same duty. God is always the same, and so are his ways; they have the same loveliness which they had before, but we are not; always the same. The rock standeth where it did, but the waters flow to and again. The least blast of a temptation maketh us break off our course. Now this natural levity of spirit is a great hindrance to us. We do not always see with the same eyes, nor have we the same degree of affection. You did run well, who hindered you?' Gal. v. 7. There may be a ready forwardness, and yet a great defection afterwards. This uncertainty is not only at first, before, we are settled by grace, or have any sound acquaintance with God's ways. Then it is most, James i. 8. But after conversion it remaineth with us in part. Those measures of affection and zeal which we once obtained are not constant with us, but suffer some notable decay, and our edge is often taken off and blunted. Especially our first love is not of long standing, and our after-carriage not answerable to our promising beginnings. Now, there is no satisfying reason for this change, why we should make a halt, and grow remiss and lag in the profession of godliness, and leave off our first works; nothing but our changeableness of spirit. 2. From the furious oppositions and malice of Satan and his instruments. [1.] Satan pursueth after men that would cleave to God's ways, as Pharaoh did after the Israelites; either to bring them back again, or to weary them and vex them, and make their present course uncomfortable to them. Now, the violent assault of multiplied temptations is apt to make us stagger and depart from that good course that we have propounded to ourselves; as the Israelites were running back to Egypt because of the inconveniences of the wilderness. But it should not be so; a Christian should stand his ground, Whom resist, steadfast in the faith; knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world,' 1 Peter v. 9. They that make conscience of their duty, and are most set to serve and honour God, must reckon upon the hottest battle, and sorest conflict from Satan, to hinder or discourage them therein: he watcheth all advantages, and is still in action against them. Now this should not shake us, or loosen our adherence to the truths of the gospel; for so it is with every one that goeth to heaven: he must be watching, praying, striving. Yielding is not the way to be quiet, but resisting; if you yield to him in the least, he will carry you farther and farther, till he hath left thee under a stupefied or terrified conscience: stupefied till thou hast lost all thy tenderness. A stone at the top of a hill, when it beginneth to roll down, ceaseth not till it come to the bottom. Thou thinkest it is but yielding a little, and so by degrees art carried on, till thou hast sinned away all thy profession, and all principles of conscience, by the secret witchery of his temptations: and of the other side, terrified, till thy peace, comfort, and sweet sense of God's love be gone; and thou brought under the black horrors of a dreadful despair. Therefore a stout and peremptory resistance is the only means of safety. Consider, your case is not singular, your lot is no harder than the rest of God's children therefore do not depart from God. [2.] Satan's instruments may rage against us, and yet we must not depart: Ps. xliv. 17, 18, All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant: our heart is not turned back, neither hath our steps declined from thy way.' All this! What? Scorn, disgrace, bloody, cruel, reproved, maligned, butchered, yet steadfast with God in the profession of the faith. Hazards and troubles are no excuse; this is but a time to show our love to God, our duty to God is the same still. 3. From the example of others, especially who are of esteem for godliness. Example hath a mighty force upon men. Man is a ductile creature; like sheep, they run for company; not what we ought to do, but what others do. There are three reasons--of natural corruption, the flesh, the devil. But first, example of others: Eph. ii. 2, In time past ye walked according to the course of this world.' The universal corrupt course and custom of those among whom we live is a great snare. Te follow a multitude to do evil is a strong excitement, but no sufficient excuse, especially of good men. They that are gracious may stagger strangely in reeling times, and be overtaken with dangerous mistakes. Now their sins authorise others, and draw them into the snare: Gal. ii. 12, Carried away with their dissimulation.' A strong stream or current impetuously doth carry all things away with it. They take all for current that they do, without examining their actions, and so run away from the rule by their errors. 4. From the providence of God, which may seem to be against those that are exact right, or the sure way pointed out to us in his word, two ways:-- [1.] In the manifold disappointments as to his favouring a good cause; their endeavours blasted, many troubles befall them. God's people are often put to trials by God himself, to try the sincerity of their love. Blind Bartimeus rebuked by the disciples: Mark x. 48, Many charged him that he should hold his peace, but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy upon me.' And so Christ to the woman of Canaan, Mat. xv. 22-27, puts her off. And are not we put to such trials in these latter times? When we own him, God seemeth to put us off; providence appeareth with a doubtful face. They that take to the better part may be reduced to great straits; therefore sometimes it may happen to the righteous according to the work of the wicked, and to the wicked according to the work of the righteous,' Eccles. viii. 4. So variously doth God dispense external good and evil, and may seem to frown upon those that are faithful now; yet we should not depart from his judgments: Job xiii. 14, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him.' We should wrestle through many disappointments here, or hereafter God will not own us. [2.] By giving success to a wrong party, that layeth claim to him, to his favour in an evil way, and interpret when his providence seems to be an approbation of an evil course. It is a great temptation. God's choicest servants have been staggered by it; yet it is but a temptation: Ps. l. 21, I kept silence, and thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself.' God may hold his hand, though they strangely transform him in their thoughts, and entitle their actions to his patronage. God trieth you: Deut. xiii. 2, 3, The Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God, with all your heart and with all your soul.' God's word is so clear and satisfactory, that by a righteous judgment he may permit it, to try our steadfastness and obedience, not as chaff, but as solid grain. But must we not regard providences? Yes, but not interpret them against the word, but with it. It is comfortable to see the word backed with a providence, Rom. ii. 18; Heb. ii. 2; and Hosea vii. 12; when the word is made good, and they feel that which they would not believe. Not interpret it against the word. Providence is never against the word; it is an exact comment upon it, if we had eyes to see it; and when we see it altogether we shall find it so. But now we view it by pieces, and so mistake: Rom. viii. 28, For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to purpose;' Ps. lxxiii. 17, Until I went into the sanctuary, then understood I their ends.' When we look to the end of things, all hazards are over. Secondly, The reasons why we must be exact and constant, not withstanding these temptations. I will name but two, implied in the two words of the text, Thy judgments'--(1.) It is God's word; (2.) God's word is judgment. 1. It is God's direction, who cannot deceive or be deceived; you may venture your soul's temporal and eternal estate, and all upon it, upon God's bare word; for it is impossible for him to lie in his promises, Heb. vi. 18, or to be deceived in his directions. The word of the Lord is a pure rule: 1 John ii. 27, The unction teacheth you all things, and is truth, and is no lie.' There is no erring while we walk by this direction, the Spirit of God teaching us by his word; and in deed this is the effect of that great faith, to believe God upon his bare word, to believe what he hath spoken is true, and to act accordingly. If this were rooted in our hearts, we should not be so unstable, so easily foiled by Satan, discouraged by the oppositions of evil men, or live by example, but by rule, and would interpret the providence of God to the advantage, and not the prejudice of obedience: Whom resist, steadfast in the faith,' 1 Peter v. 9. Adhere to the truth of the word: I know here is my direction, and in the issue will be my safety and happiness. But either we do not believe this is God's word, or do not urge the heart with God's authority and veracity, and therefore we are up and down. But now, when we determine this is God's word, and so receive it, 1 Thes. ii. 13, When ye received the word of God, which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God.' And then it is my rule; whatever it cost me. There you urge the heart with the authority of God, Mat. xvi. 24: a resolute giving up ourselves to God's direction, and to receive the law from his mouth. And it is a certain rule, whatever cross accidents fall out, it should be received with such certainty and absolute authority as nothing should move us. So assured of it, that if an angel should preach any other doctrine, let him be accursed,' Gal. i. 8; 2 Tim. iii. 16; and 2 Peter i. 2. When it is believed to be the Lord's mind, it is a sure ground for faith to rest upon; it is not a doctrine found out by the wit of man, no private invention of others, but God's inspiration. God hath wisdom to direct me the safest way, and goodness and faithfulness enough not to mislead me: Good and upright is the Lord, therefore will he teach sinners in the way,' Ps. xxv. 8. It is not the devices of their heads that wrote it, but the public mind of God. And saith the apostle, Knowing this first;' this is the first and supreme principle: he had said, ver. 19, that we should consult with the word for direction and comfort before we can get any saving light or true comfort. 2 It is judgments. Every man's doom is contained in the word, and if you can but stay a little, you shall see it verified by sensible and plain experiences. Do but wait and observe how God maketh good his promises, and accomplished his threatenings, and you will see no cause to depart; you will find you have done right in the issue, and that close obedience is the only way of safety and happiness here and hereafter. David did so as to his own case: Ps. xviii. 21, I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.' And was he a loser by it? No; God hath recompensed me according to the cleanness of my hands.' On the other side, those that depart from God are destroyed; his word will be made good against them: Ps. cxix. 119, Thou puttest away the wicked of the earth like dross.' Use 1. Direction to us both in public and private cases. Be sure you follow such ways as God's word doth allow, for otherwise it is not constancy, but obstinacy; and then whatever troubles and discouragements you meet with, this will be a comfort to you, that you are in God's way. First, As to your private case, be not discouraged by the instability of your heart and the temptations of Satan. You will be up and down with God; but observe these two rules:-- 1. It is necessary to watch against your first declinings, lest by little and little the heart be stolen away from God. When you lose your savour of holy things, lessen your diligence, and are not so exact and watchful, you begin to depart from God. The gap once made in the conscience groweth wider and wider every day. The first declinings are a cause of all the rest; remitting your watch and spiritual fervour, by degrees you do not walk with such a straight foot: he that looketh to the house to keep it tight and in constant repair, prevents the fall of it. 2. If through our infirmity we miscarry at any time, we must not persist in a wrong course, but reclaim speedily, not depart wickedly, Ps. xviii. 21, not lie in the dirt when we have caught a fall. There is a departing out of infirmity, and a departing wickedly. A candle sucketh light if presently kindled again; the longer we lie in our sins the worse; the more care, the more speedy, the more likely to succeed, when there is any breach between us and God; not lie in it. Secondly, As to public actions. We live in changeable times, but it is well that we have a sure rule; this may stablish your hearts. If governed by sense and interest, with what a gracious face shall we appear to the world? Though you meet with troubles for being exact and punctual as to principles of conscience, and many disappointments from God, yet in the issue that will be found to be the best course for you and yours. Now, when you see your duty, for which you must consult both with word and Spirit, take heed of two things:-- 1. Unbelief: Heb. iii. 12, Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' The cause of apostasy is unbelief; they do not look upon God's directions as judgments. Men that look to the present face of things cannot see things to come, and so miscarry. Hezekiah, in the midst of dangers and difficulties, was steady to God: 2 Kings xviii. 5, 6, He trusted in the Lord God of Israel: he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses.' Every duty hath a sanction, invested with promises and threatenings; therefore, as there needeth obedience to make conscience of the precept, so faith to believe the sanction, which doth enliven the duty, and keep our hearts under the awe of it. 2. Mortification; for till there be an indifferency to all events in temporal things, we shall ever be departing and turning off from God; sometimes allured out of our obedience, sometimes affrighted out of it; therefore, till dead to worldly accidents and interests, we are easily turned out of the way: Heb. xii. 13, Lest that which is lame be turned out of the way;' that which is lame, feeble, and fearful. Good men may be carried away thus, as Peter. Too weak and inconstant are the best of men; the least blast of temptation will make them leave off the course of well-doing, and, without respect had to conscience or credit, openly desert it. For fear of man's offence Peter slipped from his duty. Fear of losing applause, or incurring hatred with men; maketh us venture on God's dishonour; unmodified lusts make us more tender of ourselves than of God. Second point. That divine teaching causeth constancy; for therefore David saith, I departed not, for thou hast taught me.' Here-- 1. What it is to be taught of God; it is often spoken of in scripture: Isa. liv. 13, All thy children shall be taught of the Lord'; John vi. 45, All taught of God.' Now God teacheth outwardly by his word, but inwardly by his Spirit; these two must not be severed. Our hearing is necessary: Eph. iv. 21, If so be ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus;' the ordinary means of hearing him preached, and set forth in the gospel and public ministry, and by that means doth Christ make use of it to teach us by his Spirit. So John vi. 45, Heard and learned of the Father;' it doth not seclude a teaching ministry in the gospel; but it is said, 1 Thes. iv. 9, Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another;' and 1 John ii. 27, But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you; and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.' It is a rhetorical insinuation, the negative to be understood comparatively; man's teaching is nothing to what you have already by the Spirit. On the other side, much more doth it not exclude the Spirit, upon whom the efficacy dependeth. God teacheth by men, but the effect is from his grace: Mark xvi. 20, They went forth preaching the word, the Lord working with them;' 1 Cor. iii. 6, Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God giveth the increase.' The internal efficacy worketh by external means: Docet Spiritus Sanctus, sed per verbum, saith Ferus, docent apostoli; sed per co-operationem Spiritus Sancti--God worketh in and by the means. 2. Inwardly God teacheth two ways--(1.) By common illumination; (2.) Special operation. 1. Common illumination, barely enlightening the mind to know or understand what he propoundeth by his messengers. So Rom. i. 20, God showed it to the heathen, For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and godhead; so that they are without excuse.' 2. But then, by way of special operation, effectually inclining the will to embrace and prosecute duties so known: Jer. xxxi. 33, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.' This way of teaching is always effectual and persuasive. Now in this sense they are taught of God, that they do not only get an ear to hear, but a heart to understand, learn, and practise. Secondly, Why this teaching is the ground of constancy. 1. They that are thus taught of God see things more clearly than others do: God is the most excellent teacher. One man seeth a thing by candlelight, another by daylight; he seeth most clearly that seeth by noonday. The light of the Spirit doth clearly manifest things, both object and faculty. The unction teacheth us all things, 1 John ii. 20, 2 Cor. iii. 18.--a distinct, clear, abiding light. Carnal men are blind, 2 Peter i. 9. How sharp-sighted soever in other things, yet blind; they do not see so as to affect their hearts. 2. They know things more surely, and with certainty of demonstration; whereas others have but dubious conjectures, and loose and wavering opinions about the things of God: John vi. 69, We believe, and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God;' John xvii. 8, Known surely that I came out from thee.' The many temptations and assaults we meet with need such a certain apprehension. 3. This teaching is so efficacious and powerful, as that the effect followeth: Ps. lxxxvi. 11, Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth;' 1 Cor. ii. 4. It is a lovely teaching, causing us to cleave to what is taught. 4. God reneweth this teaching, and is always at hand to guide us, and give counsel to us, which is cause of our standing. We need this continual teaching to keep us mindful, that we may not forget things known. The Spirit puts us in remembrance, because of the decay of fervency, and dulness of spirit that groweth upon us; therefore are truths revived to keep us fresh and lively, that we may not neglect our duty. Because of incogitancy and heedlessness we mistake our way, and are apt to run into sin in the time of trial and temptation. Therefore we need a monitor on all occasions, Isa. xxx. 31, that we may not be carried away with the corrupt bent of our own hearts. Well, then, this abiding in us is the cause of perseverance, 1 John ii. 27. Use. To show the reason of men's fickleness and inconstancy, both in opinion and practice. He that is led by man unto man, both as to opinion and practice, may be led off by man again, when we take up truth upon tradition and human recommendation. Oh! seek it of God: Isa. xlviii. 17, I am the Lord your God, that teacheth you to profit.' Not our own ability, but the light of the Holy Ghost; wait upon God, learn something of him every day, and give God all the glory. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CIX. How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.--Ver. 103. IN this verse you have another evidence of David's affection to the word, and that is the incomparable delight which he found therein, as being suitable to his taste and spiritual appetite. This pleasure and delight he found in the word is propounded--(1.) By way of interrogation or admiration, How sweet are thy words unto my taste!' As if he said, So sweet that I am not able to express it. (2.) By way of comparison, Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.' To external sense nothing is sweeter than honey; honey is not so sweet to the mouth and palate as the word of God is to the soul. It is usual to express the affections of the mind by words proper to the bodily senses, as taste is put here for delight, and elsewhere eating is put for believing and digesting the truth: Thy word was sweet, and I did eat it,' Jer. xv. 16. Again, in all kind of writers, both profane and sacred, it is usual to compare the excellency of speech to honey. The poet describes an eloquent man, that his speech flowed from him sweeter than honey. And the like we may observe in scripture: Prov. xvi. 24, Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.' He means words of wisdom, such words as come from a pure heart; now these are sweeter than honey. So the spouse; because of her gracious doctrine, it is said, Cant. iv. 11, Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb:' and Ps. xix. 10, More to be desired are they than gold; yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.' For profit, he esteemed them more than gold; for pleasure, more than honey or the honeycomb. And David saith here, Thy words are sweet unto my taste.' He doth not say in general, They are sweet unto the taste, but sweet unto my taste. Holy men, that have much communion with God, such as David was, they that have his Spirit, find this delight in the word of God; nothing so sweet, or so full of pleasure to the soul. Two points:-- 1. That there is such a thing as spiritual taste. 2. That to a spiritual taste the word of God is sweeter than all pleasures and delights whatsoever. Doct. 1. That there is such a thing as spiritual taste. I shall show that it is, and what it is; the use of it, and what is requisite to it. First, It appears that there is such a thing; the soul hath its senses as well as the body. We do not only know, but feel things to be either hurtful or comfortable to us; so the new nature doth not only know it, but doth seem to feel it, that some things are hurtful, and others are comfortable to it; and hence the apostle's expression, Heb. v. 14, Such have their senses exercised, to discern both good and evil.' Christians, if there be such a thing as spiritual life, certainly there must be spiritual sense; for all life is accompanied with a sense of what is good or evil for that life, and the higher the life the greater the sense. Beasts feel more than a plant when hurt is done to them, because they have a nobler life, and a man than a beast; and the life of o-race being above the life of reason, there is a higher sense joined with it and therefore the pain and pleasure of that life is greater than the pain or pleasure of any other life; for spiritual things, as they are greater in themselves, so they do more affect us than bodily: A wounded conscience, who can bear it?' Prov. xviii. 14. What a sense doth the evil of the spiritual life leave upon the soul! And then for the comforts of the spiritual life, the joys and pleasures of it are unspeakable and glorious, 1 Peter i. 8, such joy as no tongue or words can sufficiently express. A taste of the first-fruits of glory, how sweet is it! Briefly, let me tell you there are three internal senses spoken of in scripture--seeing, tasting, and feeling. Sight implies faith: John viii. 56, Abraham rejoiced to see my day;' and Heb. xi. 27, By faith Moses saw him that was invisible.' There is a seeing not only with the eyes of the body, but with the eyes of the mind, things that cannot be seen with the outward sense: Abraham saw my day,' at so great a distance. As there is sight, so also taste; which, if we refer it to good, is nothing else but spiritual experience of the sweetness of God in Christ, and the benefits which flow from communion with him: Ps. xxxiv. 8, Oh, come, taste and see that the Lord is gracious.' Do not only come and see, but come and taste. The third sense is feeling or touch; that relates to the power of grace: Phil. iii. 10, That I might know him, and the power of his resurrection,' &c. There is a sense that a Christian hath of the power of grace and of Christ upon his soul; so 2 Tim. iii. 5, Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.' When men resist the force and virtue of that religion which they profess, then they are said to deny the power of those principles. Well, then, there are spiritual senses. Now, that we might know what they are, let me show-- 1. How these spiritual senses differ from the external. 2. That in some sense they differ from the understanding. 1. These spiritual senses differ from the external sense; that I shall prove by three arguments:-- [1.] Because in those things that are liable to external sense, a man may have an outward sense of them when he hath not an inward. [2.] There are certain things that cannot be discerned by external senses, yet a Christian may have a feeling of them by internal sense. [3.] The outward senses sometimes set the inward senses awork. [1.] Because in those things which are liable to external sense, a man may have an outward sense of them when he hath not an inward, as in seeing, tasting, touching. In seeing: Deut. xxix. 2, compared with ver. 4, Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt; and yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear unto this day.' They saw, yet had not a heart to see; they saw those wonders with the eyes of their body; they had a sense out ward and natural, but not a sense inward and spiritual. So for taste; there is a taste of God's goodness in the creature; all taste it by their outward senses: Ps. cxlv. 9, The Lord is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works.' The wicked are not excepted from his taste; for the creatures are as useful for the preservation of their lives, as the lives of others. They do not mind God's love in it, and so do rather taste the creature, than God's goodness in the creature; but the child of God tasteth his love therein. The fly finds no honey in the flower, but the bee doth. A fleshly palate relisheth only the gross pleasure of the creature, not that refined delight which a spiritual palate hath, who hath a double sweetness; it doth not only receive the creature for its natural use, but it tastes God, and feels the love of God in the conscience as well as the warmth of the creature in his bowels. So for feeling: Jer. iii. 25, We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us; for we have sinned against the Lord our God.' Men may feel the blows of his providence, and be sensible of the natural inconvenience, yet they have not a spiritual feeling so as to be affected with God's displeasure, and have a kindly impression left upon the soul, that may make them return to God. [2.] It differs from the outward senses, because they can by a spiritual sense discern that which cannot be discerned by the outward sense; as in that place, Heb. xi. 27, By faith Moses saw him that was invisible;' see the invisible God, and are as much affected with his eye and presence as if he were before the eyes of the body, as others are awed by the presence of a worldly potentate; this is matter of internal sense. So for taste; they have meat which the world knows not of, invisible comforts, John iv. 37. They have hidden manna to feed upon, and are as deeply affected with a sense of God's love, and hopes of eternal life, as others are with all outward dainties. Then as to feeling; many things the outward sense cannot discern; sometimes they feel spiritual agonies, heartbreakings: when all is well and sound without, a man would wonder what they should be troubled about, that abound in wealth and all worldly comforts and accommodations. They have an inward feeling, they feel that which worldly men feel not; when they are afflicted in their spirits, carnal comforts can work nothing upon them; when they are afflicted outwardly, spiritual comforts ease their heart. And as they feel soul agonies and soul comforts, so they feel the operations of the spiritual life; they have a feeling of the power of the Spirit working in them; they live, and know that they live, Now no man knows that he lives but by sense; therefore if a child of God knows he lives, he hath internal sense as well as external. We know we live naturally by natural sense, and we know we live spiritually by spiritual sense: Gal. ii. 20, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me;' he lived, and knew that he lived. They have a life which they feel within themselves, the operations and motions of the spiritual life; they feel its impulsions to duty, its abhorrences from sin; tendency of soul to God, and spiritual supports; and they feel the stirrings of the old nature, workings of heart towards sin and vanity, which the out ward senses cannot discover. [3.] The outward senses sometimes set the inward senses awork. The sweetness of those good things which are liable to sense, puts us in mind of the sweetness of better things; as the prodigal's husks put him in mind of the bread in his father's house; or as the priests of Mercury among the heathen, when they were eating figs, they were to cry, Truth is sweet, because the god whom they worshipped was sup posed to be the inventor of arts, and the discoverer of truth. So Christians, when by the outward taste they find anything sweet, the inward sense is set awork, and they have a more lively feeling of spiritual comforts; as David, honey is sweet, but the word of God was sweeter than honey to him, or the honeycomb.' Thus Christ, when he was eating bread, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God,' Luke xiv. 15; and they that have Christ's spirit, they act suitably. 2. This sense differs from a bare and simple act of the understanding. Why? For a man may know things that he doth not feel. Simple apprehension is one thing, and an impression another. An apprehension of the sharpness of pain is not a feeling of the sharpness of pain. Jesus Christ had a full apprehension of his sufferings all his life-long, but felt them not until his agonies, therefore he said, John xii. 27, Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say?' We have notions of good and evil, when we neither taste the one nor the other. It is one thing to know sin to be the greatest evil, and another thing to feel it to be so; to know the excellency of Christ's love, and to taste the sweetness of it, this doth not only constitute a difference between a renewed and carnal man, but sometimes between a renewed man and himself. [1.] Between renewed men and carnal men; they know the same truths, yet have not the same affections. A carnal man may talk of truths according to godliness, and may dispute of them, and hold opinions about them, but doth not taste them; so he does but know the grace of God in conceit, not in truth and reality, as the expression is, Col. i. 6. As a man only that hath read of honey may have a fancy and imagination of the sweetness of it, but he that tastes it knows it in truth and in effect; they know the grace. of God, and the happiness of being in communion with God, by the light of nature, in conceit, but not in reality; but the other they taste it: If so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious,' 1 Peter ii. 3. There is an impression of sweetness left upon the soul, and real experience of the goodness of God in Christ, so as to make them affect him with all their hearts, to choose him for their portion, and to make his will their only rule, and obey and serve him, whatever it cost them. They have such a taste of this sweetness, as doth engage their hearts to a close and constant adherence to Christ. Carnal men have only a naked knowledge of these things, weak and ineffectual notions and apprehensions about them; and if the sublimity, reasonableness and suitableness of these truths to soul necessities cause any taste, it is but slight, slender, and insufficient. So indeed temporaries and hypocrites are said to taste the heavenly gift, the good word of God, and powers of the world to come,' Heb. vi. 4. They have some languishing apprehensions, but they do not so taste them as to relish and feed upon them. They do not relish Christ himself, but only some benefit which they hope to get by him upon slight and easy terms; have not such experience and sweetness of God in Christ, as that their souls should constantly cleave to him. It may be their fancy may be pleased a little in a supposition and possibility of salvation by Christ, or in some general thought of those large promises and great offers which God makes in the gospel, not as it enforceth duty and subjection to God; well, then, it differs from a bare understanding of the goodness of God's ways. 2. This constitutes a difference sometimes between a renewed man and himself, as to some things; his inward senses are not always alike quick and lively; he is still like-minded as he was, but yet not alike affected; his sight is not so clear, nor taste so acute, nor his feeling so tender; though he hath the same thoughts of things he had before, yet his spiritual sense is benumbed, and is not at all times affected alike, while he keeps his spiritual eye clear from the clouds of lust and passion; he is otherwise affected with things to come than he is when his eye is blinded with inordinate passion and love to present things; and while he keeps his taste, how sweet and welcome is this to his soul, the remembrance of Christ, and salvation by him! And so, while he keeps his heart tender, he is sensible of the least stirring of sin, and is humbled for it; and the least impulsion of grace, to be thankful for it. Those instructions, reproofs, consolations, which at some times either wound or revive their spirits, at other times do not move them at all; their senses are benumbed, not kept fresh and lively. And thus in the general I have proved that there is such a thing as spiritual taste. Secondly, What is this spiritual sense? It is an impression left upon our hearts, which gives us an ability to relish and savour spiritual things; but it cannot be known by description so much as by these two questions:-- 1. The use of it, what doth this taste serve for? 2. What are the requisites that we may have such a taste and relish of divine and spiritual things? 1. What doth this taste serve for? There is a threefold use of them:-- [1.]. To discern things good and wholesome from things noxious and hurtful to the soul; that is the use of spiritual sense in general, to discern things good and evil, Heb. v. 14; Job vi. 30, Is there iniquity in my tongue? Cannot my taste discern perverse things?' God hath given all sensitive creatures a taste, whereby they may distinguish between things pleasant or bitter, sweet or sour, wholesome or unwholesome, savoury or unsavoury, that they may choose what is convenient to nature; so the new creature hath a taste to know things, things contrary to the new nature, and things that will keep it in life: Job xii. 11, Doth not the ear try words, and the mouth taste his meat?' or, as it is more plain, Job xxxiv. 3, For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.' Spiritual taste distinguisheth between what is salubrious and profitable to us, that which is the pure word, milk agreeable to the new nature; and what is frothy, garnished out with the pomp of eloquence, it is tasteless to a gracious soul, if it suiteth not with the interests of the new nature: they have a faculty within them, whereby they distinguish between men's inventions and God's message. A man of spiritual taste, when reason is restored to its use, he comes to a doctrine, and many times smells the man; saith he, this is not the breast-milk that must nourish me, the pure milk of the word by which I must grow in strength and stature; and if he finds anything of God, he owns God; he discerns what is human and what is divine. [2.] The use of this taste is also to refresh and comfort the soul m the sweetness of spiritual things: Cant. ii. 3, I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste;' the taste of Christ's fruit in the comforts of redemption; the fruit that grows there is sweet and pleasant to the new nature. When the love of God to sinners in Christ is not only heard but believed, not only believed but tasted, it ravisheth and transports the soul with sweet delight and content, that excels all the pleasures of the world. [3.] It serves for this use, to preserve the vitality of grace, that is, to keep it alive and in action. Omnis vita gustu ducitur--every life hath its food, and the food must be tasted. This grace quickeneth us to look after that food; it keeps the new creature free for its operations, helps it to grow: 1 Peter ii. 3, As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' The truths of the gospel are as necessary and natural for the cherishing and strengthening the spiritual life as the milk of the mother is to the new-born babe, and taste is necessary that we may relish it. They that have a taste have an appetite, and they delight in the word more than in any other thing; whereas those that have no taste or appetite, grow not up to any strength, they thrive not. 2. What is requisite to cause this taste? (1.) Something about the object; (2.) Something about the faculty. [1.] Something about the object, which is the word of God. Eating, or taking into the mouth, that is necessary before tasting; for the tongue is the instrument of taste; the outward part of the tongue that serves for meats, the inward part, towards the root, for drink. So for this spiritual taste there is required eating, or taking in the object, therefore we read often of eating the word of God: Jer. xv. 16, Thy word was sweet, and I did eat it;' and Ezek. iii. 3, we read of eating the roll; it is interpreted spiritually, I did eat it;' then follows his taste, it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.' So Rev. x. 10, I took the little book and ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey.' There was somewhat of prophetical vision in these things, but generally it is carried not an outward and literal eating, but a spiritual taste, relishing the sweetness of it. Well, then, the word must not only be read and heard, but eaten. What is this spiritual eating of the word? Three things are in it, and all make way for this taste. (1.) Sound belief; (2.) Serious consideration; (3.) Close application. He that would have a taste of spiritual things, these three things are necessary. (1.) That there be a sound belief of it. Men have not taste, because they have not faith; we cannot be affected with what we do not believe: Heb. iv. 2, The word profited not, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.' What is the reason men have no taste in the doctrine of God, and in the free offers of his grace? It is not mingled with faith, and then it wants one necessary ingredient towards this taste. So 1 Thes. ii. 13, Ye received the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' If you would have spiritual sense, faith makes way for it: we must take the word as the word of God. When we read in feigned stories of enchanted castles and golden mountains, they affect us not, because we know they are but witty fictions, pleasant fables, or idle dreams; and such atheism and unbelief lies in the hearts of men against the very scriptures, and therefore the apostle seeks to obviate and take off this:. 2 Peter i. 16, We have not followed cunningly devised fables;' intimating there is such a thought in man's heart. Certainly if men did believe the mystery, that is without controversy great, that God hath indeed sent his Son to redeem the world, and would indeed bestow heaven and eternal happiness upon them, they would have a greater taste; but they hear of these things as a dream of mountains of gold, or rubies falling from the clouds. If they did believe these glorious things of eternity, their hearts would be ravished with them. (2.) As faith is necessary, so serious consideration, by which we concoct truths, and chew them, and work them upon the heart, that -causeth this sweetness; by knocking on the flint the sparks fly out: those ponderous and deep inculcative thoughts of divine and heavenly things make us taste a sweetness in them. When we look slightly and superficially into the word, no wonder we do not find this comfort and sweetness; but when we dig deeply into the mines of the word, and work out truths by serious thoughts, and search for wisdom, when we come to see truth with our own eyes in its full nature, order, and dependence, this is that which gets this taste: Prov. xxiv. 13, 14, My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste. So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul, when thou hast found it.' When men are serious, look into the nature, and see all truths in their order and dependence, then they will be like honey and the honeycomb; this makes way for this sweet taste. (3.) There is necessary to this taste close application; for the nearer and closer things touch one another, the greater their efficacy; so the more close you set the word home upon your own hearts, the more it works: Job v. 27, Know it for thy good;' break out thy portion of the bread of life, look upon these promises and offers of grace as including thee, these commands speaking to thee, and these threatenings as concerning thee; look upon it not only as God's message in common, but urge it upon thy soul: Jer. xv. 16, It was unto me the rejoicing of my heart.' There must be a particular application of these things. These things are necessary to this taste with respect to the object; as there must be eating, a taking into the mouth, if we would taste, so there must be a digesting or working upon the word, by sound belief, serious consideration, close application. [2.] As to this taste, there is somewhat necessary as to the soul or faculty; we must have a palate qualified for these delicates. Now there is a double qualification necessary to this taste--a hungry conscience and mortified affections. (1.) A hungry conscience. Without this, a man hath a secret loathing of this spiritual food, his taste is benumbed; but to a hungry conscience the word is sweet, when he is kept in a constant hungering after Christ and his grace: Prov. xxvii. 7, The full soul loatheth the honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.' Cordials, they are nauseous things to a full stomach; oh but how reviving, comfortable, and sweet are they to a poor broken heart! The first time that we got this taste, it was when we were under the stings of a guilty conscience, then God came and tendered his grace to us in Christ; he sent a messenger, one of a thousand, to tell us he hath found a ransom, and that we shall be delivered from going down into the pit; that he will spare us, and do us good in Christ Jesus, then the man's flesh recovers again like a child's, Job xxxiii. 25. When men have felt the stings of the second death, and God comes with a sentence of life and peace by Christ, how sweet is it then! Now, though we have not always a wounded conscience, yet we must always have a tender conscience, always sensible of the need of gospel support; we came to this first relish of the doctrine of eternal life and salvation by Christ when we lay under the sentence of eternal death. (2.) The heart must be purged from carnal affections; for until we lose our fleshly savour we cannot have this spiritual taste: Rom. viii. 5, They that are after the flesh, do savour the things of the flesh;' the word may be translated so. A carnal heart relishes nothing but carnal things, worldly pleasures, worldly delights; now this doth exceedingly deaden your spiritual taste. Spiritual taste is a delicate thing, therefore the heart must be purged from fleshly lusts; for when fleshly lusts bear sway, and you relish the garlic and onions and fleshpots of Egypt, your affections will carry you elsewhere, to the vanities of the world, and contentments of the flesh. Look, as sick men have lost their taste, and that which is sweet seems sour and ungrateful to a distempered appetite, so a carnal appetite hath not this taste from the word of God; to a carnal heart it is no more savoury than the white of an egg; yea, it is as gall to them, but now to others it is exceeding sweet, it is their joy, the life of their souls. Well, then, you see what is this spiritual taste, that relish which a renewed soul hath for spiritual comforts. Use. To persuade you to get this taste; and when once you have got it, take heed you do not lose it. 1. It concerns you very much to get this taste; take these arguments:-- [1.] It is a good evidence of the new nature; it is a sign you have gotten that other heart, that new spirit, which must have new comfort, new supports: 1 Peter ii. 3, 4, As new-born babes you desire the sincere milk of the work; if so be you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.' Hereby we may know the new man, by his appetite and savour. Life is known by this, as much as by any one thing else. [2.] This will give you a more assured knowledge of the truth and worth of spiritual and heavenly things, whereas otherwise we shall but talk of them by rote, until we experiment the comfort and sweetness of them in our own souls; then we will see there is more than notions in promises, the word of God is not a well-devised fable and golden dream, for our taste will be our confirmation. The greatest demonstration is from the senses, 1 John v. 10, the believer hath a testimony of the truth of religion within himself, in his own heart. Oh! it is a great advantage to have our remedy there where our danger lies, in the heart; where atheism and disbelief lurks, to have spiritual sense there: when you have a real experience of them, then Satan cannot have such advantage, and atheistical and unbelieving thoughts such advantage, for you have felt the benefit of spiritual things. It is a great advantage against temptation, when you have had a sense, when you do not only know by hearsay and guess that the word is sweet, but you have had a taste, as a man that hath been at the fire knows it warms; when we cannot only say with him, We have heard the kings of Israel are merciful kings,' but, with the men of Samaria, We have seen him ourselves.' [3.] The life of grace mightily depends upon it; all your liveliness in grace depends upon this taste, therefore get it. When you have no taste, you lose your appetite; and when you lose your appetite, you lose your strength; and when you lose your strength, all goes to ruin in the soul; sin' prevails, and deadness increaseth upon the soul. All the strength, comfort, and vitality of your lives depend upon your taste. [4.] It is this taste that will make you more useful to others. That which we have seen, heard, and tasted, that we commend to others. A report of a report and tradition, it may be or not; that is a cold thing, this is not a valid testimony. Ay! but when you can speak of that which you have felt and tasted, your eyes have seen, and hands handled of the word of life,' 1 John i. 1; when it is matter of sense, then we can speak boldly and affectionately, as the apostle, 2 Cor. i. 4, That we might comfort them which are in trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.' When we ourselves are comforted of God, and that which we speak is the result of our own experience, it makes us more useful in our Christian converse. The prophet Ezekiel was to eat his own prophecies, and St John to eat the book; the meaning is, they must digest it. What we communicate to others, we must digest it ourselves, that, finding it sweet, we may speak the more effectually for God. 2. Do not lose this taste. Oh! it is a sad thing to lose these spiritual senses. Hypocrites, their taste doth lightly come and lightly go; they have a little vanishing sweetness now and then, but it is soon gone; it. is a sad thing to lose our spiritual taste. It may be lost in a great measure; sometimes a Christian hath it, and sometimes he hath it not, at least not in such a degree as formerly. Experience shows it may be lost too too often; all the business will be to discern the first tendencies of this evil when we begin to lose our taste and spiritual senses. This may be discerned with respect to the threefold object of this taste--heavenly gift, the good word of God, and powers of the world to come. [1.] Heavenly gift, that is Christ Jesus. When we do not so highly value the love of God in Christ, and prize his blood, and the precious effects of it; when we do not so earnestly beg pardon of sin, and hunger and thirst after his righteousness; when we have not that former earnestness and strength of desire to enjoy Christ. Time was when thou thoughtest no terms too dear for him, when thy heart made hard pursuit after him; but now thou art grown cold and careless, and so pass him by lightly, as a full stomach with meat, with which it is cloyed; when you are not so earnest and zealous for Christ, it is a sign you have lost your taste. [2.] Your tasting of the good word of God. When you slight the word, either in not reading, hearing, meditating in it so frequently as you were wont to do. Oh, time was when you could say, No honey or honeycomb so sweet as this to my poor soul! Ps. xix. 10; when you could hardly call off your thoughts. Now you are more infrequent in these godly exercises, or else, if conversant about it, not with that life and that affection; in a more customary manner you can read of the love of God and sufferings of Christ Jesus, without any love to him again; can read the promises, and they seem to be but like dry chips and withered flowers, and not yield that marrow and fatness to you. You can read the promises of eternal life, and have not that joy, thankfulness, and blessing of God. You could hardly contain yourselves before, but cry out, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and blessed be God that hath visited and redeemed his people.' Now your affections are more flat and cold, and have not that relish in holy conference, sweetness in hearing, and that contentment of soul in meditating. [3.] You may lose your taste in the powers of the world to come, when you grow more mindless of God, and eternal blessedness, when you have not such fresh and warm thoughts as you were wont to have; when your desires, hopes, expectations of the life to come is abated, you have not that lively hope, 1 Peter iii. 3, to quicken you for the attaining of eternal blessedness. While this taste is fresh upon the hearts of Christians, they are for heaven, for God, carried on with vigour and strength in the way of holiness; but when your hearts are carried out to worldly vanity, and you relish more the honour, applause, fulness of estate, worldly increase, and you are grown more cold in heavenly things, you have lost this taste of the powers of the world to come, Heb. vi. 4. The causes of this. One is, want of a due esteem, not an esteem in an idea, naked or abstract notion from those thoughts out of a temptation. No man is so unreasonable, but, if he be a little enlightened with Christianity, will say, the favour of God is better than all things. Ay! but want of that practical esteem, when they can forfeit this taste for every trifle and flesh-pleasing vanity; or when they carelessly look after him, are indifferent as to communion with God, and think it not much whether they are accepted of God, yea or no; or manifest himself to you in Christ, when the comforts of the Spirit are things you can spare, and the consolations of God seem to be small, it is all one to you whether you have experiences from God in duty or no, your souls are satisfied; this is a cause of decaying. Then negligence in duties; pray lazily, hear carelessly, not meditate often. Inordinate savour of carnal pleasure, that is another cause. What is the reason the temporary seems to be so affected? He loseth his taste altogether; carnal things have the first possession of his heart, and being confirmed there by long use and custom, being so suitable to us, and so long rooted in us, and we have such a vanishing glance of things to come, this will work out that taste, the love, the sense we have of better things. Godly men, when they turn out to the contentments of the flesh, they lose their taste, it becomes dead. This is a considerable loss as to the vitality of your graces; for without a taste of good or evil, we shall neither eschew the evil, nor follow that which is good, with that serious constancy and diligence that is necessary. A man that hath tasted of the poison of asps, and the bitterness of the gall and wormwood that is in sin, will be afraid of it, Rom. vi. 21. So a man that hath tasted of the sweetness of communion with God in Christ, he is quickened and carried on with life, courage, and constancy. That is a dreadful place, Heb. vi. 4, 5; the loss of their taste is a degree to final apostasy. Oh, how many lose their taste, their relish of Christ, the good word of God, the powers of the life to come, and are fallen foully, some forward into error, some backward into a licentious course, so that it is impossible to recover themselves by repentance! __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CX. Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.--Ver. 104. IN the former verse, the man of God had spoken of the pleasure that was to be had by the word, now of the profit of it. There is a great deal of pleasure to spiritual sense; if we could once get our appetite, we should find a world of sweetness in it; and there is as much profit as pleasure. As the pleasure is spiritual, so also is the profit to be measured by spiritual considerations. To escape the snares of the devil, and the dangers that waylay us in our passage to heaven, is a? great advantage. Now the word doth not only warn us of our danger, but where it is received in the love of it, breedeth a hatred of all these things that may lead us into it: Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.' In which sentence, the prophet seems to invert the order set down, ver. 101. He had said, I refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word,' where the avoiding of evil is made the means of profiting by the word. Here his profiting by the word is made the cause of avoiding evil. In the one verse you have an account of his beginning with God, in the other of his progress. In this verse there is-- 1. The benefit he received by the word, and that is sound and saving knowledge. 2. The fruit and effect which this knowledge produceth in his heart, therefore I hate every false way. Mark, first, The firmness of this effect, I hate. He doth not say I abstain, but I hate. Secondly, The note of universality, every. Thirdly, The object, false way. It is not said evil way, but false way; or, as it is in the original, every path of lying and falsehood.' Falsehood is either in point of opinion or practice. If you take it in the first sense, for falsehood in opinion, or error in judgment, or false doctrine, or false worship, this sentence holds good. Those that get understanding by the word are established against error; and not only established against error, or against the embracing or profession of it, but they hate it. 1. They are established. All error cometh from ignorance, or else judicial blindness. [1.] From ignorance, or unacquaintedness with the word of God; so Christ said to the Sadducees, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,' Mat. xxii. 29. When men study not the word, which is the rule of truth, no wonder if they lie open to every fancy; they take up things hand over head, and by a fond credulity are led away by every suggestion presented to them. So it is said, 2 Peter iii. 16, that the unstable and unlearned wrest the scriptures to their own destruction.' By the unlearned, is meant not those that are unskilful in human literature, though that be a great help; but those that are unskilful in the word of righteousness, poor deluded souls that lie under a great uncertainty. [2.] Judicial blindness. For men that have great parts, and a presumption of their own wit, are given up to be blinded by their own lusts; and though they know the scriptures, yet they wrest them to speak according to the sense of their carnal interest, 1 Thes. ii. 12. And so they see not what they see, being given up to the witchery and enchantment of error: Gal. iii. 1, O foolish Galatians! who hath bewitched you?' So that all false ways proceed from the want of reason and the pride of reason. The one is the cause of the simple's erring, who believeth every word; the other of those that are knowing, and are otherwise of great parts, but they make their wit their idol, and so would be wise above the scriptures, or else are swayed by their own lusts. They do not fix themselves in the power, love, and practice of truths revealed in the scriptures, and so are given up to hellish delusions. Now, in this sense, I might speak with great profit of these words, especially now when so many errors are broached, and all the errors of Christianity come abreast to assault it at once; and such changeable times as produce several interests, whereby men are blinded, and such levity in the professors of religion. Why, then, study the word with a teachable heart; that is, renouncing your own wit, and giving up yourselves to God's direction, and practise what is plain, without being swayed with the profits and pleasures of the world, and you may come to know what is the mind of God. Men think all is uncertain in religion, and are apt to say with Pilate, What is truth?' John xviii. 38. No; the scriptures are not obscure, but our hearts are dark and blind with worldly lusts. Otherwise the counsel is plain, and you might say with David, Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.' (1.) Where the Spirit of God doth affect men with an earnest desire of knowledge, and so affect them as to desire to know the will of God, for no other reason but that they may avoid what is displeasing to God, and do what is pleasing in his sight; and therefore hear, pray read, meditate, and study the holy scriptures; they are sure to be right for the main. (2.) Not only avoid the belief and profession of falsehood, but hate it: I hate every false way.' Not the persons, but pity them: Phil. iii. 19, I tell you weeping.' It should be the grief of our hearts to see them misled; but as for the error, hate it, whatever is not agree able to the rule of truth, or dissenteth from the purity of the word. There is too great a coldness and indifferency about the things of religion, as if truth were not to be stood upon. Carnal men hate the truth: Ps. l. 17, They hate instruction, and cast my laws behind their backs.' Truly we have much more reason to hate error, without which we cannot be safe, it is so catching with our natures. 2. In point of practice, and so every falsehood may be applied-- [1.] To craft, or carnal wisdom. I hate fraud and deceit; true understanding makes us hate false wisdom. A simple, honest conversation suits best with Christians: 2 Cor. i. 12, In simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world.' [2.] Carnal or worldly vanities, and flattering or fallacious pleasures, these entice us with a fair outside, and promise a great deal of happiness and comfort to us; but when we neglect better things, and run after them, they deceive us in the issue. They are called deceitful riches,' Mark iv. 19. And beauty' is said to be deceitful,' Prov. xxxi. 30. And those that run after these things are said to run after lying vanities,' Jonah ii. 8; those that fail when we hope to enjoy them. 3. I take it more generally for all sin. Sinful ways are false ways, and will surely deceive those that expect good from them or walk in them: Heb. iii. 13, Deceitfulness of sin;' and deceitful lusts,' Eph. iv. 22; and sin hath deceived me, and slew me,' saith Paul, Rom. vii. 11. Sin is false and deceitful many ways-- [1.] It presents itself in another dress than its own, proposing evil under the name of good, calling light darkness, and darkness light, Isa. v. 20, or shadows of good for that which is really good, gilded trash for perfect gold. [2.] As it promiseth happiness and impunity which it never performeth or maketh good, Deut. xxix. 19, 20; and so the poor sinner is led as an ox to the slaughter, Prov. vii. 22, 23. And we do not see the danger of it till it be too late to help it, and it appeareth in its own colours in the foulness of the act and the smartness of the punishment. Esau, when he had sold the birthright, bewailed it with tears when it was too late, Heb. xii. 16, 17. The foolish virgins tarried till the door was shut, Mat. xxv. 11, 12. It is good to have our eyes in our head, to see a plague when we may prevent it, Prov. xxii. 3. The foulness of the act terrifieth, as it did Judas when he betrayed his master, Mat. xxvii. 4. Their hearts give evidence against them, Rom. ii. 15 Excusing or accusing one another;' as Cain, Gen. iv. 14, My punishment is greater than I can bear.' The unclean person shall mourn at the last, when his flesh and his body shall be consumed,' Prov. v. 11. Adam and Eve were sensible too late, when their eyes were opened. Doct. By the word of God we get that true, sound wisdom which maketh us to hate every false way. Four things are implied in the point and in the text:-- 1. A hatred of sin. 2. The universality of this hatred, every false way. 3. That this is a part and fruit of wisdom, I get understanding, therefore I hate. 4. This wisdom and understanding is gotten by God's precepts. First, That it is our duty to hate sin. It is not enough to reform our practice, or to abstain from the act, or to avoid the occasions that may lead to it, but it must be hated: Ps. xcvii. 10, Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.' He doth not say forbear it, but hate it. Love to the chiefest good is fitly accompanied with hatred of the chiefest evil. God, he is our chiefest good: you love the Lord, and you must also hate evil. The one is as natural to grace as the other; for the new nature hath its slight and aversation, as well as its choice and prosecution. As it inclines us to choose God for our portion, and to pursue after things that lead to God, so it hath a disposition to make us avoid that which is evil. There are things hurtful to the new nature as well as any other being; now hatred is to arm us against it. In short, this hatred is required-- 1. Because this is the true principle of resistance against sin. Until a man hate sin, he is never truly set against it; as a man is never thoroughly gained to that which is good until he loves holiness for holiness' sake. His affections may be bribed with other considerations, but then he is rooted in holiness when he loves holiness for its own sake. So a man that is not resolved against sin, that will not hate it for its own sake, may be frighted out of sin for a fit, or by the interposings of conscience put out of humour, but his heart falls in again with his old lusts, until there be an envy and detestation of sin; but when it comes to this hatred, then temptations cannot easily overcome--examples draw not, nor difficulties compel us to that which is evil Persuasions and allurements formerly were of great force; straightway they followed; but when the bent is another way, they are not so easily drawn by force and examples, which seem to have such cogency. Before men did easily swim with the stream, but here is a counter motion when they hate that which is evil. This is the fence of the soul, and draws us to an indignation, Hosea xiv. 8. 2. Partly because this is a true distinctive evidence between those that are good and those that are evil. Many may forbear sin that yet do not hate it; they forbear it out of restraint, out of fear of punishment, shame, worldly ends, yet they regard iniquity in their hearts,' Ps. lxvi. 18; as a dog loves the bone, yet fears the blows. God judgeth not as man; man is blameless, he abstains from sin, but God hateth sin. Man judgeth according to the action, but God judgeth according to the frame of the heart, 1 Sam. xvi. 7; for he is able to look to the inward springs, and poise our spirits. So on the other side, good men may slip into an evil action, but their hearts are against it; it is the evil which they hate, Rom. vii. 15. They may be foiled, but their hearts are bent another way. But what is this hatred of sin? 1. It implies a universal repugnancy in every part of a man against sin, not only in his reason and conscience, but will and affections. There is not a wicked man, but in many cases his conscience bids him do otherwise; ay! but a renewed man, his heart inclines him to do otherwise; his heart is set against sin, and taken up with the things of God: Rom. vii. 22, I delight in the law of God according to the inner man.' It is in the whole inward man, which consists of many parts and faculties. Briefly, then, it notes the opposition, not from enlightened conscience only, but from the bent of the renewed heart. Reason and conscience will take God's part, and quarrel with sins, else wicked men could not be self-condemned. 2. Hatred; it is a fixed rooted enmity. Many a man may fall out with sin upon some occasion, but he hath not an irreconcilable enmity against it. The transient motions of the soul are things quite distinct from a permanent principle that abides in a renewed heart; he hath that same seed of God remaining in him,' 1 John iii. 9. A habit notes a habitual aversation. A brabble many times falls out between us and sin upon several occasions, when it hath sensibly done us wrong, destroyed our peace, blasted our names, or brought temporal inconvenience upon us. In time of judgment and fears, and present troubles and dangers, men think of bewailing their sins and returning to God. but they fall out and fall in again; this is anger, not hatred; like the rising of the heart against a drawn sword, when it is flashed in our faces, whereas afterwards we can take it up without any such commotion of spirit. 3. Hatred; it is an active enmity, warring upon sin by serious and constant endeavours, manifested by watching, striving, groaning; watching before the temptation comes, resisting in the temptation, groaning under it, and bemoaning ourselves after the temptation hath prevailed over us. [1.] There is a constant jealousy and watchfulness before the temptation comes. They that hate sin will keep at a distance from what ever is displeasing unto God: Prov. xxviii. 14, Happy is the man that feareth alway.' A hard heart, that knows not the evil of sin, rusheth on to things according to the present inclination. Ay! but a man that hath a hatred against sin, that hath felt the evil of it in his conscience, that hath been scorched in the flames of a true conviction, will not come near the fire. A broken heart is shy and fearful, therefore he weighs his thoughts, words, and actions, and takes notice of the first appearance of any temptation; they know sin is always present, soon stirred, and therefore live in a holy jealousy. Certainly they that walk up and down heedlessly in the midst of so many snares and temptations wherewith we are waylaid in our passage to heaven, they have not this active enmity against sin, and therefore hatred is seen by watching. [2.] It is seen by striving, or serious resistance in the temptation. A Christian is not always to be measured by the success, but by conflict; he fights it out: Rom. vii. 15, The evil which I hate, that do I.' Though they be foiled by sin, yet they hate it. An enemy may be overcome, yet he retains his spite and malice. Sin doth not freely carry it in the heart, neither is the act completely willing: Gal. v. 17, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh; for,' saith he, the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would;' that is, you cannot sin with such proneness and full consent and bent of heart as others; they have a principle of opposition, a rooted enmity in their souls against sin. [3.] By a bitter grief after the temptation; as Peter, when he had fallen foully, he went out and wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75. They do not lie in sin, but recover themselves by a kindly remorse; it is the grief of their souls that they have fallen into God's displeasure, grieved his Spirit, and hazarded their communion with him. Oh! sin is grievous to a gracious heart, and this makes them groan and complain to God, O wretched man!' &c. 4. It is such an enmity against sin as aims at the utter extermination and expulsion of it, that endeavoureth to destroy it both root and branch. Hatred is all for mischief; annihilation, that is that which hatred aims at. Anger worketh trouble, but hatred mischief. It is an implacable affection, that continues to the death, that will not be appeased till the thing which we hate be abolished. So where there is this hatred of sin, it follows sin close till it hath gotten the life of it. As by the grace of justification they have obtained such favour with God, ne damnet, it shall not damn; by the grace of sanctification, ne regnet, sin shall not reign; and still they are aspiring and looking after the grace of glorification, ne sit, that sin may no longer be; therefore they are longing and groaning under the relics of corruption: Rom. vii. 24, O wretched man!' &c. Many scratch the face of sin, but they do not seek to root it up, to destroy the body of death; it is their constant grief that anything of sin is left in the heart, as enemies are not satisfied till they have the blood of each other. Where there is hatred it is not enough to stop the spreading, weaken the power of sin, but labouring to destroy the being of sin; as David said of his enemies, I pursued them till they were destroyed;' so when we set against sin with an aim not to give over till we have the life of it; or as God said concerning the Canaanites, Deut. vii. 23, I will destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed;' so doth a renewed heart war against sin, that he may leave neither root nor fruit within them. Use. If this be to hate sin, how few can say with David, I hate every false way'! how few are of David's temper! Some love sin with all their heart, that hide it as a sweet morsel under their tongue,' Job xx. 12. The love of sin, that is the life of it; it dies when it begins to be hated; but when you have a love to it, it lives in the soul and prevails over us. And as they testify their love of sin, so they misplace their hatred. What do they hate? Not sin, but the word that discovers it. They hate the light, because their deeds are evil,' John iii. 20. They do not hate sin, but God's messengers that plead against it: 1 Kings xxii. 8, I hate him,' saith Ahab concerning Micaiah, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.' They hate the faithful brother that reproves them; he is hated because he will not hate his brother, to see sin upon him. They hate the magistrate that would reform, the faithful Christian that condemns them by his exact walking: John xv. 19, Because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.' They hate God's image in his people, and cannot endure to be condemned by the light that shines out from their conversations. Godly men are objects reviving guilt, therefore they hate them. Thus shamefully are a man's affections transposed; we love where we should hate, and hate where we should love. And then if we come to the other sort of men, a degree above these, many are frightened out of their sins by slavish fear, but yet their hearts are in league with them still; and as they get out of the stocks of conscience they enlarge themselves in all manner of carnal liberty: these are not changed, but awed; sin is not mortified, but only lurks to watch a safe opportunity when it may discover itself with more advantage. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXI. Therefore I hate every false way.--Ver. 104. THE second proposition is the universality of this hatred, every false way. They that hate sin must hate all sin. 1. This doth necessarily follow upon the former; for if we hate sin especially as sin, for the intrinsic evil that is in it, not upon foreign accidental reasons, then we will hate all sin, for hatred is eis ta` ge'ne, to the whole kind; as Haman, when he hated the Jews, he thought scorn to lay his hand only on Mordecai, but would have destroyed all the Jews, Esther v. 6. It is but a casual dislike, and not a hatred. Certainly if we hate sin as sin, we shall hate all sin. The same reasons that incline us to hate one sin will incline us to hate all. Why! what is it to hate sin as sin? As it is a violation of God's law, as it is a contempt of God's authority, a breach of spiritual friendship, it grieves the Spirit; these are the reasons to incline us to hate one as well as another. Well, then, private reservation and indulgences, or setting up a toleration in our own hearts, will not stand with the hatred of all sin. Some sins may shame and trouble us more, but all are alike contrary to the will of God; therefore if we hate them upon reasons of duty to God, we should hate them universally, every false way.' 2. Every sin is hateful to God, therefore every sin should be hateful to us. The reason of this is, we should hate what he hates, and love what he loves. There is a perfect friendship between God and those in covenant with him. Now that is true friendship, to will and nill the same thing; it is built upon likeness, and suitableness of disposition. This argument is urged by the Holy Ghost: Prov. viii. 13, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the fro ward mouth, do I hate.' This is friendship with God, to hate what God hates: I hate it, therefore they hate it. Sins of thought are intended by pride and arrogance, for that puts us upon vain musings and imaginations; and sins of word by the froward mouth; and sins of action by the evil way, outward practice. All this God hates, so should we: Rev. ii. 6, Thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.' If we be in the same covenant with God, we will have the same love, the same hatred. Nay, as we have the same nature with God, the saints are made partakers of the divine nature,' 2 Peter i. 4. The divine nature shows itself by suitable dispositions. 3. From our covenant relation with God, which implies an entire surrender of soul, which is without any reservation. When you give up yourselves to God, he will have all. If you say, God be merciful to me, and spare me in this, then you forfeit all the blessings of the covenant. God will have all or none; therefore all sin, without exception, must be hated by us, for otherwise God is not our chief good: if anything be loved besides him, or against his will, it is love above him. One man allowed besides the husband is a violation of the marriage covenant; so one sin allowed in the heart breaks all the covenant between God and us: James ii. 10, If a man keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.' That sentence is not a legal sentence belonging to the covenant of works; that were a mistake of it: it is not only true in the sense of the covenant of works, one sin undoes us for ever, but it is true in the evangelical covenant. Thus one sin allowed with full consent of heart makes void the gospel covenant, as one article not consented to disannuls the whole treaty and agreement between us and God. It is not consistent with sincerity that we should bring down the gospel covenant, to allow any one sin. 4. From the damage and mischief that it doth to our souls. One sin keeps up the devil's interest; it is like a nest egg, left there to draw a new temptation. You continue his empire in you; this is his great design, to keep a part. Conscience begins to work, they must have something; all then that he pleads for is but a part, and he knows that will bring the whole; as Pharaoh would have a pawn, either their flocks, herds, or children, that this might bring them back again. One sin reserved gives Satan an interest; one leak in the ship, though all the rest be stopped, if that be neglected, will sink it in time. Use. Let us lay this branch also to heart. There is something usually wherein we would be excused and expect favour. We all have a tender part of our soul, and loathe it should be touched; some vain fashions, customs, or ways, and outgoings of soul, which we are unwilling to leave, though we have often smarted for them. Consider, it is not consistent with your obedience and your love to God, nor with the power of grace in your hearts, to allow any false way. Herod did many things, yet perished for all that. A man may do many things that are good, upon sin's account, When you allow any one thing, it is only to hide and feed your lusts with greater pretence; so many religious things may be fuel of lusts, as well as carnal comforts. It is not for the interest of the flesh or indwelling corruption that men should have no religion; sin cannot be served in such a cleanly way, unless there be something done in compliance with God's will, under some disguise, or conformity to the will of God. Say then, Shall I do and suffer so many things in vain? Bring your hearts thus to hate every false way. Thirdly, This is a part and fruit of true wisdom. 1. That this is a chief part of wisdom and understanding, to hate every false way, appears from Job xxviii. 28, The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, that is understanding.' So much as we hate sin, so much of spiritual wisdom and spiritual understanding. Certainly to hate sin is wisdom; I prove it from the nature of sin. All disobedience is the greatest folly that can be in the world; and therefore, if to sin be to do foolishly, to hate sin is to be wise; and not to have understanding certainly is a fruit of folly, for a man to do that which will condemn himself, if ever he comes to himself. Now, when a man comes to himself, as when he dies or repents, oh! how will his heart condemn and reproach him for the vanity of his worldly course, when he is filled with his own ways! Especially repentance, that is a coming to ourselves. As a man when he hath slept out his drunkenness and excess, and begins to look back upon his follies committed under that distemper; such is repentance, it is an after-wisdom, and therefore it argues that there was an imprudence and inconsideration of the things we repent of, and therefore we condemn ourselves. That is folly which gratifies those that are our utter enemies. Now sin it gratifies the devil, which seeks our ruin: he goes about, seeking whom he may devour,' 1 Peter v. 8. You please him that seeks your utter destruction; and will you grieve God and please the devil? That is folly which brings no disadvantage upon him whom you disobey, but upon you it brings the greatest mischief imaginable. God is not hurt by your sins; he is above our injury: Prov. ix. 12, If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself; but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.' There is no hurt done to God; all the hurt is to our own souls: Prov. viii. 36, He that sinneth against me, wrongs his own soul; and he that hateth me, loveth death.' Every sinner is his own murderer and his own destroyer. All those arrows we shoot up against heaven, they fall down with more violence upon our own heads. That is folly for a man to hazard a jewel for a trifle, to stake his soul, and heaven, and eternal happiness, against a little flesh-pleasing and carnal satisfaction: Jonah ii. 8, They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercies.' Poor fugacious comforts, lying vanities, to follow after, and forsake their own mercy; that is, all that happiness which might have been their own. A sinner is a mad gamester, that throws away the kingdom of heaven at every cast for a little momentary short delight and vain contentment. That is folly to break with him upon whom our all depends, our life, being, comfort, happiness; so doth sin make us break with God: Isa. lix. 2, Your iniquities have separated between you and your God.' Well, then, if sin be to do foolishly, to depart from sin, this is wisdom, this is understanding. Certainly he that provides against the greatest mischief doth escape the greatest danger; he is the wise man, and not he that provides against temporal inconveniences only, as poverty and disgrace. He that escapes sin, escapes hell, the wrath of God, the extremest misery that can light upon a poor creature: Prov. xv. 24, The way of the wise is above, to avoid hell beneath;' and therefore it is a high point of wisdom to hate sin. 2. As it is a high point of understanding, so it is a fruit and effect of understanding. According to the degree of understanding that we have, so will our hatred of sin be; for he saith, Through thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. To prove this by two reasons:-- [1.] Our affections follow our apprehensions. There is no way to come to the heart but by the mind, by the understanding. Look, as there is no way to come to the bowels to purge our distempers that are there but by the mouth, stomach, and other passages that lead to the bowels, so there is no way to come to the heart and affections but by the understanding. Knowledge begets all other affections, those which belong to choice and pursuit, or those that belong to slight or aversation. Those that belong to choice and pursuit, desire, delight. There is no desire of that which is unknown; so in those things that belong to slight and aversation, those affections, be it grief or shame for sin already committed, or fear or hatred that sin may not be committed. Grief or shame: Jer. xxxi. 19, After I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.' It is light which humbles, and the soul is affected according to the sight it hath of things; or go to those affections which serve to prevent the commission of sin, as hatred and fear. Hatred in the text; a good understanding goes before, a thorough hatred will follow. [2.] Second reason; that when the mind is fraught with truths, and gotten a good stock of knowledge by God's precepts, then it will be checking and urging the soul to caution against sin; and therefore the more understanding you yet by God's precepts, the more are you warned and put in mind of things: Ps. cxix. II, I have hid thy word in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.' When the word hath laid up in the heart a good stock of knowledge, there will be one thought or other that will be rising up and defying all temptations wherewith you are assaulted: Eph. vi. 17, Take unto you the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.' In the spiritual conflict we need weapons not only defensive but offensive; not only the shield of faith, but the sword of the Spirit, that we may destroy and slay sin, and withstand temptation, and chase away Satan from us. What is this sword of the Spirit? The word of God. The more seasonable relief the more fresh thoughts you have to withstand temptations which are apt to come in upon you: Prov. vi. 21, 22, Bind them upon thine heart: when thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.' This will always be urging him to duty, and warning him of his danger. A word of use. (1.) Get understanding; (2.) Never count yourselves to understand anything but as you increase in hatred of sin. 1. Get understanding. Partly--(1.) Because there are many false ways you will never discern without much understanding. There are many false ways that are palliated and represented under the show of good, and we are easily ensnared unless we have light to choose our way: 1 Cor. ii. 8, Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.' A man will be carried on with a great deal of life and activity in a way contrary to God: Acts xxvi. 9, I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.' Oh! the tyranny and madness of an erring conscience and an ignorant zealot! What a ready prey is a man to Satan, and is carried headlong to destroying courses, when a man hath more zeal and earnestness of spirit than knowledge to guide him! How will he stumble and dash upon things that are very contrary to the will of God. (2.) If they can discern them, they shall not have a heart and skill to remedy them without understanding. We shall not have a heart, for light will be urging, calling upon us, minding us of our duty, warning us of danger; whereas otherwise we shall go on tamely, like an ox to the slaughter, and like a fool to the correction of the stocks. We shall not have this restless importunity of conscience, which is a great restraint of sin; and then we shall not have the skill, for all is misapplied and misconceived by an ignorant spirit, for the whole business of his religion is making cordials instead of purges, and potions instead of antidotes, catching at promises when threatenings belong to him, lulling his soul asleep with new strains of grace, when he should awaken himself to duty. 2. Never count yourselves to have profited in anything till your hearts are awakened into a further hatred of sin. Christians! they are but notions; it is not saving knowledge unless it be in order to practice; men have no understanding that have not this active and rooted enmity against sin: Ps. cxi. 10, A good understanding have all that they do his commandments;' they that hate sin more, and are more weary of corruption. He is made wiser by the word that is made better by it. It is not the talker against, but the hater of iniquity that is the wise man. If wisdom enters upon the heart, and breaks out in our practice, by that is our thriving in knowledge to be measured: 1 John ii. 3, Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.' This was God's scope in giving the word, not to make trial of men's wits, who could most sharply conceive, or of their memories, who could most faithfully retain, or of their eloquence, who could most nimbly discourse; but of the sincerity of the heart, who could most obediently submit to the will of God. Jer. xxii. 16, when he had spoke of hating of sin, and doing good, Was not this to know me? saith the Lord.' This is to know God to hate sin. Outward things were not made for sight only, but for use, as herbs, plants, and stars. So our reason, and the scriptures the Lord hath given us; it is not only for sight, but for use, that we may be wise to salvation; not that we may please our selves with acute notions about the things of God, but seriously set our hearts to practise. The fourth thing in this general point is, that this wisdom and understanding is gotten by God's precepts. Mark, I hate every false way.' Why? Because by thy precepts I get understanding.' Where have we it? By studying God's word,' Rom. iii. 20, By the law is the knowledge of sin.' How is the knowledge of sin by the law? Three ways: according to the nature of the sin, according to who is the sinner, and according to the guilt and dreadful estate of them that lie in a state of sin. So the knowledge of sin, that is, the nature of it, and where it lives, and where it reigns, and what will be the effects of it, all this knowledge is by the law. 1. By the law is the knowledge of sin, quoad naturam peccati. There are many things we should never know but by the law of God, though we have some general notions of good and evil. Rom. vii. 7, saith the apostle, I had not known sin but by the law; for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.' Those first stirrings and secret lingerings of heart and inclinations to that which is cross to the will of God, that they go before all consent of will, and all delight, these things we could never discern by the light of nature. 2. Quoad subjectum, what is the sinner, and who is guilty of it? So Rom. vii. 9, I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.' He saw his lost, miserable, undone condition by the law of God. The acts of sin are discovered by the word of God; it discovers the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. iv. 12, and state of sin; our natural face, the condition wherein we are, is to be seen in this glass. 3. Quoad realum et magnitudinem peccati, what will be the effects of it? Rom. v. 20, The law entered, that the offence might abound.' Therefore the law was given, that it might work a deep sense of the evil consequents of sin, and what wrath man was bound over to for violating the righteous law. The law represents the heinous nature of sin as it is anomi'a, a transgression of the law, as it strikes at God's being or at God's authority, seeks to jostle him out of the throne; as it contradicts his sovereignty, and plucks the sceptre out of his hand and the crown from his head, and makes men to say, Who is lord over us?' As if we had nothing to guide us but our own lusts. The word of God discovers this pride of heart, and then the manifold mischiefs of sin are discovered; we get this understanding by the word. It is better to know these mischiefs of sin by the threatenings of the word, than by our own bitter experience. It is sin that separates from God, and renders us incapable of all blessings. Use 1. Study yourselves, and take a view of the case and state of your souls by the glass of the word; see what you gain by every reading, hearing, every time you converse with him, what is given out to convince you of sin, or awaken your soul against sin. Use 2. When you consult with the word, beg the light of the Spirit, which is only lively and efficacious. The apostle speaks of knowing things in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit and of power,' 1 Cor. ii. 4. There is the same demonstration of the Spirit. There is a manifest difference between the evidence of reason and arguments held out from a natural understanding, and between the illumination or the demonstration of the Spirit. There are many that may have a full knowledge of the letter and the sense of the words, as they lie open to the evidence of reason, yet be without the light and power of those truths, for that is a fruit of the demonstration of the Spirit, the lively light of the Holy Ghost that goes along with the word. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXII. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.--Ver. 105. THE present world, as much as it suits with our carnal nature, it is but like a howling wilderness with respect to Canaan, in which there are many crooked paths and dangerous precipices, yea, many privy snares and secret ambushes laid for us by the devil and his instruments; so that unless we have a faithful guide, a clear, full, and sure direction, we shall certainly miscarry, and every day run into the mouth of a thousand mischiefs. Now God, out of his abundant mercy, hath given us a light, a rule to walk by, to set us clear from these rocks and precipices, and to guide us safe to true happiness. And what is this light? It is his word; so David acknowledged in this verse, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Here you may observe--(1.) The double notion by which the direction of the word is set forth. (2.) You have the object, or the matter wherein we are directed; that also is expressed by a double notion, It is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.' Let me explain these a little. 1. The two notions whereby the direction is expressed, it is a light, that is a more general expression; the other is more particular, it is a lamp, possibly with allusion to the lamp of the sanctuary. The use of a lamp is to light in the night, and the light shines in the day. The word of God is both a light and lamp; it is of use to us by day and night, in all conditions, in adversity, in prosperity, in all the conditions we pass through in this world. Chrysostom hath an observation, but I doubt a little too curious, o no'mos lu'knos onoma'zetai, o Kri'stos ui'os [4] tes dikaiosu'nes, saith he--The law shineth in narrow limits, within small bounds, therefore that is called a lamp; but Christ, in the gospel, is called a son [5] of righteousness. 2. Let us come to the term by which the object is expressed, path and feet. By path is meant our general choice and course of life; the law will direct to that; not only so, but it is a light to our feet, that is, will direct us in every step, in every particular action. Doct. That the word of God is a clear and a full rule to direct us in all the conditions and affairs of the present life. It is a clear rule, for it is called a lamp; and it is a full rule, for it is a lamp not only for our path, but for our feet. I shall speak of both severally, that it is a lamp and a light. First, It is a clear rule, and therefore called a light, and that in three regards:-- 1. By reason of its direction, as it shows us the right way to our desired end. He that would come to his journey's end needs a way, and needs a light to see and find it out. Our end is eternal life, and that to be enjoyed in heaven: Prov. vi. 23, The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.' God hath stated the way that leads to eternal happiness by his wisdom and justice, and revealed it in the scriptures. See that place, Ps. xliii. 3, Oh, send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.' We should have wandered up and down in various uncertainties, and have neither pitched upon the right end nor way, but have lost ourselves in a maze of perplexities, if God had not sent forth his light and truth. Austin reckons up two hundred and eighty-eight opinions about the chiefest good. Men are seeking out many inventions, looking here and there to find happiness, but God hath showed the true way. 2. It is a light in regard of conviction, as it convinceth of all errors and mistakes both in judgment and practice--Verum est index sui et obliqui. In this respect it is said, Eph. v. 13, because of this convincing light that is in the word, All things that are reproved, are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.' It discovereth to us our sins as well as our duties; light doth manifest itself, and make all other things manifest. Now this convictive power of the world is double by way of prevention, and by way of reproof. [1.] By way of prevention. The word of God shows us our danger, pits, precipices, and stumbling-blocks that lie in our way to heaven; it shows us both our food and our poison, and therefore he that walks according to the direction of the word is prevented from falling into a great deal of mischief: 1 John ii. 10, 11, He that abideth in the light, there is none occasion of stumbling in him: but he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.' The meaning of that place is this, he that walks according to the light of scripture, and lives in obedience thereto, avoids stumbling; but he that is blinded by his own passion, he wants his light, knows not whither he goes, neither in what way he goes--respectu viae, et respectu termini. What will be the end of his going? He mistakes the way, sins for duties, and good for evil; or he mistakes the end, thinking he is going to heaven, when he is in the highway to hell. [2.] By way of humiliation and reproof, it discovers our sins to us in their own colours, so as to affect the heart, yea, our secret sins, which could not be found out by any other light: 1 Cor. xiv. 24, When he that believeth not, or is unlearned, comes in, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all.' The light of the word it brings a sinner upon his face, makes him fall down, acknowledging the majesty of God in his word. God's word it hath his signature upon it, it is like himself, and bewrayeth its author by its convictive power and majesty. So it is notable, Heb. iv. 12, 13, The word of God is quick and powerful, &c., and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' Mark what he had said of the word. He proves the proper ties of the word by the properties of God; that God searcheth all things, God's word is like himself. 3. It is light in regard of comfort: Eccles. xi. 7, Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun;' especially to those that have been shut up in darkness, and kept in a dungeon. Oh, it is a pleasant thing to behold the light again! So is the word of God light in this sense, to relieve us in all the dark and gloomy passages of the present life. [1.] In outward darkness. When all outward comforts fail, and have spent their allowance, the comforts of the word are left; there is enough to support and strengthen our hearts in waiting upon God: Ps. xxiii. 4, When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.' The staff and rod they are instruments of a shepherd, and Christ is our spiritual shepherd, so that this staff and rod are his word and Spirit, they are the instruments of the spiritual shepherd; and this comforts us when we are in the shadow of death; in our crosses, in confusions and difficulties, when we have nothing else left but the promises, this is a reviving to the soul. [2.] It is a comfort and refreshing to us in spiritual troubles, that arise from the guilt of sin, and want of the sense of God's love: Isa. 1. 10, Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God.' What shall he do? Shall he compass himself about in his own sparks? Oh, how miserable are we then! No; but let him depend upon God according to his promise. The word of God is a great part of his name; let him stay his heart upon the word of God, when he walketh in darkness, and seeth no light. Now, that the word of God is such a light, such a sure and clear direction, I shall--(1.) Give a direct proof of it from scripture; (2.) Some types of it; (3.) Prove it by experience; (4.) By reason. 1. For the proof from scripture, you have the notions of the text. So Prov. vi. 23, The commandment is a lamp, and the law is light.' It is that which keeps us from stumbling. So 2 Peter i. 19, We have also a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.' The world is a dark place. Ay! but now here is a light that shines in a dark place, and that is the Holy Scripture, the sure word of prophecy;' it showeth us our way to heaven, and prevents us from stumbling into hell. 2. To prove it by types. Two types I shall mention; one is, Israel being directed by the pillar of a cloud; the other is, the lamp of the sanctuary. [1.] The type of Israel's being directed by the pillar of the cloud by day, the pillar of fire by night, till they came into the land of Canaan, Exod. xiii. 21. Still they moved up and down, hither and thither, as the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire went before them. Thus our whole course is to be ordered by God's direction. See how this type is expressed, Neh. ix. 19, The pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way, neither the pillar of fire by night to show them light, and the way wherein they should go.' Mark, when they were in the wilderness, the pillar of cloud and fire showed them the way where they were to go; this is an emblem of the safe conduct the church may expect from Christ Jesus in all ages; God's pillar departed not from them by night nor day. So while we are travelling in the wilderness of this our pilgrimage, his word and Spirit is continued to us. When they entered into Canaan, that was a type of heaven, then this pillar of cloud was removed. It is notable, Josh, xiv., when Israel passed over Jordan, we do not read the pillar went before them, but the ark of God was carried before them. So when the church comes to heaven, the resting-place, then this conduct ceaseth; the word hath no more use. Jesus Christ, as the great shepherd, leads his flock into their everlasting fold. [2.] The other type was the lamp of the sanctuary; we read of that, Exod. xxvii. 20, 21. There was a great lamp hung upon the veil, to distinguish the holy of holies from the other part of the tabernacle, and was fed with pure oil-olive, and this lamp was prepared and trimmed up by the priest daily. Now what did this lamp signify? Mark the application. This pure olive-oil signified God's pure word; without the mixture of human traditions; this hung up in the veil, shined in the church, and every day it was prepared, furnished, set forth by them that are called thereunto, for the use of the faithful. 3. Let me prove it by experience, that the word is such a sure direction. [1.] Because natural men have a sense of it, and upon that account fear it. See John iii. 20, 21, Every one that doeth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.' Natural men will not come to the word, they fear it as discovering, and therefore never feel it as refreshing. Evil-doers hate the light; they are afraid of the word lest it should convince them, and discover them to themselves; therefore they stand off, and shun all means of closing with it; there is such conviction in the oar, [6] a secret jealousy of the searching power that is in the word of God. [2.] Godly men do find a great deal of comfort and satisfaction from this light as to all the doubts and fears of the soul: Ps. xix. 8, The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.' All their scruples vanish; here is an apt and fit doctrine accommodated to the heart of man. A man hath never true and rational delight till he is fully satisfied in point of religion, till he can have rest for his soul, and commodious notions of God. Now, if you would have rest for your souls, Jer. vi. 16, here it is, the children of God find it. There is a fair compliance in this doctrine with all those natural principles and ingrafted notions within us concerning God and his will; they find satisfaction in it to conscience, though not to fond curiosity; the one is necessary, the other dangerous and unprofitable. Christians! there is a great deal of difference between these two, satisfying conscience and satisfying curiosity, as much as between quenching the thirst of a sober man and satisfying the lust and appetite of a drunkard. Here is enough to satisfy conscience, a fair accommodation of excellent truths to a reasonable nature, truths becoming God, truths suiting with the heart of man, and therefore here they find it to be light, that is a sure direction. The wicked feel the discovery of it, and the saints feel the impression of it. [3.] We have this external and outward experience to assure us of our rule and light that shines in the word of God, because those that go against this light and direction do sensibly miscarry, and are sure to split themselves upon some rock or other. Our first parent, Adam, when he hearkened to the voice of the serpent rather than the voice of the Lord, destroyed himself and all his posterity. As long as he obeyed the word of God, he remained in a blessed estate in paradise, but when he gave heed to other counsels, he was cast out of paradise, and rendered liable to many sorrows, yea, eternal death. So all that walk in the imagination of their own hearts, and have not light from the word, they presently run themselves into sundry mischiefs. The young prophet is an instance of this, 1 Kings xiii. 21. To go to particular instances would be innumerable, every day's experience will furnish us with enough of this; they that will not take the light of God's word, stumble upon dark mountains, for God hath owned his word to a tittle, owned both the tables: Rom. i. 18, The wrath of God is revealed from heaven,' &c.; from heaven, by the effects of his wrath. If men be ungodly and unrighteous, they are punished; nay, not only in the general, but in particular: Heb. ii. 2, For if the word spoken by angels were steadfast'--why?--for every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward.' By every transgression he means a sin of omission; by every disobedience, a sin of commission. And as he will do so for sins against the law, so sins against the gospel; that place where the gospel was first propounded smarted for the neglect of it: 1 Thes. ii. 16, Wrath is come upon them to the uttermost,' for despising the gospel. And still God secures the certainty of our direction by new judgments; those that will go contrary to the word, turn aside to paths of their own, they perish in their devices. 4. Let me prove it by reasons that certainly the word must needs be light, that is, a clear and sure direction. I prove it from the author, the instruments, and penmen, and from the ends why God hath given the word. [1.] From the author of it, it is God's word. Everything that comes from God hath some resemblance of his majesty: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all,' 1 John i. 5. His word is light. If God would give us anything to direct us, it must needs be clear and sure, it must have light. As at first God gave reason to direct man: John i. 4, That life was the light of men;' as it came from God, before it was weakened by the fall, it was a full direction, it discovered its author; and now since the fall, still it discovers its author. Conscience, which remains with us, it is called the candle of the Lord,' Prov. xx. 27. From a glorious sun now it is dwindled to a candle, yet it is called the candle of the Lord; it is a candle lighted by God himself. The understanding and conscience that is privy to our most secret motions, thoughts, and actions; though it may be maimed and lessened by sin, it is sensible of some distinction between good and evil, and acts God's part in the soul, sometimes condemning, sometimes approving, accusing and excusing by turns, Rom. ii. 15. But, alas! if we were only left to this light, we should be for ever miserable. The light of reason is too short for us now, and there is a double reason; partly, because our chief good and last end being altered by sin, we shall strangely mistake things, if we weigh them in the balance of the flesh, which we seek to please. Now our chief good is altered, or rather we are apt to mistake it; all our business is to please the flesh, and to gratify lust and appetite, Ps. xlix. 12. Therefore go to a man led by carnal and unsanctified reason, he shall put light for darkness, and darkness for light; good for evil, and evil for good,' Isa. v. 20. He shall confound the names and natures of things, so miserably grope in the dark, and not find out the way to true happiness, either stumbling, dashing his foot against a stone, or wander out of the way in a maze of a thousand uncertainties; therefore it is a blessed thing not to be left to this candle of reason, the light within us, for that will not guide us, but God heath drawn a straight line for us to heaven, which if we follow we cannot miss. Again, partly because man's condition since the fall is such that he needs a supernatural remedy; before he can be happy, he needs a redeemer. Now the gift of a redeemer depending upon the free grace of God, cannot be found out by natural light, for that can only judge of things necessary, and not of such things as depend upon the arbitrary love of God, therefore this light cannot guide, John iii. 16. Well, then, because the candle of the Lord that is within us is not enough to direct us, God hath set up a lamp in the sanctuary to give us light, and to guide us in the pursuit of true happiness, and that is the scripture. Now, if they have God for their author, surely they must needs be clear and full, for nothing indited by his Spirit can be dark, confused, and inconveniently expressed, either with respect to the things revealed, or to the persons to whom this revelation is made. For if God should speak darkly (here is my argument), especially in necessary things, it is either because God could not speak otherwise, or would not. The former is direct blasphemy; he that made the eye, cannot he see? and he that made the mouth, cannot he speak plainly and intelligibly to his people, so as to be understood by them? And the latter cannot be said, that God would not, for that is contrary to his goodness and love to mankind: Ps. xxv. 8, Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way.' If this be true, that God is a just good God, he will teach us plainly; the Psalmist infers it, he is just, and will not lead us wrong; he is an upright God, and he is a good God; and therefore, though we have fallen from the state of our creation, though the candle of the Lord burn dim in our hearts since the fall, yet he is a good God, therefore he will show us the way. Now it is not to be imagined that there should not be light in the word of God, that that should be dark, confused, and unintelligible; that the most powerful and wise monarch, and most loving of all, that he should write a book to teach men the way to heaven, and do it so cloudily, that we cannot tell what to make of it. Therefore if God be the author, this book must be true; here must be light, a clear and sure direction to guide us in all our ways. [2.] I prove it by reason again, from the instruments used in this work. Shall I take those words for my groundwork? 2 Peter i. 21, For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;' that is, it is not the fancies or dictates of men, but the word of God; for they were holy men, and holy men guided by the Holy Ghost, and so guided as that they were moved, borne up by the special motion of the Spirit. Let me reason thus: those that God hath employed to deliver his mind to the world, look either to the prophets of the Old Testament or apostles of the New, and you will find them to be holy men, burning with zeal for God and love to souls; and it is not to be imagined that they would deliver God's mind so darkly that nobody could understand their meaning. Christians they were, not men that were to act a part of their own upon the stage of the world, not men that aimed at ostentation of wisdom and curiosity of science; but they were holy men, they were free from ambition and envy, and other such vile affections, which are wont to make writers to affect obscurity; therefore in all simplicity of style, plainness of heart, and faithfulness to their message, they minded their master's honour and the people's good; they renounced pomp of words and lofty speculations, minded that people might understand the mind of God published lay them. As they were holy men, so they were acted by the Spirit of God. Now the Spirit of God is not a spirit of darkness but a spirit of light, which gives understanding to all men, therefore they spake luminously and clearly. Nay, they were not only acted by the Spirit, but they were borne up by the Spirit, carried by the Holy Ghost while they were employed in this work, publishing the mind of God to the church; they were carried beyond the line of their natural spirits, by an extraordinary impulse infallibly borne up, so that they could not err and miscarry. Now from such holy men that were not swayed by ambition and private aims, so guided, so acted by the Spirit, what can be expected but what is sure, clear, and plain? [3.] I argue and reason again from the end of God in giving us the scriptures; all which doth clearly infer that here is a sure and plain direction that will lead you to heaven. There is a fourfold end wherefore God hath given us the scriptures:-- (1.) That by this means heavenly doctrine might Be kept free from corruption, that men might not obtrude articles of faith upon us and fancies of their own brain, that heavenly doctrine might be put into a stated course and kept pure from corruption. When mankind sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, it was necessary that one way or other they should have light, that God by some way or other would reveal his mind to them, either by word of mouth or by writing. Now God did it by oracles and extraordinary messages at first, while there were but few truths revealed, and such as did not much burden the memory, and while men were long-lived, and so could a great while avouch their message from God, and while they were of great simplicity, and the church was confined to a few men, to a few families, within a small compass of ground, not liable to those miseries and changes now in latter days. Before Christ came it was fit God should send his messengers; but now in these latter days, when he hath spoken to us by his Son, Heb. i. 1, it is fit the rule of faith should be closed up. It is not for the honour of the Son of God that after him should come any extraordinary nuncio or ambassador from heaven, as if he had not fully discovered his Father's mind. Well, then, therefore God hath put all his messages into writing for the use of after-ages, and for this end that there might be some public standard for trying of things by. Now God's end would not be accomplished if this writing were not clear. Here is the argument, the world would be left at great uncertainties, far more than in old time, and so this end for preserving truth for the use and direction of the church would be wholly lost. Well, then, if God will make a writing serve instead of extraordinary messages, which brought their own evidence with them, certainly he will not put it into words liable to mistake, but that are intelligible. Wisdom saith, Prov. viii. 9, They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.' Certainly they that come in simplicity of heart, with a mind to learn God's will, not to cavil, they may know. (2.) God's end in setting forth the scripture was that it might be read of all ages and of all sexes, as the book of the law was to be read in the congregation before the men, women, little ones, and strangers, Deut. xxi.; from day to day it was read in the synagogue, Acts xv. 21; and God would have them teach their children, Deut. vi. 6; and Timothy is commended for reading the scriptures from his youth, 2 Tim. iii. 5. And the apostles do express themselves to be debtors both to the wise and unwise, to Greeks and barbarians,' Rom. i. 14, to speak wisdom to the wise and plainness to the simple; and St John he writes to children and young men and fathers, 1 John ii. 13. Well, then, here is my argument, if God would write a book to be read by men, women, children, all sorts, surely it is that all might understand, not that they might repeat it by rote, and toss the words of it in their mouths as parrots do words they understand not; surely, then, they are compiled to profit all. (3.) God's end in giving the word was for converting of men, or leaving them without excuse. Now take either end, and it shows there must be a plain direction. If for converting of men, then it must be so plain that it may be understood by them, for there is nothing gets to the heart but by the understanding: After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh.' And all influences are conveyed by light, and if God gains any heart it is by teaching and by light. Or if it were for leaving them without excuse, it must be by a clear revealing of his will, otherwise they might pretend obscurity. The apostle pleads this, 2 Cor. iv. 2-4; saith the apostle, there is such plain truth in the gospel that every man's conscience may take it up if he will; and if they cannot see the majesty of God in this doctrine they are blinded by Satan; the fault is not in gospel light, but in their own eyes; they cannot complain of God, but of themselves. (4.) The end is, that it might be a rule of faith and manners by which all doctrines are to be tried. A rule of faith: Isa. viii. 20, To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' And Acts xvii. 11, They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so.' So to be a rule of manners: Gal. vi. 16, As many as walk according to this rule,' &c. There are many actions which God requireth of us that expose us to great difficulty and hazard. Now, before the heart be gained to them, we had need have a plain proof that it is the will of God; for who will venture his all unless he have a clear warrant, that knows whither he goes, and whither to look for amends, if he suffer the loss of all things? Thus there is light in the word. Secondly, But now it is a full direction, for David speaks it of his feet and path. 1. In general observe this: it is not a light to our brains to fill us with empty notions, but a light to our feet to regulate our practice and to guide our actions, Jer. vi. 16. He doth not say, hearken after the true religion, but walk therein. For a man to study the scripture only to satisfy curiosity, only to know what is right and good, and not follow it with all his heart, is but to make a rod for his own back, and doth but cause his own condemnation to be sore and terrible, Luke xii. 47. To be able to dispute for truth and not lie under the power of it, to avoid heresy and live in vice, will never bring him to heaven, Gal. vi. 16. It is not them that are able to talk of it, but to walk according to this rule;' not to play with it, but to work with it. Knowledge and practice must be joined together; they do never well asunder, but excellent together. 2. In our practice. [1.] Our path, our general choice. A man that consults with God's word, The Lord will teach him the way that he shall choose,' Ps. xxv. 12. Everything appointed to an end must have all things absolutely necessary to that end, else it is not perfect in its kind; though perfect to guide us to eternal life; therefore it must contain all things that belong or conduce to that end. It is not a rule given us to be rich or safe, but to be eternally happy. [2.] As it is a light to our path, so to our feet. How? In the particular actions that we perform, and in the particular conditions that we pass through. (1.) In the particular actions that we perform. Every action we go about must be guided by the word. Why? Because obedience in particular actions we are most apt to miscarry in. Many are wise in generals, but in particulars they quite mistake their way. We have general notions that we must be holy; ay! but we are not holy in all mariner of conversation,' 1 Peter i. 15. In every creek and turning of our lives, in all our actions of eating, drinking, sleeping, and waking, we are to be mindful and respect the command of God in all these. No path of a Christian's conversation but ought to savour of grace and holiness; not only his religious, but his common and civil actions. Every action is a step to heaven or hell, for this life is compared to a walk, and in a walk every step brings us onward in our way. Briefly, in every act, either sin or grace interposeth, therefore we had need look to every step, and still to walk according to rule. (2 ) It guides us in all the conditions that we pass through. In every age; here is milk for the weak, and strong meat for men of ripe age. In every calling, from the king to the lowest beggar. In every state of life, adversity, prosperity, still here is light for you. There are two parties whose interest it is to decry the clearness of scripture, papists and libertines. Papists, they are afraid to stand to this trial, they would bring all to the judgment of the church; therefore, it is for their interest that the scriptures were not a clear, safe, and a full direction. Libertines, they decry the clearness of scripture upon several grounds. Those that plead for a boundless toleration, what is their great argument? Nothing is certain in religion. If the word be a clear rule, then, &c. __________________________________________________________________ [4] Qu. e`'lios, and sun'?--ED. [5] Qu. e`'lios, and sun'?--ED. [6] Qu. ore'? That is, in a rudimentary state.--ED. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXIII. The word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.--Ver. 105. HERE I shall answer five objections that are made by cavillers. Object 1. First, If it be so clear a light, why do men so often mistake that have the scriptures, and consult with them? yea, why is there such differences among good men? Ans. I answer, in general, there is light in the scriptures, but there is darkness in men that are conversant about them. The object may be well represented when the faculty is not well disposed. There are defects in them to whom this discovery is made; though they have light, yet they want eyes. The sun giveth light enough, though blind men cannot see it; the word doth whatsoever is necessary on its own part. To the beholding of anything by the outward sense, there must not only be light to make the object conspicuous, but also a faculty of seeing in the eye; blind men cannot see at noonday, nor the sharpest-sighted at midnight. There is light in the scriptures surely, for God would not deal hypocritically with us that are his people; if he hath given us a rule, he would not wrap it up in darkness, so as we should not know his meaning; so that the defect is in us. This in general. But, secondly, there are many causes of men's mistake. 1. Some come to the word with a presumption of their own wit, and leaning upon their own understanding, as if that should discover the whole counsel of God, and these God never undertook to teach: Ps. xxv. 9, The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.' Those that, in a humble sense of their own nothingness, depend upon his direction, them will he teach: James i. 21, Receive with meekness the ingrafted word of God.' We have caution given us, and admonitions against pride and arrogance and self-dependence, Prov. iii. 3-6. 2. Many bring their prejudicate opinions along with them, and are biassed and prepossessed before they come to the word of God, and so do not so much take up the sense which the scriptures offer, as seek to impose their own sense on them, and regulate the scriptures to their own hearts, not regulating their hearts and principles and senses according to the word of God. Optimus ille lector est, saith Hilary, qui dictorum intelligentiam expectat, &c. That mind which is preoccupied with evil opinions, and enslaved to preconceived conclusions, they do not take anything from the word, but impose something upon it which God never revealed there. If the weights be equal, yet if the balance be not equipendent, wrong may be done. They come with an idol in their own hearts, Ezek. xiv. 2, as those that would ask counsel of the Lord, that were resolved beforehand, Jer. xlii. While we look through the spectacles of our own fancies and preconceptions, the mind, poisoned with error, seemeth to see what we see not. 3. Some search the scriptures not out of any love to the truth, or to know the mind of God, but to oppose it rather, and so seek a pretence from thence to justify their private faction in way of opposition against God. The devil gets scripture to wrest it to his own purpose, Mat. iv. 6. They read not to be better, but to cavil, and put a greater varnish upon the devil's cause, as Julian did search the scriptures to pick an advantage against the true religion, and scoff at them that professed it; and Herod inquired after the place where Jesus was born, not to adore him, but to kill him, Mat. ii. 8. Our great rule is, John xvii. 17, Sanctify them by thy truth; thy word is truth.' When you come to study the scriptures, to be the better for them, and not to cavil, then you are in the way to find profit from them. 4. Some come to the word leavened with some carnal affections, and so their hearts are blinded by their lusts and passion: 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.' There is evidence enough in the truth, but their hearts are wedded to their sins, and so cannot see it; they are ambitious, and seek after honour and worldly greatness; and the whole bent and scope of the scripture being against their design, they can never have a perfect understanding of it; their hearts are full of avarice, earthly-mindedness, and some other beloved sin that they cherish, which doth defile all that they touch, even the very word of God. Hag. ii. 13, A man that was unclean by a dead body, whatsoever he. touched was also unclean, even holy things; and, Titus i. 15, To the impure all things are impure;' and so by the just judgment of God are blinded and hardened in their own prejudices, for the light they have hindereth them from discerning the truth. 5. Some content themselves with some superficial apprehensions, and do not dig deep in the mines of knowledge, and therefore no wonder they mistake in many things: Prov. ii. 4, 5, If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.' No excellent things are to be had without pain and industry and search; certainly the knowledge of God's word must cost us great pains. 6. Where men are right in the main, and give diligence to know God's mind, there will be mistakes in lesser things. All have not parts alike, and gifts and graces alike, and therefore there is some variety of opinions and interpretations of scripture among the godly wise. Every man is not so happy to be so well studied, nor hath not that ability to understand, nor so furnished with acquired helps of arts and tongues, nor such a degree of the Spirit. There is a difference in age, growth, and experience among good men; some are babes, and some grown in years in Christianity, Phil. iii. 15. Grace is bewrayed in knowledge, as well as in holiness. Object. 2. If there be such a light in the scriptures, what need is thereof the Spirit? Ans. I answer--The scriptures are the means of light, the Spirit is the author of light, both together enlighten the eyes, Ps. xix. 8. These two must be taken in conjunction, not in exclusion. To pretend to the Spirit and neglect the scriptures, makes way for error and fond conceits: Isa. viii. 20, To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' Light is not contrary to light; so to study the scriptures, and neglect the Spirit, who searcheth out the deep things of God,' 1 Cor. ii. 11, leaveth us in darkness about God's mind. The object to be known is fixed in the scriptures, but the faculty that knoweth must be enlightened by the Spirit. There is a literal understanding of the scriptures and a spiritual understanding, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Now, as to the spiritual understanding of them, there needs the Spirit, for the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit;' so that here is a fair correspondence between the word and the Spirit. Object. 3. If the scriptures be so plain, what need of the ministry? Ans. 1. I answer--It is God's institution, and we must submit to it, though we could see no reason for it. That it is God's institution is plain, for he hath set some in the church, not only apostles and prophets, but pastors and teachers, to apply scriptures to us; and, 1 Cor. i. 21, It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.' If there were no reason but this, because it is God's institution, we should submit to it. 2. The use of the ministry is to explain and vindicate truth. Men darken counsel with words, and render plain things obscure by their litigations and unprofitable debates. Now they are set for the defence of the truth, eis apolo'gian, Phil. i. 7. And the ministry must be antecho'menos, Titus i. 9, Able to convince the gainsayers;' good at holding and drawing; it is the human help for weak understandings. The eunuch was reading, and could not tell what to make of it, then God sent him an interpreter, Acts viii. Now God's help should not be despised; when he will employ men to solve doubts, to guide us in our way to heaven, we should thankfully accept of it, rather than quarrel at the institution. 3. They are of use to apply generals to particular cases, and to teach us how to deduce genuine inferences from those truths laid down in the scriptures. Mal. ii. 7, in this sense it is said, The priest's lips should preserve knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.' God hath appointed this office to some, to solve the doubts that do arise about particular exigencies and cases, and to make out the mind of God to his people, otherwise they need go no farther than the tables and books of Moses to seek the law; but God hath appointed some in the church that are skilled m consequences and deductions, to raise matter therefrom, so that it is a minister's work to open and explain scripture. 4. There is a use of the ministry to keep doctrines still afoot in the church, and to keep us in remembrance. Ministers are the Lord's remembrancers; it is a great part of their office to mind people of their duty. The word is a light, but it must be set in the candlestick of the church; they are to hold out the light for our direction and guidance. 5. There is a peculiar blessing and efficacy to a Christian from their calling: Mat. xxviii. 20, Lo, I am with you to the end of the world.' Object. 4. It is said, 2 Peter iii. 16, that there are some things hard to be understood, therefore how should it be a clear rule to us? There upon many take occasion to tax the scriptures of obscurity, and cry out that nothing is certain in religion, and so hinder and discourage men from the study of the word. Ans. 1. I answer--The apostle saith there are dusno'eta, some things hard to be understood, but doth not say there are ano'eta, things that cannot be understood; not there are things impossible to be understood, but there is some difficulty in them, to exercise our diligence, to subdue our pride, for the humbling of us, for the prevention of the contempt of things easy and plain, that are soon despised, to excite us to prayer for knowledge, to avoid satiety in this holy banquet. 2. The second thing that I answer is this; he doth not say there are polla`, but ti'na; many things, but some. Though there are some things propounded which are difficult, to exercise our diligence, yet other things are plainly delivered, to invite our search. Multa sunt aperta et manifesta (saith Austin) unde aperiuntur, &c. Though there are some things obscure, there are many things will help to clear them, and whatsoever is necessary to salvation is clear. There are some things hidden like spots in the moon and stones in the earth, things that serve for plenitude of knowledge and curiosity. He saith these things are hid, but now things necessary to salvation are made obvious to us; as water and bread, they are not hard to come by, but gold and silver is hid in the bowels of the earth; and therefore though there be some things hard to be understood, he doth not say they are not to be understood. Now the question between us and the papists is not, whether some things in the scripture be obscure, but whether they be so obscure as that people ought not to read them, or cannot with any profit, and that there can be no certainty thence deduced? As to the defining things controverted in matters necessary to salvation, we say there are some things hard to be understood, to keep us humble, to quicken us to pray for the Spirit, yet for the most part God's mind is plain and easy to be understood by them that humbly depend upon Christ teaching in the use of the appointed means. Object. 5. Another objection is from experience; a poor Christian complaineth, as Job xix. 8, He hath set darkness in my path that I cannot pass.' They would fain know the mind of God in some particular cases, but they cannot see it. Ans. I answer--This darkness of ours should not be urged to the disparagement of the word. We are under many doubts, we are divided between light and interest, we puzzle and grope, and would reconcile the light of the scriptures and our interests together, but this should not disparage the word. The scriptures complain of our darkness, not of its own, and the saints always say, Lord, do not make a plainer law; but open our eyes, in the 18th verse of this psalm; this is Chrysostom's gloss upon that place. When a man walketh in the way of his own heart, his way may be darkness, and he may stumble, and know not whither he goeth. But you that give up yourselves sincerely to the directions of his word, he will make your path clear and plain before you; that is, when you seek nothing but God's glory, and your own eternal salvation for your end, and come with a humble meek mind to seek God's counsel, being free from the preoccupations of self-conceits, being resolved to follow God's directions whatever they, be, and use that diligence which is necessary; you will not be long kept in the dark. Use 1.--[1.] To inform us how to answer this question, how to know whether the scriptures be the word of God. It shows itself, and evidenceth itself to be so; for it is a light that discovers itself, and all things else, without any other testimony. When the sun is up, there needs no witness and proof that it is light. Let the least child bring a candle into a room, and as it discovers other things, so it discovers itself. So the word of God is that which discovers itself to us, yea, it hath a self-evidencing light. [2.] If the word be a light, it informs us, then, there is none that are above the scriptures. There is a fond conceit that men take up, that the scriptures are for novices and young beginners, not for strong Christians. David was no novice, yet he saith, Thy word is a light.' And Daniel was no novice, yet he got understanding by the prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah, Dan. ix. 2. Timothy was no novice, who was to give attendance to reading, and exhortation, and doctrine,' 1 Tim. iv. 13. Aye! but what is meant by that place, 2 Peter i. 19? We have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.' From thence many gather that as soon as Christ is revealed in us, we should not look after the scriptures, for it is said, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts.' Some understand this place of the light of glory, and others of the light of the gospel; you do well to take heed to the Old Testament light, till you have the New Testament light, which is most agreeable to the mind of God. For my part, I pitch upon the former, and shall understand it of the dawning of eternity, or Christ's second coming, which is called in scripture a day which shall then begin and never be ended, after which there is no night, nor any other day, but a blessed eternity; and sometimes it is called the day,' 2 Tim. iv. 8, and that day,' 1 Thes. v.4; and Christ is called the bright morning star,' Rev. xxii. 16, and the glorious [7] shall shine like the morning stars,' Dan. xii. 3, and Rev. ii. 28. Our happiness is expressed by a day-star; so that the meaning is, take heed unto this word until the day of eternity dawn upon you, till you come to the light of glory, till you have a greater light than that of the gospel. Now, I rather pitch upon this interpretation, because they to whom the apostle wrote were converted Jews, and did not only own the Old Testament, but had already received the gospel light, the day-star was risen upon their hearts, so that he bids them take heed to the sure word of prophecy, till the light of glory was revealed to them. I know there are some divines understand it of a more clear and plentiful knowledge of the gospel, who take prophecy to be the scriptures of the Old Testament that they were to take heed to, till the gospel light did arise upon them; and the times of the Old Testament were called night, Rom. xiii. 12, but now the gospel time is called day. But if it be understood thus, then some say that the law must be cast off when the gospel appeared to them, because it is said, until the day.' Those divines explain themselves safely enough herein, for, say they, until doth not always note terminum temporis, the end of time, but continuationem actus, the continuation of the act, until the time, and afterwards, as it is spoken in other scriptures, their sin shall not be blotted out till they die,' that is never; but for the former reason that I have given before, I think it is meant of the light of glory. Use 2. Reproof.--[1.] Of those that walk in the midst of this light, and yet perceive no more of the things of God, than if they were in darkness, these lose the benefit which God vouchsafeth to them: John i. 5, The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not;' and John iii. 19, The light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light.' It had been better for them they had never heard of the scriptures, and that God had never set up such a lamp in the church. These men believe the word of God is a light and a lamp, yet never take care of, nor give heed to it; they are careless, and never measure their actions according to this rule. [2.] It reproves those that set up another rule, and look for an infallible interpreter. (1.) Those that set up reason instead of the word of God. Alas! this is an imperfect rule; these men would bring down all things before the tribunal of their own reason; these are not disciples of Christ, but masters; they will not be taught by the directions of the word, but by their own dark hearts. I have told you the candle of the Lord did burn bright within us; but alas! now it is weakened by sin, it is an imperfect irrational thing, we can never be saved by it. (2.) Others are guided by their passions and lusts; this is their direction and their lamp; this will surely lead them to utter darkness: If you live after the flesh, you shall die,' Rom. viii. 13. (3.) Some take the counsel and example of others, this will leave them comfortless, and make them fall into the snare. (4.) Some go to witches in straits, as the prophet reproves such, Isa. viii. 19, 20, Should not a people seek unto their God?' (5.) Others expect new revelations from heaven to counsel them; they would converse, with angels now God hath spoken to us by his Son: Gal. i. 8, If an angel from heaven should bring another gospel than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.' Use 3. Caution to enterprise nothing but what you have a warrant for out of the word of God. When you are going about any action, say, Where is my warrant? If I do it upon my own brain, I must stand to my own hazard; and ail the evil that comes upon me, it is the fruit of my own counsel. Num. xxvii. 21, the priest was to ask counsel of the Lord, who shall go out, and who shall go in; and 1 Sam. xxiii. 9. 10. To do things with a doubting conscience, with an uncertainty, whether it be good or bad, it is a sin; for whatsoever is not of faith, is sin;' still seek your direction from the word. Use 4.--[1.] It exhorts us to bless God, and be thankful for this light: Isa. ix. 2, The people that sat in darkness saw great light.'. There is the same difference between the church and other places, as there was between Egypt and Goshen, Exod. x. 23. Here is light, and in other places thick darkness. What a mercy it is that we have present direction, a light to guide us here in grace, that will bring us to glory. Give thanks to God for so great a benefit. [2.] Walk according to the directions of the word; walk in the light,' Eph. v. 8; believe it, Heb. iv. 2, the true and infallible truth that came out of God's mouth; and then apply it; say, This truth which is spoken is spoken to me, Mat. xiii. 37, and urge thy heart with the duties of it; this was spoken for our learning, be persuaded of this truth, and so walk and so do, and you shall not find any miscarriage, 1 Cor. xv. 58. Here is my warrant and my direction, I will keep to it, though it expose me to many hazards and straits, I know it will be made up at last, it will not be lost labour to do what God biddeth thee to do. __________________________________________________________________ [7] Qu. wise'?--ED. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXIV. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.--Ver. 106. IN the former verse David had commended the word for a sure direction; it is a light and a lamp. How so? Not only by God's designation and appointment, but by David's choice, It was a light to my feet, and a lamp to my steps.' Now, in this verse, he speaks of his firmness and constancy to that choice; I have taken thy word for my guidance and direction, and there he did resolve to stick. His constancy was grounded upon a vow, or upon a promissory oath, which he saw no cause to retract or repent of: I have sworn, and I will perform it,' &c. In which words you may observe-- 1. The strength of David's resolution and purpose, expressed in his oath; not I must, or I will keep, but I have sworn, &c. 2. The matter of this purpose or oath, and that was to keep God's judgments. 3. One great motive and reason that inclined him so to do, in the word, thy righteous judgments; the marvellous equity that was to be observed in the things commanded by God. 4. The conscience that lay upon him of observing this oath, I will perform it. As if he had said, I saw a great deal of reason to make the promise so solemnly to God, and I see no reason at all to retract it. Four points I shall observe:-- 1. That it is not only lawful, but good and profitable, to bind our selves to our duty by a vow, solemnly declared purpose, and holy oath; so David, I have sworn. 2. That this help of an oath or vow should be used in a matter lawful, weighty, and necessary, I have sworn,' saith David; but what hath he sworn? To keep thy righteous judgments. A great duty which God had enjoined him in his covenant. 3. Those that are entered into the bond of a holy oath must religiously observe and perform what they have sworn to God: I have sworn, and I will perform. 4. That we may perform our oaths, and lie under a sense and conscience of our engagements to God, it is good that they should be often revived and renewed upon us; for so doth David here recognise his oath, I have sworn that, &c. Doct. 1. That it concerns us sometimes to bind ourselves to God, and the duty that we owe to him, by an oath. 1. That it is lawful so to do appears from God's injunction, and the practice of the saints. [1.] From God's injunction. He hath commanded us to accept of the gospel covenant, and not barely so, but to submit unto the seals and rites by which it is confirmed, which submission of ours implieth an oath made to God. Baptism is our sacramentum militare, sacramental vow, our oath of allegiance to God; and therefore it is called, 1 Peter iii. 21, epero'tema. The answer of a good conscience towards God,' an answer upon God's demands in the covenant. God does, as it were, in the covenant of grace, put us to the question, Will you renounce all your sins, and all the vanities you have doted upon? And we answer to God, enter into a solemn oath, that we will renounce sin, that we will accept of Christ as our Saviour, and will walk before him in all holy obedience. Among the Romans, when any soldier was pressed for war, he took an oath to serve his captain faithfully, and not to forsake him, and then he was called miles per sacramentum, a soldier by sacrifice or by oath; and sometimes one took an oath for all the rest, and the others only said, The same oath he took, the same do I; and these were called milites per conjurationem, et milites evocati. Thus every Christian is a professed soldier of Christ; he hath sworn to become the Lord's, to cleave faithfully to him; and this oath, that it may not be forgotten, is renewed at the Lord's supper, where again we solemnly engage, by the public rites that are there used, to stand to our covenant. We do not only come and take God's enfeoffment, take a pledge out of God's hands, to be assured of the privileges of the covenant, but we bind ourselves to perform the duty thereof; for as the blood of the beast. Exod. xxiv. 7, 8, that was offered in the sacrifice, which is called there the blood of the covenant, was sprinkled not only upon the altar, to show that God was engaged to bless, but sprinkled half upon the people, to show they were engaged to obey; there was a confirmation of that promise made to God, All that the Lord hath commanded us, that will we do.' Well, now, if God thought such a course necessary and profitable for us, certainly we may upon occasion use the like means for our confirmation, for our strengthening in the work of obedience. That there is such a vow expressed or implied in every prayer may be easily made good in the whole tenor of our Christianity; therefore certainly it is lawful so to do, to make our duty more urgent and explicit upon our souls, by solemn vow and serious oath of dedication of ourselves to God's use and service. [2.] The practice of the saints, who have publicly and privately engaged themselves to God, do show the lawfulness of it. Public instances: 2 Chron. xv. 12-14, They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and soul; and they sware unto the Lord,' &c. So in Josiah's time: 2 Chron. xxxiv. 31, And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord, and keep his commandments,' &c. So Neh. x. 29, They entered into an oath to walk in God's laws.' And for private oaths, we have David's instance here in the text; and Job xxxi. 1, I made covenant with mine eyes.' He had bound himself by a holy vow and purpose to guard his senses, and take heed his heart did not take fire by the gazing of his eye, that it was not inflamed with lust and sin. 2. That it is convenient so to do. [1.] To answer God's love and condescension to us in the covenant. God thinks he can never be bound fast enough to us, and therefore interposeth by an oath. An oath is properly conversant about a doubtful matter, of which there is some question or scruple, which cannot otherwise be decided; then the law saith, he should give his oath to his neighbour. Why then doth the Lord swear? Is there any doubtfulness in his promises? No; the apostle saith, Heb. vi. 18, the Lord swears, being willing over and above to give the heirs of promise ample satisfaction. Now for God, that cannot lie, and whose word is above all assurance, to stoop to us, and put himself to an oath, certainly this should work upon our hearts, and draw from us some answerable return on our part, there being great and visible danger of our breaking with God, none of God's breaking with us; therefore, that we may not play fast and loose with him, we should come under this engagement to him of vow and public promise to God. [2.] To testify our affection to his service, we should put ourselves under the most high and sacred bonds that can be found out. Many have some slight and wandering motions towards God, and cold purposes of serving him, which soon vanish, and come to nothing; but now it argueth the heart is more thoroughly bent and set towards God, and that we have a deep sense of our duty, when we seriously confirm our purpose by a vow and holy oath. There are divers sorts of men in the world, some that are of that spirit as to break all bonds, cast away all cords, and think they can never be loose enough in point of religion, Ps. ii. 3. They seek to deface and blot out of their conscience the natural sense which they have of religion and of their duty to God, and so give up themselves headlong to all manner of impiety. There are others have some cold approbation of the way of God, and which manifests itself by some faint, weak, and wavering purposes, and slight attempts upon religion, but are soon discouraged, and never come to a fixed resolution, or serious dedication or surrender of themselves to the Lord's use. Now, a gracious heart thinks it can never be bound fast enough to God, therefore doth not only approve the ways of God, or desire to walk therein, but issues forth a purpose, a practical decree m his soul. Besides the approbation of conscience, there is a desire of heart, _and this desire backed with a purpose, and this promise backed with an oath, which is the highest way of obligation; and thus doth he dedicate himself to the Lord and his service, in the strictest way of expressing his consent, for an oath binds more than a promise. 3. It is very profitable so to do, because of our backwardness, laziness, and fickleness. [1.] Because of our backwardness; we need to thrust forth the heart into the ways of obedience, for we hang off from God. Though we are his by every kind of right and title, yet we are very slow of heart to do his will, and therefore an oath is profitable to increase the sense of our duty; a threefold cord is not easily br6ken. Now there is a triple tie and bond upon a man. (1.) There is God's natural right that he hath over us and to our service, the sovereignty and dominion that he hath over us. We are not free as to obedience before the oath, but are bound by creation; for God hath created us, not only as he created other things, ultimately and terminatively, but immediately, for his service. All things were created for his glory, so that ultimately they are for his use; but the proper end and use wherefore man was created was for the immediate service of God. He that planteth a vine expecteth fruit from it. By continual preservation; he giveth us maintenance, and therefore justly expecteth service. By redemption, as having bought us with a dear price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. From all which there resulteth a natural duty which we owe to him as our sovereign, and he may command us what he will. (2.) There is the bond of voluntary consent, that our duty may be more active and urging upon our hearts. God doth not only inter pose his own authority and command us to keep his laws diligently, Ps. cxix. 4, but requires a consent on the creature's part. All the treaties and tenders of grace are made to draw us to this consent, that we may voluntarily and by the inclination of our own hearts present our selves before the Lord, and yield up ourselves to his service, Rom. vi. 13. (3.) Besides this there is the bond of an oath, which is the strictest way of voluntary resolution and highest engagement that a man can make; therefore when the heart is so backward, and hangs off from God and duties we owe to him, it is good to declare our assent in the most solemn way. That the saints have made use of purposes thus solemnly declared in case of backwardness appears in scripture. David, when his heart was shy of God's presence, and had sinned away his liberty and peace, and so could not endure to come to God, what course doth he take? He issues forth a practical decree in his soul, and binds his heart by a fixed purpose that he would come to God, Ps. xxxii. 5. So Acts xi. 23; he exhorteth them with full purpose of heart to draw nigh to God; it should be the fixed resolution of the soul. And Jer. xxx. 21, Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord.' We should lay the strongest bonds and engagements we possibly can, whereby God's authority may be backed, and his right confirmed, by the most solemn assent that we can make. [2.] In regard of our fickleness and inconstancy; we are slippery, off and on with God: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,' James i. 8. We have unsettled hearts, and when we meet with temptations from without we shall soon give up at the first assault, and so be now for God, anon for Satan; therefore this is a lawful and sanctified means to help us to constancy. Indeed, before we come to this fixed settled purpose we lie open to temptation; and when our first heats are spent we tire and wax weary in the Lord's service, therefore we had need make the most sacred engagements to God, that we may keep to God and persist in our duty. Now a solemn oath seems to be the most serviceable for this use. Why? For it implies a severe and dreadful imprecation. In an oath God is not only invoked as a witness but as a judge. We appeal to his omnisciency for the sincerity of our hearts in making promise, and to his vindictive power as a judge if we shall act contrary to what we have sworn. Saith Plutarch, Every oath implies a curse, or a desire of vengeance, in case of the breach of that oath; therefore it is said, Neh. x. 29, They entered into a curse to walk in God's law;' that is, a curse in case of disobedience. And this was supposed to be the meaning of that rite by which they were wont to confirm their covenants. Jer. xxxiv. 18, when the calf was cut in twain they did as it were devote themselves thus to be cut in twain and torn in pieces, and to be destroyed as that creature was, if they violated the covenant thus solemnly sworn; and though this imprecation or execration should not be expressed, yet every promissory oath necessarily implies a curse in case of unfaithfulness. Well, now, this is a good means to keep us constant when we have bound ourselves to God upon such strict terms; therefore some derive o'rkos from ei'rgo, to hedge, because it is as a hedge to keep us within the compass of our duty, and confirm our hearts in that which is good. Well, then, because of our fickleness it is not enough to leave the soul to the mere bonds of duty, but confirm our resolution by an oath. I may illustrate this by that passage, when Hooper the blessed martyr was at the stake, and the officers came to fasten him to it, saith he, Let me alone; God that hath called me hither, he will keep me from stirring; and yet, because I am but flesh and blood, I am willing; tie me fast, lest I stir. So we may say in this case, though the authority of God commanding his right in us and sovereignty over us is reason enough to enforce the duty we owe to him, and bind the heart and sway the conscience, yet because of the weakness of our hearts we should make this bond the more urging upon us by a solemn consent, thus ratified and confirmed by the solemnity of an oath, vow, or promise made to God. [3.] It will be very profitable because of our laziness; by resolution we are quickened to more seriousness and diligence. When a man hath the bond of an oath upon him, then he will make a business of religion, whereas otherwise he will make but a sport and a thing he only regards by the by. Oh! but when his heart is fixed this is the thing he will look after, Ps. xxvii. 4. When our heart is set upon a thing we follow it close; and when it is so set upon a thing as that we have bound ourselves by the strictest bonds we can lay upon our heart, it will engage us more seriously. Doct. 2. That this help of an oath or holy vow should be used in a matter lawful, weighty, necessary. 1. In a matter lawful. There is a vow and covenanting in that which is evil; as those that bound themselves with a curse that they would not eat nor drink until they had killed Paul,' Acts xxiii. 12. And many will make a vow and promise with themselves that they will never forgive their neighbour such an offence. Arid we read of a covenant made with death and hell: whether it be meant of the king of Babylon or no, as he is called death and hell by the prophet, some evil covenant is intended thereby; and thus a vow is made the bond of iniquity, and must be broken rather than kept, or indeed it must not be made. To vow that which is sinful, this is like the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog offered to the Lord for a vow, Deut. xxiii. 18. 2. It must be in a matter weighty, necessary, and acceptable unto God. There are two things come under our vow and oath:-- [1.] That which is our necessary work, religious obedience to God in the way of his commandment; for this is not a rash and unnecessary vow, but that we were sworn to in baptism; this is that which David promiseth here, I have sworn, and I will perform it, to keep thy righteous judgments.' And this is the vow which Jacob made, though there was something of a particularity he adds to it, Gen. xxviii. 20, 21; but the substance of it was this, If the Lord will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, then shall the Lord be my God.' There are many that will vow and promise trifles, and so infringe their own Christian liberty, and needlessly bind themselves in chains of their own making, where God hath left them free. This help is for the weighty things of Christianity, not for by-matters. Those monkish by-laws have filled the world with superstition, not with religion, while they have been only conversant about some indifferent things, as pilgrimages, abstinences from meats and marriages, wherein they place the height of Christian perfection. [2.] Helps to obedience. Such things as we shall find to be helps, and do conduce to the removal of impediments, such should come under a vow and solemn promise to God: Job xxxi. 1, I made a covenant with my eyes;' that was a help to the preserving of his chastity, that he would not allow himself to gaze, to take a view of the beauty of others. And the apostle, when it was for the glory of God, makes a vow or kind of solemn promise that he would take no maintenance in Achaia, 2 Cor. xi, 10; he solemnly binds himself, that he might not hinder the progress of the gospel. So when we find our heart ready to betray us by this or that evil occasion, we may in this case inter pose a vow and promise, but then with this caution, that we do not unreasonably destroy our Christian liberty, and so occasion a snare to our souls, and that we do not think this to be a perfect cure of these distempers, while we neglect the main things; as many will make a vow to play no more at such a game, or drink no more at such a house, or use such a creature, or come into such a particular company, and so place all their religion in these things; this is but like cutting off the branches when the root remains, or stopping one hole in a leaky or ruinous ship and vessel, when everywhere it is ready to let in water upon us, and to be broken in pieces. Therefore when you rest in those by-matters, without resolving to cleave to God in a course of obedience, it but like mending a hole in the wall of a house when the whole building is on fire, or troubling ourselves with a sore finger when we are languishing of a consumption; it is but stopping this or that particular sin when the whole soul lies under the power and slavery of the kingdom of Satan. Object. But here is a doubt may arise, How can I promise to keep God's law, since it is not in my power to do it exactly? it is impossible. Ans. I. When David saith, I have sworn,' &c., he speaks not from a presumption of his own strength, but only declareth the sense of his duty, and useth his oath as a sanctified means to bind his heart to God; and therefore it is not to exclude the power of God's grace, or to presume of his own strength: God's assistance is best expected in God's way. 2. Such vows and promises they are always to be interpreted to be made in the sense of the covenant of grace, for no particular voluntary or accessory covenant of ours can take away the general covenant wherein we stand engaged to God, but rather it must be included in it. Therefore when David saith, I will keep thy righteous judgments,' he means according to the sense of the covenant of grace, that is, expecting help for duties and pardon for failings. [1.] As expecting help from God, for so the new covenant gives strength to observe what it requires. Lex jubet, evangelium juvat--the law enforceth duty, the covenant of grace helps us to perform the duty required of us. The gospel it is a ministration of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. iii. 8, and therefore promissory oaths, according to the sense of the new covenant, are made with a confidence upon the Lord's strength and assistance. [2.] Seeking pardon for his failings. Infirmities may stand with the covenant of grace, provided we crave mercy and recover ourselves by repentance, and so make no final breach with God; therefore this is a keeping according to the measure of grace received, and as human frailty will permit. Briefly, then, when are sins to be looked upon as infirmities, and not as perjuries and breach of covenant? Ans. When we would not voluntarily yield to the least sin; but in case of great sin, we grow more watchful, more humble, more holy; when our falls are such as David's when he had fallen foully: Ps. lvi. 6, Now thou shalt make me to know wisdom.' When upon our failings we are more ashamed of ourselves, more afraid of our weakness, more earnest to renew our former resolutions, more careful to wait upon God for grace to perform what he hath required of us, more watchful, more circumspect; when we begin to grow wise by our own smarting, in such cases an oath is not broken. Look, as every failing of the wife doth not dissolve the marriage covenant, so every failing on our part doth not dissolve the covenant between God and us; and therefore, though there will be some infirmities, but yet when we are careful to sue out our pardon in the name of Christ Jesus, and you shall by your failings be more watchful, circumspect, then we keep the covenant in a gospel sense. Doct. 3. That when we have sworn obedience to God, we must religiously perform and observe what we have sworn to God. So Ps. lxxvi. 11, Vow and pay unto the Lord.' When we come under the bond of a vow, we must be careful to make payment; it is a binding upon the heart. See how it is expressed, Num. xxx. 2, If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word.' When we have bound ourselves with a bond, that is, when we have increased our bonds (for the ingeminating words in the Hebrew doth exceedingly increase the sense). When a man is bound upon a bond he should not play fast and loose with God, but be very careful to perform what he hath sworn. God, on his part, hath sworn to the covenant, and he is constant in all his promises, and he certainly expects the like constancy from us, especially when we are so deeply bound, not only by his laws and obligation of his mercies, but by the solemn consent of our own vows. We have bound ourselves, then, to keep them, whether we will or no. Now, what reasons are there why we must perform? 1. The same motives that inclined us at first to take our oath should persuade us to keep it whatever falls out. After trial we shall see no cause to repent of our resolution, for God is ever the same that he was, and his commands are ever the same in all his righteous judgments, holy, just, good, profitable to the creature. Christians! if we meet with any change in our outward condition, any new impediments, oppositions, and discouragements that we were not aware of when we first entered into our oath, it was our rashness, for we should sit down and count the charges, we should allow for it. The first article of the new covenant was that we should deny ourselves, Mat. xvi. 24; and after vows we should not make inquiry, but before, Prov. xx. 25. When we are bound we must take our lot and hazard, and whatever comes we must perform them to God. 2. Because our oath is a further aggravation of our sin, therefore better never swear than not to keep it: Eccles. v. 5, Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, than vow and not pay.' God is mocked by an oath and a covenant when it is not observed. A man that refuseth to be listed doth not meet with the like punishment as he that runs from his colours; so he that never came under the oath of God, doth not sin so much as he that hath sworn to his covenant. That which is but simple fornication in the Gentiles, in Christians it is adultery, breach of vow. Indeed, in things that are absolutely and indispensably necessary to salvation, we are bound to consent. Ay! but when a consent thus solemnly made is broken, it aggravates the sin; but when we shall be like the man in the Gospel that was possessed with the devil, whom no chains could hold fast, when neither the bond of duty, nor the bonds of our own oaths and engagements will hold us, but we break all cords, the greater is our rebellion and disobedience to God. 3. Therefore must we perform the obedience that we have sworn to God, because God hath ever been a severe and just avenger of breach of covenants. By way of argument, à minori ad majus, those made with man; and therefore certainly he will avenge his covenant so solemnly made with himself, and everywhere in scripture you will find it is propounded as a sure mark of vengeance. When one man hath sworn to another, and hath called upon the most high God to confirm that covenant that he makes with him, if there be a failure, a trespass, though it be in point of omission, God hath avenged that covenant. An instance for this you have Amos i. 9, For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the brotherly covenant.' Tyrus and Judah they were in covenant one with another, a mutual league offensive and defensive that were solemnly sworn. Now though God had many causes of his vengeance, and many quarrels with Tyrus because of their idolatries, but chiefly because of breach of covenant, they forgat the friendship that was between the children of Israel and Judah, and did not assist the people of Judah as they should, and were bound to do, but suffered them to be led into captivity, and spoiled by the Edomites and other nations. So for a sin of commission; it is spoken of as a mark of sore vengeance: Ps. lv. 20, He hath put forth his hand against such as be at peace with him; he hath broken his covenant.' In those federal transactions and oaths that pass between man and man, God takes himself to be specially interested, and will see that the breach of them be severely punished. The next step is, not only between equals, but when a covenant hath been made with servants and poor underlings, and would not set them free at the year of jubilee, see how severely God threatens them, Jer. xxxiv. 16-18, for the breach of it; nay a covenant made with enemies, Ezek. xvii. 18, 19. Nay, carry it one gradation higher, though the covenant were extorted by fraud, as the covenant made with the Gibeonites, Josh. ix. ID, 20. They were part of the Canaanites, and God severely enjoined the Israelites that they should cut off all those nations; yet when they craftily got them into covenant, when this people were wronged by Saul, the Lord takes notice of it, 2 Sam. xxi. 1-3. See how God judgeth for them; there were three years' famine and pestilence, which was not appeased until Saul's sons were hanged before the sun. Now the Lord hath ever been such a severe avenger of an oath between man and man, between his people and their servants, between his people and their enemies, and when extorted from them, certainly in such a solemn covenant as he hath made between us and himself, and that in things absolutely necessary, in things enjoined before the covenant was made, it is not safe to break with God. Ananias, when he vowed a, thing to the Lord, though he was free before, God strikes him dead. It is not free with us, whether we will obey, yea or nay, what is enjoined upon us; therefore when we will break with God, what shall we expect but that he should avenge the quarrel of his covenant? __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXV. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.--Ver. 106. DOCT. 4. I now come to the fourth point, that our oath of obedience to God should be often revived and renewed upon us. David recognises and takes notice of the oath wherein he was bound to God, and here he renews it again, I will perform it.' It should be so:-- 1. Because we are apt to forget, and not have such a lively sense of a thing long since done, so that we either break the oath, or perform our duty very negligently. Our old baptismal covenant we are apt to forget it, especially by being under the bond of it in innocency, and dedicated to God by the act of another, viz., our parents. The apostle instanceth in those that were baptized in grown years, 2 Peter i. 9; he intimates they were apt to forget they were purged from their old sins.' I suppose it relates to baptism in that clause, forgotten his baptismal vow and obligation of renouncing his sin, and giving himself to the service of the Lord; and therefore there should be a purpose to revive it upon our heart, and the obligation should ever and anon be made new and fresh to quicken us to our duty. 2. This forgetfulness it will cost us dear, it will be an occasion of many and great troubles. Jacob had forgotten his vows of building an altar at Bethel; God quickens him to his duty by sharp affliction: Gen. xxxv. 1, Arise, go up to Bethel,' &c. God was fain to quicken him with a scourge. Samson, when his vow was broken, how many dangers is he thrown into? taken, and bound, and made a sport of by the Philistines. God will rub up the memories of his servants by some sharp and severe dispensations of his providence, when they are not sensible of their vow and faith plighted to God. Never forget your obligation to God: Deut. iv. 23, Take heed to yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God.' Quest. But when should we renew our covenant, or our oath of allegiance to God? 1. Partly when we stand in need of some special favour from God, or when we draw nigh to him in some special duty; as Jacob, when God manifested himself to him, and he had communion with him at Bethel, then he vowed a vow, Gen. xxviii. 21. So Num. xxi. 2, Israel vowed a vow to the Lord when they were in some distress; and Ps. lxvi. 14, I will pay the vows of my distress, which I made when I was in trouble.' 2. Again, after some special mercy, when under some love pang of spiritual rejoicing, and we have a deep sense of God's love to us, or a new pledge of his love to us either in spiritual or temporal benefits, and our soul melted out towards God in acts of spiritual rejoicing: Ps. cxvi. 8, 9, For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling: I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.' And when God breaks the force and power of enemies, when he makes the wrath of man turn to his praise, then Ps. lxxvi. 11, Vow and pay unto the Lord your God.' Those pagan mariners they made their vows to God when the Lord delivered them from the storm, Jonah i. 16. 3. When all things go to ruin, when the state of religion is collapsed, either in a nation or in our hearts, after some notable breaches of covenant by a people, or by a person, and we have warped from God, seem to have wrested ourselves out of his arms, then to bind ourselves to him again, and to renew our vows; for upon this occasion doth Josiah enter into covenant with God, and cause the people to stand to the oath,' 2 Chron. xxxiv. 4. When we are to draw nigh to God in the use of the seals of the new covenant, when a man is to revive his own right in the covenant of grace; so when we are to draw nigh to God in the Lord's Supper, which is the New Testament in Christ's blood, which is the seal of the covenant, then we should solemnly bind ourselves to the duty of it, and swear to the Lord anew. Use. To press you with all earnestness to enter into covenant with God, and then to keep it and make it good; to be sensible of the vow of God upon you, and to keep firm in the bond of the holy oath. First, To enter into solemn obligation to God, a purpose of holy and close walking with God. I shall press you hereunto:-- 1. God's laws are holy, just, and good, therefore certainly we should not be backward to swear to him; because we cannot bring ourselves seriously to give up ourselves to the Lord, they are righteous judgments. Suppose you could be free, yet subjection to God were to be chosen before liberty; therefore, when Christ invites us to take his yoke upon ourselves, he doth not so much urge his authority, All things are given to me of my Father,' therefore come to me; but he urgeth the sweetness of obedience, and the pleasure we may find in coming to him: Mat. xi. 29, My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.' If a man were free to choose whether he would be for God or no, yet the perfection or well-being of the reasonable nature being so much concerned in obedience to God, you should choose those laws before liberty. What doth the Lord require of you? To be holy, just, temperate, often praying, and praising his name; and are these things hard? A man is not a man if he do not yield to these things, Titus ii. 12. All our duties are comprised in those three adverbs, soberly, righteously, godly.' By being sober, a man delights himself; and by being just and righteous, a man delights others: without this, the world would be but like a den of thieves; and by being godly, he doth delight God. If we had only leave to love God and serve him, much more when we have a command to serve him, to be often in communion with him, it is the happiest life in the world. There is a great deal of pleasure, sweetness, and rational contentment doth accompany the exercise of these three graces, sobriety, righteousness, godliness. 2. We are already obliged by God's command, so that whether you resolve or no, you are bound. There are some things that are left free in our own power before the vow passeth upon us; as, Acts v. 4, Was it not in thy power?' Ay! but there are other things that are not in our power. God's right over the creature is valid, whether he consent to it or no; as the natural relation doth infer and enforce duty without consent. This is the difference between voluntary and natural relations. Look, as a father is a father, whether the child own him or no in that quality and relation, and without his consent; a father as a father hath a right to command the child. But there are duties that depend upon our consent, as in the choice of a husband or master. So here is a natural relation between God and us, he our creator, we his creatures, he our superior, and we his inferiors, by reason of his authority and eternal right; and God may urge this, I am the Lord,' though he do not urge that, I am the Lord thy God.' Sometimes, I am the Lord,' Lev. xviii. 5, his own sovereignty; sometimes, The Lord thy God,' ver. 2; which argues our choice and consent to choose him for our God; therefore thou art not free. 3. Actual consent and resolution on our part is required, that the sense of our duty may be more explicit upon our heart: 2 Chron. xxx. 8, Yield yourselves to the Lord.' In the original, Give the Lord the hand; that is, strike hands with him, enter into covenant with him, say, Lord, I will be for thee, and thou for me; choose him for your portion, and give up yourselves to be the Lord's people: Rom. xii. 1, Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.' He alludes to the eucharistical sacrifices. All our offerings must not be sin-offerings, but thank-offerings; so present yourselves. Under the law, a man he brought his thank-offering, and laid his hand upon it, Lord, I am thine.' It was implied in your baptism, and it is but reason that you should own your baptismal vow when you come to years of discretion. A bargain that is made for an heir during his nonage, it is confirmed by him when he comes to age. You were dedicated to God's service when you were young, and knew not what you did; now when you come to choose your own way, and at years of discretion, you should stand to what was done in your name to God; therefore there must be a serious and solemn consent of your heart. 4. It is for your profit to choose the strictest engagements; not only to approve the ways of God, but purpose; not only purpose, but put it into a promise or declared resolution; and not only resolve, but bind this resolution by an oath. Why? For you have more reason to expect God's assistance this way than any other, because this is the appointed means practised by all the people of God when they expected the grace of the covenant. Surely God's blessing is best expected in his own way, and the greatest engagement to God the more apt to hold us to our duty than a looser engagement. 5. Consider the necessity as well as the profit. [1.] Laziness is the cause of our backwardness and hanging off from God. We are loath to come to God, are off and on, hang between heaven and hell; we have many loose and wavering thoughts, until we come to a firm purpose and determination; but that engageth the heart--Jer. xxx. 21, Who is this that engageth his heart to draw nigh to me?'--when you lay a command upon yourselves. We are weak and wavering in our purposes and wishes, but it puts an end to this when we come once to a full and firm purpose: Acts xi. 23, He exhorted them all, that, with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord.' Austin, in his Confessions, tells us how he would dally with God, and how long he struck [8] in the new birth, until he was resolved, until he bound himself firmly to shake off all his carnal courses, and mind the business of religion. [2.] Because of our fickleness, and the strength of temptations that will draw us off from God. He that is not resolved cannot be constant: James i. 8, The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.' Christians! when an unconstant and rebelling heart meets with temptation without, all our wishes and cold purposes will come to nothing, but we shall give out at the first assault, and be unstable in all our ways; but when we are firmly and habitually resolved, then Satan is discouraged. While we are thinking and deliberating what we shall do, the devil hath some hope of us, we lie open to temptation; but when he seeth the bent of the heart is fixed and settled, and we have firmly bound ourselves to God, his hopes are gone. He that is in a wavering condition is easily overborne when temptation comes, but a fixed man is safe. Papers, feathers, and things that lie loose upon the ground, are tossed up and down by every blast and puff of wind, but those things that are fastened to the ground, though the wind blows never so strongly, they remain. Many set out towards the ways of salvation, but are discouraged, and turn back again to a course of sin; but when you solemnly give up yourselves to God, then you will not have so many temptations as before. Look, as Naomi was ever dissuading Ruth that she should not be a companion with her in her sorrows, but go back to her own country; but when she saw she was resolved, and steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her, Ruth i. 18. Or let me take another instance, Acts xxi. 14. The disciples were persuading Paul that he should not go to Jerusalem, though they did even break his heart, they could not break his purpose; but when they saw that he was so set that he went bound in the spirit, then they said, The will of the Lord be done.' Thus will tempters be discouraged from importuning and setting upon us to draw us off from God, when once our bent is fixed. By resolution we are quickened to more seriousness and diligence, for when once we come under the bond of the holy oath, the awe of an oath will still be upon us, and quicken us to more diligence and seriousness, to make a business of religion, whereas otherwise we make but a recreation and sport of it, and but a business by the by: Ps. xxvii. 4, One thing have I desired of the Lord; that will I seek after.' When we have laid firm bonds upon ourselves, this makes us awe-ful, serious, and resolute in a course of obedience. Thus it directeth us to resolve. For the manner of entering:-- 1. It must be a resolution of heart rather than of the tongue: Jer. xxx. 21, Who is this that engageth his heart to seek the Lord?' Acts xi. 23, He exhorted them, that, with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord.' Resolutions are not determined by the tenor of our language so much as by the bent of the heart; therefore empty promises signify nothing, unless they be the result of our very souls, and not only of a natural conscience. Deut. v. 29, the people did not dissemble certainly when the Lord appeared to them by the sound of a trumpet and those mighty earthquakes; but saith the Lord, Oh, that there were such a heart in them to fear me always!' That there were a heart, and such a heart; that is, that this were not merely the result of an awakened conscience, but the resolution of a renewed heart. So Ps. lxxviii. 37, Their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.' Surely they did not dissemble in their distress, but their heart was not right with him; that is, it was not a sanctified heart, it was only the dictate of an awakened conscience for the present. 2. When you thus engage yourselves to God, let it not be a weak, broken, but full resolution; cold wishes are easily overcome by the love of the world and a half purpose: Acts xxvi. 28, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.' Carnal men, although they are not converted, yet they have a kind of half turn, almost, but not altogether. Upon a lively sermon, or in sickness, they have their purposes and wishes; but it is not a full strong bent of heart, and love must be a serious bent: 1 Chron. xxii. 19, Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.' 3. It must not be a wish, but a serious resolution, such as is advised, all difficulties well weighed. In a fit and pang of devotion men will resolve for God, but it will never hold: Josh. xxiv. 19, Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is a holy God; he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins;' and therefore you must reckon what it is to serve this holy God; you must sit down and count the charges, what it is likely to cost you, that this dedication of yourselves to God may be grounded upon serious consideration. Do you know what lust of the flesh you must renounce, what interest of yours you must lay at his feet? 4. It must be a thorough, absolute, and perfect resolution, whatever it cost, as he that sold all for the pearl of price, Mat. xiii. 46. A marriage even made may be broken off; some will take up religion by way of essay, to try how they like it, as men go to sea for pleasure, but will not launch so far into the deep but that they may be sure easily to get to shore again; but a man for a voyage resolves upon all weathers. So, whatever disappointment, here is my business, thus will I do; and though he should kill me, yet will I trust in him,' Job xiii. 15. 5. It must be a resolution for the present, not for the future; for all resolutions for the future are false: Ps. xxvii. 8, When thou saidst, Seek ye my face;' like a quick echo, My heart answered, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.' And we must resolve so to engage presently, for what we do for hereafter it is but a cheat we put upon ourselves, merely to elude the workings of heart, to avoid the present impulse. 6. It must be a resolution according to the covenant of grace, in a sense of our insufficiency and dependence upon Christ, not in a confidence of our own strength. Peter went forth in a confidence of his own resolution, and how soon did he miscarry! Therefore we must resolve in the strength of God: Ps. cxix. 8, I will keep thy precepts; O forsake me not utterly.' If God forsake, all will come to nothing. Thus we should solemnly dedicate ourselves to his use and service. Secondly, Having entered into such a solemn engagement to be the Lord's, keep this covenant and oath made with God. For motives:-- 1. From the nature of such a solemn engagement; it hath more in it than a single promise. There is in every solemn dedication or vowing of ourselves to God an attestation or calling upon God to take witness, and there is an imprecation. An attestation, a calling God to witness of our serious intentions to perform, and will you call God to be witness to a lie? And an imprecation, a calling upon God to punish us if we do the contrary; therefore, being entered into the bond of such a holy oath, how should we tremble to break it! For lie that renews his oath of allegiance to God, he doth as it were dare God to do his worst, for you thereby wish some heavy plague to fall upon your heads if you do not fulfil the duty of your oath; that is, he that eats and drinks the body and blood of Christ unworthily, he is guilty of damnation, guilty of the Lord's blood, because these solemn rites do not only confirm the promises, but confirm the threatening; and there is implied not only an invocation of blessing, but an imprecation upon ourselves; that is, if you do not fulfil the duty of the covenant, you offer yourselves as it were to God's curse. 2. Consider the tenderness of God's people in case of any oath or solemn promise, though it concerned their duty to man. Josh. ix. 19, 20, it is spoken of the league with the Gibeonites, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.' They looked upon it as horrible impiety to break an oath. Now much more doth this hold in our engagements to God. Shall we not look upon it as a horrid impiety to break a solemn oath so solemnly renewed, and our faith so solemnly plighted? Every sin of ours is made the more heinous because of this oath. 3. Remember the great quarrel that God hath against the Christian world and all the professors of his name is about his covenant and oath taken. What is the reason God doth visit Christendom with famines, pestilences, inundations, and wars? Because they do not stand to the oath of God that is upon them. Every professor of the name of Christ, he is supposed to be in covenant with God: Heb. x. 29, Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy, who hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing?' All visible professors of Christianity are under a covenant with God, to take God for their God, and to live as his people; now because of their looseness and profaneness, they do not stand to their engagement, therefore so many plagues are upon them: Lev. xxvi. 25, I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant;' that is, because they did not perform the duties sworn to him. __________________________________________________________________ [8] Qu. stuck'?--ED. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXVI. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, Lord, according unto thy word.--Ver. 107. HERE we have--(1.) A representation of his case and condition, I am afflicted; his condition was calamitous, and here is the degree of it, very much. (2.) His prayer, quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word; wherein we have the nature of his request, quicken me, O Lord; then the argument, according unto thy word. For the first, I am afflicted;' it may be understood of outward pressures, or soul troubles. From thence note-- Doct. God's people are liable to sad and sore afflictions here in the world. He doth not so fondly and delicately bring up his children but that he exerciseth them with sharp afflictions. David, a man dear to God, much in communion with him, ever and anon you hear him complaining of trouble. It is the church's name, Isa. liv. 11, O thou afflicted, and tossed with tempest, and not comforted.' God's people are sometimes afflicted in the outward, sometimes in the inward man. In the outward man, either by enemies, the more because they are godly: 2 Tim. iii. 12, All they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution.' They must not dream of worldly ease, and think to go to heaven upon a bed of roses, but sometimes their way is strewed with thorns, and they have fiery trials: 1 Peter iv. 12, Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you;' no more than you would to see a shower of rain fall, or a cloudy day succeed a fair: we would laugh at one that should be troubled to see a shower fall. So some times by sickness under God's immediate hand. In the 3d epistle of John, the apostle saith of Gaius, I wish that thou mayest prosper, and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.' It seems he had a healthful soul in a very sickly crazy body. And Paul's thorn in the flesh notes some racking pain, stone or gout, which he alludes to thrusting up a stake in the body of slaves. The inward man, that hath its affliction too, anguish, sorrow of heart, sometimes by reason of God's desertion. Christ Jesus drunk of this cup: Mat. xxvii. 46, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' And the cup goes round; his people pledge him in this bitter cup, and often complain of a withdrawing God, that they cannot find God as they were wont formerly. Many times perplexing lusts and prevalency of sore distempers: O wretched man,' &c., Rom. vii. 24, so Paul groans; and sometimes from temptations and assaults from Satan: Luke xxii. 31, 32, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not.' Christ did not pray to exempt him from it, but to preserve him in it. If you ask why God's children are thus afflicted, I answer--It is not heaven we now enjoy. 1. We are not in our eternal rest, therefore here we must be exercised, tried, afflicted. The world is a middle place between heaven and hell, therefore hath somewhat of both; their principles and actions are mixed, so their condition is mixed, intermixed with sorrows and joys, until they come there where they shall rest from all their labours. So it must be. 2. God doth it to purge out sin: Isa. xxvii. 9, By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin.' Gold is cast into the fire. Why? To have its dross consumed. Corn is beaten with the flail. Why? To be severed from its chaff, husks, and straw; and iron is filed to get off its rust; so this is the fruit of all--the taking away sin. Afflictions are a necessary cure for sin: John xv. 2, Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.' Look, as in a vine there are certain superfluous luxuriant leaves and branches that grow up with the fruit, and hindereth the increase of it, which the vine-dresser pares off, not to destroy the vine, but to cultivate and manure it, so it is with no ill intent; so corruption grows up with our graces, and hindereth us that we cannot bear fruit, when we are in a flourishing condition; therefore these need to be purged away. 3. God doth it to humble us. This was that which God aimed at in all his afflictive dispensations towards the people of Israel, Deut. viii. 2. God's eminent servants need affliction to humble them. David had many things to puff him up, his royal dignity, the gift of prophecy, familiarity with God, great opulency, many victories, pride of life, &c.; and he needed many afflictions to keep him humble, Ps. cxxxii. 1. Paul, he was apt to be lifted up with abundance of revelations, therefore God humbled him with a thorn in the flesh,' 2 Cor. xii. 7. Use 1. If we he out of affliction, let us provide for a time of exercise. David, a saint, is afflicted. God's bosom-friends may feel his hand sore upon them. David, a king, is afflicted; those in the highest station have their incident cares and troubles. David, an Old Testament believer, saith, I am afflicted.' I observe this, because God then dispensed himself to his people in and by temporal promises, and yet even then they had great mixtures of trouble, to show that which they had in the world was not all they had to expect from God. The promises now in the New Testament, now life and immortality is brought to light, they run to us in another strain, not of temporal, but spiritual things; therefore we must expect our portion of sorrow before we go to heaven. Be not of such a woman-like nature, and so delicately brought up, as never to see evil days; for aught I see, we are entering upon our trial. The strain of our ministry is mainly consolatory usually, but there comes a time of expense and laying out, when such comforts are to be laid up in our heart, therefore let us be provided. Use 2. If we be for the present under affliction, let us bear it with patience, observing how God's ends are accomplished. It is smart and grievous now, Heb. xii. 11, but it will be salutary and healthful; it will yield to you righteousness, and that righteousness will yield you peace--give the peaceable fruit of righteousness. If God will take away the fuel of our sin, empty us of our pride, self-conceit, weaken the security of the flesh, let us be content, only let us take heed that the time of mortifying sin be not the time of discovering sin, and that we do not trespass the more. To be sinning and suffering is the case of the damned. Take heed you do not sin in your suffering; especially take heed of those sins that are proper to affliction. Fainting: If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is but small.' Distrust of God's providence: I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul.' Despair of God's promises: I said I am cut off,' &c. Then you lose the benefit of God's family discipline when you yield to these sins. But see how it drives you out of the way of hell, for affliction is a gentle remembrance of hell; for look, as those whose garments were singed, as when they threw the three children into the furnace, their own garments were singed by the force of the flame, they knew what it was to be thrown into the pit; so the Lord in effect doth tell you what will be in hell; this is a gentle remembrance, stand farther off, that ye may not be condemned with the world, 1 Cor. xi. 32. Arid then, how it quickens you to look after heavenly things; for when the out ward man decays, then look to things not seen, 2 Cor. iv. 17; when you are fitted more and more for your change, when you grow more humble, mortified, as stories are hewn and squared for the building. Let us come to the degree, I am afflicted very much; the Septuagint renders it, etapeino'theo e'os spho'dra, I am afflicted very sore.' Doct. The afflictions of God's people may not only be many, but very sore and heavy. So David here, and Ps. lxxi. 20, Thou hast showed me great and sore troubles.' Why many? 1. Many and strong lusts are to be subdued, and we need great afflictions to subdue many and great corruptions. Some stains are not easily washed out, but need much rubbing. When pride is deeply rooted in the heart, God brings down even to the grave, that a man goes up and down like a walking ghost, and like a skeleton or dry bones. There is such an one described, Job xxxiii. 17 with 22; and why? To bring down pride in his heart? The physic must be according to the distemper; if the distemper be more rooted, the physic must be more strong: Ps. cvii. 11, 12, Because they rebelled against the word of the Lord, and contemned the counsel of the Most High, therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.' When people begin to grow high and stomachful, contemptuous against God and his ordinances, then God brings them into sore distresses, to break their pride and stoutness of heart. 2. That God may have the more experience and trial of his people. In daily and little afflictions there is no trial of their courage, faith, patience, and submission, and all other graces. The trial of faith is in extremity. Graces are exercised to the life, when we are even at the point of death: 2 Cor. i. 9, We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead.' So patience, it is not tried but by sharp affliction; therefore the apostle saith, Let patience have its perfect work,' James i. 4. So Christian courage and resolution, that is tried in deep affliction, when we are slain all the day long,' Heb. xi. 35, 36; Rom. viii. 37, In all these things we are more than conquerors.' The strength of a man's back is not tried by a small weight, but by a heavy burden, how much he can bear; so the sharper the affliction, the greater the trial. 3. That they may have the more experience of God, for the sharper the affliction the sweeter their comfort, and the more glorious their deliverance: Ps. lxxi. 20, Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, thou shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.' God's power in raising them up is more seen: 2 Cor. i. 10, Who delivered me from so great a death.' Use 1. If we be under sore troubles-- 1. Let us not faint; remember it is no more than we have deserved. God will not afflict a man above his deserts; he cannot complain of wrong, Ezra ix. 13. It is never more, it may be less; when our afflictions are great, our deserts are far greater: Isa. xl. 1, Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God.' Why? For she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.' God saith double; he relents presently. 2. Consider the degree of affliction; it is not measured out by yourselves, but measured out by a wise God; though afflicted very much and very sore, the measure it is ordered by God, as well as the kind of it. If it were measured out by ourselves, it would be too light, it would be too gentle; the patient must not be trusted in searching his own wounds; and if it were left to our enemies, they would know no bounds: Zech. i. 15, I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.' But it is left to the wise, just, and gracious God and Father; he tempers the cup in his own hand; and therefore when the affliction is grown sore and strong, it comes not only from a wise God, but a tender Father, that best knows what is good for us. Job xxxiv. 23, that is a notable place, For he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God;' that is, the party afflicted hath no just complaint against God, can take no exception against God's proceedings, for he perfectly understands our need, and understands our strength. God perfectly understands our need: 1 Peter i. 6, If need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.' And understands our strength: 1 Cor. x. 13, Faithful is he, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.' Many parents do not correct their children in measure, being ignorant of their nature and disposition. Many physicians mistake their patients' constitution, therefore the physic may work too strongly and too violently for them; but God understands our need and our strength, and so suits all his remedies accordingly. Use 2. To reprove those fond complaints that are extorted from us in deep and pressing afflictions; as if-- 1. Sometimes, there was never any so afflicted as I am. God's people have been sore troubled: Lam. i. 12, Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me.' Yes, others have been afflicted in the same kind and degree, if not worse: 1 Peter v. 9, All these things are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.' You think it is such as the like hath never been known or heard of, for every man's own pain seemeth most grievous: Lam. iii. 1, I am the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.' Other prophets foretold them, I see them executed. The best of God's people have their measures of hardships; you are not singular, do not stand alone. This is one of Satan's deceits. Satan will suggest this to a child of God, that he may question his Father's affection, lose the comfort of his adoption, and put yourselves out of the number of God's children. Your lot is not harder than the rest of God's children; all that are in the world have the same trials, troubles, pressing evils upon their hearts now and then. 2. Another you find complaining, taxing God of unfaithfulness, as if he would break trust, and lay upon you more than you are able to bear, and you deceive yourselves; for if you cannot bear your present burden, you would bear none, you do not improve Christ's strength: Phil. iv. 13, I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.' Christ doth not help us in such a degree, or one trouble, and no more, but in all. 3. Another we find complain, I am cut off; God will be merciful and gracious no more, Ps. lxxvii. 8, 9, &c.; he hath forsaken me and forgotten me. God's children have been brought thus low, yet have been raised, as the church: Ps. cxviii. 18, Lord, thou hast chastened me sore, yet hast not given me over unto death.' Within a little while he will show this was but our infirmity; this would stop these idle complaints by which we give vent to our daily impatience. We have seen David's case, but what doth he do? He goes to God about comfort and relief, I am afflicted very sore: O Lord, quicken me, according to thy word.' There observe-- 1. That he prays, and makes his addresses to God. 2. For what he prays. Doct. First, That he prays. Observe, affliction should put us upon prayer and serious address to God. Thus God's people are wont to do: Isa. xxvi. 16, Lord, in trouble have they visited thee; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them.' They that have neglected God at other times, will be dealing with him then, and this God expects: Hosea v. 15, I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early.' It will be the first thing they will do, the greatest thing they will take care of; as that which we most care for, most is thought of in the morning. Nay, it is that which God enjoins: Ps. l. 15, Call upon me in the time of trouble.' Some might hang off when God's rod is upon their backs, or be discouraged by the bitter sense of a trouble; therefore God doth not only give us leave, but commands us to call upon him. This is the special season when this duty is performed with life and vigour: Is any man afflicted? let him pray,' James v. 13. Let him thus give vent to his trouble, it doth mightily ease the heart. An oven stopped up is the hotter within; the more we keep down grief, and do not unburden ourselves, the more it presseth upon the heart. Wind imprisoned in the bowels of the earth makes a terrible shaking there till it gets vent; so till our sorrow gets a vent it rends and tears the heart. The throne of grace was appointed for such a time, Heb. iv. 16; when need comes, then it is a time to improve our interest, to put promises in suit; when God seems to be an enemy to us, when, to appearance, he executes the curse of the old covenant, oh! then we should work through all discouragements, then we should hold God to his second grant and charter, and come to his throne of grace, and keep him there. For the reasons:-- 1. God is the party with whom we have to do; whencesoever the trouble doth arise, there is his hand and his counsel in it; therefore it is best dealing with him about it, in all afflictions, public or private: Amos iii. 6, Is there evil in the city, and the Lord hath not done it?' Let men but awaken their reason and conscience, who is it that is at the upper end of causes, that casts our lot upon such troublesome and distracted times? So in private afflictions, David owned God's hand; Shimei had mocked him, but he looks higher; the Lord hath bid him curse. So Job; he doth not say the Chaldean and Sabean hath taken away, but the Lord hath taken, Job i. 21. Afflictions have a higher cause than men ordinarily look at; they do not come out of the dust, but come from God. See what inference Eliphaz draws from this principle, Job v. 8, I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause;' that is, I would go and deal with him about it; it was Eliphaz's advice to Job, and it is seasonable to us all. 2. It is God only that can help us and relieve us, either by giving support under the trouble, or removing it from us; so saith David, Ps. lvii. 2, I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me.' A believer looks for all things from God; when all things go well with him, God is his best friend; when all things go ill with him, God is his only friend; he runs to none so often as to God. Now upon these principles we go to God; but for what end? Let us see what we go to God for. [1.] That we may know his mind in all his providences. The affliction hath some errand and message to us, something to deliver us from God; now we need to ask of God to know his mind: Micah vi. 9, Hear the rod, and who hath appointed it.' We should not only be sensible of the smart, but look to the cause; therefore, if we would know the cause, let us go and expostulate with God about it; as Joab, when Absalom set his corn-field on fire; he sent for him once and twice, but he comes not, until he sets his corn-field on fire, and then he comes and expostulates with him, Who hath done this?' 2 Sam. xiv. 30, 31. So when we make bold, and will not come to God, nor take notice of his messages, God comes and lets out his wrath upon our comforts and conveniences; now let us deal with God about it; wherefore is all this? [2.] That we may have strength to bear it. Alas! we can bear or do little of ourselves, for that doing refers to bearing: Phil iv. 13, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me;' that is, I can suffer want, need, hunger, thirst, nakedness, and run through all conditions, through Christ that strengtheneth me.' Now you must ask it of God: James i. 5, If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God.' It is wisdom to bear affliction, if he would wisely carry himself under the rod; that he may not discover his folly, he must ask this strength and grace of God. [3.] Wisdom to improve our chastisements, that we may have the benefit and fruit of them: Isa. xlviii. 17, I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to profit;' that is, to profit by afflictions, to reap the fruit of them. So Job xxxiii. 16, He openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction.' God, by a powerful work upon the heart, impresseth their duty upon them, that they may see wherefore it is that he hath afflicted them. [4.] We go to God for deliverance and freedom from the trouble: Ps. xxxiv. 19, Many are the troubles of the righteous, but out of them all the Lord will deliver them.' It is God's prerogative to set us free. We break prison when we attempt to escape merely by our own means; therefore either we shall have no deliverance, or no kindly one. God hath delivered, doth deliver, and we trust will deliver. This must be sought out of God; God helping together with your prayers, 2 Cor. i. 10, 11. Prayer must fetch it out from God, or it is no kindly deliverance. Well, then, in our affliction, we need to be often with God. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXVII. Quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.--Ver. 107. USE 1. To reprove the stupidness and carelessness of them that neglect God in their troubles: Dan. ix. 13, All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God.' A very senseless slight spirit, that when they are under the blows of God's heavy hand, they will not be much in calling upon God; this is contrary to God's injunction, who expects now with earnestness they will seek him. God reckons upon it; he could not hear from them before, but now they will pray hard, and will make up their former negligence. When God sends a tempest after you, as on Jonah, yet will you keep off from him? It is contrary to the practice of the saints; in their chastisements, troubles, and afflictions, they are much with God, opening their hearts to him. Nay, it is worse than hypocrites, for they will have their pangs of devotion at such a time, Job xxvii. 10, 11. In short, you lose the comfort of your affliction. Seasons of affliction are happy seasons if they prove praying seasons; when they bring you nearer to God, it is a sign God is not wholly gone, but hath left somewhat behind him, when the heart is drawn into him. This is the blessing of every condition, when it brings God nearer to you, and you are more acquainted with him than before. Use 2. Then it takes off the discouragements of poor disconsolate ones, who mis-expound his providence when they think afflictions put us from God rather than call us to him. Oh no! it is not to drive you from him, but to draw you to him. Do not think God hath no mercy for thee, because he leaves thee to such pressures, wants, and crosses. This is the way to acquaint yourselves with God, yea, though you have been hitherto strangers to him; he hath invited you to call upon him in time of trouble, he is willing to have you upon any terms. A man will say, You come to me in your necessities; God delights to hear from you, and is glad any occasion will bring you into his presence; and therefore be much with God. Secondly, I observe, when this affliction was sore and pressing, yet then he hath a heart to pray, I am afflicted very sore, O Lord, quicken me.' Doct. We must not give over prayer, though our afflictions be never so great and heavy. Why? Because-- 1. Nothing is too hard for God; he hath ways of his own to save and preserve his people when we are at a loss. This was the glory of Abraham's faith, that he accounted God was able to raise up Isaac from the dead, Heb. xi. 19. Difficult cases are fit for God to deal in, to show his divine power. When means have spent their allowance, then is it time to try what God can do: Ps. cxlii. 4, 5, I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord; I said, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living.' When all things fail, God faileth not. 2. We must still pray. Faith must express something above sense, or else living by faith and living by sense cannot be distinguished. In desperate cases then is the glory of faith seen: Job xiii. 15, Though he should kill me, yet I will trust in him.' In defiance of all discouragement, we should come and profess our dependence upon God. Use. To condemn those that despond, and give over all treaty with God, as soon as any difficulty doth arise; whereas this should sharpen prayer, rather than discourage us. This is man's temper, when troubles are little and small, then to neglect God; when great, then to distrust God. A little headache will not send us to the physician, nor the scratch of a pin to the chirurgeon; so if our troubles be little, they do not move us to seek after God, but we are secure and careless; but when our troubles are smart, sore, and pressing, then we are discouraged, and give over all hopes; so hard a matter is it to bring man to God, to keep an even frame, neither to slight the hand of God, nor to faint under it, as we have direction to avoid both extremes, Heb. xii. 5, to cherish a due sense of our troubles, with a regular confidence in God. That he prays you have seen. Now what he prays for. He doth not say deliver me, but quicken me. Doct. Strength and support under afflictions is a great blessing, to be sought from God, and acknowledged as a favour, as well as deliverance. 1. You shall see this is promised as a favour: Isa. xl. 31, They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;' that is, shall not faint nor be weary, but mount up as it were with wings as eagles; they shall have a new supply of grace, enabling them to bear and hold out till the deliverance cometh. They that wait upon the Lord do not always see the end of their troubles, but are quickened, comforted, and strengthened in them; they shall renew their strength. 2. This is accepted by the saints with thanksgiving, and valued by them as a special answer of prayer; they value it more than temporal deliverance itself many times; as 2 Cor. xii. 9, 10, Paul prays for the removal of the thorn in the flesh thrice, when God only gives him this answer, My grace is sufficient for thee;' saith Paul then, I will rejoice in mine infirmities,' so I might have strength and support in grievous weaknesses, reproaches, and afflictions, whatever they be. So Ps. cxxxviii. 3, In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.' That is noted as a special answer of prayer. How did he hear him? With strength in my soul. Though he did not give him deliverance, he gave him -sup port, so that was acknowledged as a very great mercy. 3. There are many cases wherein we cannot expect temporal deliverance, then we must only go for quickening and support; when by a lingering disease we are drawing down to the chambers of death, and our outward strength is clean spent and gone, then have we sup port; that is a great mercy: Ps. lxxiii. 26, when strength fail and heart fail, God is the strength of my heart, and portion for ever;' that is, to have his heart quickened by God in the languishing of a mortal disease. So 2 Cor. iv. 16, Though our outward man perish, yet our inward man is renewed day by day.' There are many troubles that cannot be avoided, and therefore we are then to be earnest with God for spiritual strength. Use. Well, then, you see upon what occasion we should go for grace rather than for temporal deliverance. We should pray from the new nature; not deliver me, but quicken me; and if the Lord should suspend deliverance, why, that will be our strength in time of trouble: Ps. xxxvii. 39, The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; he is their strength in the time of trouble.' But more particularly, let us take notice of this request: Quicken me,' saith he. Doct. Quickening grace must be asked of God. 1. What is quickening? 2. Why asked of God? First, What is this quickening? Quickening in scripture is put for two things:-- 1. For regeneration, or the first infusion of the life of grace; as Eph. ii. 5, And you that were dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickened;' that is, infused life, or making to live a new life. 2. It is put for the renewed excitations of God's grace, God's breathing upon his own work. God, that begins life in our souls, carries on this life, and actuates it. Now this kind of quickening is twofold spoken of in this psalm; there is quickening in duties, and quickening in afflictions. Quickening in duties, that is opposite to deadness of spirit; quickening in affliction, that is opposite to faintness. [1.] Quickening in duties, that is opposite to that deadness of spirit which creeps upon us now and then, and is occasioned either by our negligence or by our carnal liberty, that deadness of spirit that doth hinder the activity of grace. (1.) By out negligence and slothfulness in the spiritual life, when we do not stir up ourselves: Isa. lxiv. 7, There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee;' when men grow careless and neglectful in their souls. An instrument, though never so well in tune, yet if hung up and laid by, soon grows out of order; so when our hearts are neglected, when they are not under a constant exercise of grace, a deadness creeps upon us. Wells are sweeter for the draining. Our graces they are more fresh and lively the more they are kept a-work, otherwise they lose their vitality. A key rusts that is seldom turned in the lock, and therefore negligence is a cause of this deadness: 2 Tim. i. 6, Stir up the gift that is in thee.' We must blow up the ashes. There needs blowing if we would keep in the fire; we grow dead and lukewarm, and cold in the spiritual life, for want of exercise. (2.) This deadness is occasioned by carnal liberty: Ps. cxix. 37, Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way.' When we have been too busy about the vanities of the world, or pleasures of the flesh, when we have given contentment to the flesh, and been intermeddling with worldly cares and delights, it brings a brawn and deadness upon the heart: Luke xxi. 34, Take heed that your hearts be not overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this world,' &c. I say, by this the soul is distempered, and rendered inapt for God. Christians! this is a disease very incident to the saints, this deadness that creeps upon them. We have not such lively stirrings, nor a like influence of grace; we have not those earnest and lively motions we were wont to have in prayer. Now God he quickeneth us. How? By exciting the operative graces, as faith, love, hope, and fear, when these are kept pregnant and lively, as we read of lively hope,' 1 Peter i. 3. There is living faith and lively faith, and living fear and lively fear of God, and living hope and lively hope. All graces God makes them lively and vivacious, that they may put forth their -operations the more readily. Well, this is quickening in duties. [2.] There is quickening in afflictions, and so it is opposed to fainting, that fainting which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles, or by unbelief, or distrust of God and his promises, and the supplies of his grace. Oh! when troubles press upon us very sore, our hearts are like a bird, dead in the nest, overcome, so that we have no spirit, life, nor aptness for God's service: My soul droopeth for very heaviness;' we have lost our life and our courage for God. Well, how doth God quicken us? By reviving our suffering graces, as our hope of eternal life and eternal glory, patience and faith, and so puts life into us again, that we may go on cheerfully in our service. By infusion of new comforts. He revives the spirit of his contrite ones; so the prophet saith, Isa. lvii. 15. He doth revive our spirits again when they are dead and sunk under our troubles. Oh! it is very necessary for this: Ps. lxxx. 18, Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.' Discomfort and discouragement they weaken our hands; until the Lord cheers us again we have no life in prayer. By two things especially doth God quicken us in affliction--by reviving the sense of his love, and by reviving the hopes of glory. By reviving the sense of his love: Rom. v. 5, The love of God is shed abroad,' like a fragrant ointment that doth revive us, when we are even ready o give up the ghost; Ps. lxxxv. 6, Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?' I say, when he restores the sense of his love after great and pressing sorrow, then he is said to quicken. So when he doth renew upon us the hopes of glory: Rom. v. 2, 3, We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' Well, you see what this quickening is. Secondly, This quickening must be asked of God. 1. Because it is his prerogative to govern the heart of man, especially -to quicken us. God will be owned as the fountain of all life: 1 Tim. vi. 13, I charge thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things.' It is God that quickeneth all things. All the life that is in the creature, all the life that is in new creatures, it comes from God; it is he that giveth us life at first, and he must keep in this life in the soul, and restore it. The meanest worm, all the life it hath, it hath from God. When John would prove the Godhead of Christ, he brings this argument, John i. 4, In him is life.' There is not a gnat but receives this benefit from Christ as God. He hath the life of all things, and this life is the light of men; much more the noble creature man hath this life from God; much more the new creature; greater operation of spiritual life, more depends upon his influence; and therefore, if we would be quickened, and carried out with any life and strength, we must go to God for it. 2. God as our judge, he must be treated with about it, for he smites us with deadness; therefore till he takes off his sentence, we cannot get rid of this distemper; it is one of God's spiritual plagues, which must be removed before we can hope for any liveliness, and any activity of grace again. Under the law, God punished sins more sensibly; as unhallowed addresses, he punished them with death. Under the gospel, he punisheth sins with deadness of heart. When they seem careless in the worshipping of God, they have a blow and breach, as he smote Uzzah and Nadab and Abihu dead in the place; and now he smites with deadness, Rev. iii. 7. He hath the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth;' without his permission we can never recover our former lively estate again, for there is a judicial sentence passed upon us. Use. To press us to be often with God for quickening, that we may obtain this benefit. I have spoken of it at large upon another verse; if you would have this benefit, rouse up yourselves: Isa. lxiv. 7, There is none that stirreth up himself;' and 2 Tim. i. 6, Stir up the gift that is in thee.' A man hath a faculty to work upon his own heart, to commune and reason with himself; and we are bidden to strengthen the things that are ready to die,' Rev. iii. 2. When things are dying and fainting in the soul, we are to strengthen ourselves; therefore, if we would have God to quicken us, thus must we do, chide the heart for its deadness in duty; we can be lively enough in a way of sin; chide the heart for its deadness in affliction: Ps. xlii., Why art thou cast down, my soul? still trust in God.' And after you have done this, then look up, and expect this grace from God in and through Christ Jesus. It is said, John x. 10, I am come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.' Jesus Christ, he came not only that we might have life enough to keep body and soul together, but that we might not only be living but lively, full of life, strength, and cheerfulness in the service of God. He is come into the world for this end and purpose: expect it through Christ, who hath purchased it for us. And then plead with God about it, according to his promise, Ah! Lord, according to thy word; hast thou not said, I will quicken a dead heart? When thou art broken and tossed with affliction, remember it is the high and lofty one that hath said he will revive the heart of the contrite ones,' Isa. lvii. 15; and plead thus with God, Ah! Lord, dost not thou delight in a cheerful spirit? Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?' Ps. lxxxv. 6. And then humble yourselves for the cause of the distemper. What is the matter? how comes this deadness upon me? Isa. lxiii. 17, Why hast thou caused us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear?' Inquire what is the cause of this deadness that grows upon me, that you may humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God. The argument only is behind, according to thy word. David, when he begs for quickening, he is encouraged so to do by a promise. The question is, where this promise should be? Some think it was that general promise of the law, If thou do these things, thou shalt live in them,' Lev. xviii. 5; and that from thence David drew this particular conclusion, that God would give life to his people. But rather it was some other promise, some word of God he had to bear him out in this request. We see he hath made many promises to us of sanctifying our affliction: Isa. xxvii. 9, The fruit of all shall be the taking away of sin;' of bettering and improving us by it, Heb. ii. 11; of moderating our affliction; that he will stay his rough wind in the day of the east-wind,' Isa. xxvii. 8; that he will lay no more upon us than he will enable us to bear,' 1 Cor. x. 13. He hath promised he will moderate our affliction, so that we shall not be tempted above our strength. He hath promised he will deliver us from it, that the rod of the wicked shall not always rest on the back of the righteous?' Ps. cxxv. 3; that he will be with us in it, and never fail us, Heb. xiii. 5. Now, I argue thus: if the people of God could stay their hearts upon God's word when they had but such obscure hints to work upon, that we do not know where the promise lies, ah! how should our hearts be stayed upon God when we have so many promises! When the scriptures are enlarged for the comfort and enlarging of our faith, surely we should say now as Paul, when he got a word, Acts xxvii. 25, I believe God;' I may expect God will do thus for me, when his word speaks it everywhere. Then you may expostulate with God: I have thy word for it, Lord; as she, when she showed him the jewel, ring, and staff, Whose are these? So we may cast in God his promises: Whose are these according to thy word? And mark, David, that was punctual with God, I have sworn, and I will perform it; and quicken me according to thy word.' Sincere hearts may plead promises with God: Isa. xxxviii, 3, Lord, remember I have walked before thee with an upright heart.' These may look up and wait upon God for deliverance. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXVIII. Accept, I beseech thee, the free-will-offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments.--Ver. 108. IN this verse two things are asked of God--God's acceptance; then, secondly, instruction. First, He begs acceptation. Therein take notice--(1.) Of the matter, object, or thing that he would have to be accepted, the free-will-offerings of my mouth. (2.) The manner of asking this acceptation, accept, I beseech thee, O Lord. In the former, you may observe the general nature of the thing, and then the particular kind; they were free will-offerings; and yet more express, they were free-will-offerings of his hands; not legal sacrifices, but spiritual services, free-will offerings of his mouth, implying praises. Our praises of God are called the calves of our lips,' Hosea xiv. 2, rendered there by the Septuagint, the fruit of our lips,' and accordingly translated by the apostle, Heb. xiii. 15, The fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.' He was in deep affliction, wandering up and down the desert; he was disabled to offer up to God any other sacrifice, therefore he desires God would accept the free-will-offerings of his mouth; he had nothing else to bring him. Secondly, He begs of God instruction in his way, teach me thy judgments. By misphalim, judgments,' are meant both God's statutes and God's providences. If you take them in the former sense, for God's statutes, so he begs grace to excite, direct, and assist him in a course of sincere obedience to God, practically to walk according to God's will. If you understand it in the latter sense, only for the accomplishment of what God had spoken in his word, for God's providence, for his corrective dispensation, Teach me,' he begs understanding and profiting by them. I shall begin with his first request, which offereth four observations:-- 1. That God's people have their spiritual offerings. 2. That these spiritual offerings must be free-will-offerings. 3. That these free-will-offerings are graciously accepted by God. 4. That this gracious acceptance must be earnestly sought and valued as a great blessing, I beseech thee accept,' &c. Doct. 1. First, That God's people have their spiritual offerings. I shall give the sense of this point in five propositions. 1. That all God's people are made priests to God, for every offering supposeth a priest; so it is said, Rev. i. 6, that Christ Jesus hath made us kings and priests.' All Christians, they have a communion with Christ in all his offices; whatever Christ was, that certainly they are in some measure and degree. Now, Christ was king, priest, and prophet; and so is every Christian, in a spiritual sense, a king, priest, and prophet; for they have their anointing, their unction from the Holy One, and he communicates with them in his offices. So also do they resemble the priesthood under the law. In 1 Peter ii. 5, they are called a holy priesthood to offer sacrifices to God;' and 1 Peter ii. 9, they are called a royal priesthood.' They are a holy priesthood, like the sons of Aaron, who were separated from the people, to minister before the Lord; and they are a royal priesthood, in conformity to the priesthood of Melchisedec, who was king of Salem, and also priest of the most high God.' There is a mighty conformity between what is done by every Christian and the solemnities and rites used by the priests under the law. The priests of the law were separated from the rest of the people: so are all God's people from the rest of the world. The priests of the law were to be anointed with holy oil, Exod. xxviii. 41; so all Christians they receive an unction from the Holy One,' 1 John ii. 20. By the holy oil was figured the Holy Spirit, which was the unction of the Holy One, by which they are made fit and ready to perform those duties which are acceptable to God. After the priest was thus generally prepared by the anointing to their services, before they went to offer, they were to wash in the great laver which stood in the sanctuary door, Exod. xxix. 4; Lev. viii. 4, 5. So every Christian is to be washed in the great laver of regeneration, Titus iii. 5. And when they are regenerated, born again, purged and cleansed from their sins, then they are priests to offer sacrifices to God; for till this be done, none of their offerings are acceptable to him: for they that are in the flesh cannot please God,' Rom. viii. 8; and the sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination unto the Lord,' Prov. xv. 8. Thus you see in all these correspondences, and in many more, Christians they are priests. What the priests of the law were to God, that is every Christian now to God, to offer spiritual sacrifices by Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. They have their offerings. The great work of the priest was to offer sacrifice, and this is our employment, to offer sacrifices to God. What sacrifices do we offer now in the time of the gospel? Not sin-offerings, but thank-offerings. A sin-offering can be offered but once: Heb. x. 14, By one offering Jesus Christ hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.' And there needs no more of that kind; that was but to be once offered, Heb. vii. 27; and therefore there remains nothing more to be done by us but the offering of thank-offerings, and this is to be done continually: Heb. xiii. 15, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.' 3. These offerings must be spiritual thank-offerings. Under the law the thank-offering was that of a beast, but now under the gospel we offer spiritual sacrifices; therefore the apostle saith. 1 Peter ii. 5, Ye are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.' The sacrifice must suit with the nature of the priesthood. The priesthood is spiritual, and not after the law of a carnal commandment, and not by an external consecration, but the inward anointing of the Holy Ghost. And herein we differ from the priests of the law, because the very nature and substance of our worship is more pleasing to God than the nature of theirs; for moral worship is better and more suited to the nature of God than ceremonial: God is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit,' John iv. 24. And therefore, when ceremonial worship was in force, they that rested in external ceremonies, and did not look to the spiritual intent and signification of them, were not accepted by God; though the ceremony was performed with never so much pomp, though they came with their flocks and herds, yet praying to God, and praising God with a willing mind, which was the soul of their offering, was that alone which was acceptable to God; therefore it is said, Ps. lxix. 30, 31, I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving: this also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs;' that is, which is perfect and exact according to the institutions of the law, for there was to be no blemish in the sacrifice of the law; yet calling upon the name of God, and praising him, is better than the service performed with the exactest conformity to legal rites: Ps. l. 13-15, Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.' The Lord draws them off from ceremonies to the spiritual service; it is more becoming the nature of God, and it is more reasonable service. The offering of a beast hath not so much of God's nature, nor of man's nature in it, only God would keep it up for a while; therefore now these are the great offerings. 4. The two great sacrifices required of us, prayer and praise; there are many others, but they are implied in these. To instance, under the gospel there is this thank-offering, presenting ourselves to the Lord, dedicating ourselves to the Lord's use and service: Rom. xii. 1, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service' 2 Cor. viii. 5, They first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.' And then there is alms: Heb. xiii. 16, To do good and communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' And when the Philippians had made contribution to Paul's necessities, he saith it was a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour unto God,' Phil. iv. 18. Ay! but now both these are included in the other two, namely, as they are evidences of our thankfulness to God, and the sense of his love and favour which we have received by Christ. The great and usual offerings are the fruit of our lips.' the calves of our lips,' here called the free-will-offerings of our mouth,' prayer and praise. That prayer is a sacrifice, see Ps. cxli. 2, Let my prayer be set before thee as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.' The daily offering was accompanied with incense, and he mentions the evening sacrifice, because then was a more perfect atonement for the day, therefore when the evening sacrifice came, it was to be understood they were perfectly reconciled to God. And then that praise is a sacrifice, see Ps. liv. 6, I will freely sacrifice unto thee; I will praise thy name, O Lord, for it is good.' And in that other place where the Lord rejects the flesh of bulls and blood of goats, praise is substituted, Will I eat the flesh of bulls and blood of goats?' No: Ps. l. 14, Offer to me thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High.' So Ps. cxvi. 17, 18. So that prayers and praises are the oblations which we offer unto God under the gospel, either acknowledgments for former mercies, or petitions for future deliverances. These are the two duties which contain the substance of the ceremonies under the law, and are daily and constantly to be performed by us. 5. Whatever was figured in the old sacrifices, it must be spiritually performed in the duty of prayer and praise. In those legal rites, there was an evangelical equity, or something that was moral and spiritual for us still to observe. As, first, in prayer, truth was the inward part of the sacrifice, for the mere external oblation was of no significancy with God. There were three things wherein it symbolizeth with prayer; in prayer there is required brokenness of heart, owning of Christ, renewing covenant with God. [1.] One thing that was required in sacrifices was brokenness of heart; for when a man came to present his beast before the Lord, he was to consider this beast was to be slain and burnt with fire; and to consider, All this was my case; I might have been consumed with his wrath, and be burnt with fire; and so come with a compunctionate spirit, with brokenness of heart, to bemoan his case before the Lord; therefore it is said, Ps. li. 17, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.' This is required in every one that comes to prayer, brokenness of heart; that is, a sensibleness of his want of those good things for which he comes, and his inability to supply himself with anything without God; nay, his ill-deservings, how justly he might be denied of God, and cursed by all manner of plagues; how he hath forfeited all manner of blessings; this must be at the bottom. [2.] The sacrifices implied an eying of the Redeemer, by virtue of whose oblation and intercession we are accepted with God; for every one that came with his sacrifice was to lay his hand upon the head of the beast, to put his sins there, to show Christ bore the iniquity of us all; and in every prayer we make, there is this evangelical equity, by virtue of the old sacrifice remaining upon us, that we should eye the Redeemer, even Christ Jesus, our Lord, Who hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour,' Eph. v. 2. He is the expiatory sacrifice, and therefore in all our supplicatory or gratulatory offerings to God we must still look to him. The word, an offering, relates to things destitute of life that were dedicated to God, as flour, oil, frankincense; that which was signified thereby was accomplished in Christ. And for the other word, sacrifice, gave him self as an offering and sacrifice; the beasts whose blood was shed, those things which had life in them, were called a real sacrifice offered to God to appease his justice. Thus Christ Jesus was given as a sacrifice, to obtain all manner of blessings for us. We should look upon God as an all-sufficient fountain of grace, and the author of every good gift, depending upon him for his goodness and bounty for Christ's [3.] In sacrifices there was implied a renewing of covenant; so the Lord saith, Ps. l. 5, Gather my saints together, that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.' As they did dedicate the beast offered to God, so was the worshipper to dedicate himself to God. Now we must renew this dedication of ourselves to the Lord's service; all this was morally in the sacrifices, and is to be done every day in our future prayers, with brokenness of heart, eying our Redeemer, casting our whole dependence upon him, and in a sense of his love dedicating and devoting ourselves to God. Secondly, For the other duty, of thanksgiving and praise for mercies received. Every point and passage of his undeserved favour to be owned, and praise thereof to be given to God, and still to look on all done not for our sakes, but for the sake of Christ Jesus. You read under the law, Lev. iii. 3, when the thank-offering was brought to God, it was to be laid upon the top of the burnt-offering. First they were to bring the burnt-offering, and offer that to God, then to lay upon it the peace or thank-offering, to show that first we must be reconciled to God, and by virtue of that all mercies descend and come down upon us; and then upon this solemn occasion they were to give up themselves anew to the Lord. So the apostle presseth this, Rom. xii. 1, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.' And this is one part of the offering of our lips, namely, when we come solemnly by virtue of every mercy received, and promise obedience anew and afresh to God. To apply this--(1.) Are you priests? (2.) Do you offer sacrifices of prayer and praise to God continually? [1.] Are you priests unto God? Are you priests by separation? Hath God called you out from amongst men? Ps. iv. 3, The Lord hath set apart the man that is godly for himself.' Hath God called you off from sin to holiness, from self to Christ, from the creature to God? for these are the three things wherein conversion consists. From the creature to God, as our last end; from self to Christ, as the only means to come to God; and from sin to holiness, as the only way to get an interest in Christ. Are you called off from the common course of living, wherein most men are involved, that you may live and act for God? Are you priests by unction? Are you anointed by the Spirit as to gifts and graces, and qualified and made meet for this holy ministration unto God? Christ hath purchased gifts in some measure for his people; for as we were maimed in Adam, not only as to graces but also as to gifts, so is our restitution by Christ, that the plaster may be as broad as the sore. We have necessary gifts given us by virtue of his ascension, whereby we may lay open our state and case to God. Indeed, all God's people have not a like measure of gifts, and carnal men may come behind in no gift, therefore have you the grace of prayer: Zech. xii. 10, I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication.' Have you a heart qualified by grace, made meet to converse with God? the tendency and disposition of your souls that carrieth you to God? grace that seeks a vent and utterance in prayer and holy converses with God? and are you priests by purgation? Every priest was to be washed in the great laver; are you washed and purged from sin, that you may serve God acceptably? Mal. iii. 3, first they must be purified, then offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. God will not take a gift out of a carnal man's hand; and therefore you should look to this, that you be purified and purged. [2.] Do you offer spiritual sacrifices to God, of prayer and praise? (1.) Prayer, a duty very kindly to the saints. It is natural to them; it is, as it were, the sphere of their activity, the Spirit discovers himself to men in prayer. As soon as they are converted to God they will fall a-praying, and be dealing with God often in this kind; therefore the children of God are described by this, as a duty wherein they are most exercised: Zeph. iii. 10, My suppliants;' and Ps. xxiv. 6, This is a generation of them that seek thee;' to show this is a vital act, a usual and constant expressing of the new nature that is put into them. Surely they that love God will be always seeking him, and a broken heart, sensible of its condition, can never want an errand to the throne of grace. You are to offer sacrifices as they did under the law. Now under the law there was a daily sacrifice, every morning they were to offer a lamb without spot, Num. xxviii. 3, to show that every morning they should come and sue out their pardon by Christ, and every evening to look to the Messiah, the lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world; that was the intent of the type. Now I reason thus: certainly we have as much need as they; we are sinners as well as that people which lived under that dispensation; therefore every morning we must look to the lamb of God. Nay, we have more reason, for they could not clearly discern the meaning of that type; but now all things are open, we can behold the lamb of God, therefore must be often with God, suing out our pardon' in the name of Christ. (2.) The sacrifice of praise. It is notable when the apostle had spoken of Christ as a sin-offering he mentions this as the main thing in the gospel: Heb. xiii. 15, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.' Praise, it ought continually, frequently, and upon all occasions to be offered to God, for this is a more noble duty than prayer. Self-love may put us upon prayer, but love to God puts us upon praise and thanksgiving; we pray because we need God, and we praise because we love him. In prayer we become beggars, that God would bestow something upon us; but in praise we come, according to poor creatures, to bestow something upon God, even to give him the glory due to his name, and tell him what he hath done for our poor souls. This is the most noble among all the parts of Christian worship. We have more cause to give thanks than to pray, for we have many things more to praise God for than to pray to him for. There are many favours which go before all thought of desert, and many favours still bestowed upon us beyond what we can either ask or think. Doct. 2. Secondly, These spiritual offerings must be free-will-offerings to God. This expression is often spoken of in the law, Lev. xxii. 18; Num. xxix. 39; 2 Chron. xxxi. 14; Amos iv. 5. What are these free-will-offerings? They are distinguished from God's stated worship, and distinguished from that service which fell under a vow. Besides the stated peace-offerings there were certain sacrifices performed upon certain occasions to testify God's general goodness, and upon receipts of some special mercy; and you will find these sacrifices to be expressly distinguished from such services as men bound themselves to by vow, Lev. vii. 16. What is there that answers now to these free-will-offerings? Certainly this is not spoken to this use, that a man should devise any part of worship of his own head, whatever pretence of zeal he hath; but they serve to teach us two things:-- 1. They are to teach us how ready we should be to take all occasions of thankfulness and spiritual worship; for besides their vowed services and instituted services they had daily sacrifices and set feasts commanded by God; they had their free- will-offerings offered to God in thankfulness for some special blessing received or deliverance from danger. 2. It shows with what voluntariness and cheerfulness we should go about God's worship in the gospel, and what a free disposition of heart there should be, and edge upon our affections in all things that we offer to God. And in this latter sense I shall speak, that our offerings to God, prayer and praise, should be free-will-offerings, come from us not like water out of a still forced by the fire, but like water out of a fountain, with native freeness, readily and freely. [1.] God loves a cheerful giver; constrained service is of no value and respect with him. Under the law, when sacrifice of beasts was in fashion, wherefore did God choose the purest and fattest of everything offered to him, but as a testimony of a willing mind? And still he looks to the affections rather than the action. God weighs the spirit, Prov. xvi. 2. When God comes to put them into the balance of the sanctuary, what doth he weigh? External circumstances of duty, or the pomp and appearance wherein men go? No; but he considers with what kind of heart it is done; and the love of sin, God takes notice of that, as well as the practice of sin. So in our duties, God takes notice of the love, the inclination of our souls, as well as the outward service; therefore our offerings must be free and voluntary. [2.] God deserves it, he doth us good with all his heart, and all his givings come to us from his love. Why did he give Christ for us and to us? He loved us.' Why gave he him for us?' God so loved the world,' John iii. 16. Why doth he give Christ to us? Eph. ii. 4, 5, God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.' That which moved God to bestow his saving grace upon us was his great love, and all the good we receive from him. Why, mercy pleaseth him: I will rejoice over them to do them good.' If he deliver us out of any danger, he hath loved us from the grave,' Isa. xxxviii. 7. Now love should season all our services to God. [3.] Where a day of grace hath passed upon our hearts, so it will be; the soul will come off readily and freely to the duties God hath required of us: Ps. ex. 3, Thy people shall be a willing people in the day of thy power.' We are naturally backward, slow of heart to do anything that is good, hang off from God, will not be subject to him; but when the day of his power passeth upon us, then we are a willing people, we are more delighted in communion with God, less averse from him, the bent of our hearts is altered, and the stream of our affections is turned another way. and our converses with God are more delightful, and we are as earnest in serving God as before we were in serving sin. Use. To press us to serve God with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, 1 Chron. xxix. 9. Thus when we give God any spiritual sacrifice, when we pray to or praise him, we should do it willingly, not customarily, or by constraint, or for by-ends, nor by the compulsion of a natural conscience; and when we feel, as we shall now and then, any tediousness and irksomeness in prayer, we should quicken ourselves by this motive: Christ Jesus, who was our sin-offering, he willingly offered up himself upon the service of our salvation. I might urge other arguments, as the nobleness of our service, the greatness of our reward, the many sweet experiences we shall gain in our converse with God; but this should be as the reason of reasons, and instead of all. Christ Jesus did not grudgingly go about the work of our salvation, but willingly offered himself: Ps. xl. 8, I delight to do thy will, O my God; yea, thy law is within my heart.' When God would have no more legal sin-offerings, but the great sin-offering of the gospel was to be produced and brought forth in the view of the world, Lo, I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me.' Now our thank-offering should be carried on with the same willingness. Christ will be served now out of gratitude, and therefore his love should constrain us. Surely if we believe this great mystery of Christ, that he did willingly offer himself upon the service of our souls, and if we have any faith in him, faith will work by love,' Gal. v. 6. The soul may reason and discourse thus with itself, Do I believe Christ Jesus did thus willingly give himself for my soul? how can I be backward in God's service and hang off from him? Oh! let me live to Christ, who loved me, and gave himself for me,' Gal. ii. 20. What! shall I be more backward to do for God than Christ was to die for me, to go to the throne of grace than Christ Jesus was to go to the cross? Can I hang him off from such pleasing noble service, when Jesus Christ my Lord refused not the hard work of my redemption? If his will was in it, certainly so should be yours. Doct. 3. The third point, that these free- will-offerings are accepted with God. They shall come with rams,' speaking of the conversion of the Gentiles in terms proper to the old legal dispensation, and they shall come with acceptance,' Isa. lx. 7; and Mal. iii. 4, Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord.' Upon what grounds, and what way our acceptance with God is brought about? Our works in themselves cannot please God, they are accepted not as merits, but as testimonies of thankfulness. 1. Our persons are by Christ reconciled to God, and in worship he delights. This is the proper importance of laying the peace-offering upon the top of the burnt-offering, Lev. iii. 10. 2. Our infirmities are covered with his righteousness; for Christ is the propitiation, the mercy-seat that interposeth between the law and God's gracious audience. We come to the throne of grace when we come to God in and by him, Heb. iv. 16. 3. By his intercession our duties are commended to God; as Aaron was to stand before the Lord with his plate upon his forehead, where in was writ, Holiness to the Lord.' Why? That he might bear the iniquity of the people, that they might be accepted of the Lord.' All our acceptance comes from Christ's intercession; and alas! our prayers and praises are unsavoury eructations, belches of the flesh, as they come from us; a great deal of infirmity we mingle with them, we mingle brimstone with our incense and sweet spices, therefore provoke the Lord to abhor and despise us; but there is an angel stands by the altar that perfumes all our prayers and praises. How should this encourage us against the slightings of the world and discouragements of our own hearts, and to look after the testimony of our acceptance with God! Doct. 4. The fourth point, that this gracious acceptance must be sought and valued as a great blessing: Ps. xix. 14, Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord.' And it must be valued as a great blessing, if we consider either who the Lord is, or what we are, or what it is we go to him for. If we consider who the Lord is, God all-sufficient, that standeth in no need of what we can do, that cannot be profited by us; he is of so great a majesty, that his honour is rather lessened than greatened by any thing we can do; the great author of all blessings, all our offerings come from himself first: Of thine own have we given thee.' And if we consider what we are, poor, impotent, sinful creatures, will God take, an offering at our hands? And if we consider what we do, nothing but imperfection; there is more of us in it, of our fleshly part, in anything we do, yet that these things should be accepted with God. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXIX. My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.--Ver. 109. IN this verse and the next, David asserts his integrity against two sorts of temptations and ways of assault--the violence and craft of his enemies. Their violence in this verse, my soul is in my hand; and their craft in the next verse, they laid snares for me. And yet still his heart is upright with God. In this verse observe--(1.) David's condition, my soul is continually in my hand. (2.) His constancy and perseverance, notwithstanding that condition, yet do I not forget thy law. First, Let me speak of the condition he was now in, in that expression, My soul is continually in my hand.' The soul in the hand is a phrase often used in scripture; it is said of Jephthah, Judges xii. 3, I put my life in my hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon.' So Job xiii. 14, Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?' And when David went to encounter Goliath, 1 Sam. xix. 5, it is said, He put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine.' In exposing ourselves to any hazard and dangers in any great attempt, it is called the putting of our life in our hand. And the witch of Endor, when she ventured against a law to please Saul, and so had exposed her life, this form of speech is used concerning her, 1 Sam. xxviii. 21, I have put my life in my hand.' Briefly, then, by soul is meant life, and this is said to be in his hand; I go in danger of my life day by day; as if he should say, I have my soul ready divorced when God calls for it. It not only notes liableness to danger, but resolution and courage to encounter it. In a sense, we always carry our souls in our hands; our life hangs by a single thread, which is soon fretted asunder, and therefore we should every day be praying that it may not be taken from us, as the souls of wicked men are, Job xxvii. 8; Luke xii. 20, but yielded up, and resigned to God. But more especially is the expression verified when we walk in the midst of dangers and in a thousand deaths: My soul is in my hand;' that is, I am exposed to dangers that threaten my life every day. Secondly, Here is his affection to God's word, notwithstanding this condition, Yet do I not forget thy law.' There is a twofold remembrance of things--notional and affective; and so there is a twofold forgetfulness:-- 1. Notional. We forget the word, when the notion of things writ ten therein has either wholly or in part vanished out of our minds. 2. Affectively. We are said to forget the word of God when, though we still retain the notion, yet we are not answerably affected, do not act according thereunto, and this is that which is understood here, I do not forget thy law.' Law is taken generally for any part of the word of God, and implies the word of promise, as well as the word of command. As for instance:-- [1.] If we interpret it of the promise, the sense will be this: I do not forget thy law; that is, I take no discouragements from my dangers to let fall my trust, as if there were no providence, no God to take care of those that walk closely with him. Heb. xii. 5, when they fainted, they are said to have forgotten the consolation which spake unto them as unto children. [2.] If we interpret this word law' of the commandments and directions of the word, and so I do not forget it; that is either by way of omission, I do not slacken my diligence in thy service for all this; or by way of commission, I do not act contrary to conscience; and the effect of the whole verse is this: Though I walk in the midst of dangers and a thousand deaths continually, yet at such a time, when a man would think he should not stand upon nice points, even then he should keep up a dear and tender respect to God's law. And he doth the rather express himself thus, I do not forget it, because great temptations blind and divert the mind from the thought of our duty. Our minds are so surprised with the dangers before us, that God's law is quite forgotten as a thing out of mind, and we act as if we had no such comfort and direction given us. The points are two:-- 1. That such things may befall God's children that they may carry their lives in their hands from day to day. 2. When we carry our lives in our hands, no kind of danger should make us warp and turn aside from the direction of God's word. Doct. 1. That such things may befall God's children that they may carry their lives in their hands from day to day. That this is often the lot of God's people, we may prove: 1 Cor. xv. 31, I protest, by our rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.' How can that be, I die daily, since we die but once? The meaning is, I go still in danger of my life. Such times may come when we run hazards for Christ every day, so that in the morning we do not know what may fall out before night: 2 Cor. xi. 23, In deaths often;' that is, in danger of death. So 1 Peter iv. 19, Let those that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator.' Let them commit their souls, that is, their lives; the soul is sometimes put for life, for life spiritual or life eternal, but there it is put for life natural; so let them commit their souls to God, that is, in times of danger and hazard. Let them go on in well-doing cheerfully, and though there be no visible means of safety and defence, let them commit their lives to God in well-doing; when they carry their lives in their own hands, let them be careful to put them into the hands of God. Let God do what he pleaseth, for he is a faithful Creator; that is, as once he created them out of nothing, so he is able to preserve them when there is nothing visible, nothing to trust to. Often this may be the case of God's people, that they carry their lives in their hands from day to day. That you may take the force of the expression, consider when the people of God are in the midst of their enemies, then they carry their lives in their hands: Mat. x. 16, Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves;' when they are among men no better affected to them than wolves to sheep, and when men have them in their power, and there is no outward restraint of laws and government; for whatever enmity they have or act against them, laws and government are a great restraint; as Gen. xxvii. 41, The days of mourning for my father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob.' Till Isaac was dead, there was a check upon him; but sometimes it is in the power of their hands to do them mischief: Micah ii. 1, They practise iniquity, because it is in the power of their hand.' When men are ill affected, no restraint upon them, no impediment in their way, yea, when they begin to persecute and rage against the servants of God, and we know not when our turn comes, then we are said to have our lives in our hand; as Rom. viii. 36, For thy sake are we killed all the day long;' that is, some of that body killed, now one picked up, then another; in these cases they are said to carry their lives in their hands, when they are in the power of men that have no principle of tenderness to us, no restraint upon them, these begin to vex, molest, and trouble the Church. For the reasons why God permits it so, that his people should carry their lives in their hands. 1. God doth it to check security, to which we are very subject. We are apt to forget changes; if we have but a little breathing from trouble, we promise ourselves perpetual exemption therefrom; as Ps. xxx. 6, My mountain stands strong, I shall never be moved.' When we have got a carnal pillow under our heads to rest upon, it is hard to keep from sleep, and dreaming of temporal felicity to be perpetuated to us; then we forget by whom we live, and by whose goodness we subsist; yea, this may be when trials are very near: the disciples slept when their master was ready to be surprised and they scattered, Mat. xxvi. 40; when we are in the greatest dangers, and matters which most concern us are at hand. Now, to prevent this security, God draws away this pillow from under our heads, and suffers us to be waylaid with dangers and troubles everywhere, that we might carry our lives in our hands, for this makes us sensible of our present condition in the world, and that we subsist upon God's goodness and providence every moment. 2. To wean us from creature confidences and carnal dependences: 2 Cor. i. 9, We received the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead.' Paul, that went up and down everywhere to hunt the devil out of his territories, and to alarm the carnal sleepy world, this Paul was very prone to trust in himself; a man that was whipped, imprisoned, stoned, opposed everywhere by unreasonable men, what had he to trust to but God's providence? And yet he needs to be brought to this, to take his life in his hands, that he might learn to trust in God that raiseth from the dead. The best are prone to trust in themselves, and to lean to a temporal, visible interest. We would fain have it by any means, therefore sometimes we take a sinful course to get it. Well, now, God, to cure his people of this distemper, breaks every prop and stay which they are apt to lean upon, breaks down the hedge, the fence is removed, and lays them open to dangers continually, so that from day to day they are forced to seek their preservation from him. 3. To check their worldliness. We are very apt to dote upon present things, and to dream of honours and great places in the world, and seek great things for ourselves, when we should be preparing for bitter sufferings. As the two sons of Zebedee employed their mother to speak to Christ; being near of kin to him, she comes in a cunning manner, under pretence to worship him, and propounds a general question to him; she does not at first propose the particular, but says in general, I have a certain thing to request of thee.' And what was her request? That one of my sons may sit on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.' Saith Christ, To sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my father.' Mark, out of this story you learn how apt Christ's own disciples are to dote upon worldly honour and greatness. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, those two worthy disciples, employ their mother to; Christ in such a message; they were dreaming of earthly kingdoms and worldly honour that should be shared between them, notwithstanding Christ taught them rather to prepare for crosses in this world. Do but reflect the light of this upon your own hearts. Do we think we are better than those apostles? and that it is an easy thing to shut the love of the world, and the honour thereof, out of our hearts, since they were so enchanted with the witchery of it? Therefore Christ tells them, Mat. xx. 22, Alas! poor creatures, ye know not what ye ask: can you pledge me in my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?' We know not what we do when we are hunting after high places in the world; we are to pledge Christ in his bitter cup before our advancement come. Nay, to prove this is not only the worldling's disease, but it is very incident to the choicest of God's people; for after Christ had suffered and rose again, the apostles were not dispossessed of this humour, but still did dream of worldly ease and honour, therefore they come to Christ with this question, Acts i. 6, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?' meaning, in the Jewish sense, break the Roman yoke, and give them power and dominion over the nations, hoping for a great share to themselves when this work was done. Thus you see human weakness and the love of worldly honour bewrays itself in Christ's own disciples. One instance more, in Jer. xlv. 5, of Baruch, Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not.' Baruch, he was Jeremiah's scribe, had written his prophecy, and believed it, that dreadful roll, written it over, yet he was seeking some great thing for himself. The best are apt to think they shall shift well enough for themselves in the world; therefore saith Jeremiah, For thou to have thoughts of honour and credit, and a peaceful and prosperous estate, when all is going to rack and ruin, never dream upon such a matter. Now judge whether there be not great cause that God should bring his people to such a condition that they should carry their life in their hands from day to day, that he might cure them of this distemper. 4. That they may value eternal life the more, which they would not do if they had a stable condition here in the world. After death there will be a life out of all danger, and a life that is not in our hands, but in the hands of God; none can take that life from us which God keepeth in heaven. Now that they might look after this life, and value and prize it the more, they are exposed to hazards and dangers here. The apostle saith, 1 Cor. xv. 19, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.' When they find the present life encumbered with so many sorrows, and exposed to so many dangers, then they conclude surely there is a better and safer estate for the people of God elsewhere in heaven. God's people cannot be of all men most miserable; there is another life; they have hopes in Christ, and for other things; therefore they long for it, and look for it: Heb. xiii. 14, Here we have no abiding city, but we seek one to come.' All things are liable to uncertainties and apparent troubles, that we might look after that estate where the sheep of Christ shall be safely lodged in their eternal fold. Now God by their condition doth, as it were, say to them, as Micah ii. 10, Arise, this is not your rest.' Your stable comforts, your everlasting enjoyments are not here; here all our comforts are in our hands, ready to deliver them up from day to day. 5. God doth by his righteous providence cause it to be so, that his people carry their life in their, hands, to try their affections to him and his word. When we sail with a full stream of prosperity, we may be of God's side and party upon foreign and accidental reasons. Now God will see if we love Christ for his own sake, and his ways as they are his ways when separated from any temporal interest, yea, when exposed to scorn, disgrace, and trouble. It is easy to be good when it costs us nothing, and the wind blows in our backs rather than in our faces, the state of affairs is for us rather than against us. Halcyon times and times of rest are times of breeding the church, but stormy times are times of trying the church: 1 Peter iv. 12, Be loved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.' God will put us into his furnace, there will a fiery trial come, to see if we have the same affection to truth when it is safe to own it, and when it is dangerous to own it, when it is hated and maligned in the world. Few professors can abide God's trial: Zech. xiii. 9, I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried.' When two parts fall away, there is a third part refined and tried by trials. When the generality proves dross, or chaff, or stubble in the furnace, there is some good metal preserved, to shine brighter, for trial as their zeal is increased and their grace kept more lively, and their faith and dependence upon a continual exercise. God will try whether we can live upon invisible supports, and go on cheerfully in the performance of our duty in the midst of all difficulty, without these outward encouragements. They are proved that they may be improved. 6. God doth cause such things to befall his people, to show his power both in their preservation and in overruling all those cross providences for their good. [1.] His power in their preservation; when they have no temporal interests to back them, God will show he can preserve his people: Ps. xcvii. 1, The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice, let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.' It is well that the Lord reigns, else how could his people stand? The Lord reigns, and the multitude of isles they have a share in the joy and benefit. One benefit that we have by his reign is this, ver. 10, compared with ver. 1, he preserveth the souls of his saints; that is, their lives; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. There is an overruling, a secret and in visible providence, by which they are kept and hidden as in a pavilion, so they have often experience of wonderful preservation in the midst of all their troubles. [2.] God shows his power for overruling all these accidents for the increase and benefit of his church and people. When the believers were scattered, and driven up and down, when exposed to hazards and inconveniences, it is said, Acts xi. 21, The hand of the Lord was with them; and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord.' God can make their loss turn to their increase. Christ often gets up upon the devil's shoulders, and is beholden more to his enemies than to his friends in this sense, because that which would seem to stop his course, and to obscure his glory, doth advance it so much the more: Phil. i. 12, The things which happened unto me, have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel.' The gospel was not extinguished by Paul's imprisonment, but propagated. I say, Paul's sufferings were as necessary as Paul's preaching, that the truth might gain, and that it might be known and heard of. God overrules all these actions for his glory, and for the benefit of his church. Use 1. First, if we be not in this condition, let us look for it and prepare for it. Religion is a stranger in the world, and therefore it is often ill-treated; we have a stable happiness elsewhere, and here we must expect changes. All the comforts and hopes of the scriptures is suited to such a condition; a great part of the Bible would be need less, and would be but as bladders given to a man who stands upon dry land, and never means to go into the waters; the comforts and provisions God hath made for us in the word would be useless, it' such things did not befall us. Why hath God laid in so many sup ports, if we think never to be put to distress and troubles? Oh! then, think of these things beforehand, and make them familiar to you. The evil which I feared is come upon me,' saith Job. When the back is fitted, the burden will not be so dreadful. Think of these things beforehand, that you may provide and prepare for them. Now, that you may not be strange at such kind of providences, consider four things:-- 1. The world will be the world still. There is a natural enmity between the two seeds, which will never be wholly laid aside, between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, Gen. iii. 15; as natural an enmity as between the wolf and the lamb, the raven and the dove: 1 John iii. 12, Cain was of that wicked one, and slew his brother; and wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.' Separation and estrangement in course of life is a provoking thing. Men that live in any sinful course are loath any should part company with them, that there might be none to make them ashamed; therefore when they draw from their sins, and do not run with them into the same excess of riot, they think it strange; your life is a reproof to them: John vii. 7, The world hateth me, because I testified of it that the works thereof are evil;' and Heb. xi. 7, Noah condemned the world; being moved with fear, prepared an ark.' Strictness is an object reviving guilt. Every wicked man loves another--Velut factorem, adjutorem et excusatorem sui criminis, as one that favours his actions, and helps to excuse his actions. One wicked man doth not put another to the blush. It is no shame to be black in the country of the negroes. But when there is a distinction, some walk with God humbly and closely, certainly your life is a reproach to others that do not so, therefore they will hate you. 2. This enmity hath ever been working: the prophets and holy men of God have had experience of it. Abel was slain by Cain, Gen. iv. 18; Isaac scoffed at by Ishmael, Gen. xxi. 11; which example the apostle allegeth, Gal. iv. 29, He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit,' So it was then, so it is now, and so it will ever be to the world's end. Ever it hath been the lot of God's children to suffer hard things from the men of this world, though they are related to them in the nearest bonds of kindred and acquaintance. Jacob, because of the blessing and birthright, was pursued to death by Esau, and driven out of his father's house, Gen. xxvii.; Moses driven out of Egypt by his unkind brethren, Acts vii. 25-27; David hunted up and down like a partridge upon the mountains; Jezebel sought Elijah's life; Micaiah thrown into prison, and hardly used; Elisha pursued by Jehoram for his head. Instances are end less of this kind; ever there hath been an enmity, and ever will be. 3. Persecutions are more, greater, and longer in the New Testament than in the Old. Why? Partly because the Old Testament church was under tutors and governors, Gal. iv. 1, 2; neither for light of knowledge, nor ardour of zeal to be compared with the New Testament church, when the kingdom of heaven suffers violence,' Mat. xi. 11. Look, as Christ spared his disciples until they were fit for greater troubles, till fit for the new wine, Mat. ix. 17, so God spared that church. The church then had troubles, but for the most part they were not for religion, but for defection from God, for their sins. And partly, too, because the church of the Old Testament was not so dispersed, but confined within the narrow bounds of one province or country, not mixed with the profane idolatrous nations, nor exposed to their hatred, contradiction, and rage; but of Christians, the apostle tells us, this sect is everywhere spoken against. And partly because Satan then had quiet reign over the blind world for a long time; but now, when Christ comes to dispossess him, to turn out the strong man--the goods were in peace before, and now he hath but a short time--he hath great wrath, Rev. xii. 11. When Christ came to seize upon the world, it was quick and hot work, his force and violence was greater. Again temporal promises were more in the eye of the covenant, where all things were wrapped up in types and figures; when prosperity signified happiness, and long life signified eternity, there were not such exercises and trials then. But now, All those that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution,' 2 Tim. iii. 12. But since Christ hath set up his church, and brought light and immortality to the world, now troubles are greater. 4. Persecutions from pseudo-Christians will also be hot and violent: Rev. xiv. 13, Write from henceforth, saith the Spirit, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.' Why, the dead that die in the Lord? they were always blessed from the beginning of the world; why such a solemn notice from heaven? Why from henceforth? The meaning is this: those that suffered under pagan persecutions, all Christians would call them blessed that died in the Lord. Ay! but now, when the persecutions began under the pseudo-Christians, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth still. Nay, the persecutions here are greater than the pagan, and of longer continuance. Why? Because they have a show of Christ's authority, as the beast in the Revelations had horns like a lamb; that beast which spake like a dragon, deceived the nations, enchanted the world with her witchery and sorcery, that beast had a pretence of the authority of Christ, Rev. xiii. 11. And the purity of Christians is greater, and so more enraging; and the great quarrel in the latter ages of the world is about a temporal interest. The spirit of the world is the spirit of antichristianism, and all those that hang upon her are of the spirit of the world: 1 John iv. 5, They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.' Now, when these are contending for the world, this doth exceedingly inflame and heighten the rage against those that would endanger their worldly interest. You see there is cause to think that God will expose us also to our trials; therefore we should be forewarned and prepared for these things that they may not come upon us unawares. Use 2. If God's people are put into such a condition that they carry their lives in their hands, then learn from hence, that if we have greater security for our lives and interests, we ought more to bless God and to improve the season. It is a great mercy that we have laws to secure our religion and our interests, that we have Christian and Protestant magistrates to execute those laws, that we may in safety worship God in the public assemblies, and we ought to bless God. But then, if this be our condition, there are three duties required of us:-- 1. To acknowledge God in this mercy, for it is he that hath the hearts of magistrates in his own hands: Prov! xxi. 1, The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord; as the river of waters, he turneth it whithersoever he will.' Their thoughts, their designs, inclinations and aversations are in God's hands. And as God hath power, so hath he promised this blessing, Isa. xlix. 23, that he will give kings to be nursing fathers, and queens nursing mothers.' Well, there is a power and a promise. What follows then? Only that we praise God for so much of it as we have, and that we pray to God still for more, that we may, under our kings and governors, lead godly and quiet lives,' 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2; and therefore, if we have greater security for our lives and interests, God must be acknowledged. 2. Be so much the more in active obedience: Acts ix. 31, Then had the churches rest.' And what then? And they walked in the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.' When you have a good day, you should improve it well; when we may walk up and down in the security of laws, and serve God freely, oh! let us serve him much; we are not called to renounce our interests, therefore let us mortify our lusts. Fires are not kindled about us to consume our bodies, therefore let the fire of God burn up our lusts. If the saints are to quit their well-being, certainly it should not be grievous to us to part with our ill-being, with our sins for God's service. Look, as Salvian de Gub. lib. iii., saith, when our kings are Christians, and religion is not troubled by them, now God calls us to be more pure and holy in our conversations; now we do not shift for our lives, let us avoid occasions of evil; now we are not cast into prisons, let us confine ourselves to our closets, that we may serve God more cheerfully there. 3. Bear the lesser troubles with more patience, when this is not our condition, that our lives are carried in our hands from day to day. It was never so well with the people of God, that if not in kingdoms, yet in families, in parishes, in lesser societies there will be some conflict; now these we should bear with more patience, because the children of God are exposed to that condition that they have carried their lives in their hands from day to day: Heb. xii. 3, Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.' You are not called unto a resistance to blood.' As Julian the apostate said to one, If he was so offended with their taunts, what would he be with the darts of the Persians? If we cannot suffer a reproach, and an angry word for Christ; if we murmur when we are a little slighted and forgotten by men, and left out of the tale of the world, oh! what would we do if we were called to suffer greater things? Jer. xii. 5, If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horsemen?' that is, if thou canst not endure the scorn, reproach, and opposition of a few private wicked men that stand upon even ground with thee, how canst thou contend with horses, when there are other manner of oppositions? Use 3. If this should now befall you, as it hath befallen God's choicest servants, and very likely so to do for those reasons I gave, then shrink not, but resolve to endure any extremity rather than take any sinful course for your ease; nay, be not dejected if it should happen: Acts xxi. 13, I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die for the name of the Lord Jesus.' There was one that had his life in his hand indeed, that had the courage to lay it down. To quicken you hereto, let me give a few considerations:-- 1. God hath given you greater things than possibly you can lose for his sake; though we should lose life and all, yet he hath given us his Christ. Saith Ambrose, We are indebted for a person of the. Godhead; and shall we stick at our personal interests and concernments? Shall we not die for his honour who died for our salvation? die temporally for him who maketh us to live eternally? and give that body as a sacrifice to the honour of Christ, which otherwise by the law of nature will become meat for the worms? therefore every Christian should carry his life in his hand, Phil. i. 20, either by martyrdom or ministerial labours. 2. No evil is like to that evil which will befall us in forsaking God: Mat. x. 28, Fear not them which can but kill the body,' &c. Shall we, rather than run hazards with the sheep of Christ, be contented to howl with wolves in everlasting darkness, when we for a little temporal danger refuse to run hazard with Christ's sheep, shall be cast into hell-fire for evermore? If we are so tender of suffering, what will it be to suffer hell-fire? 3. All that we can lose is abundantly made up in the other world. Heb. xi. 35, it is said, they would not accept deliverance, having obtained a better resurrection.' There is a resurrection from death to life, when we come out upon ill terms, by accepting the enemy's deliverance. Ay! but there is a better resurrection when we come out upon God's terms, a resurrection to life and glory hereafter. Violence doth but open the prison door, and let out the soul that long hath desired to be with Christ; and therefore we should endure, as expecting this better resurrection. 4. Consider upon what slight terms men will put their lives in their hands for other things, and shall we not run hazards for Christ? Many venture their lives for a humour, a little vainglory, to show a greatness of spirit; or they venture their lives upon revenges, upon a punctilio of honour. Some will venture their lives in the wars for one shilling a day, and shall we not carry our lives in our hands for Christ? Scipio boasted of his soldiers, that they loved him so as to venture their lives for him, to leap into the sea, and cast themselves down a steep rock: There are none of these but if I spake the word, shall go upon a tower, and throw himself down into the sea if I bid him. So Fulgentius' story of those that would obey their chief, whom they called Vetus, the old man of the mountain, if he bid them fall down a steep rock, to show their obedience; and shall not we venture our lives for Christ? Doct. 2. That when our souls are continually in our hands, no kind of danger should make us warp and turn aside from the direction of God's word. Why? 1. A Christian should be above all temporal accidents; above carnal grief, carnal joy, worldly hope, worldly fear; he should be dead to the world, or else he is not thoroughly acquainted with the virtue of Christ's cross, Gal. vi. 14. 2. God can so restrain the malice of wicked men, that though we carry our lives in our hands, we shall be safe enough for all that: Prov. xvi. 7, When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.' Mark, the Lord can secure you against men, when a man pleaseth the Lord; but when a man pleaseth men, they cannot secure you against the Lord, they cannot save you harmless from the wrath of God, or answer for you to the Almighty, nor give you safety from the terrors of conscience. But on the other side, many a man by pleasing God finds more safety and comfort in opposing the lusts and the humours of men than in complying with them. God's providence is wonderfully at work for his children when they are reduced to these extremities; either he can allay their fury, turn in convictions upon their consciences of the righteousness of those whom they molest and trouble, as when Saul hunted for David, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17, Thou art more righteous than I.' God puts conviction upon him. Nay, sometimes such a fear and reverence that they dare not: Mark vi. 20, Herod feared John because he was a strict man.' Or some check or bridle, some contrary interest that God can set up, that their hands are withered when they are stretched out against them, as was Jeroboam's hand; and therefore a Christian, though his life be in his hand, he should not warp. Why? For God can mightily provide for him as to his temporal safety: 1 Peter iii. 13, Who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?' It is an indefinite proposition, some times it will be true. Let a man follow that which is good, who dares harm him? There is an awe, and he is kept safe, though not always. 3. We renounced all at our first coming to Christ. Estate, credit, liberty, life, it was all laid at Christ's feet, if our hearts were really upright with him. A man must lay down self, whatever it be, else he cannot be Christ's disciple, Mat. xvi. 24; Luke xiv. 26. This was done in vow, in a time of peace; therefore it must be actually done and made good in a time of trouble. Your interests are God's, and are only given back to God again; your estate, life, liberty, and credit, all given up. Why? That you may have something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ. 4. Our sufferings shall be abundantly recompensed and made up in the world to come: Rom. viii. 18, I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed.' For a man to stand comparing his interest or sufferings here in this world with the glory revealed, is as foolish a thing as if a man should set a thousand pound weight with a feather. So 2 Cor. iv. 17, Our light affliction,' &c. We are often saying, If we lose this and that, what will become of us? what shall we have? Mat. xix. 27-29, We have left all.' A great all they had left for Christ; it may be a net, a fisher-boat, a cottage; yet he speaks magnificently of it, and what shall we have?' Have! You shall have enough; in the regeneration you shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' 5. You should not warp, though you carry your lives in your hands, because constancy is necessary. How necessary? For our credit and good name as we are men: Do I use lightness?' saith the apostle, 2 Cor. i. 17. Men lose their authority and esteem, they are not accounted grave, serious, and weighty, when they shift and change, and appear with a various face to the world; and certainly it is for our comfort, for our right to everlasting blessedness is most sensibly clear by constancy in God's cause: Phil. i. 28, And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.' Oh! what would a man give for to clear this, that he is an heir of God? This is an evident token; and it is necessary for the credit of the truth which we profess. When we shift, turn, and wind, we bring a dishonour upon it; but, saith the apostle, Phil. i. 14, They waxed confident by my bonds;' this puts heart and courage. And it is for the honour of God: 1 Peter ii. 14, On your part he is glorified;' and John xxi. 19, Signifying by what death he should glorify God.' Since constancy is so necessary, either we should not take up principles, or suffer for them if called thereunto. Use 1. Caution to the people of God. Take heed you do not forget the word, when you carry your lives in your hand. Many of God's people may do so sometimes, as when we deny the truth: Mat. xxvi. 72, Peter denied before them all, saying, I know not the man.' Or when we take any sinful course for temporal safety, as when David feigned himself mad before Achish, 1 Sam. xxi. 13. Or when our spirits are filled with passion against the instruments of our trouble, and with uncomely heats, as Peter drew a sword in a rash zeal, and had no thanks for it, but a rebuke from Christ. Or when we suffer in a heartless and comfortless manner, as God's children sometimes are in dejections of spirit. David took notice of his drooping and disconsolateness, Ps. xlii. 5; when he flitted up and down in the wilderness, pursued with Saul's army, he had his droopings and discomforts. In these cases we forget the word of God. Use 2. To press you to courage and constancy in a time of danger; to endure all extremities, rather than do anything against the word of God. Here I shall inquire:-- 1. What is this Christian courage? There is military valour and Christian valour. The one consists in doing, the other in suffering, great things. Peter, at Christ's death, had more of the military valour and fierceness than of the passive valour, for he that could venture on a band of men was foiled by a damsel's question. The one dependeth on hastiness of temper, greatness of blood and spirits; the other upon faith and submission to God's will: Acts vii. 55, He being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.' It is spoken when the people gnashed on him with their teeth, then full of the Holy Ghost. There is the habit of fortitude, and the act of it when led on. There is a great deal of difference between the courage of wicked men, and the faith and fortitude of good Christians. We see rude men are undaunted in the face of danger, but the fortitude of Christians consisteth in lifting up their eyes and hearts to heaven; others not, for as soon as they think of God, their courage faileth; the more brave, the more they shut out the thought of divine things, all sense of God and immortality: 1 Cor. xv. 32, Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we shall die.' It is a brutish fury, inflamed by wine, stirred up by trumpets and drums, not stirred up by the consolations of God, or remembrance of his covenant; then they are dejected, Rev. vi. 15-17. 2. To remove such objections as may hinder your courage and constancy. [1.] It is a sore temptation to keep our service, but we must stand to God's providence, to honour him by service or suffering, as he shall think good. We are to honour God in his own way, we are not to stretch conscience in the least degree to continue it. God hath no need of thy sin; when God hath a mind to lay you aside, submit. [2.] The smallness of the difference is another objection. If it were to turn Turk, or heathen, or papist, men will say, they would not do so and so. God standeth upon every peek of his word, every dust of truth is precious. [3.] Another objection is this, we shall be interpreted to hinder the public peace. I answer--If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men,' Rom. xii. 18. But be sure not to betray the cause of God, nor lose the interest of Christ; that is not possible which is not lawful in a moral sense. [4.] Another objection is, that we shall be accounted peevish, rash, stubborn. I answer--We must be led to credit. There is a difference between men stubborn and obstinate and zealous. Many may sacrifice a stout body to a stubborn mind, but be courageous and constant in the service of God. 3. What is necessary to this well-tempered courage, that we may suffer not out of humour, but out of conscience towards God? Not because formerly engaged by profession, or out of a desire of a name and esteem among religious persons, but out of obedience to God, who commandeth us to choose afflictions, rather than sin. To this resolution there is necessary-- [I.] A heart weaned from the world, Mat. vi. 24, otherwise a man will act very uncertainly, and his zeal for God be very uneven. [2.] A heart entirely devoted to God. Every one that cometh to Christ must be thus resolved, Luke xiv. 26. [3.] A heart purged from sin, or else our zeal is not uniform, besides that our lusts will weaken our courage. A carnal person, suffering in a good cause, is of no account with God. The priests were to search the burnt-offering if sound, or had any defect or blemish upon them. He that keepeth the commandments is best able to suffer for them: Mat. v. 10, Blessed are they that suffer for righteousness' sake.' A martyr must have all the precedent graces. [4.] A heart that lieth under a deep sense of eternity, and things to come: 1 John v. 4, This is the victory we have over the world, even our faith.' Not any looking backward, but forward. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXX. [9] The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet I erred not from thy precepts.--Ver. 110. HERE is the second assault made upon David's integrity, the secret snares laid for him. The enemies of God's people do not always go to work in the way of open persecution, and directly for righteousness' sake; but then they lay snares; what they cannot do by open force, they seek to do by fraud. Many that have stood out with courage against the shock k of violence, have been taken in a snare; as the prophet that resisted the king was enticed by the blandishments of the old prophet, 1 Kings xiii. Persecution is a more gross way, and liable to exception, and therefore they must go secretly to work. Sometimes this life is a continued temptation, and a Christian that walketh in the world walketh in the midst of snares set for him, by his enemies bodily and spiritual. The devil is the great snare-layer, and wicked men learn it of him: The wicked have laid a snare for me,' &c. In the words observe-- 1. David's temptation, a snare laid for him. 2. The persons who managed the temptation, the wicked. 3. The success and issue, yet I erred not from thy precepts. Doct. The godly have often snares laid for them, not only by Satan, but by wicked men. Now snares are to entice, or endanger, or of a mixed nature. 1. Snares to entice them from their duty. Thus the blandishments of the whorish woman are called a snare: Prov. vii. 23, As the bird hasteth unto the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.' Of this nature are crafty insinuations, baits of preferment, profit, pleasure, or any carnal advantage, to pervert our judgments, and draw us off from our duty. 2. Snares to endanger their safety, clogged with some spiteful condition to entrap others, or when there is a plot laid to endanger others, as Jeremiah complaineth, Jer. xviii. 22, They have digged a pit to take me, they have hid snares for my feet;' secretly conspired and practised his destruction. And David, Ps. cxl. 5, The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside, and set gins for my feet. Selah.' Hunters and fowlers did never go more cunningly to work to catch the prey, than those proud men had laid their design to bring his life under their power. And in Ps. xxxv. 7, For without cause they have hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul;' and Ps. lvii. 6, They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit for me, into the midst whereof they are Mien themselves. Selah.' Now of this sort are St Bartholomew's matins, and the plot and contrivance to out the Protestants in France, when they were invited to a wedding, that they might destroy them; and of this nature was the Gunpowder Treason; there was a snare laid. When Orestes had plotted Clytemnestra's death, Euripides expresseth it, kalos ar' a'rkun es me'sen poreu'etai--she fitly cometh into the snare. 3. Of a mixed nature, both to entice by endangering, and endanger by enticing. [1.] As when they put them upon such conditions as may tempt them to folly and sin. Some think the text verified in David, at that time when he said, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19, They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go serve other gods;' meaning, they excited Saul to pursue him and persecute him, and forced him to flee into an idolatrous country, and so a snare laid to endanger his steadfastness in the true faith. It is a great temptation. Necessitas cogit ad turpia--necessity is but an evil counsellor; and this joined with the other temptation of bad company: Ps. cxx. 5, Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar.' [2.] When they enact a law or statute, whereby to force them to sin or trouble; as they had a plot against Daniel, either to make him neglect his God, or render him obnoxious to authority, Dan. vi. 7, 8. When they burden them with such laws and statutes as the godly cannot obey without sin, or refuse without danger; they have their ends either to draw them to sin or suffer. Now snares are laid by the wicked:-- 1. Because usually they excel in policy, craftiness, and worldly wit, are superior to God's children therein; their whole hearts run that way, and their principle is entire and unbroken; and therefore our Lord Christ telleth us, Luke xvi. 8, For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.' They applaud themselves in their artifices, idolise their wit: Hab. i. 16, Sacrifice to their net, and burn incense to their drag;' therefore use it to the saints' destruction. 2. Because they are acted by Satan, who will ever be doing against the church, though to little purpose. Luke xxii. 3, the devil entered into Judas when he plotted against Christ. They learn their wiles from Satan, and conceive mischief by copulation with the great incubus of hell. 3. Their own hatred and malice against the people of God. Malice is a laying snares. Anger vents itself in a storm of words, or in some sudden violent action; but hatred lurketh in the soul, and puts them that harbour it upon plots and contrivances of revenge. The historian observeth of Tiberius, In malitiam statim invectus est, &c. When Absalom hated Amnon, because he forced his sister, he plotteth how to take away his life, 2 Sam. xiii. 22. Now, whence cometh this malice against the children of God? Either by envy at their interests, or hatred at their holiness. 1. Envy at their interests, their esteem and respect in the world, when they come to be of any regard among men. Esther v. 9, Hainan plotteth against Mordecai, because he sat in the king's gate: Ps. cxii. 9, 10, His horn shall be exalted with honour; the wicked shall see it, and be grieved, and gnash with their teeth.' When the gospel was like to get credit, Acts xvii. 5, the envious Jews raised an uproar. Pride is loath to stoop; to see opposites in glory and power whets their malice, and they contrive how to root them out. Every man would have himself and his own faction admired and magnified. The Pharisees conspired to take Christ: John xii. 19, All the world is gone after him.' When religion prevaileth, and groweth in credit and fashion, it is deeply resented by naughty men. 2. Hatred at their holiness. Men cannot endure to be outstripped in religion, and therefore hate what they will not imitate. Hatred is quick-sighted in revenge, full of plots and contrivances, and tickleth the soul with a delight in them; but especially religious hatred, when a man hateth another for his godliness, when religion, instead of a party, becomes a judge, that which should restrain our passions feeds them; no hatred so great as that against the power of godliness. Cain, when he saw Abel so punctual in God's service, he plotteth to draw him into the field, 1 John iii. 12, and beginneth a discourse with him about providence and judgment to come, and rewards and punishments, and while Abel maintained God's part, Cain fell upon him and slew him. To apply this. As these snares tend to our temporal destruction, so there is a double use to be made of them. 1. To trust God with our safety in the midst of so many snares. What shall we do? Whatever remedy we have against violence, no man by his own foresight can find out all the snares that are laid for him; therefore commit your safety spiritual and temporal to the Lord; go to him and say, Ps. cxli. 9, Keep me from the snare they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.' Constant dependence upon God is necessary, for there can be no snare hidden from him who watcheth over us and our safety by night and by day. There is a double argument why we should trust God with our safety; because of his wisdom, and because of his watchful providence. Because of his wisdom. Alas! we are foolish and simple, and often betray ourselves into an evil condition; but God is wise for them that are foolish: Ps. xxxvii. 12, 13, The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth: the Lord shall laugh at him, for he seeth that his day is coming.' There is a wise God acting for a foolish people. I tell you, the wisdom of God for us is much greater than the wisdom of God in us. Where enemies deal proudly, God is above them; where they deal craftily, God is beyond them. The wisdom of God for us is greater than the wisdom of any against us. And also because of his watchful providence; he hath a waking love and care of us night and day: Ps. cxxi. 4, Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.' He will be so far from sleeping, that he will not so much as slumber. When, we know nothing, his providence finds out the secret contrivances that are against us. I tell you, God is our father; he will maintain us and take care for us, when we live by faith, and not by shifts, in a good plain downright course of honesty: Gen. xvii. 1, I am God all-sufficient: walk before me, and be thou perfect;' that is, they should go on doing their duty, and refer the care of their safety to God. Oh! then, cast yourselves upon the Lord; he will either direct your way to eschew these snares, or pluck your feet out of them if you be taken therein: Ps. xxv. 15, Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord; he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.' Look to him for direction and counsel. 2. Bless God for your safety and preservation; it is a mercy to have a being, in the midst of so many dangers and snares as waylay us everywhere; especially should we bless God when we have escaped some notable trap and pit that was digged for us: Ps. cxxiv. 7, Our soul is escaped like a bird out of the snare of the fowler: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.' This is a passage we may use to God this day. There are two grounds usually of thanksgiving for this deliverance:-- [1.] That their devices came to nought: Job xv. 35, They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity.' It discovereth the wisdom, power, goodness, and watchfulness of God, that this dark and hellish machination, that they thought so wisely laid that all devils in hell could not discover it, yet the God of heaven brought it to light: Prov. xxi. 30, There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord.' Those three words set out the quintessence of parts. Wisdom noteth a quick apprehension; understanding a wise foresight grounded upon experience; counsel a designation of some rare artifice: Isa. viii. 9, 10, Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.' [2.] The mischief returned back upon themselves: Ps. vii. 15, He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. Higgaion. Selah.' Their instruments; it is a high note that we may observe it. An iron heated red-hot burneth their fingers that hold it; they are taken in their own pit, poisoned in their own cup, holden in cords of their own vanity, so that in the issue it appeareth they laid a snare for themselves rather than for us. Use 2. As they are enticements to sin; so we may make many uses of it. 1. You ought to ask God's counsel, for you walk in the midst of snares, that he would guide you and lead you: Ps. xxvii. 11, Teach me thy way, O Lord; lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.' Those that watch for our halting are many, their craft is great; therefore go to the wise God for counsel; ask of him what your way and course shall be, for he seeth that which you see not. 2. Get spiritual wisdom and understanding. An ignorant, credulous heart is soon seduced, but a man of understanding, that seeth his danger, is not easily drawn and allured into it: Prov. i. 17, In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any bird.' The vain, credulous, simple young man is soon enticed by the lewd woman, in the 7th of the Proverbs. 3. Keep the highway of duty, and walk by a sure rule, and then you are safe. David saith here, I erred not from thy precepts.' In a time of snares, often consult with your rule. It is Satan's aim to put us out of our way; as when the fisherman would get the fishes into the net, he seeketh to rouse them out of their place. Take a man out of God's way, and he becometh a ready prey to Satan. In doubtful cases there is no man chooseth the worst, but first he breaketh some known rule and clear moral precept. Therefore be punctual, and keep close to God's directions in clear and known cases, and you are safe. 4. There needs a mortified heart to worldly interests; our temporal interest is to be shaken off. A man of carnal affections seeketh but the snare: Job xviii. 8, He is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.' If we will find the sin and disposition of heart, God will find the occasion; and a man that hath a commodity to put off (faith and a good conscience), will soon find a chapman to truck with him. Judas was thinking of betraying Christ, and the high priests were plotting how to do it just at the same time. Worldliness layeth us open to the snare: 1 Tim. vi. 9, But they that will be rich, fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.' But he that is dead to worldly interests remaineth firm, whatever bait be proposed. Secondly, We come to the' persons that managed the temptation, the wicked: The wicked have laid a snare for me.' Doct. It is the property of a wicked heart to plot and lay snares for the mischief and ruin of others, especially God's people. David saith here, The wicked have laid snares for me.' 1. It is a deliberate, voluntary sin; and the more will and advisedness in any sin, the greater it is. Laying of snares is not a thing done in passion, but in cool blood; there is art and cunning in it, and the heart dwelleth long upon it. The will sets the wit a-work, to weave the net and frame the device. Involuntarium minuit de ratione peccati--when a thing is involuntary it lesseneth sin; a man may be overtaken with a fault, Gal. vi. 1. But when he studieth it, it is much the worse. God's children are surprised through unwariness, and made to stumble in a fit of temptation; but when men's wits are bended to project and plot sin, it is not an infirmity but an iniquity: Prov. vi. 14, Frowardness is in his heart; he deviseth mischief continually, he soweth discord.' It is the description of a naughty heart; so the prophet, Micah ii. 1, Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds: when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hands.' Their wickedness is premeditated, then woe to them. 2. It is a sign that evil is connatural to them, when they are plotting, as poison is to a spider; they are always working it, never out of their way by night and by day, their hearts run upon it: Prov. iv. 16, Whenever they are abroad, they sleep not unless they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away unless they cause some to fall.' Then when others cannot rest, they examine themselves. Ps. iv. 4, Commune with your hearts upon your beds.' When our reins should instruct us, and suggest wholesome thoughts to us, Ps. xvi. 7; or when we should direct our prayer to God in the morning, Ps. v. 3, then they employ their thoughts and musings on evil. The apostle maketh it to be their disposition that are given up by God to a reprobate sense, to be inventors of evil things,' Rom. i. 30. 3. They that plot evil, they are of the devil's trade, whose work it is to hurt and mischief those who are broken loose from him; it is his business to lay snares: 2 Tim. ii. 26, And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.' When Judas plotteth against Christ, the devil entereth into him. So Acts xiii. 10, it is said to Elymas the sorcerer, O thou full of all subtlety and mischief, the child of the devil.' They are like the devil in their hatred of God and the truth, and the persecution of the church, and like him for subtlety and politic contrivance. Bloody designs and inventions are the venom and poison of the old serpent sunk into men's hearts; there are both cruelty and lying: John viii. 44, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him: when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.' 4. It is a sin contrary to the love of God and man, against double light and double obligations, from both the tables: grace and nature condemneth it. It is against God, for if we did love him, we would love his image; the saints that are so near and dear to him, they are his jewels,' Mal. iii. 17; they cost him dear; he gave an infinite price for them, the blood of Christ: they are the apple of his eye; to strike at them is to strike at God himself. And it is against man; if reasons of grace do not restrain such, yet reasons of nature should. To plot mischief against one that is of the same nature with us, natural light will teach us we should do as we would be done by. Oh! what a cruel creature is man to man, when God lets him alone to the sway of his own heart and natural fierceness! 5. It is contrary to the gentleness and simplicity of the Christian religion. Christian religion is a simple and harmless thing: Phil. ii. 15, That ye be holy and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation;' 2 Cor. 1. 12, This is our rejoicing, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world.' It is a sign men have drunk in a false religion when their spirits are efferated, and grow monsters in wickedness. Men addicted to false worship are subtle and cruel; subtle, for where there is real worth there is no dissimulation; they carry things open and fair; they have a God and conscience to bear them out, and this is worth all the world; and if things do not suit to their minds, they can tarry God's leisure, without base and creeping acts, and underhand designs and machinations; but a false religion, that hath not a God to depend upon, breedeth fears, and fear and pusillanimity puts men upon plots and bloody designs, as Herod, when afraid, seeketh craftily to murder Christ, Mat. ii. And as a false religion is crafty, so it is mischievous and cruel: Jude 11, These walked in the way of Cain;' for a false religion cannot subsist without the plots of blood and tyranny and cruelty. When Judaism began to fall, the Jews bound themselves under an oath that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. False worships put men upon a blind zeal, that breaketh out in tragical effects. Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum. So much of truth, so much of meekness, openness, and plainness, as the other is of spite and malice. Use. Oh! then, let the children of God abhor this hateful disposition; take heed of those kind of sins that have subtlety and malice in them; these are the devil's sins, the cursed old serpent, that hath been a murderer from the beginning; take heed of plotting mischief, and secretly designing the ruin of others. I would have you Christians, that are of the true religion, carry it meekly towards others; beware of deliberate sins. It is possible in some great temptation the children of God may fall into these kind of sins, as David plotted Uriah's death; but that sin was laid to his charge more than all the sins that ever he committed. These sins are accompanied with some notable affliction and judgment, as on David's sad house; they leave an indelible stain and blemish, and cost us dear: 1 Kings xv. 5, David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all his days, save in the matter of Uriah.' How many failings have we left upon record? His distrust: I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.' His dissimulation, with his rash vow to destroy Nabal; his injustice in the matter of Ziba and Mephibosheth; indulgence to Absalom, numbering the people, wherein he showed his carnal confidence. All these are passed over in silence, as his infirmities, save only in the matter of Uriah. And they will cost dear; there is always some eminent trouble and affliction that accompany such sins. When David had sinned in the matter of Uriah, what troubles were there in his house; his daughter ravished, Amnon slain in his drunkenness, Absalom driveth him from his palace royal, and then, poor man, his subjects deserted him, he forced to go weeping up and down, and shift for his life; all Israel came to Absalom, his wives defiled by his own son. Thus you see what is the fruit of deliberate sins. These sins cost us a great deal of bitter sorrow, sighs, and tears, to recover our peace and God's love and favour. Again, how bitterly did David remember his sin, and beg that God would restore to him the joy of his salvation!' Ps. li. Therefore take heed of deliberate sins, when we have time enough to have serious and sufficient consideration of the evil, and yet do it; when a man knoweth a thing to be evil, and yet resolveth to go forward with it. Sin is not done suddenly, in heat of blood, but at leisure; not limited to a minute, or an hour, or any short space of time; and yet to do it, this grieves the Spirit, and will cost us dear. __________________________________________________________________ [9] On the Fifth of November. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXXI. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.--Ver. 111. IN this notable psalm there are many independent sentences expressing David's affection to the word of God. In this verse you have--(1.) David's choice, Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever.' (2.) The evidence of that choice, For they are the rejoicing of my heart.' I call it the evidence, for so it is a proper demonstration that he took God's precepts for his heritage; this is the mark and sign of it, They are the rejoicing of my heart.' It did his heart good to think of his heritage, and what an ample portion he had in his God. First, Let me speak of his choice, whence this observation. It is the property of believers to take God's testimonies for their heritage. In the management of which truth, I shall show-- 1. What are God's testimonies. 2. What it is to take them for an heritage. 3. The reason why it is their property to do so. 1. What are God's testimonies. Any declaration of his will, in doctrine, precepts, threatenings, promises. The whole word, it is the testimony which God hath proposed for the satisfaction of the world. It is God's deposition or testimony, to satisfy men what is his mind and will concerning their salvation. God's testimony is the public record, that may be appealed unto in all cases of doubt, Ps. xix. 8, The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,' &c.; The testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple.' By the statutes of the Lord, is meant in general the whole counsel of God delivered in the word. But then more specially and chiefly they imply the evangelical or gospel part of the word, the promises of the covenant of grace, Isa. viii. 20, To the law and to the testimonies.' Testimony in this sense is contradistinguished to the law or God's precepts, what is required of us; thus the ark of his testimony' is called by that name. Mark this notion of calling the word God's testimony; it shows us what regard we should have to the precepts and promises of God; you need regard them, it is God's testimony to you and then against you. Christ would have his word preached as a testimony against them,' Mat. xxiv.,--a testimony to them that they might know God's mind, and then, if it were not received, a testimony against them at the last day; when God comes to judgment, the sinner will be without an excuse, but will not be without a testimony; every sermon will rise up against him in judgment; it will be a testimony for their conviction. And as we should regard his precepts, so it shows in what regard his promises are, which are chiefly his testimony; therefore it is said, John iii. 33, He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.' You give God the glory of his truth by venturing your souls upon his testimony, whereas otherwise you make him a liar,' a blasphemy which is most contrary to the glory of his being: 1 John v. 10, He that believeth not makes God a liar.' Look upon the promises as God's testimonies, you may urge it to your own heart and to God. We may urge it to our own heart when we are full of doubts and troubles; here we have God's testimony to show for it, Why do ye doubt, O ye of little faith?' Here is God's testimony. Nay, it is a testimony under an oath, that the heirs of promise might want no satisfaction, Heb. vi. 18. If we had but God's bare word it should beget faith, for God stands much upon his truth; but we have his oath, his hand and seal. Why! after such a solemn assurance shall I make God a liar, as being in doubtful suspense? And they are a testimony which you may produce to God himself: Lord, thou hast said, and here is a promise wherein thou hast caused me to hope; I expect nothing but what thou wilt perform. Look, as Tamar showed the tokens to Judah when he was about to condemn her, showed him the ring and the staff as a testimony, and said, Whose are these? Gen. xxxviii. 25, you put God in mind of his promise; here is the testimony he hath called you to these hopes whereby you should wait upon him. How shall we take it here? for the precepts of God, or the promises, or both? Surely the precepts of the word are the heritage, or the gospel and treasure of the church, a treasure not to be valued; and every single believer is to take up his share, and count them his treasure and his heritage. No man can take the promissory part of the word for his heritage, but he is to take the mandatory part also; as in every bond and indenture the conditions must be kept on both sides. So if you should take it for the whole covenant of God, wherein God is bound to us and we to God, there were no incongruity. Yet the notion of an heritage is most proper to the promises, and these are the rejoicing of our soul, the foundation of our solid comfort and hope. The promises are a witness in our hearts how he stands affected to us, of which we are most apt to doubt through our unbelief. Natural light will convince us of the justice and equity of his precepts; therefore by the special use of the word the promises of God are called his heritage. Again, the promises are put for the things promised, and testimonies for the things contained and revealed in them; for the promises properly are not our heritage, but they are the evidences, the charters which we have to show for our heritage. The blessings of the covenant are properly our heritage, and the promises are the assurance and conveyances by which this heritage is made over to us. As we say a man's estate lies in bonds and leases, meaning he hath these things to show as his right to such an estate; so the promises, that is the blessings contained, or the testimony revealed there, they are the things a believer takes for his portion. Thus I have showed what is meant by the testimonies of God. 2. What is it to take them for our heritage? There are two words, heritage, and I have taken them. The word heritage first notes the substance of our portion, or what we count our solid and principal estate; secondly, it notes our right and propriety in it; thirdly, the kind of tenure by which we hold it; fourthly, many times actual possession. Now saith David, I have taken; that implies actual choice on our part. We are not born heirs to this estate, but we take it, we choose it for our portion. And mark, he doth not say they are, but I have taken them for my heritage. Every believer cannot say, These are mine, they are my heritage, for everyone hath not assurance; but yet every one should say, I have taken them,' there I look for my happiness; for every believer is alike affected, though not alike assured. David doth not here so expressly mention his interest, though that is implied, as his choice. Briefly, to take God's testimony for our heritage implies four things:-- [1.] To count them our choicest portions. Let others do what they will, this is my share, my lot, my portion, saith David; that which I esteem to be my happiness; this is as lands, goods, treasures to me, dearer and nearer than all temporal things whatsoever. Look, as a believer in the duty part of religion takes the precepts for his counsellor, so David saith, Ps. cxix. 24, Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors,' or the men of my counsel. Answerably in the happy part, they are my heritage and the rejoicing of my soul; it is my wealth, my treasure, my chief estate. Every man is known by the choice of his portion; now David was not taken up with any worldly thing, so as to make that his heritage, or account it his solid happiness, wherein his soul could find complacency and contentment. [2.] It signifies to make it our work to get and keep up an interest in God's testimonies; this is to take them for our heritage. Esteem is manifested by prosecution. That which is our chiefest work, that shows us what we take to be our heritage. What 1 is it to grow great in the world, to shine in pomp, to flow in pleasure, or to get and maintain an interest in the covenant? What do we seek first? Is it the kingdom of God and his righteousness'? Mat. vi. 33. The main care is to make sure an interest in the covenant, to get a right and propriety in it. [3.] To hold all by this tenure: heritage is a child's tenure. We do not come to this right by our own purchase, but as heirs of Christ; not by our own merits, but by adoption, God making us children and joint-heirs with Christ,' Rom. viii. 17; and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.' Adam's tenure was that of a servant; the blessings that he expected from God, by virtue of the covenant of works, he looked upon them as wages of obedience; but now, we take the promises as an heritage, as a right devolved upon us as heirs of Christ, because believers are called the seed of Christ, and upon the account of that are possessed of the privileges of the covenant: Isa. liii. 10, He shall see his seed, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.' This is a heritage purchased for us before we were born, before we had done either good or evil; and we have the right and title of sons, John i. 12; he hath given us this privilege to be the sons of God. Whatever we receive, we receive it from God as a child's portion. [4.] Heritage signifies actual use and possession, and living upon them; and so I have taken thy testimonies for my heritage; that is, I mean to live upon them, and fetch all my comforts thence. A believer's interest is not an imaginary thing. We do enjoy somewhat by virtue of the promises. It is true our full fruition is suspended till hereafter, but we begin here. The testimonies of the Lord they are of present use in the present life; therefore we are said to be Heirs according to the hope of eternal life,' Titus iii. 7. God doth not take us to heaven presently upon our spiritual nativity or new birth. It pleaseth God to exercise us for a while in our nonage, under tutors and governors, and to make us differ little from servants; but for the present we have maintenance, we live by faith, Gal. ii. 20. We live upon our heritage, and fetch thence not only peace and righteousness and grace, but meat, drink, and clothing, protection, and defence. So that to take God's testimonies for our heritage is to live upon them as far as the present state will permit, to fetch out all our supplies from the covenant; otherwise we should make the promises to be but a conceit and imagination, if they did not afford present support. A believer doth not live upon outward supplies only, but upon the covenant; not upon meat and drink, food and raiment, but he fetcheth all from the covenant, by the exercise of faith, and so these things are sanctified to him. So that to take them as our heritage is to make them the grounds of our future hopes, and the storehouse from whence we receive our present supply. And this is that which is called living by faith, fetching all our supports and supplies out of the promises: Gal. ii. 20, All that Hive in the flesh' (so in the original), I live by the faith of the Son of God.' 3. For the reasons, why it is the property of believers to take the testimony of God for their heritage; before I come to that, first, I must show what kind of heritage it is; secondly, How believers only, and no others, can take them from their heritage. [1.] What kind of heritage it is. It is a heritage which exceeds all others in three particulars--it is full, it is sure, it is lasting; therefore we must pitch upon it for our solid happiness. (1.) It is a full heritage, and nothing can be added to the completeness of our portion; for in the promises here is God, heaven, earth, providences, ordinances, all made ours, and all inward comforts and graces they are a part of our portion; and what can a soul desire more? Here is God made over to us; the great blessing of the covenant is, I am thy God. Other men say (and they will think it a great matter when they can say), This kingdom is mine, this lordship is mine, this house, these fields are mine; but a believer can say, this God, this Christ, this Holy Spirit is mine. Alas! riches and honour and worldly greatness are poor things to a God made ours in covenant. Nay, mark the emphasis; God is not only ours, but ours as an heritage: Ps. xvi. 5, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.' They may claim a title to God, and enjoy the possession of God as freely as a man would do his own inheritance. I say, they have as sure a right to God, and all that he is and can do, as a man can have to the patrimony whereunto he is born. And as the Lord is theirs, so heaven and earth are both theirs. Heaven is theirs: let a believer be never so despicable in the world, yet he is an heir-apparent to the kingdom of heaven, James ii. 15. Though, it may be, you are poor persons, nothing to live upon; poor apprentices, nothing to set up withal, yet God hath chosen the poor of this world to be heirs of a kingdom.' Poor believers are but princes in disguise, princes in a foreign country, and under a veil; they have a large patrimony; it lies indeed in an unknown land to the world, it is in terra incognita to them; but believers know what an ample portion God hath laid up for them, heirs of a kingdom. If that be not enough, take that other expression, Rom. viii. 17, Heirs, co-heirs with Christ.' Christ as mediator, and we as members of his body, possess the same God, one father, one husband, one estate; we dwell together, live together; where he is we are. Besides God and heaven there is the world too. Here is the difficulty, how a Christian, that hath not a foot of land, yet should be heir of all the world. All things are theirs, saith the apostle, 1 Cor. iii. 21. And it is said of Abraham, who was the father of the faithful,' and whose blessing comes upon us, that through the righteousness of faith he became heir of the world.' He was re-established in the right which Adam had before the fall, that wherever God should cast his portion, he should look upon it as made over to him by grace, as a sanctified portion belonging to the covenant; and in this sense he was heir of the whole world. All creatures are sanctified to a believer, and the comfortable enjoyment of them fall to our lot and share; and therefore, 1 Tim. iv. 5, it is said, commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving, to them that believe and know the truth.' Mark, believers only have a covenant right to meat, drink, land, money, and the things that are possessed in the world, to make use of the good creatures God hath bestowed upon them. Others are not usurpers; I dare not say so. All men have a providential right; it is their portion God hath given them in this world;' but they have not a covenant right. Whatever of the world falls to their share comes to them in a regular way of providence, that shall be sanctified, and truly without this covenant right, if we had all earthly possessions, it would be a mere nothing, and no blessing. Once more, providence is theirs, even those things which are against us, afflictions, death; not only life, but death, 1 Cor. iii. 22, as part of their portion. Ordinances are theirs, all the gifts of the church, Paul, Apollos, Cephas, all for their benefit. And graces are theirs; the righteousness of Christ and the graces of the Spirit, they are all a part of their portion, made over to them by virtue of God's testimony. As to the righteousness of Christ, it is said of Noah, Heb. 11, 7, that he became an heir of the righteousness which is by faith.' The great legacy which Christ hath left is his righteousness. As Elijah when he went to heaven left Elisha his cloak or mantle, so when Christ went to heaven, he left the garment of his righteousness behind him as a legacy to the church, in confidence whereof we appear before God. Look, as fathers leave lands to their children, and such as they have, so Christ hath left us what he had. In the outward estate we are despicable. Silver and gold he hath not left us, that is no solid portion; but he hath left us his righteousness and obedience, as a ground of our acceptance with God. No monarch in the world can leave us such a portion; it cost Christ very dear to purchase it for us. Then the graces of the Spirit; we have grace enough to maintain our expenses to heaven, and carry us on till we come to the full enjoyment of our portion. Thus God in covenant, heaven, earth, whatever is great and magnificent, the ordinances of the church, the graces of the Spirit, all these belong to our heritage; it is a full portion. (2.) It is a sure portion, both on God's part and ours. On God's part, there we have his word, and that is better than all the assurance in the world: He hath magnified that above all his name,' Ps. cxxxviii. 2. If we had but God's single word, that is enough, for God is very tender of his word, more than of heaven and earth; and all things he hath made: Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.' Then we have it confirmed with an oath, Heb. vi. 6, 7. God thought our heritage could never stand upon terms sure enough, therefore he condescended to give us an oath over and above his word. An oath is given in a doubtful matter. But now because unbelief possibly might not be satisfied with God's bare word, he hath interposed by an oath, and pawned all his holiness and glory, laid them at pledge with the heirs of promise, that they might have strong consolation,' for that is the effect of God's oath, when the Lord swears, As I live, saith the Lord;' as if he should say, Take my life in pawn, count me not an excellent, glorious, holy God, if I do not accomplish this for you: I will make good this promise. There is no inheritance in the world so sure as this, made over to the heirs of promise. And then on our part, there it is made sure. God will maintain our right to this inheritance. We should embezzle our inheritance, lose it every hour, if it were wholly committed to us; but mark, Thou art the portion of mine inheritance, thou shalt maintain my lot, O Lord,' Ps. xvi. 5. A heritage is either wasted by the prodigality of the owner, or else wrested from us by the violence and cunning of others. Now, for the prodigal disposition of the owner: indeed we should spend our patrimony apace, soon embezzle our portion, if we had the sole keeping of it, for we are prodigals. But mark, under the law, Exod. xxv. 23, an Israelite, though he might alienate his inheritance for a while, till the year of jubilee came, yet God forbids him to sell it away for ever. So we blot our evidences often, we cannot read our title; there is an interruption of comfort, a kind of sequestration from the privileges of the covenant for a while; but Jesus Christ is our guardian to look after them that take the promises for their heritages. And then it cannot be wrested from us by the violence of others. All heritages in the world are liable to violences. Princes have been driven from their kingdoms, and men from their heritages; but this is a heritage God will maintain; he hath engaged his own power: John x. 28, No man is able to pluck them out of my hand.' It shall not be wrested from us by any pleas in law. The devil would soon pick a flaw in our title, there are so many temptations and accusations; but now God will maintain our right and possession of the privileges of the covenant. He is deeply engaged to maintain their right whose hearts depend upon him: they may take away life, but not the favour of God. (3.) It is a most lasting and durable inheritance, as being eternal: I have taken thy testimonies for my heritage for ever.' You know all estates are valuable according as they last. A lease for years is better than to be tenant at will, an inheritance is better than a lease. Our inheritance lasts for ever and ever. All other heritages determine with life, but then ours begins--this heritage of God's testimonies. A worldly portion may crumble away and waste to nothing before we die, but these testimonies will give us a good estate when all things else fail. A believer, when he is stripped of all, and reduced to bare promises, is a happy man; and when he is reduced to exigencies, then is the time to put the bonds in suit. God by promise hath made him self a debtor: As having nothing, yet possessing all things,' 2 Cor. vi. 10. They have all things in the promise, though nothing in sense. If we have but one gracious promise left to subsist upon, we cannot be poor; it is better riches than all the world, for then our right to God and eternal life still remaineth. If an estate here should last till death, yet then certainly men try the weakness of their portion. When other men find the worthlessness and baseness of their portion, you find the sweetness, fulness, and comfort of yours. Carnal men have but an estate for life at best: Luke xvi. 25, Son, in thy lifetime thou receivedst thy good things;' when they come to die they can look for no more; then they find the gnawing worm of conscience prove matter of vexation and torment; but then your heritage comes to the full: Ps. lxxiii. 26, My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.' Not only when all outward comforts fail, all creatures in the world have spent their allowance, but when the flesh begins to fail, when we consume and faint away, and hasten to the grave: Lord, then thou failest not, thou art the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. We have an interest in the eternal God, and we shall live eternally to enjoy him. God lives for ever, and we live for ever, that we may enjoy God. [2.] Now I come to give the reasons why it is the property of believers to choose this for their portion, and why no others can do it. It is the property of believers to do so upon two grounds:-- (1.) Because of the wisdom that is in faith. Faith is a spiritual prudence. You shall see faith is opposed not only to ignorance, but to folly, because it teacheth us to make a wise choice. Reason makes us wise to choose a good portion in this world: The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light,' Luke xvi. 9. But faith is for the inward and spiritual life. Worldly men are wise in worldly employments, to make a wise choice, and accomplish such things they affect, turn and wind in the world; there they excel the children of God; but faith makes us wise for eternity, and therefore it chooseth the better portion. Faith is a spiritual light, and seeth a worth in other things. It is a notable saying, Prov. xxiii. 4, Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.' How came these two things to be coupled? If we had no better wisdom than our own, we should spend our time, strength, and care to labour to be rich. Human wisdom doth only incline and enable us to the affairs of the present life, but God infuseth a supernatural light into the saints; they have counsel from the Lord: Ps. xvi. 7, I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.' As if he had said, Ah! Lord, if I am left to myself, and the workings of my own natural spirit, I should be as vain and foolish as others are; but thou hast given me counsel. (2.) The next reason is, because of the nobleness and height of spirit that is in faith. Faith will not be satisfied with any slight fancies; it must have better things than the world yieldeth. The great privilege of the covenant and work of grace is to give us a new heart; that is, another manner of spirit than we had before. Our natural spirit is the spirit of the world, a cheap, vile, low spirit, that will be satisfied with every base thing. Every man seeketh something for his portion, for no man hath sufficiency in himself, but seeketh it without. Natural men go no further than the world, riches, honour, pleasure; they seek it some in one thing, some in another. There is none more unsatisfied than a worldly man, for his heart cannot find rest, and yet none are sooner satisfied. A worldly man is not dainty, but taketh up what is next at hand. You think there is no such excellent-spirited men as they that have high designs in the world, and can achieve greatness and honour. But a poor Christian is of a more excellent spirit; these things will not give him contentment, nothing on this side God. Faith yieldeth a man a choice spirit, it maketh us take the testimonies of the Lord for our heritage. A renewed soul it hath its aspirings; it gets up to God, and will not be satisfied with worldly delights; but thou art my portion, saith my soul,' Lam. iii. 24. Others hunt after other things beneath God, heaven, the graces of the Spirit, the righteousness of Christ. Therefore thus it must needs be the property of God's children, because they have another understanding and another heart. And then none but the children of God can have these privileges. Why? Because though they are very magnificent and glorious, yet they are invisible, and for the most part future and to come; they make no fair show in the flesh; this is hidden manna, meat and drink the world knows not of. Carnal men look upon an estate that lies in the covenant to be but a notion and mere conceit, and they cannot believe they shall be provided for if God bears the purse for them; they cannot live immediately upon God, they must have something visible, outward, and glorious: and partly this inheritance is to come, therefore they cannot have this property: Heb. vi. 12, Be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.' The testimonies of the Lord are an inheritance we cannot come at presently, there needs a great deal of faith and patience in waiting upon God: as a hired servant must have money from quarter to quarter, and cannot with the child expect when the inheritance will befall him. A carnal heart dares not trust God, cannot tarry his leisure; wicked men have their reward,' Mat. vi. 2; they must have present wages, glory, honour, and profit here; they discharge God of other things, because it is a thing which costs them much waiting. A humble dependence upon God conflicts with many difficulties and hardships. Carnal men see no beauty in it, and because it is to come, it turns their stomachs. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXXII. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.--Ver. 111. USE 1. It informs us what is the reason why a believer, that hath nothing in hand, nothing to live upon, yet is not only patient, but comfortable and joyful, as the men of the world when their corn, wine, and oil increase. Whence are these men maintained, supplied, and kept at such a rate of cheerfulness? Their inheritance lies in the promise. As Christ said, I have meat and drink the world knows not of;' so they have land and estate the world knows not of; they have all in God. You account him a richer man that hath much land, and a thousand pounds in bonds, than he that hath only a hundred pounds in ready money; so a child of God that hath one promise is richer than all the world: he hath bonds, and his debtor cannot fail him. Let me tell you, a man may not only live by faith, but he may grow rich by faith. You read of living by faith, Gal. ii. 20; this is that which supports and keeps up a believer in heart and life. This will not only keep body and soul together, but help us to grow rich. Use 2. For examination. You have heard much what it is to have an heritage in the testimonies of the Lord. Oh! but who is the man? Try yourselves. Let me propound a few plain questions. 1. Were you ever chased out of yourselves in the sense of the insufficiency of your worldly portion, and the curse due to you? Are you driven out of yourselves? Heb. vi. 18, there is a comfortable place: God, willing to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation.' Oh! who are these heirs of promise? If we could find out that, we are sure there is enough in God; there they are named who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us. There is none ever took the testimony of the Lord for their portion, but they came first to take hold of it as men in danger, ready to sink and perish and be undone. Our first redress is to take sanctuary in the covenant, to flee to Christ, represented there as a city of refuge, that we may be safe. It is an allusion to a man which fled from the avenger of blood. When taken out of the city of refuge, under the law he was to die without remedy. So a poor soul that first takes hold of the covenant runs for sanctuary there first, before he comes to take possession of the comforts of it. 2. What do you take to be your main and your great work? Do you make it your main care to keep up your interest in the promises? the great business you drive on, you would sit down in as your work and employment? What do you wait upon as your great project and design in the world? Mary chose the better part, Luke x. 42; do you make this your choice, your work and business you drive on, that you may be possessed of the whole land of promise, and enjoy eternal life, and clear up your right and title to heaven? 1 Tim. vi. 19, Laying up in store a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.' 3. Are you very chary of your Interest? Oh! you would not hazard it upon such easy terms. This is that all your happiness depends upon. What! shall I break with God for such a trifle? Are you afraid to lose your inheritance by sin, as a man his treasure by theft? Are you careful and wary in this kind, that you may not hazard your interest? 1 Kings xxi. 3, said Naboth, God forbid that I should sell mine inheritance.' Mark, there was a king would traffic with him, and that inheritance was but a poor vineyard of the earth, but it was that which was descended from his father: now God forbid I should sell it. Thus will be the disposition of God's children. Oh! here lies my all, my happiness, my daily supplies from God. God forbid that upon every trifle and carnal satisfaction I should break with God. It was a great profaneness in Esau, Heb. xii. 16, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.' It is an argument that God is little valued, or the covenant and testimony of the Lord, when you can part with them for a mess of pottage, when the consolations of God are so cheap, and you can part with them for a little temporal satisfaction, and sell your part in Christ at a very easy rate. 4. What respect do you bear to the promises of God? Do you often meditate upon them? Have you recourse to them in straits? Do you keep them up as the choicest things upon your heart, upon which all your comfort depends, as a man would keep the key safe which opens to all his treasure? Do you carry the promises as a bundle of myrrh in your bosom? Because this is the key that gives you ad mission to the blessings promised. A man will keep his bonds chary, and will be often looking over them and considering them. So are you meditating upon the promises? Are they the rejoicing and delight of your souls? Do you keep them near and dear to you? When alone, do your hearts run upon them? For a man may know his heritage by his musing and imagination. When Nebuchadnezzar was alone, Is not this great Babel which I have built for the honour of my majesty?' He was thinking of his large territories. So if you have taken the testimonies of the Lord for your heritage, your heart will be running upon them. Oh! what a happiness is it tor God to be my God, and my interest cleared up in eternal life, and the great things of the covenant! Many times the flesh interposeth: Ps. cxliv. 15, Happy is that people that is in such a case.' You will be ad miring carnal excellency sometimes, but then you will check your souls: Yea, rather, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.' 5. If the testimonies of the Lord be your heritage, then you will live upon them, and make them the storehouse from whence you fetch all your supplies, as righteousness, peace, comfort, and spiritual strength; nay, all your outward maintenance. This will be comfort in straits, strength in duty, provision for your families. There are two sorts of the children of God, either those that are in prosperity, or those that are in want, and both live on the covenant. A child of God that hath a plentiful affluence of outward comforts, yet he doth live upon God, 1 Tim. iv. 5, to them that believe, for everything is sanctified by the word and prayer. Though God hath supplied them with mercy, yet they have their right; all comforts and blessings owe their rise from the promise. I take them immediately out of God's hand, from a God in covenant with me; and so I use the blessing and praise God. Otherwise, if you look only to present supplies, you live by sense, not by faith. Every one is to say, Give us this day our daily bread,' to fetch out his supplies from God every day, rich men as well as others, when you see you have a right and liberty by Christ. So God's leave and God's blessing go along with all; by this means rich men live upon the covenant. Ay! but chiefly in want; the word quickened and strengthened him when he was in distress and in want of all things. Do you find the word afford maintenance in distress and want of all things? The covenant is a storehouse that never foils. When all else fails, God is alive still, and the promises are the same; when the field yields no meat, when there are no calves in the stall, &c., yet then you can live upon your covenant interest, and comfort yourselves in the Lord your God, Hab. iii. 18. Though the course of nature may fail, yet the covenant of God doth not fail, for that is beyond the course of nature, or beyond the common providence of God. When you can see that all the accidents which fall out in the world can never take your portion from you, you have enough to live upon; when you see more in the promises than the creature can take away from you, and can see all made up in God. As the children of Israel in the wilderness had no house, but, Lord, thou art our dwelling-place,' Ps. xc. 1. Faith gets a living from promises when nothing comes to hand in sense and outward feeling; and nothing can be taken from us but what the covenant can restore again, and to fetch quickening and support from heaven. Use 3. For exhortation, to press you to take God's promises for an heritage; the poorest, that are born to nothing, may put in for a share. Take those motives:-- 1. Consider every man hath an heritage, he hath a chief good: Ps. iv. 6, Many say, Who will show us any good?' There is something that man takes to be his happiness. The soul in itself is a chaos of desires; like a sponge that sucks and thirsts, it hath not sufficiency in itself; it was made for something without ourselves. Now man. being such a needy creature, is always looking abroad for a happiness, for a portion to maintain and keep him up in comfort and life, Every man must have a portion. Men are not men without looking after something to maintain them as a portion. Now there is no portion like this, like the testimony of the Lord; there is none so full as this, God's covenant notion is all-sufficiency; here is all things to be found in God. When God came to indent with Abraham, I am God all-sufficient.' He that hath the testimony of the Lord for his portion, hath God's all-sufficiency engaged to give him everything he stands in need of. 2. This is a portion will go along with you wherever you go. If you go into exile, a foreign land, into prison, into the grave, your heritage will follow you there. Your estate, though it lay in jewels, cannot be carried safe with you; but this portion you may carry with you, they cannot plunder and deprive you of it. There is a notable expression: Prov. xiv. 14, A good man shall be satisfied from him self.' A very strange expression: it is the highest sacrilege and usurpation that can be to be sufficient to ourselves; it is an encroachment upon God. Man, when he first fell from God, self was the next pretender. To seek that in ourselves which is only found in God, now is it meant a good man shall be satisfied from himself?' What! shall the Lord be laid aside? shall he be sufficient to his own happiness? No; it is not meant in opposition to God, but in opposition to external things that lie without him. He is satisfied from himself; that is, from the comfort God lets into his own heart. A godly man is independent, his comfort doth not hang upon the creature; if you take away the creature, you do not take away his portion. As the philosopher could say, when all were he wailing the loss and spoil of the enemy, I carry all mine with me; so a Christian carries all his treasure about him. There is the same expression, Heb. x. 34, Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.' A Christian hath a substance that is out of the reach of spoiling, since inward comfort is far better than riches, and all this lumber that is without. 3. All other things will never give you satisfaction. A worldly heritage may give us a bellyful, but cannot give us a heartful: Ps. xvii. 14, Their bellies are filled with hid treasure.' They which are rich and great in the world have more dishes at their tables, but those have a more delicious feast in their souls that have chosen God for their portion. All other heritages do but yield more matter for sin, more fuel for wickedness, to be spent upon lust, pride, luxury, appetite; that is all the difference. The heart of man is not satisfied with these things; and yet if the heart could be satisfied, conscience could not, for that is a sore place; still our sore will run upon us. Thus you see there is no heritage like this, that lieth out of the reach of the world, and that will fill up the whole heart, and yield satisfaction. You know all other things cannot help us in many worldly cases. In sickness spiritual comfort doth only relish of sweetness. A man doth never relish the comfort of the covenant as when he is under sickness, and-deprived of other things. For all other heritages, we know the best of them at first, but this is a heritage that grows upon us; here we have the pledge and earnest of our inheritance: an earnest is a small thing to bind the bargain in lieu of a greater sum. 4. This heritage sanctifies all our heritages. Oh! it is a sad thing to enjoy a heritage with a curse and the wrath of God. First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all other things shall be added;' then they are cast in over and above, as paper and pack thread into the bargain, and are cast in in a sanctified way. A man may grow worse for every other portion, all the world will not bring one dram of grace; but this improves the world, and betters us. 5. Again, this is a good sign of adoption, when we have the spirit of God's children, both in God's gift and our choice. When men take the promises for their portion, it is a sign they have a good spirit. There is no mark put upon them that have an excellent disposition and dexterity to grow great in the world; but to be labouring and striving after an interest in the testimony of the Lord, it is a sign we have a child's spirit. 6. Again, this is a peculiar portion, and always goes along with the favour of God. Other things a man may have with the hatred of God; God giveth gifts to all his creatures. Isaac had the inheritance, but the children of the concubines had gifts. So every creature may have common gifts, a common portion, abundance of supplies in outward things, but no right in the promises of God; and all this may be without the love of God. 7. Again, they that refuse this heritage the Lord will cause his vengeance to seize upon them. It is not arbitrary whether you will take the testimony of the Lord for your heritage or no. God cannot endure to be despised. When Nabal despised David's kindness, I will cut off every one that pisseth against the wall.' So when the Lord hath made such an offer of himself and his Christ in covenant, and love hath gone to the uttermost to save, and we turn hack, then snares, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest, this shall be the portion of their cup,' Ps. xi. 6. It would make a man's heart tremble to think of the heirs-apparent of the land of darkness, that is, wicked men: God will give them their portion with hypocrites in everlasting burnings.' Therefore take heed of refusing this portion; you can look for nothing but terrible things from God, for his love is despised. Well, then, go in God's name, and take hold of the covenant. Again, this may be of use to press believers to live answerable to such an heritage. Am I an heir of heaven, and so uncomfortable and dejected? Can I have an interest in the promises and be no more affected? This returning upon our hearts, Rom. viii. 31. When the apostle had spoken that we should be co-heirs with Christ, and laid forth the privileges of the covenant, he concludes, What shall we say to these things?' So, Christians, go home, return upon your heart, and say, Have I an interest in him, and live at such a low rate both for comfort and grace? Do I walk in such a low and unsuitable manner? Do I look upon this as the only sure heritage for my soul. Urge your heart with such questions as these. Doct. 2. The taking of God's testimonies for our heritage breeds joy and rejoicing in the heart. Now this joy ariseth partly from the portion itself, partly from the disposition of the saints, and partly from the dispensation of God. 1. From the portion itself. It is a portion that deserves to be rejoiced in, it is so full, and God cannot be possessed without great joy. A man cannot think of a little pelf and worldly riches that is his own without some comfort; and can a man think of these great things without comfort? Consider both what we have in hand and hope, and still it is matter of joy. In hand, there is reconciliation with God. Oh, to have God in amity with us! Rom. v. 1. If one have but a great man to his friend, it comforts him that he hath such a prop and stay. Oh, but now to have God reconciled! And then to have the care of providence, to have God engaged as a father--God caring for us--to be under a promise that he will never fail us till he hath brought us to heaven. And then to have heaven kept for us, those glorious things: We rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.' Joy is pitched upon our hopes in many places, something in possession, and something in reversion; this must needs breed a joy in our soul: Heb. iii. 6, The rejoicing of hope;' and Rom. xii. 12, Rejoice in hope.' A Christian hath cause to rejoice for what he hath in hand. God is at peace with him, he can go to him as a friend, as a God in covenant with him; he is bound to provide for him as a father; and then, at the end of all, a glorious happiness that is to be enjoyed. 2. It ariseth from the disposition of the hearts of God's people; partly from their esteem, their faith, their assurance; they take it for their heritage, they esteem it as their portion, they believe it, and reflect upon their own interest; and all this causeth joy. It comes from their esteem; that which I esteem I will delight in: Mat. vi. 21. Where the treasure is, there will the heart be.' Affection follows esteem, and above all the affection of delight. A man may desire a thing that is nothing worth; when he comes to enjoy it, then he slights it. We are not acquainted with the imperfection of all worldly things until we come to enjoy them; but delight, that is an argument of esteem, the choicest affection. And then it comes from faith. Many hear of such great promises, but they hear like men in a dream. But now a believer, that hath a piercing sight, that seeth the reality and truth of them, his heart leaps within him. Heb. xi. 13, it is said, These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them.' When a man is persuaded of the truth, the reality, and goodness of the promise, oh! his heart leaps. They hugged the promises. Here is a promise that will yield glory, heaven, and happiness, and all that I stand in need of. Spiritual sight makes way for spiritual persuasion, and spiritual persuasion for holy rejoicing; that is the order: In whom believing, we were filled with joy.' Faith is the immediate ground; and that is the reason why carnal men do not feel such lively joy, they do not believe it. Then it comes, too, from assurance and reflection upon their own interest, when they can challenge it as theirs, when it is made over to them. The rejoicing of faith is not only good in common, but propriety is a ground of rejoicing, and delight is nothing but a complacency in our portion: 1 Sam. xxx. 6, David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.' 3. It comes from the dispensation of God; for when we esteem the promises and delight in them, then the Lord fills the heart with sweetness: Rom. xv. 13, The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.' The Lord rewards delight with delight. Thou shalt call the Sabbath thy delight' in one place, then, presently Thou shalt delight thyself'--there is the promise. There is a delight and rejoicing that is our duty, and a delight and rejoicing that is God's dispensation. God loves to reward grace with grace. Look, as in a way of judgment he punisheth sin with sin, as when security is punished with sottish obstinacy and hardness of heart; so it is a sweet mercy when grace is rewarded with grace, when our delight in the promises is rewarded with a sweetness and taste of the promises. Use 1. The portion of God's children and religion is no dark gloomy thing. The people of God have hidden joys. As the sun shines many times when it rains, so, though they be under affliction, yet they have the shine of God's face, the comfort of God's promises. Let me show the excellency of the spiritual heritage above the carnal. A carnal heritage, alas! that is a poor thing; there is no strong consolation in it. The comforts of wicked men are poor, weak comforts, they cannot comfort us in any affliction, poor things soon overcome; but to God's people their heritage affords strong consolation, in overcoming worldly lusts, in spoiling the relish of other pleasures, overcoming worldly care and worldly sorrow, in bearing us out in all. afflictions; nay, the strength of it is seen in overcoming the terrors of the Lord, death, hell, judgment to come, the fears and doubts of our own conscience. It will not only swallow up the sense of poverty, disgrace, and affliction, but will bear us out in life and death; they have a joy that will make them to do and to suffer the will of the Lord. When once they have tasted the comforts of God's presence, other things will go down easy. I might press you to look after this rejoicing of heart. It makes much for the glory of God, for the honour of our portion, that we do not repent us of our choice, that we bear up cheerfully. And it is of abundant profit: the joy of the Lord is a Christian's strength; it bears him out in doing for God. To this purpose you should beware of sin; that is a clouding, darkening thing. Men or angels cannot keep their hearts comfortable that sin against God. Sin takes away all joy, peace, and the whole strength of men; and an angel cannot make the conscience of a sinner rejoice: therefore the children of God must take heed that they do not allow sin. In Acts ix. 31, They walked in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost.' Usually these two go together, and the oil of grace makes way for the oil of gladness; and usually obedience concurs to the establishing of our joy. Above all, look after communion with God, for he is the fountain of joy; and the more communion we have with him, the more we rejoice. The more communion in prayer: 1 Sam. i. 6, when Hannah prayed, she was no more sad.' Prayer hath a pacifying virtue in it. And then in the use of the seals, for these are assuring ordinances. Now the more we revive the grounds of assurance, the stronger the consolation; that appears Heb. vi. 18, Acts viii. 39. The eunuch when he was baptized went away rejoicing.' When a man hath an inheritance made over to him, passed in court, all things done, the title not to be made void, then he goes and rejoiceth. So when the promises have been confirmed by a solemn ratification, it makes joy. Then meditation and thanksgiving keep this joy alive; thanksgiving gives vent, and meditation that maintains it. __________________________________________________________________ SERMON CXXIII. I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always to the end.--Ver. 112. DAVID did not only feast his soul with comforts, but also minded duty and service. In the former verse he had professed his comfort and joy, resulting from an interest in the promise; now he expresses the bent of his heart to God's statutes. Ephraim is represented as an heifer that is taught, that would tread out the corn, but not break the clods. It is a fault in Christians when they only delight to hear of privileges, but entertain coldly enforcements of duty and obedience. David was of another temper; first he said, I have taken thy testimonies for an heritage,' and then, I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always to the end.' In which words you have all the requisites of God's service. 1. The principle of obedience, I have inclined my heart. 2. The matter of obedience, thy statutes. 3. The manner of doing--(1.) Accurately to perform; (2.) The universality and uniformity, always; (3.) Constantly, to the end. First, That which the Psalmist bringeth in evidence for himself is the frame of his heart; he beginneth there, not with eyes or hands or feet, but my heart. Secondly, This heart is spoken of as inclined, poised, and set, to show his proneness and readiness to serve God; not compelled but inclined. The heart of man is set between two objects; corruption inclineth it one way and grace another; the law of sin on the one side and the law of grace on the other; when the scales are cast on grace's side, then the heart, is inclined to God's statutes. Now he saith, I have inclined.' It is the work of God's Spirit to incline and bend our hearts, as David expresseth himself, ver. 36. But it is not unusual in scripture to ascribe to us what God worketh in us, because of our subservient endeavours to grace as we pursue the work of God. Certum est nos facere quod facimus, sed Deus facit ut faciamus, saith Augustine. It is our duty to incline our hearts to God's law, which naturally hang sin ward, but it is God's work. God beginneth by his preventing grace, and the soul obeyeth the impression left upon it: Turn me and I shall be turned,' Jer. xxxi. 18. Yea, he still followeth us with his subsequent and co-operating grace; we do but act under him: I inclined my heart after thou hadst filled it with thy Spirit; when I felt the motions of thy grace, my consent followed; preventing grace made me willing, and subsequent grace that I should not will in vain. Now, what was his heart inclined to? To perform thy statutes;' not to understand them only, or to talk of them, but inclined to perform them, to go through with the work; that is the notion of performing: Rom. vii. 18, How to perform.' We render katerga'zesthai by it; to be complete in God's will, to do his utmost therein; this not by fits and starts, but always, a continual care and conscience to walk in God's law, not suffering ourselves for any respect to be turned out of the way. Many have good motions by starts, temporise a little; their goodness is like the morning dew; it is thus not for a time, but to the end. A holy inclination while the fit lasteth is no such great matter; this was to the last. Some stop in the middle of the journey, or faint before they come to the goal, but David held out to the last. Or this is brought as an evidence of his sincerity (the sum is a bent of heart carrying him out to perform whatsoever God doth command all the days of his life). I shall speak of what is most material, and observe this point-- Doct. They that would sincerely and thoroughly obey God must have a heart inclined to his statutes. Here I shall show-- 1. What is this heart inclined. 2. The necessity of it. First, What is this heart inclined. God expects the heart in all the service that we do him: Prov. xxiii. 26, My son, give me thy heart;' not the ear or the eyes or the tongue, but the heart. The most considerable thing in man is his heart; it is terminus actionum ad intra, and fons actionum ad extra--it is the bound of those actions that look inward. The senses report to the fancy, that to the mind, and the mind counsels the heart: Prov. ii. 10, If wisdom enter upon thy heart.' It is also the well-spring of those actions that look out ward to the life, Prov. iv. 23; Mat. xv. 19. You have both these in one place: Let thy heart keep my precepts, let thine heart receive my words,' Prov. iv. 4. In taking in we end with the heart; the statutes of God they are never well lodged till they are laid up in the heart. In giving out duty and service, we begin with the heart; we must go so deep, or else all that we do is of no worth. The heart is the spring of motion, that sets all the wheels a-working: Ps. xlv. 1, My heart inditeth a good matter, my tongue is as the pen of a ready writer,' ready to praise God and serve him. When the prophet would cure the brackishness of the water, he cast salt into the spring. Our heart is blind: 1 Chron. xxii. 19, Now set your heart to seek the Lord.' There is a setting and fixing the heart which is the fruit of grace and ground of obedience. 1. It is the fruit of grace. By nature the heart is averse from God, desireth not to serve or enjoy him. See what the scripture saith of man's heart: Prov. x. 20, The heart of the wicked is nothing worth,' a sty and nest of unclean birds; Gen. vi. 5, Every imagination of the thoughts of his heart are only evil continually.' The scripture doth much set out the heart of man; it is foolish, vain, deceitful, Jer. xvii. 9, vain, earthly, unclean, proud. There is a strange bead-roll: Mark vii. 21-23, Out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.' It was in, or else it would never come out. If a man should vomit nothing but knives, daggers, pistols, and other instruments of destruction, of what a monstrous complexion would you judge that man to be! Oh, no such monster in the world as man's heart! If let alone to its own bent, it would grow worse every day, as putrid flesh grows more noisome every day. But now God by his grace giveth a new heart,' that hath other dispositions and inclinations, a heart that loveth God, and delights in God, tends to God. A new heart is the great blessing of the covenant, Ezek. xxxvi. 26; a new heart is a new placing of our desires and delights, for by these the heart is known. 2. It is the ground of obedience; for the heart is the main wheel of the soul, that moveth other things: a bowl is made round before it runneth round: Deut. v. 2, Oh, that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me!' There must be somewhat to bear up our resolutions. But more particularly, what is this bent and inclination of heart? And first negatively. 1. It is not a simple approbation of the ways of God. Many go so far as to approve what is good, to condemn themselves for not doing it, to praise others that are holy, can be content that those that are under their power should take to the ways of God, as dissolute parents would have their children soberly brought up, video meliora proboque: Acts v. 13, The people magnified them,' yet durst not join themselves with the disciples of Christ. Saul said unto David, 1 Sam. xxiv. 17, Thou art more righteous than I;' yet David was fain to go to his hold; as the woman, in Luke xi. 27, 28, cried out, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that gave thee suck;' but Christ said, Rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.' 2. It is not a bare desire or wish. Many that live ill could wish to live well. Balaam had his wishes, but went on in his course, Num. xxiii. 10. Some flashes they have; a spark is not enough to set the heart on fire in holy things; in carnal things it is enough. Many such languid motions carnal men have, yea, many cold prayers, that God would make them better, but the soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing, for his hands refuse to labour;' they do not set themselves in good earnest to get that grace they wish for. Would I were at such a place! but never stir a foot. Would I had written such a task! and never put pen to paper. 3. It is not a hypocritical will; or, as one called it, a copulative will. We would, but with such or such a condition. I would, if it did not cost me so dear; if I were not to mortify lusts, to deny friends, interests, relations. They would come to the supper, Mat. xxii., but one had married a wife, another had a yoke of oxen to prove, another had found merchandise; this is no full and perfect will. No doubt but the chapman would have the wares, but he will not come to the price; a Christian should say, I will whatever it cost me, I will what ever come of it: Ps. xxvii. 4, One thing I have desired of the Lord, and this I will seek after.' Secondly, Positively. Then is the heart inclined:-- 1. When the judgment determineth for God, and comes to a full decree about obedience to him. Acts xi. 23, Paul exhorted them, That with full purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord;' that is the fruit of conversion; not a little liking or hovering or faint resolution, but a full purpose, an absolute positive decree in the will, to own God and his ways whatever it cost us, a full consent to the duty of the covenant. 2. When the will is poised and swayed with love and delight, and the heart is made suitable to obedience: Thy law is in my heart, and I delight to do thy will, O God,' Ps. xl. 8. Many times the law of God is written in the mind; many have good apprehensions, but the will is not swayed, bent this way. Amor meus est pondus meum, eo feror quocunque feror; when there is a natural inclination. 3. When this bent of the will is seconded with constant endeavours to attain what we resolve upon, and there is a continual striving to make good the articles of our perfect resignation or first surrender of ourselves to God: Phil. iii. 12, I follow after that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ.' God taketh hold of us by his grace, and we carry on this grace in the way of diligent pursuit or constant obedience. It is not one endeavour or two, but such as hath its constant force; hath not its pangs of devotion, but to` the'lein para'keitai, to will is present with me,' Rom. vii. 18. It is a daily habitual constant will; not a volatile devotion, that cometh upon us now and then, but such a will as is present as constant as evil is, Rom. vii. 21: kako`n para'keitai. Wherever you go, or whatever you are about, you carry a sinning nature about with you; it is urging the heart to vanity, folly, and lust. So this will is present, urging the heart to good, and stirring up to holy motions. Secondly, Let me now show you the necessity of this inclined heart, that we may yield to God cheerful, uniform, and constant obedience. 1. That we may yield to God cheerful obedience in all our services. God looketh for a ready mind. God, that accepts the will for the deed, never accepts the deed without the will. The dregs of things come out with squeezing and wringing; duty is best done when, like live honey, it droppeth of its own accord; cheerful and hearty service only pleaseth the Lord. Now, that is cheerful service which cometh not from the influence of by-ends and foreign motives, or the compulsion of a natural conscience or legal fears, but from the native inclination and bent of the heart: 1 John v. 3, This is love, to keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous.' The work is not grievous, but pleasant, because suitable to the principles that are in us; it is not done against the hair: Cain offered sacrifice, but with a grudging mind. It is somewhere said, They offered to the Lord whose hearts made them willing.' When the heart is in it, it is not constrained, forced service, but natural and genuine; not like water out of a still, but like water out of a fountain. 2. For uniform obedience, to serve God in the whole tenor of our lives, that needs a heart inclined, that may be as a constant spring of holiness. A man may force himself now and then to actions displeasing to himself, but his constant course is according to his natural tent and inclination. Haman could refrain himself from murder, but his heart still boiled with rancour and malice. When men look only to the refraining of outward actions, or the restraining the outward man, it will never hold; the bent of the heart will discover itself, and so they will be off and on with God. The compulsion of conscience will sometimes urge them to God, but the inclination of the heart will draw them to evil; therefore God wisheth that his people had a heart to serve him,' Deut. v. 29. 3. Constant obedience; that can never be till the heart be inclined. Judas was a disciple for a while, but Satan entered into his heart, Luke xxii. 3. Ananias joined himself to the people of God, but Satan filled his heart.' Simon Magus was baptized, but his heart was not right with God,' Acts viii. 22. Here is the great defect. But now, when God gets possession of the heart, there he dwelleth, Eph. iii. 17, there he abideth, as in his strong citadel, and from thence commandeth all the faculties of the soul and the members of the body. Use 1. To press you to get this bent of heart, otherwise all your labour in religion will be in vain, every difficulty will put you out of the way, and make you think of a revolt from God; till this the work of grace is not begun. God's first gift is a new heart: Ezek. xxxvi. 26, A new heart also will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put within you.' Without this you can never hold out, but you will be uncertain and mutable in the profession of godliness; whatever restraints are upon you for a time, sin will be breaking out ever and anon with violence; and at length men will return with the dog to the vomit, and with the sow to her wallowing in the mire,' 2 Peter ii. 20. Oh! then, go to God for it: Jer. xvii. 10, say, Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved.' Carry forth the work of God so far as you receive it; follow after to apprehend that for which we are apprehended of Christ,' Phil. iii. 12. Use 2. Have we such a heart, a heart inclined to do the will of God? 1. Though there be such a bent and inclination, there will be failings, yea, reluctances and oppositions: Rom. vii. 18, To will is present with me, yet how to perform that which is good I find n