or the Infusion of Grace 2. For the renewing the vigour of the life of Grace the renewed Influence of God whereby this Grace is stirred up in our hearts First for Regeneration or the Infusion of Grace Ephes. 2. 1 2. When we were dead in Trespasses and Sins yet now hath he quickned us then we are quickned or made alive to God when we are new born when there is an habitual Principle of Grace put into our hearts Secondly Quickning is put for the renewed excitation of Grace when the life that we have received is carried on to some further increase and so 't is twofold either by way of Comfort in our Afflictions or enlivening in a way of Holiness 1. Comfort in afflictions and so 't is opposed to fainting which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles and distrust of God and the supplies of his Grace when the affliction is heavy upon us we are like Birds dead in the nest and are so overcome that we have no Spirit nor Courage in the service of God Psal. 119. 50. This is my Comfort in affliction for thy word hath quickened me Then we are said to be quickened when he raiseth up our hearts above the trouble by refining our suffering Graces as Faith Hope and Patience Thus he is said to revive the Contrite one Isa. â—…7 15. To restore comfort to us and to refresh us with the Sense of his Love 2. There is a quickening in Duty which is opposed to deadness of Spirit which is apt to creep upon us that is occasioned by Negligence and sloathfulness in the business of the spiritual Life Now to quicken us God exciteth his grace in us An Instrument though never so well in tune soon grows out of Order A Key seldom turned rusts in the Lock so Graces that are not kept a work lose their Exercise and grow Luke-warm or else 't is occasioned by carnal Liberty or intermeddling with worldly things These bring a Brawn and deadness upon the Heart and the Soul is depressed by the cares of this World Luk. 21. 34. Now when you are under this Temper of soul desire the Lord to Quicken you by new influences of Grace 2. Let me shew the necessity of this quickening how needful ' t is 1. 'T is needful for without it our general standing is questionable whether we belong to God or no 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are living stones built up into a spiritual House t is not enough to be a stone in Christs building but we must be living Stones not only members of his body but living members I cannot say such a one hath no grace but when they have it not it renders their Condition very questionable a man may be living when he is not lively 2. Without it we cannot perform our Duties aright Religion to a dead heart is a very irkesome thing When we are dead-hearted we do our Duties as if we did them not in our general course of obedience we must go to God Psal. 119. 88. Quicken me after thy loving Kindness so shall I keep the Testimonies of thy Mouth Then we do good to good purpose indeed t is not enough for us to pray but we must pray with life and Vigour Psal. 80. 18. Quicken me and I will call upon thy Name so we should hear with Life not in a dull Careless Fashion Math. 13. 15. 3. All the Graces that are planted in us tend to beget quickening as Faith Hope and Love these are the Graces that set us a work and make us lively in the Exercise of the spiritual Life Faith that works by Love Gall. 5. 6. It sets the Soul a work by apprehending the sense of Gods love whereas otherwise t is but a dead Faith 1 Iam. 2. 16. Then for love what is the Influence of that it constrains the Soul it takes the soul along with it 2 Cor. 5. 14. and Rom. 12. 1. And then hope 't is called a lively Hope 1 Pet. 1. 3. all Grace is put into us to make us Lively not only the Grace of Sanctification but the Grace of Iustification is bestowed upon us for this end that we may be cheerful in Gods service Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our Consciences from dead works that we may serve the living God Sin and guilt make us dead and heavy hearted but now the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon the Conscience and the sentence of Death taken away then we are made cheerful to serve the living God Attributes are suited to the case in hand he is called the living God because he must be served in a living manner 4. All the Ordinances which God hath appointed are to get and increase this Liveliness in us Wherefore hath God appointed the Word Isa. 55. 3. Hear and your Souls shall live t is to promote the Life of Grace and that we may have new Incouragment to go on in the ways of God Moses when he received the Law is said to receive the lively Oracles of God Acts 7. 38. 10. So the doctrine of Christ they are all Spirit and Life and serve to beget Life in us As the redemption of the world by Christ the joys of Heaven the torments of Hell they are all quickening truths and propounded to us to keep us in Life and Vigour The Lords supper why was that appointed There we come to tast the flesh of Christ who was given for the Life of the world Iohn 6. That we might sensibly exercise our Faith upon Christ that we might be more sensible of our Obligations to him that we might be the more excited in the diligent pursuit of things to come Use 1. Is reproof David considereth the Dulness and Deadness of his Spirit which many do not but go on in a cold Tract of duties and never reguard the frame of their Hearts It is a good sign to observe our spiritual Temper and accordingly go to God Most observe their Bodies but very few their Souls If the body be ill at ease or out of Order they complain presently but love waxeth cold and their Zeal for God and delight in him is abated yet they never lay it to Heart Secondly To exhort us to get and keep this lively frame of heart 1. Get it Pray for it liveliness in obedience doth depend upon Gods Blessing unless he put life and keep life in our Souls all cometh to nothing Come to God upon the account of his Glory Psal. 143. 11. Quicken me O Lord for thy Name sake for thy Righteousness sake bring my Soul out of Trouble His tender Mercies Psal. 119. 156. Great are thy tender Mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy Iudgments Come to him upon the account of Christ Iohn 10. 10. I am come that they might have Life and that they might have it more abundantly And John 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers
for ever I shall illustrate this Proposition by these Considerations 1. That God's Children are sometimes under deadness 2. That in such deadness the Word of God is the onely means to quicken them 3. Though the Word be quick and lively and powerful yet it is God that must bless it that must make it a support to the Soul 4. That whenever we have received these Comforts Quicknings and Supports from him they should ever be recorded and treasured up in the Registers of a thankful memory for the great uses of Christianity I. First God's Children are under deadness sometimes which hapneth to them for many causes 1. By reason of some Sin committed and not repented of or not fully repented of God smites them with deadness and hardness of heart and the spiritual life for awhile is greatly obstructed and impaired that it cannot discover itself and they have not those lively influences of grace as formerly Thus it was with David when he had strayed so greatly from God and begs God not to cast him off Psal. 51. 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me As a wound in the body lets out the life blood and the spirits so these grievous sins are as a wound in the soul Sin against the conscience of a renewed man defaceth the work of the holy Spirit so that for a while he seems to be shut out from God's favor and his gracious abilitie are lessened and impaired he is like a wounded man till he be cured and made whole again The Spirit being grieved and resisted withdraws and the strength of the Soul is wasted and therefore be very tender stand in awe not only of greater but smaller sins 2. By reason of some good omitted especially neglect of the means whereby we may be kept alive fresh and lively in God's service Lazy fits of indisposition and omissions of duty do more frequently steal in upon Believers than positive out-breakings and commissions of sin and they are more ready to please themselves in them and lie still under them and so by this means contract much deadness of heart As a Lute that is not play'd upon but hangs by the wall and not used it soon grows out of keller for want of use so if we do not diligently and constantly exercise our selves in godliness our hearts grow dead and vain It is the complaint of the Church Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee If we do not stir up our selves to keep on a constant commerce with God and respect to God alas deadness creeps upon the heart unawares and we are commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1. 6. To stir up the gift of God which is in us Surely a sloathful servant will soon become an evil servant Mat. 25. 26. Thou evil and sloathful servant Therefore our sinful sluggishness is one cause of our deadness for he that doth not trade with his Talents will necessarily become poor and if we do not continue this holy attendance upon God the heart suffers loss 1 Thess. 5. 19 20. Despise not prophesie quench not the Spirit The coupling of these two things together shews that if we despise Prophesie we quench the Spirit as fire goes out not only by pouring on water but by not stirring and blowing it up To expect help from God when we are sluggish is to tempt Christ and put him still upon a miraculous way to heal and cure our distempers Who will bring bread and meat to a Sluggard's Bed who will not arise to labor for it oâ—… will not rise at least to fetch it Therefore if we will not attend upon God in the means of grace he will not bring us that help comfort and supply that otherwise we might have God worketh but so that we work also 2 Phil. 12. 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh c. God's working is not a ground of laziness but for more strict observance Since all depends upon God therefore take heed you do not offend God and provoke him to suspend his grace We must not lie upon a Bed of ease and cry Christ must do all for this is to abuse the power of grace to laziness It is notable that God bids his people do that which he promiseth to give them Psal. 31. 24. Psal. 27. 14. Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart As if he had said strengthen thine heart and he will strengthen thy heart The courage of Faith is both commanded and promised why God by this would shew how we should shake our selves out of our laziness and idleness that though God gives us grace and power yet he will have us to work as a Father that lifts up his childs arm to a burden and bids him lift it up Usually we complain of deadness with a reflection upon God he quickens the dead and therefore I am dead ay but what hast thou done to quicken thy self for grace was never intended that we might be idle you must complain of your selves as the moral faulty cause God is the efficient cause you do not meditate pray draw life out of the precious promises when the Spouse sleeps and keeps her Bed then Christ withdraws Cant. 5. 6. 3. Another cause is unthankfulness for Benefits received especially spiritual Benefits for God loves to have his grace acknowledged He stops his hand and suspends the influences of his grace when the creature doth not acknowledge his bounty Col. 2. 7. Be stablished and rooted in the faith abounding therein with thanksgiving The way to grow in Faith and get by Faith is to be thankful for what we have received that 's an effectual means both to keep it and to get more Therefore if we be always querulous and do not give thanks for the goodness of God to us for what he hath already vouchsafed to us in Christ no wonder that deadness and discouragement creeps upon our hearts 4. Pride in Gifts for we are told Iam. 4. 6. God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble The Garland we put on our own heads soon withers and those Gifts which we are pusst up with are presently blasted and have deadness upon them for he will teach us to ascribe all to himself 5. Some great and heavy Troubles We read ver 107. of this Psalm I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according unto thy Word O! when we are afflicted sore there 's a deadness upon the heart the spiritual life clogged with what alacrity did they go about good things before but then there 's a damp worldly sorrow deadens the spirit as godly sorrow quickens it and is a means to keep us alive to God 6. Another cause is Carnal liberty or intermedling with worldly vanities So much we may learn from that Prayer Psal. 119. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou
p. 539 Constancy in Obedience will turn to good account at lastp 375 376 377. Vid. Perseverance Constant endeavours against Sin a sign of Grace p. 20 Constant Obedience from a new Principle p. 753 Constancy the glory of Obedience p. 339 Constant Zeal for God p. 855 Constant Obedience against all Temptations p. 668 Contempt of Gods Word two Reasons of it p. 1005 338 339. Must not drive from Duty p. 339 340 Contemptuous wanderers from Gods Precepts God will pull down p. 793 Contention with Equals a fruit of Pride p. 520 Contentment in trouble from the Faith of Gods Protection p. 768 We should be Content with what measures of grace God alloweth p. 905 Continuance in sin exceeding dangerous p. 21 Continuance in Obedience the same Reason to continue it that there was to begin it and more p. 341 Contraries subserve Gods designs p. 525 Conversation of a Christian should be a Hymn to God p. 1096 Converse with God delightful p. 952 Converse with Saints comfortable p. 504 505 Conversion occasioned by Afflictions p. 464 Conversion may be observed and known p. 603 Conversion Gods method in it 1. In Conviction of sin 2. Compunction for sin p. 603 604 626 1. By humbling for sin 2. Cleansing the heart 3. Binding up the broken heart p. 626 Conviction in various degrees p. 604 Convictions stiâ—…led harden the heart more p. 400 412 Convictions their saving effects p. 605 Conviction 1. By way of prevention 2. Humiliation p. 688 Corruptions always ready to break out upon us p. 790 A cause of Apostasie p. 803 Corrupt communication 1. Obscene 2. Calumniating 3. Proud 4. Passionate Discourses c. p. 1064. its evil p. 1065 Cost and charge in the service of God an Argument of true Zeal p. 853 A priviledge of the Covenant to be taught Gods Statutes p. 845 Covenant of works leaves no room for Repentance-p 838 Arguments to enter into Covenant with God and keep it p. 707 708 909. Covenant Right the priviledge of them that walk with God p. 7. Covenant of Grace in the form of Precepts and Promises p. 28 It differs from all other Covenants p. 941 Covenant between God and man is mutual p. 608 821 Difference and agreement between the two Covenants p. 906 907 908 Covenant not to â—…e modelled by our fancies p. 578 Covenant Relation to God implies an entire surrender of the whole Soul to him p. 683 It ought to be often renewed and why p. 706 when p. 706 707 Covetousness a great Enemy to Righteousness p. 818 and to obedience what it is p. 254. Reasons p. 257 Counsel Wisdom Understanding how they differ-p 737 Counsels of God are Commands p. 24. Counsel of God in his Word sufficient for all our necessities p. 153 Counsellors Gods Testimonies the best Counsellors p. 148 152 Evil Counsellors Envy Covetousness Pride Revenge p. 829 Courage Christian what it is difference between it and Military Valour p. 723. Objections answered p. 734 Courage for God A Christian must not only be Laborious as an Oxe but Valiant as a Lion p. 851 852 Court of Gods Iudgment p. 942 Creation discovers the Author to be God p. 9. End of Creation to make us seek God the Creator p. 13 397 448 It discovers God to be Merciful p. 437 Creation gives God a right to the whole heart and our whole Obedience p. 16 Creatures serve man man his Creator p. 589 498 Creatures when spoken of as eternal it must be understood of a Communicated and dependant et cruity p. 570 Creatures utmost perfection is Vanity p. 613 614 It is of a perishing Nature p. 615 Credit God stands upon the Credit of his Word p. 831 Cross hath done its work when it hath purged away our sins p. 868. We never more advance in Christianity then under the Cross p. 147 Cross serves to awake the drowzy Conscience p. 464 465 Crosses must 1. be looked for 2. prepared for 3. borne with patience when laid on us p. 966 Crown of Glory to be set against the Cross p. 592 Under the Cross to have good thoughts of God glorisies him p. 511 Crown of Glory forfeited by Apostacy p. 342 Crying to God in Prayer opposed to lifeless formality p. 898. We may cry we must cry to God and why so what it is to cry to God p 898 899 Reasons why men do not cry to God 1. They want a right sense of their necessities 2. They are tongue-tyed through guilt 3. They have no spiritual Desires 4. Nor Reverence of God 5. They want Faith p. 900 901 Cure of Sin two ways 1. by abating the inward Lust. 2. Removing the outward bait p. 867 Curiosity and Conscience p. 689 Curse of God the Nature of it p. 132 133 Curse of God lies upon every man by Nature p. 133 How to know we are not under the Curse p. 134. Custom no safe Rule to walk by p. 4 Custom in sin makes sin stronger p. 56. It it a second Nature p. 303 Customariness and Complement in praying make no business of that great Duty p. 920 D. DAY of Iudgment An account of thoughts words and actions to be given in that Day p. 39. the necessity of that Day p. 457 The Triumph of Gods Justice will be glorious at the last day p. 937 Daily grace to be sought as well as daily bread p. 789 Why God permits his Children to be in daily danger of their lives p. 74 728 Danger sense of it puts an edge on Prayer p. 916 917 Danger may be nigh to gods People p. 943. Reasons p. 943 944 Deadness of heart in the Children of God whence 1. From some sin committed 2. Some good omitted 3. Unthankfulness 4. Pride of gifts 5. Great outward Troubles 6. Carnal liberty indulged to themselves p. 597 598 Helps against deadness p. 601 602 Deadness of heart towards that which is good caution'd against p. 777 Deadness in prayer reproved whence it comes p. 890 900 Death to the Soul to be without sense of Gods Love p. 516 Death how far it may be desired and how not p. 104 1095 Ministers should Preach and People hear as if Death were at their backs p. 408 Death it self should not make us warp from the Word p. 732 Death not desirable for it self p. 1095 Deceitfulness of sin in two particulars p. 679 680. Decay first decays of the soul to be observed p. 344 Deceived wicked men are Deceived in their Trust p. 798 Deceivings of the Heretick the superstitious and the seeming Religious Person p. 799 Declame A man may declame against other mens sins and yet never mourn for them in secret p. 932 Declaring our Case before God argues sincerity p. 164 165 Defection of others should make us more esteem Gods Word why p. 871 Vid. Apostacy Degenerated man the worst of all Creatures p. 897 Degeneracy of Man and Mankind p. 496 1100 Degrees of Holiness p. 18 Degrees of love to the Word p. 867 868 Delays in turning to God dangerous
keeping their Fathers command Ier. 35. Set pots before them c. no our Father hath forbidden us to drink wine Their Fathers were dead but ours is living will you that are sons renounce God and side with the Devils party and commit sin you to whom the Father hath shewed such love that you should be called his children Then 't is a wrong to Iesus Christ to his Merit to his Example To his Merit Christ came to take away sin and will you bind those cords the faster which Christ came to loosen Then you go about to defeat the purpose of his death and put your Redeemer to shame You seek to make void the great end for which Christ came which was to dissolve sin And besides you disparage the worth of the price he paid down you make the blood of Christ a cheap thing when you despise grace and holiness you make nothing of that which cost him so dear you lessen the greatness of his sufferings And it is a wrong to his Pattern You should be pure as Christ is pure 1 Joh. 1. 3. and v. 5. be righteous as he is righteous You should discover what a holy person Christ was by a conformity to him in your conversation Now will you dishonour him What a strange Christ will you hold forth to the world when his Name is upon you will you give way to sin and folly And it is a wrong to God the Spirit a grief to him His great and first work was to wash us from sin Tit. 3. 5. You forget that such a work was past upon your hearts and that you have been purged from your old sins when you return to them again 2 Pet. 1. 9. and his constant residence in the heart is to check the lusts of the flesh to prevent the actings of sin If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Rom. 8. 13. therefore you go about to make void his personal operation Thus 't is a wrong to God 2. By an argument drawn from our selves it is very unsuitable to you We profess our selves to be regenerate and born of God 1 Joh. 3. 9. He that is born of God cannot sin It is not only contrary to thy duty but to thy nature as thou art a new creature It were monstrous for the egg of one creature to bring forth a brood of another kind for a Crow or a Kite to come from the Egg of a Hen It is as unnatural a production for a new-creature to sin therefore you that are born of God it is very uncomely and unsuitable Do not dishonour your high birth 3. Consider the nature of Sin if you give way to it it will encroach further Sins steal into the Throne insensibly and being habituated in us by long custom we cannot easily shake off the yoke or redeem our selves from their tyranny They go on from little to little and get strength by multiplied acts Therefore we should be very careful to avoid all sin The second part of the Caution is Beware of gross sins committed against light and conscience When we are tempted to sin say with Ioseph Gen. 39. 9. How can I do this wickedness and sin against God The more of deliberation and will there is in any action the sin is the fouler Consider foul sins are a blot that will stick long by us See 1 King 15. 5. it is said David walked in all the ways of the Lord and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite Why there were many other things wherein David failed you read of his diffidence and distrust in God I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul We read of his dissimulation and feigning himself mad in the company of the Philistines We read of his injustice to Mephibosheth his fond affection to Absolom his indulgence to Amnon we read of his numbering the people which cost the lives of thousands all on a sudden all these are great failings but these are not taken notice of but the matter of Uriah left a scar and blot that was not easily washt off Thirdly Bewarē of continuance in sin How may we continue in sin In what sense Three things I shall take notice of in sin culpa reatus macula there 's the fault the guilt the blot and then we continue in sin when the fault the guilt or blot is continued upon us 1. The fault is continued when the acts of it are repeated when we fall into the same sin again and again Relapses are very dangerous as a bone often broken in the same place you are in danger of this before the breach be well made up between God and you as Lot doubling his Incest to venture once and again is very dangerous 2. The guilt doth continue upon a man till serious and solemn repentance till we sue out our pardon in the name of Christ. Though a man should forbear the act never commit it more yet unless he retracts it by a serious remorse and humbleth himself before God and sueth out his pardon in a repenting way the guilt continues If we confess he speaks to believers then sin is forgiven not otherwise 3. There 's the macula the blot by which the School-men understand an inclination to sin again the evil influence of the sin continueth until we use serious endeavours to mortifie the root of it When we have been foiled by any lust that lust must be more mortified For instance Ionah he repented for forsaking his call when he was cast into the Whale's belly but the sin broke out again because he did not mortifie the root what was that his pride So that it is not enough to bewail the sin but we must launce the sore and discover the root and core of it before all will be well A man may repent of the eruption of sin the former act but the inclination to sin again is not taken off Iudges 16. 2. Sampson loves a woman of Gaza and she had betray'd him but by carrying away the Gates of the City he saves his life possibly upon that experience he might repent of his folly and inordinate love to that woman I but the root remains therefore he falls in love with another woman with Delilah Therefore if you would do what is your duty you must look to the fault that that be not renewed the guilt that that be not continued by omission of repentance and that the blot also do not remain upon you by not searching to the root of the distemper the cause of that sin by which we have been foiled So much for the first part of the Text They do no iniquity The Second note is They walk in his ways This is the positive part not only avoiding of sin but practice of holiness is implyed Observe Doct. 2. It is not enough only to avoid evil but we must do good
them out of his presence they become the scorn of Saints and Angels Dan. 12. 2. And many of them that sleep in the dust shall arise some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt But now the godly are bold and confident Psal. 1. 5. The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous But the godly shall lift up their head with joy and rejoicing Now the Reasons of this Where sin is not allowed there is a threefold comfort 1. Justification 1 Joh. 1. 7. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin It is an evidence that giveth us the comfort He hath failings but they are blotted out for Christs sake 2. It is an evidence of sanctification that a work of grace hath passed upon us 2 Cor. 1. 12. For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you ward Heb. 13. 18. We trust that we have a good conscience willing in all things to live honestly An universal purpose and an unfeigned respect hath the full room of an evidence 3. A pledg of glory to ensue Rom. 5. 5. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Use. It informeth us by the rule of Contraries That we deceive our selves if we look for any thing from sin but shame Rom. 6. 21. For the wages of sin is death Sin and shame entred into the world together How were Adam and Eve confounded after the fall Sin is odious to God it grieveth the Spirit but the person that committeth it shall be filled with shame In the greatest privacy sin bringeth shame Men are not solitary when they are by themselves there is an eye and ear which seeth and observeth them there is a law in our hearts which upbraids our sins to us as soon as we have committed them a secret bosom-witness 2. It informeth us what hard hearts they have that have respect to no commandments yet are not ashamed They have outgrown all feelings of conscience and so glory in their shame Phil. 3. 19. Whose end is destruction whose God is their belly and whose glory is in their shame who mind earthly things Erubuit salva res est By how much less they are ashamed now the more they shall be their shamelesness will encrease their shame Jer. 3. 3. Thou hadst a whores forehead thou refusedst to be ashamed The Conscience of a sinner is like a Clock dull calm and at rest when the weights are down but wound up it 's full of motion 3. Here is caution to Gods children The less respect you have to the Commandments the more shame will you have in your selves Partiality in obedience breaketh your confidence and over-clouds your peace Therefore that we may not blemish our profession let us walk more exactly So shall we not be ashamed when we have respect to all Gods Commandments SERMON VIII PSAL. CXIX 7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments IN this Verse David expresseth his esteem of the Word by telling what he would give for the knowledg and practice of it As we use to tell a man how thankful we would be if he would do thus and thus for us So Lord if thou wilt give me to learn thy righteous judgments then I will praise thee c. His promise of praise manifesteth his esteem which should affect our stupid hearts The Canon is now larger and the mysteries of the Word are more clearly unfolded If the Saints of God were so taken with it before when there were so scanty and dark representations in comparison of what is now O what honour and praise do we now owe to God! In this Verse observe 1. The Title that is given to the Word Thy righteous judgments 2. His Act of Duty about it or the benefit which he desireth sound erudition When I shall have learned 3. The fruit of this benefit obtained Then will I praise thee 4. The manner of performing this duty With uprightness of heart First The Title that is given to the Word Thy righteous judgments or as it is in the Margent the judgments of thy righteousness Hence observe Doct. Gods precepts are and are so accounted of by his people as righteous judgments or judgments of righteousness There are two Terms to be Explained 1. What is meant by judgments 2. By righteousness For the First Righteousness is sometimes put alone for the Word and so also Judgments as we shall find in this Psalm but here both are put together to increase the signification The precepts of the Word are called judgments for two Reasons 1. Because they are the Judicial sentence of God concerning our state and actions 2. Because of the suitable execution that is to follow First They are the Judicial sentence of God concerning our state and actions The judicial sentence that is they are the Decrees of the Almighty Law-giver given forth with an authority uncontroulable A man may appeal from the sentence of men but this is judgment this is as certain as if he were executed presently There is injustice and oppression many times in the Courts of men but there 's a higher than the highest regards it and there be higher than they Eccles. 5. 8. There may be another Tribunal to which we may appeal from the unjust sentences of men but there is no appeal from God for there is no higher Judicature Paschalis a Minister of the Albigenses when he was burnt at Rome cited the Pope and his Cardinals before the Tribunal of the Lamb. When we are wronged and opprest here we may cite them before the Tribunal of God and Christ but who can appeal from the Tribunal of Christ himself And then this sentence is concerning our state and actions 1 Our State whether it be good or evil The word sentenceth you now for instance If a man be in a carnal state Joh. 3. 18. He that believeth not is condemned already How condemned already In the sentence of the Law so he is gone and lost Every unbeliever such as all are by nature is condemned already having only the slender thread of a frail life between him and the execution of it The sentence of the Law standeth in force against him since he will not come to Christ to get it repeal'd This sentence standeth in force against all Heathens which never heard of Christ and are condemned already by the Law But now Christians or those that take up such a profession and have heard of the Gospel on them it is confirmed by a new sentence since they will not fly
the Text Wherewith shall a young man cleanse c. In the words there is 1. A question asked 2. An answer given In the question there is the person spoken of a young man And his work Wherewith shall he cleanse his way Omnis quaestio supponit unum inquirit aliud In this Question there are several things supposed 1. That we are from the birth polluted with sin for we must be cleansed It is not direct his way but cleanse his way 2. That we should be very early and timously sensible of this evil for the question is propounded concerning the young man 3. That we should earnestly seek for a remedy how to dry up the issue of sin that runneth upon us All this is to be supposed That which is inquired after is What remedy there is against it What course is to be taken So that the sum of the question is this How shall a man that is impure and naturally defiled with sin be made able as soon as he cometh to the use of reason to purge out that natural corruption and live an holy and pure life to God The answer given is By taking heed thereto according to thy word Where two things are to be observed 1. The Remedy 2. The manner how it is applied and made use of 1. The remedy is the Word by way of address to God called Thy Word because if God had not given direction about it we should have been at an utter loss 2. The manner how it is applied and made use of by taking heed thereto c. by studying and endeavouring an holy conformity to Gods will 1. I begin with the question for as the careless world carrieth the matter it seemeth very impertinent and ridiculous What hath youth and childhood to do with so serious a work When old age hath snowed upon their heads and the smart experience of more years in the world hath ripened them for so severe a Discipline then it is time to think of cleansing their way or of entring upon a course of repentance and submission to God For the present Dandum est aliquid huic aetati Youth must be a little indulged they will grow wiser as they grow more in years Oh! no God demandeth his right as soon as we are capable to understand it And it concerneth every one as soon as he cometh to the use of reason presently to mind his work both in regard of God and himself 1. In regard of God that he may not be kept out of his right too long Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth He is our Creator we have nothing but what he gave us and that for his own use and service And therefore the vessel should be cleansed as soon as may be that it may be fit for the Masters use It is a kind of spiritual restitution for the neglects of childhood and the forgetfulness of Infancy when we were not in a capacity to know our Creator much less to serve him And therefore as soon as we come to the use of reason we should restore his right with advantage 2. In regard of himself The first seasoning of the Vessel is very considerable Prov. 22. 6. Train up a child in the way in which he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it When well principled and seasoned in youth it sticketh by them before sin and worldly lusts have gotten a deeper rooting If Solomon's observation be true a mans infancy and younger time is a notable presage what he will prove afterwards Prov. 20. 11. Even a child is known by his doings whether his work be pure and whether it be right Much may be known by our young inclinations But alas this is not full out the case The vessel is seasoned already But wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way which presupposeth a defilement No Infant is like a vessel that newly cometh out of the potters shop indifferent for good or bad infusions The vessel is tainted already and hath a smatch of the old man and the corruptions of the flesh Psal. 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me We came polluted into the world our business is to stop the growth of sin As a child walloweth in his filthiness so we do all spiritually wallow in our blood Ezek. 16. 4 5. As for thy nativity in the day thou wast born thou wert not washed in water nor swadled at all No eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast out into the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born And when I saw thee polluted in thy own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood Live c. Therefore the Question is very savory and profitable Wherewith shall a young man c. But why is the young man only specified I answer All men are concerned in this work old men are not left to themselves not wholly given over as hopeless but youth need it most being inclined to liberty and carnal pleasures and most apt to be led aside from the right way by the motions of the flesh and being head-strong in their passions and self-willed need to have their servours abated by the cool and chill Doctrines of repentance and conversion to God And therefore though others be not excluded the young man is expresly mentioned unbroken Colts need the stronger bits The word is of use to all but especially to youth to bridle them and reduce them to reason 2. The Answer By taking heed thereto according to thy word The word as a remedy against natural uncleanness is considerable two ways As a Rule and as an Instrument 1. As the only rule of that Holiness which God will accept all other ways are but by-paths as good meaning or the suggestions of a blind conscience custom example of others our own desires laws of men superstitious observances an Apocryphal holiness Nothing is holiness in Gods account how specious soever it be unless it be according to the Word What doth the Word do about all these as the Rule It sheweth the only way of reconciliation with God or being cleansed from the guilt of sin and the only way of solid and true Sanctification and subjection to God which is our cleansing from the filthiness of sin All Religions aim at this Ut anima sit subjecta Deo peccata in se no true peace without the Word nor no true holiness The first is proved Ier. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls The second is proved Ioh. 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth So that a young man that is like Hercules in bivio to chuse his path to true
happiness will never attain to true peace and sound satisfaction of conscience nor to true grace or an hearty subjection to God but by consulting with the Word No other rule and direction will serve the turn 1. It is the only rule to teach us how to obtain true peace of conscience The whole world is become obnoxious to God and held under the awe of Divine Justice This bondage is natural and the great inquiry is how his anger shall be appeased Micah 6. 6 7 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the high God shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oyl shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul Now here is no tolerable satisfaction offered no plaister for the wounds of conscience no way to compromise and take up the controversie between us and God but by the Propitiation which the Gospel holdeth forth all this is effected The Gentiles were at a loss the Iews rested in the Sacrifices Which yet could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience Heb. 9. 9. Therefore they fled to barbarous and sinfully cruel customs offering their first-born c. There was no course to recover men from their intanglements and perplexities of soul how to pacifie God for sin but they were still left in a floating uncertainty till God revealed himself as reconciling the world to himself in Christ. Now no Doctrine doth propound the way of reconciliation with God and redemption from those fears of his angry Justice which are so natural to us with such rational advantages and claimeth such a just title to humane belief as the Doctrine of the Gospel Oh then if the young man would cleanse his conscience and quiet and calm his own spirit he must of necessity take up with the Word as his sure direction in the case Look abroad where will you find rest for your souls in this business of attonement and reconciliation with God What strange horrible fruits and effects have mens contrivances on this account produced What have they not invented what have they not done what not suffered upon this account and yet continued in dread and bondage all their days Now what a glorious soul-appeasing light doth the Doctrine of satisfaction and attonement by the blood of Christ the Son of God cause to break in upon the hearts of men The testimony of blood in the conscience is one of the witnesses the believer hath in himself 1 Joh. 5. 8. And there are three that bear witness on earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood And vers 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 2. It is the only rule of true Holiness Never was it stated and brought to such a pitch as it is in the Scriptures nor enforced by such arguments as are found there it requireth such an holiness as standeth in conformity to God and is determined by his will Now it is but reason that he that is the supreme Being should be the rule of all the rest It is an holiness of another rate than the blind heart could find out not an external devotion nor a civil course but such as transformeth the heart and subdueth it to the will of God Rom. 2. 15. If a man would attain to the highest exactness that a rational creature is capable of not to moral vertue only but a true genuine respect to God and man he must regard and love the Law of God that is pure A man that would be holy had need of an exact rule for to be sure his practice will come short of his rule and therefore if the rule it self be short there will no due provision be made for respects to God or man But now this is a rule that reacheth not only to the way but the thoughts That converteth the soul Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul. Take the fairest draughts of that moral perfection which yet is of humane recommendation and you will find it defective and maimed in some parts either as to God or men It is inferioris Hemisphaerii as not reaching to the full subjection of the soul to God There is some dead fly in their box of ointment either for manner or end 2. The Word is considerable as an instrument which God maketh use of to cleanse the heart of man It will not be amiss a little to shew the instrumentality of the Word to this blessed end and purpose It is the glass that discovereth sin and the water that washeth it away 1 It is the glass wherein to see our corruption The first step to the cure is a knowledg of the disease it is a glass wherein to see our natural face Iam. 1. 23. For if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass c. In the Word we see Gods Image and our own It is the copy of Gods Holiness and the representation of our natural faces Rom. 7. 9. What fond conceits have we of our own spiritual beauty but there we may see the leprous spots that are upon us 2 It sets us a work to see it purged it is the water to wash it out The word of command presseth the duty 't is indispensibly required What doth every command sound in our ears But wash you make you clean This is indispensibly required 1 Ioh. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure And Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Some things God may dispense with but this is never dispensed with Many things are ornamental that are not absolutely necessary as wealth riches Wisdom with an inheritance is good so learning Many have gone to heaven that were never learned but never any without holiness 3 The word of promise incourageth it 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God And 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust God might have required it upon the account of his Soveraignty we being his creatures especially this being the perfection of our natures and rather a priviledg than a burden but God would not rule us with a rod of iron but deal with rational creatures rationally by promises and threatnings On the one side he telleth us of a pit without a bottom on the other of blessed and glorious promises Things which eye hath not seen nor ear heard
weighty matter of Life and Death Psal. 4. 4. Commune with your Hearts and be still this is the way to check sin and to come on most hopefully in a course of Obedience 3. Drive your thoughts to a Resolution to rectify whatever is amiss never leave thinking of your ways till you grow anxious about Eternal Life nor let your anxiousness cease till you bring it to somewhat grow to some resolution about the wayes of God Pray God to make your Consideration effectual 2 Tim. 2. 4. Consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things this is but the means God giveth the Grace SERMON LXVII PSAL. CXIX 60. I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments IN the Verse immediately preceeding the Man of God speaks of Repentance as the Fruit of consideration and self-examining I considered my wayes and then turned my Feet to thy Testimonies But when did he turn for though we see the evil of our wayes we are naturally slow to get it redressed Therefore David did not onely turn to God but he did it speedily we have an account of that in this Verse I made haste c. this readiness in the work of Obedience is doubly exprest Affirmatively and Negatively Affirmatively I made haste Negatively I delayed not This double Expression increaseth the sence according to the manner of the Hebrews as Psal. 118. 17. I shall not die but live that is surely live so here I made haste and delaied not that is I verily delaied not a moment assoon as he had thought of his wayes and taken up resolutions of walking closely with God he did put it into Practice The Septuagint read the words thus I was ready and was not troubled or diverted by fear of danger Indeed besides our natural slowness to Good this is one usual ground of delaies we distract our selves with fears and when God hath made known his Will to us in many Duties we think of tarrying till the times are more quiet and favour our Practice and our Affairs are in a better posture A good improvement may be made of that translation But the words run better as they run more generally with us I made haste and delaied not c. and from thence observe Doct. That the call of God whether to amendment and newness of Life or to any particular Duty must be without delay obeyed To illustrate the point by these Reasons Reason 1. Ready Obedience is a good Evidence of a sound impression of Grace left upon our Hearts There 's a slighter conviction which breedeth a sense of Duty but doth not urge us throughly to the performance of it and so men stand reasoning instead of running debating the case with God and there 's a more sound conviction which is accompanied with a prevailing Efficacy and when we have this upon our Spirits then all excuses and delaies are laid aside and we come off readily and kindly in the way of complyance with Gods call This is Doctrinally spoken of Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will run after thee Running is an earnest and speedy motion from whence comes it From drawing it is a Fruit of drawing or the sweet and powerfull attraction which the Spirit of God useth in the Hearts of the Elect. Instances I might give you in several calls and conversions spoken of in Scripture When Christ called Andrew and Peter they left their Father and followed after him Mark 1. 20. So when Christ called Zaccheus he made haste and came down from the Tree and received him joyfully Luke 19. 6. So Christ to Matthew follow me and straightway he followed him Matth. 9. 9. Iulian the Apostate scoffs at these passages as if it were irrational to conceive such a thing could be that men should so soon leave their course of gain and their calling or else that Christs followers were a kind of sotts and fools weak and poor spirited Creatures that upon a word speaking they would come off presently all of a suddain but impulsions of the Spirit carry their own reason with them and draw the Heart without any more adoe But such as he were not acquainted with the workings of the Holy ghost in Conversion therefore scoff at these things So Gal. 1. 16. Immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood When our call is clear there needs no debate When Men stand reasoning instead of running there is not a through work upon them Reason 2. The sooner we turn to the wayes of God the better we speed How So 1. Partly in this that the Work goes on the more kindly as being carried forth in the strength of the present influence and impulsion of Grace whereas if the heart grow cold again it will be the more difficult A blow while the Iron is hot doth more than ten at another time when it grows cold again so when thy Heart grows cold thou wilt not have that advantage as when thou art under a warm conviction And indeed that 's the Devils cheat to speak of hereafter to elude the importunity of the present conviction that is upon you Iohn 5. 4. You know when the waters were stirred then was the time to put in he that stept in first had experience of the Sanative vertue of the Waters So when the Heart is stirred we should not lose this advantage but come on upon that call There are several Metaphors in Scripture that do express this sometimes we must open when God knocks Cant. 5. we must enter when God opens lest the door be shut against us Matth. 25. we must come forth when he bids us as Lot out of Sodom lest we perish when a thing is done speedily and in season it 's a great advantage 2. The more welcome to God the sooner we turn to him We value a gift not onely by its own worth but by the readiness of him that gives if we have it at first asking we count it a greater kindness and give the more thanks so the less we stand hucking with God and demurring upon his call the more acceptable is our Obedience Pharaoh did at length let Israel goe but was forced to it and with much adoe no thanks to him It is true indeed if we turn at length seriously heartily we are accepted with God but not so accepted as when we come in at first Surely the sewer calls we withstand the less we provoke God and the more ready entertainment do we finde The Spouse that would not open at the first knock but onely at length when her bowels were troubled when she thought of her unkindness then she went out to open to her Beloved but then her Beloved was gone You will not finde God at your beck when you dally with him Your Comforts will cost you longer waiting for when you make God wait for entrance and would not give way to the work of his Grace 3. You speed better because your personal benefit is the greater the sooner you
little longer No it is demanded now he doth not give it up but it is taken away from him Reason with thy self as Isaac Gen. 27. 2. I allude to it Behold now I am old I know not the day of my death make me savoury meats that my Soul may bless thee before I die So reason I have spent so much time in the world and I know not the day of my dissolution when God will call me home Oh let me go to God that he may bless me before I die 2. You know not whether the means of Graâ—… shall be continued to you or no and such affectionate offers and melting entreaties Acts 13. 46. Since you put away the word of God from you you judge your selves unworthy of everlasting Life God will not always wait upon a lingring Sinner but will take the denial and be gone They judge themselves unworthy of that Grace they pass Sentence upon themselves 2 Cor. 6. 1 2. Now is the accepted time now is the day of Salvation we beseech you receive not the Grace of God in vain God hath his seasons and when these are past will not treat with us in such a mild affectionate manner The means of Grace are removed from a people by strange Providences when they have slighted the offers of Grace Luke 13. 7. These three years I came seeking fruit on this Fig-tree and finde none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground In that Text there 's first God 's righteous expectation These three years I came seeking Fruit. He was the dresser of the Vineyard they were the three years of his Ministry as by a serious harmonizing the Evangeliâ—…ts will appear that he was just now entring upon his last half year they had his Ministry among them 2 Their unthankfull frustration I find none nothing answerable to what means they enjoyed 3 God's terrible denunciation Cut it down why cumbreth it the ground God will root up a people or remove the means and therefore will ye leave it upon such uncertainties 3. There 's an uncertainty of Grace 2 Tim. 2. 25. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth It is a meer hazard it may be he will it may be not It is uncertain whether the Spirit of God will ever put in your Heart a thought of turning to God again Gen. 6. 3. My Spirit shall not always strive with man The Spirit of God strives for a long while follows a Sinner casts in many an anxious Thought troubles and shakes him out of his carnal quiet and security but this will not always last Ah Christians there are certain Seasons if we had the skill to take hold of them there is an appointed fixed time when God is nearer to us then at another time and we shall never have our Hearts at such an advantage Isa. 55. 6. Call upon him while he is near and while he may be found There are certain Seasons which are times of finding Some are of opinion that there are certain Seasons when a Man may be rich if he will when God offereth him an opportunity for an Estate in the World if he knew the time and how to take hold of it Certainly to those that live under the means of Grace there 's a time of finding when God is nearer to them than at another time and therefore will you slip that and leave it upon such great uncertainties 4. There 's an uncertainty in this we are not certain of having the use of our natural Faculties we may lose our Understandings by a stupid Disease and God may bring a Judgment upon those that dally with him in the work of Repentance It is an usual Judgment upon them that while they were alive did forget God when they come to die to forget themselves and have not the free use of their Reason but invaded with some stupid Disease die in their Sins and so pass into another World Reason 4. The Fourth Reason is the great mischief of delay 1. The longer we delay the greater indisposition is there upon us to embrace the Ways of God Oh Christians when we press you to Holy things to turn your selves to the Lord you begin to make some Essay and then are discouraged and find it is hard and tedious to Flesh and Bloud and so you give over Now mark if it be hard to day it will be harder the next so the third onward for it is hardness of heart that makes the Work of God hard Now the more we provoke God the more we resist his Call the more hard the Heart is the impulsions of his Grace are not so strong as before and the Heart every day is more hardned As a Path weareth the harder by frequent treading so the Heart is more hard the Mind more blind the Will more obstinate the Affections more engaged and rooted in a course of Sin Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his Skin or the Leopard his Spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe evil O to break off an inveterate Custom is hard A Plant newly set is more easily taken up than a Plant that hath taken root When we grow old and rotten in the way of Sin it will be much harder for us than now it is the longer we lie soaking here in Sin the farther off from God 2. We provide the more discomfort for our selves Always the proportion of our Sorrow is according to the measure of our Sins Whether it be godly Sorrow the sorrow of Repentance or desparing Sorrow those Horrours which are imprest upon us as a Punishment of our Rebellion and Impenitency in both sences you still increase your Sorrow the more you sin For the sorrow of Repentance it is clear that Sorrow must carry proportion with our Offences She that had much forgiven wept much Certainly it will cost you the more Tears a greater humbling before God the longer you continue in a course of Sin against him And for the sorrow of Punishment you are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. your Burthen will be greater and more increased upon you It is too heavy for your Shoulders already to bear why should we adde to the weight of it Either our sorrow of Repentance will be greater or the anxious sense of our Punishment for in both God observes and God requires a proportion 3. Consider how unfit we shall be for God's service if we delay a little longer when our strength is spent and vigour of youth exhausted when our Ears grow deaf Eyes dim Understanding dull Affections spent Memory lost is this a time to begin with God and to look after the business of our Souls Certainly he that made all that was our Creatour deserves the flowr of our strength Eccles. 12. 1. when the tackling is spoil'd and Ship rotten is that a time to put to Sea or rather when the Ship is new built Shall the Devil feast upon
thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee since thou wast precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life That is if the Sword must drink blood let it go to Seba and Ethiopia to Arabia and to Egypt he strikes the King of Assyria in his wrath and the sword shall be diverted that way rather than they should be given up to be destroyed But this is not all The way how we come to be his own doth exceedingly endear us to him as for instance we come to be Gods by eternal Election now this must needs endear us to God A Woman that carries her child in her womb but nine months what a tender affection hath she to it Isa. 49. 14 15. Can a woman forget her sucking child c Eph. 1. 4. He chose us from the foundation of the world We lay in the womb of his Decree from all Eternity and therefore we are very dear to God namely as we are his by Election Again as we are his by Redemption they were bought with a dear price therefore they are a precious People God hath a high esteem and value for them that which cost dear we will not lose it lightly The Saints are valuable not so much in themselves as in Christ by whose precious blood they are purchased with God 1 Pet. 1. 18. Adam sold us for a trifle but Christ did not redeem us at a cheap rate Then the work of the Spirit who hath drawn the image of God upon us God will not suffer his own work to be destroyed Psal. 74 6. They came to God and complained of the defacing of the material Temple that the carved work the curious work which was wrought by the special direction of God's own Spirit was destroyed for the Spirit of God directed Bezaleel to work in brass and all manner of curious works certainly the Temples of the Holy Ghost which are formed for God's praise God will not suffer them to be destroyed and never look after them Again as they are Gods by dedication so they are dear to him Common gold and silver was not so valued as Consecrated gold and silver Goats-hair that was Consecrated to the uses of the Temple was more excellent than all other things that was for common use We are dedicated consecrated to God set apart for himself Psal. 4. 3. The Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself 3 He hath a peculiar eye to his own why because he expects more work from them than from others therefore they have more protection God is known glorified and owned among them His Revenues to the Crown of Heaven from the world come to little in regard of what he hath from his People and his Church Psal. 145. 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy Saints shall bless thee God hath most of his praise from his Saints His Creatures shew forth his glory but his Saints bless him The common sort of People smother the glory of God in their Atheism Security and Unbelief but these only are the People that keep up his praise in the world therefore he preserves them 4. Because by Covenant all that is Gods is theirs for their use His strength is theirs Eph. 6. 10. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might And his salvation is theirs Psal. 68. 20. He that is our God is the God of salvation If God be a God of salvation he is our God If he hath salvation to bestow it is ours A Believer hath full right to make use of all that God hath USE 1. To press you to get this interest in times of danger We should now be more careful than at other times to get and clear up our interest in God O! it will be no advantage to say this and that is mine but a great advantage to say God is mine When desolations are on the Earth there is great havock made of great Estates and outward Supplies will come to nothing but this will be an everlasting comfort to say God is mine See 2 Sam. 30. 6. But David comforted himself in the Lord his God Hab. 3. 18. I will rejoice in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation 2. It presseth you to make your interest more evident by fruits of Obedience as David I am thine How makes he it good I sought thy precepts We would have mercy but neglect duty therefore saith David I sought thy precepts It is an emphatical expression to seek God's Precepts is more than barely to do them to seek them that is with all diligence We labour after the knowledge of them and grace to practise them it is to give up our minds and hearts it notes earnest study and affection to them will and care and all to the practice of God's will Where there is an honest and earnest endeavor to obey God's command in all things this proves a Believer's interest In times of trouble you must expect your confidence will be assaulted now when Satan or Conscience represent God as putting thee off thus What come you to me thou art a grievous sinner but Lord I am thine How prove you that I seek to know thy will How to perform that which is good I find not Rom. 7. We cannot always find it that is serve God with exactness of care but if this be the bent of our hearts if we seek it we may come with confidence and look God in the face and say Lord I am thine 3. We may improve it with confidence in Prayer I am thine save me God saves man and beast Psal. 36. 6. therefore will save his own he that is our Father and our God I know that my God will save me saith David Psal. 20. 6 7 8. There are some God will not save They are not mine therefore I will break down their bulwarks In the Book of Chronicles it is said Why transgress you the Commandment of God that you cannot prosper There 's an utter incapacity when Men will be sinning away their protection Here 's your great plea in time of danger in adversity to go to God and say I am thine Lord save me SERMON C. PSAL. CXIX VER 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad IN this Verse the Scripture as the Charter of our hopes and the seed and principle of our spiritual being is recommended above all things in the world as that which doth chiefly deserve our respect and care Consider the word by its self and you will find it excellent but consider it by way of comparison with the vanity and insufficiency of other things and the excellency thereof will much more appear As in a pair of Balances when things come to be weighed together will soon see the difference and which is heaviest so here in the Text both Scales are
on fire as the whole metal is melted that the dross may be severed Use. 3. All Judgments on the visible Church are to sever the dross from the Gold God suffereth them a while to be mingled and then come trying Judgments to separate the one from the other which is a comfort to us the Church is the purer for these Judgments Isai. 1. 25. And I will turn my hand upon thee and I will surely purge away thy dross and take away thy tin So Mal. 3. 3. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness He will send such Judgments as will destroy the incorrigible wicked ones and purifie the rest 'T is a comfort against persecutions we murmure under them know not how they shall be turned away God who is the purger of his Church will find out some way And 't is a comfort under his Judgments they are not to destroy but to purge God intendeth only our purging how hot soever the Furnace be therefore let God alone with his work Use 4. Is to teach us to wait upon God in the way of his Judgments He is putting away the wicked of the Earth like dross it is not only a work that he hath done or will hereafter do but he is always doing of it We should observe how God hath already done it and so by faith we should look upon him as still about it First He beginneth with his people he is purging away of their wickedness Isai. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged But many shall cleave to them by flatteries and some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and make them white Dan. 11. 35. Now when God hath employed wicked men to fann and purge his people then their turn cometh next Ier. 25. 29. For lo I begin to bring evil on the City which is called by my name and should ye be utterly unpunished Ye shall not be unpunished for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the Earth 1 Pet. 4. 17. If punishment begin at the house of God where shall the wicked and ungodly appear Prov. 11. 31. Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth much more the wicked and the sinner When the Lord hath performed his work upon Mount Zion and Ierusalem then he will reckon with his Enemies he beginneth with his Church and maketh an end with their Enemies his Enemies drink the dregs of the Cup and their end must needs be unspeakably terrible Use 5. Let us see we be not put away like dross when Gods Judgments are abroad in the Earth 1 Cor. 11. 32. We are chastened of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world We shall put that out of question if we do two things First If we be faithful to God and cleave to Gods people truth and interest how great soever our tryals be Psal. 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet we have not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in the Covenant To consume in the melting is the property of dross but the pure metal is the more united and cleaveth together the more closely Secondly If you are refined by all these tryals Isai. 27. 9. By this shall the iniquity of Iacob be purged A Christian loseth nothing by his afflictions but sin which is better parted with than kept We come now to the second Branch of the Text and that is the effect it had upon David's heart Therefore I love thy testimonies This use he made of all Gods Judgements Doctr. A gracious heart that observeth the Providence of God and the course of his judicial dispensations will find more cause to love the word of God than ever before 1. Because thereby he hath sensible experience of the truth of it Gods Providence is a Comment upon his Word the effect is answerable to the prediction and the word that God hath said is fulfilled to a tittle Now the more confirmation the word receiveth the more is affection encreased The Apostle telleth us That the word spoken by Angels was stedsast Heb. 2. 2. because every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward the punishment of the transgressours of the Law was a proof of Gods authorizing their Doctrine the same Law made formerly is valid We see the word doth not threaten in vain and they that slight it smart for it Now I see the word of God is to be valued for God will make it good even to a tittle 2. Because if we love not the word we may see great danger likely to ensue even those terrible punishments by which he purgeth out the dross should make us fall in love with Gods Law If we would not perish with the wicked of the earth we should not sin with the wicked of the earth if we partake of their sins we must partake of their plagues Psal. 2. 11. Kiss the son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way if his wrath be kindled but a little blessed are they that trust in him When we see the danger of being enemies to God or unsound with him we have need to learn this wisdome of shewing all affection and reverence and respect to Christ and his ways and submit to him heartily there is no safety in any other course If a spark of his wrath light upon us how soon will it consume us The stupid world regardeth not this to love his ways the more God giveth out proofs of his anger against those that despise them Many are cut off in the mid way sooner than they did or could expect and yet they do not grow one jot the wiser 'T is dangerous to stand out against God his cause work or people 3. It doth indear the mercy of God to us because he hath dealt otherwise with us who in strict Justice have deserved the same Gods Judgments on the wicked commend his Mercies to his Children Rom. 9. 23. The Vessels of wrath fitted to destruction serve to shew the greater love of God to the Vessels of mercy the torments of Hell inflicted on the wicked do the more set forth his love to the Saints to whom he hath appointed the joys of Heaven So the severity of God in his present Judgments doth imply the love of God to his chosen people who can take comfort in the promises when the threatnings are accomplished upon others this might have been our condition too but that Grace hath made the difference Well then as it doth indear the mercy of God to us so it calleth upon us more highly to love and prize him and his word because of this distinction 4. 'T is not only a means to set off the love of God to us but even his Judgments upon others may be a necessary act of love
pronounced against evil men but the Lord doth not put the Sentence in execution The Sentence is past against them both sententia Legis the sentence of the Law and so it is said he is condemned already Iohn 3. 18. Nay there 's Sententia Iudicis the Sentence which the Judg passeth upon a Sinner for he ratifieth the Sentence of the Law what is bound upon Earth is bound in Heaven Well the Warrant for Execution is signed yet the Execution is suspended for just and wise reasons Sin is not less odious to God because wicked men do not presently feel the punishment of it There are many righteous ends why Execution should be delayed Partly With respect to the Mediator into whose hands the Government of the World is put Exod. 33. 2 3. I will send an Angel before thee I will not go up with thee lest I consume thee by the way compared with Exod. 23. 20 21 22 23. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him But if indeed thou obey his voice and do all that I speak then I will be an enemy to thy enemies and an adversary to thy adversaries for my Angel shall go before thee that was Christ whom they tempted in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. 9. Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents Partly that the Elect might not be cut off in their unregenerate condition that the Wheat may not be plucked up with the Tares which they might be if Sentence should be speedily executed against every evil Doer there would be no room left for conversion Therefore God is â—…t slack as men count slackness but only waits that all tâ—…ose that belong to the purpose of his Grace might come to repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. He is long suffering to usward to those that were such as the Apostle was that belonged to the purposes of Gods grace And it is delayed too that his wrath may be glorified in the confusion of the Reprobate Rom. 9. 22. He endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction that he may shew the Glory of his power against them they are hardened and strenghthened in their wickedness by their prosperity When all the favours of God have been abused and the riches of his goodness set at naught they have nothing to say for themselves And Sentence is delayed that the little good they do in the World may not be hindred God knows how to use all his Creatures even the wicked have a ministry and service under his Providence The Lord would not destroy their enemies all at once lest the Beasts of the Field should encrease upon them Deut. 7. 22. They serve as a Hedg of Thorns to a Garden of Roses for his people A dead rotten Post may support a living Tree It may be God will bring some that belong to his Grace out of their Loins Hierome saith Many times an evil Shrub may bear sweet Fruit. And God hath righteous ends too that his people may be humbled and that their perverse humours may be broken for so saith the Lord Isai. 10. 12. When the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Ierusalem I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria When he hath sufficiently humbled and purged his people then he will do it And whenever this temptation comes when you see Sentence delayed go to the Sanctuary as David did Psal. 7â—… 17. then you will understand their end There you will see Sentence is not speedily executed but it is surely executed As a Chimney long foul will be fired at length Psal. 55. 19. Because they have no changes therefore they fear not God when they are high and prosperous but God will hear and afflict them even he that abideth of old he whose Essence and Providence hath been always the same he will in due time execute his righteous Judgment and the longer he stays the more heavy the longer he is about drawing of his Bow the deeper will his Arrows pierce they are but treasuring up wrath to themselves against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. As in Iehojadah's Chest the longer it was e're it was opened the more Treasure there was in the Chest so they are treasuring up wrath c. The Fire that hath been long kindling burns the more grievous at last Secondly There are other punishments besides outward afflictions Invisible Judgments are most fearful blindness of mind hardness of heart terrours of Conscience Tertullian ad Marg. Cogitemus ipsum magis Mundum Carcerem esse exiisse eos de Carcere quà m in Carcerem introisse intelligemus Majores tenebras habet Mundus quae hominum corda excaecant graviores Catenas induit Mundus quae animas hominum obstringunt 2 Cor. 4. 4. Nihil infelicius felicitate peccantium No such misery as to be condemned to this kind of happiness no blindness like a blind understanding no chains like an obstinate will no torments like terrours of Conscience under which a man lives for his further punishment that he may be his own Tormentor Cain had rather dye a thousand deaths than be let loose as a Vagabond here upon Earth and be delivered over to the Hell of his own Conscience Those that are under torments of Conscience will call upon the Mountains and Rocks to cover them The third Consideration is this Providence must not be viewed by halves but in its whole frame and connexion Do but wait a little and you shall see God will shew himself a righteous God When we view the dealings of God by pieces we are apt to break out into those Complaints Psal. 73. 11 12. Doth the Lord see how doth God know Is there knowledge in the Most High Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches c. I but stay a while and you will see There is a God that judgeth in the Earth Psal. 58. 11. I remember the Poet Claudian who had a little tincture of Christianity though a Heathen as appears by his Words when he saw Drones and unworthy men greater than the worthy and vex the pious laetose diu florere nocentes vexarique pios doubted num inesset Rector c. whether there were any Governour of the World any Judge that took notice of things here below incerto florent mortalia casu and thought all things were delivered over to blind Chance but saith he at length Abstulit hunc tandem Ruffini poena absolvit Deos tolluntur in altum ut lapsu graviore ruant The gods were absolved for they are lifted up on high that their fall may be the greater Men give another judgment of the work of God when it is brought to