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THE
WORKS OF THOMAS MANTON, D.D.
VOL. IX.
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 Presby
terian Church, Edinburgh.
REV. THOMAS SMITH, D.D., EDINBURGH.
THE COMPLETE WORKS
OP
THOMAS MANTON, D.D.
VOLUME IX.
CONTAINING
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE CXIX. PSALM ;
ALSO
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER
OF ST MATTHEW.
LONDON:
JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
1872.
PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
CONTENTS.
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE cxrx. PSALM.
SERMON CLIX. " Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteous
ness, and thy law is the truth," ver. 142,
„ CLX. "Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me,
yet thy commandments are my delights,"
ver. 143, 14
„ CLXL " The righteousness of thy testimonies is ever
lasting : give me understanding, and I shafl
live," ver. 144, . . . .24
CLXLL "I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O
Lord: I will keep thy statutes," ver. 145, . 36
„ CLXIIL "I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O
Lord : I will keep thy statutes," ver. 145, . 45
„ CLXIY. '« I cried unto thee ; save me, and I shall keep
thy testimonies," ver. 146,, . . 53
„ ^ CLXY. " I prevented the dawning of the morning, and
cried : I hoped in thy word," ver. 147, . 66
„ CLXVL "Mine eyes prevent the night^ratches, that I
might meditate in thy word," ver. 148, . 77
„ CLXYIL ** Hear my voice, according to thy loving-kind
ness : O Lord, quicken me according to thy
judgment," ver. 149, . . .83
„ CLXVILL "They draw nigh that follow after mischief:
they are far from thy law," ver. 150, . 96
CLXTX. "Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy com
mandments are truth," ver. 151, . . 101
^ CLXX. " Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of
old that thou has founded them for ever,"
ver. 152, 113
„ CTiXXT. "Consider mine affliction, and deliver me; for
I do not forget thy law," ver. 153, . 1'25
CONTENTS.
PAGK
SERMON CLXX1I. "Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken
me according to thy word/' ver. 154, . 135
„ CLXXIII. " Salvation is far from the wicked : for they
seek not thy statutes/' ver. 155, . 145
„ CLXXIV. " Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord :
quicken me according to thy judgments,"
ver. 156, . . . .158
„ CLXXV. "Princes have persecuted me without a
cause : but my heart standeth in awe of
thy word," ver. 161, . . . 166
„ CLXXVI. <" I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth
great spoil," ver. 162, . . .177
„ CLXXVII. "I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I
love," ver. 163, . . . .180
„ CLXXVIII. "Seven times a day do I praise thee, because
of thy righteous judgments," ver. 164, . 189
„ CLXXIX. "Great peace have they that love thy law,
and nothing shall offend them," ver. 165, 199
„ CLXXX. "Great peace have they that love thy law,
and nothing shall offend them," ver. 165, 209
„ CLXXXI. " Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and
done thy commandments," ver. 166, . 218
„ CLXXXII. "My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I
love them exceedingly," ver. 167, . 227
„ CLXXXIII. "I have kept thy precepts and thy testi
monies, for all my ways are before thee,"
ver. 168, . . . .236
„ CLXXXIV. " My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast
taught me thy statutes," ver. 171, . 245
„ CLXXX V. "My tongue shall speak of thy word : for all
thy commandments are righteousness,"
ver. 172, . . . . 254
„ CLXXXVI. " Let thine hand help me : for I have chosen
thy precepts," ver. 173, . . .263
„ CLXXX VII. " I have longed for thy salvation, 0 Lord; and
thy law is my delight," ver. 174, .277
„ CLXXXVIIL " I have longed for thy salvation, 0 Lord; and
thy law is my delight," ver. 174, . 285
„ CLXXXIX. "Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and
let thy judgments help me," ver. 175, . 292
,, CXC. " I have gone astray like a lost sheep : seek
thy servant; for I do not forget thy
commandments," ver. 176, . 299
CONTENTS. Vll
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv.
PAGE
SERMON I. " Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened
unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and
went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five
of them were wise, and five were foolish,"
ver. 1, 2, . . 319
„ II. "They that were foolish took their lamps, and
took no oil with them : but the wise took oil
in their vessels with their lamps," ver. 3, 4, . 331
III. "They that were foolish took their lamps, and
took no oil with them : but the wise took oil
in their vessels with their lamps," ver. 3, 4, . 339
„ IV. " While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered
and slept," ver. 5, . . .348
„ V. " While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered
and slept. And at midnight there was a cry
made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh ; go ye
out to meet him," ver. 5, 6, . . . 360
,, VI. " Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their
lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise,
Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone
out," ver. 7, 8, . . . . 371
„ VII. "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest
there be not enough for us and you : but go
ye rather to them that sell, and buy for your
selves," ver. 9, .... 383
„ VIII. "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom
came ; and they that were ready went in with
him to the marriage : and the door was shut,"
ver. 10, ..... 392
„ IX. "Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying,
Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered
and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you
not," ver. 11, 12, . . .404
„ X. " Watch therefore ; for ye know neither the day
nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh,"
ver. 13, . . . .413
,, XI. "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man tra
velling into a far country, who called his own
servants, and delivered to them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another
two, to another one ; to every one according
to his several ability," ver. 14, 15, . . 423
viii CONTENTS.
PAQB
SERMON XII. " Then he that had received the five talents went
and traded with the same, and made them
other five talents. Likewise he that had
received two, he also gained other two. But
he that had received one went and digged in
the earth, and hid his lord's money," ver.
16-18, . . . . . 434
„ XIII. "After a long time the lord of those servants
cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so
he that had received five talents came and
brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me five talents : behold, I
have gained besides them five talents more.
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good
and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful
over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things : enter thou into the joy of thy
lord. He also that had received two talents
came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me
two talents : behold, I have gained two other
talents besides them. His lord said unto him,
Well done, good and faithful servant, thou
hast been faithful over a few things, I will
make thee ruler over many things : enter thou
into the joy of thy lord," ver. 19-23, . 447
„ XIV. " Then he which had received the one talent came
and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an
hard man, reaping where thou hast not sowed,
and gathering where thou hast not strawed :
and I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent
in the earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine,"
ver. 24, 25, 461
„ XV. " His lord said unto him, Thou wicked and sloth
ful servant, thou knewest that I reaped where
I sowed not, and gathered where I have not
strawed ; thou oughtest therefore to have put
my money to the exchangers, and then at my
coming I should have received mine own with
usury," ver. 26, 27, . . . . 470
„ -XVI. "Take therefore the talent from him, and give
it to him which hath ten talents. For unto
every one that hath shall be given, and he
shall have abundance ; but from him that
hath not shall be taken away even that which
he hath," ver. 28, 29, ... 482
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE
CXIX. PSALM.
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE
GXIX. PSALM.
SEKMON CLIX.
Tliy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law
is the truth. — VER. 142.
IN this verse the word of God is set forth by a double notion, of right
eousness and law ; accordingly two things are predicated of it : as it
is righteousness, it is said to be an everlasting righteousness ; and as
it is law, it is said to be the truth. Both imply our duty : as there
are truths in the word, it is man's duty to believe them ; as there are
commands, it is man's duty to obey them. I shall treat first of the
notions, secondly of the predications.
First, The notions; and there the word is first called righteousness,
* Thy righteousness/ God's righteousness is sometimes put for the
righteousness which is in God himself ; as ver. 137, ' Kighteous art
thou, 0 Lord ; ' Ps. cxlv. 17, ' The Lord is righteous in all his ways/
And sometimes for the righteousness which he requireth of us ; as
James i. 20, ' The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of
God ; ' that is, the righteousness which God requireth of us ; and
here in the text. Once more, that righteousness which God requireth
of us in his word is sometimes taken, in a limited sense, for the
duties of the second table, and so usually when it is coupled with
holiness, Luke i. 75 ; Eph. iv. 24, ' The new man is created after
God in righteousness and true holiness.' Holiness giveth God his
due, and righteousness giveth man his due. Sometimes it is taken in
a more general sense, as to imply the whole duty and perfection of
man ; thus righteousness when it is put alone.
In this general sense I take it here, and observe this point —
1. The word of God is righteousness. This is one of the notions by
which it is expressed in this psalm ; so it is called in the text.
The reasons.
[1.] Because it is the copy of that righteousness which is in God.
God's natural perfections are represented in the creatures, his majesty
and omnipresence in the sun, but his moral perfections in the word.
4 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLIX.
The heavens declare his excellent majesty and glory, but his law, his
purity, righteousness, and holiness— Ps. xix., the sun and the law are
compared together, — as the creatures in their kind set forth God, so
doth the word in its kind. Well may it be called righteousness, be
cause it is the fairest draught and representation of God in his moral
perfections, the chief of which are called righteousness and holiness.
The knowledge we get by the creatures tendeth to exalt God ; the
knowledge we get by the law to humble and abase man, because of
our impurity ; and therefore the prophet, when he saw God, cried out,
Isa. vi. 3, 'Woe is me ! I am undone; I am a man of unclean lips ; '
and David, when he contemplated the holiness of the law, cried out
presently, Ps. xix. 12, ' Lord, cleanse me from my secret sins/
[2.] It is the riile,and pattern of all righteousness and justice in man ;
for our righteousness is a conformity to God's 'law. Indeed, habitual
righteousness is a conformity to God's nature ; actual righteousness, to
his law. His Spirit reneweth our nature according to the image of
God, and telleth us what is pleasing to God : Isa. li. 7, ' Hearken unto
me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law/
They that have the law of God in their hearts do only know righteous
ness, that is, know what belongs to it ; the new nature is tried, and
all our ways tried by it.
[3.] It is the great instrument to promote righteousness. It maketh
the man that doth observe it just and righteous before God. There is
a twofold righteousness before God — the righteousness of justification
and the righteousness of sanctification. The righteousness of justifi
cation, that is the great truth revealed in the scriptures. Nature saw
nothing of that ; the heathen saw something of a breach, that there
was need of appeasing God, but nothing of a righteousness before God :
that secret was hid from the wise men of the world, and reserved for
the scriptures ; and therefore the apostle saith, Horn. iii. 21, 22, ( But
now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God,
which is by Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all that believe/ The
law and the prophets set forth this mystery to teach men, that we are
to be justified before God by faith in Christ. Nature could convince
us of guilt, but not of a righteousness.
2. For the way of sanctification, or how a man that is justified
should approve himself to God and men. The scripture crieth up
another righteousness, that becorneth justified persons; that is, the
way to be righteous is to do righteousness : 1 John iii. 7, ' Little
children, let no man deceive you ; he that doth righteousness is right
eous/ So it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke i. 6, that * they
were righteous before God, and walked in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless/ So Deut. vi. 25, ' And it shall be
our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments, before
the Lord our God, as he commanded us/ This wisdom we learn from
the word, where nothing but righteousness is recommended ; for it
cometh from the righteous God, who is essentially good and holy, and
cannot be contrary to himself in commanding unjust things : and
therefore his commandments are in all points right. There is no way
right to prove principles but by arguing ab absurdis, and so prove
VER. 142.] SERMONS UPON PSALM oxix. 5
the goodness of them. What a miserable case would the world be in
if there were not such a law and rule ! a place of villanies and wicked
ness. And therefore here is righteousness, and all righteousness ; we
need not seek further for direction. Sure God can tell what will best
please him, and our sense and experience inform us what things are
good and honest in the sight of men.
Use. Let us live as becometh them that have such a righteous rule :
* Wisdom is justified of her children/ Mat. xi. 19. Let us bear wit
ness by our faith, profession, and godly life to the doctrine of God.
This is to glorify the word, Acts xiii. 40, when we express the excel
lencies of it in our practice ; do not only approve it in our judg
ments, and commend it with our mouths, but express it in our
lives. Practice glorifieth more than verbal praise. Let us show that
the word is righteousness , that is to say, the copy of God's righteous
ness, by being the rule and instrument of ours. Let us look after the
righteousness of justification. We can never be truly righteous, unless
we lay the foundation of the spiritual life in faith in Jesus Christ, and
repentance from dead works, that maketh way for the spirit and power
of godliness ; for Christ is made of God to us righteousness before he
is made sanctification, 1 Cor. i. 30. There is no acceptance with God
without it : Horn. v. 19, ' By the obedience of one, many were made
righteous.' Thereby our persons are accepted. In ourselves there is
none righteous, no not one ; and it is dangerous to look after any other
righteousness while this is neglected : Kom. x. 3, ' Being ignorant of
God's righteousness, they went about to establish their own righteous
ness/ &c. Again, let me press you to look after the righteousness of
sanctification, to see that we be renewed by the Spirit, and entered
into a holy course ; and not only so, but we go on still in righteous
ness : Kev. xxii. 11, ' He that is righteous, let him be righteous still.'
We are renewed but in part : Prov xv. 9, ' The Lord loveth him that
followeth after righteousness ; ' that maketh it his business to grow
more righteous every day, and increase the acts, to perfect the habit ;
this earnest endeavour must never be left off.
Secondly, Now I come from the notion to the predication. This
righteousness, it is an everlasting righteousness : it is so in two respects
— in the constitution among men, and in the effects of it.
1. In the constitution of it. The covenant of grace is an everlast
ing covenant ; so it is called Heb. xiii. 20 ; and the gospel is called
the ' everlasting gospel/ Kev. xiv. 6 ; and ' I will make an everlasting
covenant with you/ Isa. Iv. 3. The privileges of this covenant are
eternal. Christ ' hath obtained an eternal redemption for us/ Heb. ix.
12 ; Dan. ix. 24. There is an unchangeable righteousness which
Christ hath established in the church ; he is the Lord our righteous
ness. His righteousness is still the same, and the plot was first laid in
his everlasting decrees. The terms of life and salvation held forth in
the new covenant are to continue for ever, no change to be expected.
From the beginning of the world to the end thereof, the covenant of
grace cannot cease ; the obligation still continueth ; men are for ever
bound to love God and their neighbour. There shall no time come
when the law of loving God and our neighbour shall be reversed and
out of date. The covenant is essentially the same, under all the diver-
G SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLIX.
sity of administrations. And as the privileges, so the duties are of an
eternal obligation. Among men, ra Sl/caia xwovpeva, that is just at
one time that is not just at another. Lawgivers cannot always live
to see their laws executed, and men cannot foresee all occasions and
inconveniences, and therefore often repeal their laws. But God is wise ;
he hath made an unchangeable law, and he forbiddeth things intrin
sically evil, and commandeth things intrinsically good.
2. As to the effects of it, in case of obedience or disobedience.
(1.) In case of disobedience, eternal wrath lighteth on them that
reject this covenant, that walk contrary to it, they shall be eternally
miserable : 2 Thes. i. 9, ' Who shall be punished with, everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord.' Not a temporal but an
everlasting destruction; and Mark ix. 44, 'The worm shall never
die, and the fire shall never be quenched.' An eternity of torments,
because they despised everlasting mercy, and rejected the autho
rity of an everlasting God. Having offended an infinite God, their
punishment abideth on them for ever. If they will stand out their
day, it is fit their recovery should be hopeless. (2.) The benefits
are eternal in case of obedience. There is everlasting grace, ever
lasting comfort, and everlasting life : 1 John ii. 17, ' The world
passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the word of God
abideth for ever.' The Spirit is given as a comforter that shall
abide for ever, John xiv. 16 ; and 2 Thes. ii. 16, ' God who hath
loved us, and given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through
grace/ And it is fit it should be so, because it is built upon God's
unchangeable love, and Christ's eternal merit and intercession. God's
love is an everlasting love, Jer. xxxi. 3. The efficacy of Christ's merit
never ceaseth, Heb. xiii. 8. His continual intercession ever lasteth,
Heb. vii. 25 , and Bom. viii. 39, ' Nothing shall separate us from the
love of Christ.' He liveth for ever, by which we continue for ever in
the favour of God, and the covenant standeth firm between him and
us ; the fountain of comfort is never dried up.
Use 1. To inform us of the difference between the laws of God and
the laws of men. There are many differences, some of which I shall
touch by and by ; this expression offereth two — it is righteousness, and
everlasting righteousness.
1. It is righteousness. Men have and do often decree wickedness
by a law, not only in the first table, where man is most blind, but also
in the second ; not only in their barbarous worship, their sacrificing ot
men, but also in their human constitutions. The Lacedemonians
held it lawful to steal, if he were not taken eV avrS) ^e/oew, in the very
act. In Cyprus they held it lawful for their virgins, if they were poor,
to prostitute themselves to get a dowry or portion. By the law of the
twelve tables a man might kill his wife if she smelt of wine or coun
terfeited his keys. And among the Komans, if a slave had killed his
master, all his fellow-slaves were put to death with him, though never
so innocent. By the same laws, a father might thrice sell his child ;
they might tear their debtors in pieces if they were not solvent. Thus
blind were men in their own concerns and what made for human com
merce ; much more in the way of pleasing God and the interest of the
world to come. Bless God for this righteous law. Again —
VER. 142.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 7
2. It is everlasting righteousness ; not only righteous at the first
giving out, but righteous in all ages and times ; and should we slight
this rule that will hold for ever ? In the world, new lords new laws ;
men vary and change their designs and purposes ; privileges granted
to-day may be repealed to-morrow, but this word will hold true for
ever ; our justification by Christ is irrevocable, that part of righteous
ness is everlasting. Be sure you are justified now, upon terms of the
gospel, and you shall be justified for ever ; your forgiveness is an ever
lasting forgiveness, and your peace is an everlasting peace: Jer. xxxiii.
34, ' I will remember your sins no more.' So the other righteousness
of sanctification, it is for ever. Approve yourselves to God now, and
you will approve yourselves at the day of judgment.
Use 2. Exhortation.
1. Let this take us off from seeking things that have no continuance
in them. The everlastingness of the word is opposed often to the
transitory vanities of the world : 1 Peter i. 23-24, * All flesh is grass,
and the glory of man as the flower of grass : the grass withereth,
.and the flower falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for
ever.' Why should we hunt after that glory that soon fadeth ? So
1 John ii. 17, ' The world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he
that doeth the will of God abideth for ever/ All these things change,
and move up and down by divers circumrotations ; we sit fast and
loose in the world, but in the covenant of grace all is sure.
2. Let us choose this word to live by, that we may be partakers of that
everlasting good which cometh by it. Oh, let us regard it 1 Eternity
is concerned in it. If the righteousness of God be everlasting, let us
begin betimes to get interested in it, and persevere in it to the end.
Let us begin betimes, for we have but a few days to live here in the
world, and so either to express our thankfulness or lay a foundation
for our eternal hopes ; therefore let us set about the work the sooner.
And let us persevere ; our care to keep this law must be perpetual, not
like temporaries. Many will carry themselves well and godly for a
while, but afterwards fall off ; this doth not become an everlasting law ;
there is the same goodness in God's law that there was at first.
3. Let us comfort ourselves with the everlastingness of the privi
leges offered to us in God's word. The redeemed of the Lord should
have an everlasting joy : Isa. xxxv. 10, ' And the ransomed of the
Lord shall return, arid come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy
upon their heads/ Let other things end and change as they will,
our right by the new covenant changeth not. Sometimes we are in
request in the world, and sometimes in disgrace ; but God's love is
everlasting and sure. We are not in with him to-day and out to
morrow ; he hath dealt with us upon sure and unchangeable terms ;
nay, when you die, you may comfort yourselves in this, Ps. ciii. 17,
' The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them
that fear him, and his righteousness upon children's children/ Yea,
not only in the changes of your outward condition is here an everlast
ing spring of comfort, but also in the ups and downs of your spiritual
condition, and the clouds which now and then darken your comfort
and hope in God. In a time of desertion we seem to be dead and cast
•off ; yet remember God loves to be bound for ever : 2 Sam. xxiii. 5,
S SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLIX.
' Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made an ever
lasting covenant/ Though we are not so punctual, exact, and faith
ful, but are subject to many errors and failings, yet God will mind his
eternal covenant : Ps. Ixxxix. 33-34, * Nevertheless my loving-kind
ness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to
fail ; my covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out
of my lips.' Death doth not dissolve it, nor desertions break it off.
Now for the second notion by which the word of God is expressed,
' thy law,' from whence observe —
Doct. That the word of God hath the nature and force of a law.
It is often so called in scripture ; not only the decalogue, which is
the abridgment of all moral duties, but the whole scripture is God's-
law: Isa. li. 4, 'A Jaw shall proceed from me;' and Ps. i. 2, 'His
delight is in the law of God ; ' and the gospel is called ' the law of
faith/ Rom. iii. 28. Here I shall show you how necessary it was that
God should give man a law, both as we are considered apart, and with
respect to community ; and then show that the word hath the force of
a law.
1. Consider man apart. Surely the reasonable creature, as it is a
creature, hath a superior to whose providence and ordering it is sub
ject. So all the creatures have a law, by which the bounds of their
motion are fixed and limited : Ps. clxviii. 6, * He hath established
them for ever and ever; he hath made a decree which shall not pass ; >
Prov. viii. 29, * He gave the sea his decree, that the waters should
not pass his commandment.' The sun, moon, and stars are under a
law ; all the creatures are balanced in a due proportion, and guided
and fixed in their tract and course by an unerring hand, which is a
kind of law to them. As a creature, man is subject to the direction
of God's providence, as other creatures are; but as a reasonable
creature, he is capable of moral government ; for so he hath a choice
of his own, a power of refusing evil and choosing good. Other
creatures are ruled by a rod of iron, necessitated to what they do by an
act of God's power and sovereignty ; but man, being a voluntary agent,
is governed by laws which may direct and oblige him to good, and
warn and drive him from evil. This law was at first written upon
man's nature, and that was sufficient while he stood in his integrity to-
guide him and enable him to serve and please God in all things pro
pounded to him. The law written on the heart of man was his rule-
and principle. But that being obliterated by the fall, it was needful
that God should give a new law, to guide man to his own blessedness,
and to keep him from erring. The internal principle of righteousness
being lost, the laws of men could not be sufficient, for they have
another end, which is the good of human society. They aim not at
such a supernatural end as the enjoyment of God ; their laws reach no^
further than the ordering of men's outward conversations, and meddle
not with the inward workings and motions of the heart, of which they
can take no cognisance. These may be inordinate, do a great deal of
mischief ^ therefore, as the wise God directed men to give laws to order
men's actions, so he would himself give laws to order the heart, which
man cannot reach. Lay all these together, and there is a necessity
that God should give a law to man.
VER. 142.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 9
'2. But much more if you consider man in his community, as he is
a part of that spiritual community called a church. All societies of
men from the beginning of the world have found the establishing of
laws the only means to preserve themselves from ruin. There is no
other way against confusion ; and would God leave that society which
is of his own institution, that of which he is the head, and in which his
honour is concerned, without a law ? Deut. xxxii. 9, ' The Lord's
portion is his people/ which was set apart to serve him, and to be to
him for a name and a praise. Surely a people that have God so near
them, and are in special relation to him, have their laws by which they
may be governed and preserved as to their eternal good, unless we
should say God took less care for his own people than for others. This
necessity is the greater because this society is spiritual ; though made
up of visible men, yet combined for spiritual ends, commerce and
communion with God, and that mostly in their spirits, which maketh
this society the hardest to be governed, and this, the most scattered and
dispersed of all societies throughout all parts of the earth, should
therefore be knit together with the strongest bonds. Surely then
there needeth a common law, whereby they may be united in their
conjunction with Christ, the head, and one another, that it may not
be broken in pieces ; and this to be given by God, that he may pre
serve his own authority and interest among them.
This law is the scripture, those sacred digests in which God hath
discovered not only his wisdom and justice, but his will and imperial
power, what he will have us do. The one showeth the equity, the
other the necessity of our obedience ; surely this is his law or none.
The church to whom the law was given, God hath constituted the
keeper of its own records ; never acknowledge another ; nor can any
other make any tolerable pretence.
Now, having brought the matter home, I shall show you wherein it
hath the nature and force of a law, as we commonly take the word ;
and here I shall —
1. Show you wherein it agrees.
2. Wherein it differs from the ordinary laws of men.
1. Wherein it agreeth.
[1.] A law is an act of power and sovereignty by which a superior
declare th his will to those that are subject to him. There are two
branches of the supreme power — legislation and jurisdiction ; giving
the law, and governing according to the law so given. And so God's
power over the reasonable creature is seen in legislation, and in the
administration of his providence there is his jurisdiction. In the scrip
ture he hath given the law, and he will take an account of the observ
ance of it ; in part here, at the petty sessions ; hereafter, more fully
and clearly at the day of general judgment. But for the present, here
is God's power seen over the creature in appointing him such a law.
God hath the greatest right and authority to command : Isa. xxxiii.
22, ' The Lord is our judge and our lawgiver.'
[2.] That there is not only direction given to us, but an obligation
laid upon us. There is this difference between a law and a rule — a
bare rule is for information, a law for obligation. So herein the word
of God agrees with a law ; it is not only the result of God's wisdom,
10 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLIX.
but the effect of his legislative will. He would not only help and
instruct the creature in his duty, hut oblige fhim by his authority.
Decretum nccessitatem facit^ exhortatio liberam voluntatem excitat,
saith the canonist. Exhortation and advice properly serveth to quicken
one that is free, but a decree and a law imposeth a force, a necessity
upon him. So Hierome, lib. ii. contra Jovin — Ubi consilium datur
operantis arbitrium est, ubi prceceptum necessitous servitutis. A counsel
and a precept differ ; a precept respects subjects, a counsel, friends.
The scriptures are not only God's counsel, but his precept. There is a
coactive power in his laws. God hath not left the creature at liberty
to comply with his directions if he please, but hath left a strict charge
upon him.
[3.] Every law hajih a sanction, otherwise it were but an arbitrary
direction ; the authority might be contemned unless it hath a sanction,
that is, confirmed by rewards and punishments ; so hath God given his
law under the highest penalties : Mark xvi. 16, 'He that believeth shall
be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned;' Gal. vi. 8, 'If
ye sow to the flesh, of the flesh ye shall reap corruption;' Kom. viii.
13, ' If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die/ God telleth them what will
come of it, and commandeth them to abstain as they will answer to
God at their utmost peril. The obligation of a law, first, inferreth a
fault, that is, contempt of authority ; so doth God's, as it is his law,
and so it will infer a fault in us to break it ; and as we reject his counsel,
it inferreth punishment, and the greater punishment the more we know
of God's law : Kom. ii. 9, ' Tribulation, wrath, and anguish upon every
soul that doeth evil, upon the Jew first, and also upon the Gentile.'
Why the Jew first ? They knew God's mind more clearly.
[4.] A sanction supposeth a judge, who will take an account whether
his law be broken or kept, otherwise all the promises and threatenings
were in vain. The law, that is the rule of our obedience, is the rule of
his process ; so the word of God hath this in common with other laws ;
therefore God hath appointed a judge and a j udgment-day wherein he
will judge the world in righteousness, by the man whom he hath
appointed ; and 2 Thes. i. 8, ' He will come in flaming fire, to render
vengeance on all them that know not God, and obey not the gospel/
According to the law they have been under, Gentiles, Christians, they
must all appear before the Lord, to give an account how they have
observed God's law. Now in patience he beareth with men, yet some
times interposeth by particular judgments, but then they shall receive
their final doom.
2. Let us see wherein they differ from ordinary laws among men.
[1.] Man in his laws doth not debate matters with his subjects, but
barely enjoineth and interposeth authority ; but God condescendeth
to the infirmities of man, and cometh down from the throne of his
sovereignty, and reasoneth with and persuadeth and prayeth men that
they will not forsake their own mercies, but yield obedience to his laws,
which he convinceth them are for their good : Isa. xlvi. 8, ' Remember
this, show yourselves men ; bring it to mind again, ye transgressors ; '
Isa. i. 18, * Let us reason together, saith the Lord/ God is pleased to
stoop to sorry creatures, to argue with them, and make them judges in
their own cause : Micah vi. 2, 3, he will plead with Israel, ' 0 my
VER. 142.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 11
people, what have I done unto thee ? and wherein have I wearied
thee ? Testify against we.' He will plead with Israel about the equity
of his laws, whether they are not for their good. It is a lessening of
authority for princes to court their subjects — they command them ;
but God will beseech and expostulate and argue with his people ;
2 Cor. v. 20, he draws with the cords of a man, sweetly alluring their
hearts to him.
[2.] The laws of God bind the conscience and the immortal souls of
men ; the laws of men only bind the behaviour of the outward man,
they cannot order the heart. God takes notice of a wanton glance, of
an unclean thought, a carnal motion, Mat. v. 28. Men's words and
actions are liable to the laws of men ; they cannot know the thoughts ;
but the law of God falls upon the counsels of the heart : Eom. vii. 14,
* For I know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal ; ' Heb. iv. 12,
' It is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.'
[3.] The law of God immutably and indispensably bindeth all men
without distinction ; no man beggeth exemption here because of their
condition ; there is no immunity and freedom from God's law. Men
may grant immunity from their laws : 1 Sam. xvii. 25, ' He will make
his father's house free in Israel.' Men's laws are compared to spiders'
webs ; the lesser flies are entangled, great ones break through. God
doth not exempt any creature from duty to him, but speaketh impar
tially to all.
[4.] Men's laws do more propend to punishment than they do to
reward. For robbers and manslayers death is appointed, but the inno
cent subject hath only this reward, that he doth his duty, and
escapeth these punishments. In very few cases doth the law promise
rewards ; the inflicting of punishments is its proper work, because its
use is to restrain evil ; but God's law propoundeth punishments equal
to the rewards ; eternal life on the one hand, as well as eternal death
on the other : Deut. xxx. 15, ' See I have set before thee this day life
and good, death and evil;' because the use of God's law is to guide
men to their happiness. This should be much observed ; it is legis
candor, the equity and condescension of man's law to speak of a reward ;
it commands many things, forbids many things, but still under a
penalty ; that is the great design of man's power ; in very few cases
doth it invite men to their duty by a reward ; only in such cases where
every good man would not do his duty. It is more exact and vigi
lant in its proper and natural work of punishing the disobedient,
that wickedness should not go unpunished ; the common peace
requireth that ; but that good should be rewarded, there is no human
necessity. Human laws were not invented to reward good, but pre
vent evil.
Use. Let us humble ourselves that we bear so little respect to God's
word, that we so boldly break it, and are so little affected with our
breaches of it. Do we indeed consider that this is God's law ? The
greatest part of mankind fear the prince more than God, and the gal
lows more than hell. If every vain thought or carnal motion in our
hearts were as the cutting of a finger or burning in the hand, men
would seem more afraid of that than they are of hell. Nay, I will tell
you, men can dispense with God's law to comply with man's : Hosea
12 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLIX.
v. 11, 'Ephraim is oppressed, an* broken in judgment, because he
willingly walked after the commandment/ A little danger will draw
men into the snare, when hell will not keep them from it. Oh, let us
rouse up ourselves ! Is not man God's subject ? Is he not a more
powerful sovereign than all the potentates in the world ? Doth he not
in his word give judgment on the everlasting estate of men, and will
his judgment be in vain ? Hath not God appointed a day when all
matters shall be taken into consideration? If you can deny these
truths, go on in sin and spare not ; but if conscience be sensible of
God's authority, oh ! break off your sins by repentance, and walk more
cautiously for the time to come ! Every sin is avo^la, 1 John iii. 4,
a breach of God's eternal law ; and will God always wink at your dis
loyalty to him ?
Nothing remaineth to be spoken to but the last clause, * Thy law is
truth/
Doct. God's law is truth.
1. I shall show in what sense it is said to be truth.
2. The reasons why it is truth.
3. The end of this truth.
First, In what sense it is said to be truth.
1. It is the chief truth ; there is some truth in the laws of men and
the writings of men, even of heathens; but they are but sorry frag
ments and scraps of truth, that have escaped since the fall ; but the
truth of the word is transcendent to that of bare reason. Here are
truths of the greatest concernment, matters propounded that are very
comfortable and profitable to lost sinners, 1 Tim. ii. 16. Here moral
duties are advanced to the highest pitch : Deut. iv. 6, ' Keep therefore
and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the
sight of the nations/ The end of these is not only to regulate your
commerce with men, but to guide you in your communion with God,,
and help you to the everlasting enjoyment of him.
2. It is the only truth, that is, the only revelation of the mind of
God that you can build upon ; it is the rule of truth. A thing may
be true that is not the rule of truth. There is veritas regulata, and
veritas regulans ; the word is the measure and standard, and they are
true or false as they agree or disagree with it. Every custom and
tradition must be tried upon it ; from the beginning it was not so ;
from the beginning, my Christianity is Jesus Christ. We must not
attend to what others did, but what Christ did, who is before all;
every dictate of reason must be tried by it, for here is the highest
reason. It is written to make the man of God perfect, or else it can
not guide you to your happiness, 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16. Every revelation
must be tried by it, Gal. i. 8. If an angel or man bring any doctrine
which differs from or is besides the written word, it is a cursed doctrine :
this is the rule.
3. It is the pure truth ; in it there is nothing but the truth, without
the mixture of falsehood ; every part is true as truth itself. It is true
in the promises, true in the threatenings, true in the doctrines, true in
the histories, true in the precepts, true in the prohibitions. God will
make it good to a tittle. True in moralities, true in the mysteries of
faith ; not only true in duties that concern man and man, but in the
VEIL 142.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 13
sublimer truths that concern commerce with God, where nature is
more blind : Ps. xix. 9, ' The testimonies of the Lord are true and
righteous altogether.' It is true where a carnal man would not have
it°true, in the curses and threatenings. If God's word be true, woe to
them that remain in a sinful way, they shall find it true shortly, and
feel what they will not believe. It is true where a godly man feareth
it will not be true ; no promises contradicted by sense but will prove
true in their performance. Whatsoever, in the hour of temptation,
carnal reason may judge to the contrary, within a while you will see
your unbelieving fears confuted.
4. It is the whole truth ; it containeth all things necessary for the
salvation of those that yield up themselves to be instructed by it:
John xiv. 26, * He shall teach you all things,' and remember you of all
things ; ' John xvi. 13, ' Lead you into all truth ; ' in all things that
pertain to religion and our present conduct towards everlasting happi
ness. Therefore nothing is to be hearkened to contrary to what God
hath revealed in his word ; there is no room left for tradition, nor for
extraordinary revelations ; all that is necessary for the church is re
vealed there ; it is a full perfect rule.
Secondly, The reasons.
1. From the author ; God is a God of truth, and nothing but truth
can come from him, for God cannot lie, Titus i. 2. The truth of the
law dependeth upon the truth of God ; therefore it must needs be
without error ; yea, it corrects all error ; if God could deceive or be
deceived, you might suspect his word.
2. The matter itself ; it commends itself to our consciences by the
manifestation of the truth : 2 Cor. iv. 2, ' Approving yourselves by the
word of truth,' 2 Cor. vi. 7. If the heart be not strangely perverted,
and become an incompetent judge by obstinate atheism and corrupt
affections, it cannot but own these truths to be of God : ' If our gospel
be hid, it is hid to them that are lost/ 1 Cor. iv. 4.
3. The end of it, which is to regulate man and sanctify man. Now
it were strange if he should be made better by a lie and a cheat : John
xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them tty thy truth ; thy word is truth.' Certainly it
is the most convenient instrument to reduce man to his wits, and
make him live like a man.
4. It pretends to be the law of God ; it is so, or else it would be the
greatest cheat in the world ; for it speaketh to us from God all along,
and by virtue of his authority. None can be so brutish as to think
that the wisest course of doctrines that ever the world was acquainted
with is a mere imposture.
Use 1. To commend the word of God to us ; we cannot have true
doctrine, nor true piety, nor true consolation without the scriptures.
Not true doctrine : Isa. viii. 20, ' To the law and to the testimony, if
they speak not according to this word, there is no light in them/ It
is to be condemned of falsehood, if not according to the word. You
cannot have true holiness, for holiness is but scripture digested and
put in practice, James i. 18. The foundation of the spiritual life is
laid in the word ; scripture faith and scripture repentance are still fed
by the word. It teacheth us how to believe, and how to repent, and
how to pray, and how to live, especially the heavenly life ; and there
14 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLX.
can be no true comfort and peace without the word : Kom. xv. 4, ' That
ye through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope/
Use 2. 1. We should consider the truth of the word, partly in the
general, for the strengthening and settling of our faith, and to make it
more clear and solid and certain: Eph. i. 13, 'In whom ye trusted,
after that ye heard the word of truth/ When boisterous temptations
would carry us to some evil, which God hath forbidden and severely
threatened, that the point of the sword of the Spirit be put to the
bosom of it, Deut. xxix. 19, 20.
2. When you are settling your souls as to the main point of accep
tance with God : 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a faithful saying, and worthy
of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sin
ners, of whom I am Kjhief/ The word will never deceive them that
seek righteousness there.
3. When difficulties arise that oppose the promise or expectation of
relief according to the promise, you should urge the truth of the word
in the very face of difficulty : ' Thy law is truth/ Take Paul's in
stance, Acts xxvii. God by promise gave all that sailed with Paul in
the ship their lives, yet how many difficulties came to pass ! At first,
when they were in the Adriatic Sea for so many days and nights, and
had neither seen sun nor stars, they knew not where they were, nor
whither they should go ; here was little appearance of God's making
good his word to Paul. Another difficulty fell out, they feared they
were near some country ; they sounded and found they were near some
land, but what land they could not conjecture, and were afraid of
being split in pieces against the rocks ; but the shipmen, that knew the
danger of these seas, they must go out of the ship, they would make
use of their long boat, and so they were ready to miscarry in the sight
of the land, but Paul prevented them. And after it was day, the men
were so spent because of long fasting and conflicting with the waves,
they could not ply the oar. Another difficulty, they were where two
seas met ; they ran the ship aground and resolved to kill Paul and the
rest of the prisoners, lest they should swim to land ; but the captain,
willing to save Paul, prevented that purpose ; and so at length they
came all to shore, though followed with difficulty upon difficulty.
God made good his promise to a tittle, ver. 44. Pray observe how
Paul urged God's promise against the greatest difficulties, as sufficient
ground of encouragement to expect relief: ver. 25, ' For I believe God,
that it shall be even as it was told me/
SERMON CLX.
Trouble and anguish have taken hold of me, yet thy commandments are
my delights. — VER. 143.
IN the words we have —
1. David's temptation, trouble and anguish have taken hold of me.
2. David's exercise under that temptation, thy commandments are
my delight.
VER. 143.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 15
3. The benefit of that exercise, notwithstanding the greatness of the
temptation, yet. It is propounded with a non obstante.
First, The temptation was very great, for he speaketh of trouble
and anguish. The joining of synonymous words, or words of a like
import and signification, increaseth the sense ; and so it showeth his
affection was not ordinary ; yea, both these words have their particular
use and emphasis. Trouble may imply the outward trial, and the
difficulties and straits he was in ; anguish, inward afflictions : the one,
the matter of the trial, and the other the sense of it. The other
expression also is to be observed, ' Have taken hold of me ; ' in the
Hebrew, * have found me ; ' so the Septuagint renders it, QXtyeis KOL
dvdyKcu evpoadv pe ; and the vulgar Latin out of them, tribulatio et
angustice, invenerunt me, 'have found me,' that is, ' come upon me/ as the
expression intimateth. Troubles are said to find us, because they are
sent to seek us out, and in time will light upon us. We should not
run into them, but if they find us in our duty, we should not be troubled
at them. Sometimes in scripture we are said to find trouble, and
sometimes trouble to find us. We are said to find trouble. David
said, Ps. cxvi. 3, ' I found trouble.' And so now here in the text,
trouble and anguish found him. There is no difference, or if any,
the one noteth a surprise. Trouble findeth us when it cometh un-
looked for ; our finding it noteth our willingness to undergo it. when
the will of God is so, especially for righteousness' sake.
Secondly, David's exercise under this great temptation, ' Thy com
mandments are my delights.' Where we have —
1. The object, ' thy commandments.' The commandment is put
for the word in general, which include th promises as well as precepts,
the whole doctrine of life and salvation. However, the property of the
form is not altogether to be overlooked ; even in the commandments or
the conscience of his duty, he took a great deal of comfort.
2. The affection, ' delight/ He had said before that he did not
forget God's statutes when he was small and despised, ver. 141 ; now
he delighted in them. This was his great love to the word, that he
could find sweetness in it when it brought him trouble, such sweetness
as did allay all his sorrows, and overcome the bitterness of them.
3. The degree, ' delights/ in the plural number ; he did greatly
delight in it. Omnis obleclatio mea, saith Junius — thy command
ments to me are instead of all manner of delights and pleasure in the
world.
Thirdly, The next is the opposition of this exercise to that tempta
tion, ' yet/ It is not in the original, but necessarily implied, and there
fore well inserted by our translators, to show that the greatness of his
straits and troubles did not diminish his comfort, but increase it rather.
The points are these : —
1. God seeth it necessary sometimes to exercise his people with a
great deal of trouble.
2. This trouble may breed great vexation and anguish of spirit, even
in a gracious heart.
3. Notwithstanding this trouble and anguish, gracious hearts will
manifest their graciousness by delighting in the word.
4. They that delight in the word will find more comfort in their
16 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLX.
afflictions than troubles can take from them, or such sweetness as will
overcome the sense of all their sorrows. This was always David's help
to delight in the word, and this brought him comfort though in deep
troubles.
For the first point, that God seeth it necessary sometimes to exercise
his people with a great deal of trouble. Though they are highly in
favour with God, yet they have their share of troubles as well as others.
This is true if you —
1. Consider the people of God in their collective body and com
munity, which is called the church. It is the church's name : Isa. liv.
11, 12, ' Oh thou afflicted, and tossed with tempest ! ' Names are
taken a notionibus ; things are known and distinguished by their
name ; it is one of ,the way-marks to heaven : Acts xiv. 22, ' Through
many tribulations enter into the kingdom of God ; ' as the way to
Canaan lay through a howling wilderness. If we were told before that
we should meet with such and such marks in our journey to such a
place, if we found them not, we should have cause to suspect we were
out of our way. From the beginning of the world, the church hath
always been bred up under troubles, and inured to the discipline of
the cross : Ps. cxxix. 1, ' Many a time have they afflicted me from my
youth, may Israel now say/ The spirit of enmity wrought betimes.
The first family that ever was in the world yielded Abel the proto-
martyr, and Cain the patriarch qf unbelievers. While the church
kept in families, the outward estate of God's people was worse than
their neighbours. Abraham was a sojourner, though owned and
blessed by God, when the Canaanites were possessors, and dwelt in
walled towns. Jacob's family grew up by degrees into a nation, but
Esau's presently multiplied into many dukes and princes. And as
they grew up, they grew up in affliction. Egypt was a place of retreat
for them for a while, but before they got out of it, it proved a house
of bondage. Their deliverance brought them into a wilderness, where
want made them murmur, but oftener wantonness. But then God
sent fiery serpents, and broke them, and afflicted them with other
judgments. After forty years' wandering in the wilderness, they are
brought into Canaan, a land of rest ; but it afforded them little rest,
for they forfeited it almost as soon as they conquered it ; it flowed with
milk and honey, but mixed with gall and wormwood. Their story, as
it is delivered in the book of God, acquaints you with several varieties
and intermixtures of providence, till wrath came upon them to the
utmost, till God saw fit to enlarge the pale and lines of communication
by treating with other nations. Now, if the Old Testament church
were thus afflicted, much more the New. God discovered his appro
bation and improbation then more by temporal mercies and temporal
judgments. The promises run to us in another strain ; and since life
and immortality were brought to light in the gospel, we must not
expect to be so delicately brought up as never to see an evil day. He
hath told us, 2 Tim. iii. 12, ' We must be conformed to our head/
Horn. yiii. 29 ; and expect to pledge Christ in his bitter cup, and our
condition must inform us that our hopes were not in this world, 1 Cor.
xv. 19. In the gospel dispensation God would deal forth temporal
blessings more sparingly, and spiritual with a fuller hand ; the ex-
TER. 143.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 17
perience of all ages verifieth this. When religion began first to fly
abroad into all lands, the pagans first persecuted it, and then the pseudo-
Christians ; the holiest and best people were maligned, and bound, and
butchered, and racked, and stoned, but still they multiplied. It were
easy to tire you with various instances in every age. Those that went
home to God were those that came out of tribulations, and had washed
their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, Rev. vii.
14. There is always something set afoot to try God's servants, and in
the latter times the roaring lion is not grown more gentle and tame,
rather more fierce and severe : Eev. xii. 12, ' For the devil is come
<lown unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath
but a short time/ Dying beasts struggle most. As his kingdom
beginneth to shake, so he will be most fierce and cruel for the support
ing of it.
2. As to particular persons: ' The whole creation groaneth,' Rom.
viii. 22 ; and God's children bear a part in the concert ; they have
their share in the world's miseries, and domestical crosses are common
to them with other men in the world ; yea, their condition is worse
than others : chaff and corn are threshed in the same floor, but the
•corn is grinded in the mill and baked in the oven. Jeremiah was in
the dungeon when the city was besieged. The world hateth them
more than others, and God loveth them more than others. The world
hateth them because they are so good, and God correcteth them
because they are no better. There is more care exercised about a vine
than a bramble. God will not let them perish with the world. Great
receipts call for great expenses first or last. God seeth it fitting,
sometimes at first setting forth, as the old Germans were wont to dip
their children in the Rhine to harden them, so to season them for
their whole course ; they must bear the yoke from their youth or first
acquaintance with God, Heb. x. 32. Sometimes God lets them alone
while they are young and raw, and of little experience, as we are
tender of trees newly planted, as Jacob drove as the little ones were
able to bear: 1 Cor. x. 13, 'He will not suffer you to be tempted
above what you are able.' They are let alone till middle age, till they
are of some standing in religion : Heb. xi. 24, ' Moses when he was
•come to years/ fteyas ryevbpevos. Sometimes let alone till their latter
time, and their season of fighting cometh not till they are ready to go
out of the world, that they may die fighting, and be crowned in the
field. But first or last, the cross cometh, and there is a time to
•exercise our faith and patience before we inherit the promises. I will
not enlarge in the common-place of afflictions, and tell you how
necessary the cross is to subdue sin, which God will do in an acommo-
date way to weaken pride, to reclaim us from our wanderings, to
increase grace, to make us mindful of heavenly things ; these are dis
cussed in other verses : to make us retreat to our great privileges, to
-stir us up to prayer, &c. Tribulatio tarn nobis necessaria, quam ipsa
vita, immo magis necessaria, multoque utilior quam totius mundi opes,
et dignitates, saith Luther — we think wealth is necessary for us, dignity
and esteem is necessary for us ; no, affliction is necessary for us : 1
Peter i. 6, ' If need be, you are in heaviness/ &c.
Use 1. Let us look for troubles and provide for them. We shall
VOL. IX. B
18 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLX.
not always have a life of ease and peace ; the times will not always be-
friendly to religion : ' Then had the churches rest,' Acts ix. 31 ; hal
cyon days. The enmity of wicked men will not always lie asleep ; we
would gather rust and grow dead, therefore look for them. If because-
you are Christians you promise yourselves a long lease of temporal
happiness, free from troubles and afflictions, it is as if a soldier going
to the wars should promise. himself peace and continual truce with the
enemy ; or as if a mariner committing himself to the sea for a long
voyage, should promise himself nothing but fair and calm weather,
without waves and storms ; so irrational it is for a Christian to promise
himself rest here upon earth. Well, then, let us learn beforehand how
to be abased and how to abound, Phil. iv. 12. He that is in a journey
to heaven must be provided for all weathers ; though it be sunshine
when he first sets Jorth, a storm will overtake him before he cometh
to his journey's end. It is good to be fore-armed ; afflictions will come,
and we should prepare accordingly. We enter upon the profession of
godliness upon these terms, to be willing to suffer afflictions if the
Lord see fit ; and therefore we should arm ourselves with a mind to
endure them, whether they come or no. God never intended that
Isaac should be sacrificed, yet he will have Abraham lay the knife to
his throat. Sorrows foreseen leave not so sad an impression upon the
spirit. Tela promissa minus feriunt. The evil is more familiarised
before it come : Job iii. 25, ' The evil that I feared is come upon me/
When our fears prophesy, we smart less; it allayeth the offence ; we
meet with nothing but what we thought of before : John xvi. Ir
' These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be
offended.'
Use 2. If you are under afflictions, /*?) gevl&aQe, 1 Peter iv. 12, do not
strange at it, more than at night and day, showers and sunshine ;
as these things fall out in the course of nature, so do troubles and afflic
tions in the course of God's providence ; it were a wonder if otherwise.
We do not wonder to see a shower of rain fall, or a cloudy day suc
ceed a fair : 1 Peter v. 9, ' All these things are accomplished in your
brethren that are in the world.' All the rest of God's people are
fellow-soldiers in this conflict.
Use 3. When we are out of affliction, let us bless God that we are
out of the affliction. The greatness of the trouble, danger, misery,
straits whereinto God doth cast his own doth lay a greater obligation.
of thankfulness upon those that are free from those evils. If thou
beest not thankful for thy health, go to the lazarhouses, look upon the
afflicted state of God's people, and that may quicken you to thankful
ness for being freed from them.
Use 4. Advice ; do not draw sufferings upon yourselves by your own
rashness and folly : James i. 2, * Count it all joy when you fall into
divers temptations.' We must not seek or desire trouble, but bear
it when God layeth it on us. Christ hath taught us to pray, ' Lead
us not into temptation.' It is a folly for us to cast ourselves upon it ;
if we draw hatred upon ourselves, and run headlong into dangers
without necessity, we must make ourselves amends by repentance,
otherwise ^God will not. If a man set his house on fire, he is liable to
the law ; if it be fired by others, or by an ill accident, he is pitied and
YER. 143.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 19
relieved. We are to take our own cross when made to our hands by
God's providence, not make it for ourselves ; not to fill our own cup,
but drink it off if God put it into our hands. We must come honestly
by our crosses as well as by our comforts, and must have a call for
what we suffer as well as for what we do, if we would have comfort in
our sufferings.
Doct. This trouble may breed much vexation and anguish of spirit
even in a gracious soul. David speaketh of anguish as well as trouble.
1. Partly from nature. God's children have the feelings of nature
as well as others. Christ Jesus, to show the truth of our nature,
would express our affections ; he had his fears and tears, Heb. v. 7,
and so hath legitimated our fears and sorrows. It is an innocent
affection to have a dislike of what is contrary to us, to our natural
interest ; to be without natural affection is among the vices. And —
2. Partly from grace. The children of God are more sensible than
others, because they have a reverence for every providence, and look
upon it as a good piece of religious manners to observe when God
striketh, and to be humble when God is angry, Jer. v. 3 ; slight spirits
are not so much affected. Ordinarily they see not God, nor own God
in every stroke ; but when the windows of heaven are opened, and the
mouth of the great deep below, there must needs be a great sense.
3. Yet there is in it weakness and a mixture of corruption, which
may come from an impatiency of the flesh, which would fain be at
ease : Gen. xlix. 15, ' Eest is good/ Therefore we are filled with
anguish when troubled, either from distrust, or at least from inatten-
tiveness to the promises. As there is a negative faith in the wicked,
not contradicting the truth of the word, so a negative distrust in the
godly, not regarding, not minding the promise, or not regarding the
grounds of comfort which it offereth to us ; as Hagar saw not the well
that was nigh her till God opened her eyes, Gen. xxi. 19 ; so Mark vi. 52,
1 They considered not the miracle of the loaves ;' therefore are amazed
in themselves beyond measure. ' Have ye forgotten the five loaves
and two fishes ? ' Heb. xii. 5, ' And ye have forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh to you as unto children.' Yea, sometimes there may
be positive distrust, or actual refusing comfort : Ps. Ixxvii. 2, ' My
soul refused to be comforted.' As they may not mind comfort, so in
great troubles refuse comfort in greater distempers.
4. Sorrow and trouble may revive inward trouble. Affliction in
itself is a part of the law's curse, and may revive something of bondage
in the hearts of God's children, which is good and useful so far as it
quickeneth us to renew our reconciliation with God. Spirits enten-
dered by religion are more apprehensive of God's displeasure under
afflictions : Num. xii. 14, * If her father had spit in her face, should
she not be ashamed ?' If it humble under the mighty hand of God,
it is well ; but when it filleth us with perplexities and amazement, like
wild bulls in a net, or produceth uncomely sorrow, roaring like bears,
or mourning as men without hope, it is naught.
Use. Let us take notice how affliction worketh. There is a double
extreme, slighting the hand of God, or fainting under it, Heb. xii. 5 ;
we must beware of both. There must be a sense, but it must be kept
within bounds; without a sense there can be no improvement; to
20 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLX.
despise them is to think them fortuitous. They come from God ; their
end is repentance, their cause is sin. Two things men cannot endure
to have despised, their love and their anger. When David's love was
slighted, he vowed to cut off all that pertained to Nabal ; and Nebu
chadnezzar, when his anger was despised, commanded the furnace to
be heated seven times hotter. Nor fainting, for that excludeth God's
comforts. God hath the whole guiding and ordering the affliction,
and while the rod is in his hand there is no danger. He is a wise
God, and cannot be overseen ; a God of judgment, by whom all things
are weighed, 1 Sam. ii. 3 ; every drachm and scruple of the cross ;
a just God, and will punish no more than is deserved : Job xxxiv.
23, ' He will not lay upon man more than is right.' As well no more
than is meet, as no more than is right. He is a good God, does only
what our need ancl profit requireth : ' For he doth not afflict willingly,
nor grieve the children of men,' Lam. iii. 33.
Doct. That it is the property of a gracious soul to delight in God's
commandments.
It was David's practice, and it is the mark of a blessed man : Ps. i.
2, ' But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; ' and Kom. vii. 22, ' I
delight in the law after the inward man ;' and Ps. cxii. 1, ' Blessed is
the man that delighteth greatly in his commandments.' Delight in
moral things, saith Aquinas, is the rule by which we may judge of
men's goodness or badness — Delectatio est quies voluntatis in bono ;
men are good and bad as the objects of their delight are ; they are
good who delight in good things, and they evil who delight in evil
things.
"We shall consider the nature of delight—
1. In the causes.
2. In the effects of it.
First, The causes are —
1. Proportion and suitableness. Sensitive creatures delight much
in such food as is agreeable to their nature. Now the commandments
are suitable to the renewed heart : ' The law is in their heart,' Ps. xl.
8 ; and Ps. xxxvii. 31, ' The law of his God is in his heart.' Divine
qualities are planted there, which suit with the rule of holiness and
righteousness, Eph. iv. 24. And this is the sum of the law or com
mandments of God.
2. A second cause is possession of it and communion with it.
Oritur, saith Aquinas, ex prcesentia connaturalis boni. Now one may
be said to possess the law or enjoy the law in regard of the knowledge
of it or obedience to it: John xiv. 21, ' He that hath my command
ments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.' The knowledge of
the law, so it be not superficial and fleshly, but full and thorough
and savoury, is very comfortable, and goeth toward a good note ; but
obedience to the law is the cause of delight therein. God's servants
rejoice when they can bring on their hearts with any life and power
in the way of God's testimonies : Ps. cxix. 14, ' I have rejoiced in the
way of thy testimonies more than in all riches/ Thence cometh their
comfort and obedience.
3. A third cause of delight is a precedent love of the object. Love
is a complacency in and propension towards that which is good,
VER. 143.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 21
absolutely considered both in the presence and absence of it. Desire
noteth the absence of a good, delight the presence and fruition of it.
Therefore a love of the object delighted in is essentially pre-supposed
to delight. So that it is impossible for anything to be delighted in
but it is first loved. We have experience that many things are
delightful in themselves, and known to be such, which yet do not
actually delight if they be hated. A man may taste of the sweetness
of honey, yet if he hath an antipathy against it he may loathe it.
David in this psalm pre-supposeth love as antecedent to delight : Ps.
cxix. 47, ' I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have
loved/ Carnal men cannot say so ; ' For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light,' John iii. 20. The renewed only love the command
ments. Yea, it doth not only pre-suppose a love of simple com
placency, but also a love of desire ; for all things are first desired
before delighted in. None can truly delight in obedience but such as
desire it. Such as can say with David, ver. 40, 'Behold, I have
longed after thy precepts;' and ver. 131, 'I opened my mouth and
panted, for I longed after thy commandments.' Now all such are
blessed, Mat. v. 5.
Secondly, Let us consider the effects.
1. The first is dilatatio cordis, the enlarging of the heart ; it
openeth and wideneth the heart towards the reception of the law, and
maketh it more capacious and comprehensive thereof than otherwise
it would be : Ps. cxix. 32, ' I will run the way of thy commandments,
when thou shalt have enlarged my heart.' The heart is at ease and
in a commodious condition, as a body that is in a large and fit place,
where it is not straitened ; and this is as oil to the wheels.
2. Delectatio causat sui sitim et desiderium. Delight in an object
causeth a thirst of itself, and more of itself. Even the angels and
blessed spirits feel this effect of delight, that it never cloyeth, but they
desire more of their own happiness. Much more doth it work so in
us, who are in such an imperfect state of enjoyment, upon a twofold
account : —
[1.] The objects of spiritual delight are perfect, but the acts whereby
we enjoy and possess those objects are imperfect. God is an infinite
and all-satisfying good, but the acts whereby we enjoy him here in
this life, whereby we have union and communion with him, are
imperfect. We know, believe, love, hope but in part, 1 Cor. xiii. 9.
Hereupon that delight which ariseth from the imperfect fruition of
God here in this life stirreth up to an eager desire after fuller fruition,
and unto a further enlargement and intension of those acts whereby
such fruition is attained, or wherein it consisteth ; still thirsting after
more when tasted, 1 Peter ii. 3, 4.
[2.] Spiritual delights may be said to create a desire, as desire
importeth a denial or exclusion of loathing ; for the objects of spiritual
delight and the acts whereby they are enjoyed can never exceed the
degree and measure required in them, unless by accident, by reason
of some bodily act concurrent therewith, and subservient unto the
spiritual operation. The desire can never be too great ; the expression
of it may be burdensome. We may easily exceed the bounds of
moderation in carnal things, but not in spiritual ; they can never be
22 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLX.
too high and intense. Therefore fresh desires and earnest longings
are still kindled and quickened in us ; it never dulls the appetite, but
draweth out the soul further and further, and cannot be too eager and
zealous after holiness.
3. Another effect of delight is perficit operationem, it makes the
operation to its object more perfect than otherwise it would be. As a
motive or means, it exciteth to a greater care and diligence in pro
moting the end which we pursue. The delight in the law helpeth to
perfect our meditation therein and observation thereof ; by its sweet
ness it quickeneth, provoketh, and allure th to a greater zeal in both.
Delight maketh all things easy : 1 John v. 3, ' All her ways are ways
of pleasantness/ Prov. iii. 17 ; * The Sabbath is a delight/ Isa. Iviii.
13. It facilitates duties, and removes difficulties in working.
Now this delight must be sincere, otherwise they are but like the
carnal Jews who did delight to know his ways, Isa. Iviii. 2. It must
not be on foreign reasons. And then it must be universal, otherwise
it is but like Herod, who ' heard John gladly, and did many things/
<fec., Mark vi. 20. It must be deeply rooted, otherwise it is but like
the seed which fell on the stony ground, ' which received the word
with joy, but dureth but for a while/ Mat. xiii. 20.
Use 1. To show how far they are from the temper of God's children
whose delight is in sin or the pleasures of the flesh. These have
dreggy, muddy souls; their hearts are on sports, plays, merry-meet
ings. These desires are soon cloyed, leave a bitterness in the soul ; till
we contemn them, we are never fit for a holy life. See Gregory de
Valentia.
Use 2. Have we this delight ? The sincerity may be discerned —
1. By the extent. It is extended to all parts of the word, delight
in the promises and precepts. To be partial in the law, hypocrites
can well allow, Mai. ii. 9.
2. It will be discerned by the effects of it. You will often consult
with it : Ps. cxix. 24, ' Thy testimonies are my delight and my coun
sellors/
3. It will be a perpetual delight : Job xxvii. 10, ' Will he delight
himself in the Almighty ? will he always call upon God ? ' You
will own it in affliction, as in the text. Many will delight in God's
word when prosperity accompanieth it, but not in trouble and anguish.
You will delight in obedience, and in the way of his testimonies ; not
talk of it, but do it. The young man's delight in Dinah made him
circumcise himself, Gen. xxxiv. 19.
Lastly, compare it with your delight in things sensible, temporal,
aud corporeal. If it be sincere and cordial, it will not only equal, but
surmount these : ver. 72, ' The law of thy mouth is better to me than
thousands of gold and silver ; ' and ver. 162, 'I rejoice in thy word as
one that findeth great spoil.' Spiritual good is greater than corporal,
our conjunction with it is more intimate, greater and firmer. The
part gratified is more noble, the soul than the body ; it will make
these die that the other may live.
Use 3. Let us be exhorted to do what we can for the begetting,
increasing, and cherishing this delight in our hearts. If you love God,
you cannot but love his word, which is so perfect a representation of
YER. 143.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 23
him. If you love holiness, you must needs delight in the word ; this
is the rule of it. If you love life and happiness, you must needs de
light in the word ; this is the way that leadeth us to so blessed and
glorious an estate. If you love Christ, you will love the word, which
offereth him to you. If you love the new nature, you will delight in
the word, which is the seed of it. If you would speed in prayer : ver.
77, ' Let thy tender mercies come unto me, for thy law is my delight.'
If you would be supported in affliction : ver. 92, ' Unless thy law had
been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction.'
Doct. In the days of our trouble and anguish God's word will be a
.great delight and comfort to us.
Such a comfort as will overcome the bitterness of our affliction. So
saith David here. When all comforts have spent their virtue, then
•God's word will be a comfort to us.
Here I shall show —
1. What comfort the word holds out to us.
2. Why afflictions do not diminish it.
First, What comforts it holds forth.
1. The privileges of the afflicted: Rom. v. 1, 2, * We glory in tribu
lations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience/ Such may rejoice
in tribulations ; miseries are unstinged, his rods are not signs of his
anger. They are in the favour of God, and his heart is with them,
however his hand be smart upon them. The habitude and nature of
afflictions is altered in themselves ; they are the punishments of sin,
and so their natural tendency is to despair and bondage. God seemeth
to put the old covenant in suit against unbelieving sinners ; but now
they are trials, preventions, medicines to believers, that proceed from
love, and are designed for their good.
2. The word holdeth forth the blessedness of another world : 2 Cor.
iv. 17, 18, ' Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/ Hope is not
affrighted by affliction, but worketh. Before corn be ripened it needeth
all kinds of weather. The husbandman is glad of showers as well as
.sunshine ; rainy weather is troublesome, but the season requireth it.
3. It assureth us of what is acceptable to God : Micah vi. 8, ' He
hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good, and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly
with thy God?' So it yieldeth comfort through the conscience of our
duty, and cheerful reflections on afflicted innocency. Are not these
God's ways which we desire to walk in, and for which we are troubled?
4. The word hath notable precepts that ease the heart : Phil. iv. 6,
' Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God : 1 Peter
v. 7, ' Casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you ; ' Prov.
xvi. 3, ' Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be
established/ It biddeth us cast all our cares upon God, and commit
ourselves to the guidance of his providence.
5. It giveth us many promises of God's being with us, and strength
ening and delivering us, and giving us a gracious issue out of all our
troubles : 1 Cor. x. 13, ' God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also
24 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXI,
make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' Now it is a<
great ease to the soul to fly to these promises which are made to his-
afflicted servants.
6. It breedeth faith, which fixeth the heart : Ps. cxii. 7, ' He shall
not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord/
It breedeth fortitude, or cleaving to God under the greatest trials,
2 Sam. vi. 22 ; and Ps. xliv. 17, 18. Now this becometh a testimony
and proof of our love to God, and so bringeth comfort. It breedeth
obedience, and the doing of good leaveth a pleasure behind it. After
sin a sting remaineth, Bom. ii. 14, 15. It breedeth waiting and
patience when all hope is cut off : Micah vii. 7, ' Therefore I will look
unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation;' when such
trouble is on us as np end appeareth of it. Most men's comfort holdetb
out but whilst there is hope of turning the stream of things. They are-
not satisfied in their duty nor comforted with promises, but borne up
with hopes of success.
Secondly, Why afflictions do rather increase than diminish this ?
1. They drive us to these comforts. Man liveth by sense more than
by faith when he hath anything about him, but his sorrows drive him
to God. Indeed, men that wholly forget God in prosperity will not
find his word a delight in adversity : Ps. xxx. 6-8, ' In my prosperity
I said I shall never be moved : Lord, by thy favour thou hast made
my mountain to stand strong : thou didst hide thy face, and I was
troubled : I cried unto thee, 0 Lord/ &c.
2. They prepare us for them ; the sweetness of the word is best per
ceived under the bitterness of the cross. God and his word are never
so sweet to the saints as in adversity: Ps. xciv. 19, ' In the multitude
of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul ; ' and 2 Cor.
i. 5, 'As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also
aboundeth by Christ.'
Use. Let no calamity drive you from the commandments, for there
you will find more delight than trouble can take from you, 1 John
iii. 1, 2. Shall the reproach of men have more power to make us sad<
than the honour of being God's children hath power to make us joyful ?
Let us be ashamed that we can delight no more : James i. 2, * My
brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ;' Mat.
v. 12, ' Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in<
heaven ;' for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you ;"
and 1 Thes. i. 6, 'Ye became followers of us and of the Lord, having-
received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost/
SERMON CLXI.
The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting : give me under
standing, and I shall live. — VER. 144.
IN these words —
1. The excellency of the word is again acknowledged, the righteous
ness of thy testimonies is everlasting.
VER. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 25
2. A prayer is thereupon grounded, give me understanding.
3. The fruit and benefit of being heard in that prayer, and I shall live.
Because the righteousness of the word is everlasting, therefore we
should beg understanding, and this sound understanding maketh way
for life.
First, He beginneth with the praise of the word, ' The righteousness
of thy testimonies.' The word of God is contemned by none but such
as know not the excellency of it, both in its own nature and the fruits
of it. The sum of the whole octonary is here repeated.
Doct. That the righteousness and everlasting righteousness of God's
testimonies should be deeply imprinted on our minds, and often thought
of by us.
This stuck so in David's mind that he could hardly get off from the
meditation. Here I shall show you —
1. Wherein the everlasting righteousness of God's testimonies con-
sisteth.
2. What it is to have them deeply imprinted upon our minds, and
when they are so.
3. Why they should be deeply imprinted upon our minds.
First, Wherein the everlasting righteousness of God's testimonies
consisteth.
Ans. In two things — in the tenor of them, and in the effects.
1. In the tenor, and in that those terms which God dealeth with
us are never repealed, but stand in force to all eternity. It is an ever
lasting truth that he that believeth in Christ shall be saved, and that
without holiness no man shall see God. The moral part of the word
is unchangeable, and shall never be altered; the same duties and
the same privileges do always continue. Our Lord telleth us, Mat. v.
18, ' Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no
wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled/ The truth of the doctrine
of the law and prophets is more firm and stable than the frame of
heaven and earth. Heaven and earth may be dissolved and made
void, but his law shall never be made void ; both in that part wherein
he comforts us by his promises, and that part wherein he sets down
our duty ; we are eternally obliged to obedience, and God hath eter
nally obliged himself to reward and bless. There is an everlasting
and unchangeable ordinance, by which we are bound to God, and he
hath bound himself to us. We should not change, and God will not,
having passed his word to us. The everlasting obligation on us
dependeth on God's authority; the everlasting obligation on God's
part dependeth on his own truth and veracity. And though we are
poor changeable creatures, God hath interposed his authority : Mai.
iii. 6, ' I am the Lord ; I change not ;' James i. 17, ' In him there is no
change or shadow of turning/ God would change if his truth was
changed, but that is everlasting. It is'not in the power of men to an
nihilate and change the law ; they may break the law, but they can
not annihilate and change the law. Though it be not fulfilled by them,
yet it shall be fulfilled in them and upon them. And God will not
annihilate the law, for God cannot change or deny himself ; in those
things wherein he hath engaged his truth to the creature, he is im
mutable and infallible. Another expression is, Jer. xxxiii. 20, 21,
26 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXI.
4 If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the
night, that there shall not be day and night in their seasons, then
may also my covenant be broken with David my servant.' The one
shall not fail any more than the other. God compareth the firmness of
his covenant with those things that are most unalterable, the standing
of heaven and earth, the constant course of night and day. The cere
monial law was not abrogated till fulfilled in Christ. This is God's
last will ; the terms of life and salvation are still the same, other con
ditions are not to be expected.
2. In regard of the effects. These testimonies endure for ever, both
in a way of grace and glory. In a way of grace, the word worketh in
the heart an eternal principle, and carries us beyond temporal things,
2 Cor. iv. 18 ; 1 Peter i. 23, 'Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but incorruptible, the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever/
The word worketh in us an eternal principle, which will abide with
us as the root of everlasting blessedness. They that have served God
faithfully shall not be deprived of eternal glory. Now, in glory the
word abideth forever, for though the souls of men are immortal, yet
they have not in them a principle of blessed immortality. Sin is the
root of eternal perdition, but grace of incorruption and eternal happi
ness. The wicked, though the substance of their soul and body shall
not be annihilated, but upheld unto all eternity by the mighty power
of God in the midst of eternal torments, yet all their glory and plea
sure shall be consumed, and they themselves shall ever languish under
the wrath of a highly provoked and then irreconcilable God : 1 John
ii. 17, * He that doth the will of God abideth for ever.' The wicked
shall endure by the word of God ; it is a living death in regard of the
execution of eternal wrath upon them that reject it, and the perform
ance of everlasting blessings which are promised to them that receive
and obey it ; this will abide when other things fade. The word of
God keepeth the godly and wicked alive in some sense.
Secondly, When is the word deeply imprinted upon our minds ?
That is discovered by two things — sound belief and serious considera
tion ; when it is strongly believed, and often duly considered.
1. When it is strongly believed, or else it worketh not: for all
things work according to the faith we exercise about them : 1 Thes.
ii. 13, ' The word of God, which worketh effectually also in you that
believe.' Did we believe that our eternal condition depended upon
the observance or non-observance of this rule, we would regard it
more : Ps. cxix. 66, ' Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I
have believed thy commandments.' Lord, I believe I must stand or
fall by this rule, and therefore let me know all my duty. So Heb. xi.
13, 'Being persuaded of these things, they embraced them.' We
have not a thorough persuasion about these things ; our persuasions
about eternal things are very weak, when God's expressions about it
are very clear and strong. Most men guess at a world to come, but
are not thoroughly persuaded. They have a loose or general opinion
that the scripture is the word of God, the rule by which they shall be
tried ; but do not soundly assent to it, and receive it as the word by
which they shall be judged at the last day, John xii. 48. Christ pro-
nounceth as the word pronounceth. There is a non-contradiction, but
VrER. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 27
not an active and lively faith ; this and nothing but this bindeth the
will and conscience to obedience.
2. Often considered. David still insists upon this, the everlasting
righteousness of God's testimonies. It is as if he had said, I have
said it already, and I will repeat it again and again. It is constant
thoughts are operative, and musing maketh the fire burn. Green
wood is kindled not by a flash or spark, but by constant blowing.
Deep, frequent, and ponderous thoughts leave some impression upon
the heart ; the greatest matters in the world will not work much upon
him that will not think upon them ; all the efficacy is lost for want of
these ponderous thoughts. Why are all the offers and invitations of
God's grace of so little effect ? Mat. xxii. 5, ol Se a/zeX^o-azn-e?, they
made light of it, they would not take it into their care and thoughts.
Why do all the injunctions and precepts of God work no more ?
Men will not consider in their hearts, Deut. iv. 39, 40, all the com-
minations of God ; and therefore he calls upon them, ' Now consider
this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none
to deliver,' Ps. 1. 22. It is for want of this that all the promises
of God, of heaven and happiness work so little upon us : 2 Tim. ii. 7,
* Consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all
things.' The truth lieth by, neglected, unimproved, till consideration
take it up, and lay it in the view of conscience, and then it worketh.
Till we take it into our thoughts, we have no use of any truth ; there
fore set your hearts seriously to consider of these things.
Thirdly, Why the everlasting righteousness of God's testimonies
should be deeply imprinted in our minds.
1. It establisheth our judgments against vain fancies, and the
humour of other gospelling. The apostle saith, Gal. i. 8, ' Though we,
or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that
we have preached unto you, let him be accursed; ' 1 Tim. vi. 3, ' If
any man teach otherwise,' &c. There are some that expect speculum
spiritus sancti, a greater measure of light beyond what the Spirit now
affordeth, new nuncios from heaven, to assoil the doubts of the pre-
plexed world. Nc ; the present rule leadeth a believer all along in his
way to heaven ; other and better institution shall not be, cannot be.
Christ promised to bless this doctrine to the world's end : Mat. xxviii.
20, ' I will be with you to the end of the world ; ' to guide and succour
them. Christ prayed for no others but those that believe through
their word, John xvii. 20 ; this word which the apostles have consigned
to the use of the church. An angel is accursed if he should bring any
other doctrine, Gal. i. 8. There is no other way of salvation given
or to be given, Acts. iv. 12. If an angel should hold out another way,
believe it not. The apostle propounds an impossible case to show the
certainty of this way ; it is good to be sure of our rule ; now this con
sideration helpeth. that.
2. Because it bindeth and helpeth to obedience, partly as it showeth
the absolute necessity of obedience, because the terms of salvation are in
dispensably fixed, and will everlastingly stand in force ; therefore I must
yield to God or perish. The soul cometh off most kindly to the ways
of God when it is shut up unavoidably, without all hope of escape and
evasion but by yielding to God's terms. The Lord will have the world
28 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXL
know that there is no hope of a dispensation : Mark xvi. 16, 'He that
believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned/
The terms are peremptorily fixed ; there is no relaxation in the gospel
covenant. Now this doth bind the heart exceedingly to consider, ver.
152 of this psalm, ' Concerning thy testimonies, I have known them
of old ; thou hast founded them for ever.' And partly as it urgeth to
speediness of obedience. You will not get better terms, for the right
eousness of God's terms is everlasting ; as good yield at first as at last
The laws of Christianity are always the same, and your heart is not
likely to be better by delay. Your standing out were more justifiable
in the account of reason if you could get better terms. Partly as it
engageth to seriousness whilst it carrieth the mind off from the vanities
of the world into the midst of the world to come. I am not to mind
what will content me for the present, but what will profit me for ever :
holiness will abide when other things fade. My ways are to be
scanned by an eternal rule. Some distinctions will not outlive time,
as rich and poor, high and low ; but the distinction of holy or unholy,
sanctified or unsanctified, these abide : 1 Peter i. 24, * All flesh is grass,
and the glory of man as the flower of grass ; the grass withereth, and
the flower thereof falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth
for ever/ Nothing stirreth us up more to provide for a better life than
to consider the uncertainty of the world's glory, and the everlasting-
ness of God's approbation according to the rule of his word. When
all things are dissolved, we are to be tried by a rule that will never
fail. Our pomp, and honour, and credit, and all things that we hunt
after in the world, are soon blasted, but the gospel tells us of things
that are everlasting — everlasting torments and everlasting bliss ; and
therefore our thoughts should be more about them : Isa. Iv. 2, ' Why
do you spend your money for that which is not bread ? and your
labour for that which satisfieth not ? ' and John vi. 27, ' Labour
not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth to
everlasting life/ And partly as it engageth to constancy in obedience ;
for it must last as long as our rule lasteth. You are eternally bound
to love God, and fear him and obey him. We must not only begin
well, or serve him now and then in a good mood, but so love God as-
to love him for ever, so cleave to him as never to depart from him.
For his law is an eternal obligation ; you must never cease your work
till you receive your wages, and that is when you enter into eternity.
Yea, much of our work is wages, loving, praising God ; all duties that
do not imply weakness are a part of our happiness. Thus it hath a
greater influence upon our obedience than we were at first aware of.
3. Because it conduceth much to our comfort. The apostle telleth
us that the comfort of believers is built upon two immutable grounds,
therefore it is so strong, Heb. vi. 18. Now this everlasting righteous
ness of God's testimonies is a comfort to us —
[1.] In all the changes of men's affections towards us. Sometimes
they smile and sometimes they frown, but the promises ever remain
the game. There is Yea and Nay with men, but not with the promises ;
they are all Yea and Amen in Christ, 2 Cor. i. 20. Times alter and
change, but the tenor of the covenant is always the same.
[2.] It comforts us in the changes of God's dispensations to us.
YER. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 29
God may change his dispensations, yet his purposes of grace stand
firm, and are carried on unalterably, by various and contrary means.
We must interpret providence by the covenant, not the covenant by
providence. We know the meaning of his works best by going into
his sanctuary. The world misconstrueth his work and dealing to his
children many times. If it be rightly interpreted, you will find God's
righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. Sometimes God's pro
vidence is dark, but always just : Ps. xcvii. 2, ' Clouds and darkness
are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the habitation
of his throne ; ' Hab. i. 12, ' Art not thou from everlasting, 0 Lord
my God ? ' That was the prophet's support in those sad times, when
& treacherous people were exalted, when he was embrangled and lost
about God's dispensations ; this was his comfort and support, God's
eternal immutability in the covenant. He is always the same, loveth
his people as much as ever, as faithful and mindful of his covenant
as ever ; only a veil of sense covereth our eyes that we cannot see it.
[3.] It comforts us against the difficulties of obedience, when it
groweth irksome to us. The difficulty and trouble is but for a while,
but we shall everlastingly have the comfort of it : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For
our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/ Then it will be no grief
of heart to us to have watched, prayed, striven against sin, suffered,
continued with him notwithstanding all temptations : Kom. ii. 7, ' To
them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, honour,
and immortality, eternal life/
[4.] It is a comfort in death. We change and are changed, but
God is always the same, the righteousness of Christ will bear weight
for ever : Dan. ix. 24, ' To bring in an everlasting righteousness/
The fruits of obedience last for ever : Ps. cxii. 7, ' His righteousness
endureth for ever/ How comfortable is this to remember, that we
may appear before God with this confidence, which he hath wrought
in us, that the covenant of grace is an everlasting charter, that shall
never be out of date nor wax old.
Use. Let it be thus with us ; let it be so deeply imprinted upon
our minds that it may leave an everlastingness there upon the frame
of our spirits ; for then we are transformed by the word, and cast into
the mould of it. Now, who are they that have an everlasting righteous
frame of heart ?
1. Such as act out of an everlasting principle, or the new nature
which worketh above the world. The word ingrafted is called an
incorruptible seed, or the seed of God, 1 Peter i. 23, ' that abideth in
us/ 1 John iii. 9 ; when there is a divine principle in us, such a principle
as is the seed and beginning of eternal life ; when the word hath
rooted itself in our hearts.
2. Such as by their constant progress towards an everlasting estate
are going from strength to strength, serving God, and cleaving to him
in a uniform constant course of holiness, not by fits and starts, but
unchangeably : Acts xxiv. 16, 'To have always a conscience void of
offence/ Again, when you are in such an estate wherein you can
bear the trial of those everlasting rules : Gal. vi. 8, ' He that soweth
to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption ; but he that soweth to
30 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [&ER. CLXL
the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting ; ' Eom. viii. 13,
1 If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit
do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live/ In short, if you have
everlasting ends: 2 Cor. iv. 18, 'While we look not at the things
that are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things
which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are
eternal.' Not making things temporal our scope and aim ; that
will not satisfy us : when we are deeply possessed with the thoughts
of the other world : 1 Cor. ii. 12, * We have not received the spirit
of the world,' and look upon all other things by the by, and use
the world as if we used it not, 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30.
Secondly, I come now to the prayer, ' Give me understanding, and
I shall live/
1. Here is the benefit asked, understanding.
2. The person asking, David, give me.
3. The person from whom it is asked, from God.
First, The benefit asked, ' Give me understanding ;' that is, the sav
ing knowledge of God's testimonies.
Doct. One great request that we have to put up to God should be
for the saving knowledge of his testimonies.
The reasons why this should be our great request to God.
1. The necessity of understanding ; that will appear —
[1.] Because of our ignorance and folly, which is the cause of all
our sin : Titus iii. 3, ' We ourselves were sometimes foolish and dis
obedient ; ' therefore disobedient because foolish. Every natural man
is a fool, blind in spiritual things ; whatever understanding or quick
ness of judgment he hath in other things, in all things that relate to
God and heaven, blind and foolish, and cannot see afar off: 2 Peter
i. 9, ' He that lacketh these things is blind/ And you shall find that
sinners are called fools : Prov. i. 22, ' How long, ye simple ones, will
ye love simplicity ? and scorners delight in scorning and fools hate
knowledge ? ' Ps. Ixxv. 4, ' I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly ;
and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn/ They follow their own wit
and will, to the ruin of bodies and souls, and all that they have. Their
mirth is the mirth of fools, Eccles. vii. 4, 5 ; their service the sacrifice
of fools, Eccles. v. 1 ; 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, * I have done very foolishly;'
therefore give me understanding.
[2.] Knowledge is our cure. The state of grace is called a state of
light : Eph. v. 8, ' Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light
in the Lord/ So that the new estate is described by light, a directive
and a persuasive light. It is very notable in Eph. v. 14, * Arise from
the dead, and God shall give thee light ; ' and Acts xxvi. 18, ' To turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God/
In our natural estate we are all over darkness, slaves to the prince of
darkness, doing the works of darkness, and posting on apace into
utter darkness ; and therefore it is light must cure us, and guide us
into a better course : Col. i. 13, ' Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son/
2. Because of the excellency of understanding ; therefore we should
make it our request to God. Here are four considerations : —
[1.] Knowledge in the general is man's excellency. It is our privi-
VER. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 31
lege above the beasts ; many of them excel us in beauty of colour, in
strength, and nimbleness, and vivacity, and long life, and acuteness of
sense ; but we excel them in knowledge. And so God hath taught us
more than the beasts of the field. Man is a rational creature, his life
standeth in light : John i. 4, * In him was life, and the life was the
light of men.' Other creatures have life, but not such a life as is light,
are not endowed with a reasonable soul and a faculty of understand
ing. The more of knowledge there is increased in us, the more of man
there is in us.
[2.] Divine knowledge is better than all other knowledge ; to know
God's nature and will, to know how God will be pleased, and how we
may come to enjoy him ; all other knowledge doth but please the
fancy, this doth us good to the heart : Jer. ix. 23, 24, ' Let not the
wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the mighty man glory in his might ;
let not the rich man glory in his riches : but let him that glorieth
glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me ; ' as not in
strength, so not in natural wisdom. Here I may take the argument of
the text. Men do not properly live if they want the light of heavenly
wisdom ; without divine knowledge a man is little better than a beast.
The endowment of reason was not given us merely to shift for our
selves, or provide for the animal life ; other creatures do that better by
instinct and natural sagacity, and are contented with less. No; man's
life was given him for some other end, to know and serve his Maker.
[3.] Of all the knowledge of God, practical knowledge is better than
speculative ; not so much subtlely to be able to discourse of his nature
as to obey his will : Jer. xxii. 16, ' He judged the cause of the poor
and needy ; was not this to know me ? saith the Lord.' The know
ledge of God is not measured by sharpness of wit, but by serious ready
practice ; not strength of parts, but a good and honest heart ; so to
understand as to keep them : Ps. cxi. 10, ' The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom, and a good understanding have all they that do
his commandments.' They understand best, not who can discourse
most subtlely, but who live most holily. When our faith is more
strong, our reverence of God increased, our obedience more ready, then
is our knowledge sound ; when we follow those courses which we
know God delighteth in, Jer. ix. 24, and study to please him in all
things : 1 John ii. 4, ' He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.' He that doth
not make conscience of his duty, he knoweth no such sovereign being
as God is, that hath power to command, to save, and to destroy : Titus
i. 16, ' They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him.'
So 1 John iii. 6, ' Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known
him.' Well, then, in giving his word, God's end was not to make trial
of their wits, who could most sharply conceive ; nor of their memories,
who could most firmly retain ; nor of their eloquence, who could most
neatly discourse ; but of their hearts, who would most obediently submit
to him : that is knowledge indeed which tendeth to use and practice.
Look, as scire malum non est malum — to know evil is not evil, for
God knoweth evil, yet his knowledge is not evil ; so scire bonum, non
est bonum, to know that which is good doth not make a man good.
This is the distinction between understanding and will ; the under-
32 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXI.
standing draweth the object to itself, but the will is drawn by the ob
ject to it. It' I understand anything, I am not in a moral sense that
which I understand ; but if I will anything, or love anything, I am
what I will and love. This is the difference between the two faculties.
[4.] Transforming, regenerating, saving knowledge is the best part
of practical knowledge. I add this because general knowledge may
produce good life, or some outward conformity in the unregenerate :
2 Peter ii. 20, ' For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the
world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ/
Those that are destitute of the saving knowledge of Christ, they may
cleanse their external conversation by that rational conviction, though
not spiritual illumination, though strangers to inward mortification,
and unrenewed in heart ; yea, avoid gross sins, perform external
duties. Oh ! but/ the lively saving light, such as subdueth the heart
to God, such as maketh a thorough change in us, that is the best :
2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord/ When we so know Christ
as to be like him, this is like heaven's knowledge : 1 John iii. 2, * And
when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he
is.' Common truths have another efficacy, when they understand them
by the lively light of the Spirit ; when men know the torments of hell
so as to flee from them : Mat. iii. 7, ' Flee from wrath to come ; ' as a
man would out of a ship that is sinking or a house falling. So when
we see heaven so as it maketh us seek after it, Heb. iv. 1, so to know
Christ as to be made like him, this will do us good, and this is one of
God's best gifts.
Use. Oh ! then, beg this gift of God. Lord, give me understanding
eyes. Do not beg riches, and honours, and great things in the world,
but beg for understanding ; it is pleasing to God, 2 Chron. i. 12. This
will bring other things with it. Be importunate, take no nay ; Prov.
ii. 3, cry for knowledge, lift up thy voice for understanding. It will
not come at the first call. Follow God as the blind man, Mark x. 5,
' Lord, that my eyes may be opened, that I may receive my sight/ So
be earnest with God that the eyes of your understanding may be opened,
that you may have such a sight of heaven as that your affections may
be set upon things above ; such a sight of hell as that ye may flee for
refuge as if the avenger of blood were at your heels. Without this
there can be no true piety : Ps. xiv. 3, ' There is none that under-
standeth, there is none that seeketh after God/ Nay, there can be no
salvation without this: Isa. xxvii. 11, ' It is a people of no under
standing; therefore he that made them will have no mercy upon them/
&c. Ignorant people have a saying, He that made them will save
them ; but it is said they have no understanding ; therefore he that
made them will not save them ; and therefore beg of God that he
would break in upon your minds with the lively light of his Spirit.
Secondly, Here is the person asking this request, David, one well
acquainted with God and his ways.
Doct. None know so much of God and his ways but they still need
to know more. Petitions for understanding do not only become begin
ners, but grown Christians.
VER. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 33
Three reasons of this point :—
• 1. That we may escape the deceits of a subtle devil, who lieth in
wait for us, and assaults us on every hand, and maketh great advantage
of the relics of our ignorance. The devils are called, Eph. vi. 12,
' Rulers of the darkness of this world.' The dark part of the world is
the devil's territory ; and so much of ignorance as is in the children
of God, so much advantage hath Satan against us : 2 Cor. ii. 11, c Lest
Satan should get an advantage ; for we are not ignorant of his devices.'
The more we know, the less advantage the devil hath of us ; he layeth
snares for us where we least suspect.
2. That we may serve a holy God with that exactness and diligence
as will become his excellency. The fault of the heathen was that
1 when they knew God, they glorified him not as God/ Rom. i. 21 ;
because they knew so little, they did not improve the knowledge they
had ; and this is true in some degree of every Christian. God would
be more loved, feared, trusted, served, did we know more of him. The
clearer our sight, the warmer our hearts will be in his service : 1 Chron.
xxviii. 9, ' Know thou the God of thy fathers, and serve him with a
perfect heart and willing mind.' If we did know God, we would
devote ourselves to his service.
3. That we may be prepared for our everlasting estate Jby degrees.
Our everlasting estate is called the inheritance of the saints in light.
Now we grow more meet for it by increasing in holiness : Prov. iv.
18, 19, ' The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more
and more to the perfect day ; the way of the wicked is darkness, they
know not at what they stumble/ The just man is like the light that
increaseth as the day groweth ; the wicked are like the night that
increaseth to thick darkness, till at last they fall into utter darkness.
Use. Well, then, let not only poor ignorant creatures, or young
beginners, take up David's prayer, but also grown Christians of longer
•standing. Go to God, and say, Give me understanding. Partly
because practical knowledge is never at a stand ; knowing of things as
we ought to know them, it is possible for a man to see round about
the compass of revealed truths. Though extensively no more truths
:are to be known, yet intensively we may know them better. The best
are defective in their knowledge. And partly, too, because it is a very
satisfactory thing to be sure we are in God's way ; in some nice debates
it is hard to discern God's interest, when all circumstances must be
considered, and temptations hinder the sight of our duty. And partly
that we may justify the ways of God against cavils, Mat. xxiv. 24.
We have to do with men that would even puzzle the very elect, if it
were possible.
Thirdly, To whom is this petition made ? To God.
Doct. If we would have the knowledge of divine things, we must
.-seek to God.
I will give you some grounds of this. Partly because he is the
fountain of knowledge, the first mind or intellect, called in scripture
* the Father of lights,' James i. 17. He is the sun that must not only
shine on us, to make us see things, but shine through us to make us
be enlightened ourselves. Ours is but a participation. Now, to
:show whence we receive all, God will be asked. And partly, too,
because God gave the rule, and therefore he must interpret it, ejus cst
VOL. ix. c
34 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXL
interpretari cujus est condere. He can best show his own meaning ;
and therefore in all doubtful cases repair to him, especially since he-
hath undertaken in necessary cases : Jer. xxxi. 34, ' For they shall all
know me from the least to the greatest ;' and loveth to be employed
by his people for that end and purpose. Once more, without his Spirit
the clearest light we have hath no efficacy, Eom. i. 18. He will have-
it sought.
I come to the third and last tiling, the fruit and benefit, ' And I
shall live.' I shall explain the words in the prosecution of this point.
Doct. The saving knowledge of God's testimonies is the only way to-
live.
There is a threefold life : —
1. Life natural.
2. Life spiritual.
3. Life eternal.
In all these considerations may the point be made good.
First, Life is taken for the life of nature, or the life of the body, or
life temporal, called ' this life' in scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 19 ; 1 Tim. iv. 8.
Among outward things nothing is more precious than life ; it maketli
us capable of enjoying what the world can afford to us. We give all
that we have to preserve it, Job ii. 9. Indeed, in competition with
worldly things, we do well to value it ; but not in competition with
our duty and love to Christ ; so we must not count our life dear to us;
Acts xx. 24, * I count not my life dear to me ; ' and Luke xiv. 26,
* Whosoever hateth not father and mother,' &c., 'and his own life/
Out of the conscience of our duty to Christ, we must be willing to
expose it, for he can give us a better life, John xi. 24 ; but otherwise
so far as we can preserve it with our duty, it must be precious to us,
and we must seek the interests of it. Well, then, in this sense it is no
unbecoming thing for a Christian to say, 'Give me understanding,
that I may live.' My life present, which mine enemies seek to take from
me, this life is from God, both originally and in a way of constant pre
servation. God gave it at first : Gen. ii. 7, c God formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and
man became a living soul ; ' and still this life is at God's disposing, and
he will sooner continue it to us in a way of obedience than in a way of
sin : Job x. 12, * Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visita
tion hath preserved my spirit ; ' Acts xvii. 28, ' In him we live and
move, and have our being.' The same power that giveth us being main-
taineth it as long as he pleaseth. All is at the daily dispose of God.
2. Life is better preserved in a way of obedience than by evil-doing ;
that provoketh God to cast us off, and exposes us to dangers. It is
not in the power of the world to make us live or die a day sooner or
longer than God pleaseth. If God will make us happy, they cannot
make us miserable. Therefore ' Give me understanding, and I shall
live ; ' that is, lead a comfortable and happy life for the present. Pre
vent sin, and you prevent danger. Obedience is the best way to pre
serve life temporal. As great a paradox as it seems to the world, it is
a scripture truth : Prov. iv. 4, ' Keep my commandments, and live ; '
and ver. 13, ' Take hold of instruction ; let her not go, keep her, for
she is thy life ;' and Prov. iii. 16, ' Length of days is in her right
hand, and in her left riches and honour ;' and ver. 18, ' She is a tree
VEU. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 35
of life/ The knowledge and practice of the word is the only means to
live comfortably and happily here, as well as for ever hereafter.
Secondly, Life spiritual; that is twofold — the life of justification
and the life of sanctification.
1. The life of justification : Kom. v. 18, 'The free gift came upon
all men to justification of life.' He is dead not only on whom the
hangman hath done his work, but also he on whom the judge hath
passed sentence, and the law pronounceth him dead. In this sense we
were all dead, and justification is called justification to life ; there is
no living in this sense without knowledge : Isa. liii. 11, 'By his know
ledge shall my righteous servant justify many/ We live by faith, and
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing doth no good unless the Lord
giveth understanding ; as meats nourish not unless received and
digested.
2. The life of sanctification : Eph. ii. 1, 'And you hath he quickened
who were dead in trespasses and sins/ And men live not properly till
they live the life of grace ; they live a false counterfeit life, not a
blessed, happy, certain, and true life. Now this life is begun and
carried on by saving knowledge : Col. iii. 10, * The new man is
renewed in knowledge/ Again, men are said to be 'alienated from the
life of God, through the ignorance that is in them,' Eph. iv. 18. They
that are ignorant are dead in sin. Life spiritual cometh by knowledge,
hence beginneth the change of the inward man, and thenceforth we
live. Give me understanding, ut vere in te vivam, that the true life
begun in me may grow and increase daily, but never be quenched
by sin.
Thirdly, Life everlasting, or our blessed estate in heaven. So it is
said of the saints departed, they all live to God, Luke xx. 38 ; and
this is called water of life, the tree of life, the crown of life ; pro
perly this is life. What is the present life in comparison of everlast
ing life ? The present life, it is mors vitalis, a living death, or mor-
talis vita, a dying life, a kind of death ; it is always in fluxu, like a
stream ; it runneth from us as fast as it cometh to us : Job xiv. 2, ' He
flieth as a shadow/ and continueth not/ We die as fast as we live;
it differeth but as the point from the line where it terminateth. It is
not one and the same, no permanent thing ; it is like the shadow of a
star in a flowing stream ; its contentments are base and low, Isa. Ivii.
10, called * the life of thy hands ; ' it is patched up, of several crea
tures, fain to ransack the storehouses of nature to support a ruinous
fabric. And compare it with a life of grace here ; it doth not exempt
us from sin, nor miseries. Our capacities are narrow, we are full of
fears and doubts and dangers ; but in the life of glory we shall not sin
or sorrow more. This is meant here, ' The righteousness of God's
testimonies is everlasting : give me understanding, and I shall live/
It is chiefly meant of the life, of glory ; this is the fruit of saving
knowledge, John xvii. 3, when we so know God and Christ as to come
to God by him.
Use. Let us seek the saving knowledge of God, that we may live,
first spiritually here, and gloriously here. But few mind it ; all desire
sharpness of wit, and to be as knowing as others ; no man would be a
fool, but would own a wickedness in morals rather than a weakness in
36 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLXII.
intellectuals ; but who thinketh of being wiser for heaven, of being
seasoned with the fear of God ? Most men choke all the motions and
inclinations they have in that kind with worldly delights and worldly
businesses, being alive to the world and dead to God, thronging their
hearts with carnal vanities, but leaving no room for higher and serious
thoughts.
But at length be persuaded ; what do men desire but life ? If you
know God and Christ with a saving knowledge, you shall have it. (1.)
We were made for this end, to come to the knowledge of the truth and
be saved, 1 Tim. ii. 4. We do not live merely to live, but to make
provision for a better life ; not to satisfy our bodies out of God's store
house, but to furnish our souls with grace, and exercise ourselves in his
law day and night, ihat we may know his will concerning us, and pro
vide for a better life, and live according to the directions of his word.
(2.) No creature is so bad as man when he degenerateth from his end
for which he was created : it is not so much for the sea to break its
bounds, or to have a defect in the course of nature, as the degenera
tion of man. (3.) You live not properly when destitute of the life of
God and heavenly wisdom : he doth not live the life of a man, nor pre
serve the rectitude of his nature.
SEKMON CLXII.
I cried with my whole heart; hear me, 0 Lord: I will keep thy
statutes. — VER. 145.
IN these words are —
1. An allegation, I cried with my zvhole heart.
2. A petition, hear me.
3. A promise of obedience, I will keep thy statutes.
1. In the allegation we have a description of prayer, by the two
adjuncts of it : —
[1.] Intension and fervency, ' I cried.'
[2.] The sincerity and integrity of it, ' With my whole heart.'
2. The petition is for audience ; only, what we translate ' hear me/
is in the Hebrew c answer me.' Now this being a general, it is un
certain what he prayed for : it may be for deliverance out of trouble ;
for in the 146th verse it is ' save me/ but in the 149th verse it is
' quicken me/ which implieth the vigour of the spiritual life, or grace
to keep God's statutes. Whether for the one or the other, David would
be heard.
3. Here is a promise of obedience, ' I will keep thy statutes ;' which
is mentioned either as the end and scope of his prayer, * That I may
*eep thy statutes ; ' or as a holy vow and promise which the saints are
wont to mingle with their prayers, ' I will/ &c. He would diligently
serve God if the Lord would hear him.
First, I begin with the allegation or description of David's carriage
in prayer. David devoured not his grief, nor nourished his unbelief,
but opened his heart unto God, and that in an affectionate manner :
VER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 37
he did not call, but cry. Crying noteth vehemency and earnestness,
and is opposite to careless formality and deadness. The note from
thence is —
Doct. That there is a holy vehemency and fervour required in
prayer.
Here I shall show —
1. That we may cry.
2. That we must cry.
3. Wherein it consisteth.
First, We may cry in our afflictions. David doth so for help and
relief, and it is not inconsistent with patience for us to do so ; for our
Lord Jesus had his cries, Heb. v. 7, in the extremity of his sufferings,
without any impeachment of his courage and patience. So did Job,
chap. xxx. 28, ' I went mourning without the sun ; I stood up and I
cried in the congregation/ It argues we have a sense of our condition,
and are under a pinching necessity ; and therefore may complain to
God, though not of God. They are sullen and obstinate and senseless
that have no feeling, and so no complaint to make, when God lasheth
them.
Secondly, We must cry. For —
1. The spirit of grace was given for this end: Eom. viii. 15, 'Ye
have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father ; '
not to say, but cry. He assisteth us by groans : Kom. viii. 26, ' The
Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot
be uttered/ And such a spirit of prayer should we all labour for, to
come to God with affection and humble and sensible groans, if we
cannot come with the pomp of gifts. There is good sense in broken-
ness of heart, though it be accompanied with brokenness of speech ;
for God knoweth what a groan meaneth, and will not refuse the work
of his Spirit.
2. Because the saints have all done so. Their way of praying is
crying : Ps. xviii. 6, ' In my distress I cried unto the Lord ; ' Ps.
xxxiv. 6, ' This poor man cried unto the Lord ; ' Ps. cxxx. 1, ' Out
of the depths have I cried unto thee, 0 Lord ; ' and Ps. Iv. 17, ' At
noon will I pray, and cry aloud ; ' and in many other places. Others
can say a prayer, but they cry it out.
3. These cries are heard and answered ; as in all the former places,
so Ps. xxii. 5, ' Our fathers cried unto thee, and were delivered ; ' Ps.
xxxiv. 17, ' The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth ; ' fioydeco, the
word ' to help ' is ek porjv 6eiv to run to the cry. An arrow drawn
with full strength will pierce deep.
4. Other prayers are not comely. It doth not become God to
whom we pray ; dead service doth not become the living God : Mai.
i. 14, ' Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male, and
voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing : for I am a
great king, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among
the heathen/ Slight dealing in God's service argueth mean thoughts
of God. It doth not become the Spirit by whom we pray, as in the
first reason ; nor doth it become the blessings for which we pray :
God will not give a mercy till it be valued. If we be indifferent, and
pray for things of course, without any esteem of them, we bespeak our
38 SERMONS UPON I'SALM CX1X. . [SfiU. CLXIT.
own denial. Then we undervalue the grace we seek if we seek it so
as if we cared not whether we ohtained our request or no, for form's
sake we must say something. When things are prized we are earnest,
and God will have us earnest, to ask, seek, and knock, Mat. vii. 7. If
you have good things, you must do so, and will do so, before you have
them. Nor doth it become the state of want wherein you pray.
Where there is real indigence and felt necessity, it will sharpen your
affections and put an accent upon your prayers. You will not tell a
tale or a cold story of your own wants, but cry aloud for help : Jonah
ii. 2, * I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord.' And the
saints cry day and night, Luke xviii. 18. A true sense of want will
sharpen our sluggish desires ; the hunger-bitten beggar will not easily
be put off.
Thirdly, Wherein this crying consisteth.
1. In the earnestness of the affection, not in the loudness of the
voice : Gal. iv. 6, ' He hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
crying, Abba Father.' It is a cry, not of the mouth, but of the heart;
it lieth not in the lifting up of the external voice, or the agitation of
the bodily spirits, but the serious bent and frame of the spirit, Kom.
viii. 26, arevayfjiois aXaX^rot?, inward groans, and holy meltings and
breathings of soul after God. Moses cried after God, Exod. xiv. 18 ;
but we hear of no words which Moses spake. We hear of Israel's
crying, and have an account of their words, hot and full of impatience,
ver. 10 ; but not a word that Moses said, yet he cried unto the Lord.
Israel was in straits, the Ked Sea before, the Egyptians behind.
Clamdbat populus, et non audiebatur : tacebat Moses, et audiebatur,
saith Ambrose. Moses' silence was sooner heard than their cry. Our
groans and tears have a language which God understands. It is
said, 1 Sam. i. 13, that ' Hannah spake in her heart, only her lips
moved, but her voice was not heard/ That is the better crying, in
sighs and groans, rather than words ; as the child that cannot speak
will cry and make moan for the breast. God hath heard the cry of
the heart without that of the tongue, but never the cry of the tongue
without that of the heart. Quibus arteriis opus est, si pro sonitu
audiamur ! — what lungs and sides must we have, if the loudness of
the voice did it ! A dumb beggar gets an alms at Christ's gate if he
can but make signs, when his tongue cannot plead for him.
2. This spiritual crying is not the earnestness of carnal affections ;
that is stirred up by the flesh, but this cry is stirred up by the Spirit,
who maketh request, Kara Seov, Eom. viii. 27. God should have
work enough to do if he did answer all men's prayers. Some would
set him a task to provide meat for this, others for that lust. This
man prayeth heartily for his pleasures, another for honour, another
for preferment, another to satisfy his revenge. A carnal spring may
send forth. high tides of affection, James iv. 3; but few seek grace to
serve God : they would make God serve with their sins. These are
not the groans and breathings of the Spirit, but the eructations and
belches of the flesh. Therefore the vehemency of the affection is not
only to be regarded, but the regularity, that they be not stirred up by
the flesh, but guided by the Spirit.
3. It is not a mere natural fervency ; that is the cry of nature after
YER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 39
ease, but not the cry of grace after God, and is but bowling in God's
account, Hosea vii. 14. The heart is not affected with that which is
the true misery, sin and the wrath of God ; nor sincerely engaged to
God, from whom they expect help : and then how instant and earnest
soever men be to be rid of their burden, their prayers are but like
the moanings of the beasts under pain, and the howling of dogs, or
the gaping of hungry ravens, Ps. cxlvii. It is lawful to ask ease, but
we must ask in a spiritual manner. It is lawful to pray for temporal
blessings, but not in the first place, or with the neglect of better
things. Prayer properly is the vent of grace, and the desires of a
renewed heart expressed to God, Zech. xii. 10.
Use 1. To reprove most men for their deadness and carelessness in
prayer. Prayer is a part of natural worship. All that will acknow
ledge God and a providence will acknowledge a necessity of praying
to God, especially in their straits. The pagan mariners cried every
man to his god in a tempest, Jonah i. 6 ; but though all will pray in
-one sort or other, yet few pray in good earnest. Some say a prayer,
but they do not pray in prayer, James v. 17. Elijah prayed earnestly.
Their prayers are conceived in a cold and customary track of devotion.
Others flow in words without spirit and life ; their tongue is as the
pen of a ready writer, but the heart is dead and carelessly affected,
for they are indifferent whether they be heard or not. Prayer is in
deed the work of their invention, but not the expression of their
rspiritual desire. The mind conceiveth a rational prayer, but the
heart is not poured out before God ; and so it is discoursing rather
than crying. Words are the outside of prayer, sighs and groans lie
.nearer the heart, and do better discover the temper of it, and are more
regarded by God than all the charms of speech : Ps. vi. 8, ' The Lord
hath heard the voice of my weeping.' Tears have a language which our
Father understandeth ; a want of affection is more than a defect of words.
Broken words with a spiritual affection do more than a well-set speech
with unbrokenness of heart. Others have a natural fervency, but not
renewed affections ; pray from their own interest, or pray passionately
for carnal things : Num. xi. 4, ' They fell a-lusting, and wept, saying,
Who will give us flesh ? ' They may be importunate for their own
ease and welfare : ' Give me children or else I die/ saith passionate
Kachel. Natural desires are very passionate, yea, for spiritual things
on their own terms. Would not a man desire pardon and heaven ?
Whose heart doth not engage him to look after them ? Some that
are renewed yet are too cold in prayer, do not cry. It is not enough
to have the qualification of the person, but the prayer must be quali
fied also, James v. 16, Se^crt? fapyovpevy ; it must be a well-wrought
prayer, otherwise it availeth not ; yea, our earnestness must increase
according to the weight and moment of what we pray for. When
Peter was in prison the church made instant and earnest prayer,
66770^9 eVrez/?)?, Acts xii. 5, as in the margin it is ; and Christ had his
€KT€vecrT€pov, Luke "xxii. 44. But now the children of God are con
scious to themselves of much deadness and drowsiness, and are so low
sometimes that they are riot heard, scarce breathe in prayer, so far from
crying. But what is the reason of this carelessness ?
1. Want of sense. They have no feeling of their wants, and there-
40 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIL
fore pray perfunctorily. The poor in spirit, the mourner, and meek,
are put before the desirer, Mat. v. Men must be affected with their
wants before they be earnest after a supply. Jesus Christ was sensible
of his burden, and therefore he ' offered up supplications with strong
crying and tears/ Heb. v. 7. And if man were once sensible of his-
sins by which his Saviour suffered, he would be fervent in his prayers,,
and most earnestly deprecate the wrath of God, as his Saviour did.
A smart sense of wants quickens prayers. If we were always alike
affected, as we are in a deep distress, or fears of death, or some notable
danger, we should not need many directions to teach us to pray fer
vently ; but because such a sense is soon worn off, our prayers grow
cold and careless.
2. As they are ^tongue-tied through sin, and carnal liberty hath
brought an indisposition upon them, 1 John iii. 20, 21. He that
hath wronged another will not easily repair to him, and crave his help
in straits.
3. Want of spiritual desire. Prayer is but the acting of desire ;
as desire is more or less, so is our cry in prayer. He that asketh'
remission of his sins, but doth not thirst after it with an earnest and
burning desire, doth but pray for it out of course, and not as it
becometh a creature that hath a sense of God's anger against sin.
He that asketh the mortification of sin, but doth not desire it out of
true desire, flowing from the hatred of sin dwelling in him, doth but
pray for form's sake. He that desireth the deliverance of the church,
but doth not desire it out of a true love to the church, will never pray
heartily and in good earnest for it : Isa. Ixii. 1, ' For Zion's sake I will'
not hold my peace/ &c. A man whose soul truly loveth the interests-
of the church will be solicitous for it ; as Eli trembled for the ark of
God, 1 Sam. iv. 13. So when at ease we ask temporal supplies for
fashion's sake. God must have the name, though we eat our own.
bread, and wear our own apparel.
4. Want of reverence to God, and therefore they babble over words
without sense and feeling; they do not see him that is invisible:
Eccles. v. 1, 2, ' Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God,,
and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of fools ; for they
consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let
not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God, for God is in
heaven and thou upon earth : therefore let thy words be few/ Keep-
thy heart and affections when thou goest into God's presence ; a little
outward lip-service is but the sacrifice of fools, an affront to the power
and majesty of God : Mai. i. 8, ' Offer it now unto thy governor ; will
he be pleased with thee or accept thy person? saith the Lord of
hosts.'
5. Want of faith : Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all ye that labour
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest/ To the woman of Canaan,
that would take no denial, Christ saith, ' 0 woman, great is thy faith/
The blind man cried after the Son of David, as we run to a rich man
that is charitably disposed for an alms. If we were persuaded that we-
should be the better for coming to God, we should not be so slight and
careless in our approaches to him.
Use 2. To press you to this crying or holy vehemency in prayer.
VER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 41
The apostle biddeth us to * continue instant in prayer/
repovvTes, continue with all your might in prayer : Col. iv. 12,
aycoviZopevos, l Labouring fervently in prayer for yon/ The word
signifieth to be striving in a battle, arid in an agony for them : it
hath life in it. But what is it ?
1. When the heart worketh in prayer as before.
2. When you follow the suit, and will riot give over praying : Luke
xviii. 1, 'He spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought
always to pray, and not to faint/ Luke xi. 8, Sia rrjv dva&eiav,
1 Because of his importunity he will rise/ &c. The prophet telleth
God plainly what he would do : Isa. Ixii. 1, 'For Zion's sake will I
not hold my peace, arid for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest/ &c. So*
Jacob : Gen. xxxii. 26, ' I will not let thee go unless thou bless me.'
Absque te non recedam.
3. When deaf to disappointments and discouragements from without,
from within, from himself, from God himself: 1 Sam. xii. 23, * God
forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you/
&c. ; notwithstanding the many objections in his heart, what God
would do to a rebellious people. So Elijah when the heavens were as-
brass and the clouds as iron; and blind Bartimeus: 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 on me/ When
God seemeth to cast out prayer, to give no answer, or a contrary one.
So Daniel when forbidden to pray : Dan. vi. 10, c When Daniel knew
that the writing was signed, he went into his house and prayed three
times a day as afore-time ;' he doth not make one suit the less, or abate
one jot of his zeal. To cleave to God when he seemeth to thrust us
from him, Job xiii. 1 5, this is a holy obstinacy, very acceptable unto
God. The woman of Canaan standeth fending and proving with
Christ, till he giveth her satisfaction ; then ' be it unto thee as thou
wilt/ When we turn discouragements into arguments and motives of
believing, and draw nearer to Christ the more he seemeth to drive us
from him. However God wrestle with such for a while, it is with a
purpose to give faith the victory, and to yield us himself to do for us
what our souls desire of him. You pray and God keepeth silence :
' He answered her not a word/ Mat. xv. 23. It is not said he heard
not a word, but he answered her not a word ; these two differ. Christ
often heareth when he doth not answer. His not answering is indeed
an answer, and speaks this, Pray on, and continue your crying still ;
the door is kept bolted that you may knock again. Afterwards a
rebuke. First, he answereth not a word, then giveth an answer to the
disciples, not to the woman, ' I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel/ and then ' It is not meet to take the children's bread
and to cast it to dogs.' But she turned the discouragement into an
argument/ and she said, ' Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs
which fall from their master's table/
4. Holy fervency and vehemency will be argumentative, and plead
with God ; as Abraham: Gen. xviii. 25, ' Shall not the judge of all
the earth do right ?' So Jacob: Gen. xxxii. 9, Jacob pleadeth God's
promise ; Return unto thy father's house ; I will deal well with thee ;
Lord, I undertook not this journey but upon this encouragement. The
42 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXII.
little honour God hath by the church's calamities, Ps. xliv. 12; Isa.
lii. 4, 5. The praise God will have from his people, Ps. cxlii. 6. Do
it, as David in the text, ' I will keep thy statutes/ The chief argu
ments are — God's covenant : Ps. Ixxiv. 22, ' Arise, 0 God, plead thine
own cause ; remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.
Have respect to thy covenant.' The merits of Christ : Lord, hear for
the Lord's sake. Desire is witty to find out arguments and reasoning
to enforce the things we sue for.
But how shall we get it ?
[1.] Have a sincere desire to the things asked. We will cry for what
we value and earnestly desire : Prov. ii. 3-5, * If thou criest for know
ledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding ; if thou seek for her
as for silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures ; then shalt
thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.'
[2.] Be persuaded of the Lord's willingness to hear and power to
help. A rich and bountiful person, a beggar will not let him go, if
he see only a rich man : Mat. viii. 2, ' Lord, if thou wilt thou canst ;'
it is in the power of your hand to help us. But is not God willing
also ? Suppose it be an uncertainty, yet cry mightily unto God,
' Who can tell that he will not repent ? ' Jonah iii. 8, 9. If there be
but a possibility, yet try what importunity will do : Ps. Ivii. 2, * I will
cry unto God most high, unto God who performeth all things for me/
He hath heard once, and will again.
[3.] Beg the assistance of the Spirit. Our necessities are not sharp
enough to quicken our affections, they need the secret influence of
grace ; it is his work to set us a-groaning and crying to God. How
well are we provided for, with an advocate and notary : Kom. viii. 26 ;
Jude 20.
[4.] Let us rouse up ourselves : Isa. Ixiv. 7, ' There is none that
calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee ;'
Psa, Ivii. 8, ' Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp ; I myself
will awake early/ We must ava^anrvpeiv ' stir up the gift of God,
which is in us/ 2 Tim. i. 6.
[5.] Let us take heed we do not quench the Spirit, 1 Thes. v. 19,
bring deadness on our hearts by carnal liberty. So much enlarged as
we are to the flesh, so much straitened in the spirit. Where desires are
after other things, there will be little delight in prayer.
[6.] The way to be fervent is to be frequent and often with God.
A key seldom turned rusts in the lock. The fire of the sanctuary
was never to go out. By great interruptions we lose what we have
wrought : ' The way of the ' Lord is strength to the upright, but
destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity/ Prov. x. 29.
I come now to the second qualification, ' With my whole heart ;'
which importeth his integrity and sincerity in praying.
Doct Our prayers to God must be sincere as well as fervent.
The heart must be in them, and the whole heart. This noteth —
1. Seriousness, that we heed what we say, otherwise we do not pour
out our hearts before God. It is so far from being a spiritual act
that it is not a rational act, but like the parrots speaking by rote, or
as children say their prayers ; and we must not be always children.
Surely we do not speak to God as God, as an all-seeing Spirit, if we
VER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 43
do not mind what we say, John iv. 24 ; and Prov. xxviii. 23, ' Burning
lips and a wicked heart are as a potsherd covered with silver dross.'
2. A hearty desire or affectionateriess. Praying from memory arid
invention, and praying from affection, are two distinct things ; yea,
praying from conscience, and praying from the heart. Many times
the mind is in prayer when the heart is not in it. The mind or con
science dictates what is fit to be asked, but the heart doth not con
sent, or not urge it to make any such suit to God ; and so the prayer
is repeated in the very making : Psa. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard iniquity
in my heart, God will not hear me.' The understanding judge th that
a meet prayer, but the heart is biassed the contrary way to some
known sin. Therefore as David calleth all that is within him to bless
God, Ps. ciii. 1, so to pray to him — memory, understanding, conscience,
will, affections, all that is within us must attend upon this work ; that
which God heareth is desire : Ps. x. 17, ' Lord, thou hast heard the
desire of the humble : thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause
thine ear to hear/ . So Ps. cxlv. 19, 'He will fulfil the desire of them
that fear him : he also will hear their cry, and will save them.'
3. The prevalency of these affections. That God and his interest
be uppermost in the soul, and the heart be effectually bent towards
him ; for prayer is not a work barely of our natural faculties, but of
grace guiding, ordering, and inclining those faculties ; not only a work
of understanding and will, but of faith, love, fear, zeal, hatred of sin,
temperance, patience, and other virtues, which do bend the heart to
wards God, and draw it off from other things : and without them the
understanding will not be clear, and have any deep sense of the worth
of spiritual things, 2 Peter i. 19. Without these, the will is remiss,
and they never pursue them in good earnest. We may wish for them,
but shall not will them : As Balaam, ' Oh that I might die the death
of the righteous ! But he loved the wages of iniquity,' 2 Peter ii. 15,
and so spake words which his heart allowed not. The affections will
be diverted to other things, and we cannot have those longings and
strong desires after grace, Ps. cxix. 36 ; Col. iii. 2 ; or at best but a
little passionate earnestness for the present.
4. A universal care to please God in all tilings, without harbouring
any known sin in our hearts, Ps. Ixvi. 18 ; Ps. xvii. 3, ' Thou has proved
mine heart ; thou hast visited me in the night ; thou hast tried me,
and slialt find nothing ; ' nothing contrary to the new covenant, no
guile ; nothing in his heart contrary to what was in his mouth. So
no insincerity found : Job xi. 13-14, ' If thou prepare thine heart, and
•stretch out thy hand towards him : if iniquity be in thy hand, put it
far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.' If you
mean to call upon God with any confidence, all that is displeasing to
him must be cast out of the heart. This is the best preparation ; all
filth must be swept out when you come to the holy God, for he will
not do us good till we are fit to receive good. Therefore if you mean
to stretch out your hand in prayer, thus you must do, then may you lift
up your face without spot, have boldness and confidence in prayer ; but
when the heart is wedded to any vanity, God will not hear : Job xxxv. 13,
' Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it/
Use. To persuade us to pray with our whole hearts ; for —
41 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXIL
1. God will not be mocked, Gal. vi. 7 ; that is in vain. You may
venture to mock God, put him off with vain pretences, but it will cost
you dear. He knoweth the thoughts afar off, Ps. cxxxix. 2 ; and
Heb. iv. 12-13, ' The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper
than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart ; neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in his sight ; but all things are naked and open
unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do/ Though man cannot
find you out, yet God can.
2. God hath expressly told you, ' The prayer of the upright is his
delight/ Prov. xv. 8. He will pardon many defects, but he will not
pardon want of sincerity, either in the person or prayer. Though you
cannot bring the |)omp of gifts, or exact righteousness, yet, if sincere,
God will delight in you ; he measureth your prayer by that.
3. Where there is a moral integrity you do not dissemble ; God can
find the defect of supernatural integrity : Deut. v. 29, 'I have heard
the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto
thee ; they have well said in all that they have spoken : oh that there
were such an heart in them/ &c. Therefore be sure your lips do not
feign, Ps. xvii. 1, and pretend more grace than you have ; so that for
the main your hearts be upright, seriously, readily bent to please him,
in all things. To this end —
[1.] The tongue must not only pray, but the heart. How dare you
tell God to his face that you love him, and fear him, and trust in him,
when there is no such matter ? No such forgery as counterfeiting the
voice of God's Spirit. The heart should be first and chief in prayer,
Ps. xli. 1 ; and Lam. iii. 4, ' Lift up your hearts with your hands
to God in the heavens/ There is the chief voice ; the hand without
it is nothing.
[2.] You must make conscience of graces as well as gifts, yea, more
than gifts: 1 Cor. xii. 31, 'But covet earnestly the best gifts ; and yet
show I unto you a more excellent way ; ' with 1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2. And
bewail unbrokenness of heart more than brokenness of expression ; if
you chatter like cranes, yet if there be a holy desire in it, God will hear.
[3.] You must pray earnestly in secret as well as in company : Mai
vi. 5, 6, * When thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are,
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners
of the streets, that they may be seen of men : but thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray
to thy Father which is in secret/ &c. We have more enlargement
there, because we represent our own case to God. Mourn apart :
Jer. xiii. 17, ' My soul shall weep in secret places/ We are flat, cold,
loose, careless in private ; strive to speak with the same power, life,
holiness in private as you would in public.
[4.] What you would be in prayer, you must be out of prayer : Prov.
xxvi. 7, * The legs of the lame are not equal, so is a parable in the
mouth of a fool ; ' as the legs of the lame, one doth not answer another.
They are devout, all of a fire in their prayers, but neglectful of God
in their conversations : Eph. vi. 18, ' Praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the spirit, watching thereunto with all perseverance;
YER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 45
Prov. xxviii. 9, 'He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law,
even his prayer shall be an abomination/ He doth not live his prayers.
We must live in the same frame.
[5.] You must pray as affectionately for heavenly as you would for
earthly things. A carnal man's mind and heart is upon worldly
things, and spiritual things lie by ; contrary to Mat. vi. 33, where we
iire bid, ' First to seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness
thereof,' &c. ; and Ps. xxvii. 4, ' One thing have I desired of the Lord,
that will I seek after ; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all
the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in
his temple.' They have no savour for other requests, but can find
tender affections for safety, ease, sloth : other petitions do but bear
these company ; there is their business with God. If God will give
these things, we will give a discharge for other things ; so that their
prayers do not come from grace, but nature ; thanks to his natural
necessities for all the affections he hath in prayer.
[6.] We must not only have our flashes and good moods. So Balaam :
Num. xxiii. 10, ' Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my
last end be like his.' So those, John vi. 34, ' Then said they unto him,
Lord, evermore give us this bread/ Strange strivings for the present,
but it is only for privileges. It is vanishing : Job xxvii. 10, * Will
he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?'
They would have heaven without holiness ; pardon of sin, rather than
power against it, or a new heart. He will pray when he seeth his
time, as men take strong waters in a pang : he hath a praying fit upon
him in adversity, not in prosperity : Hosea v. 15, ' In their affliction
they will seek me early/
[7.] As you pray to God, so you must entirely trust him : James i.
6, 7, ' Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering ; for he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind^and tossed/ A carnal
man wavereth ; he would fain have help from God, but his heart
runneth upon other things : Hosea vii. 11, * Ephraim is like a silly
dove without heart ; they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria/ Their
hearts are seeking to other refuges, however they call to God among the
rest. Ahaz would not ask a sign that would engage him to depend
upon God, and keep him from running to other shifts. Sometimes he
thinketh prayer will do it, and by and by desponds, dareth not trust
God upon his prayers; he knoweth not what course to take, whether to
shift for himself, or tarry God's leisure. But one that commits all to
God is fixed : Ps. cxii. 7, ' He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his
heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord/ He is freed from anxious cares.
SERMON CLXIII.
I cried with my whole heart ; hear me, 0 Lord ; I will keep thy
statutes. — YER. 145.
SECONDLY, Here is the petition, ' Hear me;' or, as it is in the Hebrew,
' answer me ; ' not in words, but deeds.
46 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIIL
Dock God's children when they pray are earnest for an answer.
To give you some instances : Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' I will hear what God
the Lord will speak.' A gracious heart doth not make prayer a vain
babbling or an empty prattle, but a gracious exercise that will in time
get an answer, and obtain a good return or blessing from the Lord.
Therefore they are listening and hearkening after news from heaven,
if they can hear anything from God, how he receiveth their prayers,
and what he will do for them: Micah vii. 7, 'Therefore I will look
unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation : my God will
hear me.' They are not only waiting, but observing and watching
what cometh in upon prayer; for they are certain it is not breath
poured out in the air, but a petition commended to their God, who
hath promised to hear them. So Hab. ii. 1, 'I will stand upon my
watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will
say to me.' He compareth himself to a watchman that is spying
abroad if he can get any intelligence of any approaching comfort. So
Ps. v. 3, 'I will pray, and look up;' as Elijah, if he could spy a
cloud, any preparation towards mercy.
Reason 1. Because they dare not take God's name in vain, as all do
that pray cursorily and never regard what cometh of it ; like foolish
boys that knock at a door in wantonness, but have no business, and
therefore will not stay till somebody cometh to open the door. It is a
great sin to take God's name in vain in any act of worship, much
more in prayer. Now all do so that go about this duty as a task, not
as a means to do their souls good, or to obtain blessings from God ;
when I hear merely that I may hear, or receive the Lord's supper,
and rest in the act of receiving. Every ordinance must be gone about
in faith and obedience, expecting the ends of the duty, as well as being
employed in the acts of it. If you do it in good earnest, and with
respect to God's institution, you must do so. All the ordinances
come under a fourfold notion — as duties, as privileges, as means, as
talents. As duties enjoined, and a part of our homage and obedience
to God ; this will breed an awe upon our conscience, to keep us to a
due and constant observance of them ; it is not a matter arbitrary, but
our necessary duty. As privileges ; this keepeth us from weariness, that
we may not consider them as a burdensome task. As means of our
growth and improvement, that notion is necessary that we may not
rest in the work wrought, but look after the grace dispensed thereby.
As talents for which we must give an account, which will quicken us
to more earnest diligence in the improvement Some do not look
upon them as duties, and so neglect them ; others not as privileges,
and so do not prize them, are not joyful in the house of prayer ; others
not as means, and so rest in the bare performance, without looking
after the fruits to be had thereby ; others not as talents, and so are
more indifferent whether they get good by them, yea or no : but when
all these are regarded, we act best in any service or ordinance. Now,
as this is true of ordinances in general, so especially of prayer, which
is a sweet means of communion with God, not to be done as a task ;
herein we make an immediate address to God and come to set him
a-work, and to take proof of his power and goodness, to see what he
will do for his people. We put it, I say, to the trial, as in that ex-
VER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 47
traordinary case Elijah puts his contest with Baal's priests upon this
issue, ' that God that should answer by fire, he should be God,' 1 Kings
xviii. 24 ; so ordinarily we put in prayer to trial whether God hath
any respect to his people, and that with God's own leave and en
couragement ; for he hath said that none shall seek his face in vain,
Isa. xlv. 19. We put it to proof whether he will keep touch with his
people, and be able and willing to perform what he hath promised.
Therefore we use this duty in vain, and in a cursory way, if we be not
earnest for an answer ; which the saints dare not do.
Reason 2. Not looking for an answer proceedeth from an ill cause.
1. Heedlessness, not considering what they do, and then, their
prayers are the sacrifice of fools, Eccles. v. 1,2. Surely attention to
holy duties, and that we should consider what we are about, it is the
most serious and important part of our lives. Now men that do not
consider why they pray are heedless and inattentive and rash.
2. Atheism, there is a touch of it in this sin : Heb. xi. 6, ' He that
cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him.' God's being and his bounty, that
there is a God, and that he will be good to them that seek him ; these
they do not believe steadfastly, these primitive and supreme truths of
God's being and bounty, essence, and providence, but only comply with
the common custom and fashion ; for were they persuaded that there
is a God, and that he is good to mankind, and will reward those that
worship him sincerely, they would see what cometh of their duties and
prayers to him.
3. Distrust, which is next akin to atheism : Job xxi. 15, ' What
profit have we if we pray unto him?' Mai. iii. 14, ' Ye have said, It is
m vain to serve God ; what profit is it that we have kept his ordi
nances ? ' &c. Now when you look for nothing, we do in effect say so ;
for you carry it as if nothing would come of your prayers and fasts.
They that are persuaded that God heareth them, they will wait for the
answer of their prayers : 1 John v. 14, 15, ' And this is the confidence
that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he
heareth us ; and if we know that he hears us, whatsover we ask, we
know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.' But low
and slight thoughts of God and his service beget this carelessness;
something they do, but never look after what they do.
4. It argues some disesteem of God's favour and acceptance, they
care not whether he hath any respect for them, yea or no ; for they
do not so much as inquire of it. Oh ! how contrary is this to the
temper of • God's people ! If God hide his face they are troubled,
Ps. xxx. 7 ; he is the life of their lives : ' Lord, lift thou up the light
of thy countenance upon us/ Ps. iv. 7. The seasoning of their com
forts is God's accepting their work«, Eccles. ix. 7. How passionately
do they beg for a glimpse, for a token for good, Ps. Ixxxvi. 17.
Nothing goeth so near their hearts as when the Lord hideth himself
from their prayers : Ps. xxii. 2, 'I cry in the daytime, and thou nearest
not; in the night season, and am not silent;' Job xxx. 20, 'I cry
unto thee, and thou dost not hear me ; I stand up, and thou regardest
me not.' A dumb oracle is a great trouble. They make a business
of prayer, therefore it is very grievous to have no answer, not to see
48 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEK. CLXIII.
their signs, to have no token for good. The church taketh it bitterly
to heart: Lain. iii. 14, ' Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that
our prayers should not pass through.' That cloud is his wrath, by
reason of sin. Now, to have no affection this way argueth a stupid,
sottish spirit. These are two reasons of the point.
Season 3. If we do not look after God's answer, our loss is exceeding
great.
1. We lose our labour in prayer, yea, return worse than we came,
with more hardness of heart and neglect of God. Yea, that is not all,
the loss of a prayer with a degree of spiritual judgment ; but we lose
confirmation of faith, for answers of prayer are notable props to the
soul to support our faith in the truth of God's being : Ps. Ixv. 2, ' 0
thou that hearest jprayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.' Every one
shall own thee for God. So many answers of prayer, so many argu
ments against natural atheism. We have challenged him upon his
word, and find there is a God. So of the truth of the promises, Ps. xviii.
30. Thy word is a tried word ; I will build upon it another time.
You have put them in suit, and ever found them good. Now all these
experiences are lost if we do not look for an answer of our prayers.
2. You lose excitements to love and obedience. Nothing so much
increaseth our love to God, as when we see that he is mindful of us
upon all occasions, especially in our deep necessities, Ps. cxvi. 1, ' I will
love the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplication.'
Every experience in this kind is a new fuel laid on to increase the fire.
3. We lose encouragements to pray again : Ps. cxvi. 2, ' Because he
hath inclined his ear to me, I will call upon him so long as I live/
The throne of grace shall not be neglected and unfrequented by me :
I see there is mercy to be had, help to be had. One adventure suc
ceeding encourageth another : Ps. xxxii. 6, * For this shall every one
that is godly pray unto thee ; ' because David found such ready audi
ence and despatch.
4. You lose the benefit of sensible communion with God. Taking
communion for familiarity, it lieth in donatives and duties, prayers
and blessings ; and there is a commerce between the heavens and the
earth, by vapours and showers: prayers go up, and blessings come
down ; as it was told Cornelius, Acts x. 4, * Thy prayers and thine
alms are come up for a memorial before God ; ' and down come the
blessings upon us.
5. God loseth honour and praise and thanksgiving if we do not look
for an answer. For the answer, as it is matter of comfort to us, so it
should be matter of praise to God : Ps. 1. 15, ' Call upon me in the
day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me ; ' so
Col. iv. 2, ' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanks
giving/ We are to gather up matter of praise to God. We should
not be so barren in gratulation if we did observe more of these experi
ences. You would not only be glorifying God by way of invocation,
but commemoration : you may commend him to others from your own
experience : Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' 0 taste and see that the Lord is good/
Use 1. To reprove them that throw away their prayers, and never
look after them ; that play with such a duty as this, as children that
shoot away their arrows, and never look where they light. Surely this
VER. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 49
argueth great contempt and low thoughts of God, formality in prayer,
and stupidness of heart. It bespeaks low thoughts of God and of his
providence; for if they did believe such a particular providence
reacheth to all persons and things, they would study to produce some
of these experiences, to be able to say, I was in such a strait, and God
delivered me : Ps. xxxiv, 6, ' This poor man cried unto the Lord, and
lie heard him.' Great formality in prayer ; for if we pray not out of
course, but in good earnest, we cannot but hearken after the speeding
of our requests. Great stupidity of spirit ; hearts that have any sense
of life in them are observing God's dealings, and suit their carriage
accordingly. Lively Christians are putting cases.
Use 2. To press us to hearken after the answer of our prayers.
God's children do so, and get much comfort thereby, and evidence of
his love : Ps. Ixvi. 18, 19, ' But verily God hath heard me ; he hath
attended to the voice of my cry.' It is no small favour and respect we
have from God's love to us ; it is a great owning of our persons ; our
mercies are the sweeter. There is a double lustre and beauty put
upon them when they come in the way of prayer, out of the hand of
God ; not by a common providence, but by covenant ; and by virtue
of the covenant put in suit by us, as well as granted by God, which is
a pledge of God's respect to us. To this end —
1. Be persuaded that God will hear you, and answer you when you
pray according to his will : 1 John v. 14, * And this is the confidence
that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will,
he heareth us.' This is absolutely necessary for all that will pray
aright, and mind what they do; for none can come to God aright
but those that are persuaded they shall be the better for coming to
him : James i. 5, ' Pray in faith, nothing wavering.' There must be
a relying upon God, if indeed we pray to him. He that expects little
in prayer will neither be much in it nor serious about the answer of it.
2. This answer must be needfully observed. Careless spirits will not
easily discern it: Ps. cxxx. 5, 6, 'I wait for the Lord, my soul doth
wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord, more
than they that watch for the morning ; I say, more than they that
watch for the morning ; ' as those that watched in the temple for the
dawning of the day. This earnest waiting is a happy token ; when we
make much of prayers, they are not lost. Therefore, as they watched
for the word, brethren, so must you wait upon God for some discovery
of his love by a gracious answer and return unto your prayers.
3. Sometimes God giveth an answer presently ; sometimes it may
be after some competent space of time. (1.) Sometimes presently; as
Cornelius, in the time of prayer, and while the duty is a-doing. God
giveth in some tokens of acceptance ; as an angel was sent to Cornelius
at the ninth hour, which was the hour of prayer, to assure him that
his prayers were heard, and duties accepted : Acts x. 3, ' Peter and
John went up to pray at the ninth hour,' Acts iii. 1. So Daniel :
'Whilst I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin; yea,
whilst I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel was caused to fly
•swiftly/ The Lord is ready to answer the prayers of his servants in
the very instant of their praying. So Acts iv. 3, ' While they prayed,
they were filled with the Holy Ghost.' The cases brought are singular
VOL. IX. D
50 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXIIL
and extraordinary as to the token and manner of assistance, but as to
the substance of the blessing, it is the common practice of God's free
grace : Isa, Iviii. 10, ' When they call, I will answer ; while they are
yet speaking, I will hear ; ' Acts xii. 12, a company was met to
gether in prayer when Peter in prison heard of the time of his deliver
ance. (2.) Sometimes a good while after : the prayers are in God's
book, Mai. iii. 16. Now these must be waited for : ' My God will hear
me/ Micah vii. 7. We cannot say, As soon as the prayer is made, for
he saith, ' I will wait for the God of my salvation/ Paul prayed
thrice for the removal of the messenger of Satan, 2 Cor. xii. ; then
God said, ' My grace is sufficient for thee.' We must knock again and
again. God heareth as soon as the prayer is made, but he taketh his
own time to despatch an answer. Abraham prayeth for a child, but
many years pass'over till he hath him in his arms.
4. When God giveth an answer, own it as an answer. Sometimes
we will not take notice of what is before our eyes, out of deep distress
of spirit. It is said, Job ix. 16, ' Though I had called and he had
answered, yet would I not believe that he had hearkened to my voice.'
Thus we misinterpret God's dealings in our troubles, that we will not
own God's work as an answer.
5. Consider the several ways how God giveth answer to his people's
prayers.
[1.] Extraordinarily, as in ancient time ; so an angel was sent to
Cornelius to tell him his prayers were heard; so to Daniel; so to
Abel, Heb. xi. 4, probably by fire from heaven ; by vision to Abra
ham ; by voice or visible token to Moses, and the high priest in the
tabernacle of the congregation from above the mercy-seat. But these
returns were proper to those times.
[2.1 Ordinary, and this several ways : —
a.;
,) Either by granting the mercy prayed for; as to Hannah: 1
Sam. i. 27, ' For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me the
petition I asked of him/ So to David : Ps. xxi. 2, ' Thou hast given
him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips/
So often to his people, when they have humbly sought to him. Some
times instantaneous, at the very praying: 1 Sam. vii. 9, 10, 'And
Samuel cried unto the Lord for Israel ; and the Lord heard him, and
as Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near
to battle against Israel, and the Lord discomfited the Philistines/ Or
by degrees, when God is preparing instruments, before he giveth con
summate deliverance : Acts vii. 34, ' I have heard their groanings, and
I will send thee into Egypt/ Their escape was some while after.
(2.) By giving in spiritual manifestations to the soul, though he
doth not give the particular mercy prayed for; as when upon the
prayer he reviveth the soul of him that prayeth : Job xxxiii. 26, 'He
shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable to him, and he shall
see his face with joy/ The Lord giveth them the light of his counte
nance, and special discoveries of his love or support till the mercy
come : Ps. cxxxviii. 3, ' In the day when I cried, thou answeredst me,
and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul/ Support is an
answer ; such an answer had Paul : * My grace is sufficient for thee/
Or when the heart is quieted ; though we do not know what God will
VEB. 145.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 51
do with our requests, yet satisfied in the discharge of pur duty, and
that we have commended the matter to God. So it is said of Hannah,
* When she had prayed, her countenance was no more sad/ 1 Sam.
i. 18 ; and Phil. iv. 6, 7, * Be careful for nothing ; but in everything by
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made
known to God ; and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,
shall keep your hearts and minds, through Jesus Christ.' Sometimes by
a secret impression of confidence, or a strong inclination to hope well of
the thing prayed for : Ps. vi. 8, ' The Lord hath heard the voice of my
weeping.' Or experiences ; as they that travelled to Jerusalem, pass
ing through the valley Baca, they met with a well by the way, Ps.
Ixxxiv. 6 ; a sweet refreshing thought, or some help in the spiritual
life, by serious dealing with God ; some consideration to set you a-work,
or some new engagement of the soul to God, as the recompense of the
duty ; some principles of faith drawn forth in the view of conscience,
not showed before. Some truth or other presented with fresh life and
vigour upon the heart.
(3.) Sometimes by way of commutation and exchange ; and so God
doth answer the prayer, though he doth not give the mercy prayed for,
when he giveth another thing that is as good, or better for the party
that prayeth ; though not in kind the same, yet in worth and value as
good. This commutation may be three ways — (1.) In regard of the
person praying. David fasts, and humbleth and melteth his soul for
his persecutors, Ps. xxxv. 13, ' And it returned into his own bosom/
was converted to his own benefit. His fasting had no effect upon
them, but his charity did not lose its reward. David prayeth for his
first child by Bathsheba, but that child dieth, and God giveth Solomon
instead thereof, 2 Sam. xii. 15. Noah, Daniel Job shall save their own
souls, Ezek. xiv. 14. Your peace shall return to you again, Luke x.
5, 6 ; the comfort of discharging their duty. (2.) In regard of the
matter, carnal things are begged, and spiritual things are given : Acts
. i. 6, 7, * The apostles asked him, Wilt thou at this time restore the
kingdom to Israel ? ' They did not receive the kingdom to Israel,
but received the promise of the Spirit. Moses would fain enter into
Caanan with the people: Deut. iii. 23, 24, 'And God said, Let it
suffice thee ; speak no more of this matter ; ' but God gave him a
Pisgah sight, and ease of the trouble of wars. We would have speedy
riddance of trouble, but God thinketh not fit ; as showers that come
by drops soak into the earth better than those that come in a tempest
and hurricane. We ask for ease in troubles, and. God will give
courage under troubles : Lam. iii. 55-57, ' I called upon thy name, 0
Lord, out of the low dungeon : thou hast heard my voice ; hide not
thine ear at my breathing, at my cry : thou drewest near in the day
that I called upon thee ; thou saidst, Fear not.' His gracious and
powerful presence in trouble was enough. Christ ' was heard in that
he feared/ Heb. v. 7; not saved from that hour, but supported and
strengthened in it. Job sacrificed, prayed for his children when
they were feasting, Job i. 5 ; and though they were all destroyed, God
gave him patience, ver. 22 ; for in all that befell him ' he sinned not,
nor charged God foolishly.' (3.) In regard of means. We pray such
means may not miscarry ; God will use others. As Abraham would
52 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIII,
fain have Ishmael the child of the promise, but God intended Isaac :
Gen. xvii. 18, ' 0 that Ishmael might live before thee ! ' Thus doth
God often blast instruments we most expect good from, and make
use of others to be instruments for our good which we did least expect
it from. God may give us our will in anger, when the mercy turneth
to our hurt. Therefore the kind of God's answer must be referred to
his own will, in all things for which we are not to pray absolutely ;
and when we have discharged our duty, endeavoured to approve our
hearts to God, take what answer he will give.
Doct. From the manner of praying, with the whole heart, the saints
have the more confidence of being heard in prayer. David allegeth
his crying with the whole heart as a hopeful intimation of a gracious
answer.
1. Because a prayer rightly made hath the assurance of a promise.
The promise is, John xvi. 24, ' Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy
may be full.' Now this beareth no exception, but that we ask
according to his will, 1 John v. 14. Si bona petant, boni, bene, ad
bonum. Good men, asking good things, in the name of Christ, for a
good end, thou canst not miss.
2. Where there is sincerity and fervency, we have two witnesses to
establish our comfort and hope — the Spirit of God, that knoweth the
deep things of God ; and the spirit of man, that knoweth the things
of man. God's Spirit, who stirreth up these groans in us : Kom. viii.
26, 27, ' He that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit,
because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of
God.' And the testimony of our own spirits, that we have done our
part and discharged our duty, and so have true joy and confidence :
Job xvi. 19, 20, ' My witness is in heaven, and my record is on high :
my friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears to God.'
3. God doth not use to send them away comfortless that call upon
him in spirit and in truth, because by one grace he maketh way for
another ; by the grace of assistance for the grace of acceptance : Ps.
x. 17, ' Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble ; thou hast
prepared their heart ; thou wilt cause thine ear to hear/ Where God
hath given a heart to speak, he will afford an ear to hear ; for God
will not lose his own work : he cannot refuse those requests which are
according to the direction of his word and the motions of his Holy
Spirit, when they are brought to him.
Use. This exhorteth us to look more after the manner of praying.
An earnest and sincere prayer cannot miscarry ; judge by this and you
cannot want success. You cannot judge of your prayers by the wit,
by the length, by the kind of words ; but by the faith, the sincerity,
the obedience, the holy desires expressed in them. Cry with your
whole hearts, and God will hear you. (1.) Look to the fervency of
the prayer ; set yourselves in good earnest to seek God, and good will
come of ' it : Dan. ix. 3, ' I set my face to seek the Lord God by-
prayer and supplications.' I seriously minded the work : 2 Sam. vii.
27, ' Thy servant hatli found in his heart to make this prayer unto
thee ; ' he found his heart disposed to call upon God. There is many
a prayer we force upon ourselves, we do not find it there. What
encouragements from the word, what motions from the Spirit ?
VER. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 53
Kesolve to seek after it till you have found it : Ps. xxvii. 2, 'When
thou saidst, Seek ye my face, my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord,
will I seek/ Wrestle with G-od : Hosea xii. 3, ' He had power over
the angel, and prevailed ; he wept and made supplication unto him.'
Such as wrestle with God, and have their hearts broken and melted
before the Lord, will prevail. (2.) Look to the sincerity of your
prayers ; see that you do not feign and pretend to pray for a thing
you desire not. Is your confidence wholly in the Lord ? When your
heart is divided, and you hanker after carnal lusts, you cannot pray
aright. (3.) Look that you ask more for his glory than for your own
ease : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss,
to consume it on your lust/ The less by-ends in prayer, the more hope
of success.
Thirdly, The promise of duty, ' I will keep thy statutes.'
Doct. God's children, when they think of mercy, are at the same
time thinking of duty and obedience.
1. Because they are ingenuous and thankful. Now obedience is the
best expression of gratitude : and therefore, when they ask mercy,
they mingle resolutions of duty with expectations of mercy : Horn,
xii. 1, ' I beseech you by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service/
2. They are supernaturally or spiritually sincere, and so propose
this as their scope in all conditions, to live unto God : all their desires
and resolutions are to this purpose. They have a sense of their own
benefit, but still in subordination ; their purpose is to serve him
diligently: Phil. i. 21, 'To me to live is Christ;' Kom. xiv. 7, 8,
* For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth unto himself : for
whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; or whether we die, we die
unto the Lord : whether we live or die, therefore, we are the Lord's.'
3. This is God's end in giving mercy, temporal or spiritual, to bring
them to obedience : Luke i. 74, 75, ' That we being delivered out of
the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness
and righteousness before him all the days of our life.' Save me,
quicken me, and I will keep thy statutes. God's end in giving, and
the end of gracious souls in seeking mercies and blessings, is much
the same — that God may have the glory, as well as they the benefit
and comfort of what he bestows upon them.
Use. Mind your service more ; engage yourselves to God anew, in
every prayer : upon every mercy and answer of prayer : Lord, I desire
this only in order to obedience.
SERMON CLXIV.
I cried unto thee ; save me, and I shall keep tliy testimonies. —
VER. 146.
THIS verse is the same with the former, only these differences may be
observed : —
54 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. OLXIY.
1. There the qualification of the prayer is expressed, c I cried with
my whole heart.' Here the person to whom he prayed, ' I cried to
thee, 0 Lord.' He had told us before how he cried, now to whom he
cried ; to thee have I sought, and to thee only.
2. The request was general, that God would hear him ; now parti
cular, that he would deliver him ; there it was ' hear me,' now ' save
me.'
3. The notion which implieth the word of God is diversified ; there
'statutes,' here 'testimonies.'
4. Our translation expresseth another difference ; there it is, ' I will
keep thy statutes/ as making it his vow and purpose ; here, ' I shall
keep thy testimonies/ as making it the effect and fruit of his deliver
ance ; or, as it is4n the marginal reading, * that I may keep thy testi
monies/ as making it his scope and aim.
In the words observe —
1. An intimation of prayer, I cried unto thee.
2. The matter of his prayer, save me, or deliver me out of trouble.
3. The end and scope of his prayer, not for the satisfaction of his
natural desire, but that he might have a heart and opportunity to
serve God, and obey his word : that I may, or then I shall, keep thy
testimonies.
Observations from the text.
Doct. 1. We should not lightly give over our suits to God.
Here is a repetition of the same prayer : I cried, yea, again I cried,
and a third time : ver. 147, ' I prevented the dawning of the morning,
and cried.' Si ter pulsanti nemo respondet, abito ; we use to knock
at a door thrice, and then depart. Our Lord Jesus, Mat. xxvi. 44,
* prayed the third time the same words, saying, Father, if it be possible,
let this cup depart from me.' So the apostle Paul : 2 Cor. ii. 8, ' For
this I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.' So
1 Kings xvii. 21, 'And he stretched himself upon the child three
times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, 0 Lord my God, I pray thee
let this child's soul come into him again.' This it seemeth was the
time in which they expected an answer in weighty cases, and yet I
will not confine it to that number, for we are to reiterate our petitions
for one and the same thing, so often as occasion requireth, till it be
granted.
Now the reasons are : —
1. Because the force of importunity is very great : the two parables
evidence that, Luke xi. and Luke xviii. ; if to obtain the Spirit, or
right upon our enemies or oppressors. In both these parables there
is a condescension to the suppositions of our unbelief ; if we suppose
God tenacious and hard-hearted, or if we suppose him regardless and
mindless of the affairs of the church ; or, to put it in milder terms, if
we think nothing due to us : Luke xi. 8, ' If he will not rise and give
him because he is his friend ;' or if our, condition be so hard that we
think it is past all relief; whatever be our secret and misgiving thoughts,
we ought always to pray, teal /JUT) eiacaKelv, not to be overcome with
evil : Luke xviii. 1, ' He spake a parable unto them to this end, that
men ought always to pray, and not to faint ; ' for importunity is of great
prevalence with God and men.
VER. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 55
2. A deliverance is never so sweet, nor .so thankfully improved, if it
come at the first call.
[1.] It is not so sweet, nolo nimisfacilem. We disdain things that
come too easily, but that which costs us much pains and long crying
is more prized. The reason is because delay and difficulty sharpen
our desires, and the sharper our desire in the absence of a blessing, the
greater gust and sweetness we find in it when it cometh at last. A
sack that is stretched out is more capacious, and holdeth the more ;
so is the soul more widened by enlarged desires, to entertain the bless
ing, for always our delight is according to the proportion of our de
sires ; as a hungry man, or one long kept from meat, relisheth his food
better than another that hath it always at hand : Isa. xxv. 9, 'And it
shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him,
and he will save us ; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will
be glad, and rejoice in his salvation/ We that know blessings more
by the want than the worth of them, in waiting we are acquainted
with the difficulties and inconveniences that attend the want of things,
and so are more fitted to prize them than ever we should have been if
we had not so long waited.
[2.] It is more thankfully improved ; this follows upon the former,
and may be further made good, because when we know the difficulty
of getting a blessing, we will not easily part with it ; as they that get
an estate are usually more careful how they spend it than they that
are born to one : therefore God holdeth his people long at prayer, to
prepare and season their hearts, that when they have it, they may
know better how to employ it for his glory and his own good. Ques
tionless Hannah would never have devoted her child to God had she
not continued so long without him, and prayed for him with such bit
terness of heart; but that wrought on her: 1 Sam. i. 11, 'And she
vowed a vow, and said, 0 Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on
the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget
thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man-child ; then
I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor
shall come upon his head.' Compare this with ver. 27, 28, ' For this
child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked
of him ; therefore also I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he
liveth he shall be lent unto the Lord.' The same effect you may ob
serve in any spiritual comfort you obtain for your souls, or any tem
poral mercy or comfort of the present life, which you get by prayer.
If God had answered you at first, it had been reckoned among the
ordinary effects of his goodness, and so passed by ; but what is won by
prayer is usually worn with thankfulness. You would not have been
so sensible of the hand of providence, the graciousness of the answer,
or your obligation to God, or indeed that it had been an answer of
prayer at all.
3. Things often and earnestly asked of God come with the greater
fulness of blessing when they come ; and so, as one saith, God payeth
them use l for forbearance ; the mercy is the more ample, and so every
prayer hath its reward. Christ denied the woman of Canaan long,
but at length yieldeth up himself to her importunity : Mat. xv. 26,
1 That is, interest.— ED.
56 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIY.
1 0 woman, great is thy faith ; be it unto thee as thou wilt/ She lost
nothing by the delay. Hannah was long without a child, but at length
the child proved the more eminent ; she gets both a child and a pro
phet too. Let God alone, and do you continue praying, and he will
recompense you abundantly for all his delay. Peter was in prison,
and the church made prayers without ceasing, Acts xii. 5, and God
doth not only bring him out, but brings him out with a miracle, so
that they were astonished, ver. 16. God delayed for a while, and
seemed to refuse their prayers; but when Herod was just about to
bring him forth to execution, God brought him forth to deliverance.
Every prayer is upon the file, and contributeth to make the mercy the
more complete ; it remaineth day and night before the Lord : 1 Kings
viii. 59, ' And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication
before the Lord, oe nigli unto the Lord our God day and night, as a
memorial ;' Acts x. 4, * Thy prayers and thine alms arc come up for
a memorial before God.'
4. It argueth an ill spirit when we will not continue praying, though
we have not presently that which we pray for. To be sure —
[1.] There is disobedience in it, for it is contrary to God's injunc
tions : Luke xviii. 1 , ' Men ought always to pray, and not to faint/
We ought not to surcease our suits so : Eph. vi. 18, ' Praying always,
and with all perseverance ;' always relateth to the constant exercise of
this duty upon all occasions ; ivith all perseverance, to particular suits
we put up to God. Now our duty must not be omitted, whatever the
discouragements be ; as Moses was to hold up his hands till the going
down of the sun, so are we to continue our suits, and press hard for
an answer, till God give us the thing we pray for.
[2.] There is weakness of faith to yield to the temptation, and to
go off upon every repulse ; yea, sometimes too too plain unbelief and
atheism, as if there were no mercy to be .expected from God, or no
good to be obtained by spiritual means. Faith is to believe what we
see not. The woman of Canaan cometh to Christ ; at first she gets not
a word from him, and afterwards his speech is more discouraging than
his silence ; she is put out of the compass of his commission : * I am
not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel ;' but still she is
importunate ; afterwards a rough answer : ' It is not meet to take the
children's bread and cast it unto dogs/ She turneth his rebuke into
an encouragement ; then, ' 0 woman, great is thy faith/ Mat. xv. 26.
Many times we pray for blessings, and the oracle is dumb and silent ;
though God love the supplicant, yet he will not seem to take notice
of hia desires : yea, the more they pray, the more they may go away
wit i a sense of their unworthiness and revived guilt ; yet the work of
faith is to make an answer out of God's silence, a gracious answer out
s rebukes, and to increase our importunity the more
[3.J Want of love to God, or coldness of love. It is the property
of love to adhere to God, though we be not feasted with felt comforts
mid present benefits ; yea, though he appear an enemy ; for so will
«od try the affection and deportment of his children : Isa. xxvi. 8,
ea, m the way of thy judgments have we waited for thee ; the
re of our souls is to thee, and to the remembrance of thy name ; *
> xiii. 15, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him/ Not only
VEE. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 57
when our affections are bribed : a child of God should love God for
his judgments, as well as fear him for his mercies ; as lime, the more
water you sprinkle upon it, the more it burneth. It was a high
expression of Bernard's affection to those that he took to be the people
of God, Adhcerebo vobis etiamsi velitis etiamsi nolitis ; so should we
adhere to God now. When you can only wait on him in the way of
his mercies, not in the way of his j udgments, your waiting and praying
is discouraged upon every difficulty and disappointment, you have
little love to him.
[4.] Want of patience, or tarrying God's leisure till the promise bring
forth. Some are hot and hasty ; if God will appear presently they
can be content to observe him ; but to be crying and crying till their
throat be hoarse and weary of crying, and no good come on it, they
cannot away with this : 2 Kings vi. 33, ' This evil is of the Lord ;
why should I wait on the Lord any longer ? ' They are discontented
that God maketh them stay so long. Though God wait long upon
them, and had reason enough to take the discouragement and be gone,
yet they cannot tarry a little for God, and think prayer a useless work,
unless it yield them a quick return, and that it is better to shift for
themselves.
Use. Keproof to two sorts : —
1. To those that cease praying or crying to God, if they have not
a present answer, especially if they meet with a contrary rebuke in
the course of his providence. You must cry, and cry again, not
imagine that God will be at your beck ; but foolish men suddenly
conclude, Mai. iii. 14, 'It is in vain to serve God, and what profit is
it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully
before the Lord of hosts ? ' Oh no ! Consider something is due to
the sovereignty of God, that we should wait his leisure ; for he is
supreme, and will govern the world according to his own will, not ours.
And therefore we must stay his time for the mercies we expect :
Ps. cvi. 13, 14, ' They soon forgat his word, they waited not for his
counsel, but lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God
in the desert.' And something is due to the stated course of ^ his
providence. We cannot expect that God should turn all things
upside-down for our sakes, and invert the beautiful order of his dis
pensations : Job xviii. 4, ' Shall the earth be forsaken for thee, and
the rock removed out of his place ? ' shall God alter the course of
nature, or change the order of governing the world for us, or to please
our humour ? Something is due to the present estate of mankind,
who are not to live by sense, but by faith: Hab. ii. 3, 4, ' For the
vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and
not lie : though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it
will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up, is not upright in
him : but the just shall live by his faith.' And that appointed time
is for our trial, to see if we out of duty and principles of faith, can
keep up our respects unto God, though his providence doth not
presently gratify our desires or satisfy our necessities. Besides, it
concerneth us to suspect ourselves rather than to blemish God's
dispensations. Those always complain most of God's not hearing
prayer who least deserve to be heard: Isa. Iviii. 3-5, * Wherefore
58 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIV.
have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not ? Wherefore have we
afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge ? Behold, in the
of your fast you find pleasure, and exact all your labour : behold,
vou fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness,
ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on
high. Is it such a fast that I have chosen ? a day for a man to afilict
his soul? is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and to spread
sackcloth and ashes under him ? wilt thou call this a fast, and an
acceptable day to the Lord ? '
2. That though they do not cease praying, yet do they not pray with
any life and hope, because of his delays and seeming denials. There
are certain general blessings which we are always praying for, because
though we have them, yet we ought daily to ask them of God ; the
continuance of them, the sense of them, the increase^ of them ; here
never cease praying, There are other particular blessings, that either
concern ourselves, or the church of God, which we are to ask with
earnestness, and yet submission : in these we put it to the most sensible
trial whether God will hear us or no. Now for these things we must
seek the face of God with hope and zeal.
[1.] Because it is not enough to keep up the duty, unless we keep
up the affections that must accompany the duty : Eom. xii. 12, ' Con
tinuing instant in prayer,' Trpoo-KapTepovvres. In long afflictions men
will pray, but they pray as men out of heart, for fashion's sake, or
with little and weak affection ; rather satisfying their consciences than
setting a-work the power of God.
[2.] A seeming repulse or denial should make us more vehement ; as
blind Bartimeus, ' the more they rebuked him, he cried so much the
more/ Mark x. 48. God suffereth the faith of his servants to be tried
with great discouragements ; but the more it is opposed, the more
should it grow, and the more powerfully and effectually should it
work in our hearts ; as the palm-tree shooteth up the faster the more
weight is hung upon it ; or as fire, the more it is pent up, the more
it striveth to break out ; therefore we should not only have fresh
affections at first, but in every new prayer we should act over our
faith again, and put forth spiritual desires anew.
[3.] ^God's dearest children are not admitted at the first knock :
Mat. vii. 7, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find ;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' It may be we have not at
first asking ; we need seek and knock. Mercy doth not come to us all
in haste ; we have not at first what we lack ; delays are no denials ;
therefore we must not take the first or second answer, but continue
with instance : ' Give the Lord no rest/ Isa. Ixii. 7. Be importunate
with him, to hasten the deliverance of his people.
[4.] We must not only continue praying when Christ seemeth to
gleet us, or to give no answer, but when he giveth a contrary answer ;
when he, to Appearance, rejecteth our persons and prayers, and seemeth
to forbid us to pray. {Sometimes he seemeth to neglect us, and pass
by as if he took no notice ; but yet he heareth when he doth not
iswer ; yea, his not answering is an answer. Pray, or continue your
'rayer. It is said, Mark vi. 48, < He saw them toiling in rowing, for
the wind was contrary to them ; and about the fourth watch of the
VER. 146-.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 59
night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have
passed by them.' But he came with an intent to appease the storm
and help them. Christ taketh notice of the distresses of his people,
but they shall not know so much, but delayeth to help till all their
patience be spent, and yet then seemeth to pass by, for their thorough
trial and exercise, and to move them more earnestly to pray. Some
times he giveth them a seeming contrary answer and rebuke ; instead
of an expression of favour, he seemeth to pursue us in anger. God
is the main party against us, we have to do with an offended God ;
but yet we should not quit him, but follow him when he seemeth
to forsake us, and fly to him when he is pursuing us in hot displeasure.
Such is the admirable power of faith that it dares call on an angry
God, and follow him when he goeth away from us, and lay hold on him
when he smiteth, and cast itself into his arms in the midst of his
rebukes and frowns : Jonah ii. 4, ' Then I said, I am cast out of thy
sight ; yet will I look again towards thy holy temple.' God seemeth
to cast us off, as those he will not favour or care for, which is a great
trouble to a child of God, who liveth by his favour, and valueth that
above all things else : now for such a one to be rejected by God in
his own sense and feeling, it goeth near his heart ; yet in such a case
we should not cast away our confidence, nor give over all addresses
to God, but yet look to him and wait upon him.
[5.] Whether God answereth or no, it is the duty of faith to answer
itself. The answer of his providence is not so sure as the answer of his
word, and that faith hath to do with. See Ps. vi. 4, ' Keturn, 0 Lord;
deliver my soul ; save me, for thy mercies' sake.' Compare ver. 8, 9,
( The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping : the Lord hath heard
the voice of my supplications; the Lord will receive my prayer.'
When trembling for fear of wrath, yet in prayer his heart groweth
confident as if it had received news of an answer from heaven : Ps. Iv.
2, ' Attend unto me, and hear me;' compared with ver. 19, ' My God
shall hear, and afflict them.' He is confident of it that the prayer
should not miscarry. So Ps. liii. 1, 2, ' Deliver me from mine enemies,
0 my God ; defend me from them that rise up against me ; deliver me
from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men ; ' ver. 10,
' The God of my mercy shall prevent me ; God shall let me see my
desire upon mine enemies/ Faith sees its own deliverance in the pro
mise and all-sufficiency of God. When we have prayed according to
God's will, we should take our prayer for granted, and leave it lying
at God's feet : 1 John v. 14, ' And this is the confidence that we have
in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.'
God's delay is not always an argument of his hatred, but some more
glorious purpose which is to be helped on by prayer : John xi. 5, 6,
' When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days
still in the same place where he was.'
I observe again, that he not only repeateth his prayer, but reneweth
the promise of obedience, to show that it was no vanishing notion,
but a settled conclusion; as Christ maketh Peter profess his love
thrice to engage him the more, John xxi. So David, ' I will
keep thy statutes ;' and again, ' I will keep thy testimonies ; ' as if he
had said, Indeed Lord, I will ; it is the settled purpose of my heart
(JO SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXVI.
to return to thee in the sincere obedience of my whole life. The
note is —
Doct. That purposes and promises of obedience should not be
slightly made, but with the greatest advertency and seriousness of mind.
1. Because we are usually too slight in devoting ourselves to God :
Deut. v. 27-29, ' Go thou near, and hear all tha^ the Lord our God
shall say ; and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall
speak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it. And the Lord heard
the voice of your words when you spake unto me, and the Lord said
unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they
have spoken unto thee ; they have well said, all that they have spoken.
Oh, that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me,
and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with
them, and with their children for ever.' The Israelites again, when
Joshua puts them to the question whether they would serve the Lord
or other gods, Joshua xxiv. 18, 19, * We will serve the Lord, for
he is our God. Joshua said unto them. Ye cannot serve the Lord, for
he is an holy God/ What is the reason men are so slight ? Partly
because they measure their strength by the present pang of devotion
that is upon them, not considering the latent principle of sin, and that
proneness to transgress that is in their hearts. Partly they take up
duty by the lump, and the general bulk and view of it, without sitting
down and counting the charges, as Christ advises, Luke xiv. ; whether
they can be content to bear difficulties, renounce lusts, crucify the flesh
with the affections and lusts thereof. A foolish builder doth not think
of storms, Mat. vii. ; if his building stand for the present, he is satis
fied. Partly because men will promise God fair to be rid of the present
anguish and troubles, yield to anything to be out of the present danger ;
but when they are out, they seldom regard the vows of their distress ;
as those, Ps. Ixxviii. 34-37, made great promises, ' but their heart was
not right with God, neither were they steadfast in his covenant/ Partly
too when they are out of a temptation, and lusts are not stirring, they
are other men than when in temptation, and so think all will be easy.
2. Because the nature of the work calleth for advertency and seri
ousness, because it is a work of the greatest moment, and so must be
done with the greatest deliberation. This devoting ourselves to God
both entitleth us to all the comforts of Christianity, and engageth us
to all the duties of it. It entitleth us to all the comforts ; you enter
yourselves heirs to the covenant of grace when you enter into the bond
of the holy oath, or give your hand to the Lord to be his people: 1 Cor.
nL i?2»' ' £U thing8 are yours' because you are Christ's, and Christ is
I you have owned Christ as your dearest Saviour and sove
reign Lord, with love, thankfulness, and subjection, and given him the
supreme command of your souls, then you are Christ's, and God is
irs and all things yours : glory and salvation shall be yours in the
world to come; grace, help, maintenance, ordinances, and providences
shall be yours in the present world ; and death, as the connection be
tween the two worlds, as the passage out of the one into the other,
be yours also. ^ It is also the beginning and foundation of all
ce, and if this were once seriously and heartily done, other
things would succeed the more easily. He that is indeed God's will
VER. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 61
use himself for God's glory and service, and God shall have a share in
all that he hath and doth : Kom. xiv. 7, 8, ' None of us liveth to him
self, and no man dieth to himself ; for whether we live, we live unto
the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we live,
therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.' They came off so freely : 2 Cor.
viii. 5, ' And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own
selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God/ This enliveneth
our whole work. It is no hard matter to persuade them that have
given up themselves to God to part with anything for God's use.
3. Because of the danger both in regard of sin and judgment, if we
do it not aright.
[1.] In regard of sin, rash and sudden engagements are seldom
sound : Mat. xiii. 20, 21, the stony ground received the word with joy,
and forthwith the good seed sprang up, but the blade soon withered.
Usually sudden undertakings are accompanied with faint and feeble
prosecutions ; and though men are warm and passionate for the present,
within a while it corneth to nothing ; all their promises are broken, as
tow is burnt in the fire.
[2.] In regard of judgment, every consecration implieth an execra
tion. If you break with God after you have engaged yourselves to
him, your condition is worse ; it aggravateth every deliberate sin, and
hastens judgment, for God will avenge the quarrel of his covenant,
Lev. xxvi. 25. Better never begin, or the word pass out of your
mouths, or thought enter into your heart, unless you be sincere, mean
as you say. It is dangerous to alienate things once consecrated ; this
is the worst kind of sacrilege, that shall not go unpunished.
Use. You see, then, what seriousness we should use in devoting our
selves to God, or promising obedience to him.
1. Eemember the, weakness of a creature, that you may resolve in
God's strength.
2. Consider incident temptations, whether anything be like to
shake you in your covenanted course, that you may arm yourselves
against it.
3. Consider your more particular affections ; where the business is
like to stick most, there are tender parts.
4. Consider the weight and importance of subjection. He will not
be content with a little religiousness by the by, but you must love him
with all your heart and all your soul, and serve him with all your might.
5. Consider the strength of your resolution, that you be irrevocably,
everlastingly put under the sovereignty and command of God. Thus
do, and you will find success and comfort in your deed.
Now to the words themselves. There is first an intimation of a
prayer ; where —
1. The vehemency, / cried.
2. The object or person to whom, to thee.
1 1 cried/ David keepeth up his fervour. What crying in prayer is
I have showed in the former verse. I shall observe now —
Doct. That great trouble and sense of danger puts an edge upon
prayer, and kindleth our affection in it.
When Israel was under sore bondage, God saith, Exod. iii. 6 'I
have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and have heard their
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXIV.
cry.' Afflictions make us cry in prayer, not only speak. An ordinary
affection is vox orationis ; it speaketh to God in prayer ; but a vehe
ment affection is clamor orationis, the cry of prayer. Ordinary
prayers speak to God, but earnest prayers cry to God ; and though
remiss and cold wishes vanish in the air, yet strong cries pierce the
heavens. They have a shrill accent, and cannot be kept out from God :
Judges iv. 3, ' The children of Israel cried unto the Lord ; for he had
nine hundred chariots of iron.' So Judges vi. 5-7, ' They cried to
the Lord because of the Midianites, who came up as grasshoppers.'
David : Ps. xviii. 6, ' In my distress I called to the Lord, and cried to
my God : he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before
him, even into his ears.' He prayed not seldom, but often and fre
quently ; not slackly, but with fervency and earnestness.
1. Affliction wilt teach men to pray that never prayed before. The
rude mariners in a storm called every man upon his god : Qui'nescit
orare, discat navigare, Jonah i. 5. Those that neglect God at other
times, as if they had no need of him, or pray faintly, are then glad to
seek to him for succour and safety : Ps. Ixxiii. 34, ' When he slew
them, then they sought him. and inquired early after God/ The
natural principle of fear of death and love of self-preservation puts
them upon it. So Jer. ii. 27, ' In their affliction they will say, Arise
and save us ; ' Judges x. 10, ' And the children of Israel cried unto the
Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee ; ' and ver. 14, ' Go, and
cry unto the gods that ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in the
time of your tribulation.'
I. Good ones that prayed before will pray better and oftener, and
with greater seriousness. Therefore God puts his own in straits to
quicken their affections : Isa. xxvi. 16, 'Lord, in trouble have they
visited thee ; they poured out a prayer, when thy chastening was upon
them.' So 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/ When we are pressed hard on all sides, then the
throne of grace is more frequented ; we are driven to it. Joab would
not come at Absalom's call till he set his barley-field on fire.
Use 1. Be content to be cast into such an estate that you may learn
to pray ; for, alas ! we are but cursory at other times, but then our
necessities whip us to the throne of grace, that was set up for a time
>f need ; then is a time to put promises in suit, to make use of our
interest m God. We mis-expound the voice of God's providence ; we
expound trouble to be his casting off, putting us from him ; they are
his voice calling, his hand pulling us to him : it is a time of drawino-
nigh we are allowed: Ps. 1. 15, ' Call upon me in a day of trouble?
ic clay of trouble is the fruit of sin, a part of the old curse. When
nink him, feel him an enemy, he is drawing us nearer to him.
mod season to bring God and you together, when our troubles chase
the throne of grace. God is not wholly gone, he hath left some
what behind him to draw us to himself.
v ¥$ ?*A^ ™Pr?veth them that neglect God in their troubles : Dan.
Ju » £!8 1S f°me uP°n us> yet w'e have not made our prayer
You defer the dispensation; now you should make up
>our former negligence. Unprofitableness under the rod is an ill
VER. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix 63
presage, when God sends a tempest after us. Oh, how frequent and
earnest should we be in the practice of this duty !
1. This is a time proper for it. Prayer is a duty never out of season,
though some seasons are proper and solemn to it. God is always to
be prayed unto, Job xxvii. 11. When freed from trouble and incon
venience we are not freed from prayer ; still we must profess depen
dence, subjection, and maintain our communion. But this is a special
season : James v. 13, ' Is any one afflicted ? let him pray.'
2. Though afflictions drive us to the throne of grace, yet if we
come seriously and heartily, we are not unwelcome to him. Those
very prayers which necessity doth extort from us are accepted by God,
and valued by him as an acceptable piece of worship. Therefore such
as look toward God ought not to be discouraged though afflictions
drive them to it, though they sought him not before, or not in good
earnest before ; provided that always they find other errands, and be
careful to maintain a constant communion with him. Most that are
acquainted with God are taken in the briars. Jesus Christ in the days
of his flesh had never heard of many, if their necessities had not
brought them to him — their palsies, and possessions, and fevers, deaf
ness, dumbness; thanks to these as their awakening occasions. A
man will say, You come to me in your necessity. God is willing to
receive us upon any terms.
3. How desperate in appearance soever our condition seem to be,
yet crying will bring relief, or help may be found in God for them
that cry to him : Judges iii. 9, ' When they cried, the Lord raised up
a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them, even Othniel
the son of Kenaz : ' Judges iii. 15, ' And when the children of Israel
cried to the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son
of Gera/ So Psalm cvii. ; frequently.
From that unto thee.
Doct. In our troubles we must have recourse to God, and sue to him
by prayer and supplication for help and deliverance in due time.
1. Because he is the author of our trouble. In miseries and afflic
tions our business lieth not with men, but God ; by humble dealing
with him we stop wrath at the fountain-head. He that bindeth
us must loose us ; he is at the upper end of causes, and whoever be
the instruments of our trouble, and how malicious soever, God is the
party with whom we are to make our peace ; for he hath the absolute
disposal of all creatures, and will have us to acknowledge the dominion
of his providence, and our dependence upon him. In treaties of peace
between two warring parties, the address is not made to private
soldiers, but to their chief : ' The Lord hath taken away/ saith Job,
chap, xxxiv. 29; 'when he giveth quietness, who then can make
trouble ? '
2. He challengeth this prerogative to be the God of salvation : Ps.
iii. 8, ' Salvation belongeth unto the Lord ; ' and therefore, if we would
be saved, we must seek it of him. Others cannot help if he help not,
for he hath all means and creatures and second causes at his command.
If we lean to means, they may fail, but if we rely upon God, he will
never fail. Therefore, whatever means God offereth for our help,
prayer to God is the best means, and first to be used.
tJ.| SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIV.
3. There is comfort in dealing with God, whatever our case be.
(1.) Because of his all-sufficient power. (2.) Because of his good
will and readiness to help.
[l.j Because of his power and all-sufficiency, so that he hath ways
of deliverance more than we know of, and can save his own when men
do count their case desperate : Dan. iii. 29, ' There is no other God
that can deliver after this sort.' Let the strait be never so great, the
burden heavy, and the creature weak, and at a desperate loss, yet God
can find out ways and means to do his people good.
[2.] For his good- will and readiness to hear : Ps. Ixv. 2, ' Oh, thou
that nearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come/ The readiness of
God to hear prayer doth open a door of access to all people who are
sensible of their burdens and necessities. He hath ever showed him
self ready to hear tfee cries and groans of his people, and woe be to
them against whom they cry : Ps. xxii. 5, ' They cried unto thee, and
were delivered.' Their cries and groans are not hid from him, and
cannot be shut out: Ps. cvi. 44, 'Nevertheless he regarded their
affliction, and he heard their cry.'
Use. 1. To reprove divers sorts.
1. Some seek to help themselves by impatiency, fretting, unquiet
behaviour in their troubles ; this doth increase their misery. Go, pour
out your hearts before the Lord, that giveth ease : Phil. iv. 6, 7, * Be
careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God ; and the
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
and minds, through Christ Jesus/ Your wrestling with trouble within
yourselves doth but embroil you the more.
2. Some trust in outward helps, seek to men and means ; as Asa to
the physicians, not to the Lord, 2 Chron. xvi. 12. It is not unlawful
to use means, but we must depend upon the Lord for the blessing.
Seek to him first, otherwise looking to man proveth a snare many
ways, as it tempts us to comply with their lusts, to neglect God, maketh
way for the greater sorrow in disappointment. The creature is vain
in itself, made more vain by our confidence: Ps. Ix. 11, ' Give us help
from trouble, for vain is the help of man/ You will be brought to it
at last. The more earnestly we seek God, the more confidence we
may have of the creature.
Use 2. To inform us of the privilege and duty of the godly.
1 heir privilege; they have a God to go to. The worldly man
gheth and crieth he knoweth not to whom ; but the godly man pre-
eth himself in his lamentations to God: 'My friends scorn me,
but mine eye poureth out tears unto God,' Job xvi. 20. He hath a
Father m secret, a Friend in a corner ; they need not go to men, nor
saints and angels; they have God himself, and can challenge him
!>£ his office as the judge of the world, to help poor creatures: Ps.
xciv. 2, Lift up thyself, thou judge of the world ; render a reward to
1 P^U - ,' by hls l^culiai> relation to them : Ps. v. 2, ' Hearken
o the voice of my cry, my king and my God; for unto thee will I
relation with them ^ "^ ^ M a stranSer' but one ia covenant
2. Their duty to make God their guardian and saviour in all their
VER. 14G.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX.
65
distress, when in their own sense they are near perishing : Mark viii.
26, 'Arise, save us, we perish;' 2 Kings xix. 19, 'Now therefore, 0
Lord our God, I beseech thee, save us out of his hand; that all the king
doms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only.'
When they have a good cause and a good conscience, this they may do
and this they ought to do, and they will have comfort in it.
The last thing which I shall observe is —
Doct. That prayer for deliverance should be accompanied with
serious purposes of obedience. ' Then/ saith David, ' I will keep thy
testimonies.'
1. Because this is the best expression of gratitude and thankfulness.
I take it for granted that every mercy from God deserveth a thankful
return on the creature's part ; as we expect a return of our prayers, so
God expecteth a return of his mercies ; and therefore we should be as
careful to give him what he requireth, as we are careful to seek of him
that which we need ; for even in our commerce with God there is ratio
dati et accepti. I presume, again, that there is noftuch expression of
thankfulness as obedience. Verbal thanks are but a cold return ;
thanks-doing is the best thanksgiving : Ps. 1. 23, ' He that offereth
praise glorifieth me, and to him that ordereth his conversation aright
will I show the salvation of God.' Yea, once more, that we should
think of this aforehand ; while we are asking the mercy in our distress,
we should engage ourselves to glorify God both in word and deed.
Again, the time that we have our mercies for ; in affliction we consider
and are more serious, and afterwards we should keep the conscience of
our obligation.
2. It is a sign the rod hath done its work, and then it will be
gone, when it hath convinced you of former failings, and put you
upon serious purposes : Job xxxiv. 31, 32, ' Surely it is meet to be
said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will offend no more.
That which I see not, teach thou me : if I have done iniquity, I will
do no more.' Otherwise what we ask of temporal mercy is either denied
us or we get it in wrath.
3. You have a true notion of deliverance ; you look upon it as an
engaging mercy ; therefore if God alter your condition you are bound
to serve him. The end of our great deliverance is service : Luke i.
74, 75, ' That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of
the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness
and righteousness before him all the days of our life.' All deliverances
out of straits are branches and appendices of the great redemption of
our souls unto eternal life, and have the same end and use : Ps. cv.
45, ' That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws/ That
is the end of all deliverance out of trouble, to engage the hearts of his
people to obedience, heart to serve him, opportunity to serve him.
4. A gracious heart desireth nothing to himself alone, and cannot be
content to have the use of any benefit to himself only, but eyes God in
all his enjoyments and all his requests ; therefore his great aim is that
he may be in the better condition to keep God's commandments, for
they ' live unto God ;' Kom. xiv. 7, 8, ' For none of us liveth unto him
self, and no man dieth unto himself ; for whether we live, we live unto
the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we
YOL. IX. E
66 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLXV.
live therefore or die, we are the Lord's/ In every state they would be
unto God what they are when they seek to be delivered ; it is that they
may be in the better condition and capacity to serve God, and have
more opportunities to glorify his name.
Use. To persuade us to seek deliverance with these aims.
1. This is the temper of the people of Godj that which urgeth to
prayer is his glory ; tnat which is their scope is his service. It is seen
partly by the secret workings and purposes of their souls, what they do
with their mercies when they have them ; what they please themselves
with in the supposition of obtaining them. What is it with ? The
satisfying of their revenge, providing for their families, living in pomp
and ease, or that they may serve God ? Ps. Ixxv. 2, ' When I shall
receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly ; ' if ever God give an
opportunity again! And partly by the preparations ; they are afraid
of a treacherous heart, therefore fitting themselves to enjoy the mercy
before they have it, as the apostle learned to abound, Phil. iv. 11, 12.
Partly by the argdhients they urge in prayer: Ps. Ixxxviii. 10-12,
' Wilt thou show wonders to the dead ? shall the dead arise and praise
thee ? shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faith
fulness in destruction ? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and
thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness ?' So Ps. cvi. 47, ' Save
us, 0 Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give
thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.' A true
believer would have comfort, not for his own satisfaction, but to glorify
God.
2. Then we are sure to 'speed when our end is right : James iv. 3,
* Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it
upon your lusts/ We may speak it with confidence, our prayers mis
carry for want of a right end.
3. The equity of this ; God hears us that we should hear him.
SERMON CLXV.
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy
ivord. — VEB. 147.
DAVID still goeth on to give us an account of his fervour in prayer, ' I
cried.' That which we have new in this verse is —
1. His vigilancy and diligence, I prevented the dawning of the morn
ing, and cried.
2. The reason and encouragement of this instant and assiduous
praying, I hoped in thy word.
First, His vigilancy and diligence, « I prevented/ Ac. He rose betimes
to meditate and pray ; the Septuagint, eV awpia. Hesychius defineth that
time to be wpav aTrpa/crov, a time of no business ; when others were
deeping David was praying. The word ' prevented' is emphatical.
ivid lived as it were in a strife with time, being careful it should not
overrun him ; he pressed to get before it, by doing some good in it,
and to get beforehand with the day.
VER. 147.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 67
Doct. Those that make a business of prayer will use great vigilancy
and diligence therein.
I say, that make a business of prayer ; others that use it as a com
pliment and customary formality will not be thus affected, or do it as
a thing by the by, or a work that might well be spared, do not look
upon it as a necessary duty ; but if a man's heart be in it, he will be
early at work, and follow it close morning and night. His business is
to maintain communion with God ; his desires will not let him sleep,
and he gets up early to be calling upon God : Ps. Ixxxviii. 13, ' But
unto thee have I cried, 0 Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer
prevent thee.' Thus will good men even break their sleep to give
themselves to prayer and calling upon the name of God. So Isa. xxvi.
9, ' With my soul have I desired thee in the night, and with my spirit
within me will I seek thee early/ A man that hath an earnest desire
after God, he will be at it night and day, when others are taking their
rest. Their seeking of God is early and earnest ; but where such strong
desires are not, God is little minded and regarded ; and of all busi
nesses prayer seemeth that which may be best spared.
That I may fully commend David's practice to you, I shall observe
in this his diligence : —
1. That it was a personal, closet, or secret prayer, ' I cried/ I alone,
with thee in secret.
2. That it was an early morning prayer, ' I prevented the dawning
of the morning.'
3. That it was a vehement and earnest prayer, for it is expressed
by crying, which, as Chrysostom saith, noteth ov rovov rfjs tfwvfjs
a\\a TT)? Siavotas rrjv SidOeaw — Chrys. in Ps. v. He proveth it by
that of God to Moses, ' Wherefore criest thou unto me ? ' Exod. xiv.
15. And when Moses was silent, yet he crieth ; for crying noteth the
affection of the mind, not extension of the voice. Where I shall note,
that it was an earnest prayer, though private ; and earnest, though as
yet he could get no answer.
4. That it was the prayer of a public person, of a king, and a king
entangled in wars, whose calling exposed him to a multitude of
business and distractions ; yet he had his times of converse with God.
Take all this together, and the pattern will be more fit to be com
mended to your imitation.
First, It was a personal or secret prayer, ' I cried,' I alone, and
without company. Our Saviour doth in Mat. xviii. 19, 20, encourage
us to public prayer, by the blessed effect of such petitions, where two
or three do agree to ask anything of God in the name of Christ. He
doth suppose that his disciples will make conscience of personal and
solitary prayer, and therefore giveth directions and encouragement
about it : Mat. vi. 6, ' But when thou prayest, enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which seeth in
secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret will reward thee openly/
He taketh it for granted that every one of his disciples is sufficiently
convinced of being often with God in private, and pouring out his
heart to God alone. It is not if, but iohent as supposing they will be
careful of this ; it is not plurally and collectively, * when ye pray,' but
orav TTpoo-ev'xrj ' when thou prayest.' Elsewhere the context speaketh
68 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXV.
of public prayer, or the assemblies of saints and of family worship ;
but here he spcaketh of personal prayer. Church prayer hath a
special blessing, when with a combined force we besiege heaven ; as
the petition of a shire and county is more than a private man's sup
plication ; but yet this is not without its blessing. God is with you
in private. Pray to thy Father in secret, and he that seeth in secret
observeth the carriage and posture and frame of thy spirit ; all thy
fervour and uprightness of heart is known to him. That which is the
hypocrite's fear, that God seeth in secret, is the saint's comfort, that
God seeth in secret : it bindeth condemnation upon the thoughts of
wicked men, 1 John iii. 21, but is their support, John xxi. 17; Horn.
viii. 17, ' He that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the spirit.'
He knoweth the brokenness or unbrokenness of the heart ; he can
pick out the very language of thy sighs and groans, know where thou
art, and how thou art employed : Acts ix. 11, 'Arise and go into the
street which is called Strait, and inquire in the house of Judas for one
Saul of Tarsus, for behold he prayeth.' In such a street, in such a
house, in such a chamber of the house, there is one a-praying: a
notable place to express God's seeing in secret, where we are, what we
do, and how affected. And then his reward is another encouragement ;
lie will reward thee openly, grant thee what thou prayest for, or bless
thce for the conscionable performance of this duty. Openly, either by
a sensible answer of thy prayers, as Dan. ix. 20-22; or with an
evident blessing, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the eyes of the
world; God highly favoured them. A secret prayer hath an open
blessing ; or in convincing the consciences of men ; Pharaoh sendeth
for Moses and Aaron when in distress. The consciences of wicked
men are convinced that God's praying children have special audience
with him ; no magicians sent for then, but Moses and Aaron. Thus
God may reward them openly : 1 Sam. ii. 30, ' Those that honour me
I will honour.' But chiefly at the day of judgment: Luke xiv. 14,
* He shall be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.' Then is
the great reward of Christians, and most public : ' Then shall every
man have praise of God,' 1 Cor. iv. 5. Thus you see how our Lord
encourageth us to closet prayer. But let us see other arguments to
engage us to this duty.
1. All the precepts of prayer do include closet prayer : ' Continue
in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving/ Col. iv. 2;
Pray without ceasing,' 1 Thes. v. 17. First God's precepts fall upon
igle persons before it falleth upon families and churches ; for God
consulereth us first as persons apart, and then in our several com
binations and societies in joining with others. The duty is rather
iposed upon us than taken up by voluntary choice ; and that only at
stated times, when they can conveniently meet. If we are to continue
in prayer, and to pray without ceasing, we are to make conscience
ourselves of. being often with God. Every person that acknowledge^
Uod, that hath a Father in heaven, must come and profess his
dependence upon him.
2. The example of Christ, which beareth the force of a law in things
Hal We read often of Christ's praying : Mark i. 35, ' He went oSt
into a solitary place to pray ; ' and Mat. xiv. 23, and Luke vi. 12, we
VER. 147.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 69
read he prayed a whole night to God. Now let us improve this
instance. Christ had no such need of prayer as we have ; the God
head dwelt in him bodily ; nor such need of retirement ; his affections
were always in frame ; yet he went out from the company of his
disciples to pray alone to God. This pattern is very engaging, for if
we have the spirit of Christ, we will do as Christ did ; and very
encouraging, for by submitting to this duty he sanctifieth it for all :
his steps drop fatness, and leave a blessing and virtue behind him.
And it assureth us of his sympathising with us ; he is acquainted with
the heart of an earnest supplicant ; and it is some comfort against our
imperfections ; when we are with God, and our hearts are as heavy as
a log, it is a comfort to think of this particular part of his righteous
ness by which our defects are covered.
3. I shall urge it from God's end in pouring out the Spirit, that we
may pray apart, and mourn apart over our distempers and personal
necessities, Zech. xii. 10-14. Many will say they have no gifts ;
certainly they that feel their necessities will speak of them in one
fashion or another. But this cuts off the objection. The Spirit is
given to help thee : I will pour upon them the Spirit of grace and
supplication, and they shall mourn apart. Such is God's condescension
to the saints, that he hath provided for them not only an advocate
but a notary ; a notary to draw up their petitions, and an advocate to
present them in court. And surely the gifts of the Spirit should not
lie by idle and useless.
4. I might urge you too from the practice of the saints, who are
called God's suppliants, Zeph. iii. 10 ; the generation that seek him,
Ps. xxiv. 6. They delight in God's company, and cannot be content
to stay away long from him. Daniel had his three times a day, Dan.
vi. 10. So David : Ps. Iv. 17, ' Evening and morning an$ noon will
I ^ray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice.' And ' Seven times
a day will I praise thee,' Ps. cxix. 164. And Cornelius prayed to God
always, Acts x. 2 ; not only with his family, but sometimes alone for
his family. They that have a habit of prayer will be thus affected.
Now, to be altogether unlike the people of God giveth just cause of
suspicion.
5. Shall I add our own private necessities, which cannot be so
feelingly spoken to by others, do challenge such a duty at our hands,
or it may be are not so fit to be divulged and communicated to them :
1 Kings viii. 38, ' There is the plague of our own hearts.' Paul had
his thorn in the flesh : 1 Cor. xii. 7, ' I sought the Lord thrice.' No
nurse like the mother ; none so fit feelingly to lay forth our case to
God as ourselves. Private prayer it is a help to enlargement of heart,
for the more earnest men are, the more they desire to be alone : Jer.
xiii. 17, ' My soul shall weep sore in secret places.' Christ went from
his disciples in his agony, when he would pray more earnestly, Luke
xxii. 41, 42. Strong affections are loath to be disturbed, and seek
retirement. Jacob sent away his company when he wrestled with
God, Gen. xxiii. 24. Oh ! then, let all this be considered by you. If
you neglect closet addresses to God, you wrong God and yourselves.
You wrong God, because it is a necessary part of the creature's
homage to God ; and you wrong yourselves, because such duties bring
70 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXV.
in a great deal of comfort and peace to the soul, and many sweet and
gracious experiences, which are not vouchsafed elsewhere. Bernard
saith, The church's spouse is bashful, and Christ will not communicate
his loves in company. You are to use acquaintance with God, and so
peace shall come to us, Job xxii. 21. It argueth little friendship to
God when we seldom come at him, and maintain no personal com
merce with him. When we pray with others, we cannot so well tell
who is heard as when we pray alone, and see what God will do for our
souls : Ps. cxvi. 1, ' I will love the Lord, because he hath heard the
voice of my supplication.' You sought earnestly for such a thing, and
the Lord heard you. To conclude all, a man will not pray with any
savour and delight in public that doth not pray in secret. I observe
in Ezekiel's vision the Lord removed from the temple by degrees;
first from the \\o\f place to the altar of burnt-offerings, then to the
threshold of the house, then to the mountain on the east side of the
city ; there it stood hovering as loath to be gone. So first God is cast
out of the closet, private intercourses are neglected, then out of the
family, and then out of the congregation, and then public ordinances
are laid aside as useless ; then are men given up to a strange giddy
and vertiginous spirit, and all manner of profaneness. As a tree dies
by degrees, first bears no fruit, then no leaves, then no bark ; so carnal
Christians die by degrees.
Secondly, It was an early morning prayer, ' I prevented the dawn
ing of the morning, and cried.' I would not lay a burden upon any
one's conscience ; so God have his due at any time of the day, it is
enough. In colder climates, those of a weaker constitution may not
be able to rise so soon, and therefore if any other time of the day be
fittest for commerce, all circumstances considered, it cometh to the
same issue. Yet that the morning is our golden time, and should not
be neglected out of sluggishness, whatever dispensation there be Jor
weakness, these considerations may evince.
1. The example of Christ and his saints. We read of our Lord
Jesus Christ, Mark i. 35, ' That in the morning, rising a great while
before day, he went out and prayed/ This example bindeth those to
receive it that can receive it. If you would take the opportunity of
the morning, it deserves to be considered by us how willing Christ was
to deny his natural rest to be with God in private. And have not we
more need ? And accordingly the saints have practised this : Ps. v.
3, ' My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, 0 Lord ; in the morning
direct my prayer to thee, and look up.' Upon which Chrysostom
Before thou washest thy hands, wash thy soul by prayer. So
ggain, Ps. hx. 16, ' I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning/
David begin his day with praises of God and prayers to him.
i' mi \ ' , . they rose UP earl7> and worshipped before t
i' mi , . > rshipped before the
lx>ra. lhat was their first work, and they were betimes at it. So the
rimitive Christians had their hymnos antelucanos, they sung psalms
' <*od and Christ m the morning early, as their persecutors informed
mst them See Tertul. Apol. Euseb, &c. Now this is of some
sigmnance to Christiana
2. Because whenever we have strong affections to anything, we make
our morning work, be it good or bad Good; so Mary and Mary
VER. 147.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX.
71
Magdalene came early to the sepulchre of Christ, Mat. xxviii. The
disciples, when they came to wait for the promise of the Spirit, they
met betimes, for the Holy Ghost fell upon them in the morning : Acts
ii. 15, ' For these men are not drunk, as ye suppose, seeing it is but
the third hour of the day/ which was about nine of the clock ; and
some good time had been spent before, as appears by this speech that
was uttered. So Hosea v. 16, 'In their afflictions they will seek me
early/ This is their first and chiefest work : that which urgeth the
heart most, we shall think of in the morning. The objects that have
made deepest impression upon our spirits will present themselves before
any images be received from abroad : Prov. vi. 22, ' Bind my law upon
thy heart ; when thou walkest, it shall talk with thee/ &c. Abraham,
when he went about the work of offering his son Isaac, he rose early
in the morning, Gen. xxii. So, for bad things : if a man be worldly,
his worldly desires and affections compel him to rise early for their
satisfaction, Ps. cxxvii. 3, the drunkard is thinking early of his morn
ing draught, to be filled with wine ! Isa. xv. 11, ' Woe to them that
rise up early to follow strong drink/ The people, when they were
mad upon the calf, Exod. xxxvi. 6, ' They rose up early in the morn
ing and offered burnt- offer ings to it/ Whatsoever hath secured its
interest in the soul will first urge us. So if prayer be our chief
pleasure, it will urge us to be up betimes with God : our delights and
affections solicit us in the morning.
3. It is the choicest time of the day, and therefore should be allotted
to the most serious and necessary employment. It is the choicest time,
partly with respect to the body, because the body is then best refreshed,
and our vigour repaired, which is lessened and spent with the business
of the day ; our memories quickest, senses readiest, natural faculties
most acute. And partly with respect to the mind; our morning
thoughts are our virgin thoughts, more pure, sublime, and defecate,
usually free from worldly cares, which would distract us in prayer, and
will more encroach upon us by our worldly business, and the baser
objects which the necessity of our life engages us to con verse with, and
be employed about. Certainly the best time should be taken up about
the best business ; not in recreations to be sure, for this is to knit plea
sure to pleasure, and to wear away the scythe in whetting, not in work
ing. They are brutish epicures that rise up from sleep, not to service,
but to their sensual delights and vanities ; as the scripture brandeth
them that eat in the morning, not for strength, but excess, Eccles. x.
16, 17. The morning is the fittest time for business. Now what
business should we do but the most weighty, and that which requireth
the greatest heedfulness of soul, which is our communion with God ?
4. Consider, it is profitable to begin the day with God, and to season
the heart with some gracious exercise; as David, Ps. cxxxix. 18,
' When I awake, I am still with thee/ It sanctifieth all our other
business, as the offering the first-fruits did sanctify the whole lump.
And to whom should the first-fruits of our reason and sense restored
be consecrated, but to him that gave us all, and is the author and pre
server of them ? When the world gets the start of religion, it can
hardly overtake it all the day : the first thoughts leave a powerful
impression upon it : Micah ii. 1, ' They devise evil upon their beds,
72 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXV.
and when the morning is come they practise it/ With carnal men
sin beginneth in the morning, stayeth in the heart all day, playeth in
the fancy all night. But if you begin with God in the morning, yon
take God along with you all the day to your business and employment.
5. This will be some recompense for the time lost in sleeping : half
our lives are consumed in it ; our time is parted between work and
sleep. It is the misery and necessity we are subject unto, whilst we
are in the body, that so much of our time should be spent without
doing anything for God, or showing any act of love and thankfulness
to him. None of the other creatures ever stand still, but are always
executing and accomplishing the end for which they were made. And
in heaven the blessed spirits are always beholding the face of God, and
lauding and blessing his name, and need not those intermissions which
we bodily creature's do. Now, though this be our necessity, and so no
sin to need the refreshings of sleep, yet because so much of our time
is lost, by way of recompense, the least that we should do is to take
the next season ; and if health and bodily constitution will permit, to
prevent the dawning of the morning, and to be as early with God as
we can. All the time we can well spare should be given to God. Do
but consider, since thou wentest to bed the sun hath travelled many
thousand miles to give thee light this morning, and therefore what a
shame it is that the sun, being continually in so swift motion, should
return and find him turning and tossing in his bed, like a door upon
the hinges, Prov. xx. 14, after nature is satisfied with sleep ; and that
we should not rise, and own God's mercy in the rest of the night, and
sanctify the labours of the day by some serious address to him. This
meditation is enforced by Augustine, indecus est Christiana, si radius
solis eum inveniat in lecto, posset cnim dicere sol, si potestatem
loquendi haberet, Amplius laloravi heri, quam tu : et tamen cum jam
surrexerim, tu adkuc dormis. So Ambrose on this text, grave est, si
te otiosum radius solis orientis in verecundo pudore conveniat, et
lux clara inveniat occulos somnolento adhuc corpore depresses.
Thirdly, It was a vehement and earnest prayer ; for saith David,
' I cried.' Observe —
Doot. It was earnest, though private ; and it was earnest, though he
could get no satisfactory answer.
1. Earnest though private. In all our addresses to God we must
be serious ; whether men see or hear or no, God seeth and heareth. A
hypocrite hath a great flash of gifts in company, but is strait when
alone ; but God's children are most earnest in private, when they do
more particularly open their hearts to God, without taking in the
necessities of others. Christ when he was withdrawn from his disciples,
then he prayed eKrevearepov, ' more earnestly,' Luke xxii. 44. Jacob sent
away his company to deal with God in good earnest, and then wrestled
i him : illc dolet vere qui sine teste dolet. Peter went out and
wept bitterfy. So a Christian trieth it out between God and him,
when he hath a mind to plead for his own soul or for the church;
lerefore hath no outward reason to move him but conscience and
spiritual affectioa The pharisees would pray in the synagogues and
corners of the streets; but Christ saith, ' Go into thy closet, and shut
the door, and pray to thy Father in secret/ Mat. vi. 7. This is the
VER. 147.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 73
love and confidence we express to our Father in secret. A man may
put forth himself with great warmth and vigour before others, that is
slight and careless in secret addresses to God. In these secret inter
courses we most taste our spirits, and discern the pure workings of
affection towards God. A woman that only bemoaneth the loss of her
husband in company, but banisheth all thoughts of him when alone,
might justly be suspected to act a tragical part, and to pretend sorrow
rather than feel it. Some will pray in secret, but customarily utter a
few cold words ; but David saith, ' I cried.' Eemember there is one
seeth in secret ; as Christ saith, ' I am not alone,' John xvi. 32 ; and
Mai. i. 14, he is a God of great majesty ; he will not be put off with
anything, with a short good-morrow or a hasty sigh. Consider, if you
pray in good earnest, the prayer will not be lost ; there is a register
kept in heaven : Acts x. 4, ' Thy prayer is come up as a memorial
before God/ Surely a man that belie veth and consulteth these things
dareth not be slight, though there be none present but God and his
own soul.
2. It was earnest though the answer was delayed : I cried, I cried ;
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried. The Lord can
not away with cold asking and a ceasing upon every repulse. You
must continue to pray when God continueth to deny, otherwise you
do not pray in faith ; for when the word warrants you to pray, either
by way of command or promise, you must not give over. David saith
here, ' I cried, for I hoped in thy word.' When providence giveth no
answer, you must take your answer out of the covenant or promise,
and so answer yourself when God doth not answer you : 1 Sam. xii.
23, ' God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray
for you.' You cannot dispense with your duty, whatever the success
be. Sometimes duty keepeth up prayer, sometimes the promise, and
so hope of the mercy prayed for; there is no way to bring the promise
and the providence of God together but by prayer or putting the
promise in suit. Your obedience will be assaulted by the ingratitude
of those whom you pray for, and your confidence by God's seeming
denials ; therefore, as long as God commandeth, and he promiseth
encouragement, you are not to give way, but hold up the suit still,
whatever discouragements there be without. A good dog hunts by
sight as long as he can see his game, but when that is lost, he hunts
by scent. Visible probabilities be a good encouragement to give a
lift to the mercy, when it seemeth to be coming on ; but though it be
out of sight, faith keepeth the scent of the promise, keeps crying still;
he heareth though he doth not answer, and the prayer will not be
lost : but of this before.
Fourthly, It is the prayer of a public person, who had his distrac
tions, and more occasions than we can possibly pretend unto, yet he
would not lose his praying hours. This consideration will yield us
two notes : —
1. That David had his times of converse with God.
2. That rather than fail of them, he would take them from his
sleep.
1. That he had his times of converse with God : Eccles. iii. 1,
There is a time for all things/ much more for the best things ;
74 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXV.
therefore, if you have a time for other things, to eat and drink, and follow
your worldly business, surely you should have a time for prayer. Shall
we have a time for everything, and no time for God? Certainly we could
not want time if we did not want a heart. Many complain they have no
time, and many distractions ; if you have no time to pray, you have no
time to be saved, no time to maintain the life and comfort and peace
of your souls. David had as many employments as thou hast or
canst have, therefore it is but a vain excuse. He that will regard
what his own sluggish heart will allege, will never pray, never retire
or be alone with God : a willing mind will find time in the midst of
the greatest distractions ; whomsoever he compounds with and payeth
short, he will not make bold with God, and serve him by halves.
Look, as David speaks in 1 Chron. xxii. 14, ' Behold, in my trouble I
have prepared for* the Lord an hundred thousand talents of gold and
a thousand thousand talents of silver.' He was involved in wars, his
exchequer impoverished and diminished, yet he kept vast sums for
the temple. Surely the lean kine should not devour the fat, nor
religion only be thrust out of doors. It is a more happy thing that
Martha should complain of Mary than Mary neglect her duty. Holy
privacy and closet work should not be neglected. It would be no loss
to our other occasions if we did more prudently divide and allot out
our time, and give God a good allowance rather than straiten him.
Indeed, what part you should give to God is another question.
In the general, it is good to dedicate a certain part and portion of
our time to the Lord of time. Idle servants must be tasked, and
required to bring in their tale of bricks. A prudent allotment, such
as is consistent with our occasions and course of life, would be no
burden to you. I am sure it will make your duties more seasonable
and orderly. It is an expression of love to give him somewhat that
is our own. In the general, we are not tied to the seasons of eating
and drinking, yet for conveniency we have our stated hours. The
most necessary work should have a turn, and not be taken up by
chance, and not left to a mere haphazard ; it will make you more
careful and watchful how you spend your other hours, that you may
not be unfit for duty when your time of worship cometh, 1 Peter
iii. 7.
Again, though we cannot bind you absolutely to a time, they that
are most holy will be most frequent with God. Love will direct.
They that love one another cannot be strange to each other : he that
loveth God cannot be long out of his company. God trusts love ;
that grace is liberal and open-hearted. Christ resorted often to
Bethany, because he loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, John xi.
Lhe bpirit of God will direct you by his motions, Ps. xxvii. 8.
bometimes he sendeth you into the closet; your own necessities will
put you in mind ; he hath left many wants upon us to bring us into
his presence : James i. 5, 'If any man want wisdom/ &c.; Heb. iv.
; Let us come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may
obUun mercy, and find grace to help in a time of need/ The interest
> spiritual life directs you ; you cannot maintain it in any vigour
but by some recourse to God ; some time God must have.
^ Jiather than fail, he would take it from his sleep. Other busi-
VER. 147.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 75
ness must give way to the great work and interest, especially the most
inconsiderable interests of recreation. We are bidden to redeem time,
Eph. v. 16, rescue it from meat, sleep, company, and recreation.
Surely this is an equitable proposal, let God have as much time every
day as thou spendest unprofitably. Do but observe the spending of
thy time, and be ashamed that God should have such a little share.
Use. Now you see David's instance, let this persuade you to this
assiduity and diligence, to be ardent and instant in prayer, taking
hold of all opportunities to pursue after God, without whom you can
not live : Ps. Ixix. 32, ' Your hearts shall live, that seek God/ We
cannot preserve any vitality without this. To press this —
1. Ketire often from company to be alone with God. Public duties
are of little profit with us because we neglect private. God com-
plaineth of his people, Jer. ii. 32, ' That they have forgotten him days
without number.' How many days have gone over your heads, and
God never heard from you ! You should no more forget him every
day than a bride would forget her ornaments on the wedding-day.
2. Let me lay this before you; you should be betimes with God, that
you may not encroach upon your other occasions ; yea, that you may
sanctify your other occasions, and be the fitter for it all the day after.
Let not the soft enemy of sleep steal away your golden hours, and the
flower and choicest part of time. A Christian that makes conscience
of his time should not inure himself to a sluggish course, and turn
in his bed like a door upon the hinges, if your constitution will bear
it, otherwise we lay no blame upon you. The scriptures have many
dissuasives from immoderate sleep, Prov. v. 9, xiii. 4, xxvi. 14; vi.
6. To be sure a Christian is to make conscience of time, and how
he spendeth it ; and we may sin and surfeit in sleeping as well as in
eating and drinking ; and therefore we must watch against the en
croachments of ease and sloth, lest a sluggish humour grow natural
to us, and a morbid custom that cannot be shaken off.
3. It presseth you to fervency, though in private. As much fer
vency, sense, and zeal as you would express before men, so much
should we express when alone. The name of God must be sanctified
in all that draw near to him, in private as well as in public, otherwise
he is scorned rather than honoured ; that it may appear you were
sincere in prayer, and have not mean and low thoughts of God, other
wise you bring a suspicion upon all your public duties. There may
be sometimes more assistance in public, more order and method for
edification, but not more ardour and zeal. Pray with fervency, as to
an all-seeing spirit. Though the Lord delayeth, yet he intendeth the
enlargement of our desires: Lam. iii. 49, 50, 'Mine eye trickleth
down and ceaseth not, without any intermission ; till the Lord looks
down from heaven and beholds.' If you are soon discouraged you
will get nothing.
^ 4. Be sure that God hath his share. If business take up more
time than prayer, because of the urgency of bodily necessities, yet
ordinarily a man should not spend more time in any pastime and
recreations than in religious exercises. It is most equal we should
first seek the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, Mat. vi.
33. The most needful duty should have most time bestowed upon it.
76 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXV.
It ;'s an ill character to be ' lovers of pleasure more than lovers of
God ' 2 Tim. iv. 3. It is reasonable to give an equal time to God
and religion as to sports and delights. Most men have no other thing
to do than to eat, drink, and sleep ; if they should compare their re
ligion and their recreations, they would soon see what a large share of
time one hath above the other.
Secondly, We come to the reason and encouragement of his dili-
<*ence, / hoped in thy word ; that is, because I have thy word for it, I
do not doubt but in time I shall reap the fruit of my prayers.
Doct. A lively hope, grounded upon the word of God, will put us
upon this vigilancy and diligence in prayer.
The reasons are taken — (1.) From the word of God, which is the
ground of hope : Ps. cxxx. 5, ' I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait,
and in his word cfo I hope.' And (2.) From the nature of hope, which
is the fountain of prayer.
First, From the word of God, which serveth for two uses — invita
tion and assurance.
1. For invitation, to give us leave to come to the throne of grace.
David did not come unbidden or uninvited into God's presence ; he
had his word for it ; the promises of the gospel give us liberty, other
wise we should not assume the boldness to appear before him : Ps. 1.
15. The word is our warrant, it is as it were the holding out of the
golden sceptre : 2 Sam. vii. 27, ' Therefore hath thy servant found in
his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.'
2. For assurance and firm confidence ; before the thing promised
be Qbtained, God pawneth his word with us, which we must hold till
the performance come. Now they that can thus hold it, and believe
the promise, will be often in prayer, that the word may be both esta
blished to them, 2 Sam. vii. 25, and fulfilled : Ps. cxvi. 10, ' I have
believed, and therefore have I spoken.'
Secondly, From the nature of hope, which implieth two things, both
which have an influence upon prayer — earnest expectation, and patient
tarrying the Lord's leisure.
1. Earnest expectation : Phil. i. 20, c According to my earnest ex
pectation and my hope/ This exciteth the soul by all means to pur
sue after the thing hoped for. When Daniel understood by books that
the time was come, then was he vehement and earnest, Dan. ix. 2, 3.
Elijah, when he saw a cloud but as big as a man's hand, he saith, 1
Kings xviii. 43, ' Go bid Ahab prepare his chariot ; get thee down,
that the rain stop thee not.' What we look for, we will pray for.
2. Patient tarrying. • We read of < the patience of hope,' 1 Thes. i.
; and so, though they seem long delayed, yet hope in the promise
will make us wait, and abide the performance of them ; because they
are assured they shall find the fruit of them at last.
Use. You see how we pray ; the occasion of prayer is necessity, our
ities-lead us to the promise; that inviteth us, and giveth us
assurance, and yields matter for faith and hope ; that puts us upon
okmgand waiting; these two make us pray. When we can join
patienham spei cum ardore desiderii ; the earnestness of expectation,
keepeth us from sloth or negligence in the use of the means, or
* us to call upon God ; and patience, that keeps us from fainting
VER. 148.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 77
or discouragement : hence cometli that earnest diligence and constant
unceasing importunity, so as to give God no rest. The belief of God's
promises do not make us neglect means, but to be more diligent in the
use of them.
SERMON CLXVI.
Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy
word. — VER. 148.
WE hear before of David's diligence in prayer, now in meditation. His
prayer was encouraged by his hope, his hope was fed by the word, and
the word improved by meditation ; for he saith, ' I hope in thy word/
and then, ' Mine eyes prevent the night watches/ &c.
In the words we have —
1. An account of his vigilancy and diligence, mine eyes prevent
the night watches.
2. The duty wherein he was exercised, that I might meditate in thy
word.
The first branch needeth a little illustration— what is meant by
' night watches/ and what by preventing these night watches.
1. What is meant by 'night watches'? Drusius telleth us that
the night among the Hebrews was divided into three watches. The
first watch was called the head or beginning of the watches : Lam. iii.
19, ' Arise, cry out in the night, in the beginning of the watches ;
pour out thine heart like water before the Lord.' The second was
called the middle watch : Judges vii. 19. ' Gideon came to the outside
of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch.' The third and
last was called the morning watch : Exod. xiv. 24, ' In the morning
watch the Lord troubled the host of the Egyptians/ This was the
first division of the night among the Hebrews into three watches ; but
it seemeth afterwards, when they were acquainted with the Romans,
they had four watches; as Mat. xiv. 21, 'In the fourth watch of the
night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea/ For every three hours
they had a new watch, and according to this latter division they were
called, the evening, and the midnight, and the cock-crowing, and the
dawning, Mark xiii. 35. Now whether we reckon by the first or second
division, it cannot be imagined that David should be wholly without
sleep. Rabbi David Kimchi thinketh he gave the first watch to sleep,
and the othe* two to the meditation of the word, and that he did this
often when the nights were long. I think it is meant of the third and
last watch, and so it agreeth with the dawning of the morning men
tioned in the former verse ; and this watch, which is called the morn
ing watch, did David prevent, getting up early to entertain himself
with delightful meditations on the word of God. The Septuagint
reads it, ' Early in the morning/
2. What is meant by preventing the night watches ? Either that
he was more careful to awake at several times of the night to meditate
on God's word than they to keep their watches who were appointed
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXVI.
thereunto, or that he did not need to be called upon by them ; for the
watchmen were wont to tell them the seasons and watches of the night,
but he needed not that help, his own desires and delights awakened
him ; so that in effect he saith, When others are so fast asleep that
I'ilher they do not wake in the night, or if they do, it is because they
are interrupted in their sleep by the noises of the watch or guard, I
need no such excitation, ' for my eyes prevent the night watches ; '
sleep flieth from them of its own accord, that my mind may be de
lighted with the meditation of God's word. The points are : —
1. From the duty wherein David was exercised,
Doct. That meditation on the word of God is one duty that Chris
tians should take care to perform.
2. From the season, his eyes prevented the night watches,
Doct. A gracious heart will take all occasions to set itself a- work on
holy tlungs, and sometimes in the night.
3. From the condition wherein he was ; in some distress, for he saith,
' Save me ;' and his prayers not yet heard, ' I cried, I cried, I cried/
Doct. That it is needful to meditate on God's promises at such a
time as our suit hangeth at the throne of grace without grant and
effect.
The first will give us occasion to speak of the duty of meditation,
and the necessity and profit of it. What the duty of meditation is, see
sermon upon the 15th verse of this psalm.
Secondly, It is a necessary duty, because it is recommended to us
by God, among other things enjoined in his word. He complaineth
of the neglect of it : Isa. i. 3, ' Israel doth not know, my people doth
not consider;' they will not think upon God, nor consider what great
things he hath done for them. It is recommended to us in the prac
tice of the saints, they sometimes meditate upon God : Ps. Ixiii. 3, ' I
remember thee upon my bed, and meditate of thee in the night
watches.' ^ When David could not sleep, and had his night rest
broken, his thoughts run upon God presently. Sometimes upon the
works of God : Ps. cxliii. 5, ' I meditate on all thy works, I muse on
the work of thine hands.' On his creation and providence. Some
times on the word of God, that part which -sets forth their duty : Ps.
2, ' But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in that law doth
he meditate day and night.' To make the Christian's life more
[lerly and comely ; the apostle commands us : Phil. iv. 8, 'To think
on these things.' Sometimes on the promises and grounds of faith,
ie support of theii souls in a fainting time, as in the text ; especi-
illy that part of the word which is brought unto them by the provi
dence of God, and so we meditate upon what we read and hear : Luke
w ' j ryi kept a11 tllese tm"ngs> and pondered them in her heart.'
e ponder things when we consider the weight and moment of them,
that our hearts may be affected with them. So Moses : Deut. xxxii.
io, And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which
tify among you this day;' Luke iv. 44, ' Let these sayings sink
o your ears ; be seriously considered and thought of by you, not be
Lost or vanish into the air, or stay in the brain.
Inmlly, It is a profitable duty ; it is a help—
1. lo our natural faculties.
VER. 148.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 79
2. To our graces.
3. To our duties.
1. To our natural faculties. To our memories: we complain, of
weak memories, but we do not take a right course to cure them.
Good things slip from us as water doth through a sieve ; and why ?
Because we do not weigh them, and meditate upon them by deep and
serious thought. Truths would stay with us longer if we did of tener
think on them. So many a conviction is lost : James i. 23, 24, ' For
if any man be a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a
man beholding his natural face in a glass, for he beholdeth himself,
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was/ Many a com
fort is lost by neglect : Heb. xii. 5, { And have you forgotten the
exhortation which speaketh to you as children ? ' A weak impression
is soon defaced. Many a pressing motion is lost for want of a little
diligence to fasten it upon the heart : Heb. ii. 1, ' Therefore we ought
to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest
at any time we should let them slip/ Meditation and serious con
sideration fasten a truth upon the mind and memory. Deliberate
thoughts stick by us, as a lesson well conned is not easily forgotten.
Civet long kept in a box, the scent remaineth when the civet is taken
out. Sermons meditated upon are remembered long after they are
delivered. So for understanding. We have weak understandings, slow
to conceive of anything that is spiritual and heavenly ; why ? Because
we are so little exercised in the study and contemplation of these
things ; whereas our judgments would ripen, and we would grow more
skilful in the word of righteousness, if we did often meditate on it :
Ps. cxix. 99, ' I have more understanding than all my teachers, for
thy testimonies are my meditation. We see things in transits, and
know them only by hearsay, without meditation. To move the will
we had need deal seriously with our own hearts ere we can gain them
to a consent. Thoughts are the spokesmen that make up the match
between the soul and the temptation : they were given for the like
office in good things ; they are the first acts of the soul to set a- work
all the rest. Things lie by till we take them into our thoughts and
consideration at leisure, that we may know what is their tendency, and
how they concern us. You cannot imagine the gospel should work as
a charm, and convert us we know not how, before consent and choice.
There is a propounding and debating of terms ; the greatest matters
will not work on him that doth not think of them. God and Christ,
and heaven and salvation, are looked upon in a cold and remiss manner
without this serious consideration. And to excite, and quicken, and stir
our affections, meditation is useful. We complain of deadness, and we
ourselves are the cause, because we do not rouse up ourselves, excite
and compel ourselves, expostulate with ourselves : Isa. Ixiv. 7, ' And
there is none that calleth upon thy name, and stirreth up himself to
take hold of thee. ' Man hath a power to whet truths upon his own heart,
and if we will not make use of it, and reason for God with ourselves,
we are justly left under the power of deadness and stupidness of spirit.
2. It is a great help to our graces. (1.) Faith takes root by medi
tation: Mat. xiii. 5, ' The seed forthwith sprang upjbecause it had no
deepness of earth/ A careless slight heart is no fit soil for faith to
30 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXVI.
grow in. (2.) Hope is made lively by consideration of the thing hoped
for. (3.) Charity is inflamed by the sight and frequent view of divine
objects in their beauty and amiableness.
3. The duties of religion, reading and hearing, are effectual by
meditation.
The use is for exhortation, to press you to meditation; it is the
mother and nurse of knowledge and godliness, the great instrument in
all the offices of grace, otherwise we take up things by hearsay ; this
digests them, and maketh them our own.
1. It preventeth vain thoughts, both as it stocketh the heart with
truth, for good seed thick set and well rooted destroyeth the weeds,
and as it seasoneth the heart with a gracious disposition, and inureth
it more to holy thoughts ; whereas those that do not use to meditate,
how are their minds pestered with swarms of vain thoughts, which
wholly divert it and turn it aside from God ? Man is mindless of
holy things, and if they turn into the heart by accident, their enter
tainment is cold and careless, as a man would be used that cometh
into a house full of enemies.
2. How great an affront is it to God to omit this part of communion
with him ; it is irksome to think of him. Saints find it otherwise :
Ps. civ. 34, * My meditation of him shall be sweet/ Some, God is said
to be near in their mouth, and far from their reins,. Jer xii. 2 ; fre
quently spoken of, but seldom considered by them. That soul that
hath a sincere and unfeigned love to him will take some time to solace
itself with him alone ; to be sure God taketh it kindly at our hand :
Mai. iii. 16, ' A book of remembrance was written for them that feared
the Lord, and thought upon his name ; ' that have frequent and high
thoughts of God in their hearts, without which, love will presently
languish and grow cold.
3. What a neglect it is of God's messages of love that you will not
consider them : Mat. xxi. 5, ' And they made light of it;' and Heb. ii.
3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation.' He hath
laid out all his eternal thoughts upon a way of salvation, and manifested
it to you, and you entertain it with so much scorn that you will not
sot your minds to it, and think it worthy a few sad and sober thoughts.
What ? Is it so tedious to think a thought of your own greatest con
cernments ? Surely man is strangely depraved to refuse this.
4. What a likely means meditation is to do you good. I know it
is the Lord inclineth the heart, and our thoughts work no further than
God is in them, yea, he giveth us to think, 2 Cor. iii. 5. But as it is
our duty, so it is a very proper means to improve our graces and our
comfort ; for a constant, steady, continued view of truth surely will
work more than a glance. A transient view cannot leave such an
impression upon us as a steady view. We taste things better when
they are chewed than when they are swallowed whole. Meditation
goeth over things again and again, and prieth into every part. And
as it is a constant light, so it is an argumentative consideration of
•hings. When one scale is not heavy enough, we put in weight after
weight till we gain our point ; bring off the heart from such a vanity,
jngage it to such a pursuit by our own arguings with ourselves : Prov.
xu. 14, A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his own
VER. 148.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 81
mouth ;' Acts xvii. 11, 12, 'And these were more noble than they of
Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the scriptures daily, whether these things were so/
Therefore many believed, because they had searched with all readiness
of mind.
5. This is an argument should prevail with God's children, that we
may know our growth in grace, by the frequency, continuance, and
efficacy of holy thoughts. At first good thoughts are few and rare, the
heart is so crowded with vanity, that there is no room for God or his
word ; for these things keep their interest in the heart and draw the
mind after them, so that days pass over our heads and we forget God,
Ps. x. 11 ; or if they arise in our minds, they find little entertainment
there, but are gone as soon as they come. It is the policy of the enemy
of our salvation to draw our minds from one thing to another, that
good thoughts may pass over without fruit and benefit ; or if we force
ourselves to continue, they do not warm the heart, only weary the
brain. But now when truths are ever with us, they improve us : Ps.
cxix. 98, ' Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than
my enemies, for they are ever with me ; ' Prov. vi. 22, ' When thou
goest it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest it shall keep thee, and when
thou walkest it shall talk with thee.' We have them always ready and
at hand. They that are sound at heart can pause with delight on
heavenly things. It is a good note of some progress, it is a sign the
heart is heavenly, carried out with a strong and prevailing love to
heavenly things, that earthly profits and vain pleasures have not such a
hand over us as they were wont to have. You have gotten the mastery
over your thoughts, that the best and dearest of them you can employ
for God, with great fervency and continuance : other matters do not
find better welcome, nor so easily jostle them out of doors. By all this
it appears it is a most profitable duty.
Doct. That a gracious heart will take all occasions to set itself
a-work on holy things, and sometimes in the night.
David did frequently rouse up himself in the night to solace his soul
with thoughts of God ; this was a frequent and cheerful exercise and
employment to him.
1. I shall prove this argueth a gracious frame of spirit.
2. Show you some reasons why we should meditate sometimes in the
night.
1. It argueth a gracious frame of heart to take all occasions to
set our minds a-work on holy things ; for there are three things in
it:—
[1.] Plenty of divine knowledge ; the heart is well stocked, and can
entertain itself without help from abroad : Ps. xvi. 7, ' I will bless the
Lord who hath given me counsel ; my reins also instruct me in the
night season.' He had laid up a great deal of truth in his reins or
inward parts, and when sleep fled from his eyes, out it came. So
Prov. vi. 21, ' Bind them continually upon thy heart, and tie them
about thy neck ; ' to be always ready and present with us. It is an
excellent thing to have a good treasure in our hearts : Mat. xii. 35,
' A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good
things.' Many a man's heart is stuffed with vanity, and then he is
VOL. IX. F
82 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXVI.
vain in his thoughts, and vain in his discourses, and vain in his actions ;
yea, 'the word of God doth not dwell in him richly/ Col. iii. 16; then
your thoughts are very scant and barren ; as he that hath more brass
farthings m his pocket than gold or silver, will more easily pull them
out at every turn. Our leanness of soul and difficulty to meditate
cometh from the want of a stock of knowledge.
[2.] It argueth spiritual delight and strong love : Ps. i. 2, ' But his
delight is in the law of God, and in that law doth he meditate day and
night.' Did we find such comfort as David did, we would break our
sleep for that end. He that delights in the word is much conversant
in it, for ubi amor ibi animus. All the time his necessities can spare,
he will spend it in these private and spiritual exercises. Many men's
time hangs upon their hands ; they do not know how to spend the sum
mer day nor the winter night ; but one that hath a strong affection to
holy things, he rather wants time, such is his solace and delight in
God. He beginneth his heaven upon earth, and all the time he can
get he is spending this way. But if we find no such comfort and
repose of soul in meditation, no wonder that we are so averse from it.
Our thoughts follow our affections, delight will set the mind a- work ;
when others are sleeping securely, he mindeth his salvation.
[3.] It argueth sincerity : Ps. xvii 3, ' Thou hast proved mine heart;
thou hast visited me in the night ; thou hast tried me, and shalt find
nothing.' In the night when darkness concealeth me from the eyes of
men, then I exercise myself in spiritual thoughts. Many put on reli
gion as a disguise in the day ; in public actions they personate a zeal,
and act a devout part ; but that is to be sincere when God hath a
great share in our closest privacies and retirement.
2. Sometimes take the night as a special occasion : Ps. Ixiii. 6, ' When
I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night
watches ; ' Ps. Ixxvii. 6, ' I call to remembrance my song in the night'
There is a double help for meditation in the night —
[1.] Solitude, then we are alone, and therefore fittest to meditate,
when nobody disturbs us.
[2.] The silence of the night is also a help, when nothing is heard
or seen to distract attention.
Use. What use shall we make of this ? We cannot lay a burden
upon your consciences, and by way of absolute necessity exact these
nocturnal meditations from you ; only in the general —
1. As much ^ as our strength and natural necessities will permit, we
should be meditating night and day. It may be a shame to us that
many tradesmen are up afore day to follow their callings, and that they
should excel us. The Christians had their morning hymns to Christ
in the times of persecution.
2. We may press you to the affection, though not to the season ; to
be stored with good matter, and to have a strong delight in this work,
and sincerity to make conscience of private duties.
3. If we wake in the night and our rest is broken off, then to exer
cise ourselves in holy thoughts. Many times it falleth out that we
cannot sleep ; now we should spend the time in meditation and prayer,
not in vain thoughts, or entertaining ourselves with carnal musings, or
perplexing and anxious thoughts about the troubles that we are under.
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 83
4. If David waked in the night, how much are they to blame that
snort and sleep in the day, even in the time of worship, when others
are entertaining communion with God. Surely if they had earnest
affections this could not always be. The example of Eutychus should
deter these ; Acts xx. 9, ' And there sat in the window a young man
named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep ; and as Paul was
long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third
loft, and was taken up dead ; ' Mat. xxvi. 40, ' What ! could not ye
watch with me one hour ? '
Doct. That meditation of the promises is very seasonable when the
answer of our prayers is denied.
For this is very powerful to support our fainting hopes, and to cheer
and revive our drooping spirits. There is support in the word, and
comfort in the word ; therefore we should much meditate on the pro
mises at such a time. The best holdfast that we have of God is by
his promise. Whatsoever his dispensations be, this will give satisfac
tion enough. Though you cannot find what you would, his word is
certain ; though no appearance of performance, his word is sure enough
to fasten upon. The grounds of faith are more sweet and satisfactory
the more they are examined and looked upon.
SEKMON CLXVIL
Hear my voice, according to thy loving-kindness : 0 Lord, quicken
me according to thy judgment. — VER. 149.
IN these words you have — (1.) David's prayer ; (2.) The grounds of
his support, or his encouragements in asking.
1. His prayer is double — (1.) General, for audience, ' Hear my
voice ; ' (2.) Particular, for quickening, ' Quicken me.'
2. His encouragements and grounds of confidence in asking are also
two — (1.) God's loving-kindness ; (2.) His judgment. Both together
imply the loving-kindness of God manifested in the word or expressed
and engaged in the promises. The points are three : —
Doct. 1. One blessing which the children of God do see a need often
and earnestly to ask of God is quickening. David ever and anon
reneweth his request, and he is loath to be denied ; and therefore,
before he saith, ' Quicken me/ he saith, ' Hear my voice.'
Doct. 2. The main argument which God's children have to plead in
prayer is his own favour and loving-kindness. That is David's argu
ment in the text, ' Hear my voice, according to thy loving-kindness/
Doct. 3. The mercy and loving-kindness of God, manifested and
impledged in the promises of the gospel, doth notably encourage us to
ask help from him ; for David doth not only say, ' According to thy
loving-kindness/ but, 'According to thy judgment/
Doct. 1. For the first point, one blessing which the children of God
do see a need often and earnestly to ask of God is quickening. Here
I shall inquire —
1. What is quickening.
£4 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXVII.
2. Give you some reasons why the children of God do see a need
so often and earnestly to ask it of God.
First, What is quickening ?
1. By quickening some understand restitution to happiness ; for a
calamitous man is as one dead and buried under deep and heavy
troubles, and his recovery is a life from the dead, or a reviving from
the grave. So quickening seemeth to be taken, Ps. Ixxi. 20, ' Thou
which hast showed me great and sore troubles shalt quicken me again,
and bring me up from the depths of the earth/
2. Others understand by quickening the renewing and increasing in
him the vigour of his spiritual life. That he beggeth that God would
revive, increase, and preserve that life which he had already given, that
it might be perfected and consummated in glory, that he might be
ever ready to bring' forth the habits of grace into acts.
The use which we should make of it is to press you —
1. To be sensible of the temper of your hearts, and see whether you
want quickening, yea or no. The feeling of spiritual deadness argueth
some life and sense yet left. You have attained to so much of life, and
do retain it in such a measure, as to be able to bemoan yourselves to
God. Most observe their bodies, but very few their souls : if their
bodies be ill at ease or out of order, they complain. Men that go on
in a track of customary duties see no need of quickening ; therefore
this humble sense is a good sign. Matins and vespers coldly run over
never put us upon the feeling of indispositions, but only duties done
with some spirit and life, as a smith blows not the bellows on cold iron
or a dead coal. Who would seek quickening when not serious in the
work ? They that go on in the cold wont of duties never regard the
frame of their hearts.
2. When you want quickening, ask it of God. He brought us into
the state of life at first, and therefore every moment we must beg of
him that he would quicken us, that he would continue it, and perfect
his own work : Cant. i. 4, ' Draw me ; we will run after thee/ There
is no running, no preserving the vitality of grace, without his renewed
influence : Ps. xxii. 29, ' None can keep alive his own soul.' There
fore, when we find this deadness or decay of life, to whom should we
go but to the fountain of life to repair it ? No creature doth subsist of
itself, or act of itself.
3. Ask it earnestly. David prefaceth a general prayer before this
request, and saith, ' Hear my voice/ as loath to be denied. Many ask
it of course, rather use it as a mannerly form when they are entering
upon holy duties, than a broken-hearted request. See you desire it
heartily : Ps. cxix. 40, ' Behold, I have longed after thy precepts ;
quicken thou me in thy righteousness/ A man's heart is set upon it,
and will not sit down with the distemper, as contented and satisfied
with a dead frame of heart: quickening is for longing souls, that
would fain do the work of God with a more perfect heart.
4. Expect this grace in and through Jesus Christ, who came down
from heaven for this end : John x. 10, ' I am come that they might
have life, and might have it more abundantly/ That was his end in
coming into the world, to procure life for his people, and not only bare
life, but liveliness and comfort, yea, glory hereafter : he died to pur-
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 85
chase it for us : John vi. 51, ' This is my flesh, which I give for the
life of the world.' His incarnation and taking on him our nature is
the channel and conduit through which the quickening virtue that is in
the Godhead is conveyed to us ; and his offering up himself in that
nature by his eternal Spirit doth purchase and merit the application
and annunciation of this his quickening virtue to our souls, and pre-
pareth him to be fit meat for souls. That same flesh and human
nature of Christ that is offered up a ransom to justice, is also the bread
of life for souls to feed upon. Souls are fed with meditations upon his
death and sufferings. The bread which he giveth by way of applica
tion is his flesh, which he gave by way of ransom ; every renewed act
of faith draweth an increase of life from him.
5. Consider how God worketh it in us. The Father of spirits loveth
to work with his own tools. These three agree in one — the Spirit, the
word, and the renewed heart. The one is the author, the other the
instrument, and the last the object. There is the Spirit acting, and
the habit of grace acted upon, and the word and sacraments are the
instruments and means. For God will do it rationally, and by a
lively light. God forceth not the nature of second causes against their
own inclination. It is pleasing to him when we desire him to renew
his work, and to bring forth the actings of grace out of his own seed,
and to blow with the wind, the breath of his Spirit, on the gardens,
that the spices may flow out, Cant. iv. 15. If one of these be wanting,
there can be no quickening. Not the Spirit, for he applieth all and
doth all in the hearts of believers. It is from him that we have the
new life of grace and all the activity of it : Gal. v. 25, * If we live in
the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit/ Then there must be a
renewed heart ; for God doth first infuse the principles of the new life,
and gracious habits and power into the soul, next he doth actuate
those powers, or stir them up to do what is good ; otherwise we do
but blow to a dead coal. Then the word and sacraments come as
God's means which are fitted to work upon the new creature. These
are full of spiritual reason, and suited to the sanctified understandings
of mea and women.
6. Consider God's loving-kindness, how ready he is to grant this.
He will not deny the gift of the Holy Ghost to them that ask him,
Luke xi. 13. It is an argument not a pari, but a minore ad majus.
God is more able and willing to give than earthly parents, who are but
half fathers. This is a spiritual and necessary blessing, and God is
too fatherly to deny it to his children. You may deny an apple to a
wanton child, but you will not deny bread to a fainting child, the
bowels of a father will not permit you to do that ; you may deny them
superfluities in wisdom, but your love will not permit you to deny them
necessaries. Meat is not so necessary to revive and refresh the body,
as grace for the soul, and his holy inspirations to act and guide you.
And will God deny these requests ?
7. Know when you have received quickening. Many Christians
look for rapt and ecstatic motions, and so do not own the work of God
when it hath passed upon them ; they underrate their own experi
ences, and so cannot take notice of God's faithfulness. Sense, appetite,
and activity are the fruits of life and quickening.
86 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXVII.
[1.] We have the more sense of indwelling sin as a heavy burden,
Kom. vii. 24. None groan so sorely as those that are made partakers
of a new life. Elementa non gravitant in suis locis. A delicate con
stitution is more sensible of pain. Wicked men scarce feel deep
wounds given to their conscience, nor have any remorse for gross sins ;
God's children, their hearts smite them for the smallest disorders and
irregularities.
[2.] Appetite after Christ, his graces and comforts, 1 Peter ii. 2 ;
the more life any have, the more craving of food to maintain it in
being ; they are always hungering and thirsting after God, Mat. v. 6 ;
our appetite will be after the things that conduce to the maintaining
and preserving that being which they have. If a man lose his appe
tite, the body pineth and languisheth, and strength decayeth : desire
prepareth the soul to take in its supplies. Your life is in good plight
when that is desired, TO \oyi/cbv a$o\ov <yd\a, and it will be a means of
spiritual growth, a kindly appetite after this milk. They are under a
great decay who have lost their appetite after the gospel.
[3.] Activity in duties. That we may honour Christ : 1 Peter ii. 4,
5, ' To whom coming as a living stone, ye also as lively stones are
built up into a spiritual house/ Christ liveth, and we live by him, as
the stones in the building carry a proportion with the corner-stone ;
so Christians as the body with the head. It must needs be so, because
of God's Spirit dwelling in us, Ezek. xxxvi. 27 ; John vii. 37 ; and
because of the graces in a Christian — faith and love. Faith working
by love is the great evidence of the new creature. If faith and love
be strong, it will quicken us to do much for God ; the apprehension
of ^ faith doth enliven our notions of God, Christ, heaven, and hell ;
faith puts life into our thoughts of him. Love is a notable pleader
and urger : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of Christ constraineth us/ &c.
Secondly, The reasons why, &c.
1. They that have so much to do with God do see a need of it;
for lie is a living God, and will be served in a lively manner : Kom.
xii. 11, ' Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord/
They that serve the Lord ; negatively, must not be slothful in business ;
affirmatively, fervent in spirit. God will not be served negligently,
coldly, but with life and earnestness : ' The twelve tribes served God
eV ticrevela, instantly/ Acts xxvi. 7 ; instantly serving God with the
uttermost of their strength. He that hath a right to our all must
have our best ; surely he will not be put off with every slight thing.
Now the children of God, that are sensible of this, are earnest for
quickening, that they may serve God in such a way as becometh him,
with life and power and zeal ; for the manner in every duty is to be
regarded as well as the matter. A man may do many things that are
good, but there is no life in what he doth. He prayeth, but without
any life in prayer, dead in prayer ; heareth, but no life in hearing, dull
f hearing. All things in a Christian may be counterfeited, but life
cannot be counterfeited, that cannot be painted.
, They are acquainted with themselves, and observe the frame and
posture of their own spirits. Now they that know themselves will see
a need of quickening —
[1.] Because of the instability and changeable frame of man's heart ;
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 87
it hardly stayeth long in the same state ; now it is up, and anon it is
down, as the constant experience of the saints witnesseth. Sometimes
they have a forwardness and strong propension of heart to that which
is good, at other times a loathness and dulness or unfitness to perform
any spiritual service, when their will is more remiss and their affec
tions unbent. It is not indeed the constant frame of their hearts, yet
it is a disease incident to the saints ; even good men may feel a slow
ness of heart to comply with the will of God, and some hanging off
from duty. Spontanece lassitudines sunt signa imminentis morbi.
So is this laziness and backwardness of spirit a sign of some great
spiritual distemper. Sometimes they are carried with great largeness
of heart, and full sail of affections ; at other times they are in bonds
and straits, that they cannot pour out their hearts before God : Ps.
Ixxvii. 4, * I am so troubled that I cannot speak.' Sometimes they
have great life and vigour, at other times no such lively stirrings, but
are flat and cold and dead ; when, with Samson, they think to go
forth and shake themselves as at other times, Judges xvi. 20, by sad
experience they find that their locks are gone, that their understand
ings are lean, sapless, and their affections cold, and their delight and
vigour lost. Man is a sinful, weak, inconstant creature ; his heart is
as unstable as water : and much of this levity and instability remaineth
with us after grace, as is seen in the various postures of spirit that we
are under.
[2.] Because of the constant opposition of the flesh. There is an
opposite principle in our hearts, Gal. v. 1*7 ; the body of death that
dwelleth in us doth always resist the life of the spirit in us ; and
therefore God must renew the influences of his grace to preserve life.
There are desires against desires, and delights against delights ; this
must needs abate our vigour. The spirit draweth one way, the flesh
another. It is drawing : James i. 14, ' Every man is tempted when
he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed/ It is depressing : Heb.
xii. 1, ' Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset us/ Carnal affections hang as a weight, retarding us in
our heavenly flight and motions. It is warring : IJoni. vii. 23, ' I see
another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin/ And therefore the Lord
had need to cherish the new creature and good seed, which cannot but
be weakened with this opposition.
[3.] Because our outward condition doth work a great change in
us. A Christian should, and in some measure doth, carry an equal
mind in all conditions, and keep the same pace whether he goeth
up-hill or down-hill, and have his heart fixed in God whatever falleth
out : Ps. cxii. 7, ' He shall not be afraid of evil tidings, his heart is
fixed, trusting in the Lord/ But, alas ! we are much discomposed often
times, especially at the first onset, by our outward estate ; when under
great afflictions, it puts a damp upon our spirits, and we cannot serve
God so cheerfully : Lev. x. 19, ' And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold,
this day have they offered their sin-offering and their burnt-offering
before the Lord, and such things have befallen me ; and if I had eaten
the sin-offering to-day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the
gg . SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXVII.
Lord/ So Hezekiah, it is said of him 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, when
Hezekiah was sick unto death, and he prayed unto the Lord, and he
gave him a sign, that Hezekiah rendered not again according to the
benefit done unto him, for his heart was lifted up. We are too apt
to be dejected and cast down with worldly troubles, or exalted and
puffed up with worldly comforts, and both bring on deadness upon the
heart, both worldly sorrow and carnal complacency. It is not requi
site that a child of God should be without all sense of his condition,
and it cannot be supposed that this sense should always be kept within
bounds, and under the coercion and government of grace, considering
our weakness ; and therefore a Christian receiveth some taint from the
changes he passes through, as the water doth from the soil through
which it runneth. He is sometimes in credit, sometimes in disgrace ;
sometimes rich, sometimes poor ; sometimes sick and in pain, at other
times in health and firm constitution of body. Now, though it argueth
small strength to faint in ordinary afflictions, Prov. xxiv. 10, and a
light spirit to be puffed up like a bubble with every slight blast, yet
when troubles are heavy and pressing, God's best servants have been
ready to die and faint, and in a full estate it is hard to keep down
carnal rejoicing. By both, the freedom of following God's service
cheerfully may often be interrupted.
[4.] Because we sin away our life and strength, and by our careless
walking contract deadness and hardness of heart. The mind, like the
eye, is soon offended and out of temper : we forfeit the quickening
influences of his Spirit, upon which the activity of grace dependeth.
To correct our sinful rashness, and to teach us more watchfulness and
caution, God withdraweth, Phil. ii. 12, 13. Be the sin a sin of com
mission, especially if grievous and heinous ; as David found a shrewd
abatement of life and vigour after his foul sin, Ps. li. 11, 12 ; or a
sin of omission, when we neglect God or serve him slightly. If we give
way to deadness, Isa. Ixiv. 6, rest in the work wrought, and are more
willing to get a duty over than to perform it with any life and vigour,
God suspends his quickening. If you do not mind the work, why
should God quicken you in it ?
3. The third reason is taken from the nature of God's dispensations.
They do often and earnestly ask quickening, because God giveth out by
degrees, and would keep us in constant dependence : ' In him we live,
move' (Ki,vovfj,€6a), ' and have our being/ Acts xvii. 28, both as crea
tures and new creatures. There is a constant concurrence of his
motions and influences by their beings and operations. God will
endear his grace to us by bringing us daily under new debt; and
therefore he doth not give us all our stock and portion in our hands,
lest we neglect him, as the prodigal did his father. By multiplied and
renewed acts of grace he doth more commend his love to us ; every
day he must quicken us, and in every duty. If so much rain fell in
a day as would suffice the earth for seven years, the commerce between
the air and the earth would cease ; or if a man could eat so much at
one meal as to go in the strength of it all his life, there would be no
ground to pray for daily bread ; therefore God doth dispense his assist
ances so as you must still wait upon him and be calling to him. He
keepeth grace in his own hand that he may often hear from us.
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 89
Doct. 2. The main argument which God's children have to plead in
prayer is his own favour and loving-kindness. I shall show —
1. That this is a modest, humble, and pious argument.
2. This is a comfortable and encouraging argument.
First, It is a modest argument, and it were good if we could learn
this modesty of David. He was one much in prayer, diligent in keep
ing God's statutes, abundant in all acts of devotion, spent nights in
meditation, and yet after all this placeth all his hopes in the mercy
and loving-kindness of God, and desireth only to be heard according to
mercy. But in us there is a secret carnal notion of God as if he were
our debtor. If we act for him, or suffer anything for him, we carry it as
if God were obliged to us : Isa. Iviii. 3, ' Wherefore have we fasted ? ' &c.
We cannot be at a fast, give a little alms, or make a prayer, but we
think we have merited much at God's hands. Oh ! this is against all
reason. Alas ! what profit can we be to God ? Job xxxv. 6-8. God
is above the injuries and benefits of the creature ; what miss had he
of angels and men in those innumerable ages of duration that went
before any created being ? And as it is against reason, so it is against
all the declarations God hath made of himself to us : Ezek. xxxvi. 32,
' Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord of hosts : be ashamed
and confounded for your own ways.' So Titus iii. 4-6, ' But after that
the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared, not
by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of
the Holy Ghost ; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Saviour.' In short, no worth in us, or righteousness of ours,
is that merit and righteousness by virtue of which we are accepted
with God. Our works and righteousness are not that condition by
which we receive and apply this merit ; that is faith. No works or
merit are a motive, or the first inducing cause to move God to give us
that faith, but all is from his loving-kindness and readiness to do good
to the creatures. Again, it is contrary to the practice of the saints
and children of God, who, though never so holy and never so good, yet
still they plead mercy, and this by direction from him who knoweth
what plea is fittest for creatures to use to God, Luke xvii. 10. As it
is not the merit of one part of the earth that it lieth nearer the sun
than another, only the Creator would have it so, so still the scripture
crieth down works and merits in the creature in all these gracious
influences ; they all come from God's bowels of compassion to his
creatures labouring under difficulties. He loveth to act as a free agent
in giving, continuing, and actuating the life of his creatures, whether
natural or spiritual. Yea, lastly, any other principle would be against
our profit, as well as God's glory. Our profit, both as to duty and
success, we should never carry it dutifully to God if we did not acknow
ledge that all came from grace. Whence cometh impatience, mur-
murings, contempt of things afforded, but from a secret opinion of our
merit and deserving ? They that prescribe to God ascribe too much to
themselves ; that prescribe to God for time, measure, and kind, are hasty,
and murmur under delays and suspensions of grace. And as to suc
cess, without this modest and humble claim, God rejecteth the request:
1 For he resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble/ 1 Peter
90 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXVII.
v. 5. Spiritual pride is the worst of all pride. The humble suppli
cant may expect increase of grace which is denied to others : Ps. cxlvii.
11, * The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that
hope in his mercy.' Such as fear God, and serve him diligently, and
yet put all their confidence in his mercy, these are those whom the
Lord delights in, to keep communion with them, and pour out his
blessings upon them. This is enough to show yotf it is a humble,
modest plea.
Secondly, It is a comfortable, encouraging argument ; which that it
may appear to you, let us consider —
1. The nature of it.
2. The kinds of it.
3. The proofs and demonstrations of it.
4. The end of if.
1. The nature of it. The loving-kindness of God noteth his dispo
sition to do good upon his own motives, or his self-inclination to do
good to his creatures, especially to his people: 2 Sam. vii. 21, ' Ac
cording to thine heart hast thou done this;' his native willingness to
employ what goodness is in him for the good of his creatures. Now
this doth much encourage poor sinners to draw nigh to God for such
mercy as they stand in need of. Justice giveth what is due, but mercy
what is needed ; justice seeks a fit object, mercy and loving-kindness
a fit occasion. His justice will not hinder his mercy to be bountiful.
2. The kinds of it. God's loving-kindness is twofold— general and
special.
[1.] There is a general kindness and good- will from God as creator
to all his creatures, especially to mankind. The effects and fruits of
this general kindness flow in the channel of common providence. So
it is said, Ps. cxlv. 9, ' The Lord is good to all, and his tender mer
cies are over all his works.' God is good to all things, to all persons ;
he bestoweth many common blessings upon the wicked, as natural life
and being, health and wealth, &c. So Ps. cxlvii. 9, ' He giveth to the
beasts his food, to the young ravens which cry.' To wicked men, Mat.
v. 45. Common blessings do not always argue a good people, but they
always argue a good God. God giveth the beasts their food in due
season, Ps. civ. 27, 28. Now this is some ground of hope, and so im
proved, Ps. cxlv. 15, 16. If he heareth the cries of the creatures, he
will hear the prayers of the saints ; if a kite, much more a child. You
see the Lord doth not cast off the care of any living creature which he
hath made, but hath a constant eye of providence upon them, that
their hunger may be satisfied, and they may have that sort of good
which is fitting for them, and that in time and season, before they are
spent with wants ; and will he not answer the longings and expecta
tions and cries of his people, and pity their faintings, and give that
grace which they so earnestly seek ?
[2.] Over and above this common kindness, there is a more entire
special love and kindness towards believers in Christ. This may be
admired rather than expressed : Ps. xxxvi. 7, ' How excellent is thy
loving-kindness, 0 God 1 ' This is unto admiration, his common kind
ness, his preservation of man and beast. This is the fruit of his eter
nal love : Jer. xxxi. 3, ' With everlasting love have I loved thee, and
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 91
therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee;' and this is ex
pressed in blessing them with special and saving benefits in Christ.
The effects of his special kindness do all relate to life and godliness,
and are conveyed to us through the conduit of Christ's merit and
intercession, in and by whom he doth fulfil in us all the good pleasure
of his goodness, 2 Thes. i. 11, 12. Now this special kindness must
needs be a mighty encouragement to the saints to come to him (since
he loveth them with such a free and special love) for all that mercy
they stand in need of. The former speaketh the goodness of God to
all his creatures ; this to themselves in particular ; both together a
notable support ; yea, though we have not yet any experience of the
goodness of God, yet since there is such a thing as self-inclination in
God to do good to his people, and, besides this, a readiness to express
his love to all his creatures, more especially to every one, without re
spect of persons, that cometh to him : Ps. Ixxxvi. 5, ' For thou, Lord,
art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all them that
call upon thee.' Take the cause, and you do not know what you may
find. It may be your portion and lot.
3. The proofs and demonstrations of this loving-kindness.
[1.] He hath given evident proof and infallible demonstration of it
in Christ : 1 John iv. 12, ' In this was manifested the love of God to
wards us, because that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
that we might live through him.' The cause or first motive was love ;
his means was the sending of Christ to be a propitiation ; his end, life
spiritual and eternal. This is such a glorious instance and manifesta
tion of the love of God, that poor creatures are encouraged to draw
nigh to God for such mercy as they stand in need of. It is a hidden
love ; here is a convincing proof and real demonstration by so glorious
an effect and fruit of it. It was not a well-wishing love only, nor a
love concealed, but manifested, and that by a signal proof.
[2.] The instances of God's loving-kindness to others ; so that
' according to thy loving-kindness,' will be according to that grace and
mercy which thou art wont to show to others of thy servants. All
that have had to do with God will assure you that he is a gracious God,
full of kindness and mercy. There are examples of it, 1 Tim. i. 16 ;
and Eph. ii. 7, ' That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus/
Instances of God's loving-kindness towards others have a peculiar
fitness and efficacy to convince us how exceedingly gracious God is,
and so to draw us to the same fountain of grace for pardon and life
to ourselves. These examples do more than the doctrinal declaration,
because they do not only show that mercy and grace may be had,
but that it hath been attained unto by those who in all respects did
judge themselves, and were really unworthy of it, as unable to lay
hold of it, and to make good use of it afterwards, as we ourselves.
The ice is broken, the ford ridden before us ; therefore we may
venture our salvation and acceptance with God upon the same
grace.
[3.] His former love to ourselves. At first he took us with all our
faults, and betrothed us unto himself, in loving-kindness and tender
mercy, Hosea ii. 19 ; and therefore he will still do us good, freely
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXTX. [SEE. CLXVIL
and bountifully, and so we may answer all objections from God's
wonted goodness towards us. When he hath entered into covenant
with us out of his love and bounty, we may well expect that upon the
same terms he should keep covenant. The continuance is more easily
believed and asked than the beginning and first grant: Ps. xxxvi. 10,
1 0 continue thy loving-kindness unto them that know thee, and thy
righteousness to the upright in heart.' When by experience we have
found what it can do for unworthy creatures, we may the better expect
it should help us on all occasions.
4. The end why God exerciseth it ; which is his glory, even the
glory of his grace and loving-kindness ; that that might be acknow
ledged and exemplified by those that are partakers of it even to be
altogether glorious : Eph. i. 6, ' To the praise of his glorious grace,
wherein he hath accepted us in the beloved ; ' that it may be owned
and esteemed as free and liberal, and working of its own accord. We
only cross God's end when we do not plead it, admire it, and esteem
it highly, and improve it for our comfort ; for this is God's end in
the whole business of our salvation from first to last, that men and
angels might be excited to set forth the praises of his rich mercy and
free grace. And here is a new encouragement to ask gracious supplies
of God, according to his loving-kindness, or upon the account of that
attribute, even that his grace may be more esteemed and exalted in
our hearts : Ps. cix. 21, ' But do thou for me, 0 God the Lord, for
thy name's sake ; because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.' It
concerneth him in point of his chief honour and glory to do good to
his people ; that he may be known, and owned to be a good and a
gracious or loving God.
Use. Well, then, if this be the great plea of the saints —
1. Let us meditate often of the loving-kindness of God, of his pitying,
and pardoning, and lovingly entreating poor sinful and broken-hearted
creatures Ihat^ come to him. This should be our daily meditation ;
lonum cst primum et potentissimum nomen Dei, saith Damascene —
it is the first-born and chiefest name of God. We cannot conceive of
God by anything that concerneth us so much as his goodness ; by
that we know him, and for that we love him. We admire him with
reverence for his other titles, but this doth first insinuate with us,
and command our respect to him. The first temptation that ever was
in the world was to weaken the conceit of his goodness in the heart of
the creature ; as if God were envious, harsh, and sour in his restraints ;
till it is a great temptation, yet ' God is good to Israel,' Ps. Ixxiii. 1.
Oh ! let us fortify our hearts with frequent thoughts of his goodness
and loving-kindness ! As we should do this every day, so especially
upon the sabbath-day : Ps. xcii. 2, ' I will show forth thy loving-
kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night/ We should
do tttis with all the advantage we can use, more especially when we
are m his 'presence, conversing with him and ministering before him :
1 s. xlvni. 9, ' We have thought of thy loving-kindness, 0 God, in the
midst of thy temple.' We should often and seriously think when we
wme to God : Surely now we have to do with a loving and gracious
uod, whether we wait upon him in prayer, or the word, or sacraments ;
if any prayer to make or comfort to expect.
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 93
2. Observe the fruits and effects of it, and value them. They that
are students in providence, shall not seek long before they find God
to be a God full of loving-kindness and tender mercy : Ps. cvii. 43,
' Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall under
stand the loving-kindness of the Lord.' Few regard it, or look after
it ; but they that do pry into the course of his dealings shall not be
without many instances of God's love and free favour to them. Now,
when you have found it out, value it : Ps. Ixiii. 3, * Because thy
loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.' You
shall have rich experiences, such as will fill you with joy unspeakable
and glorious, to be esteemed above all comforts whatsoever.
3. Praise God for it. This should be a lively motive to praise him :
Ps. cxxxviii. 2, ' I will worship towards thy temple, and praise thy
name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth/ These two are the
cause of all we have ; it is without any deserving of ours, only because
we have to do with a gracious and faithful God : Isa. Ixiii. 7, ' I will
mention the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord,
according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great
goodness towards the house of Israel which he hath bestowed on them,
according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his loving-
kindness.' The prophet speaketh as if he could never find words
enough, or pregnant enough, to express his sense of God's gracious
dealing, so bountifully had he dealt with his people.
4. Let us improve this loving-kindness and readiness of God's mercy
to help penitent supplicants.
[1.] In a way of trust, the least degree of which is enough to keep
the sinner from running away from him ; how grievous soever his
offences and demerits be, yet come to him ; say, as David, Ps. li. 1,
' Have mercy upon me, 0 God, according to thy loving-kindness ;
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my
transgressions.' Yea, make it a ground of confidence and support :
Ps. Ixix. 16, ' Hear me, 0 Lord, for thy loving-kindness is good ; turn
unto me, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.'
[2.] In a way of fear, that we may not interrupt the sense of it, or
stop the current of his good-will : Ps. xxvi. 3, ' Thy loving-kindness
is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth/ It is the ground
of all our confidence ; lose not that : the Lord taketh notice of them,
that trust in his goodness : Nahum i. 7, ' The Lord is good, a strong
hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that trust in him/
There is one word yet undiscussed, 'According to thy judgment/
Some by judgment understand wisdom and prudence. The word wili
sometimes bear that sense : Micah iii. 8, ' But truly I am full of
power by the Spirit of the Lord and of judgment,' &c. ; as we say
a man of judgment, for an understanding person. In this sense,
' According to thy judgment/ will be, as thou thinkest fit ; but surely
'judgment ' here is to be understood in the notion of his covenant, or
the rule according to which he judgeth of men, for it is one of the terms
by which the word is expressed. ' J udgment ' is sometimes put for
the covenant of works, or his strict remunerative justice. David
cleclineth it under this notion: Ps. cxliii. 2, ' Enter not into judgment
with thy servant, 0 Lord.' And this is called by the apostle,
94 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXVII.
'judgment without mercy/ James ii. 13. Sometimes for the covenant
of grace, and free promises of God, or that merciful right which he
hath established between him and his people, wherein God acteth as
an absolving and pardoning judge. Of this, see ver. 132. And of
this the prophet speaketh, Isa. i. 27, ' Zion shall be redeemed with
judgment ; ' that is, by his mercy promised according to his judgment.
David desireth to be quickened. From thence observe —
Doct. 3. That God's mercy and loving-kindness, manifested and
impledged in the promises of the gospel, doth notably encourage us to
ask help from him.
You have heard what encouragement we have by the loving-kindness
of God ; now what we have over and above that by his judgment.
First, Quickening and enlivening grace is promised in the new
covenant.
1. In general, from the general undertaking of the covenant. The
covenant of grace differeth from all other covenants in the world, be
cause everything that is required therein is also promised ; and there
fore it is called, ' The promise/ Gal. iii. 18, because God hath promised
Jboth the reward and the condition — faith and perseverance therein, as
well as righteousness, pardon, and life ; the new heart to bring us into
the covenant, and the continual assistance of grace to keep us in that
covenant. And so it differs from the usual covenants that pass be
tween man and man. Among men, each party undertaketh for and
looketh after his own part of the covenant ; but leaveth the other to
look to his duty and his part of the engagement. But here the duties
required of us are undertaken for by him that requireth them. No
man filleth his neighbour's hand with anything to pay his rent to
him, or enableth him to do what he ha,th covenanted to do ; but God
filleth our hand with a stock, yea more than a stock, of habitual grace,
with actual influences, to draw forth habits into act ; and doth with
strength so far enable us to perform every commanded duty, that in
the performance thereof we may be accepted. Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27,
God owneth there not only the principles of acting, but also the excite
ment of these principles ; yea, the very act itself. He hath under
taken to infuse the principle, and stir up the acts and exercise of it :
' I will cause you to walk in my statutes/ So Jer. xxxii. 39, 40,
' And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me
for ever, for the good of them and of their children after them, and I
will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn
away from them, to do them good, but I will put my fear in their
hearts that they shall not depart from me/ Besides converting grace,
superadded influences. It differeth from the covenant of works, that
had more of a law, and less of a promise : there was a promise of re
ward to the obeyer, but no promise of giving obedience. God indeed
gave Adam a stock of habitual grace, but no promise of assisting grace.
There man was to keep the covenant ; here, in effect, the covenant
keepeth us, Jer. xxxii. 40. And indeed therein lieth the exceeding
graciousness of the covenant of grace, that God undertaketh for both
parties, and worketh in his people all that is required for entering
into and keeping this covenant with him.
£ In particular, this part of actual influence, which is more espe-
VER. 149.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 95
cially called quickening, is promised in the covenant of grace ; for the
covenant concerneth mainly the life of grace, the care of which he hath
taken into his own hands, not to lay it down till it be perfected in the
life of glory ; and therefore alloweth his children to repair to him
when their life is any way enfeebled or decayed : so that besides that
the general undertaking of his covenant will warrant such a plea, his
particular promises of preserving and restoring our life will embolden
us to ask quickening ; for with respect to his judgment or covenant
engagement, God is called, ' The God of our life/ Ps. xlii. 8, and * The
strength of our life/ Ps. xxvii. 1. The care of life, bodily, spiritual,
and everlasting, lieth upon him ; by virtue of the covenant he hath
undertaken to keep it, feed it, renew it in all the decays of it, till we
be possessed of the life of glory.
Secondly, The advantage we have from this promise. We have a
double argument, not only from God's mercy, but his truth; both
which do assure us that God is not only easy to be entreated, but
bound and tied by his own free condescension. His loving-kindness
showeth that he may do it for us ; his judgment, that in some part he
will do it. He is not only inclined, but obliged, which is a new ground
of hope. His promise in the new covenant inferreth a debt of favour,
though not of justice ; when God hath bound himself by promise, both
his mercy and fidelity are concerned to do us good. We have not
only the freeness of God's love to encourage us, but the certainty of
his help engaged in the promise. God inviteth men to him by his
grace, and engageth his truth to do them good. The nature of God
is one encouragement, he is wonderful ready to do good ; but in his
covenant he hath established a right to believers to seek his mercy, so
that all is made more sure and comfortable to us.
Use. To encourage the people of God, when they miss his help in
the spiritual life, to lay open their case to God. The thought of strict
justice striketh us dumb, there is no claiming by that covenant ; but
the remembrance of this merciful right or judgment should open our
mouths in prayer, and loosen our tongues in acquainting God with our
case : Lord, I want that life and quickening which thy promises seem
to speak of. You may do it with the more confidence for these
reasons : —
1. Consider the tenor of this judgment, or the terms thereof, the
mildness of the court in which you plead; it is not a covenant of
justice, but of favour ; in it grace taketh the throne, not justice ; the
judge is Christ ; the law according to which judgment is given is the
gospel ; our plea is grace, not merit ; the persons allowed to plead are
penitent sinners ; yea, they are not only allowed to plead for them
selves, but they have an advocate to plead for them : the very judge is
their advocate ! Oh ! let us hold God to this latter covenant, and
judgment of grace, mercy, and goodness : Lord, upon these terms we
dare come unto thee.
2. Consider the blessing offered in this covenant: Heb. iv. 16,
' Mercy and grace to help.' It offereth mercy for pardon of sins, a
blessing which the law knew not ; and grace to help, that is for our
purpose. It is a covenant which alloweth you expenses to run the
way of God's commandments, gives you straw to make your brick,
96 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXVIIJ.
filleth your hand to pay the master's rent. It is not a hard master, to
reap where it soweth not, but will cause you to walk and run whither
it sends you.
3. Consider, there is nothing in God contrary to us, or standeth in
our way, for it is all removed by this judgment or covenant. If any
thing, it is the justice of God; but that doth not stand in our way,
being satisfied by Christ.
[1.] If you take justice, as it implieth his remunerative and vindic
tive justice, we have the merit of Christ to plead: there is a ransom
paid by him, to whom the sinner is fled for refuge. So that God may
do us good without any blemish or imputation of defect to his right
eousness and justice against sin, Kom. iii. 24, 25 ; 1 John i. 0.
[2.] As righteousness implieth the rectitude of his nature : ' In thy
faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness,' Ps. cxliii. 1. These
things, that terrify others, comfort the godly ; the righteousness and
truth of God are their support. His veracity is a part of his right
eousness, as it becometh every just man to make good his promises.
SERMON CLXVIII.
They draw nigli that follow after mischief: they are far from
thy law. — VER. 150.
HERE in this verse he giveth an account what was the cause of his
frequent and earnest crying unto God, of his hope, meditation, begging
for quickening ; because he was ready to be destroyed by those who
every day went off further and further from God's law ; they were
ready to accomplish their wicked and malicious purpose upon him,
and prepared for it, and even now at his heels to do him harm and
mischief: ' They draw nigh,' &c.
In the words we have —
1. An intimation of approaching danger, they draw nigh that follow
offer mischief.
2. A description of those from whom the danger was feared, they
are far from thy law.
First, ' They draw nigh/ &c. The enemy is at hand, even at the
doors ; the prophet speaketh as if he did hear the sound of his feet,
yet they are as far from thy law as near to destroy me.
Doct, Extreme danger may sometimes draw nigh unto, and even
tread upon the heels of God's people.
Reasons.
n nFm m the imPlacakle malice of their enemies.
They seek the destruction of the people of God, nothing less
|11 content them; this is implied in the word mischief m the text: TO
M wai, Ps. kxxiii. 4, 'Come let us cut them off from being a nation,
e name of Israel may no more be in remembrance.' That is
"icir ini, that not one of that denomination be left : Ps. cxxxvii. 7
se, rase it, even to the foundation thereof/ Nothing will satisfv
VER. 150.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 97
them but utter ruin and extirpation : they that expect milder terms
from the seed of the serpent, flatter themselves with a vain hope.
[2.] They follow this end with all industry and diligence ; this is
implied in the phrase that follow after mischief. They watch all
occasions, pursue every advantage to bring their purpose to pass.
Some in scripture are said to follow after righteousness, Isa. li. 1.
It noteth their constant trade and study. It may be rendered pur
suers of righteousness, as in the text, pursuers of mischief. They that
follow after righteousness are such as continue constant in the serious
and sedulous practice of holiness ; and they that follow after mischief
are such as are unwearied in the prosecution of their malicious
designs. It implieth a metaphor taken from the vehemency of hunts
men in the pursuit of their foe or prey. So Prov. xxi. 21, 'He that
followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life ; ' and Heb. xii. 14,
Stftwere ryv elprjvrjv, ' Follow peace and holiness ; ' as Asahel pursued
Abner, 2 Sam. ii. 19, 'And turned not to the right hand or to the left
from following after Abner.' The Septuagint renders here KaraSiu)-
Kovres jjLe avofjiia, ' They earnestly seek to undo me/
2. From the providence of God, who permitteth malicious enemies
to draw nigh to his people, and to have many advantages against his
people for holy and righteous ends.
[1.] That this is the usual course of God's providence, to suffer his
people to be reduced to great dangers and extremities, that there is not
a hair-breadth between them and ruin. Paul was in the very mouth
of the lion, 2 Tim. iv. 17, before God delivered him ; by the lion he
meaneth Nero, a bitter enemy to the Christians, and the lamb was
brought bound to him: the prey was in the lion's mouth before
God delivered him, 2 Cor. i. 10, compared with 1 Cor. xv. 32, and
both with Acts. xiv. 19 : I gave my self for dead ; it was a thousand
to one he had not been sacrificed to the fury of the multitude. So
was David often near taking dangers, which he did or could hardly
escape : Ps. liv., the title, * When the Ziphims discovered him to
Saul.' So Ps. Ivii., the title, ' When he fled from Saul in the cave ; '
the army of Saul at the mouth of the cave, and Saul cometh into it,
and yet God blinded him so that he escaped. So the church : Ps.
cxxiv. 1-3, ' If it had not been the Lord that was on our side, now
may Israel say, if it had not been the Lord who was on our side when
men rose up against us, then they had swallowed us up quick when
their wrath was kindled against us.' They were in the midst of their
fears.
[2.] Why is this his usual course ?
(1.) To exercise their trust and dependence. Graces are seldom
exercised to the life till we are near the point of death. Now rather
than God will suffer his people to live by sense, without manifesting
grace, and bringing honour to their profession and the truth of his
promises, he will cast them into great dangers. The skill of a pilot
is seen in a storm, so is faith put to it in great conflicts ; as it is in
cares, so in fears : many are reduced to great straits in the family,
no meal in the barrel, no oil in the cruse : John vi. 4-6, ' When Jesus
then lift up his eyes and saw a great multitude come unto him, he
saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat ?
VOL. IX. G
98 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXVIII.
And this he said to prove him, for he himself knew what he would
do.' A poor believer is put to it : children increase, trading seemeth
dead ; what shall we do ? When danger is danger indeed, then is a
believer tried and exercised : 2 Cor. i. 9, ' But we had the sentence of
death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God
which raiseth the dead.' We are much given to self-confidence;
while our mountain standeth strong, and we are entrenched within
the security of worldly advantages and props, we scarce know what
faith and dependence upon God mean. Now, saith God, I will make
you trust in me ere I have done, and to live alone upon my all-
sufficiency : you may think your reputation will bear you out, but I
will load you with censures that you may trust in me; you think
friends shall help you, but friend and lover shall be afar off ; you
think to shelter *y ourselves under common refuges, but they shall all
fail and cease, that I may see whether you trust in me ; or that the
common justice and equity of your cause shall bear you out, but I
will send against you those that are maliciously resolved (contrary to
all justice and gratitude), that shall approach and endeavour to mis
chief you. Who would think that Paul should be in danger of self-
confidence, a man so exercised as he was, so tossed to and fro, so often
whipped, scourged, exposed to danger ? Alas ! we can hardly see
with other eyes than nature hath, or depend upon invisible help ; we
look at present things, and laugh at danger upon the confidence of
outward probabilities. If we can get a carnal pillow and bolster under
our heads, we sleep and dream many a golden dream of ease and
safety. Now God, that is jealous of our trust, will not let us alone,
and therefore will put us upon sharp trials. It is not faith but sense
we live upon before : that is faith if we can depend upon God when
they draw near that follow after mischief : Ps. iii. 6, ' I will not be
afraid of ten thousands of the people that set themselves against me
round about.' A danger at a distance is but imagined ; it worketh
otherwise when it is at hand : Christ himself had other thoughts of
approaching danger than danger at a distance : John xii. 27, * Now is
my soul troubled ; ' this vessel of pure water was shaken, though he
discovered no dregs.
(2.) To quicken to prayer. Jonah, that slept in the ship, falls
a-praying in the whale's belly. A drowsy soul is awakened in case of
extreme danger: Ps. cxxx. 1, 'Out of the depths have I cried unto
thee.' Now an ordinary prayer will not serve the turn ; not to speak
a prayer, but to cry a prayer : we do but act devotion before, and
personate the part of the supplicant ; then we exercise it. Now rather
than God's children shall neglect prayer, he exposeth them to great
hazards: Mat. viii. 25, 'Master, carest thou not that we perish?'
What careless, dead, and drowsy prayers do we perform when all
things go on fairly, and we are well at ease ! Moses cried when
Israel was at a loss, Exod. xiv. 15, the sea before, the Egyptians be
hind ready to tread upon their heels, mountains on each side.
(3.) That the deliverance of his people may be more glorious;
partly because there is more of his power and care discovered when
our straits are great : ' Israel may now say, We had been swallowed up
quick, Ps. cxxiv. Kescuesin extremity of dangers are more glorious :
YER. 150.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 99
Ps. cxviii. 13, ' Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall, but the
Lord helped me/ So Ps. xxvii. 2, ' When the wicked, even mine
enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled
and fell.' In great clangers to be overtaken by his enemies. God
doth some way suffer his people to be brought near destruction, but
he doth always prove their friend and helper. David's strength and
courage was seen in that he plucked a lamb out of the lion's mouth,
1 Sam. xvii. 34, 35. And partly because these great straits and
troubles are a means to open our eyes, and waken our stupid^ senses.
Deliverance is all one to God, whether from great exigencies or in ordi
nary cases, but is more endeared by extremity of danger. It is as easy
to save a hundred or a thousand, but it maketh a fuller sound : we are
more sensible of our weakness to help ourselves, to be sure, without his
assistance.
Use 1. Be not offended if God cast you into great dangers ; it is no
argument of God's hatred to destroy you, but of his love to try you,
and to prepare you for the greater comfort, that we may have a more
glorious sight of his salvation. Many, after confidence expressed, have
been put to great trials. The three children were delivered, but put
into the fire first, and the furnace made seven times hotter. Paul's
company suffered shipwreck before the promise of their safety could
be fulfilled. Moses and the Israelites were delivered, yet pursued and
shut up, the Egyptians behind, and the seas before, and steep moun
tains on each side : Ps. cxviii. 18, ' The Lord hath chastened me sore,
but he hath not given me over to death.' Things at the worst begin
to change ; though it come to such a desperate pass as it must be
speedy help or speedy ruin, such exigencies do mightily conduce to the
glory of God, and the bettering of his people. Whatever weakeneth
our confidence, the greatness of danger should not, for in such cases
God is there.
Use 2. Let us use the more prayer ; it is a time to put promises in
suit : 2 Chron. xx. 12, ' 0 our God, wilt thou not judge them ? for we
have no might against this great company that cometh against us,
neither know we what to do ; but our eyes are unto thee.' The fittest
season to treat with God about help ; for when the creatures are at a
loss, that is the time for God to help. When danger is near, call upon
God for help, acquaint him with it, it is time for him to be near also.
Ver. 151 of this psalm, ' Thou art near, 0 Lord.' The less help of
man's mercy, the more hope of God's help.
Use 3. The greater the danger, the more thankfully should we
acknowledge the deliverance. The woman of Sarepta, when her son
was restorqd to life, 1 Kings from the 17th verse to the end, said, ' By
this I know thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in
thy mouth is truth.' So ' Israel may now say, If the Lord had not
been on our side, men had swallowed us quick.'
Secondly, A description of those from whom this danger was feared,
1 They are far from thy law ;' that is, they do not regard it. This
clause may be added —
1. To amplify or aggravate the danger. As if he had said. Lord,
having oppressed them, they contemn thy law, and all restraints of
conscience and duty. The farther the enemies of the godly are from
100 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXVIII.
God's law, the nearer to do mischief. So Ps. liv. 3, ' Oppressors seek
after my soul ; they have not set God before them/ So Ps. Ixxxvi. 1,
' Violent men have sought after my soul, they have not set thee before
them.' They are likely to be cruel, because profane. When the fear
of God is laid aside, and all respect to his word, there is nothing to be
expected but the worst of evils. They mind not thy law, therefore
care not what mischief they do me.
2. To increase his confidence of help ; for God will not favour a
corrupt party : Ps. cxxxix. 19, ' Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O
God ;' Ps. xciv. 10, * The throne of wickedness hath no fellowship with
thee.'
Doct. The iniquity of persecutors is some matter of confidence to
the oppressed ; asJDavid, from those that drew near to mischief him,
conceiveth some encouragement because they were far from God's law.
There are several considerations : —
1. Usually the servants of God have been most hated and troubled
by the worst of men ; so it usually falls out that the worst and most
virulent enemies of religion are those that are infamous for other crimes.
They have the greatest pique against them because they cannot endure
the righteousness of God's image on them : Ps. xxxviii. 20. ' They are
my adversaries, because I follow the thing that good is.' So John vii.
7, ' The world cannot hate you, but me it hateth, because I testify of
it that the works thereof are evil.'
2. You may take notice of this wickedness, and represent it so to
God ; for he is the judge of the world, and it concerneth him to cut
short their power to do mischief that have such a ready principle to
act it, and are likely to have no other restraints than God layeth upon
them by his providence and the interest of their affairs. But of this
before, about aggravating the danger.
3. When we do so, be sure the thing be true, that they are not only
injurious to us, but open enemies to God and godliness, before we
speak thus of those that hate us, or work any trouble to us in the
world. As long as the cause will admit of a favourable construction,
we should take heed of such suggestions. I observe this the rather,
because man is so partial to himself, that whosoever are enemies to
him, he presently thinketh they are enemies to godliness ; and there
fore, when we pass our judgment on any person and cause, it had need
3 conformed to truth; for otherwise it argueth great irreverence
towards God to make him conscious to our revenges and private
passions, Ps. cxxxix. 21-24. We had need try our cause, when God's
quarrel and our interest are joined, that there be not some dregs of
private spleen and rash censurings mixed therewith, and that passion
>tn not rule us, but duty, in these complaints, and that it is not our
own interest, but God's quarrel, they being open enemies to him. And
therefore we must be confident that such as we pray against are in a
wicked condition, and engaged in an evil course.
When this is clear, there is some comfort and confidence in the
badness of our enemies.
Because God and we are engaged in a common cause, for our
nes are against God as well as against us. Now it is better
e afflicted by them than to have fellowship with the unfruitful
VER. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 101
works of darkness, or to cry up a confederacy with them that cry up a
confederacy against God, Ps. cxxxix. 22.
[2.] It is a great satisfaction to us to be opposed by evil men, or
common enemies of the power of godliness. Certainly it would be
more grievous to us to be oppressed by them that have a show of
godliness than the openly profane, Ps. Iv. 12, 13. The worst that a
professed enemy can do is more tolerable than the injury of a friend.
It importeth a dishonour to be opposed by the good, as having an ill
cause in hand, or unworthy to be assisted ; but it helpeth to make the
cause more clear when we see what kind of persons we have to do
withal, such as we cannot but count wicked, because they have no
regard to God's law. Our cause would not be so clear if it were with
them that fear God.
[3.] The more wicked they are, the more ripe for judgment ; espe
cially if they be a corrupt Darty in the visible church ; for where we
perceive wickedness to reign, there we may be sure destruction will
follow.
Use. Well, then, whenever this falleth out, mind God of it, and be
not discouraged. An ill cause will not always prevail. Only let us
be prepared for deliverance, as they are ripe for destruction, otherwise
none so bad but good enough to make a rod to scourge God's children.
And then have patience ; such are our enemies as are God's also ; they
are far from obedience to God's law.
SEKMON CLXIX.
Thou art near, 0 Lord; and all tliy commandments are truth. —
VER. 151.
IN the former verse, the enemies are represented as near, and near to
do mischief, but far from the law of God. Here in the text there is
somewhat put in opposition to both.
1. For their nearness to do mischief, God is near to help.
2. They are far off from the law. The man of God asserteth that
God's commandments are truth. All their contempt of the law did
not abate and lessen his esteem of it. So that the sum of the verse is,
that the enemies cannot be so ready to hurt as God is to help and
deliver ; they cannot go about to defeat promises as God will go about
to fulfil them. Mark, he compareth the readiness of wicked men to
hurt with the readiness of God, their contempt of the word with the
truth of the word, or God's justification of it. In short, in the verse
we may observe two branches : —
1. Something spoken of God.
2. Something of his law.
1. That which is spoken of God is, that he is near, a present help
to those that persist in the obedience of his will ; for nearness doth not
only import his favour, or inclination to help them, but that he will
not delay his help too long ; his help is at hand, therefore called * A
present help in trouble,' Ps. xlvi. 1, and 'The Lord is at my right hand/
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXIX.
Ps. xvi. 8 ; ready as our second in all conflicts to stand by us, support,
and comfort us in our troubles, yea, to deliver us ; that is the notion of
nearness in the text. Near as the enemies are near, only he is near to
defend as they are near to destroy. When to appearance danger is
nearest, at the same time help and salvation is nearest also, and this
doth allay all our cares and fears : Phil. iv. 5, 6, ' The Lord is at
hand, therefore be careful for nothing.' Still present by his provi
dence, or hastening his second coming: Kev. xxii. 20, 'I come quickly/
I rather quote that place, for the Septuagint hath it here eyyvs el, Kvpie,
there o tcvpios €771)9, therefore he bids us be careful for nothing;
certainly the belief of God's nearness should encourage us.
2. That which is said of his word and law is, ' Thy commandments
are truth.' One would think it had been more proper to say, are just
and righteous, than to say are truth. His commandments are just as
the rule of our duty, they are just as the rule of God's process; but
the word commandment is not taken strictly for the mandatory part of
the word, but it is put for the whole covenant, his precepts invested
with promises and threatenings. The commandments thus considered,
with the promises and threatenings annexed, are true. Yea, mark the
emphasis of the phrase, truth itself. The happiness promised to them
that make conscience of their duty will be made good ; and so the
punishments on them that offend God will be inflicted. Now the
joining of these two clauses seemeth to speak thus much : I know that
thou art near me, because thy word is truth. God in his providence
seemeth to be absent sometimes from his people, but upon the assur
ance of his word we must believe him near. I say, God seemeth to be
far off from his people, for who would think that the God of peace and
all comfort should dwell with them that are broken in spirit ? Isa.
Ivii. 15, ' For thus saith the high and holy One that inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is Holy ; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him
also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.' Or that the
author of all felicity should be present with them that are harassed
and exercised with such sharp afflictions, and hunted up and down in
the world, but because God hath promised it : Isa. xliii. 2, ' When
thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the
rivers, they shall not overflow thee : when thou walkest through the
fire, thou shalt not be burnt ; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee/
We should be satisfied with it ; his word is truth : whatever sense and
reason saith to the contrary, neither distance of place nor afflictedness
>f condition do hinder his nearness to us.
Quitting all other points, I shall only insist on this one.
JJoct. 1 hat it is the privilege and happiness of God's children to have
God near unto them upon all occasions.
My great business will be to explain what this nearness is, and then
you will soon find it to be the great happiness and privilege of the saints.
1. What is this nearness ?
2. How is it brought about ?
First, What is this nearness ?
God is not said to be nearer to them than others in regard of his
sence, for so he is everywhere present, nulliU indusus, nulUbi ex-
VER. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 103
dusus. So a heathen described God to be a great circle, whose centre
is nowhere, and circumference everywhere ; and in the prophet he
telleth us, Jer. xxiii. 23, 24, ' Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord,
and not a God afar off ? do not I fill heaven and earth ? can any hide
him in secret places that I shall not see him ? saith the Lord.' He
filleth all things with his essential presence ; he is in earth, in heaven,
and under the earth : Ps. cxxxix. 7, 8, ' Whither shall I go from thy
Spirit ? and whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend up
into heaven, thou art there ; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou art
there : if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand
shall hold me.' God is here, and there, and everywhere ; the heavens
do not confine and enclose his being, nor the tumults of the earth ex
clude it : in this sense God is alike near to all things. They that
cannot endure the presence and thought of God, where will they go
from him ? They may run away from God as a friend, but they cannot
escape him as an enemy. Te non amittit nisi qui dimittit, et qui te
dimittit, quo fugit, nisi a te placato ad te iratum ? Men may shut
God out of their hearts, and yet he is there, do what they can, and will
be found there one day in the dreadful effects of his anger.
2. Not in regard of his general providence and common sustentation ;
for so ov fjia/cpav, ' He is not far from every one of us ; for in him we
live, and move, and have our being,' Acts xvii. 27, 28. This general
presence and providential sustentation is vouchsafed to all his crea
tures, without which they could not subsist, nor move, nor act ; so all
things are enclosed under the hand of his power, and are still under
his disposing.
3. It is meant of his friendly and gracious presence, and those
eminent and gracious effects of his power and goodness which he is
pleased to afford his people. So God is sometimes said to be nigh
unto his people, and they are said to be a people near unto him. The
Lord is said to be near unto them : Ps. xxxiv. 18, ' The Lord is nigh
unto them that are of a broken heart ; ' and again, Ps. cxlv. 18, ' The
Lord is nigh untv/ all them that call upon him, and to all that call upon
him in truth ; ' Deut. iv. 7, ' What nation is so great ? who hath God
so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call
upon him for ? ' The Lord is said to be nigh, because he is always
ready to hear their prayers, and to direct them in their doubts, comfort
them in their sorrows, defend and protect them in all their dangers,
and deliver them in all their troubles. On the other side, they are
said to be a people near unto God : Ps. cxlviii. 14, ' He also exalteth
the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints, even of the children
of Israel, a people near unto him.' Because they are the special objects
of his mercy and favour. And as to the actual intercourse that passeth
between God and them, God is said to draw nigh to them, as they
are said to draw nigh to God : James iv. 8, ' Draw nigh to God, and
he will draw nigh to you ; ' and so drawing nigh to us on God's
part signifieth grace and blessing ; and drawing nigh on our part,
our duty, love, fear, delight, and reverence of God. Well, then, it is
meant of his friendly gracious presence vouchsafed to his people.
4. This nearness may be understood of his visible presence in his
104 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIX.
ordinances, or of that spiritual inwardness and saving union and com
munion that is between God and his converted people, or those that
are brought home to him by Christ, and are the members of his mys
tical body. In some sense it is the privilege of the visible church to
have God near them, because they have the signs of his presence
among them ; as in the former place, Deut. iv. 7, ' What nation hath
God so nigh unto them ? ' It was the common privilege of the nation,
in comparison of the pagans about them, who were a people afar off,
and strangers to the covenants of promise. So Jer. xiv. 9, ' Thou, 0
Lord God, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name ;
leave us not.' Thus God is said to be nigh because he dwelleth in the
churches and walketh in the midst of them ; but those that are con
verted indeed are in a straiter union with God. All those that are
members of the visible church, and are united to Christ by a visible
and political union, they have great privileges, for they are a society
under God's special care and government, and enjoy the means of
grace and the oifers of salvation, and great helps by the gifts bestowed
upon the body, and so have God nearer to them than others, though
they have not the saving fruits of union with Christ and communion
with God. Once more, a people that are nigh unto God visibly and
politically may be cast off; as Jer. xiii. 11, 'For as a girdle cleaveth
to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole
house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord ; that
they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise,
and for a glory ; but they would not hear ; ' ' yet I will cast them away
as a rotten girdle that is good for nothing/ ver. 10. These words are
the application of a charge given to Jeremiah, to get him a girdle, and
hide it till it was rotten, and then to bring it forth and tell the people
the meaning of this ceremony. He was to get a girdle, not leathern,
nor woollen, such as were commonly worn by the ordinary sort ; but a
linen girdle, such as the better sort of persons were wont to wear. He
was not to wet it, or put it in water, to imply that neither God nor
aught from him had been the cause of the general corruption and
destruction of this people ; but to hide it in a dry place near Euphrates
till it was corrupted. Thus God would lay visibly before their eyes
their own state ; they were as near about him, girded as close to him,
as a girdle about a man's loins, yet then good for nothing. But for
those to whom God is near by saving benefits they cannot be lost, for
where the nearness is really begun, it will continue, and never be
broken off. You may as well separate the leaven and the dough, im-
possibile est massam a pasta separare, &c.
5. In those that are living members of Christ's mystical body we
must distinguish between a state of nearness and acts of nearness. By
converting grace we are brought into a state of nearness unto God,
and in worship we actually draw nigh unto him, and he to us. The
state of neatness is the state of favour and reconciliation with God into
which we are admitted who were before strangers and enemies : Col.
L 21, 'And you, that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your
mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled/ And also our
participation of the divine nature : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given
unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you
VER. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 105
might be partakers of the divine nature ; having escaped the corrup
tion that is in the world through lust ; ' or life of God, from which we
were formerly alienated by sin : Eph. iv. 18, ( Having their under
standings darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the
ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.'
Eor these three do always go together, the favour of God, the image of
God, and fellowship with God. When Adam lost one, he lost all:
when he lost the image of God, he also lost the favour of God, or fel
lowship with God, or nearness to him. So then our state of nearness
lieth in the recovery of the favour of God, and the image or life of
God, when we stand right in his grace, and live his life : they are both
great mercies, and both the ground of our fellowship with God, or
nearness to him. 0 Christians ! think with yourselves. Is it not a
great privilege for poor sinful creatures, that could not think of God
without horror, or hear him named without trembling, or pray to him
without great dejection of heart, to look upon God as reconciled, and
willing to receive us and bless us ! 'So for the life of God, to have a
life begun in us by the Spirit of God, and maintained by the continual
influences of his grace, till all be perfected in glory, what a privilege
is this ! None but they that live this life can have communion with
God. Things cannot converse that do not live the same life ; as
Adam had no companion or help-meet, but was alone, though all the
creatures came and subjected themselves to him, trees, beasts, men,
&c. : Genrii. 18, 'And the Lord said, It is riot good for man to be
alone ; I will make him an help-meet for him.' But besides this state
of nearness, there are special acts of nearness, both on God's part and
ours ; he is nearer to us sometimes than at others, when we have more
evidences of his favour inward or outward : inward evidences, when he
quickens, comforts, supports the soul, filleth the heart with joy and
peace in believing ; at such a time God is near, we feel him sensibly
exciting and stirring up his own work in us. The soul always dwelleth
in the body, but it doth not always act alike ; it is ever equal in point
of habitation, but not in point of operation. So Christ doth always
dwell in the heart by his Spirit, but he doth not always act alike, but
/car evSo/clav, 'according to his good pleasure/ Phil. ii. 13. God is
not alike always present with his people, but never withdraweth that
influence that is necessary to the being of grace : Ps. Ixxiii. 23,
1 Nevertheless I am continually with thee : thou hast holden me by
my right hand.' So outwardly ; sometimes God hideth himself, some
times seemeth not to mind the affairs of his people, at other times all
the world shall know that they are near and dear to him : he that
toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye : those that will riot see,
shall see and be ashamed for their envy at his people, Isa. xxvi. 11.
So on our part there is a standing relation between us and God, but
our hearts are more or less towards him in worship ; we especially
then draw near unto him, though there be a communion in walking
with God in our whole course. These things must be distinguished,
for actual intercourse may be interrupted or suspended, when our state
of nearness to God ceaseth not.
6. The grounds and reasons of all nearness, or the way how it cometh
about, are these four :—
106 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXIX.
1.1 God's covenant with Us.
2/ Our incorporation into Christ.
'3.1 The inhabitation of the Spirit in us.
'4.' Mutual love between God and us. These are the reasons why
God is near us, and we a people near unto God.
[1.] His covenant with us, or confederation in the covenant. God
promiseth to be our God, and we to be his people: Jer. xxxii. 38,
* And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.' As those
two kings made a league offensive and defensive, 1 Kings xxii. 4, ' I
am as thou art, and my people as thy people, and my horses as thy
horses ; ' so God will be ours as really as we are his ; you shall have a
propriety in God, as God has in you ; not absolutely indeed the same,
but enough for your comfort. You were his before the contract, and
to be at his comnland ; but he is not at your command : you may sup
plicate and humbly sue out the effects of your right in God, and may
be sure of speeding, when it is for his glory and your good. We have
a right to God, and all that is in God, but not a right over him, as he
hath over us. We have propriety and interest in God, but not domin
ion, as we have over the creatures, or as God hath over us. He will
let out his goodness, grace, and mercy to us and for us. God still
keepeth the rank of a sovereign, and yet treateth us as friends : James
11. 23, ' Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for right
eousness, and he was called the friend of God/ Yea, children : John i.
12, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' When we
give up ourselves to God to serve him, we enter ourselves heirs to all
the privileges of the gospel, and may lay claim to them.
[2.] By union with Christ ; such as are under the covenant of grace
are made members of the mystical body of Christ. This union the
scripture sets forth by the similitude of head and members : Kom. xii.
5, ' So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members
one of another/ Vine and branches: John xv. 1, 2, 'I am the true
vine, and my Father is the husbandman; every branch in me that
beareth not fruit, he taketh away; and every branch that beareth
fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit/ Stock and
graff, Kom. vi. 5 ; body and garment : Gal. iii. 27, ' For as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ/ The con
verting of meat and drink into our substance : John vi. 56, * He that
eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him/
House and indweller : Eph. iii. 17, ' That Christ may dwell in your
hearts by faith/ As the members receive sense and motion from the
head, the branches sap from the root, and the graff liveth in the stock,
so we receive all life and being from Christ. Christ first giveth him
self to us, and with himself all things. We must have himself first,
for it is he in us becometh the fountain of life: Gal. ii. 20, 'I am
crucified with Christ ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth
in me ; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith
of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me/ The
hope of glory : Col. i. 27, ' Christ in you the hope of glory/ Now this
endeareth us to God, and makes us near to him : John xvii. 21, ' That
they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that
YEB. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 107
they also may be one in us.' Christ is God-man in one person, and
we are united to him mystically, though not hypostatically ; and so
God and we are brought near together. For we are in him as he is in
the Father, not with an exact equality, but some answerable likeness ;
we are immediately united to Christ, and by Christ to God.
[3.] The inhabitation of the Spirit, that is the fruits of union, as
union of confederation. The same spirit that dwelleth in Christ
dwelleth in us : 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' He that is joined to the Lord is one
spirit/ It is by the same spirit that the union is brought about, the
same spirit that dwelleth in head and members ; this is the foundation
laid on Christ's part for all our communion and commerce with God :
1 John iv. 13, ' Hereby we know that we dwell in God, and God in
us, because he hath given us of his Spirit/ We cannot know our
communion with God as the author of grace by any other gift ; he
maketh his first entry this way, uniting us to himself by his Spirit.
[4.] The mutual love between God and them. God loveth them,
and they love God ; and so they are near and dear to one another :
1 Sam. xviii. 1, * The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of
David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul/ Such love is here
between Christ and believers, and between them and God. God
beginneth, he loveth first, and best, and most ; no father or mother
loveth their children so tenderly as God doth them : Isa. xlix. 15,
* Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb ? yea, they may forget, yet will I
not forget thee/ No husband loves his spouse as Christ doth the
church : Eph. v. 25, ' Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also
loved the church, and gave himself for it ; ' not only gave himself to
the church, but for it. Alas ! when we are at our best, we love God
too little. There is a strong love which the saints have to God and
Christ ; they cannot live without him, are always crying, Abba,
Father : Gal. iv. 6, 'And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth
the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father/ They
cannot brook his absence, are dejected if they cannot hear from him
at every turn.
7. There being such a ground laid for our nearness, all familiar
intercourses do pass freely between God and us, through Christ, by
whom and through whom are all things, and we by him, 1 Cor. viii.
5. Our commerce with God is in donatives and duties.
[1.] On God's part, it is seen in his readiness to hear our prayers :
Isa. Iviii. 9, ' Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer ; thou
shalt cry, and he shalt say, Here I am/ God is at hand ; when we
knock at heaven's gates, he answereth presently, saying, And what
would you have ? If God should make an offer to us as Jonathan
did to David, 1 Sam. xx. 14, ' Whatever thy soul desireth, I will do
for thee/ we would think then we should never want more. What
would the world give for such a promise from an earthly potentate ?
You have it from God, if you like the condition : Ps. xxxvii. 4,
' Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy
heart/ Thou canst not desire anything regularly, and consisting with
the condition of the covenant, with thy delight in God, but thou shalt
have it. In a holy sense, you have God at command, to do for you
108 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIX.
what you would have, as if you had his sovereignty at command : Job
xxii. 27, 28, ' Thou shalt make thy prayers unto him, and he shall
hear thee ; and thou shalt pay thy vows. Thou shalt also decree a
thing, and it shall he established unto thee ; and the light shall shine
upon thy ways.' Decree, and it shall be established ; speak the word,
and it shall come to pass, Is it for us to enact decrees, to appoint
what shall be ? Their prayer is a duplicate or counterpart of God's
decrees. God guideth their hearts to ask such things as are pleasing
to him ; God is ready to help us, to give supplies in all our necessities ;
he is remembering us for good upon all occasions, especially in our
low estate ; when we have none to help, he will help : Isa. lix. 16,
* And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no
intercessor : therefore his arm brought salvation unto him, and his
righteousness it Sustained him/ It was when be that departeth from
evil maketh himself a prey ; he cannot be safe unless he be wicked ;
and none will bestir himself in the behalf of truth and right, or own
the good cause, by speaking a word for it ; therefore God himself
would take the business in hand : Ps. cv. 14, * He suffered no man
to do them wrong.' They that are God's confederates, he hath a
watchful eye over them ; they are under his defence and protection.
An afflicted people are more sensible of God's presence, help, and
assistance than others are ; for straits and troubles are means to open
men's eyes and waken their senses. Now you will ever find God with
you when he seemeth most to forget you. But especially in duties
of worship, the visits of love there, and the entertainment at God's
table : Ps. Ixv. 4, * Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest
to approach to thee, that he may dwell in thy courts : we shall be
satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple/
They have many sweet experiences of God, which they find not else
where ; there he doth comfort, quicken, and revive them/ Ps. xxxvi.
S, ' They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house ;
thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures/ God
biddeth them welcome to this table, and will not send them away
empty ; indeed, there they come to feel joys unspeakable and glorious.
Not that we should build always on sensible experiences, or tie God
to our time, or make an essay of curiosity ; but if they humbly,
resolutely wait upon God according to the encouragements of his
promise, first or last they shall have a full meal, and God will own
them, and fill their hearts with goodness. Thus in answering their
prayers, helping them in straits, visiting in duties.
[2.] On our part, it is delightful to converse with God—
(1.) In holy duties : Isa. xxvi. 16, * Lord, in trouble have they visited
thee ; they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them ; '
Job xxii. 21, 'Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace;
thereby good shall come unto thee/ We have no reason to be strange
to God, for if we were acquainted with ourselves, we should find daily
. hourly some errand to the throne of grace. To forget him days
without number showeth we have little knowledge of God or of
ourselves. Be sure to look after a desire to enjoy God in the duty :
My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of my God : my
all and my heart crieth out for the living God,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 2, 3.
VER. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 109
To rest in an empty ordinance showeth we do what we do rather
to pacify conscience than satisfy spiritual desires. God is to be our
end and object, whom we are to seek and serve ; abs te sine te non
recedam.
(2.) In a course of holiness : * How can two walk together except
they be agreed ? ' Amos iii. 3. Loveth what he loveth, hateth what
lie hateth. Suitableness of disposition is the ground of intimacy : 1
John i. 7, ' If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another.' God saith, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them. Walk as ever before God : Gen. xvii. 1, ' I am the
Almighty God ; walk before me, and be thou perfect.'
Secondly, How we come to be brought into this nearness ? The
reason of doubting is because every man is born a stranger to God :
Ps. Iviii. 3, ' The wicked are estranged from the womb ; they go astray
as soon as they be born, speaking lies/ Sin causes a distance between
God and us : Isa. lix. 2, * But your iniquities have separated between
you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he
will not hear.' Man is averse from God, without God, Christ, covenant,
or hope of any good from him. Christ represents our apostate nature
by the prodigal's going into a far country ; the breach groweth wider
every day, and the distance is increased Joy actual sin. The wicked
are far from God : Hosea vii. 13, ' Woe unto them, for they have fled
from me ; destruction unto them, for they have transgressed against
me.' While matters stand thus between us and God, there is no hope ;
the rigour of divine justice and the terror of a guilty conscience will
not give us leave to look for any communion with God.
Ans. In this hopeless and helpless estate the Lord Jesus had pity
on us. The great end of the mediator is to bring us to God : 1 Peter
iii. 18, ' For Christ hath once suffered for sins ; the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God.' And therefore he is said to be the
way to the Father : John xvii. 6, ' I am the way, the truth, and the
life ; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' He hath taken our
case into his own hands, and doth, partly by his merit and partly by his
Spirit, bring about this nearness and fellowship between God and us.
1. By his merit he bringeth us into a state of favour ; he opened
the door by his death : Eph. ii. 13, ' But now in Christ Jesus we who
sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ/ To
go to God offended, and appeased by no satisfaction, is terrible to the
guilty creature ; but Christ hath made our peace, so that we have
access into this grace wherein we stand : Bom. v. 1, 2, * Therefore,
being justified by faith, we have peace with God. through our Lord
Jesus Christ : by whom also we have access by faith into the grace
wherein we stand/ This door which he hath opened by his death, he
keepeth open by his constant intercession : Heb. vii. 25, ' Wherefore
he is able to save unto the uttermost all those that come unto God
through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for us ; ' which
our repeated provocations would otherwise daily and hourly shut and
close again : 1 John ii. 1, ' These things I write unto you, that you
sin not : and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous ; ' and so all distance is removed, and poor
creatures may comfortably come to God.
HO SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXIX.
2. There is a great averseness in our hearts, and we need not only
leave to come to God, but a heart to come to God. We are fugitives
as well as exiles ; we hang off from God, and are loath to make use of
the offered opportunity ; therefore the imprecation of our liberty is not
only to be considered, but also the application of this grace to our
souls, which is done by the Spirit of Christ. Certainly, as to God, he
considereth us as united to Christ before he will be near to us : Eph.
ii. 13, ' But now in Christ Jesus ye, who were sometimes afar off, are
made nigh by the blood of Christ/ It was purchased by the blood of
Christ, but it is not actually bestowed and applied to the elect until
they be united to Christ, and in him by saving faith, as branches in
the root ; not only through Christ, but in Christ : something for us,
and something in us as to ourselves ; overcome our averseness to set
our hearts to seefc the Lord. Nemo te qucerere potest nisi qui prius
invenerit ; vis igitur inveniri ut quceraris f quaere, ut inveniaris ;
potes quidem inveniri, non tamen prceveniri. None can be aforehand
with God ; we cannot seek him till we have found him. He will be
sought that he may be found ; and found that he may be sought. He
draweth nigh to us by his preventing grace, that he may draw nigh to
us by further grace ; and inclineth us to do what he requireth, that he
may crown his own work.
Use 1. To persuade us to enter into this state of nearness by taking
hold of God's covenant. It is an excellent thing in the general ; all
will grant that it is good to draw near to God ; but it is not only good,
but good for you, all things considered : Ps. Ixxiii. 28, ' It is good for
me to draw near to God;' it is our only blessedness. The practical
judgment must be possessed with this truth, and then determine it so
that it may have the authority of a principle ; and then the heart must
be engaged to draw nigh to God by a hearty resolution to come unto
God. Till the heart be engaged, we are too easily enticed away from
Now the engaging the heart is by covenant : ' Yield yourselves
to the Lord,' 2 Chron. xxx. 8. All God's servants, they are his by
covenant : ^Ezek. xx. 37, ' I will cause you to pass under the rod, and
bring you into the bond of the covenant ;' as sheep, to pass one by one
out of the fold. God doth not covenant with us in the lump and body,
but every man for himself must engage himself to live according to
the will of God. It is not enough that Christ engaged for us as our
ssurety: Heb. vii. 22, ' Jesus was made the surety of a better testa
ment ; something is to be done personally if we would have benefit by
is not enough that the church engage for us as a visible poli-
ical body professing faith in Christ, Ezek. xvi. 7 ; but every man
must engage his own heart. It is not enough our parents did engage
°r- US^An,o la]f of little ones> avouch God to *>e their God : Deut.
xxix. 1 -12, Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God ;
your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the
} of Israel your little ones, your wives, and the stranger that is
thy camp, from the hewer of wood to. the drawer of thy water ; that
Bhouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into
oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day/ We
ist ratify their dedication and covenant in our own persons, 2 Cor.
ix. id, by a professed subjection to the gospel of Christ; this cove-
VER. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. Ill
nant and oath of allegiance. You eat at God's table to show that God
and you are agreed, and entered into a strict union and fellowship one
with another.
2. Let us live as in a state of nearness to God ; let us fear him, and
love him, and walk with him, as Enoch did, Gen. v. 24 ; or set the
Lord always before us, as David did, Ps. xvi. 8. How so ? In point
of reverence, in point of dependence.
[1.] In point of reverence, that we may not displease God with whom
we walk : Micah vi. 8, ' Walk humbly with thy God.' Thou shalt
humble thyself to walk with God. It is not a fellow-like familiarity
or the intimacy of equals, but the common subjection of inferiors, the
obedience of children, diligently taking heed lest a breach fall out
betwixt God and them : Deut. xxiii. 14, ' For the Lord thy God
walketh in the midst of thee, to deliver thee, and to give up thine
enemies before thee ; therefore shall thy camp be holy, that he may
see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.' God threatens
to leave them if he saw any filthiness among them. If we sin against
God, we may find him near as a judge to punish, not as a father to
protect us. Besides it is for the honour of God that a people near and
dear to him should study to please him in all things, and that they
should walk worthy of God, with whom they profess to be in covenant,
and whose friendly presence they enjoy. The nearer you are to God
the greater your sins. If you be the spouse of Christ, your sins are
adultery ; if you be the children of God, your sins are rebellion and
parricide ; if you be the friends of God, Christ hath the more cause to
complain : Ps. Iv. 12, 13, ' For it was not an enemy that reproached
me ; then I could have borne it : neither was it he that hated me that
did magnify himself against me ; then I would have hid myself from
him : but it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine ac
quaintance.' Your sins are the injuries of a false friend, if you be of
the household of God. After you had eaten his bread, will you lift up
the heel against him ? Ps. xli. 9, ' Yea, mine own familiar friend, in
whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lift up his heel
against me.' It is treachery of an unfaithful domestic and servant.
Men will endure injuries from strangers better than from nearer rela
tions. Those that do not belong to God, that are not so dear and near
to him, their sins are not so grievous. In short, if you be the people
of God, whom God will own in the world, you should take care to live
to his honour.
[2.] In point of dependence, did we believe more firmly that God
was so near and so ready at hand, to comfort, support, deliver, and
bless us, this would stay our hearts in all our troubles. Is God near
us ? What should we be afraid of ? Ps. xxiii. 1,2,' The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pas
tures : he leadeth me beside the still waters.' God admitteth you to
his table to assure you of his bounty and liberality ; he gives you this
support as a sign of reconciliation with you, that God and you are
friends. Now ra T&V cj>i\cov Trdvra Koiva. Especially let it check our
fears ; when trouble is near, God is also near, to counterwork our ene
mies and support his people: Zech. iii. 1, 2, 'And he showed me
Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and
112
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX.
[SER. CLXIX.
Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said
unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, 0 Satan ; even the Lord that hath
chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee : is not this a brand plucked out of the
fire ?' Where there is Satan to resist, there is an angel to rebuke ; as
extremities draw nigh, God draweth nigh. When Laban with great
fury followed after Jacob, God followed after Laban, and stepped be
tween, and commanded Laban not to hurt him. When Paul was like
to be torn in pieces in an uproar, God runneth speedily to his help :
2 Cor. i. 9, 10, ' But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that
we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead ;
who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we
trust that he will yet deliver us.' When danger cometh to be danger
indeed, you will find him a present help.
Use 2. To quicken us and encourage us actually to draw nigh to
God with the more confidence ; that is, let us address ourselves to
converse with him in his ordinances, for his favour, mercy, and bless
ing, that we may not stand afar off, but come boldly. To this end,
consider whither we come, by whom we come, in what manner we
must come or draw nigh to him.
1. To whom we draw near ; to God, as reconciled in Christ. If God
were inaccessible it were another matter ; but divine justice being
satisfied in Christ we come to a throne of grace : Heb. iv. 16, * Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.' God's throne is a
throne of justice, grace, glory. To the throne of strict justice no sinful
man can approach ; to the throne of grace every penitent sinner may
have access ; to the throne of glory' no mortal man can come in his
whole person ; his heart may be there : so it is said, Heb. x. 19, ' Hav
ing therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood
of Jesus,' as petitioners are admitted to the prince in the presence
chamber. The way to the throne of glory lieth by the throne of grace ;
we pass by one unto the other. In short, Christ stood before the
throne of justice when he suffered for our sins ; penitent sinners stand
before the throne of grace when they worship him in faith. After the
resurrection we shall ever stand before the throne of glory, and ever
abide in his presence. Our business now is with the throne of grace,
to give answer and despatch our suits. There is a threefold throne of
grace— the typical, which was the mercy-seat : f s. Ixxx. 1, ' Thou
that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth;' the real, which is
Christ: ^ Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus;' the commemorative, which is the Lord's
supper, where is a representation of wisdom and obsignation of the
grace of Christ in the New Testament. This throne of grace is set up
everywhere in the church ; it standeth in the midst of God's people, as
the tabernacle did in the midst of Israel ; for God is always in all
places nigh unto such as call upon him in truth : John iv. 23, ' The
hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship
the Father in spirit and in truth ; for the Father seeketh such to wor
ship him/ Access to God may be had everywhere, therefore let us
come.
2. By whom we come ; by Jesus Christ : Eph. iii. 12, ' In whom we
VER. 152.] SERMONS UPON PS!LM cxix. 113
have boldness, and access with confidence, by the faith of him ;' upon
account of his merit and intercession. We should come without fear
or doubt to him, de facto, as if his blood were running afresh.
3< How we come ; with a true heart : Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw near
with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having a heart sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.'
SERMON CLXX.
Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou liast founded
them for ever. — VER. 152.
IN this verse is a further illustration of the last clause of the former.
He had said there, ' Thy commandments are ipsissima veritas ; ' now
he amplifieth that saying from God's ordination and appointment,
' Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast
founded them for ever.' The prophet ends this octonary and paragraph
with some triumph of faith ; and after all his conflicts and requests to
God, goeth away with this assurance, that God's word should be in
fallibly accomplished, as being upon his own experience of unchange
able and unerring certainty. Two things you may observe in the
words : —
1. The constant and eternal verity of God's testimonies, thou hast
founded them for ever.
2. David's attestation to it, / have known of old that it is so. What
the word of God is in itself; and then what is the opinion of the
believer concerning it.
First, What the scriptures are in themselves.
1. For their nature ; they are God's testimonies, or the significations
of his will.
2. For their stability ; they are founded (there is a great emphasis
in that word), and that by God, ' Thou hast founded them/
3. For their duration, and everlasting use ; in that word ( for ever/
of an eternal use and comfort.
Secondly, David's attestation or persuasion of this. ' I have known
of old/
I here observe —
1. His persuasion.
2. The date and standing of his persuasion ; it was ancient, ' I have
known of old/
1. His persuasion, ' I have known/ There is a twofold knowledge
— the knowledge of faith, and the knowledge of sense ; both agree
with the words.
[1.] The knowledge of faith : ' I know that my Kedeemer lives/ that
is, I believe it ; what we read concerning thy testimonies. Other
translations read, by thy testimonies : ' I have known by thy testi
monies/ The Septuagint, eyvwv etc rwv papTvpiwv aov, have been
persuaded of this by thy Spirit out of the word itself.
VOL. ix.
114 SF.RMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXX.
[2.] The knowledge of sense and experience : I myself have known
by sundry experiences heretofore, which I shall never forget.
2. The date and ancientness of this persuasion, ' of old.' It was not
a late persuasion, or a thing that he was now to learn. He always
knew it since he knew anything of God, that God had owned his word
as the constant rule of his proceedings with creatures, in that God had
so often made good his word to him, not only by present and late, but
old and ancient experiences. Well, then, David's persuasion of. the
truth and unchangeableness of the word was not a sudden humour, or
a present fit, or a persuasion of a few days' standing, but he was con
firmed in it by long experience. One or two experiences had been no
trial of the truth of the word, they might seem but a good hit ; but
his word ever proveth true, not once or twice, but always. What we
say ' of old,' the <8eptuagint reads, KCLT «/)%«?, ' from the beginnings,'
that is, either —
[1.] From my tender years. Timothy knew the scriptures from a
child, 2 Tim. iii. 15 ; so David very young was acquainted with God
and his truth.
[2.] Or from the first time that he began to be serious, or to mind
the word in good earnest, or to be a student either in God's word or
works, by comparing providences and promises, he found, concerning
his testimonies, that God had founded them for ever.
[3.] Lastly, ' of old/ may be what I have heard of all foregoing
ages, their experience as well as mine : Ps. xxii. 4, 5, ' Our fathers
trusted in thee ; they trusted, and thou didst deliver them ; they
cried unto thee, and were delivered ; they trusted in thee, and were
not confounded.'
The points are three : —
Doct. 1. There is an everlasting stability, and a constant unchange
able truth in God's testimonies.
Doct. 2. This must be known by us, or apprehended by us.
Doct. 3. Experiences of former times should give us encouragement
to trust God for what is future.
Doct. 1. There is an everlasting stability and a constant unchange
able truth in God's testimonies.
Proof. Ps. cxi. 8, 'All his commandments are sure ; they stand fast
for ever and ever.' The word of God is of perpetual use and comfort,
not in one condition, but in all ; in every age of the* world you have
the effects of it : it shall be made good to us in the world to come :
2 Cor. i. 20, ' For all the promises of God in him are Yea, and in him
Amen ;' of one invariable tenor, and of a sure and certain accomplish
ment. They do not say Yea and Nay, but Yea and Amen, \ Yea to
our hopes, and Amen to our desires.
Reasons. It must needs be so, if we consider —
1. Their author.
2. Their foundation.
3. Their use.
First, Their author is God, who is the self- same God, and needs
not say and unsay ; for he has wisdom enough to foresee all events ;
power enough to answer all difficulties that may stand in the way of
his promises; authority supreme, and so is above all controlment.
VER. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 115
Sometimes men command, but without reason ; sometimes they pro
mise, but without performance ; sometimes they threaten, but without
effect : therefore the word of man dieth and may come to nothing ;
they forget their promises, or may be cast into such circumstances as
to be unable to perform them : but these are God's testimonies, and
therefore are pillars that cannot be shaken ; they are laid by God him
self, who hath ordained them to stand firm for ever. His people shall
find more in his performance than they could perceive in his promise,
and his enemies shall find more weight in his judgments than they
could apprehend in his threatenings : 2 Tim. ii. 19, ' The foundation
of God standeth sure ;' Oij^eXLa, his obligation, not a foundation in the
builder's sense, but in the lawyer's sense. His obligation or bill of
contract, that is, his promise or covenant with us in Christ, remaineth
unchangeable. A bill or bond is called Oyfjuekia. God will own his ser
vants if they will be faithful to him. See Hammond.
Secondly, They are founded ; the testimonies of God, if taken for
the promises of the gospel, as they ought to be, are built on two
foundations : —
1. One foundation is the unchangeableness of God's nature : Heb.
vi. 18, ' That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for
God to lie, we might have strong consolation.' God cannot change,
cannot lie. God can no more break his promise than cease to be God ;
his love, truth, power is all unchangeable.
2. The other foundation is the blood of Christ ; in him they are
Yea and Amen. The things promised are purchased with a great price ;
surely that blood was not shed in vain : * Other foundation can no man
lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ/ 1 Cor. iii. 11.
Thirdly, Their use.
1. To be testimonies or declarations of God's mind and will to the
creature ; not only for the regulation of our actions, but the measure
of God's dealings.. God's covenant in respect of the commands is the
rule of man's duty ; in respect of the promises and threatenings, they
are the rule of God's judgment or process with us. Now, it is for
the honour of God and satisfaction of man that this should be stated
and held good in all ages and cases ; therefore God hath established
a process and rule of dealing with his creatures that shall never be
changed. If your cause will hold good according to God's testimonies,
it will hold good before his tribunal. Otherwise we could not know
certainly that we do please or maintain any commerce with him, or
know what to expect from him.
2. To be props and pillars of our confidence ; so the scriptures, as
they are founded themselves, so they are a foundation for us to build
upon : Eph. ii. 20, ' And are built upon the foundation of the apostles
and prophets, Jesus Christ 'himself being the corner-stone ; ' they sup
port the weight of the building. Now, foundation-stones must not be
movable, or laid loosely and carelessly, for then all the building will
be weak and tottering ; therefore there is a sure word and sure pro
mises for poor creatures to build upon. The apostle calls it pepaio-
repov \6yov, 2 Peter i. 19, ' A more sure word of prophecy/ comparing
it to the voice from heaven, whereof he spoke immediately before.
We are upon more certain terms, now God guideth us by scripture,
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXX.
than if he guided us by oracle : quoad nos, it is so, though every
declaration of God he alike evident and certain in itself. A transient
voice is more easily mistaken and forgotten than a standing authentic
record. Consider it as subject to jealousies, forgetfulness, mistakes ;
it is so. The general voice of the gospel gives more encouragement
to self-undoing sinners than a voice from heaven calling us by name.
Use 1. To humble us for our uncertainty and inconstancy, when the
testimonies of God are so stable and unchangeable. The scriptures
are as firm as a rock ; but, alas ! we are unstable as water, both as to
faith and obedience. There should be a proportion inter regulam et
regulatum, between the rule and the thing ruled, the measure and what
is measured, the stamp and the impression. We carry it so as if the
word spake one thing to-day, and another to-morrow ; as if God would
sometimes maintain the cause of his people, and at other times forsake
them ; as if he sometimes loved sin, and hated righteousness ; would
sometimes be good to penitent sinners, at other times turn away from
them. We profess to walk by his rule, and yet live so disproportionate.
1. In faith, like waves of the sea rolled hither and thither, our de
pendence and trust now and anon changing with the posture of our
affairs, not suited to the eternal verity of the promises. In crosses,
confusions, and difficulties, we are at an utter loss : James i. 6, * But
let him ask in faith, nothing wavering ; for he that wavereth is like
a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed.' If we believe
it to-day, why not to-morrow ? Do difficulties abate anything of the
certainty of God's word, and make it questionable ? Then it would be
in the power of man to disannul the promise, and God could never lay
a sure ground of hope.
2. In obedience. The weakness of our faith and dependence
necessarily inferreth that they that do not trust God cannot be long
true to him : James i. 8, &tyv%os d/carda-Taro?, ' A double-minded man
is unstable in all his ways/ Sometimes when we are soul-sick, we
mourn and complain of sin, and seem to have a passionate hatred of
sin ; at other times, when the fit is over, we give it harbour and enter
tainment, and embrace our Delilah again ; whereas the same reasons
that once made us hate sin should still make us hate it, for sin is sin still.
The scripture doth not one while condemn it, and another while allow
it ; but we are not swayed by our rule, but act as we are inclined by
our changeable affections, and therefore complain of sin to-day, and
commit it to-morrow, and lick up our vomit again. So for duty :
Hosea vi. 4, ' Your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early
dew it passeth away/ Nothing so fickle and changeable as man in
anything that is good, so vain and inconstant are we in our motions
and devotion ; pangs that can no more endure a trial than the morn
ing cloud and early dew can endure the heat of the rising sun; it
cometh by fits.
3. In our opinions and professions, how do we say and unsay, and
build again the things we have destroyed, and destroy the things we
have builded ; so that we know not where to have them, and are like
children tossed ^ to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine ! Eph. iv. 14, where are two metaphors ; they are compared
to children tor inconstancy in their choice, and to ships destitute of
VER. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 117
skilful masters, tossed this way and that way with contrary winds and
tides. So they with divers doctrines and opinions. Sometimes taken
with one opinion, sometimes with another ; irepupepofjuevor,, circled about
by all the winds in the card. Is this becoming the constant unerring
certainty of the scriptures ? It will be necessary for us to quit this
childish temper ; God will not always bear with it in us, whatever he
may do in babes ; therefore let us not receive the truth of God lightly
and uncertainly, but fix ourselves in the knowledge, the love, and
practice of the truths that are there commended to us : Gal. i. 6, ' I
marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ, unto another gospel.' This lightness is a disease
incident to our natures, soon off, soon on ; that other gospelling, or pre
tence of a purer way.
Use 2. Is comfort to the people of God —
1. In all the particular changes that pass over our heads. Our
estate and condition is many times changed, but God's word is no more
changed than himself is changed ; all things shall come to ruin sooner
than these foundations be overturned : Mat. v. 18, ' Till heaven and
earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till
all be fulfilled.' The promises are still the same, even as God is :
Mai. iii. 6, * For I am the Lord, I change not ; therefore ye sons of
Jacob are not consumed.' And these mercies we should take comfort
in : Heb. xii. 28, ' Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot
be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably,
with reverence and godly fear/ So also 1 John ii. 17, ' And the world
passeth away, and the lusts thereof, but he that doeth the will of God
abideth for ever.'
2. In times of general confusion, when that which they apprehended
to be right and a duty proveth a sin, when wickedness is established
by a law : Ps. xciv. 20, ' Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship
with thee, which frameth mischief by a law ? ' and all that is just and
right seemeth to be perverted. There is a God in heaven, who will
judge not according to the opinions of the times, but according to the
reality of things revealed in his holy word. These ordinances of men
shall be forced to give way to those eternal testimonies ; a duty in
former times, a sin now.
3. Comfort against the encounters of violence, when we seem to be
borne down with force, and have no hope. The testimonies of God are
firm and steadfast, that none shall overthrow and frustrate them. They
are but as the dashing of waves against a rock : Isa. xxviii. 15,
' When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come
unto us.'
4. It is a comfort in prayer ; so David useth it here. Yea and
Amen, that relateth to our desires, as before.
Use 3. To persuade us to behave ourselves to the word of God as an
unchangeable unerring rule.
1. To the directions and precepts of it. There are no other terms
to be expected, but what God hath set down in the word ; there
fore frame yourselves to observe them, and be constant in this prac
tice, then will you have the everlasting comfort of it. Bind them
upon your hearts : you must take up Christ's yoke one time or other;
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXX.
do not think that he will alter the ordinances of his wisdom and jus
tice for your sakes : Ps. cxix. 66, ' Teach nie good judgment and
knowledge, for I have believed thy commandments.'
2. To the promises of it. They -are founded for ever, whatever
carnal reason suggests to the contrary in the hour of temptation. To
this end consider what promises are. They are declarations of the
purposes of God. Both confirm you. As they are purposes of God,.
they imply immutability : Heb. vi. 17, ' Wherein God, willing to
show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, con
firmed it with an oath.' God's counsel is immutable, for God being
an intelligent agent, of most perfect knowledge and profound wisdom,
can will and determine nothing but according to the best and most
exact understanding. There can be no cause of revocation, either for
want of wisdom <5r justice, for he is absolutely both wise and just ; nor
from inconstancy of will, for ' the strength of Israel is not as man that
he should repent ; ' nor can his will be frustrated for want of power,
for he is almighty. But now when this purpose is declared, that
draweth on a further obligation : Ps. Ixxxix. 34, ' I will not alter the
thing that is gone out of my lips.' There is a debt ariseth, and a
right established of the creatures. To change counsel would imply
weakness ; to alter a promise, wickedness and unfaithfulness, which
were the highest blasphemy to imagine in God, especially when this
declaration is made with such emphatic averment, confirmed by an
oath : Heb. vi. 18, ' That by two immutable things, in which it was
impossible for God to lie, we may have strong consolation ; ' which is
such a sacred assurance, yea, by seals and signs. Yet, again, your
very believing bindeth it the faster : Ps. cxix. 49, ' Kemember the
word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope/
Would God invite a trust, and then decline it? The more you
believe, the sooner you see the effects of the promise. This is the
difference between promises and threatenings. Christ saith, 'Be it
unto thee according to thy faith/ God's threatenings are fulfilled
whether man will or no ; let him believe or not believe, God will
throw the ungodly into hell. But in promises it is otherwise ; then
they do good to us when by faith we embrace them ; believe, and thou
shalt be established. Besides God's two immutable things, faith is an
anchor sure and steadfast, Heb. vi. 19 ; therefore let us not entertain
the promises of the gospel with a loose heart; you may know it by your
slightness and carelessness about them, if you do not esteem them as
greater 2 Peter i. 4, ' To you are given exceeding great and precious
promises ; ' they contain spiritual and eternal riches, and deserve to be
greatly esteemed. By your addicteclness to sense and to present things
you seem to declare that you think a bird in the hand is better
than two in the bush, happiness to come but conjectural and uncer
tain. It is a fancy to live by faith, if it doth not support us in dim
ities and afflictions: Ps. cxix. 40, 'This is my comfort in my
affliction, thy word hath quickened me;' when you look on all the
promises as a dry stick, or as words and wind ; if they do not engage
to the earnest pursuit of heavenly happiness, and the blessedness
which they contain and offer : Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith,
; having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and
VEE. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix, 119
were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they
were strangers and pilgrims on the earth/
Doct. 2. That this unchangeable certainty and everlasting verity of
God's testimonies should be known by us, that so a sure word should
be entertained by a pure faith. David acknowledged here his own
certainty.
1. What it is to know this. To know signifieth three things — to
understand, to consider, to believe ; all have place in this point.
There must be a clear apprehension, a deep and serious consideration,
and a firm assent and sound belief of this truth.
[1.] It is needful we should understand the unchangeable and ever
lasting verity of the scriptures ; for how shall we believe what we do
not know, and venture our souls upon what we are ignorant of ? 2
Tim. i. 12, * I know whom I have believed ; ' John ix. 36, ' Dost thou
believe on the Son of God ? And he said, Who is he, that I might be
lieve on him ? ' True faith is not content to go on implicit grounds,
but seeks for clear knowledge of the ground it goeth upon. Nor
can there be solid faith without knowledge of that which we do
believe. Who will venture his soul on the bottom of the scriptures
till he knoweth they are of God, and unchangeably fixed as the rule of
life and charter of his happiness, especially since they require us to
crucify our lusts, and sacrifice our interests, and perform those duties
which are unpleasing to nature, upon the hopes which they offer, and
bid us with confidence and joyfulness to wait upon God for his salva
tion in the midst of all pressures and afflictions. If we build hand
over-head we build on the sand, not on the rock.
[2.] To know signifieth to consider. This is also necessary, be
cause all knowledge is improved by consideration, without which it is
but as ignorance or oblivion at the best, till consideration doth awaken
it. Certainly it can have no efficacy upon us, breed no delight and
hope in us. A transient view doth not acquaint us with things as
serious meditation ; the truth lieth by unimproved ; as a man that
passeth us by occasionally knoweth us not so much as he that doth
intimately converse with us. Therefore, if we would improve our
knowledge, excite the soul to its act of faith and choice, there must be
consideration. We are bid to consider the Lord Jesus, Heb. iii.
1 ; to give heed to the gospel, Heb. ii. 1, to consider its worth and
certainty. The schoolmen have a distinction, certitudo cognitionis
sen speculations, and certitudo adhcesionis ; the former lieth only
in a clearness of the mind, the last in its power upon the affec
tions and the will. The object rightly propounded produceth the
former from the understanding, not expecting the consent of the will ;
the latter followeth impenum et consensum voluntatis, the command
and consent of the will. The former ariseth from the evidence of the
thing ; the latter from the worth, weight, and greatness of the thing,
the gospel truth. Of this latter sort we read, 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is
a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief ; ' and there
fore must not only be apprehended, but seriously considered by us,
that we may adhere to it with all our hearts. Though illumination is
helped by contemplation, yet much more the latter, where firm adherence
is expected. Men may apprehend the truth of things, when corrupt
120 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXX.
affections and a perverse will keep them from closing with them ; but
when a man so knows a thing as to consider it both his duty and inte
rest to close with the goodness and truth of it, then doth he rightly
know it.
[3.] To know signifieth assent and firm believing ; as John xvii. 8,
' They have known surely, aX??0«?, that I came out from thee.' So
Acts ii. 3G, ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly,
tt<r<£aX<w9, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified
both Lord and Christ ; ' to know it so as they might safely build upon
it. This is mainly necessary, considering the many temptations and
assaults that we shall meet with to shake us ; this assent must be very
strong, well rooted and built upon sure ground. And because it doth
not consist in puncto, it must be always growing, Mark ix. 24, ' Lord,
1 believe ; help thou my unbelief ; ' till it grow up to the certainty of
the thing on which it is built. There is an objective certainty in
things that is beyond that subjective certainty in persons about them ;
but because it is built on divine revelation, or God's testimonies, we
should still increase in it.
2. Whence we know it, there is the difficulty. The doubt will not
lie here, whether God's testimonies be of everlasting verity, but how
we shall know them to be God's testimonies. For it is per se notum,
that God is true, that he cannot lie, or give a false testimony : 1 John
v. 9, ' If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater/
But how doth it appear this is God's testimony ? for that word that is
propounded to be believed as such, cannot be perceived easily, neither
is it known of itself to the understanding, neither is it demonstrable by
evident reasons as to make infallible conclusions. The word's giving
testimony of itself doth not solve it ; indeed one part may give testi
mony to another, and one revelation be confirmed by another, as the
New Testament giveth witness to the Old, and confirmeth its autho
rity ; but how shall we know that to be God's testimony ? I answer,
we have it —
[1.] Partly from the self-evidencing light of the scriptures them
selves ; they have passed God's hand, and have his signature upon
them, as all his works make out their author. There are characters
of his wisdom, power, goodness, and holiness impressed upon them ;
2 Cor. iv. 2-4, ' By manifestation of the truth commending ourselves
to every man's conscience in the sight of God : but 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, lest the light of
the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
unto them.' The gospel being the result of God's wisdom, and suited
to the heart of man, for whose use it was calculated, it hath something
in itself to commend it to our consciences. It cannot be imagined
that the hand of God should pass upon anything, and there should be
nothing of liis character left on it to show it came from God. Look
upon any fly or gnat, any flower of the field or pile of grass, and you
may see some impressions to discover the author of them. So certainly
if God shall set himself to write a book, or set forth a frame of doctrine
to do man good, surely he hath discovered his wisdom and holiness
and grace therein, and that in plain and legible characters, that, if
. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 121
man were not prepossessed and leavened with prejudice and corrupt
affections, he could not choose but see it. That there is such an
objective evidence or aptitude in the doctrine itself to beget faith in
those that consider it, is plain from that of the apostle : 2 Cor. iv.
2-4, ' By the manifestation of the truth we commend ourselves to
every man's conscience in the sight of God ; ' without miracle, or other
confirmation, if they had a clear eye : it is light which discovereth
itself, and all things else. The reason why it is not seen is not in the
object, because of any defect there, but the faculty, the visive faculty;
their eyes are blinded with worldly lusts. Well, then, when things
are spoken so becoming the nature of God, and so agreeable to the
necessities of man, and with such an evidence of reason, not to the
law only, but also to the gospel, as to establishing of a way of com
merce between God and us, and exempting us fronfthe grand scruples
that haunt us, though these things could not be found out by human
wit, yet now they are revealed, they carry a great suitableness there
unto.
[2.] And partly by the testimony of the Spirit, this is one way of
confirming the truth of the gospel : Acts v. 32, ' We are his witnesses
of these things, and so is the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to
them that obey him ; ' where the apostles are mentioned as one sort
of witnesses, and the Holy Ghost as another. The great office of the
Spirit is to testify of Christ Jesus : John xv. 26, ' Even the spirit of
truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.' The
doctrine of the gospel concerning Christ's coming and power is so
great a mystery that it is not believed and received in the world with
out the Spirit. Upon the beginning of Christ's ministry, in his
baptism, the Spirit appeared in the form of a dove. Now the Holy
Ghost doth two ways bear witness of Christ — eVre^w?, are^zw, arti
ficially, and inartificially. Artificially, per modum argumenti ; and
inartificially, per modum testis ; partly as he doth afford sufficient
matter of confirmation and conviction in those miraculous operations
in the primitive times, and also as he doth persuade the heart, and
convince us of the truth of the gospel.
[3.] There is experience of the truth of the word in God's hearing
prayers : Ps. Ixv. 2, ' 0 thou that nearest prayer, unto thee shall
all flesh come.' Fulfilling promises : Ps. xviii. 30, ' Thy word is a
tried word ; he is a buckler to all that trust in him/ Punishing the
wicked : Hosea vii. 12, ' I will chastise them as their congregation
hath heard/ Rewarding according to the rules set down in the word,
Rom. i. 18, and Heb. ii. 3 ; but of this by and by.
3. Why we must understand, consider, and believe ?
Ans. Both in order to our comfort and duty.
[1.] Comfort. If the certainty of the scriptures were more under
stood, believed, and thought of, we should be more fortified against
fears and sorrows, and cares and discouragements, whencesoever they
do arise ; for as fire well kindled doth easily break forth into a flame,
so assent freely laid doth fortify the heart against trouble. It is very
notable when the apostles would raise the joy of faith, they plead the
certainty of the doctrine they delivered ; for it was comfortable in
itself, suitable to the necessities of man ; all that needed was to assure
122 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXX.
others of the truth of it— see 1 John i. 1-4— that their joy might be
complete and full, upon this certainty of evidence, and complete de
monstration. We could not be so comfortless and dejected, if we
were persuaded of the reality of these things. So 2 Peter i. 8, ' Be
lieving, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious.' We should
love Christ, and rejoice in the believing confident expectation of
enjoying of him. And where this is firmly believed, afflictions cannot
damp or hinder this joy. A firm trust in the promises of the word
will fill a man with comfort, and strengthen him against all diffi
culties, Ps. Ivi. 4-10.
[2.] Our obedience would be better promoted, it would be a remedy
against boldness in sinning and coldness in duty : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take
heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing
from the living God.' You cannot drive a dull ass into the fire :
Prov. i. 17, ' Surely in vain is the net laid in the sight of any bird.'
Men do not believe the everlasting verity of the scriptures, and
therefore are so bold and venturous ; they think they shall do well
enough after all God's threatenings : Zeph. i. 12, /And it shall come
to pass that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and will punish the
men that are settled upon their lees, that say in their hearts, The
Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.' Secondly, coldness in
duty. How do the scriptures reason against neglect ? Heb. ii. 1-3,
' Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which
we have heard, lest at any time* we should let them slip ; for if the
word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and
every disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall
we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' The word spoken by
angels was Xo709 /3e/3ato9. Was only worth questioned ? No ; but
the truth also, because so little believed, therefore so little thought of,
less desired, least of all pursued and sought after : 2 Peter i. 16,.
' We have not followed cunningly-devised fables, when we made
known to you the power and coining of the Lord Jesus, but were eye
witnesses of his majesty/
Use. Oh ! study to be informed more and more of this great truth.
Let us think of and often consider the unerring certainty of the scrip
tures. It is a truth not to be supposed and taken for granted, but
known, that you may build sure. Man is apt to suspect evangelical
truths, as being cross to his lusts and interests. You will find it of
use, not ^ only in great temptations, when we are apt to question all,
Ps. Ixxiii. 13, but in ordinary practice, in every prayer : Heb. x. 22,
' Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith/ It is
not an assurance of our particular estate, or our title to eternal life,
but a full assurance of the word and promise of God, that is neces
sarily required in every one that will draw nigh to God : * Let us ask
in faith, nothing doubting/ James i. 7, 8.
2. Do not content yourselves with a light credulity, but grow up to
ft full persuasion : 2 Tim. iii. 14, ' But continue thou in the things
which thou hast learned, and hast been assured of, knowing of whom
thou hast learned them;' and Col. ii. 2, 'That their hearts being com
forted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full
ssurance of understanding;' not a fluctuating doubting knowledge,
TEE. 152.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 123
but a full persuasion of the truth of the gospel : Luke i. 4, ' That
thou mayest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast
been instructed ; ' Col. i. 23, ' If thou continue in the faith, grounded
and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel ; ' a
rooted persuasion that it is the undoubted truth of God : the firmness
of faith should answer the firmness of God's word. There are several
degrees of assent, conjecture, opinion, weak faith, and receiving the
word in much assurance, 1 Thes. i. 6. There is belief, confidence,
assurance, and full assurance. Belief is grounded on God's word in
general, and all the truths and propositions therein contained. Con
fidence, on the promise ; the one goeth before the other : fidelity is
before dependence and belief ; for the promise is first a truth, and so
to be considered, before it can be conceived under the formal notion
of a promise. Full assurance is grounded on the fidelity and immut
ability of God ; no man believeth so far but he may believe more.
Doct. 2. That experiences of former times should give us en
couragement to trust God for what is future. ' Thy testimonies I
have known of old/ saith David.
So the children of God make use of them. See David's instance,
1 Sam. xvii. 36, ' Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear, and
this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them. Moreover
David said, The Lord hath delivered me from the paw of the lion, and
the paw of the bear, and he will deliver me out of the hand of this
Philistine.' Thus he argueth from former experience to future deliver
ance : I trust in the same God, who is able to give the same strength,
and why should I not look for the same success ? So Jacob : Gen.
xxxii. 10, 11, 'I am not worthy of the least of all thy mercies, and of
the truth thou hast showed to thy servant ; for with my staff I passed
over this Jordan, and now I am become two bands : deliver me, I
pray thee, from the hands of my brother Esau.' So Ps. xxiii. 5, 6,
* Thou hast prepared a table for me in the presence of mine enemies :
surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.'
He hath been good to me, and if it be for his glory, he will be still
good to me ; he hath been my God, and will be my God, and shall be
my God for ever : 2 Cor. i. 10, ' Who hath delivered from so great a
death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust he will yet deliver us/
In all respects of time we stand in need of deliverance ; when one is
past, another cometh ; there have been dangers, there are dangers,
and there will be dangers ; but God hath, doth, and will deliver. It
is a trade God hath used, an art he is versed in, and never at a loss
about. Our God is a God of salvation, and is excellent in working
of it.
Keasons of the point.
1. God's constancy and unchangeableness. God is the same, always
like himself, for mercy, power, and truth ; he is never at a loss : what
he hath done, he can do, and will do. I am, is God's name, not I
have been, or shall be. His providence is new and fresh every morn
ing, Lam. iii. 23. God is but one God, Gal. iii. 20 ; always like
himself. As he hath delivered, so he doth, and will : Isa. lix. 1.
* Behold the Lord's hand is not shortened that he cannot save, neither
his ear heavy that he cannot hear/ No decay in him. When we give
124 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXX.
to another, we give from ourselves ; we waste by giving. The crea
tures are at a stint, and soon spend their allowance ; but God cannot
be exhausted ; there is no decrease of love and power, no wrinkle upon
the brow of eternity.
2. Experience begets confidence : Rom. v. 3, * And patience experi
ence, and experience begets hope/ The heart is much confirmed when
it hath faith and experience of his side. If we were as we should be,
the promise should be beyond all experiences, for it is the word of him
that cannot lie. Experience addeth nothing to the certainty of the
promise, nor any authority to it ; only in regard of our weakness, it
is a help and sensible confirmation against our distrustful cares and
fears. Sense and experience is not the ground of faith. We must
believe God upon his bare word ; yet it is an encouragement : John
xx. 29, ' Because* thou hast seen me, thou hast believed/ Then
more encouraged when Christ felt. We have a double proof and
perience : —
l.J What God is able to do for us.
2.J What God will do again, when his own glory and our need
rec
uireth it.
1.] We know what God can do ; former deliverances are as so many
monuments and significations of his power : Isa. li. 9, ' Awake, awake,
0 arm of the Lord ; art not thou he that cut Rahab, and wounded the
dragon ? awake, and put on strength, as in the ancient days/ Rahab
is Egypt, Ps. Ixxxvii. 4 ; the dragon, Pharaoh, Ezek. xxix. 3, the
dragon or crocodile of Egypt. Can he do this, and not do that?
Upon every experience, we that learn by sense should be more strongly
persuaded of God's power. It is a complaint they will not learn after
all these signs and wonders : Mat. xvi. 9, ' Do ye not understand,
neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many
baskets ye took up?' Upon every experience we should have high
thoughts of God's power and all-sufficiency. The great controversy
between Christ and his disciples was their not profiting in faith.
[2.] We see and know what God is willing to do for poor sinners.
He is not sparing of necessary supplies and comforts ; he hath been a
present help. We have no cause to believe the contrary ; it is only
distrust saith he will not ; it is a suspicion and jealousy without cause.
.t may be, for it hath been : 1 Sam. xvii. 36, ' The Lord hath delivered
me/ &c. Particular and special confidence is not so usual now, but
we have no reason to be discouraged in the ways of God ; though we
cannot be absolutely confident, yet we should not balk duty out of
distrust and jealousy. In such faintings take the cordial of experi
ence: Ps. Ixxvii. 10, ' And I said, This is my infirmity ; but I will
remember the years of the right hand of the Most High/
3. Former mercies are pledges of future ; by giving, God becometh
our debtor : Mat, vi. 25, ' Is not the life more than meat, and the body
more than raiment ? ' If he gives life, he will give food ; if he gives
a body, he will give raiment : one mercy is an earnest of another.
Rom. viii. 32, if he give us Christ* he will give us all things ; if he
give grace, he will give glory; if we have the first-fruits, Rom. viii.
£5, we shall have the harvest ; if we have the beginning, Phil. i. 6,
we shall have the ending. There are some dispensations that are but
VER. 153.1 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 125
as a tendency to other mercies, given out in such a way as to invite
hope.
4. We are the more endeared to God by his own mercy and tender
care of us : Zech. iii. 2, ' Is not this a brand plucked out of the burn
ing ?' The danger heightens the mercy.
Use 1. To reprove the people of God for their diffidence and distrust,
when, after many experiences of God, they can no more quiet their
hearts concerning future events ; upon every new trouble as much
tormented and perplexed as if never known nor heard anything of God
before. David : 1 Sam. xxvii. 1, ' I shall one day perish by the hand of
Saul/ When God hath abundantly done enough to evidence his power
and love unto his : Ps. Ixxviii. 19-21, * They said, Can God furnish
a table in the wilderness ?' £c. When we are to credit God in another
work, as the disciples after the miracle of the loaves. When new
temptations assault us, we should not be disheartened. What were
God's motives before to help? Because you were in misery; tbe.
same you may expect again.
Use 2. To press you —
1. To observe your experiences, and compare them with the word.
All that God doth is full of truth and faithfulness : Ps. cxi. 7, ' The
works of his hands are verity and judgment, all his commandments
are sure ;' exactly according to what he hath promised ; they certainly
come to pass. Especially observe your experiences in your troubles and
temptations, what hath been your greatest comfort and support then.
2. Begin to do so betimes; long experience is a great advantage.
Most Christians are to be blamed that they begin so late to know God,
or to observe the truth of his word, or that adjourn and put it off.
Fruits planted late are seldom ripe and come to anything. When we
have a long journey to go, we set forth early. Begin with the Lord
betimes, if you would thrive in faith. The longer experience you have
had of God, the more you will believe in him : Ps. xxii. 9, 10, ' Thou
art he that took me out of the womb ; thou didst make me hope when
I was upon my mother's breast : I was cast upon thee from the womb ;
thou art my God from my mother's belly.'
3. Kemember and improve experiences. 'They that know thy name
will put their trust in thee.' Let not new troubles startle us, after we
have found the power and goodness of God so ready for our help.
SERMON CLXXI.
Consider mine affliction, and deliver me ; for I do not forget thy
.— VER. 153.
IN this verse observe —
1. David's petition, consider mine affliction, and deliver me.
2. His argument, for I do not forget tliy law.
First, His petition is double — for pity and deliverance ; the one is
preparative to the other.
1. That God would consider his case.
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXL
2. Deliver him from the danger into which he was cast by his
Secondly, His reason is taken from his constant obedience, ' For I do
not forget thy law/ The phrase is a meiosis, and noteth—
1. His diligence; he did carefully observe.
2. His constancy ; he never departed from the obedience of God's
word, whatever temptations he had to the contrary.
I shall give you some brief notes.
Doct. 1. That God's choicest servants in this world have their
afflictions.
David saith, ' Mine affliction ; ' and others of God's children have
their share of the sorrows and vexations of this world. This will be
so whether you consider them as men or as Christians.
1. As men : Jt)b xiv. 1, ' Man that is born of a woman is of few
days, and full of trouble.' So Job v. 7, * Man is born to trouble as the
sparks fly upward •/ and Gen. xlvii. 9, ' Few and evil have the days of
the years of my life been/ It is well they are so few, since so evil.
As our relations and comforts are multiplied, so are the occasions of
our sorrow. God never intended the world to be a place of our rest,
but our exercise ; it is a middle place between heaven and hell, and
hath somewhat of either. In our passage to the other world we must
look for it, it is that we are born to. Many are born to great honour
and estate, but they have another portion goeth along with it ; they
are born to trouble. Ever since * sin entered into the world, punish
ment entered with it. Vitam auspicatur a supplicio. In heaven full
of days, full of comforts ; but here it is otherwise, few, and full of
trouble. Unusquisque nostrum, cum nascitur, ex hospitio Tiujus mundi
excipitur, initium sumit ex lacrymis — Cyprian de Pat. Austin, infans
nondum loquitur, et jam proplietat — Serm. 24, de Verbis Apost.
2. As Christians. A man is no sooner brought home to God but he
must expect to be hated by the world : John xv. 19, 'If ye were of
the world, the world would love his own ; but because ye are not of
the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world
hateth you.' Assaulted by Satan: Luke xxii. 31, 'Simon, Simon,
behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as
\yheat.' Chastened by the Lord himself for their trial and humilia
tion : Heb. xii. 8, ' But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.' Our own corrupt hearts
will be vexing us, thwarting all the motions of the new nature : Gal.
v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against
the flesh : and these are contrary one to the other ; so that ye cannot
do the thing that ye would/ The lusts of the flesh are as pricks and
thorns in our sides. In short, wicked men will hate us because we are
so good : 2 Tim. iii. 12, ' Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution/ God will afflict us because we are no
better : Isa. xxii. 9, ' By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be
purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin/ A Christian is
strict and pure for the world, and is not strict and pure enough for
>d ; and therefore must look for afflictions to mortify sin from God's
hand, and great enmity from the world, if he meaneth to keep up the
majesty of his profession.
VER. 153.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 127
Use. It presseth us —
1. To look for crosses.
2. To prepare for them.
3. When they come, bear them with more patience.
1. Look for them. The first day that we begin to be Christians we
must reckon of the cross. Christ hath drawn up the form of our in
denture, to which every one must yield and consent before he can call
him Master : Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' In Luke it is,
' take up his cross daily/ Luke ix. 23. Though there be fair days as
well as foul in Christianity, yet we must every day be ready. As por
ters stand in the street waiting for a burden for them to carry if they
be hired to it, so must a Christian every day be prepared to take up
his burden if God shall call him to it ; yea, ' daily' noteth not only
continual readiness, but the frequency of our conflicts ; as if every day
there were some exercise of our faith and patience. If God keep us to
the cross all the days of our lives, we must be content. Once more,
taking up the cross daily showeth that private and personal calamities
are a part of the cross as well as the afflictions of the gospel. Afflic
tions from God as well as afflictions for God ; such as sickness, death
of friends, loss of estate, by an ordinary providence ; though not en
during persecution for the name of Christ, yet enduring affliction at
the will of Christ. Ordinary crosses do not exclude the comforts of
Christianity. These occasion experience of God and trial of grace,
and are a part of God's discipline for the mortifying of sin, happy
opportunities to discover more of God to us ; yea, there is more reason
of submission to God in these, because God taketh us into his own
hands. A man that stormeth when a bucket of water is cast upon
him is patient when wet to the skin with the rain that cometh from
heaven. Well, then, we must be daily ready for all these things ; if
we take up the profession of stricter Christianity with other thoughts,
we should soon see our mistake. It is a vain thing to flatter ourselves
with the hopes of a total exemption ; many think they may be good
Christians, and yet live a life of ease and peace, free from troubles and
afflictions. This is all one as if a soldier going to the wars should
promise himself peace and continual truce with the enemy ; or as if a
mariner committing himself to the sea for a long voyage should pro
mise himself nothing but fair weather and a calm sea without waves
and storms ; so irrational is it for a Christian to promise himself a life
of ease and rest here upon earth.
2. Be prepared for them, otherwise our looking for them is in vain ;
and to this end would Christ have us reckon upon the cross, that we
may be forewarned. He that buildeth a house doth not take care that
the rain should not descend upon it, or the storm should not beat upon
it, or the wind blow upon it ; there is no fencing against these things,
they cannot be prevented by any care of ours ; but that the house may
be able to endure all this without prejudice. And he that buildeth a
ship doth not make this his work, that it should never meet with waves
and billows, that is impossible ; but that it may be tight and stanch,
and able to endure all weathers. A man that taketh care for his body
doth not cark for this, that he meet with no change of weather, hot
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXiX. [SER. CLXXI.
and cold, but how his hotly may hear all this. Thus should Christians
do ; not so much take care how to shift and avoid afflictions, but how
to bear them witli an even and quiet mind. See Chrysostom, Horn.
35, in 1 Cor. As we cannot hinder the rain from falling upon the
house, nor the waves from heating upon the ship, nor change of
weather and seasons from affecting the body, so it is not in our power
to hinder the falling out of afflictions and tribulations ; all that lieth
upon us is to make provision for such an hour that we be not over
whelmed by it. We need get a stock of spiritual comforts, that all
may be peace within when trouble without ; and as afflictions abound,
so may comforts. We had need get a sound back, be much morti
fied, and weaned from the vanities of the world : Heb. xii. 13, ' And
make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned
out of the way, but rather let it be healed.' If we have any weak part
in our souls, there the assault will be most strong and fierce. A gar
rison that looketh to be besieged taketh care to fortify the weak places ;
so should a Christian mortify every corrupt inclination, those that are
most pleasing. We need much resolution. A Christian had need be
a resolved man, well shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace,
Eph. vi. 15, or else in a hard way he will soon founder and halt. That
eVo^acrta, that preparation, is a resolved mind, to go through thick
and thin, and to follow Christ in all conditions : Acts xxi. 13, erot/£&>?
e'x&>, ' I am ready not only to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem for
the name of the Lord Jesus/ A well-shielded established mind in the
comfort and hope of the gospel ; unless we be thus prepared and armed
with a mortified heart, and a thorough persuasion of the truth and worth
of gospel privileges, and thereupon a resolution to encounter all diffi
culties and hardships, we shall not long be faithful to Christ ; but after
we have launched out into the deep with him we shall be ready to run
ashore again. Now most Christians are not mortified, and so they trip
up their own heels. Most Christians are not resolved, and so take
to religion as a walk for recreation, not a journey, so as to be prepared
for all weathers.
3. When they come, bear them with more patience. A resolution
which we thought strong out of a trial, is often found weak in a trial ;
for we have other apprehensions of things when we know them by
experience, of what we have when we know them only by guess and
imagination. Therefore, notwithstanding expectation and preparation,
there must be a care of patience in troubles and afflictions, that we
bear them with an equal and Christian mind ; not suffering as per
force, by compulsion and constraint, but willingly : it is not enough
to bear the cross, but according to Christ's law we must take it up.
It is said of the three children, Dan. iii. 28, that they yielded their
bodies willingly, cheerfully suffered themselves to be cast into the
furnace, rather than worship any but the true God. Many suffer, but
it is unwillingly, and with repining and impatience, under the hand of
God, like refractory oxen that draw back, and are loath to submit their
necks to the yoke. Patience perforce, is no true patience, little better
than the suffering of the devils and damned in hell, who suffer misery
and torment against their wills. Rebellion, murmuring, and want of
subjection is the very curse of crosses : the sacrifice that went strug-
VER. 153.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 129
gling to the altar among the heathen was counted unlucky. Two
things feed this impatience : —
[1.] Men think none suffer as they do : ' Is any sorrow like unto my
sorrow ?' Lam. i. 21. Every one hath the greatest sense of his own
burden, therefore they think none hath so heavy and grievous an one
as they have. It were well if they did this in feeling of sin. Paul
felt his burden greatest in that respect : 1 Tim. i. 15, ' Christ Jesus
came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief/ But alas !
in afflictions, all God's children have their trials ; many fare more
grievous. When you lament the feared loss of an only child, what
think you of the Virgin Mary ? Luke ii. 35, ' A sword shall pierce
through thy soul/ Generally, 1 Peter v. 9, ' The same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren that are in the world/ Every Christian
hath his measure of hardship and suffering ; you are not singular and
alone ; your lot is no harder than the rest of the saints of God through
the world ; others are poor, and carry it well, and are cheerful ; such
an one under a painful disease, very patient in an acute fever, racked
with stone, £c. If they, why not thou ?
[2.] They could bear any other cross but this that is now upon
them. Christ biddeth us to take up the cross indefinitely, whatever
God is pleased to lay upon us ; we must not be our own carvers, but
stand to God's allowance. The wise physician knoweth in what vein
to strike. God knoweth us best, and what is fit for us. Many in their
troubles wish God would afflict them in any other kind, lay any trouble
upon them but that which is laid, and think they could bear it better.
The poor man wisheth any other cross but poverty ; the sick man he
could bear poverty better than pain or sickness ; he that hath a long
and lingering sickness wisheth for a sharp fit, so it might be short ;
e contra, another that hath a sharp and violent sickness had rather
have a lingering distemper. Thus apt are we to dislike our cross
which God layeth on us for the present. This is disobedience and
folly too ; for if God should leave us to ourselves to choose our own
crosses, we should choose that affliction which is hurtful and danger
ous for us.
Doct. 2. That in our afflictions we should run to God by prayer.
So doth David here, so should we.
1. We may do so.
2. We must do so.
1. We may do so ; we have leave to come to God. Affliction is a
fruit of sin, a part of the curse, introduced into the world upon the
breach of the old covenant ; yet then the throne of grace standeth
open for us : when God seemeth most angry, we have liberty to come
to hinL In afflictions we are apt to think God an enemy, and that
he beginneth to put the old covenant in suit against us ; but our
trouble should not be our discouragement, but our excitement ; the
throne of grace was for such an hour : Heb. iv. 16, ' Let us come
boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find
grace to help in time of need ;' and it is God's allowance : James Y. 13,
' Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray : is any merry? let him
sing psalms/
2. We must come ; it is a duty God hath required at our hands :
VOL. IX. I
130 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXI.
Ps. 1. 15, * Call upon me in the day of trouble ;' and Job xxii. 27,
' Thou shalt make thy prayer, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt
pay thy vows.' God will have us come and speak to him in our
most serious frame, and act faith by putting promises in suit, and
take new vows and resolutions to part with sin, when we feel the bitter
effects of it. He knoweth it preventeth distracting fears and cares,
when we can commend our condition to his pity and powerful provi
dence: Phil. iv. 7, in every thing we are to make our requests
known to God ; and he knoweth this maketh us sensible of his provi
dence and dominion over us in all conditions. Prayer is an acknow
ledgment of his sovereignty over all causes and events ; the affliction
could not come without his appointment, nor go away without his
leave : it is a kind of breaking prison, to hope to get through without
supplication to God : Job xxxiv. 28, 29, ' So that they cause the cry
of the poor to corhe unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted :
when he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble ? and when he
hideth his face, who then can behold him ? whether it be against a
nation, or against a person only.5
Use 1. It informeth us of the goodness of God, that he is willing
to receive us upon any terms. When afflictions drive us to him, he
doth not turn away his face from us. Those very prayers that are
extorted from us by necessity, he accepts as a piece of worship done to
him, provided we do not neglect him upon other occasions, for that is
hypocrisy : Job xxvii. 10, ' Will he delight himself in the Almighty ?
let him always call upon God.' We ought not therefore to be dis
couraged if our acquaintance with God begin in the time of our afflic
tions, and these set us a-work to think of him. Man will say, You
come to me in your necessity ; but then God is willing to receive us.
Christ had never heard of many, if their necessities had not brought
them to him — palsy, possession, deaf, dumb, fevers. Long would God
sit upon the throne of grace unemployed if he did not send trouble
and secret rack with it to bring us into his presence ; so that that
which in appearance doth drive us off from him, doth in effect make
us draw near to him.
2. It informeth us of the folly of them that neglect God in their
troubles : Dan. ix. 13, ' All this is come upon us, yet made we not our
prayer before the Lord our God.' You defeat the dispensation ; now
you should make up your former negligence. When we are pressed
hard on all hands it should put an edge upon our prayers, otherwise
our afflictions will turn to a sad account ; when God sendeth a tempest
after us, and this will not bring us back to him ; we are summoned to
make our appearance, and will not come. Joab would not come till
Absalom set his barley-field on fire.
Use 2. To encourage us to come to God in pur afflictions. Now is
a time to put the promises in suit, to begin an interest if we have none,
to make use of it if we have any ; then our weakness and nothingness
is discovered, that we may more apply ourselves to God ; and a time
of need will be a time of help : Ps. xlvL 1, ' God is a refuge for us, a
very present help in trouble ? that is, when trouble is trouble indeed,
ten therefore we should call for it most earnestly ; a necessitous crea
ture is a fit object for mercy. You expound providences amiss if you
VER. 153.J SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 131
think afflictions are a casting off. No ; they are God's voice calling
you, nay, his hand pulling you to kirn. Blessed seasons to bring God
and us together ; then God's aim is accomplished : Hosea v. 15/1 will
go, and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and
seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early;' Isa. xxvi.
16, ' Lord in trouble have they visited thee ; they poured out a prayer
when thy chastening was upon them/ Afflictions do not work thus
simply, for then they would work upon all, but as accompanied with
some drawings of the Spirit. Every condition is blessed when it
bringeth you nearer unto God ; though crosses be great trials to any,
yet if they chase us to the throne of grace, God is not wholly gone, but
hath left somewhat behind him to draw us to him. It is desertion in
point of felicity, but not in point of grace.
Doct. 3. One great request of the children of God in prayer is that
he would consider their affliction.
This David promisetk in the first place. So elsewhere : Ps. cxxxii.
I, 'Kemember David, 0 Lord, and all his afflictions/ He beggetk
God to take notice of his person and condition. So also Ps. xxv. 18,
* Look upon my affliction and my pain, and forgive all my sins/ He
beggeth that his groans might not be passed over. So Hezekiah, Isa.
xxxvii. 17, where many words are used to this effect : * Incline thine
ear, 0 Lord, and hear ; open thine eyes, and see, and hear all the
words that Sennacherib hath sent to reproach the living God/ If God
would but take notice, hear, and see, all would be well. And as for
personal calamities, so in public and church cases : Ps. Ixxx. 14,
' Keturn, we beseech thee, 0 Lord God of hosts ; look down from
heaven, and behold, and visit this vine/ If God will but come and
see, it is enough. So in the Lamentations, chap. i. 9, ' 0 Lord, behold
my affliction, for the enemy hath magnified himself/ So again, ver.
II, ' See, 0 Lord, and consider, for I am become vile/ Yet again,
ver. 20, ' Behold, 0 Lord, for I am in distress/ Thus do the chil
dren of God lay open their miseries before him, in confidence of his
pity.
But why do the children of God press this point so earnestly, as if
they did d'oubt of his providence and omnisciency ? God knoweth all
things, and can forget nothing. I answer —
1. Though God be not ignorant and unmindful of our condition,
yet we are to put him in remembrance : Isa. Ixii. 6, ' Ye that make
mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he
establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth/ Christ
is the advocate, we are solicitors and remembrancers for others, and
humble supplicants for ourselves. Indeed, in so doing, we do not put
God in^mind, but put ourselves in mind of the providence of God,
which is most graciously conversant about us in our afflicted condi
tion, which is a great comfort and support to us. The moving of God
to consider begets faith in us tkat he will consider ; and so we wrestle
with God, that we may catch a heat ourselves.
2. The sight of misery is a real argument. It is clear that we are to
use arguments in prayer ; for God dealeth with us as rational crea
tures, and as such we are to deal too with him. Now, among argu
ments, our afflictions and miseries are real ones ; they have a voice
132 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXL
to work upon his pity, and to move him to have mercy upon us. He
being inclined to compassion, his eye doth affect his heart, as a beggar,
to move pity, will not only plead with his tongue, but uncover his
sores ; so do the saints lay open their misery, and unfold their estate
before the Lord ; for God so loveth his people, that the very show of
their miseries moveth him to help them. Thus God saith that he
would show mercy to his people, ' for I have seen with mine eyes/
Zech. ix. 8. God seeth our case, and every degree of our trouble is
marked by him, which bringeth it the nearer to his heart; yea, God's
people themselves are comforted under their saddest sufferings by the
Lord's seeing and marking thereof : Ps. x. 14, ' Thou hast seen it,
for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand.'
It is enough to them thou hast seen it. So Ps. xxxi. 7, ' I will be
glad and rejoice, in thy mercy, for thou hast considered my trouble,
and known my soul in adversities/ It is a mighty comfort that God
hath an eye upon them in particular, and hath friendly affections
towards them.
3. The Lord is said to consider when he doth in effect declare his
not forgetting, or remembering us for good; and therefore, though
God cannot but see and consider our trouble, yet we cannot rest satisfied
with it, till by real effects he maketh it evident, that we may know,
and all the world may know, that he doth consider us, and regard our
condition ; and this is that which saints beg so earnestly, that he
would, by some act or work, experiment the truth, or make it appear
that he hath heard and seen and taken notice of our sorrows. Though
the saints believe his omnisciency and particular providence, yet they
cannot rest satisfied till they feel it by some effect, by giving real
support or help in need, according to covenant ; and so must all the
places before mentioned be interpreted.
Use. When we, or the church of God, or any of the people of God,
are in any distress —
1. Let us go to God and beg that we may see, and the world may
see, that he hath regard to us in our sorrows, and doth not wholly
pass us over. To this end, impress upon your hearts the belief of
these two things — the eye of his pity, and the arm of his power.
[1.] The eye of his pity, which is more than bare omnisciency ; ifc
imports his knowledge accompanied with a tender love. This is often
spoken of in scripture : Exod. ii. 28, ' God looked on the children of
Israel, and had respect to them.' So Exod. iii. 7, 'And the Lord
said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,
and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters, and have
known their sorrows;' Acts vii. 34, 18a>v elSov, 'I have seen, I have seen
the affliction of my people ;' or seeing, I have seen. The very sight of
God is a comfort and support to a sinking soul ; it is some comfort to
us to have our crosses known to such as we are assured do love us, if
they condole with us, though they be not able to help us ; so that the
Lord looketh upon us with a merciful, pitiful eye.
[2.] As God will cast the eye of his pity on us, so he will put forth
the arm of his power ; as he hath a merciful eye, so he hath a power
ful hand, ready to help; though sometimes we see nothing of this:
2 Chron. xvi. 9, ' For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout
VER. 153.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 133
the earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart
is perfect towards him/ There is his care and effective providence.
2. Be sure you keep up your qualification : ' I do not forget thy
law.' Many times when men in their prosperity do not regard God
and his commandments, he regardeth them in their straits ; for though
we forget the duty of children, he doth not forget the mercies of a
father. But surely he will not forget them that do not forget his
law ; therefore it is not credible that God should forget us and our
condition, that we should be more mindful of his law than he of our
affliction. He that puts us in mind of his law will also put himself
in mind of the troubles we endure for the keeping of it ; for certainly
God is more mindful of his part of the covenant than we can be of
ours. See Christ's argument, John xvii. 10, ' And all mine are thine,
and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them/
Doct. 4. We may ask deliverance from temporal troubles ; not only
support, but deliverance. So doth David.
1. God hath promised: Ps. 1. 15, 'Call upon me in the day of
trouble ; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me/
2. Much of God is discovered in it. His wisdom : 2 Peter ii. 9,
' The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation/
We are at a loss many times, but God is never at a loss. His power:
Dan. iii. 17, 'If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, 0 king;' when the wrath
of the king was great, and the fiery furnace burning before them.
His goodness : God is sufficiently inclined to it by his own grace, and
delights to do it : Ps. cxlix. 4, ' The Lord taketh pleasure in his
people; he will beautify the meek with salvation/ He loveth the
person of believers, and loveth their prosperity and happiness, and
delighteth to see them do well in the world. He hath pleasure in the
prosperity of his servants, Ps. xxxv. 27, which is a good encourage
ment to pray for it : 2 Sana. xiv. 1, ' Joab perceived that the king's
heart was towards Absalom.' Yea, not only his love, but the con
stancy and unweariedness of his love : 2 Cor. i. 10, ' Who delivereth
us from so great a death, and doth deliver ; in whom we trust that he
will yet deliver us/ There are all respects of time. Solomon saith,
Prov. xxv. 17, ' Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house, lest
he be weary of thee, and so hate thee.' Men waste by giving, but I Am
is God's name ; we still need, and he is still a-giving : 2 Tim. iii. 11,
1 Thou hast fully known my persecutions, afflictions, which came unto
me at Antioch, &c. ; but out of them all the Lord delivered me/ So
many troubles, so many gracious experiences of God : Ps. xxxiv. 19,
* Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth
them out of them all;' Job v. 19, 'He shall deliver thee in six
troubles, yea, in seven shall no evil touch thee.' Seven is the num
ber of perfection. God can and doth deliver us as often as we need
deliverance ; when clouds return after the rain, or one evil treadeth
on the heels of another ; he hath a succession of mercies, for our suc
cession of sorrows. We are dismayed when we see one trouble is
over and another cometh. We have the same God still, the same
certainty of his mercy in delivering. Many times God so delivereth
that the troublers of his people shall come in their room : Prov. xi. 8,
134 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXI.
* The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in
his stead ; ' as the leprosy of Naaman went to Gehazi. His faithful
ness, which he hath laid at pledge with us, that he will make a way
to escape: 1 Cor. x. 13, ' God is faithful, who will not suffer you to
be tempted above what you are able ; but will with the temptation
also make a way for you to escape, that you may be able to bear it/
His dominion and sovereignty : Ps. xliv. 4, ' Thou art my king, 0
God ; command deliverances for Jacob.' He hath all things at his
command, all second causes, the hearts of his enemies.
3. We have greater opportunities to serve God: Ps. cxix. 134,
' Deliver me from the oppression of man, so will I keep thy precepts ; '
Luke i. 74, 75, ' That he would grant unto us that we, being delivered
out of the hands* of our enemies, should serve him without fear, in holi
ness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.'
Use. They are too nice that think we may not ask of God temporal
mercies. It is lawful to ask them if we ask them lawfully, with a
submission to God, and for his glory, that we may serve him more
cheerfully ; so you may ask a deliverance out of your troubles.
Doct. 5. Those that would have God to deliver them out of their
afflictions should be sure they do not forsake their duty.
All the evil that David suffered could not weaken his love to the
law of God, nor draw him from the obedience of it. And what was
the issue ? He pleadeth this in prayer to God.
Reason 1. Because if we do so, the nature of our sufferings is altered,
both as to God and man. As to man, we do not suffer as evil-doers :
1 Peter iv. 15, ' But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief,
or as an evil-doer, or as a busy-body in other men's matters ; ' which
will much darken our comfort and glory in suffering ; though for the
main you have an interest in God, if by your miscarriage you have
deserved the stroke of human justice. As to God, your sufferings are
not castigatory, but probatory : Kev. ii. 10, ' The devil shall cast some
of you into prison, that you may be tried ; ' not punished, but tried.
Reason 2. Because uprightness giveth boldness with God in prayer :
1 John iii. 21, 'If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence
towards God.' So Paul showeth he was capable of their prayers, or a
fit object of them : Heb. xiii. 18, ' Pray for us ; for we trust we have a
good Conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.' It is an error
to think that justification giveth us only comfortable access to God,
and sanctification hath no influence at all upon it. We lie in some
secret sin^ then our plea is spoiled. If God give thee a heart to adhere
close to him in a constant course of obedience, the more you may be
assured to be delivered. The joy of our faith is mightily confirmed by
the conscience of our constant respect and observance of the word of
God, and firm adherence to him.
Use. If we would boldly come to God in our straits, let us not forget
or forsake our duty, nor throw off the profession of godliness, whatever
we suffer from men : Ps. xliv. 17, ' All this is come upon us, yet have
we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.'
lea, from God ; though he seem to cast us off, taketh no care of us :
Job xiil 15, ' Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him/ Diogenes
VER. 154.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 135
Laertius telleth us of a cynic that went to Athens to Antisthenes to
be taught by him; when often met with a repulse, yet still insisted on
his request.
SEKMON CLXXII.
Plead my cause, and deliver me : quicken me according to thy
ivord. — VER. 154.
IN this verse are three requests, and all backed with one and the same
argument.
1. The three requests are —
[1.] That God would own his cause.
[2.] Deliver him out of his troubles.
[3.] And in the meantime, before the deliverance came, quicken
him.
In the first he intirnateth the right of his cause, and that he was
unjustly vexed by wicked men ; therefore, as burdened with their
calumnies, he desireth God to undertake his defence, ' plead my
cause.'
In the second he representeth the misery and helplessness of his
condition ; therefore, as oppressed by violence, he saith, ' deliver me ; '
or, as the words will bear, ' redeem me/
In the third ; his own weakness and readiness to faint under this
burden ; therefore, ' quicken me/
Or, in short, with respect to the injustice of his adversaries, 'plead
my cause ; ' with respect to the misery of his condition, ' deliver me ; '
with respect to the weakness and imbecility of his own heart, ' quicken
me/ God is his people's patron, to defend their cause ; his people's
redeemer, to rescue them out of their troubles ; the author and foun
tain of their life, to quicken them and support them : accordingly we
may beg of him, as the Psalmist doth here, defence of our cause, the
deliverance of our persons, and the support of our hearts.
2. The reason and ground of asking, ' According to thy word/ This
last clause must be applied to all the branches of the prayer : plead
my cause, according to thy word ; deliver me, according to thy word ;
quicken me, according to thy word : for God in his word engageth for
all, to be advocate, redeemer, and fountain of life. This word that
David buildeth upon was either the general promises, made to them
that keep the law, or some particular promise made to himself by the
prophets of that time. The sum of all is this : If we believe the word
of God to be true, we may in a righteous cause with comfort and con
fidence ask defence, deliverance, and support.
I begin with the first request, plead my cause.
Doct. When we have to do with unjust and wicked adversaries, we
should desire God to plead our cause ; or, as the original will bear, to
judge our judgment, or contend our contention — Kplvov rrjv
, Septuagint — litiga litem meam. So others.
There is a threefold cause that cometh usually into debate : —
136 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXXII.
1. Inter hominem et hominem, between man and man ; as between
the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent : Gen. iii. 15, ' And
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou'shalt bruise his heel ;'
those that are born after the flesh, and those that are born after the
spirit : Gal. iv. 29, * He that was born after the flesh persecuted him
that was born after the spirit ; ' the children of God and men of this
world : John xv. 19, * If ye were of the world, the world would love its
own ; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out
of the wflrld, therefore the world hateth you.' As between wolf and
lamb, raven and dove. This is an old controversy, that will never be
reconciled. It is often set afoot in kingdoms, in cities, in townships,
in villages, and families, and will continue till the world's end. For
while there are t\f o seeds, there will be strifes and enmities. Now, in
this quarrel and strife, sometimes success is cast on this side, some
times on that, as God seeth fit either to favour, or to try and correct
his servants. Usually the world prevaiieth, being more numerous ;
only let me tell you, this controversy doth not always appear to the
world unveiled or bare-faced. Enmity to godliness is such an odious
thing in itself, and hath so often miscarried, that it is not for its interest
to appear openly and in its own colours, but under the mask and dis
guise of other pretences, which are the more plausibly taken on when
the holy seed have scandalised their profession, and made the way of
truth to be evil-spoken of ; and yet it is the old enmity and antipathy
still, as appeareth by the parties contesting, their aims and designs,
and the means and ways they use to compass them, with scorning of
faith and piety,
2. Inter hominem et didbolum, between man and the devil : he is
called avriSiKos, the adversary, 1 Peter v. 8, ' Your adversary the devil
like a roaring lion walketh about continually seeking whom he may
devour ; ' and such an adversary as hath law of his side, and by law
would carry it against all the children of fallen Adam, if there were
not a new court erected, where grace taketh the throne. So Kev. xii.
10, he is called ' the accuser of the brethren ; ' but it is our comfort
that as there is an accuser, so there is an advocate : 1 John ii. 1, ' If
any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous, who also is the propitiation for our sins.' We shall do well
to put our cause into his hands, and then it cannot miscarry. Satan
will not be more ready to accuse than Christ to plead for us ; and he
hath a greater interest in the court of heaven than our adversary hath,
stronger arguments to plead, merits to represent ; therefore make him
your attorney, to appear iii court for you.
3. Inter hominem et Deum. God hath a controversy with us about
the breach of his law, and our undutiful carriage to him. Now you
can never reason it out with God. It was Job's presumption to think
that he could order his cause before him : Job xxiii. 3-5, ' Oh that I
knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his seat ! I
would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments :
I would know the words which he would answer me ; and understand
what he would say unto me.' No ; there is no trusting to the equity
of our cause, or hope to clear ourselves before God's judgment-seat.
VER. 154.1 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 137
We have no way left but submitting and humbling ourselves, and
suing out our pardon in a broken-hearted manner ; no way but yield
ing to the justice of the first covenant, and putting in the plea of favour
and grace according to the second : Ps. cxxx. 3, 4, ' If thou, Lord,
shouldest mark iniquity, 0 Lord, who can stand ? but there is forgive
ness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.' If you deny or excuse
sin, you stick to the first covenant, and plead innocency, and then God
will deal with you according to the tenor of strict justice ; but if you
Jmmbly confess sin, and acknowledge your guiltiness and shame, then
you may plead mercy. Justice dealeth with the innocent, mercy with
the guilty.
We speak now of the first, of the strife between men and men, or
the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, who do not only
oppress them by violence, but seem to have a plea against them in law,
because of the seeming justice of their quarrel, and the calumnies and
slanders wherewith they burden their cause. Therefore David beggeth
God to plead his cause for him ; and elsewhere, that God would stand
by him, not only as a champion and second, but as a patron and advo
cate : Ps. xxxv. 1, ' Plead my cause against them that strive with me ;
fight against them that fight against me ; ' as they allege false things
against him, and condemn him as being in an evil cause and evil way ;
so plead my cause against them that strive with me ; as they opposed
him with violence, so fight against them that fight against me.
In this point —
1. The nature of God's pleading our cause.
2. The necessity of it.
3. What hopes there are that he will plead the cause of his people.
First, The nature of this pleading would first be explained ; and
here —
1. In what quality God pleadeth for us. In all judicial proceedings
there are the principal contending persons, and those are called ultor
et reus, the plaintiff and defendant ; and the manner of proceeding in
judgment is, that the plaintiff bringeth forth his bill, and the defen
dant his answer. But besides these principal contending persons, there
are the witnesses, the advocate, the judge. Now, in some sense God
might be all these, testis, advocatus, et judex, without any wrong
and injustice. Our witness to attest for us, as he knoweth all things,
and knoweth our hearts ; for as such do the saints often appeal to him.
Our advocate to plead for us, for he is tender of the credit of his peo
ple, and hath undertaken to preserve them from the strife of tongues :
Ps. xxxi. 20, ' Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from
the pride of men, thou shalt keep them secretly in thy pavilion from
the strife of tongues.' As a judge to give sentence in our behalf, or
such a decree whereby the adversary may be convinced of our right
eous cause, and our innocency cleared ; and all this may be called
God's pleading, either as testis, advocatus, or judex. But I rather
confine it to the last. God's pleading is rather as a judge ; not as
advocatus, but as patronus ; that is a more proper and honourable
name. Zonaras tells us that the Komans called their patrons TOV?
K^ejjioviKovs ; and it was enacted in the law of the twelve tables, si
patronus clienti fraudem fecerit, sacer esto. If any man had deceived
138 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXXII.
his client, he was accursed, devoted to slaughter, and any man might
kill him. Glientes quasi colentes, patroni quasi patres, saith Servius.
So that to deceive a client was as to deceive a son. This was begun
hy Komulus, who commended the common people and worser sort to
the nobles, leaving every man his liberty to choose whom he would
for his patron ; and that defence of them was called patronage ; and
the jus patronatus during this constitution consisted in these duties
and offices ; they were to defend the poor in judgment, to answer for
them in all points of law ; they were to take care of them that none
might wrong them present or absent ; they were omnem accusatoris
impetum sustinere ; and this jus patronatus was of such authority
among the ancients, that Marcus Cato telleth us that first the name of
father was most sacred, next that of patron. It were long to say all
that might be said of them ; this is enough, that their principal work
was to be present at all causes wherein their poor client was concerned,
and to appear for him and defend him, as they would their own cause.
Advocates were taken in afterwards, when laws were multiplied, to
suggest what was law ; they were men skilful in the law. See Hall's
lexicon. Now thus it is G-od pleads the cause of his people as their
patron, who hath taken them into his tutelage and clientship ; not as
interceder, but defender. They have betaken themselves to his tui
tion, and desire to honour and serve him ; God will therefore take part
with them against their enemies. He doth not only hear pleas and
debates on either side, but mterposeth as the patron and chief party
concerned in the strife, and having withal the power of a judge, will
pass sentence on their behalf, and see it executed.
2. The manner of God's pleading. It is not a verbal or vocal, but
a real and active plea. God pleadeth not by words, but by deeds, by
his judgments, and powerful providence, righting the wrongs done to
them. For since, as I said, there concur in God the relations of judex
and pair onus, he maketh the one serviceable to the other. As their
patronus he owneth the cause, taketh it upon himself, as the answer
able party, and then useth his judicial power in defence of his people.
Now the property of a judge is to pronounce sentence, and then to put
his sentence in execution. God hath pronounced sentence in his word,
and he puts the sentence in execution in his providence ; and that is
God's pleading. Many times there is sententia lata, but dilata ; long
ago was sentence passed, but it is not speedily executed, Eccles. viii. 11.
Because sentence is not speedily executed upon an evil-doer, therefore
dp they vaunt and insult over his people, as if God had forsaken and
disclaimed them, and would never more own their cause and quarrel ;
but when God seeth fit to appear, and to show himself in this mixed
relation of judge and patron, the world will have other thoughts of
their cause ; and therefore, Isa. iii. 1?, ' The Lordstandeth up to plead,
and standeth to judge his people.' He will bring matters under a
review, and will powerfully show himself against their oppressors. To
this pleading Job allucleth when he saith, Job xxiii. 6, ' Will he plead
against me with his great power ? ' if he should use his almighty and
invincible power^ against me, he would easily ruin me. So Ezek.
:xxviii. 22, ' I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood;'
against Gog and Magog, that is, the Scythians, Turks, and Tartars.
VER. 154.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 139
So that you see that God's pleading is not by speaking, or by word of
mouth, but by the vengeance of his providence against those that
wrong his people. So against Babylon : Jer. li. 36, ' Thus saith the
Lord, Behold I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee/
But that this is a mixed act of patron and judge, see Micah vii. 9,
' I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against
him ; until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will
bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness/
When God's people provoke him to anger by their sins, he casteth
them into troubles; and then their adversaries are chief, and their
cause is much darkened and obscured : all this while God is pleading
against them, but it is not the enemies' quarrel, but his own vindica
tion of abused mercy and goodness. But when once the controversy
is taken up between God and them, by their submission, and clearing
his justice, and imploring his mercy, then God will plead their cause,
and take their part against the instruments of his vengeance (and clear
their righteous cause), who only sought their own ends in afflicting
them. When God hath exercised their humility and patience, he will
thus do. And how, I pray you, will he plead for them ? The text
saith there, by executing judgment for them ; that is, by putting his
sentence in execution, and then will restore to them their wonted privi
leges, and own them in the public view of all, and make manifest they
are his : he will bring them forth to the light, and they shall see his
righteousness.
3. The effect of God's pleading, which is the clearing of God's
people, and the convincing of their adversaries ; which God doth
partly by the eminency and notableness of the providences whereby he
delivereth his people, and the marks of his favour put upon them :
Neh. vi. 16, ' And it came to pass that when all our enemies heard
thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they
were much cast down in their own eyes ; for they perceived that this
work was wrought of our God.' Their own judgments were convinced
of their folly in opposing the Jews ; the extraordinary success showed
the hand of God was in it : by such incredible and remarkable occur
rences doth God bring about their deliverance. So Micah vii. 10,
when God shall plead her cause, * Then she that is mine enemy
shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where
is the Lord thy God ? mine eyes shall behold her ; now shall she be
trodden down as the mire of the streets.' Those who mocked her faith
should be confounded at the sight of her deliverance. Thus God
delights to make the happiness of his people conspicuous. So Eev.
iii. 9, ' Behold I will make them which are of the synagogue of Satan
(which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie), behold I will make
them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have
loved thee.' He will make their enemies to know that he hath loved
them, and ask them forgiveness for the wrongs and outrages done to
them. Partly by the convictions of his Spirit, undeceiving the world,
and reproving them for the hatred and malice against his people :
John xvi. 8, * The Comforter, when he is come, shall reprove the world
of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment/ The word is eXeyfei, not
comfort, but convince or reprove ; put them to silence, so as they shall
140 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXII.
not in reason gainsay. The object, the world, the unconverted, if not
the reprobate. The things whereof convinced, of sin and righteous
ness and judgment, of the truth of Christ's person and doctrine.
This was spoken for the comfort of the disciples, who were to go
abroad and beat the devil out of his territories, by the doctrine of the
cross, that were weak men destitute of all worldly sufficiencies and
props and aids. Their master suffered as a seducer, their doctrine
cross to men's carnal interests, for them in this manner to venture
upon the raging world was a heavy discouraging thing. Now the
Spirit should come and convince the opposing world, so far that some,
terrified before, brought to evangelical repentance : Acts ii. 37, ' Now
when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart ; ' soon desire
to share in their great privilege : Acts viii. 18, 19, * And when Simon
saw that through laying on the apostles' hands, the Holy Ghost was
given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that
on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost ; '
but he was yet in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity. Some
almost persuaded : Acts xxvi. 28, ' Then Agrippa said unto Paul,
Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.' Some forced to
magnify them, who did not join with them : Acts v. 13, ' And of the
rest, durst no man join himself to them, but the people magnified
them/ Some would have worshipped them, being yet pagans : Acts
xiv. 11-13, c And when the people saw what Paul had done, they
lift up their voices, saying, in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are
come down to us in the likeness of men. Then the priests of Jupiter,
which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates,
and would have done sacrifice with the people.' Others bridled that
were afraid to meddle with them : Acts v. 34, 35, ' Then stood there
up one in the council, a pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of law,
had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the
apostles forth a little space, and said unto them, Ye men of Israel,
take heed to yourselves, what ye intend to do as touching these men.'
That Christ, that Messiah, that righteous person, one able to vanquish
the devil, thus without any visible force, and with mere spiritual
weapons, by this conviction of the Spirit, did the Lord subdue the
world to the owning and receiving Christ's kingdom ; at least, not
go on in a high hand to oppose it. God cleared Christ as righteous,
and Lord.
Secondly, The necessity of this pleading.
1. Because the people of God are often in such a condition that
none will plead their cause unless the Lord plead it ; and therefore
we are driven to him as our judge and patron. God's design is not
to gain the world by pomp and force, but by spiritual evidence and
power ; ^and therefore, as to externals, it is often worse with his people
than with others ; for the world is upon their trial, and therefore
though God will give sufficient means of conviction, yet not always
such evident marks of his favour to the best cause in temporal things
as that mere sense shall lead them to embrace it. No ; he will only
set a good cause a-foot, and then suffer it to be exposed to the hatred
of the \yorld, and sometimes to be overborne as to any temporal
interest it can get, that the mere evidence and love of truth may gain
YER. 154.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 141
men, and not any secular motives. All the countenance and owning
God will give to it is by infusing courage and constancy to his servants
to suffer for it, and so they overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and
not loving their lives to the death, Eev. xii. 11. He speaketh of such
a time when the church seemeth weakest, like a poor woman travail
ing ; and her enemies seem strongest, like a great red dragon ready
to devour the child as soon as born. Now, though at such a time the
church is overcoming, and the devil and his instruments are but
pulling down their own throne, and establishing Christ's while they
are shedding the blood of his saints, yet none of this appeareth and
is visibly to be seen. Though suffering be a feeling and ratifying of
the truth, yet to the world's eye it seemeth a suppressing and over
bearing of it. Therefore few will own such a despised, hated,
persecuted way ; and the difficulty is the greater when there is much
of God's truth owned by the persecuting side, and the contest is not
about the main of Christianity, but some lesser truths, and so the
opposition is more disguised ; then certainly it may be said, Isa. lix.
4, ' None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth ; ' all half
friends are discouraged, therefore nothing is left the people of God,
but their prayers, ' Lord plead my cause.' David in the text appealeth
to God's judgment when he was deserted by men, burdened by pre
judices, oppressed by man's wrong judgment. So often God's people
are not able to defend themselves, and few in the world will own them,
or be advocates for them, then God will take their cause in hand. In
the civil law, if a man could not get an advocate, metu adversarii, the
judge was to appoint him one to plead for him ; so God taketh notice
of his people's condition : Jer. xxx. 13, ' There is none to plead thy
cause, that thou mayest be bound up/ Often among men none can
or dareth undertake the defence and patronage of oppressed right.
2. Though we have a good cause and hopeful instruments, yet wo
cannot plead it with any effect till God show himself from heaven.
Nay, though the cause be never so right and just, and instruments and
means hopeful, yet it requireth God's power to keep it afoot ; for the
justice of the cause must not be relied on, nor probable means rested
in ; but God must have the trust of the cause, and the glory of main
taining it ; otherwise by our own ill managing, or by some secret and
unseen opposition, it will miscarry : Ps. ix. 4, ' Thou hast maintained
my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right/
This is a work wherein God will be seen, while it is in agitation, or
under decision. God will have the trust, and when it is over, he will
have all the glory.
Thirdly, What hopes or grounds there are to expect that God will
plead the cause of his people.
1. He can.
2. He will. Infinite power and infinite justice can do it.
1. He can. The Lord is able ; he that pleadeth our cause hath
infinite power : Prov. xxiii. 11, * Their redeemer is mighty, he shall
plead their cause with thee.' It is easy to bear down a few afflicted
creatures, that have no strength or heart to oppose, being in bonds,
and under oppression ; but there is a mighty God, who when ho
pleadeth any one's cause, he will do it to the purpose, really and
.
[
[
[
142 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXXII.
effectually delivering them for whom he pleadeth : Jer. 1. 34, ' Their
redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name ; he will thoroughly
plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land, and disquiet the
inhabitants of Babylon/
2. He will, considering —
1.1 Their relation to God.
2.1 God's relation to them and to the whole world.
l.J Because of their relation to him. The dominus, the lord whom
they had chosen, was to be their patronus. They that have put them
selves under God's protection, and are faithful to him, keeping close
to his word, he will plead their cause, and manage it as his own : Isa.
li. 22, ' Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God, that pleadeth the
cause of his people, Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of
trembling, even tl;e dregs of the cup of my fury ; thou shalt no more
drink it again.' He being their sovereign Lord, had undertaken to
protect his servants ; he counteth the wrongs done to them done to
himself : Acts ix. 4, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?' especially
since molested for his truth.
S2.] Because of his relation to them. He is the supreme potentate
the righteous judge of the world, and so bound by his office to
defend the weak and innocent when oppressed : Ps. cxlvi. 7, ' He exe-
cuteth judgment for the oppressed. Those that should maintain right
upon earth, and punish wrongs, are often prevaricators ; but the judge
of all the earth will do right ; he is an impartial judge, and will main
tain the cause of his people : Prov. xxii. 22, 23, ' Bob not the poor,
because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate ; for the
Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled
them/ Though no relation to him, yet, if poor, if afflicted, if destitute
of human help, the Lord taketh himself tp be the patron of all such,
much more his people.
Use 1. To rebuke our fears and misgiving of heart. When we see
the best men go to the wall, and to be made objects of scorn and
spite, we are apt to say, as the church doth in the prophet Isaiah,
chap. xl. 27, * My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is
passed over from my God;' that is, in effect, that God doth wholly
neglect them, and will not plead their cause. Oh no ! He knoweth
what strife there is between us and our adversaries, and how good our
cause is, and how much he is concerned in it ; only we must wait his
leisure, and bear his indignation until he plead. True submission to
God ought to prescribe no day to him, but refer all to his will.
Use 2. Let us commit our cause to the Lord, as the expression is,
Job v. 8, ' I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my
cause ;' who is the friend and advocate of the afflicted, and hath pro
mised to be so, and to keep us from the hand of the wicked and the
mouth of the wicked ; from their hand and violence so far as it shall
be for his glory : Isa. xlix. 25, ' I will contend with him that contendeth
with thee, and I will save thy children ;' and from the mouth of the
wicked : Ps. v. 15, * He saveth the poor from the sword, and from their
mouth, and from the hand of the mighty;' from slanders that may
endanger their life and credit. So ver. 21, ' Thou shalt be hid from
VER. 154.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 143
the scourge of the tongue;' from their bitter reproaches. Therefore
commit your cause to God. But then —
1. Be sure that your cause be good, for God will not be the patron
of sin. Unless he hath passed sentence for us in his word, it is bold
ness to appeal to him ; as Baalam, that would hire God by sacrifices
to curse his people. Hasty appeals to God in our passion and revenge
ful humours are a great dishonour to him. Sarah appealed : Gen. xv.
3, 'The Lord judge between me and thee ;' and David appealed: 1
Sam. xxiv. 15, ' The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between thee
and me, and see and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thy hand.'
But there was more. of justice in David's appeal in the case between
him and Saul than in Sarah's appeal in the case between her and
Abraham ; it would have been ill for her if God had taken her at her
word ; it showeth that even God's children are too apt to intitle him
to their private passions.
2. Let us be sure that there be no controversy between God and our
persons, when yet our cause is good. The Israelites had a good cause,
Judges xx., but there was once and again a great slaughter made of
them, before they had reconciled themselves to God. There must be
a good conscience as well as a good cause, otherwise God will plead
his controversy against us before he will plead our controversy against
our enemies : Jer. ii. 35, ' Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent,
surely his anger will turn from me : behold I will plead with thee,
because thou sayest I have not sinned.' Because we have a good
cause, we think God hath no cause to be angry with us ; therefore he
will first plead in judgment against us. So Hosea xii. 2, ' The Lord
hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob accord
ing to his ways, according to his doings will he recompense him/
Though God may approve what is right in worship and profession,
yet he will punish our shameful disorders and unanswerable walking
in his people.
3. Let us pray in a right manner, with confidence, with earnestness.
[1.] Confidence that God will plead our cause when he seeth it good
and for his own glory, whether there be any likelihood of it, yea or
no ; for he hath promised to support the weak and humble, and pro
tect the innocent against their oppressors : Ps. cxl. 12, ' I know that
the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the
poor/ God is party with you, not against you, and leave him to his
own ways and means. Faith should support us when sense yieldeth
little comfort and hope. He knoweth how to justify your cause, and
deliver your persons ; and you should know that he will do it, and can
do it, though the way be not evident to you, and God seem to sit still
for a while.
u [2.] Earnestly. Oh ! be not cold in the church's suit. If you be
Sion's friends^ and are willing to take share and lot with God's peo
ple^ awaken him by your incessant cries. Nay, it is God's cause : Ps.
Ixxiv. 22, ' Arise, 0 Lord, plead thine own cause ; remember how the
foolish man reproacheth thee daily/ The godly are not maligned for
their sins, but their righteousness. So Ps. xxxv. 23, ' Stir up thyself,
and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord/
There is a long suit depending between the church of God and her
144 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXII.
enemies; desire that God would determine it, and declare what is
right and what is wrong.
Secondly, He begged God in the text to redeem or deliver him ; the
word in the text, *&$&, the usual word for goel, redeemer ; the Sep-
tuagint, Xvrpcoorai pe, 'ransom me.' Here he craveth that as his cause
might be in safety, so his person.
Doct We may beg a deliverance or a release from our troubles,
provided we do not beg it out of an impatiency of the flesh, but a
desire of God's glory.
God delights to be employed in this work. What hath he been
doing all along in all ages of the world, but delivering his people from
those that oppressed them ? He delivered Jacob from the fury of
Esau ; Joseph from the malice of his brethren : Gen. xxxvii. 21,
' And Keuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands, say
ing, Let us not kill him/ Daniel from the lions' den : Dan. vi. 22,
' My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that
they have not hurt me ; forasmuch as before him innocency was found
in me, and also before thee, 0 king, have I done no hurt.' Peter from
prison: Acts xii. 11, ' And when Peter was come to himself, he said,
Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath
delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation
of the people of the Jews/ And will not he do the like for his suffer
ing servants ? How came his hand to be out ? he delivered Israel
out of Egypt, out of Babylon ; he can do it again, it doth not cost him.
much labour : Ps. Ixviii. 2, ' As smoke is driven away, so drive them
away ; as wax inelteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the
presence of God/ Therefore refer your deliverance to God, and whea
you are in a way of duty, be not thoughtful about it : there is a price
paid for it ; Christ redeemed us from temporal adversity so far as it
may be a snare to us. God hath his times ; we may see it, unless he
hath a mind to sweep away the unthankful and froward generation
that provoked him to so much anger : Num. xiv. 22, 23, ' Because
all those men that have seen my glory, and my miracles which I did
in Egypt, in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times,
and have not hearkened unto my voice : surely they shall not see the
land, which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that
provoked me see it ;' Jer. xxix. 31, 32, ' Thus saith the Lord concern
ing Shemaiah the Nehelamite, Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied
unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie ;
therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the
Nehelamite and his seed ; he shall not have a man to dwell among
this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my
people, saith the Lord ; because he hath taught rebellion against the
Lord/ It may be, we may be more broken and afflicted first : Deut
xxxii. 36, ' For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for
his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none
shut up or left/ Oh ! let us desire to see the good of his chosen : Ps.
cvi. 5, ' That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in
the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance/
It is a favour : Ps. I. 23, ' Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me ; to him
that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God/
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 145
Thirdly, For quickening, ( Quicken me ; ' in which he prayeth either
to be kept alive till the promises be fulfilled, or rather to be comforted
and encouraged in waiting.
Doct. We need continual influence from God, and lively encourage
ment, especially in our troubles.
1. We are apt to faint before God showeth himself: Isa. Ivii. 16,
' I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth ; for the
spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made/ The
devil's design is to tire and weary us out. Some are of a poor spirit,
that they will tire before their strength faileth them : Prov. xxiv. 10,
* If thou faint in a day of adversity, thy strength is but small.' Yea,
there is a readiness to faint in the best through many troubles, delayed
hopes. Those that have upheld others by their good counsel are apt
to sink themselves.
2. At least we are clogged, cannot so cheerfully wait upon God, and
walk with him : Heb. xii. 12, ' Wherefore lift up the hands which
hang down, and the feeble knees.' We grow weak, slothful, remiss
in God's service. Fear and sorrow weakeneth the hands, indisposeth
us for duty.
Use. Let us encourage ourselves, rouse up our heavy hearts, and
wait for God's quickening ; let us not give God cause by our negli
gence to deny support to us.
SERMON CLXXIII.
Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
—VER. 155.
DAVID had begged his own deliverance, as one of God's servants or
clients, in the former verse ; now he illustrateth his petition by show
ing the opposite state of the wicked. They could not with such con
fidence go to God, or put in such a plea for deliverance : ' Salvation
is far from the wicked.' Some read it prayer-wise, Let salvation be
far from the wicked ; for in the original the verb is understood, and it
is only there, Salvation far from the wicked ; but most translations read
it better proposition-wise ; for as the man of God comforts himself in
his own interest and hopes, so also in this, that God would not take
part with the wicked enemies against him, who had no interest at all
in his salvation and protecting providence, and therefore would keep
him from their rage.
In the words —
1. An assertion.
2. The reason of it.
1. In the assertion we have the miserable condition of wicked men,
salvation is far from them.
2. In the reason we have the evil disposition of wicked men, ' They
seek not thy law ; ' which will give us the true notion and description
of them, who are wicked men ; such as seek not God's statutes, busy
not themselves about religion, study not to please God.
VOL. IX. K
146 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. CSEB. CLXXIII.
In the words two propositions : —
Doct. 1. That salvation is far from the wicked.
Doct. 2. They are wicked who keep not God's statutes.
Doct. 1. That salvation is far from the wicked. Salvation is of two
sorts— temporal and eternal. The proposition is true in both senses ;
they are far from salvation, and salvation is far from them. To be
far from salvation is to be in a dangerous case, as to be far from light
is to be in extreme darkness. To be far from God's law, ver. 150, is
to be extremely wicked ; to be far from oppression, Ps. liv. 14, is to
be in a most safe condition. So that the point is —
That the wicked are in a very dangerous case, both as to their tem
poral and eternal estate.
First, Temporal salvation is far from them, and they are in a
dangerous condition as to their outward happiness. This seemeth to
be the harder part, and to have most of paradox in it ; but this will
appear to you if you consider —
1. That all these outward things are at God's disposal, to give and
take according to his own pleasure: Job. i. 21, ' The Lord gave, and
the Lord hath taken away ; ' not the Sabeans and the Chaldeans :
1 Sam. ii. 7, ' The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich ; he bringeth
low, and lifteth up/ He that cast the world into hills and Galleys
disposeth of the several conditions of men, that some shall be high
and some low, some exalted, some dejected. All things that fall out in
the world are not left to the dominion of fortune or blind chance, but
governed by the wise providence of God : ' Their good is not in their
hands/ Job xxi. 16.
2. That it belongeth to God, as the judge of the world, to see ut
malis male sit, et bonis lene'. Gen. xviii. 25, ' That be far from thee
to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked : and
that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee.
Shall not the judge of all; the earth do right ?' Eom. iii. 5, ' But if
our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we
say ? Is God unrighteous that taketh vengeance ? (I speak as a man.)
God forbid : for then how shall God judge the world ?' Job xxxiv.
17, ' Shall even he that hateth right govern ? and wilt thou condemn
him that is most just ? ' Job xxxiv. 11, ' For the work of a man shall
he render unto him, and cause every man to. find according to his ways/
He is not indifferent to good and evil, and alike affected to the godly
and the wicked ; but hateth the one, and loveth the other. He hateth
the wicked : Ps. v. 5, * Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity ;' and,
on the other part, he loveth the good and the holy : Ps. xxxv. 27, ' He
hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants ; ' it is his delight to see
them happy and flourishing. This different respect is often spoken of
in scripture: Ps. xxxi. 23, 'The Lord preserveth the faithful, and
plentifully rewardeth the proud doer/ That he will uphold and main
tain those that are faithful to him, and avenge himself upon the pride
and oppression of the wicked ; though all the world be against the
godly, God will preserve them and ruin the wicked, though all the
world should let them alone. So 1 Peter iii. 12, ' For the eyes of the
Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers ;
but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil/ There is a
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 147
watchful eye of God over the righteous, to supply their wants, to direct
them in their ways, to uphold them against dangers, to comfort them
in their griefs, to deliver them out of all their troubles. God hath an
eye to take notice of their condition, and an ear to hear their prayers ;
but his face is set to pursue the wicked to their ruin : so that this is
enough to assure us that holiness is the way to live blessedly, even in
this life, where misery most aboundeth, because this is a part of the
care that belongeth to the judge of the world.
3. Besides his general justice as the ruler and judge of the world,
and the condecency that is in such a dispensation to the rectitude of
God's nature, there is his covenant declared in his word, wherein he
promiseth temporal happiness to the godly, and threateneth misery and
punishment to the wicked. And God ever stood upon the truth of his
word, to make it good in the eyes of the world ; therefore it will be
with men as their condition is set forth in the word of God. A pro
mise there is as good as accomplishment, and a threatening as sure as
performance ; and therefore, accordingly as the word saith of them, so
is salvation far or near from them. Now search all the word of God,
and see if it speak anything of hope and comfort to the wicked, or them
that make a trade of provoking God. Nay, they are well enough
aware of that, and therefore will not come to the light, care not to
busy themselves in the scriptures ; for they say of them as Ahab of
Micaiah, ' He prophesieth nothing but evil to me ;' and justly enough,
for they can see nothing there but their own doom. If they are evil, it
can speak nothing but evil: Isa. iii. 10, 11, ' Say ye unto the righteous, It
shall be well with them ; for they shall eat of the fruit of their doings.
Woe unto the wicked : it shall be ill with them ; for the reward of his
hands shall be given to him.' This is the tenor of the whole word
of God: so Eccles. viii. 12, 13, ' Though a sinner do evil a hundred
times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be
well with them that fear God, which fear before him : but it shall not
be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are
as a shadow ; because he f eareth not before God.' It is a certain truth ;
it is a certain evident truth, for it is judicium cerli axiomatis. I do
know and confidently affirm that it shall be weM with them that fear
God ; but it shall not be well with the wicked, that is, it shall be very
ill with them.
But here cometh in the great objection of sense, How can these
things be so ? We see the contrary, that all things come alike to all :
Eccles. ix. 1,2,' The righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in
the hand of God : no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is
before them. All things come alike to all ; there is one event to the
righteous, and to the wicked ; to the good, and to the clean, and to the
unclean ; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not : as
is the good, so is the sinner ; and he that sweareth, as he that f eareth
an oath/ That those outward things are given indifferently to good
and bad, and the wicked are as free from temporal punishment as
others, and enjoy all prosperity in this world, even sometimes to the
envy and offence of God's children, and the hardening of their own
hearts ; and, which is more, that often it happeneth to the just accord
ing to the work of the wicked, Eccles. viii. 14, and to the wicked
148 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXIII.
according to the work of the righteous ; that is, evil to good men, and
good to evil men. As to outward things, the advantage is usually on
the side of the worst.
A ns. 1. By concession; we must grant what is to be granted, that
temporal things not being absolutely good or evil, the Lord taketh a
liberty in the dispensation of them. The eternal promises and threat-
enings, being of things absolutely good and ill, are therefore abso
lute and peremptory. None that live godly can fail of the eternal
promises ; none that goeth on still in his trespasses can escape the
eternal threatenings. But the temporal promises and threatenings, being
of things not simply good and evil, are not so absolutely fixed, but God
will take a liberty sometimes to cross his hands, out of his general
indulgence to give prosperity to the wicked, and out of his fatherly
wisdom to chasten the godly ; and so all things come alike to all. Is
Abraham rich ? So is Nabal ; yea, so the godly may be afflicted when
the wicked triumph ; as Lazarus pined with want when Dives fared
deliciously every day, and Jerusalem was in a heap of ashes when
Babylon flourished.
2. By correction. The wicked have no right by promise or cove
nant, and so salvation is far from them ; for this promise or covenant-
right inferreth two things — (1.) A sanctified enjoyment ; (2.) A more
sure tenure.
[1.] A sanctified enjoyment ; they that have salvation by promise,
they have it as an effect of God's special love, and so have it as a
mercy, not as a judgment ; but without this they have it only by God's
general indulgence, and so it may be a snare : Ps. Ixix. 22, ' Let their
table become a snare before them, and that which should have been
for their welfare, let it become a trap,' and promote their ruin, not
only eternal, but temporal. If they be not by these common mercies
brought to repentance, the greater shall their condemnation be, and
their downfall the more speedy. For while they let loose the reins,
and run headlong into all sin, God is the more provoked against them,
and his anger, that was a little delayed and put off, is the more severely
executed. It is a blessed thing to have salvation by covenant : Kom.
viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love
God, to them that are the called according to his purpose.' When we
are sanctified to God, saith Baxter, all things are sanctified to us ; to
serve us for God, and to help us to him.
[2.] Our tenure is more sure, and we can with more confidence wait
upon God for it. In this sense salvation is far from the wicked, be
cause they cannot lay claim to God's favourable providence, or look for
the continuance of it with any confidence, because they have no right,
no promise to build upon. The word of God speaketh no good to
them, whatever God may do out of his general indulgence : James i.
7, ' Let not that man think he shall receive anything of the Lord.'
Now the misery of this appeareth by considering wicked men either as
in prosperity or adversity.
(1.) If they be still at ease for the present, yet they are not upon
sure terms, because they know not how soon God may break in upon
them and theirs : Job v. 3, 4, 'I have seen the foolish taking root ;
but suddenly I cursed his habitation. His children are far from safety '
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 149
(the notion of the text), * and are crushed m the gate, and there is none
to deliver them.' In the eye of the godly they are far from salvation.
I judged him unhappy for all his wealth, foretold his sudden destruc
tion, which God would speedily bring on him and his ; I read his
doom. So Job viii. 11-13, { Can the rush grow without mire ? can
the flag grow without water ? Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not
cut down, it withereth before any other herb : so are the paths of all
that forget God ; and the hypocrite's hopes shall perish.' A wicked
man cannot lift up his head above others for want of God's favour to
uphold him, as the rush or flag cannot grow without mire or water.
The prosperity of wicked men, when it is most green and flourishing,
yet wants its sustenance, which is God's blessing. This is the condi
tion of wicked men in the opinion of the good. But what is it in his
own opinion ? Take him in his serious and sober moods, he always
liveth miserably and expecting a change, as knowing that God oweth
him an ill turn : Job xv. 21, ' A dreadful sound is in his ears : in his
prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.' He trembleth secretly,
as if danger were always near ; therefore cruel and mischievous against
whom they fear, that shut the door against their own danger, for every
thing that is fearful will be cruel.
(2.) If he fall into adversity. In their troubles they have not a God
to go unto, nor promises to build upon ; therefore it is said, Prov. xv.
29, ' The Lord is far from the wicked, but he heareth the prayer of
the righteous.' God's children have ready access to a sure friend, and
are assured of welcome and audience when they come ; but they are
at their wits' end, know not which way to turn : Job xv. 22, ' He be-
lieveth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of
the sword;' that is, full of terrors of conscience and distracting dis
turbing fears, hath no hope to be delivered, but lives as if he had a
sword hanging over his head.
Use 1. To show us the reason why the people of God, when they
grow wicked, are often disappointed in that salvation which they ex
pect : Isa. lix. 11, * We look for judgment, but there is none ; for
salvation, but it is far from us.' Why ? Because they had exceed
ingly sinned against God, and scandalised their profession. There was
a horrible depravation of the people of God in those times, and there
fore all their prayers and fasts and seekings of God could not prevail
for a deliverance.
Use 2. Comfort in a good cause, wherein the godly are opposed by
the wicked. There is a double comfort : —
1. Because the prosperity, power, and pride of the wicked is not to
be regarded ; for though they flourish for a while, and all things flow
in upon them according to their heart's desire, yet salvation is far
from them. God is engaged both for the rectitude of his nature, the
quality of his office, as judge of the world, and the tenor of his
covenant, to employ his power and terror for their ruin ; and though
lie may for a while spare them, and they take occasion from this in
dulgence to do more and more wickedly, yet you should not be dis
mayed if you see them engaged in ways or courses that are naught and
wicked ; you may say, I know they cannot prosper in them. When
they are lifted up in the prosperity of their affairs, you should lift up
150 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXIII.
your hearts by faith, see a worm at the root of their happiness:
evSov TO KCIKOV, &c.
2. Because by the rule of contraries, if salvation be far from the
wicked that seek not God's statutes, then deliverance is near to the
godly that fear God and desire to be faithful with him, how hard so
ever their condition seemeth to be for the present : Ps. Ixxxv. 9, 'Surely
his salvation is nigh unto them that fear him.' You should be con
fident of it. They that please God cannot be always miserable ; it is
nearer than we think of, or can see for the present. There is a surely,
or a note of averment put upon it. It is better be with the godly in
adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity ; when they are men
appointed as sheep for the slaughter, yet there is a way of ransom and
escape ; but the wicked, at their best, are in the appointment of God
as the stalled ox, or as swine fatted for destruction ; when fattest, then
nearest to destruction and slaughter.
Secondly, As to eternal salvation, so they are in a dangerous case.
1. The phrase here used by the Psalmist seemeth to be used to
obviate their vain conceit. They think they shall do well enough, and
have as much to show for heaven as the best ; it is near in their con
ceit, but far indeed : 1 Cor. vi. 9, ' Be not deceived ; know ye not that
the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? ' Thoughts of
impunity are natural to us ; those that are in the ready way to hell are
apt to think they shall get heaven at last, as if God would turn day into
night; but alas ! it is an eternal truth, 'salvation is far from the wicked/
2. There is somewhat of a meiosis in the expression, less being said
thanks intended. The man of God saith that salvation is far, but he
implieth that damnation is near ; certainly the one it doth imply the
other : Heb. vi. 8, ' The ground that beareth briers and thorns, is
6771/5 /cardpas, nigh unto cursing.' They are upon the borders of hell,
and ready to drop into those eternal flames which shall consume God's
adversaries.
3. Once again, the longer they continue wicked, the farther off is
their salvation every day ; farther off from heaven, and nearer to hell.
A godly man, the more progress he maketh in virtue, the nearer he is
to his salvation: Kom. xiii. 11, 'Now is your salvation nearer than
when ye first believed.' Not only nearer in point of time, but nearer
in the preparation of their hearts; not because older, but because
better : and so by consequence, wicked men go farther and farther off,
and therefore they are said to treasure up wrath against the day of
wrath, Rom. ii. 5. Every sin they commit puts them a degree farther
off from salvation, as every degree of grace is a step nearer heaven.
Eeason 1. The inseparable connection that is between privileges and
duties. The gospel offeretli salvation conditionally ; if we forsake the
condition, we fall short of the privilege ; and therefore if we be wicked,
salvation is far from us. When God took Abraham into covenant
with him, he doth not tell him only what privilege he should enjoy,
but also bmdeth him to walk suitably: Gen. xvii. 1, 'I am God
Almighty, walk before me, and be thou perfect.' God will take care
of our safety, if we will take care of our duty. The covenant is called
Ezek. xx. 37, ' I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;'
because it hath a tie upon us, as well as upon God. We are not at
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 151
our own liberty, to walk as we list ; there are bonds upon us ; not
vincula careens, the bonds of a prison, gins and fetters, but vincula
nuptiarum, the bonds of wedlock. Now, they that cast away these
bonds from them, as the wicked do — (Ps. ii. 3, ' Let us break their
bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us ;) — and will be their
own men, and walk by their own will, have no title to the privileges
that accrue by the marriage ; such licentious spirits are at liberty, but
to their own woe ; they have a liberty to go to hell, and undo their
own souls. It was the wisdom of God to bind us to displeasing duties
by the proposal of comfortable privileges. Every man would desire to
be saved, and to be happy for evermore, but corrupt nature is against
holiness. Now without ^holiness there is no happiness. The con
ditional promise doth more bind and draw the heart to it, when we lay
hold of it, by yielding to perform the condition required ; then may we
groundedly expect the privilege promised. We would have salvation,
but we cannot unless we submit to God's terms ; for Christ came not
to gratify our selfish desires, but to subdue us to God. We would
have sin pardoned, we would be freed from the curse of the law and
the flames of hell, but this can never be while we walk in our own
ways, and are averse to holiness of heart and life, for God would even
sweeten duties by felicities.
Reason 2. Because of the perfect contrariety between the temper of
wicked men and this salvation, so that they are wholly incapable of it.
1. They care not for God, who is the author of this salvation ; he is
not in all their thoughts, words, and ways : Ps. x. 1, ' The wicked
through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God ; God is
not in all his thoughts/ They are far from him, though he be not far
from every one of them ; he is within them, and round about them, in
the effects of his power and goodness ; but they never think of him, nor
take care to serve and please him ; that is the reason in the text, ' They
seek not thy statutes.' If they seem to draw nigh to him at any time
in some cold and customary duties, they do but draw nigh to him with
their lips, but their hearts are far from him : Isa. xxix. 13, * This
people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour
me, but have removed their heart far from me ; and their fear toward
me is taught by the precepts of men.' Or as it is in another prophet,
Jer. xii. 2, ' Thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins.'
They profess to honour God with a little outward and bodily service,
but have no love and affection at all to him.
2. They slight Christ who is the procurer of this salvation ; however
they could like him as their Saviour, they like him not as their guide
and governor. So he complaineth, Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 'My people would
not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me ; ' and Luke
xix. 14, ov 0e\o/jiev TOVTOV (Baaikevo-cu e<£' f^as, ' His citizens hated
him, and sent a messenger after him, saying, We will not have this
man to reign over us.' Men cannot endure his bonds and yokes : Ps.
ii. 3, ' Let us break his bands asunder, and cast away his cords from
us ; ' that they should deny themselves their own wisdom and will, and
wholly give up themselves to the conduct and will of Christ. It is his
spiritual kingdom that is most contrary to our carnal affections, for
if there were no king in Israel, then every man might do what is
152 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. OLXXIII.
best in his own eyes. They would not be crossed in their licentious
ness of life, and therefore when Christ bringeth his bonds and cords with
him, they set him at nought.
3. They despise the word, in which we have the offer of this salva
tion, and counsel and direction given us how to obtain it. There God
calleth upon us to be saved : 1 Tim. ii. 4, c He will have all men to be
saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.' But most slight
his voice, and thereby put all hope far away from themselves. See
Acts xvi. 26, compared with the 48th verse ; in the 26th verse. ' To
you is the word of this salvation sent.' Mark first, he calleth the
gospel the word of salvation, because there we have the way and means
set forth how it was procured for us ; there we have counsel given us
what we must do on our parts that we may be interested in it ; there
also we have the promise and assurance on God's part, that, so doing,
we shall obtain it. Mark again, he saith this word of salvation was
sent to them ; he doth not say brought, but sent. The preaching of
the gospel is governed by God's special providence. When salvation
is offered according to his mind and in his name, we must look upon
it as a message from heaven, directed to us for our good ; not by the
charity or good-will of men, but by the grace of God. Now if you
despise this, what will be the issue ? See ver. 46, ' Since ye put away
the word of God from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlast
ing life' (that is, by this obstinacy and perverseness), you become in
capable of receiving benefit of it. That phrase, ' ye judge yourselves,'
is very notable. There is a judging ourselves unworthy that maketh
way for the applying of the gospel unto us, rather than taking it from
us, as the publican judged himself, and went home justified ; but a
humble self-judging is not meant here, but an obstinate, contemptuous
refusal of eternal life. All unconverted men are unworthy of eternal
life, but they .that refuse grace offered judge themselves unworthy of
eternal life ; put it out of all question, clear God, if he thus judge them
by their fact, declare their condemnation just.
4. They refuse the beginnings of this salvation and foregoing pledges,
which God vouchsafeth in this world by way of taste and earnest.
Grace is the beginning and pledge of glory ; to be turned from sin is
a great part of our salvation : Mark i. 21, * He shall save his people
from their sins.' It is not only salvation when freed from misery, but
salvation when freed from sin ; not only from evil after sin, hell, and
punishment, but from the evil of sin ; from a proud, lazy, self-loving
heart : ' He hath saved us by the washing of water,' Titus iii. 5.
When the power of sin is broken, and the life of grace is begun in the
soul, then do we begin to be saved. The spirit of holiness is the
earnest of our inheritance, and an earnest is part of the sum : Eph. i.
13, 14, ' In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise ; which is the earnest
of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to
the praise of his glory/ Therefore holiness is a part of eternal salva
tion. Now without this we cannot have the other part ; they that
slight holiness shall never see God.
5. They despise the salvation itself, rightly understood, partly be-
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 153
cause they only value it under a fleshly notion, as a state of happiness
and ease, not as a state of immaculate and sinless purity ; for so it is
wholly unsuitable to them. What should a carnal sensual heart do
with heaven ? or how should they desire it that hate the company of
God, the communion of saints, the image of God ? God maketh meet :
Col. i. 12, ' Giving thanks to the Father, who hath made us meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light/ There is jus
hccreditarium, et jus aptitudinale ; though they do not desire to be
saved for it, they would love holiness more. Partly because those
conceits that they have of the adjuncts of salvation, and that happi
ness and personal contentment which results to them, they do not
practically esteem it as to value it above the delights of the flesh and
the vanities of the world, and they do not think it worthy the pursuit,
but for the interests of the bodily life, cast off all care of it : Heb. xii.
16, 'As Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright ;' Mark
xxii. 5, ' They made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm,
another to his merchandise.'
Use 1. It informeth us of two things : —
1. That wicked men are the authors of their own ruin. Salvation
doth not fly from them, but they fly from it ; they are far from the
law, and therefore is salvation far from them. They will not take the
course to be saved, for they care not for God and his statutes ; it is but
just, ut qui male vivit, male per eat, that they which despise salvation
should never see it.
2. That the wicked buy the pleasures of sin at a dear rate, since
they defraud their own souls of salvation thereby. Their loss you have
in the text, * Salvation is far from them ; ' and their gain is nothing but
a little temporal satisfaction ; and are these things worthy to be com
pared ? What is it maketh you wicked, but the ease and sloth of the
flesh, and the love of some carnal delight ? And are you contented to
perish for this whoredom from God ?
Use 2. Let it exhort us to believe and improve this truth ; for if
men did surely believe it, there would not be so many wicked men as
there are, neither would they dare to lie in sin as long as they do.
Oh ! consider, if the wicked have no part nor portion in the salvation
offered, nor any jot of God's favour belonging to them, the wicked
should not flatter themselves with presumptuous hopes, but break off
their sins by repentance.
1. God's mercy will not help you ; though he be a God of salvation,
yet he will not save the impenitent and such as go on still in their
trespasses: Ps. Ixviii. 19-21, 'Blessed be the Lord who daily loadeth
us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. He that is
our God is the God of salvation, and unto God the Lord belong the
issues from death. But God shall wound the head of his enemies,
and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses/
You must not fancy a God all honey and sweetness, and that his mercy
should be exercised to the wrong of his justice ; the Lord will not
spare the abusers of grace whoever he spareth : Deut. xxix. 19, 20>
' And it shall come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse,
that if he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though
I walk in the imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst ;
154 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXIII.
the Lord will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his
jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are
written in this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his
name from under heaven.'
2. No doctrine preached in the church will bear you out ; not law,
for that discovereth both sin and the curse. Convinceth of sin : Kom.
iii. 20, ' By the law is the knowledge of sin,' what is sin, and who is
the sinner ; that bindeth you over to the curse : Gal. iii. 10, ' For as
many as are of the law are under the curse ; for it is written, Cursed
is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the
book of the law to do them.' The gospel, that showeth a remedy
against sin, but upon God's terms, that first with broken hearts we sue
out our pardon : 1 John i. 9, ' If we confess our sins, he is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'
Sin must be condemned, confessed, before pardoned. And then, that
in the way of holiness we should seek salvation and eternal life. The
way and end must not be separated : Kom. vi. 22, ' We must have our
fruit into holiness, if we would have our end to be eternal life.' The
pure and undefiled have only part in this salvation, but it is far from
the wicked. Christ disclaims the unholy and unsanctified : Mat.
vii. 23, ' Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' You may as well
expect the way to the west should bring you eastward, as to walk in
the ways of sin and hope to come to heaven at last ; to think God will
save us, and suffer us to walk in our own ways ; or that this undefiled
inheritance shall be bestowed on dirty sinners. This had been pleas
ing to flesh and blood, but it is the devil's covenant, not God's. That
article, you shall be saved, and yet live in your sins, is foisted in by
Satan, that false deceiver, to flatter men with vain conceits.
3. Do you hope of repentance hereafter, but in the meantime ye run
a desperate hazard to leave the soul at pawn in Satan's hands ? It is
not easy work to get it out again. Who would poison himself upon a
presumption that before it cometh to his heart he shall meet with an
antidote ? Judicial hardness is laid on them that withstand seasons
of grace : Isa. Iv. 6, ' Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye
upon him while he is near;' Prov. i. 24-26, 'Because I have called
arid ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded,
but ye have set at nought all my counsels, and would none of my
reproofs ; I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your
fear cometh ;' Luke xiv. 24, c None of those men that were bidden
shall taste of my supper.'
4. The heart is more hardened the longer you continue in this
course : Heb. iii. 13, ' But exhort one another daily, while it is called
to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin/
Inveterate diseases are seldom cured ; a tree that hath long stood, and
begun to wither, is unfit to be transplanted : Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can the
Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also
do good that are accustomed to do evil.'
5. There is a stint and measure as to nations : Gen. xv. 16, ' The
iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.' Persons, vessels of mercy,
vessels of dishonour : Rom. ix. 22, 23, ' What if God, willing to show
his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 155
suffering the vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction ; and that he might
make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he
had before prepared unto glory ? ' Meet for heaven, ripe for hell
Saints like a shock of corn in season ; so when sinned enough, then
away to hell.
But this exhortation is like to be lost, because nobody will apply
it ; let us see, then, the character of wicked men.
Secondly, ' They seek not thy statutes.'
Doct. They are wicked men who seek not God's statutes.
Here I must inquire —
1. What it is to seek God's statutes.
2. Show why they are wicked that do not seek them.
First, What it is to seek God's statutes ? There —
1. The object or thing sought is God's statutes, those rules and
counsels which he hath given us to guide us in our service of himself,
and pursuit of true happiness. These are all enforced by his authority,
and enacted as laws and statutes, which we cannot transgress without
violation and contempt of his authority. Now, he saith ' statutes '
indefinitely, because they must all be regarded without exception, for
they all stand upon the same authority. It is said of Ezra, that good
scribe, Ezra x. 7, ' That he prepared his heart to seek the law of the
Lord, and to do it ; ' that is, to be thoroughly informed of, and to
practise whatsoever was enjoined in the law of God ; so must we
prepare our hearts to do all. And because our Christian law is
broader, and compriseth gospel too, which is the law of faith, we must
take care of all which God hath given us in charge, and all that is
adopted into our rule of faith and repentance, as well as moral duties ,
and because there are minutula legis, and papvrepa vopov, therefore
our chief care must be about the weighty things ; and those of greater
moment must be sought most earnestly. Therefore it is said, Mat.
vi. 33, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness
thereof ; ' these concern the change of our estate.
2. The act of seeking. The word implieth earnest and constant
endeavour : I seek for that which I mind and pursue with all my
heart, and use all means that I may obtain it, till I do obtain or find
it. Thus we are bidden to seek that which is good : Amos v. 14,
* Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live ; ' and Zeph. ii. 2, ' Seek
ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his
judgments : seek righteousness, seek meekness ; it may be ye shall
be hid in the day of the Lord's anger.' So Christ : John v. 30, ' I
seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father, which hath sent
me/ And here the Psalmist speaketh of seeking God's statutes.
[1.] It implieth earnest endeavour (for a man's heart is upon what
he seeketh), that it be the business of our lives, not a thing done by the
by, but our epyov, our work to please God, and to this all other things
must give way. Many think it is a foolish thing for them to trouble
their heads with matters of religion, and to lay bands of strictness
upon themselves ; but it must not only have its turn and respect
among other affairs, but be indeed as the great affair of our lives.
There is no business of such weight and necessity, because the saving
of our souls lieth on it ; and therefore it must be followed in good
156 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXXIII.
earnest ; as a man, when he is seeking a thing, quitteth all other cares,
and mindeth that only.
[2.] Constant endeavour, seeking till we find; as the woman for
her lost groat : Luke xv. 8, ' What woman having ten pieces of silver,
if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle and sweep the house,
and seek diligently till she find it ? ' So we must not content our
selves with our first and cold essay, as many, if they find not success
upon some fair attempt, give over all care of religion, as if it were a
tedious thing, not to be endured. Now seeking implies a resolute
diligence, and persevering endeavours till we find.
3. The end of seeking after God's statutes is to have them and
keep them ; as Christ saith, John xiv. 21, 'He that hath my com
mandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me/ First hath,
then keepeth. To have the commandments is to know them, to
understand our duty and prove what is the revealed, holy, and
acceptable will of God concerning us, Rom. xii. 2, that it may have
the authority of a principle in our consciences. To keep them is to
endeavour actual obedience thereunto, and to regulate our practice
thereby : for both these ends do we seek, and in both these respects
do men show their wickedness.
[1.] We must make it our business to know the tenor and compass
of our duty, and we are said to seek after this, because it will cost us
pains ere we can obtain it. All knowledge will cost us industry,
especially divine and practical knowledge, as he that applieth his
heart to the understanding of his duty will soon find : Prov. ii. 4, ' If
thou wilt seek for it as for silver, and search for it as for hid treasures/
Now this the wicked cannot endure ; they indulge the laziness of the
flesh ; they know they that increase knowledge increase sorrow. If
they did know more of their duty, they should be troubled for not
observing it ; for knowledge will be urging duty upon the conscience,
it bringeth a great obligation along with it : and as an obligation, so
an irritation or provocation ; it will call upon them to do that which
they have no mind to do ; yea, and further, a self-condemnation and
accusation, or sting for not doing it, or breaking any of God's statutes :
therefore to prevent their own trouble, they are so far from seeking
light, that they would shut it out, and quench those convictions that
break in upon them ; therefore the language of wicked men is, Job
xxi. 14, ' Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy ways ; >
the language of their hearts, and lives, if not of their tongues. They
do not only err in their minds, but err in their hearts ; they have no
will to know, would not trouble themselves about religion, or acquaint
ing themselves with God, neglect the means of grace.
[2.] We must make it our business to observe them, or our serious
study to^ keep at a distance both in heart and practice from every
known sin, eschewing what the Lord forbiddeth, and endeavouring
every good- duty which the Lord commandeth. This will cost us
pains indeed, and requireth much seeking to get such a frame of heart,
and whoever trieth it will find it long ere he can attain to it:
Rom. vii. 18, ' To will is present with me, but how to perform that
which is good I find not.' He sought for ; his words imply that ;
but he could not do as he would ; there was not a total omission, but
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 157
a coming short of his aims. We must seriously give up ourselves
to the observation of God's will, and attend upon this work. This
wicked men do not seek, it is the least of their cares : Ps. Ixxiii. 27,
' Lo, all they that are far from thee shall perish.' The whole stream
and course of their affections, lives, and actions do run from God
to the creature ; they care not whether they please God, yea or no :
Prov. xix. 16, ' He that keepeth the commandments, keepeth his own
soul ; hut he that despiseth his ways, shall die.' He slights his way
that goeth on as his own heart leadeth him; as a traveller that
regardeth not to choose his way, but goeth through thick and thin, he
despiseth his way, so he that careth not whether his way be pure or
filthy. Well, then, the sum is, wicked men care not to know and
obey God's word.
Secondly, Keasons why they are wicked that do not seek God's
statutes.
1. Because omissions, where they are of duties absolutely necessary
and total and universal, do necessarily draw sins of commission along
with them, do argue a state of wickedness. But such is the case
here ; to live in a known sin, whether of omission or commission, is
damnable : James iv. 17, ' To him that knoweth to do good, and
doeth it not, to him it is sin ; ' but especially when total, &c. The
wicked are thus described, them ' that forget God ; ' Ps. ix. 17, ' The
wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God ; '
Job viii. 13, ' So are the paths of all that forget God ; ' Ps. 1. 22,
' Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and
there be none to deliver.' This layeth a man open to all sin, and
maketh way for his destruction. So Zeph. i. 6, ' They have not sought
the Lord, nor inquired after him ; ' that is enough to damn them,
if they do not break out into excess.
2. Because they are guilty of great wrong to God and to their own
souls.
[1.] To God ; it is a contempt of his authority when men will not
study to know and do his declared will ; that is, make it their business
to do so ; for it is a great slighting of him, looking upon his direction
as of little importance : Hosea viii. 12, ' I have written to him the
great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing,'
and therefore were strangers to it, as if there were no danger in
walking contrary to it.
[2.] To themselves ; God's statutes concern our salvation as well as
his own glory : Luke vii. 30, ' The pharisees and lawyers rejected the
counsel of God against themselves.' Thus a wicked man isfelo de
se : Prov. viii. 35, 36, ' Whoso findeth me, findeth life, and shall
obtain favour of the Lord ; but he that sinneth against me, wrongeth
his own soul ; all they that hate me, love death.'
Use 1. You see now who are far from salvation, they that do not
study the word of God to conform themselves thereunto.
Use 2. Let us be sure to be far from the disposition of the wicked ;
let us with all our hearts seek to comply with the precepts of God, and
be more diligent and earnest in bringing our hearts to a true scriptural
holiness, that we may not be in this danger.
158 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXIV.
Motives : —
1. From the excellency of these statutes. To be employed in the
service of God is the greatest honour and the most blessed life upon
earth. If it be irksome, it is a sign of a disease, and some great dis
temper or inclination to some base dreggy delights of the flesh. If the
soul were rightly constituted, it would be our greatest pleasure, honour,
and content; other work spendeth our strength, this increaseth it:
1 The way of the Lord is strength to the upright.'
2. From salvation ; it is great, sure, near. Great, both as to body
and soul ; sure, God's word passed is unalterable ; near, should we faint
in the sight of our country, and be sluggish and negligent, when
heaven is at hand ?
3. There is present content in the sight of our qualification and clear
distinction from fhe wicked.
SEKMON CLXXIV.
Great are thy tender mercies, 0 Lord : quicken me according to
thy judgments. — VER. 156.
IN the former verse we presented you with the judgment of God
against the wicked ; we shall now present you with a more comfortable
argument, his mercies to his people. Whenever we think or speak of
the damnable condition of the wicked, we should remember the grace
of God, that hath made the difference between us and them. We
were by nature no better than they, only mercy interposed for our
rescue, and snatched us as brands out of the burning. So here David
flieth to God's mercy, as the original cause of all that he had or hoped
for from him : ' Great are thy tender mercies, 0 Lord/ &c.
In the words there is —
1. An eulogy, or an ascription of praise to God, c Great are thy
tender mercies, 0 Lord.'
2. A prayer, ' Quicken me according to thy judgments/
The one maketh way for the other ; for because God's mercies are
so great, therefore he is encouraged to come unto him for help. In
the eulogy we have the thing praised, God's mercy. It is set forth by
a double adjunct, one taken from the quality, the other from the
quantity. From the quality, it is tender and bowel-mercy ; from the
quantity, it is great. Or the word may be rendered * many ; ' the
mercies of God, as one saith, are many and mother-like. Having laid
this foundation for his hope, the man of God proceedeth to his prayer,
which is our second branch, where you have the request, ' Quicken
me;' the argument, 'According to thy judgments;' that is, thy pro
mises in the new covenant, as we before explained the word. Those
promises are called judgments, because they are rules of proceeding in
the new court which God hath set up.
Many things might be observed from these words.
1. That the primary cause of all that we have and expect from God
is his mercy. The man of God beginneth here, when he expected dif-
VER. 156.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 159
ferent usage from the wicked, or that God should deal with him in
another manner than with them.
2. That this mercy is so great and large, that it is every way suffi
cient for our help.
3. The terms and rules according to which we are to expect this
mercy are set forth in the new covenant, where God hath bound him
self to show mercy to his people, upon such conditions as are there
specified. So that this covenant doth inform us and assure us both of
God's mercy and God's quickening.
4. One special new-covenant blessing is the preservation of the life
of grace in our souls. There is a great necessity of it, because in the
spiritual life we are subject to fainting ; and the children of God have
a great value and esteem for it, for they are more sensible of soul-dis
tempers than other men ; and when they see others stark dead in tres
passes and sins, they are the more displeased with their own remaining
deadness, and therefore would have the distinction between them and
wicked men made more clear and sensible, by the activity and vigour
of grace, and their diligence and care of salvation (which the wicked
neglect), awakened by new influences from God; and therefore do
they so often pray for quickening. Accordingly, God in the new cove
nant, as the God of their life and salvation, hath undertaken to keep
them fresh and lively ; and therefore, whenever we are under deadness,
we should not be satisfied with it, or think it a light evil, but present
our condition to God, looking to the promise of the new covenant,
wherein God hath promised to put his Spirit into our hearts, to cause
us to walk in his ways.
But because all these points have been often discussed, I shall only
handle this one point.
Doct. That in the Lord Jehovah there are great and tender mercies.
1 . I shall open the mercy of God.
2. The adjuncts, the greatness and tenderness of them.
First, I shall open the mercy of God. That mercy is one of God's
attributes, the scripture is plain and clear : Ps. Ixii. 12, ' Also unto
thee, 0 Lord, belongeth mercy.' He had said before, ' Once hath God
spoken, and twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God.'
This is an evident and certain truth, that God is almighty, and hath
all power to avenge his enemies and reward his friends ; but because
this is not a sufficient foundation for our trust, there wanteth more to
invite the creature to depend upon God than his bare power and ability
to help us, there must be also an assurance of his readiness to do what
he is able ; and that we have in this other attribute, which is as proper,
and as much belonging to God as power, and that is mercy ; yea, it is
an attribute in the exercise of which God delights most of all : Micah
vii. 18, ' Because he delighteth in mercy.' God delighteth himself in
all his attributes, yea, in the manifestation of them to the world, but
chiefly in acts of mercy ; these come readily from him, and unextorted.
Though God willeth the punishment of a sinner, for the manifestation
of his justice, yet these acts of his vengeance are not so pleasing to
God as the acts of his mercy ; for he never doth them of his own
accord, but is provoked. Acts of mercy flow from him like life-honey,
but acts of vengeance are his strange work, Isa. xxviii. 21. Bees give
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXX1V.
honey naturally, sting when provoked. Therefore God is nowhere
called pater ultionum, whereas he is called pater miserationum, 2 Cor.
i. 3, ' The father of mercies.' It is the original and fountain cause of
all our comfort ; get an interest in his mercy, and all his other attri
butes shall he for our good. Mercy will set a-work his wisdom to
contrive, his power to accomplish, what is for our comfort and salva
tion ; his justice and wrath to avenge your quarrel. All other attri
butes are serviceable to mercy. Among the things that are ascribed
to God there is this order, that one is given as a reason of the other.
As in the business of our salvation. Why doth God discover himself
with so much wisdom and power ? Because of his mercy. Of his
mercy hath he saved us, Titus iii. 4, 5 ; of his mercy quickened us,
Eph. ii. 4, 5 ; of his mercy begotten us to a lively hope, 2 Peter i. 3.
But what moved Iftin to show mercy to us ? You can go no higher,
unless you assign a cause like itself ; God, who is rich in mercy, out
of his great love wherewith he hath loved us ; indeed, so he showed
mercy because he would.
1. The goodness of the divine nature, as it doth discover itself
to the creature, is called benignity or bounty, sometimes grace, and
sometimes mercy. The first issue or effect of the divine goodness is
his benignity or bounty, by which God, by giving something to the
creatures, showeth himself liberal or bountiful ; this is his goodness to
the creature as a creature. Thus he hath given being to all things, bare
life to some, sense to others, and to man and angels reason and grace.
The next term by which the goodness of God is expressed is grace,
by which he freely giveth to the creature all that good which they
have, beyond all possibility of requital. The third term is mercy,
which implieth the ready inclination that is in God to relieve our
misery notwithstanding sin. These three terms agree in this, that
they all express the goodness of God, or his communication of himself
to the creature. God knoweth himself, loveth himself, but he cannot
be said to be bountiful, or gracious, or merciful to himself; these
things respect us. And again, that none of these can be reciprocated,
or turned back from the creature to God. We may love God, who
hath loved us first, 1 John iv. 19, but mercy or grace never results
from the creature to God. We know God, and love him, but cannot
be said to be merciful to him. He giveth out mercy and grace, but
receiveth none. Thus they agree ; but they differ in that bounty or
goodness respects the creature as a creature, grace respects the crea
ture as being able to make no recompense to God, or to merit anything
at his hands ; but mercy addeth these two things to the former, as
supposing us in misery. The object of it is persona miserabitis, or as
finding us under demerit or ill-deserving, and appoints a remedy for
us. God doth good to the angels, that never sinned, out of grace; but
to man fallen, out of mercy ; so that his mercy is nothing else but his
proneness to help a man in misery notwithstanding sin.
2. We must distinguish between mercy as it is an attribute in God,
and the acts and effects of it as they are terminated upon the creature.
As it is an attribute in God : Ps. ciii. 8, ' The Lord is merciful and
gracious/ So it is infinite, as his nature is ; but in the effects as to
us there is a great difference. Mercy is one in the fountain, many in
VER. 156.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 161
the streams, because there are divers effects, divers ways of showing
mercy. Mercy in the effect may cease, as when the angels turned
devils, and when God threateneth to take away his mercies from us ;
but God doth not cease to be merciful in himself : the effects of God's
mercy are more or less, but the attribute in God is not so. Mercy as
an attribute doth not oppose justice ; but the effects of God's mercy
may be, and are, contrary to the effects of his justice, as punishment
is contrary to blessing.
3. God's mercy is either general, or special, or peculiar. First,
God's general mercy hath for the object of it not only men, even
them that are strangers to the faith, but also all the creatures ; for it
is said, Ps. cxlv. 5, ' His tender mercies are over all his works/ God
helpeth the poor brute creatures in their needs, and doth supply them
with provision convenient for them. Then there is his special mercy
to man, helping and succouring him in his misery, notwithstanding
sin ; and so the giving of Christ to be the Saviour of the world :
Titus iii. 4, ' But after the loving-kindness of God our Saviour to
mankind appeared ; ' his man-kindness, this was pity to us above the
angels: no remedy was plotted for them. And then his peculiar
mercy is to his elect in Christ. So the Lord saith, Eom. ix. 15, ' I
will have mercy on whom I will have mercy/ This is again seen
either in the first grace, or bestowing that upon us, or in all the sub
sequent grace that we stand in need of.
[1.] The first grace is pardoning all our past sin, or receiving us
into a state of favour upon our repentance. So it is made the motive,
Joel ii. 13, ' Turn unto the Lord, for he is merciful ; ' penitent sinners
will find him so to^ be. The apostle saith, 1 Tim. i. 13, 'But I
obtained mercy, rj\er)0r]v ; I was overwhelmed in mercy/ So also in
giving us a heart to repent and turn unto him, 1 Peter i. 3. We
were unworthy and miserable sinners, could not help ourselves, and
then his eye pitied us and his hand saved us ; by his preventing grace
he brought us home to himself.
[2.] In all the subsequent grace that we stand in need of. So the
objects of his mercy must have a qualification ; such as fear God, Ps.
ciii. 13; such as love him, and keep his commandments, Exod. xx. 6;
that walk according to the rule of his word exactly, Gal. vi. 16. To
the merciful, Mat. v. 7 ; for to the unmerciful God will not show
himself merciful, James ii. 13 ; but to those that are thus qualified
he reneweth his pardoning mercy, in taking away the guilt of our
daily failings, Ps. xxv. 7. His sanctifying mercy, by freeing them
more and more from the dominion of sin, Kom. vi. 14. His preserv
ing mercy, by delivering them from afflictions, so far as it is con
venient : Ps. cxix. 41 , ' Let thy mercies come unto me, 0 Lord ; even
thy salvation according to thy word ; ' Lam. iii. 22, ' It is of the
Lord's mercy we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not/
His rewarding mercy : Jude 21, ' Looking for the mercy of God
unto eternal life/ So Ps. Ixii. 12, ' Also unto thee, 0 Lord, belongeth
mercy ; for thou renderest to every man according to his work/ He
will graciously accept, reward, and crown every sincere and faithful
servant of his when they have done their work. Sincerity and faith-
VOL. IX. L
162 SERMONS UPON PSALM CX1X. [SEB. CLXXIV.
fulness shall be accepted and rewarded, when infirmities and weak
nesses shall be pardoned and covered.
Secondly, Let me now open the two adjuncts of his mercy.
1. It is tender mercy : Luke i. 78, ' Through the tender mercy of
our God.' The word signifieth bowels; as when you see a poor
miserable creature, your bowels work within you, especially if you be
related to him. Misericordia complectitur affectum ei effectum. Let
us take the nearest relation. If you be a father, we need not much
entreat a father to pity a poor helpless child ; his own bowels will per
suade him to it : Ps. ciii. 13, ' Like as a father pitieth his children, so
the Lord pitieth them that fear him/ Or if you think passions in
females more vehement, take the relation of a mother ; as Hagar was
affected to Ishmael when the water was spent in the bottle ; she sat
over against the? child, and lift up her voice and wept, Gen. xxi. 16.
God will take the affections of a mother ; as Isa. xlix. 15, * Can a
woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion
on the son of her womb? yea, she may forget, yet will I not forget thee.;
It is passionately set out by the prophet. If all the compassions of
all fathers and mothers were joined together, it were nothing to God ;
he is the father of mercies, he is pitiful and merciful, James v. 11.
It is true there is in God no sickness, or trouble of mind, no commo
tion; but there is pity and tender love, though no perturbation, which
will not stand with the perfection of his nature ; that is, he layeth to
heart, and taketh notice of our misery. The tenderness of God may
be known by the compassion which Christ had in the days of his flesh,
for he was the express image of his Father's person. Now we read,
Mat. ix. 36, ' When he saw the multitude, he was moved with com
passion on them, because they fainted, and were as sheep scattered
abroad that had no shepherd/ Their teachers did not do their duty
to them in any profitable way ; this wrought upon Christ's heart, when
he saw the multitude. So when he saw many sick and under
noisome diseases, Mat. xiv. 14, when they followed him, he pitied
them, and helped them. So Mat. xv. 32, Jesus had compassion
on the multitude, when they continued with him three days, and had
nothing to eat. The care of man's welfare lieth near unto Christ's
heart. Before the disciples took notice of it, he taketh notice of the
people's necessities, and is affected with it ; he would not send them
away fasting. The two blind men, when they feelingly laid out their
miseries, Mat. xx. 34, ' Jesus had compassion on them, and touched
their eyes/ So Luke vii. 13 ; the widow of Nain lamented her only
son, the Lord saw her, and had compassion on her, and said unto her,
Weep not. This for a taste what a tender heart Christ had. And in
heaven he is still a merciful high priest ; he came down on purpose
to acquaint himself with our griefs and sorrows. Surely he is touched
with the feeling of our infirmities, and God's pity, though it hath no
trouble with it, is real, operative, and efficacious.
2. His tender mercy is seen in his readiness to hear and help, and
come in to the cry of his people, if they be but anything humble and
profitable in their afflictions : Isa. Iviii. 10, ' And if thou draw out
thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy
light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day ; ' Luke
VER. 156.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 163
xv. 20, ' And he arose and came to his father ; but when he was yet
a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran and
fell on his neck, and kissed him.' When the son was coming, the
father ran to meet him : Isa. Ixv. 24, ' Before they call, I will
answer ; ' as if God could not tarry to hear the prayer made : Ps.
xxxii. 5, ' I said, I would confess my transgression unto the Lord,
and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin;' Jer. xxxi. 19, 20, 'Surely
after I was turned, I repented ; and after that I was instructed, I
smote upon my thigh : I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because
I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son ? is
he a pleasant child ? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly
remember him still ; therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will
surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.' The first relentings of
the creature work upon the bowels of God's mercy ; when we do but
conceive a purpose, the Lord is easy to be entreated.
3. By the motives that do induce God to show mercy, the bare
sight of our misery, and therefore the saints do so often represent their
condition : Ps. Ixix. 20, ' I am poor and sorrowful ; let thy salvation,
0 Lord, set me on high.' You see he bringeth no other argument
but his grief and misery. Justice seeketh a fit object, mercy a fit
occasion: Deut. xxxii. 36, 'For the Lord shall judge his people, and
repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is
gone, and there is none shut up or left.'
Thirdly, The next adjunct is 'great/ The mercies of God are sel
dom spoken of in scripture but there is some additional word to show
their plenty and excellency ; as Ps. cxxx. 7, f For with the Lord there
is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption;' 1 Peter i. 3,
' Which according to his abundant mercy ;' and Eph. ii. 4, ' But God,
who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us.'
So Eph. ii. 7, 'The exceeding riches of his grace,' virep{Bd\\ovTa
TT\OVTOV. Paul thinketh he can never word it enough: when he
speaketh of mercy, he saith it over over-abounded; all to show the
multitude and greatness of God's mercies. So Ps. Ii. 1, we read of the
multitude of his tender mercy. It must needs be so if we consider —
1. How many there are to whom God hath done good, even as
many as there have been, are, and shall be creatures in the world.
None that ever had a being, but tasted of God's goodness. Nay, for
his special mercies, the same persons that are pardoned, all the elect
from the beginning of time, till the day of judgment. What hath
God been doing these thousands of years that the world hath con
tinued, but multiplying pardons and passing acts of grace in favour of
his people ? Time would be no more, but only that there are some
more whom God meaneth to pardon : 2 Peter iii. 9, ' Not willing that
any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.' When
we come to heaven, how many monuments of grace" shall we see there!
A man would think that the unthankful world had given discourage
ment, and God should wait no longer ; but yet there are some vacant
places to be filled : ' In my Father's house are many mansions/ John
xiv. 2. We waste by giving, give from ourselves what we give to
another ; but this fountain is never dry : Kom. v. 10, ' The free gift
is of many offences/
164 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXIV.
2. How many benefits he bestoweth on every one, many repeated
acts of grace of the same kind, divers kinds of benefits, bodily mercies,
soul mercies : Ps. xl. 5, ' Many, 0 Lord my God, are thy wonderful
works which thou hast done ; and thy thoughts, which are to usward,
they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee : if I would declare
and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.' Private
mercies and public mercies, mercies in hand and mercies in hope :
Ps. xxxi. 19, ' Oh! how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up
for them that fear thee, which thou hast wrought for them that trust
in thee before the sons of men.' We have not one sin, but many
sins ; not one misery, but many miseries ; therefore we have many
mercies. The creatures are always in some necessity, and so are
always an object of mercy. How many supports this life continually
needeth ! all which the providence of God supplieth to us.
3. The greatness of these effects, the sending of his Son : 1 John
iv. 9, 10, * In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because
that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that
he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.' The
gift of the Spirit himself to be everlastingly with us, John xiv. 16,
and by present troubles to prepare us for future glory, 2 Cor. iv. 17,
and Kom. viii. 18. Surely nothing but mercy, and great mercy, could
do all this for us.
Use 1. To exhort us to consider of this, and to meditate much upon
this attribute. To this end I shall lay down a few considerations : —
1. All that come to God should consider of his mercy ; it is the
great motive to repentance, and beginning our acquaintance with
God : Joel ii. 13, ' And rend your hearts, and not you? garments, and
turn to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to
anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil/ Our
distrustful and unbelieving thoughts draw an ill picture of God in our
minds. We think him a hard and austere one, that is more ready
to condemn us than to receive us to mercy. Thus we look upon him
in the glass of ^ our guilty fears. Oh no ! he is merciful, if we will
but stoop to him. Besides, it is a great check to our pursuit of carnal
vanities : Jonah ii. 8, ' They that seek after lying vanities forsake
their own mercies.' Thus to the secure and careless, when they con
sider all this grace and tender mercy, it is the great means to over
come them with kindness. A serious consideration of what God hath
done and is ready to do for us: Bom. xii. 1, 'I beseech you by the
mercies of God.' Saul wept when David had spared him, 1 Sam.
xxiv. 16. If we had not let all ingenuity : ' I am not worthy of all
the mercy and truth which thou hast showed unto thy servant/ Gen.
xxxii. 10. Then when we come to a reckoning and audit with God,
how great is the sum of them ! There are more effects of his mercies,
and of more diverse kinds : Ps. cxxxix. 17, ' How precious also are
thy thoughts unto me, 0 God ! how great are the sum of them ! '
2. It is not enough to know that God is merciful, but we must also
consider how great and tender his mercy is ; for God's children are
wont to have great and large thoughts of it. We must think of it as
becometh the infiniteness of his nature whose mercy it is : Isa. Iv. 8,
VER. 156.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 165
9, ' For my thoughts are not as your thoughts, nor my ways as your
ways, saith the Lord : for as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts;' Hosea xi. 9, 'For I am God, and not man.'' We must
not straiten God to our scantling ; our drop is soon spent. Peter, a
good man : What ! forgive seven times a-day ? How tender it is !
It is so natural to God. Acts of punitive justice are exercised with
some reluctancy, but he rejoiceth over them to do them good; he is
strongly inclined to let out his goodness to unworthy and miserable
sinners who deserve the contrary from him. The sea doth not more
naturally flow, nor the sun more naturally shine, nor fire more natu
rally burn, than God doth naturally show mercy. These thoughts
will answer all the doubts and fears of a penitent Thou canst never
have too large thoughts of God.
3. We shall never have such great and large thoughts of God's
tender mercy as when they arise from our own experience and par
ticular observation. To know God by hearsay will not work upon
you as when we have seen him ourselves; as they said unto the
woman, John iv. 42, 'Now we believe, not because of thy saying, for
we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ,
the saviour of the world/ We do not think or speak of God with any
sense and life, affection and admiration, till we have studied his
nature and observed his ways; otherwise we speak by rote when
we praise him for his mercies, and it is but an empty compliment :
Ps. ciii. 1-3, ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me
bless his holy name : bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and forget not all
his benefits : who forgiveth all thy iniquities, and healeth all thy
diseases,' &c.
4. Then will our own experience inform us of the greatness and
tenderness of mercy, when we are sensible of our sins and miseries.
When a man seeth his sins great, his dangers great, then he will see
God's mercies towards him great also : Ps. Ixxxvi. 13, * For great is
thy mercy towards me, for thou hast delivered my soul from the
lowest hell.' We do not know the greatness of the pardon but by the
greatness of the debt, nor the greatness of our protection and deliver
ance but by the greatness of the danger. God continueth trouble
upon his people, that they may be sensible of the sweetness of the
mercy, and his help in their deliverance : Bom. v. 8, ' But herein God
commendeth his love to us, that while we were yet sinners Christ died
for us/
5. When our sense of sins and miseries hath most recommended
mercy to us, we should magnify it, both with respect to supplication
and gratulation.
[1.] With respect to supplication. When we are under fears and
discouragements, we should oppose and set these great and tender
mercies in the balance against our doubts and fears. Our sins are
many, our troubles great, yet let us not be discouraged from praying,
and making our supplication to God ; for God will pardon a penitent
people, and help a sensible supplicant. The more sensible of our
misery, the fitter objects for mercy. What is it that troubleth us ?
fear of not speeding with God in prayer ? You hear how soon he
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXV.
relenteth when you relent and lie at his feet ; for to what use doth
pardoning mercy serve but to encourage broken-hearted sinners?
' We have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful kings.' Ben-
liadad having lost the day, and in great fear of losing his life with
his kingdom, his friends comforted him with the fame they had heard
of Israel's kings, 1 Kings xx. 31. We know most certainly it is hard
to raise up truly poor, downcast sinners, how presumptuous soever
they have been before. God would have these by all means to be
encouraged; so that though you have many objections from your
unworthiness, the multitude and greatness of your sins. Or is it the
power of men, and difficulty of our deliverance? God's mercy is
beyond the proportion of their cruelty. The more violent and ungodly
our oppressors are, the more hope of God's pity towards us: Ps.
Ixxxvi. 14, 15, ?0 God, the proud are risen against me, and the
assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul, and have not set
thee before them : but thou, 0 Lord, art a God full of compassion,
and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.'
[2.] Let us magnify it as to gratulation: Gen. xxxii. 10, 'I am
not worthy of all the mercy/ &c. Less than the least of all thy mer
cies. Let us consider our unworthiness ; that God may have all
the glory.
Use 2. To press us to be merciful : we should be like God, let us
put on bowels of mercy: Col. iii. 12, ' Put on therefore, as the elect of
God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of
mind, meekness, long-suffering ;' Luke vi. 36, ' Be ye therefore merci
ful, as your heavenly Father also is merciful.'
SEEMON CLXXV.
Princes have persecuted me ivithout a cause : but my heart standeth in
awe of thy ivord. — VER. 161.
IN this verse we have —
First, David's temptation.
Secondly, The godly frame of his spirit.
First, In David's temptation, take notice of —
1. The nature of it, it was a persecution.
2. The instruments of it, Saul, and the chief men about him, princes.
3. The malice and groundlessness of it, ivithout a cause.
Secondly, The godly frame of his heart, but my heart, &c. And
there we have —
1. The seat of his affection, my heart.
2. The kind of the affection, standeth in awe.
3. The object of it, the ivord of God.
First ^With David's temptation I will not meddle any further
than an introduction, or the necessity of an exposition enforceth me a
little to reflect upon. And—
1. From the nature of it. Persecution is one of the ordinary trials
t*od s children. As God chasteneth them because they are no better,
YER. 161.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 167
Isa. xxvii. 9, so the world persecuteth them because they are so good,
John xv. 19. This ever hath been and ever will be the lot of God's
children while there are two seeds in the world : Gen. iii. 15, ' And I
will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed
and her seed.' And the apostle saith, Gal. iv. 29, ' But as then he
that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the
spirit, so it is now.' The first place speaketh of the antipathy between
the church and its open opposites ; the second was in Abraham's
family, and it is brought to comfort the true members of the Christian
church against those persecutions which they sustained from the false
apostles and such as adhered to the Jewish synagogue. Isaac was
begotten by the power of God's Spirit, according to the tenor of the
promise ; Ishmael by the ordinary strength of nature, a figure of the
regenerate and unregenerate, John i. 13. Persecution is a thing
common to the church in all ages, then and now ; therefore, as they
grow worse, let us grow better ; and let us be content to take the
ordinary way, by the cross, to come to the crown.
2. The instruments of his trouble were Saul and his chief men
about him. The man of God had said, ' Many are my persecutors,'
ver. 157 ; now he showeth they were not mean ones, and of the in
ferior sort, but such as by their power were able to crush him, such as
by their place should be a refuge to him. I observe, the trial is the
sorer when our trouble cometh not only from the basest of the people,
but from the rulers themselves. No doubt a great part of the people
followed Saul in his persecuting of David, yet the nobles most troubled
him. In the primitive times, lapidibus nos invadit inimicum vulgus
— the base riff-raff were most ready to stone the Christians; but this
was mere brutish rage : a multitude, though they have power, yet they
have no authority. But when the rulers were set against them, and
persecuted them with edicts and punishments, then the greatest havoc
was made of them. To see God's ordinance abused maketh the trial
the more grievous. The godly should be defended by their governors,
for therefore they are called the shields of the earth, Ps. xlix. 9. But
now when they persecute them for righteousness' sake, it is a sore but
no strange temptation. They may do so partly out of ignorance : 1
Cor. ii. 8, ' Which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory ; ' and partly
out of prejudice and blind zeal ; so the corner-stone is refused by the
builders, IPs. cxviii. 22, applied to Christ's persecutors : Acts iv. 11,
' The stone that was set at nought by you builders is become the head
of the corner ;' and partly by the instigation of evil men. Wicked men
labour to engage those who are in power against the people of God,
and make them odious to them : Prov. xxix. 10, ' The bloodthirsty
hate the upright/ Flattery giveth the first onset to the work of im
piety, Acts xxiv. 1-3. And partly because riches and power efferate
men, swell them with pride, fill them with enmity against the ways of
God : Ps. cxxiii. 4, ' Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning
of those that are at ease, and the contempt of the proud/ Well, then,
let us not be dismayed though great men be prejudiced against us,
and we have powerful enemies in church and state : Mat. x. 17, 18,
' But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the councils, and
168 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXV.
they will scourge you in their synagogues ; and ye shall be brought be
fore governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and
the Gentiles/ Though we be persecuted with censures, civil and eccle
siastical, and both judicatures thunder against us: John xvi. 1, 2,
1 These things have I told you, that you should not be offended ; they
shall put you out of the synagogue ; yea, the time cometh when they
that kill you will think they do God good service.' It is a stumbling-
block to see power, which is of God, bent against God and his interest ;
the beast in the Kevelations pushed with the horns of the lamb. But
Christ hath told us of these things beforehand, that we should be fore
armed against them. 'Christ's followers must not only look for injuries
from wicked men in a tumultuous way, but ordinarily carried by fixed
judicatures ; thrown out of the church by excommunication, and out of
the world by death. Let us bless God that our rulers deal more
Christianly by us ; and let us not irritate them, but show all love and
meekness and obedience ; and let the mild government of our gracious
sovereign move us to pray to God for the continuance of his life, and
the prosperity of his affairs : it is but a necessary gratitude that we
should pay him for the rest and peace we enjoy under him.
3. The malice and groundlessness of this persecution, ' without
cause.' David did not suffer for his deserts as an evil-doer ; he had
done nothing disobediently against Saul's authority; when he had
spared him in the cave, he giveth him an ample testimony : 1 Sam.
xxiv. 17, ' Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me
good, but I have rewarded thee evil.' Again, he had another testimony
when he surprised his camp sleeping : 1 Sam. xxvi. 21, ' Return, my
son David ; I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was pre
cious in thine eyes : behold I have played the fool, and have erred
exceedingly.' Theodoret expoundeth this of the next verse, with
application to these passages. When David found Saul asleep he would
not kill him, and this was more comfort to him. than if he had slain
and obtained all their spoils. Observe, we may the better represent
our case to God when we suffer without a cause ; then our sufferings are
clean sufferings, more comfortable to us, and honourable to God. It
was Daniel's glory that they could find no occasion or fault against
him, but only in the matter of his God, Dan. vi. 4, 5. Blameless car
riage disappoints the malice of wicked men, or shameth them. Cajus
Sejus vir bonus nisi quod Christianus. Now a pretended crime doth
not take away the glory from us. Saul pretended that David was an
enemy to his life and crown, but David declared the contrary by word
and deed ; he might have slain him twice. * Put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men/ 1 Peter ii. 15. There may be in man's court a cause
which before God is no just cause, as when we are punished for the
breach of law which is contrary to our duty to God: Ps. xciv. 20,
* Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which f rameth
mischief by a law ? '
Well, then, whatever we suffer, let it be without a cause. There is
cause enough on God's part to afflict and strike us for our sins ; but
on man's part, let us not procure sufferings to ourselves by our provo
cations. We shall hereby have more peace in sufferings, and bring
more honour to religion : 1 Peter iii. 17, ' For it is better, if the will
YER. 161.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 169
of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing ; ' 1
Peter iv. 15, 16, ' But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a
thief, or as an evil-doer. Yet if any suffer as a Christian, let him not
be ashamed ; but let him glorify God in that behalf.' Surely Christ's
cross is more comfortable than the cross of Barabbas.
Secondly, Let us come to his gracious frame of heart, to stand in
awe of the word, but my heart standetk in awe of thy word.
Doct. It is a gracious frame of heart to stand in awe of the word
of God.
God's people are often described by it : Prov. xiii. 13, ' Whoso de-
spiseth the word shall be destroyed ; but whoso feareth a command
ment shall be rewarded.' There are many fear a judgment, when, to
visible appearance, it is like to tread upon the heels of sin ; yea, and
some fear a threatening, at least when it is like to be accomplished ;
but who fears a commandment but a gracious heart ? This is reason
enough to draw back if a commandment stand in the way ; it is more
than if there was a lion in the way, or a band of armed enemies, or an
angel with a drawn sword, such as stood in the way to stop Balaam.
They have a deep reverence of God's authority, and dare not break
through, when God by his law hath fenced up their way. So Isa. Ixvi.
2, ' To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit, and trem-
bleth at my word ; ' a man that is affected according to his doom and
sentence passed in the word ; if the word speaketh bitter things, or the
word speaketh peace, accordingly the man is affected ; this is the man
that God will look at : Ezra ix. 4, ' Then were assembled unto me
every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel.' None so
careful to redress disorders, to use all the means they can to prevent
judgment, as those that tremble at God's word ; and therefore they
above others did assemble to Ezra. A man hath gained a great point
when he doth riot value his condition by external probabilities, but by
the sentence of the word. It is hopeful if the word speaketh good unto
it, sad when the word speaketh bitter things. This man will be other
wise affected than the most are, and more careful to please God. Once
more : Ezra x. 3y ' Those that tremble at the commandment of our
God.' Shechaniah referreth the reformation to them. These are per
sons exactly conscientious ; they make God's commandments their rule,
and tremble at the apprehension of having anything done against God's
will. None so fit as they to judge of cases of conscience and to regu
late affairs ; men that enlarge themselves, and do not stand so nicely
on the will of God, will be more lax and complying with their own
lusts and the humours of men.
1. I will show you what it is to stand in awe of the word.
2. Then give you the reasons why they that are godly will do so.
First, What it is to stand in awe of the word. We will determine
it by opening the circumstances of the text. And —
1. Let us take notice of the seat of this affection, the heart, ' My
heart standeth in awe of thy word/ A true reverence of the word of
God must be planted in the heart, or else all outward profession of
respect is but hypocrisy : Ps. 1. 16, 17, ' Unto the wicked God saith,
What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest
take my covenant into thy mouth ? seeing thou hatest instruction, and
170 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXV.
easiest my words behind thy back/ Many may solemnly pretend to
piety, and talk of it, and perhaps preach of it, to others, but do not
exactly reform their carnal practices ; they do but abuse themselves
and deceive others. So strangely are many bewitched with their own
deceitfulness of heart and power of Satan^that they can without re
morse of conscience profess the true religion, pretend to a covenant
with God, yet affront that religion by being loose and scandalous, and
can break the covenant without any scruple ; such are contemners of
God's word, however they seem reverencers of it. That psalm speaketh
of the collection of the gospel church : ' Gather my saints together, who
have made a covenant with me by sacrifice ;' not that of bulls and
goats, but by Christ Jesus. But many profane this covenant, and are
carried away by every temptation, some as greedy thieves and extor
tioners, some as filthy adulterers, some as haters of godliness, some as
injurious slanderers and whisperers and backbiters. In the Christian
world, this prediction is too plainly verified ; the carnal Christian and
the serious Christian profess respect to the same Bible, to believe the
same creed, to enter by the same baptism, to claim privilege by the
same covenant, yet hate one another, and are as contrary one to an
other as perfectly as infidels and pagans. On the one side, there is
mouth-respect to the word, on the other, heart-respect ; the one in
outward covenant with God, the other brought into the inner court.
God beareth long with the former sort, but will not bear always : so
Jer. xii. 2, ' Thou art near in their mouth, but far from their reins.'
They profess thee in word, but deny thee in heart and in deed ; draw
near thee in show and pretence as a people in league with thee, but
their hearts, love, and affection are wholly estranged from thee ; and
would take it ill to have their religion disproved or questioned, yet are
not brought under the power of it. So Isa. xxix. 13, ' This people
draw near unto me with their mouth, and with their lips honour me,
but have removed their heart from me, and their fear towards me is
taught by the precepts of men;' because of tradition, teaching by
authority, maintaining or enjoining the worship of God. A worship
and respect to God they will have, but such as doth not proceed from
an impression upon their hearts, but only in compliance with their
customs.
2. The kind of the affection, ' standeth in awe/ There is a twofold
awe of the word — (1.) One that drive th us from it ; (2.) Another that
draweth us to it.
[1.] Fear and awe of the word which driveth us from it is spoken
of John iii. 20, 21, ' For every one that doeth evil hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he
that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made
manifest that they are wrought in God.7 Carnal men, who live con
trary to the light of nature and scripture, that they cannot endure any
thing which should put them into serious remembrance of God, This
is an effect of legalism and slavish fear, which as it bewrayeth itself in
its carriage towards God himself, so also in its carriage towards his
saints and word. Towards God himself: a slavish fear of God is
always accompanied with an aversation or turning away from him ; as
guilty Adam was afraid of God, and hid himself in the bushes, Gen. iii.
VEE. 161.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 171
10 ; and still an unsound conscience is shy of God, and hangeth off
from him. So towards the saints, who have God's image printed upon
them ; they fear the saints and hate them ; as Herod feared John, and
put him to death, Mark vi. 20. Still men malign what they will not
imitate. Natural conscience in them doth homage to the image of
God, shining forth in the lives of his people ; they see an excellency
in them which they have not ; and because all those who keep up the
majesty of their profession are objects reviving guilt, they hate them ;
and if their hatred be more than their fear, they destroy them when it
is in their power. So for the word ; they are afraid of the word, so as
to stand at a distance from it, and cannot endure it, no more than sore
eyes can the light of the sun. They have a mind to cherish their lusts
and carnal practices, and therefore hate the light which disproveth
them ; as they that would sleep draw the curtain to keep out the
light ; whereas, on the contrary, the godly delight to have their ways
tried and made manifest by this light ; it is a refreshing light to them,
but a reproving and discovering light to others ; it convinceth them to
be what they are. Now they shun all means of searching and know
ing themselves, by wishing such things were not sin, or not desiring to
know them so, and that there were not a God to punish them. But a
sincere man is otherwise affected; he is jealous and suspicious of him
self, he bringeth his work to God's balance, and cannot quiet his con
science without God's acceptance.
[2.] There is an awe of the word, not that maketh us shy of it, but
tender of violating it, or doing anything contrary to it. This is not
the fruit of slavish fear, but holy love ; it is not afraid of the word, but
clelighteth in it, as it discovereth the mind of God to us, as in the next
verse. This is called by a proper name, reverence, or godly fear ; when
we consider whose word it is, God's ; who is our God, and hath right
to command what he pleaseth ; to whose will and word we have
already yielded obedience, and devoted ourselves to walk worthy of
him in all well-pleasing ; who can find us out in all our failings, as
knowing our very thoughts afar off, Ps. cxxxix. 2 ; and having all our
ways before him, and being one who will not forgive our wilful trans
gressions : Josh. xxiv. 19, ' He is a holy and jealous God ; he will
not forgive your transgressions and your sins/ that would impenitently
continue in them ; and so we receive the word with that trembling of
heart which God so much respects.
3. The object, * thy word ; ' that is, the whole word of God — the
precept with its double sanction, the threatening and the promise ; the
precept is the rule of our duty ; the sanction, of God's proceeding. We
are to stand in awe not only of the threatening, but the precept itself ;
for love to God hath a great influence in producing this awe of the
word. It is in angels and heavenly creatures, whose happiness is
absolutely secured to them, Jude 4. The great ground of it is God's
authority ; and that is seen in the precept as much as in the sanction.
God's will is the reason of our duty, and his will declared in his word
is the rule of it; and the saints obey intuitu voluntatis — a bare sight
of his, though no inconvenience should follow of it : 1 Thes. iv. 3, * For
this is the will of God ;' 1 Thes. v. 18, ' For this is the will of God
concerning you in Jesus Christ ; ' 1 Peter ii. 15, ' For so is the will of
172 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEPx. CLXXV.
•
God,' <fcc. But yet I would not exclude the sanction ; no, not the sad
part of it; neither the threatening, nor the promise ; because I dare
not contradict any of the Holy Ghost's methods ; nor exclude his
argument from having an influence upon our obedience, as he telleth
us of Moses, who had an eye to the recompense of reward, Heb. xi. 26.
So of Job, who was tender of doing anything contrary to the will of God,
because destruction from God was a terror to him, Job. xxxi. 23. To
be afraid of God's judgments in a holy manner is not sin, but a grace,
a great point of our duty ; yea, a matter of faith to apprehend that
destruction which God in his word threateneth to sinners. Unbelief
of the threatening had a great predominancy in the first sin : ' Ye
shall not surely die,' Gen. iii. 4 ; and still it is a main ingredient.
Men embolden themselves to rebellion because they look upon God's
wrath as a vain scaTecrow, and that he doth only frighten us with a
deceitful terror and a flash of false fire. But yet reflection upon the
threatening must not be alone, that breedeth legalism ; nor yet upon
the promises alone ; but a deep awe and reverence of God's authority
must be the main thing that swayeth the conscience. A Christian
should have no more to move or stop him, than to know what God
will have him do or not do. That terror that doth arise from a mere
slavish fear of God as a judge and avenger is not right ; but such an
awe as doth at once arise from looking upon God at once as a wise
lawgiver, a gracious father, and righteous judge. A son, a child, if
he take liberty to break the bonds of duty, shall smart for it : though
a believer obeyeth and keepeth off from sin upon higher and nobler
terms than wrath, yet he maketh a good improvement of these terrors
also ; for godly fear is influenced by God's being a consuming fire :
Heb. xii. 29, 30, ' Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God
acceptably, with reverence and godly fear ; for our God is a consuming
fire.'
Secondly, We come to the reasons why we should stand in awe of
the word of God.
1. From the author of it ; it is God's word, not the word of a weak
man, but of the great and mighty God. His authority is supreme,
his power infinite, his knowledge exact, his truth unquestionable, his
holiness immaculate, his justice impartial. The same reasons which
move us to fear God do move us also to reverence his word ; and add
this above all the rest, that therein his truth is impawned to us, and
by it he obi i get h himself to make good both his threatenings and his
promises. Three things I shall take notice of, which showeth God's
stamp and impress upon the word : —
[1.] Its authority in searching the heart: Heb. iv. 12, 13, 'The
word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, joints
and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the
heart ; ' that is, as a sharp sword doth pierce asunder between joints
and marrow, so doth the word divide soul and spirit ; and is a dis
cerner, that is, of the convictions of the mind, and the disposition and
inclination of the soul, or sensual appetite. The soul cleaveth to the
sin when the mind or spirit disliketh it ; or plotteth pretences to hide
it from himself or others, even in those sins which lie as hidden in the
VER. 161.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 173
mind as the marrow in the bones. Secret purposes fall under its j udg-
ing power as well as practices accomplished. And what use must
we make of this, but that we stand in awe of the word, avoiding what
it forbiddeth, and following what it commandeth. Now, to evidence
this property of the word, he urgeth the ornniscence of God, whose
word it is : ver. 13, ' Neither is there any creature that is not mani
fest in his sight ; for all things are naked and open to him with whom
we have to do.' As the sinner's secret thoughts are under the sight of
the all-seeing God, so they are under the piercing power of his word ;
for God joineth with his word, and giveth it that discovering and
piercing virtue. So the apostle of the word preached or explained it :
1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25, ' He is convinced of all, and judged of all ; and
thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so falling down
on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a
truth/ The word is the rule, God is the judge ; and the word being
assisted by God, God is there where the word is ; and so doth ransack
the conscience, and discover men to themselves in order to judgment.
[2.] It hath a mighty power and force, because of the spirit that
goeth along with it : Eom. i. 16, ' It is the power of God to. salvation ; '
1 Cor. i. 22, c The gospel is the power of God, and the wisdom of God.'
It is powerful to convince, even there where it converts not ; as Felix
trembled, Acts xxiv. It is powerful to convert from one religion to
another, from one state to another. (1.) From one religion to another :
'Have any of the nations changed their gods?' Jer. ii. 11. There
needs much ado to bring men from a false religion wherein they have
been brought up, how vain and foolish soever it be ; yet this power the
word hath. Though the doctrine of a crucified Christ were so distaste
ful, partly as now drawing men from their old temples, and altars, and
ceremonies, wherein they were educated, especially as incredible, offer
ing life by one that died ; and partly as contrary to the carnal gust, as
requiring duties distasteful to flesh and blood, and engaging in troubles
and persecutions, yet it prevailed. (2.) Converting men from a state of
nature to a state of grace, so that they are as it were born. To bring
men to hate what they naturally love, and love what they naturally
hate ; it is hard to alter the nature of things, Isa. xi. 6 ; to quicken the
dead, to purify the unclean, confirm the weak, to meeken the proud
and passionate : Oh ! who would not reverence such a word, such a
law and doctrine, as can do all this ? Yet this and much more hath
the word done.
[3.] Its authority : Eccles. viii. 3, 4, ' Where the word of a king is,
there is power/ or authority to back it. How is it where God is ?
We reckon not of the words of a private person, though never so
wise: Eccles. ix. 16, 'The poor man's wisdom is despised, and his
words are not heard/ Where the command of a king cometh, it
cometh with authority ; for he hath power to back it, and to avenge
himself on whosoever shall contradict it ; but wise counsel, where there
is no authority to enforce it, is little regarded. But now with God is
sovereign majesty, and in his word, wherein sentence is pronounced
concerning every person and action, according to which judgment doth
proceed and will be executed.
2. The second reason is taken from the matter of the word ; it is
174 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXV.
direction about our everlasting concernments: Deut. xxxii. 46, 47,
' Set your hearts unto all the things which I command you this day ;
for it is not a vain thing, it is your life/ In a ^ matter of life and
death a man cannot be too exact and nice ; yea, in the obedience or
disobedience of the word, life or death eternal is concerned ; yea, in
every action morally considered, the word telleth you what is the merit
of it, and what will be the event, or an evil or a good estate. Man
would fain know his destiny, whether happy or miserable ; here you
may know whether you shall live for ever with God. Man in his laws
doth not threaten or promise beyond his power ; his power reacheth to
men's outward estate, and no further, and is only limited to the bounds
of the present life ; therefore the sanction of their laws are never ex
tended beyond the promises or threats of present and outward good, to
give or take away men's liberty, wealth, estate, life at most. But God
threateneth everlasting fire, Mat. xxv. 41 ; prorniseth an inheritance
immortal, 1 Peter i. 4. As God commandeth inward holiness, right
eousness, love, so eternal rewards, and eternal penalties, things that
concern us more nearly than estates, liberties, peace, yea, our lives
themselves.
3. The third reason, because of the profit of standing in awe of the
word.
[1.] It fortifieth us, and preserveth us in such temptations as arise
from the fear of man. Where there is a reverence and awefulness of
God's word, the greater awe overcometh the less. In such a temptation
a man may miscarry two ways — by distrust of God, and disobedience
to him. The one is the cause of the other. Now that we may not dis
trust him, it is good to set fear against fear, God against the creature :
Jer. i. 8, ' Be not afraid of their face, for I am with thee to deliver
thee, saith the Lord His powerful protection should encourage us
against their wrathful disposition : Isa. li. 12, 13, ' Who art thou, that
thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and the son of man,
that shall be as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy maker?' The
immortal and almighty God is able to bear us out. A due sense of
the power of the Almighty checketh the fear of men. Or by disobed
ience we dishonour him : certainly a gracious heart feareth more to
offend God than to fall into any temporal inconvenience : Isa. viii. 12,
13, ' Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid ; but sanctify the Lord of
hosts himself, and let him be your fear and dread ;' 1 Peter iii. 14, 15,
'But if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye, and be not
afraid of their terror ; but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.' But
let Jiim be your fear and your dread. Be afraid to offend so holy a
majesty. The countenance of princes is very awful unto men, but the
fear of God's wrath should overcome the fear of man's displeasure, even
of the greatest : Heb. xi. 27, ' He feared not the wrath of the king,
because he saw him that was invisible/
[2.] It majieth a man sincere. When a man standeth in awe of
the word, he obeyeth in presence and absence, Phil. ii. 12, and avoideth
secret as well as open sins, Gen. xxxix. 9, sins of thought as well as in
deed—heart-sins, which the laws of men cannot take hold of; but the
tear of God is instead of all laws, 2 Cor. i. 12. Conscience is to them
more than shame of men. Something without keepeth back wicked
VER. 161.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 175
men ; but something within, the godly. Abner's question was not good,
* How shall I hold up my face to thy brother Joab ? ' 2 Sam. ii. 22.
He should have said, How shall I hold up my face to the Lord thy
God ? Though an upright man might do wickedly, uncontrolled of
man, and nobody seeth him or punisheth him, yet reverence of God
and his word restraineth him.
[3.] It maketh a man punctual and exact when afraid to do anything
contrary to God's revealed will. It is universal, and it is powerful. It
is universal; the soul that maketh conscience of the word is more
thorough in obedience : there will be failings, but, for the main, his
heart is sound with God ; and lesser failings are retracted by repent
ance, Ps. cxli. 1, 2. And powerful : ' Stand in awe, and sin not/ Ps. iv.
4 ; this will cause us to stop in an evil course, on the remembrance of
our duty ; as David's heart smote him when he cut off the lap of Saul's
garment. Some think the text then verified, * My heart standeth in
awe of thy word ; ' a commandment was in his way.
Use 1. To show us what frame of spirit they are under who despise
the word.
1. All do so who deliberately and voluntarily prefer their own will
before the will of God : 2 Sam. xii. 9, ' Wherefore hast thou sinned in
despising the commandment ? ' They obey their own inclination,
whatever the word saith to the contrary. Despising the command
ment is the root of all sin, as formality of wilful sin. Oh ! that men
did regard this as they ought ! considering that to despise command
ments is to despise the Lord himself, and what it is for poor worms to
despise the God of heaven and earth. Nay, that God that is our
judge, he hath power to cast both body and soul into hell-fire — the
God whom we are bound by so many ties to obey.
2. When swayed by delight and profit against the course of our
duty. Esau sold his birthright to keep him alive, yet despised it,
Gen. xxix. 31, and Heb. xii. 16.
3. The case is more aggravated when we cast a precept behind our
backs for a light pleasure or small profit ; the greater is our contempt to
break with God for a little trifle ; sell the righteous for a pair of shoes.
Use 2. To press us to get this blessed frame of heart, to stand in
awe of the word.
1. It is a great curb in actual temptations: Gen. xxxix. 9, 'How
then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ? '
2. It is a great help in reading and hearing : Acts x. 33, ' Now
therefore we are all present before God, to hear all things that are
commanded thee of God/
3. A great help in humiliation and suing out our pardon : Ps. cxxx.
3, 4, ' If thou shouldest mark iniquity, who could stand ? but there is
forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.'
For means to get this aweful frame of heart.
1. Faith is necessary. Sundry articles of religion have influence
upon it. God's power : Mat. x. 28, ' Fear not them that can kill the
body, but fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell-fire.'
God's providence, that he observeth human affairs, and accordingly
doth reward and punish : Hosea vii. 2, ' And they consider not in their
hearts that I remember all their wickedness, now their doings have
176 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXXY.
beset them about, before my face ; ' and Heb. ii. 2, ' And every trans
gression and every disobedience received a just recompense of reward.'
A day of judgment: Kom. ii. 5, * But after thy hardness and impeni
tent heart, treasurest up wrath against the day of wrath, and the reve
lation of the righteous judgment of God;' eternal recompenses of
heaven and hell, or the state of the world to come. Those who believe
not these things are bold and venturous, and out of a daring confidence
will put it to the trial whose word shall stand, God's or theirs : Jer.
xliv. 28, ' And all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into the land
of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know whose word shall stand, mine or
theirs ; ' which shall be fulfilled or made good : Heb. xi. 8, ' By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, being moved
with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house/
2. Love is necessary, for reverence ariseth from love. David was
afraid to displease so good a God, to whom bound by so many ties.
Surely love breedeth a greater tenderness than a bare sense of danger :
Hosea iii. 5, ' Fear the Lord and his goodness.' That which maketh a
wicked man presumptuous maketh a child of God aweful ; he hath to do
with a good God, and therefore would not offend him, nor cross his
will.
3. A humble penitent spirit is necessary for this frame of heart.
Josiah, when he heard the words of the law, he rent his clothes: 2
Kings xxii. 19. ' Because thy heart was tender, and thou humbledst
thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this
place, I have heard thee, saith the Lord ; ' and 2 Chron. xxxiv. 27,
* Because thy heart was tender/ &c. ; troubled at God's anger. To some,
nothing is of less consideration with them.
4. A good stock of knowledge, or frame of divine truths : Ps. cxix.
11, ' Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against
thee ; ' Prov. vi. 21, 22, ' Bind them continually upon thy heart, and
tie them about thy neck ; when thou goest, it shall lead thee ; when
thou sleepest, it shall keep thee ; and when thou wakest, it shall talk
with thee.' A treasure of knowledge not only got by heart, but im
pressed on us by his Spirit. The great new-covenant blessing, Heb. viii.
10, is God's law written upon the heart by the finger of the Spirit, as
before on tables of stone, on the directive and imperative powers, the
heart and mind ; and this maketh us conformable to it in heart and
life. God's law is said to be in the heart of the godly, that maketh
them willing to obey : Ps. xl. 8, ' His law is in my heart ; ' tender to
offend : Ps. xxxvii. 31, ' The law of God is in his heart, none of his
steps shall slide.' He loveth what is commanded, and hateth what
is forbidden ; he hath a sense of it, to keep from usual guilt.
5. Advised consideration and watchfulness : ' Let thine eyes look
right on, and thine eyelids straight before thee ; ponder the path of
thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.' When you are about to
do anything, examine and consider it, whether God alloweth it, yea or
no. Will it please or displease, honour or dishonour God ? If he
disallow, forbear, how safe, profitable, or comfortable soever it be ; if
he allow it, then engage : this holy fear must never be laid aside :
Phil. ii. 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear and trembling ; ' 1
Peter i. 17, 'Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.'
VER. 162.) SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 177
SEKMON CLXXVI.
I rejoice at thy ivord, as one thatfindetli great spoil — VER. 162.
IN the text —
1. An assertion or declaration of his delight in the word, ' I rejoice
at thy word/
2. An illustration of it by a similitude, taken from those who have
gotten some notable prey and booty, ' As one that findeth great spoil. '
First, The similitude is very expressive, taken from the joy which
a conqueror in battle doth find in the spoil of his defeated enemies.
The same similitude is used Isa. ix. 3, ' They joy before thee according
to the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.'
He speaketh there of the highest joy; in a time of peace, joy of the
harvest is the greatest joy ; in a time of war, victory obtained after
a hazardous fight, and rich spoil and booty gotten. To heighten that
joy, several circumstances concur : —
1. Deliverance after a doubtful conflict. No man goeth to war
but carrieth his life in his hands, and the event is very uncertain.
Now when it is unexpectedly determined on our side, there is great
rejoicing.
2. The joy of victory, especially to be victorious in a battle.
3. There is booty and spoil, whereby men are enriched, and so
profit as well as pleasure.
4. The joy of honour and triumph over fallen enemies.
5. Peace and ease from toil. All these make the joy of victorious
men in a battle to be a great joy.
Secondly, It was a fit similitude for David to use, who was a great
warrior, and so a man not unacquainted with the joy of victory. A
gracious heart spiritualiseth every occasion that falleth out in their
ordinary callings : here is great joy, but this is nothing to the know
ledge of God's will.
Thirdly, Every Christian is a warrior against Satan, the world, and
the flesh ; so it is a fit similitude for them. Victory over sin and
Satan is above all the conquests in the world ; this is a part of the
good news the word bringeth to us, Col. ii. 14, 15 ; John xvi. 33.
Now observe, in the former verse David had expressed his reverence
to the word, now his delight.
First, Our trembling at the word doth not hinder our delight in it ;
none more cheery than the aweful soul: Acts ix. 31, ' They walked
in the fear of God and comfort of the Holy Ghost ; ' and Ps. cxii. 1,
' Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly
in his commandments.' Those who are most observant of God's
will, and careful to follow it, have the greatest contentment in their
souls.
Secondly, Joy should be mingled with reverence, lest it degenerate
into slavery and a scrupulous fear.
Doct. That God's people do greatly rejoice in his word.
1. It is not an ordinary delight which is here set forth, but such
as is high and intense, such joy as the richest and most gainful victory
VOL. ix. M
1 78 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLXXV1.
i raise in any worldly man. It is incredible, and cannot be expressed,
how much, joy and comfort the word of God yieldeth to good men ;
therefore so many similitudes used : ' More than in all riches/ Ps.
cxix. 14 ; ' Sweeter than honey and the honeycomb,' ver. 103 ; ' I love
it above gold, and above fine gold/ ver. 127. A joy greater than the
joy of worldly men.
2. It is not a light flash, or a fantastical impression, but a solid
consolation, such as is affliction-proof and death-proof, when the
strength of this joy corneth to be tried and assaulted by deep
afflictions. Therefore the heirs of promise are said to have strong
consolation, Heb. vi. 18. So ver. 50 of this psalm, 'This is my
comfort in mine affliction, thy word hath quickened me.'
3. This joy, which is the mark of a sound believer, is delighting to
know, believe, and obey God's word. For it is in the way of his
testimonies, Ps. cxix. 14. It is in his commandments they delight
greatly. Study and contemplation breedeth a pleasure, but nothing
like practice. The pleasures and delights of the mind do certainly
exceed those of the body, for the more noble the faculty is, the more
capable of delight. A man in study hath a truer pleasure than the
greatest epicure in the most exquisite enjoyments of sense. Now
moral delights exceed those which are the mere result of contemplation,
as they give us a more intimate feeling of the worth of things. Again
those delights which are supernatural, and come from the Spirit, as
the pleasures of faith and obedience do, exceed those of the natural
mind as much as those do bodily pleasures, as being exercised about
nobler objects, which are the sense of the favour of God, and recon
ciliation with him, and the hopes of eternal life ; and as coming from
a higher cause, the Spirit of God. Therefore, upon the whole, there
is no true delight and contentment but what proceedeth from a careful
performance of God's commands, strictly abstaining from what may
displease him, and cheerfully practising all that he requireth of us.
Truly the present gratefulness of such an employment, and the suc
ceeding comforts of such practices, are a continual feast ; all other
pleasures to this are nothing worth. The obedience of faith to a
believer is more than any worldly advantage. It is a sweet thing to be
exercised in the word of God, in reading and hearing it with serious
meditation, but much more to be brought under the power and
practice of it.
Eeason 1. The godly find glad tidings in the word, suitable to their
soul's necessities, and therefore rejoice in it. For the object of delight
is bonum conveniens et sufficiens ; here is enough to content them,
and it is very suitable. There is pardon of sins, and that is ground
of joy : Mat. ix. 2, ' Be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee ; '
there we hear of a Saviour : 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a faithful saying,
and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world
to save sinners/ When the gospel was preached at Samaria, Acts
yiii. 8, ' There was great joy in that city/ Zaccheus received Christ
joyfully, for he brought salvation to his house, Luke xix. 6. There
is the true way of mortifying sin and sanctifying the heart : Ps. xix.
8, ' The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the soul ; the com
mandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes/ There we are
VEB. 162.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 179
told of the joys of the world to come : 1 Cor. ii. 9, ' Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him/ We should
exult for joy to hear of those things. Thus you see the word of God
affordeth such comforts, such matter of rejoicing, as cannot be par
alleled. A poor man, when he findeth a treasure, receiveth it with a
joyful heart. Oh ! what inestimable treasure do we find in the word
of God ! the way of eternal salvation is there made manifest.
Reason 2. The saints have felt benefit by it ; they have been
renewed and sanctified by it, therefore they prize it : James i. 18, 19,
{ Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth, that we should
be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Therefore be swift to hear/
There they have found powerful heavenly truths, by which their souls
are made new ; they have tasted God's love in the doctrines and
promises thereof, and against a taste there is no disputing, 1 Peter ii.
2, 3. Experimented sweetness is beyond all arguments ; they have
been revived and comforted by it in their troubles, as at the 93d
verse of this psalm more largely, ' I will never forget thy word, for by
them thou hast quickened me/ God hath done their souls good by
it. It is the charter of their hopes, ver. Ill of this psalm. Whatever
calamities they meet with in the world, there they see ground of peace,
and composedness in their soul.
Reason 3. They love God, and they hear more of him in the word
than they can elsewhere. The soul that loveth God heareth and
seeth his blessed name in every leaf; they find the effects of his
goodness in creation, some fruits and pledges of his love in daily
providence, but there they find his great eternal and wonderful love
in Christ ; there they know God's will, and it is their desire to be
subject to it, and therefore value it, not only as the charter of their
hopes, but as the rule of their duty.
Use 1. To condemn them —
1. That find no sweetness in the word of God ; they do not mind
the business of salvation, and then no wonder if they have a slight and
mean esteem of the word.
Two reasons of this contempt : —
[1.] Their scope is not fixed. All means are regarded with respect
to the end. Now, if they do not make the everlasting enjoyment of God
their end, the scriptures are of little use to them, a trouble rather than
a comfort, because they disturb them in pursuing their lusts ; but a
man that would enjoy God, get to his holy hill, is apprehensive of the
benefit.
[2.] They are not affected with their wants, and therefore esteem
not the word ; for the great benefit of the word is to teach us a remedy
for sin and misery. Now they that mind not the misery and danger
in which they stand go on carelessly and despise the word of God :
Prov. xxii. 3, ' A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself,
but the simple pass on, and are punished/ They little think of the
evil which is near them, and so slight the counsel of God.
2. Those that will not believe them that find sweetness in it, as if all
were fantastical and imaginary. Are the wisest and most serious part
of mankind deceived ? and hath the carnal fool only the wit to discern
180 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXVII.
the mistake ? Surely in all reason it should be otherwise. These tell
us of those delights and transports of soul in meditating on the pro
mises, in purifying their hearts by the precepts ; and though a stranger
intermeddleth not with their joys, yet surely these rind them. All
that is spiritual and supernatural is suspected by those who are drowned
in matters of sense, John xii. 29 ; a voice from heaven is thunder ;
the motions of the Spirit, fumes of wine, Acts iii. 13 ; joy in the Holy
Ghost but a fancy, &c.
3. Them that count it an alphabetary knowledge fit for beginners.
David was no novice, yet he rejoiced in the word as one that found
great spoil ; the more conversant he was in these holy writings, the
more he delighted in them. No ; it is not only children's meat ; there
is not only milk there, but strong meat also, Heb. v. 14. It is our rule
to walk by, till ouf blessedness be perfected. The continual storehouse
of our comforts, Kom. xv. 4. It is the continual means of growing
into communion with God in Christ.
Use 2. To exhort us to delight in the word of God. It is the work
and mark of a blessed man : Ps. i. 2, ' But his delight is in the law of
the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night/ As far as
the necessities of the present life will bear it, they are still getting
more knowledge of true blessedness, and the way that leadeth to the
enjoyment of it. This is their business and pleasing study. His
work is to form his heart to a sincere, uniform, impartial obedience,
And as he doth increase in godliness by the help of the word, his soul
is more satisfied ; all the joys of the world to this are nothing to him.
Are your hearts thus set to know the Lord and his revealed will, and
the way of life ?
SERMON CLXXVII.
/ hate and abhor lying : but thy laiv do I love. — VER. 163.
IN this verse the man of God showeth his affection to the word by
the hatred of those things which are contrary to the word. Observe
here —
1. Affection set against affection.,
i 2. Object against object.
• First, Affection against affection, hatred against love. Love and
hatred are natural affections, which are good or evil according to the
objects to which they are applied. Place love on the world, sin, and
vanity, and nothing worse ; place hatred on God, religion, holiness, and
it soon proveth a hellish thing. But now, set them upon their proper
objects, and they express a gracious constitution of soul ; let us hate
evil, and love good, Amos v. 15, and all is well. Man needeth affec
tions of aversation as well as choice and pursuit. Hatred hath its
use as well as love. Love was made for God, and things that belong
God, and hatred for sin. It was put into us that, at the first ap
pearance, sense, or imagination of evil, we might retire ourselves and
fly from it; and is anything so evil as sin, so contrary to God, so bane-
VER. 163.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 181
ful to the soul ? The office of love is to adhere and cleave to God,
and whatever will bring us to the enjoyment of him ; and the office
of hatred is that we may truly and sincerely turn from all evil with
detestation, according to the nature and degree of evil that is in it.
The emphasis of the text is notable, ' I hate and abhor ; ' it must be
a thorough hatred, which David, Ps. cxxxix. 22, calleth a e perfect
hatred.' '
Secondly, Here is object set against object. As love is opposed to
hatred, so the law to lying ; for the word oi' God is truth, and requireth
truth of all that submit to it ; pure sincerity and simplicity. Some
render the word more generally. The Septuagint a&iiciav efjuid^aa KOI
e{3Se\vt;dfj,€v, 1 1 hate and abominate iniquity.' Other translations
render it not so ; they expound it so that one kind is put for all the
rest, and fitly ; for every sin is a falsehood, and often called in this
psalm, ' A false way, and a lie,' and will fail and beguile all them
who are delighted with it. And the purport and drift is, that we
should admit, omit, commit nothing which is contrary to the word of
God, which is the great object of a holy man's love.
The points are three : —
Doct. 1. They that love the word of God must hate sin.
Doct. 2. That a slight hatred of a sinful course is not enough, but
we must hate and abhor it.
Doct. 3. That among other sins, we must hate falsehood and lying,
and all kind of frauds and deceits.
For the first point.
Doct. 1. They that love the word of God must hate sin.
This implieth four things : —
1. That our love must be demonstrated by such effects, otherwise it
is but pretended, if we do not avoid what it forbiddeth ; for our love to
God and his word is mostly seen in obedience and dutiful subjection
to him and it ; for God's love is a love of bounty, our love is a love of
duty. He is said to love us when he blesseth us, and bestoweth on us
the effects of his special grace and favour ; we are said to love him
when we obey him. These propositions are clear in scripture, that our
love to God is tried by our love to the word, and our love to the word
by our hatred of sin : John xiv. 21, ' He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; ' and ver. 23, ' If any man
love me he will keep my words/ On the contrary, our enmity to God
and his word is determined by our love to sin. Enmity to God : Col.
i. 21, ' Enemies in your minds by evil works.' To his word : Eom. viii.
7, ' The carnal mind is not subject to the law, neither indeed can be/
Habitual sin argueth a malice or hatred of God and his holy law ;
and actual sin, an actual hatred. It is finis operis, if not operantis;
whether a man thinketh so or no, it is the intent of the action ; a
rebellion or an act of disloyalty against God. Yea, there is not only
a virtual hatred in sin, but a formal hatred ; not only implied, but
expressed : they wish there were not a God to punish them and call
them to an account, such a law to forbid such practices as they affect,
or that such things were not sin. Well, then, it is not some kind of
pleasure in the study of the word will show our love to the word, but
an impartial, entire, and uniform obedience, strictly abstaining from
182 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SflR. CLXXVII.
such tilings as it forbiddeth, and carefully practising what it requireth
at our hands.
2. That our hatred of sin must flow from such a principle. A man
may hate sin upon foreign and accidental reasons, and so that abstain
ing from sin is not a true hatred, but a casual dislike ; as when we
forbear some sins, but retain others that suit better with our condition,
callings, employment, temper, or because of some difficulty in compass
ing, shame in practising, or repugnant to our natural temper. No ; it
must be out of a principle of love to God : Ps. xcvii. 10, * Ye that love
the Lord hate evil.' So Ps. cxix. 113, 'I hate vain thoughts, but thy
law do I love/ A hatred of sin arising from love to God and his
word is the only true hatred ; that is hatred of sin as sin, as it is
ai/o/ua, 1 John iii.<.4, ' A transgression of the law ; ' as it is ingratitude
to God, contrary to our obligations to him, not only as destructive to our
selves ; not principally timore pwnce, but amore virtutis. The word of
God furnisheth us with divers reasons and arguments to move us to hate
sin. They all have their place, but some are more noble and excellent
than others ; as when a man hateth sin because God hath forbidden it.
True hatred cometh from a love of the contrary ; therefore he that
hath a vehement love to the law hateth all things which are contrary
to it : Mat. vi. 20, ' He will hate the one, and love the other/ There
is no serving two masters ; love to the one enforceth hatred of the
other. To love the good and hate the evil are inseparable.
3. The more we hate sin the more prepared we are to love the law.
A carnal heart hateth the law : John iii. 20, ' He that doeth evil hateth
the light ; ' and Kom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is not subject to the
law/ He that doth not hate sin hateth the word of God. We cannot
delight in it till our affections be purified and sanctified. Men's evil
practices and dispositions cause them to hate the light ; it is a reprov
ing light. Can sore eyes delight to look upon the sun ? or an unsound
heart delight in that which will so ransack and search the conscience ?
4. According to the degree of love, so will the degree of our hatred
be. They that have the highest love of the law will have most hatred
of sin ; they hate every lesser contrariety, a vain thought, Ps. cxix.
113. They do not only hate open and scandalous sins, but sin carried
on in a more close and cleanly manner ; yea, they groan under the
relics of corruption, and feel it a heavy burden : Kom. vii. 22-24, ' For
I delight in the law of God after the inward man ; but I see another
law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bring
ing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members ; ' and
then, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! ' Next to the object of our affection,
the principle or spring of it must be regarded ; and next to the spring
and rise of it, the degree must be looked after, that we love the good
and hate the evil proportionably ; that is to say, that our hatred must
be proportionable to the evil of the thing hated, and our love to the
good of the thing loved. And indeed, where the one is the other will
be; where -a great love, a great hatred; where a little love, a little
hatred: Ps. cxix. 127, 128, 'I love thy commandments above gold,
yea, above fine gold ; therefore I esteem thy precepts in all things to
be right, and hate every false way/
Use. Well, then, if we would show our love to the word, we must
VEE. 163.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 183
truly, sincerely, and constantly turn from all known sin with detestation
and abhorrence ; for hatred of sin is an infallible evidence of love to
the word. Now hatred of sin, if it be right —
1. It is universal, els TO, yevrj, to the whole kind ; as Haman thought
scorn to lay hands upon Mordecai alone, but sought to destroy the
whole race of the Jews, Esther iii. 6. One sin is as inconsistent with
the love of God as another. There may be as much contempt of God's
authority in a sin of thought as in a sin of practice, in a small sin as
in a greater. There may be much crookedness in a small line, and in
some cases the dye is more than the stuff : ' I hate every false way/
It is twice repeated in this psalm, in ver. 104, and ver. 128. To
hate what God hateth : Prov. viii. 13, ' The fear of the Lord is to hate
evil/
2. It is implacable ; it aimeth at the utter extirpation and expul
sion of sin. They seek to remove the guilt, to weaken the inclination ;
they groan sorely under the very being of sin, that anything of sin is
left : ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body
of this death ? ' Bom. vii. 24.
3. It is still growing. At first it is a dubious case. Men that are
convinced have some mind to let sin go, or a wish that Christ would
save them from it ; but it is with such reserves, that they have rather
a mind to keep it than let it go ; as Pharaoh had no mind to dismiss
Israel, and therefore stood hucking with God ; or as David, when he
sent out forces against Absalom, yet ' be tender of the young man/
Pleasing lusts, we have but a remiss will against them ; our love to it
is greater than our dislike of it ; therefore so unstable, James i. 8. But
when the soul is converted, the soul is armed with a resolution, 1 Peter
iv. 1. Then the love of sin is weakened in their hearts, and the
strength and vigor of it abated ; the soul is armed with a serious pur
pose to give it up, and shake off this servitude, in the confidence of that
grace which is purchased for them by Christ's death ; there is a godly
inclination and bent of soul to live unto God. Again, as our com
munion with God and sense of his love is increased in us, so our hatred
of sin groweth more keen and fierce. When God had told what he
would do for Ephraim, 'What have I any more to do with idols?'
Hosea xiv. 8. I have had too much to do already. What ! any more ?
In what proportion there is a sense of God's love, in the same propor
tion a hatred of evil. Moses, when he had talked with God in the
mount, at his return he is full of indignation, and broke the tables.
So those that have had sweet communion with God have a more
severe displicency against their corruptions, and there is a more lively
principle at work in their hearts, for the expulsion of them. Every
act of kindness on God's part layeth a new obligation, and their hatred
is awakened by the holy use of the ordinances.
4. The constant discoveries of hatred against sin are watching and
striving against it ; they are ever careful that they may not offend
God : Acts xxiv. 1 6, ' And herein do I exercise myself, to keep a con
science void of offence both towards God and men ; ' and keep striv
ing, and a serious resistance, even when they are foiled : Kom. vii. 15,
1 The evil that I hate, that do I/ A Christian always hateth sin,
though he doth not always prevail against it. In sins of daily infirmity,
184 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXVIL
striving is conquering ; but in other sins, they prevail against them by
degrees ; sin doth not carry it freely, nor reign in them : ' For sin shall
not have dominion over you ; for ye are not under the law, but under
grace/ Rom. vi. 14.
Doct. 2. That a slight hatred of a sinful course is not enough, but
we must hate it and abhor it : Rom. xii. 9, * Abhor that which is evil ;
cleave to that which is good.' Hate it as hell, as the word signifieth.
We do too coldly speak against evil, too slackly follow after that
which is good. If our pursuit after God were more earnest, and our
hatred of evil more serious and severe, we should be other manner of
Christians than we are. There is a twofold hatred — (1.) The hatred
of offence and abomination ; (2.) The hatred of enmity and opposition.
By the one our hearts are turned from sin, by the other turned against
it. Now both these are necessary for a Christian that would be safe.
Hating and abhorring implieth not only a naked abstinence, or a
simple refusal, but an enmity ; not a forbearing the act, but a mortifying
the affection. We must not only leave off evil, but abhor it ; and not
only abhor it, but pursue it with a hostile hatred, purposing, watching,
striving, praying against it, thwarting the flesh, and contradicting the
motions thereof.
Reason 1. It is not else a hatred becoming sin. which is so great an
evil, so opposite to God's law, and derogatory to God's glory, so mis
chievous to us. There is a great deal of evil in sin, a great deal of
evil after sin, that we can never hate it enough. It is the evil of evils,
that brought all other evils into the world; it is the violation of a
righteous law, 1 John iii. 4 ; a contempt of God's authority : Exod. v. 2,
1 Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?' Ps. xii. 4, ' Our
tongues are our own ; who is lord over us ?' It is a defacing of his
image, and a casting off the glory and honour of our creation : Rorn.
iii. 23, ' We have sinned, and are come short of the glory of God.' Ps.
xlix. 12, * Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not ; he is like
the beasts that perish.' A despising of his power by a silly worm, as
if we could make good our party against him : 1 Cor. x. 22, ' Do we
provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?' It sepa-
rateth from communion with God : Isa. lix. 2, ' Your iniquities have
separated between me and you.' It preferreth base satisfactions before
the enjoyment of him : 2 Tim. iii. 4, ' Lovers of pleasure more than
lovers of God ;' as if the base and brutish pleasures of the flesh were
to^be preferred before the love of God.' This and much more may be
said of sin ; and is any hatred too great for it ? Ps. ci. 3, ' I will set
no wicked thing before mine eyes : I hate the work of them that turn
aside ; it shall not cleave to me.'
Reason 2. No other hatred will serve the purposes of grace. A love
that is cold will soon fail ; so also will a hatred. Where our zeal is
not set against sin we soon fall into a liking of it ; therefore the soul
is not sufficiently guarded by a slight hatred. If sin be not detestable,
it will soon seem tolerable. There is a brabble between many and their
lusts, and in all haste sin must be gone ; but the quarrel is soon taken
up, and sin stayeth for all that. Where the enmity is not great, a
man's agreement with sin may be soon made. Therefore not only an
offence, but a hostile hatred is required, such hating and abhorring as
VER. 163.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 185
will not admit of reconciliation. Like the hatred of Amnon to Tamar,
' The hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love where
with he loved her/ 2 Sam. xiii. 15 ; he hated her with hatred greatly.
Did we more strongly dissent from sin, it would not so easily prevail
over us. Sin dieth when it dieth in our affections, when our hearts
are set against it : ' Get you hence,' Isa. xxx. 22. Get you gone ; be
there from henceforth an utter divorce between me and you. This
is to hate and abhor.
Use 1. To show us the reason why so many are entangled again in
the sins they seemed to renounce and forsake. They have frequently
resolved to forsake their sins, but these resolutions have come to no
thing ; they have striven against them, but as a great stone that hath
been rolled up hill, it hath returned upon them with the more violence;
or as in rowing against the stream, when the tide hath been strong
against them, and they have been driven the more back, and therefore
are discouraged. Yea, they have prayed, and found little success, and
therefore think it is vain to make any further trial. What shall we
say then to these ? If the premises were clear, yet the inference and
conclusion is wrong and false ; for we are not to measure our duty by
the success, but God's injunction. God may do what he please th, but
we must do what he hath commanded. Abraham obeyed God, not
knowing whither he went, Heb. xi. 8. Peter said unto Christ, ' We
have toiled all night, and have caught nothing ; nevertheless at thy
command we will cast forth the net.' Though the first attempt suc
ceed not, yet afterwards sin may be subdued and broken. In natural
things we do not sit down with one trial or one endeavour, but after
many disappointments pursue our designs till we complete them. A
merchant will not leave off for one bad voyage, nor an ambitious man
because his first essays were fruitless ; and shall we give over our con
flicts with worldly and fleshly lusts ? That showeth our will is not
fixedly bent against them, because we cannot presently subdue them.
' He that will be rich,' 1 Tim. vi. 10. If you had such a will to be holy
and heavenly.
2. There is a fault in these purposes, in these strivings and prayers ;
they do not come from a heart thoroughly set against sin.
[1.] These purposes are not hearty and real, and then no wonder
they do not prevail. There may be a slight purpose, and there is a full
purpose, Acts xi. 23. If thy purposes were more full and strong, and
thoroughly bent against sin, they would sooner succeed. Is it the fixed
decree and determination of thy will ? When you are firmly resolved,
your affections will be sincere and steadfast, you will pursue this work
close ; not be off and on, hot and cold, unstable in all your ways ; your full
purpose, or the habitual bent of your hearts, are known by your drift and
scope. Or it may be this purpose may be extorted, not the effect of thy
judgment and will, but only thy conscience awakened by some present
fear. Many are by some pangs and qualms of conscience frighted into
some religiousness ; but this humour lasts not long : Ps. Ixxviii. 35-37,
' And they remembered that God was their rock, and the Most High
their redeemer ; nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth,
and they lied to him with their tongues ; for their heart was not
right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.' In their
188 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXVII.
(hmgers they remembered God, but their hearts were not right with
him° Ahab, in his fears, had some relentings ; so had Pharaoh. The
Israelites turned to the Lord in their distress, but they turned as fast
from him afterwards ; resolves not of love, but fear. So are these resolu
tions wrested from you by some present terrors, which, when they cease,
no wonder that they are where they were before. Violent things never
hold long ; they will hold as long as the principle of their violence
lasteth. Or it may be you rest in the strength of your own resolutions.
Now God will be owned as the author of all grace, who reneweth and
quickeneth^every affection in us ; still we must have a sense of our own
insufficiency, and resolve more in the strength and power of God, and
rely upon the grace of Jesus Christ, by his Spirit mortifying the deeds
of the body, as knowing that without him you can do nothing, neither
continue nor perform our resolutions. Men fall again as often as they
think to stand by their own power. There is much guile and false
hood in our own hearts ; we cannot trust them. The saints still
resolve, God assisting : Ps. cxix. 8, ' I will keep thy precepts ; oh, for
sake me not utterly ; ' ver. 32, * I will run the way of thy command
ments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.' They beg God to keep up
their inclination and bent against sin : ver. 36, ' Incline my heart to
thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.'
[2.] As to striving. Let us examine that a little ; if it be so seri
ous, so diligent, so circumspect as it should be. Certainly that is no
effectual striving when you are disheartened with every difficulty ; for
difficulties do but influence a resolved spirit, as stirring doth the fire.
No question but it will be hard to enter in at the strait gate, or walk
in the narrow way. God hath made the way to heaven so narrow and
strait, that we may the more strive to enter in thereat, Luke xiii. 24.
Now shall we sit down and complain when we succeed not upon every
faint attempt ? Who then can be saved ? This is to cry out with the
sluggard, ' There is a lion in the way.' Should a mariner, as soon as
the waves arise, and strong gusts of wind blow, give over alt guiding
of the ship ? No ; he is resolved upon his voyage. To give out upon
every difficulty is against all the experience and wont of mankind.
Again, this striving and opposing is but slight, not accompanied with
that watchfulness and resolution which is necessary. Many pretend
to watch against sin, yet abstain not from all occasions of sin. If we
play about the cockatrice's hole, no wonder we are bitten. Never
think to turn from thy sins, if thou dost not turn from the occasion of
them : Prov. iv. 15, 'Go not in the way of evil men, avoid it, pass not
by it, turn from it, and pass away.' This is a practice becoming the
hatred of sin. Evil company is a snare. If thou hast not strength to
avoid the occasion, which is less, how canst thou avoid the sin, which
is greater ? He that resolveth not to be burnt in the fire must not
come near the flames. Job made a covenant with his eyes, Job xxxi.
Our Saviour taught us to pray, ' Lead us not into temptation/
He doth not say, into sin. Temptation openeth the gate to it. Cer
tainly itargueth a hankering of mind when we dally with temptations ;
as the raven, when he is driven from the carrion, loveth to abide
within the scent of it, so they have an inclination to sin when they
forbear the practice of it.
VER. 163.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 187
[3.] For praying. We oftener pray from our memories than from
our consciences, and from our consciences enlightened than hearts
renewed by grace. Prayer, as it is the fruit of memory and invention,
is but a few slight and formal words said of course, a body without a
soul ; as dictated by conscience, it may be retracted by the will, at
noli modo. Austin, when he prayed against his youthful lusts,
timcbam ne me excluderet Deus, was afraid lest he should be heard
too soon ; at best but half desires, faint wishes, like Balaam's wish to
die the death of the righteous. The soul of the sluggard desireth,
and hath nothing. God never made promise that lazy wishes should
be satisfied. If you pray against sin with your whole heart, he will
hear you. The great fault is the want of this thorough hatred
of sin.
Use 2. Take heed of two things :—
1. A secret love to your sins,
2. A remiss hatred against them.
1. A secret love to sin. Job speaketh of some that hid sin as a
sweet morsel under their tongues, Job xx. 12, loath to let a lust go ;
and David of regarding iniquity in our heart, Ps. Ixvi. 18. First
there is a secret liking of sin, which in time will prove baneful to the
soul ; some lust is spared, and continueth unmortified. It doth not
remain so much, as it is reserved, and there keepeth possession for
Satan. This will in time eat out all our other virtues, and bring a
stain upon those good properties wherewith God hath endowed us.
Sin was never heartily cast out, therefore they are in time ensnared
again, and drawn away by some sensitive lure.
2. A remiss hatred of sin. No ; there must be a total and full aver
sion. Hatred and indignation is the soul's expulsive faculty ; it cannot
be kept in good plight without it. It is the lively and active principle
which sets the soul a-work, in avoiding what is hurtful to the spiritual
life : it concerneth us to keep it up in strength and vigour. The
reason why even believers do so often sin through weakness is because
the will doth not so strongly dissent as it should. Though we do not
deliberately give cur assent, it should more potently awaken our dis
pleasure. But certainly the reason of wilful sin is want of a strong
hatred. Though convinced of evil, yet we go on like a fool to the
correction of the stocks, Prov. vii. 22.
Doct. 3. That among other sins, we must hate falsehood -and lying,
and all kind of frauds and deceits.
1. I shall open the particular notion of lying in the text.
2. Show you the reasons against it.
First, To open the particular notion of lying.
lo In the vulgar acceptation and sense of it, we take it to be speak
ing an untruth, or that which is false, with an intention to deceive.
Now this is a sin contrary to the new nature : Col. iii. 9, ' Lie not one
to another, since ye have put off the old man with his deeds.' It is
not only contrary to that natural order which God hath appointed
between the mind and the tongue, but to that sincerity and true holi
ness which is our great qualification and the fruit of regeneration.
Therefore God saith, Isa. Ixiii. 8, ' Surely they are my people, children
that will not lie.' God presumeth that his people will not deal falsely,
188 SERMONS UPON PSALM CX1X. [SER. CLXXVII.
but speak as they think, and think of what they speak as it really is ;
and that Christians will not deceive and circumvent others, since they
are members of the same mystical body, and should seek one another's
welfare, as much as they do their own : Eph. iv. 25, * Wherefore put
away lying ; speak every one truth with his neighbour ; seeing ye are
members 'one of another/ No ; it is more unseemly in a Christian,
more inconsistent with grace. In short, no sin maketh a man more
like the devil : 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 begin
ning, 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.'
2. Concealing the truth which should be confessed. God would
not have his people hide themselves in necessary truths ; he would have
them believe with the heart, and confess with the mouth, Kom. x. 9,
10. And Christianity is called a confession, Heb. iii. 1 ; and all
Christians are saved either as martyrs or as confessors.
But how far we are to confess lesser truth is a great case of conscience.
Certainly we must do nothing against a truth, not appear in the garb
of a contrary party, nor must we lie hid when God in his providence
crieth out, Who is of my side, who ? We read of some, John xii. 42,
who ' believed in Christ, yet they did not confess him, lest they should
be put out of the synagogue ; for they loved the praise of men more
than the praise of God.5 Faith is in a very weak condition when
confession is not joined with it, when men will not own Christ in
troublous times, and appear in their own shape. Men that have much
to lose have many worldly considerations ; they think these lose more
than they can gain, and lose by the praise of God rather than the
praise of men. Now the sincere Christian saith in these cases, ' I
hate and abhor lying.'
3. It is contrary to that obedience to God which we do profess.
There is a practical lie as well as a virtual lie, when our practices do
not correspond with our profession ; there is a lie acted, as well as a
lie told. So Ephraim is said to compass God about with lies, Hosea
xi. 12. To say we have fellowship with God, and walk in darkness,
is a lie, 1 John i. 6, a lie that tendeth. to the disgrace of religion, in
opprobrium Christi : 1 John ii. 4, ' He that saith, I know him, and
keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.'
So he that speaketh much of the Spirit, and walketh after the flesh.
Reason 1. God is a God of truth. God cannot, nor will not lie,
and his people must be like him.
Reason 2. His word is the word of truth, his law requireth truth ;
and all falsehoods and deceits are contrary to that justice and charity
which it establisheth. His gospel is a gospel of truth : Eph. i. 13,
' After ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation/
Reason 3.' He requireth and worketh truth in the reins and inward
parts : Ps. li. 7, * Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts.'
Use. Oh 1 then, hate and abhor lying. You cannot be accepted of
God else : Jer. v. 3, ' 0 Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth ? '
You cannot have grace in your own hearts : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' This is our
rejoicing, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our con-
VJSR. 164.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX.
189
versations in the world ;' nor long continue undiscovered before men :
Prov. xxvi. 26, ' His wickedness shall be showed before the congre
gation/ Let us not lie to God in our promises we make to him : Ps.
Ixxviii. 34-36, ' When he slew them, then they sought him ; and they
returned and inquired early after God; and they remembered that
God was their rock, and the Most High their redeemer : nevertheless
they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their
tongues/ In your worship, do not compass him about with lies, com
plain of burdens which you feel not, express desires which you have
not. In your profession, do not make it a veil and cover for your lusts.
A wicked or carnal design is inconsistent with uprightness of heart.
As to men, abhor all false and deceitful practices and speeches. When
the apostle biddeth us abhor that which is evil, he first saith, Let love
be without dissimulation, Kom. xii. 9. You are not to live by interest,
but by conscience. Therefore abhor all hypocrisy, falsehood, treachery,
which are unworthy any ingenuous man, much more a Christian.
SEPtMON CLXXVIIL
Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgments. —
VER. 164.
IN these words the man of God giveth further proof of his love and
delight in the word, by praising God for that benefit.
His praise is illustrated —
1. By the frequent repetition of that duty, seven times a day do I
praise thee.
2. The subject-matter, because of thy righteous judgments, i.e., God's
dispensations agreeing with his word.
First, The frequency of the duty, * seven times a day ; ' that is, very
often ; numerus definitus pro indejinito, a number certain put for an
uncertain. Seven is often used for many, as Lev. xxvi. 18, ' I will
punish you seven times more for your sins ;' that is, not exactly seven,
but many and divers times : Prov. xxiv. 16, 'A just man falleth seven
times a day, and riseth up again : Prov. xxvi. 25, ' There are seven
abominations in his heart;' 1 Sam. ii. 5, 'She that is barren hath
borne seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.' So
here, I give thanks to thee as often as I meditate of them. Some of
the Jewish rabbis stick in the very literal number, seven — twice in
the morning, before the reading of the law, and once after it, and at
noon, and so in the evening as in the morning ; so Kabbi Solomon.
Indeed elsewhere, Ps. Iv. 17, ' Evening and morning and at noon will
I praise the Lord;' but whether with such scrupulous observation of
hours is not certain.
Secondly, The subject-matter, 'Thy righteous judgments,' whereby is
meant —
1. God's most righteous laws and precepts, called the ordinances of
judgment and justice, Isa. Iviii. We cannot sufficiently bless God for
the benefit of his word.
190 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXVIII.
2. The dispensations of his providence suiting therewith, whether
they concern us or others. The word is fulfilled in the punishment of
the wicked, and in giving the promised reward to the righteous. All
God's dealings are righteous judgments, and matter of praise is still
offered to us from the comforts and blessings of his providence.
There is no question of that ; the smallest of his mercies should not
be overlooked, though notable mercies should be continually remem
bered, Ps. Ixviii. 19. Not only daily benefits, but great deliverances
are a standing ground of thanksgiving : Ps. Ixvi. 2, ' Sing forth the
honour of his name, make his praise glorious, show forth his salvation
from day to day;' especially now the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the great salvation is more clearly revealed, we should never
think of it, nor read it, nor hear of it, without some considerable act
of joy and thankfulness. Again, so for the dispensations of God to
others, in protecting his people, in punishing his enemies. It is a
great confirmation of faith to see promises and threatenings fulfilled
on others, how punctually God maketh good his word to all that trust
in him, Ps. xviii. 30 ; on all those that reject it and despise it : ' As
we have heard, so have we seen/ Ps. xlviii. 8. They that believe the
word of God, and do mark what is foretold in the word, shall find the
event and work of providence suitable to the prediction.
3. God's righteous judgments afflicting of us doth also yield matter
of praise, as they work together for good to such as love him, Kom.
viii. 28 ; and the saddest corrections afford necessary and profitable
instructions : Ps. xciv. 12, ' Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest,
and teachest him out of thy law ;' Ps. cxix. 71, 'It is good for me
that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes ;' though
not barely for the afflictions themselves, yet for their fruit and issue,
that our souls are bettered and humbled by them, and as we see the
faithfulness of God in them.
Doct. That the people of God should never cease lauding and mag
nifying the name of God because of his righteous judgments.
David was never weary of praising God ; every day he praised God,
and often every day : love sweetened it to him. We shall praise him
evermore in the world to come, there it will be our sole employment ;
but even in this world we should not count it a burden, but praise
him yet more : Ps. Ixxi. 14, ' I will yet praise him more and more/
still magnifying his greatness.
Here I shall speak —
1. Of the duty, that we should praise God.
2. Of the continuance, that we should not cease praising God.
3. The grounds of it in the text, because of thy righteous judg
ments.
First, The duty.
Secondly, The motives to it.
First, The duty, and there we have— (I.) The nature of it ; (2.) The
grounds of it ; (3.) The formality ; (4.) The fruit of it.
1. The nature of it. There are three words used in this matter —
blessing, praising, giving thanks. Sometimes they are used promis
cuously, at other times there is a distinctness of notion to be observed.
Blessing is used: Ps. ciii. 1, ' Bless the Lord, 0 my soul/ Blessing
VER. 164.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 191
relateth to his benefits ; it respects the works of God as beneficial to
us ; his mercy, love, and kindness to us. We bless him who hath
blessed us, Eph. i. 7. Praise relateth to his excellences, as we may
praise a stranger for his excellent endowments, though we are not
benefited by them: Ps. cxi. 1, 2, 'Praise ye the Lord; I will praise
the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in
the congregation : the works of the Lord are great, sought out of all
them that have pleasure therein.' It is a great part of our work to
praise the Lord ; not that he at all rieedeth it, for he is infinitely
perfect, but he deserveth it, and by this means we testify our love and
reverence of him, and strengthen our own dependence on him, and
gain others to him, when we speak good of his name. The other
word is thanksgiving: Ps. cvii. 1, 'Oh! give thanks unto the Lord, for
he is good/ This difTereth from the two former, because praise may
be expressed in words, gratitude and thankfulness in deed ; also it
hath respect to benefits as well as blessings ; but we show our grati
tude by obedience. But these are often coincident ; indeed, there is
a mixture of all in the true praising of God ; excellences and benefits
are to be acknowledged with heart, mouth, and life.
2. The grounds of it. Faith and love must be at the bottom of
our praise, if we would not have it slight and formal ; for the more
lively apprehensions we have of God's perfections, which is the work
of faith, and the more sensible of his goodness and mercy, which is the
work of love, the better is this service performed. Therefore, unless
these praises flow from a believing, loving soul, they are but an empty
prattle and a vain sound. Faith is necessary, that is the eye of the
soul to see the invisible one, Heb. xi. 27. It giveth us an apprehen
sion of the Lord's excellences in order to love and trust. So also, in
order to praise, faith sets us before the throne, and doth withdraw the
veil, and showeth us the eternal God, who liveth and reigneth for
ever, dispensing all things powerfully, according to his own will:
that is all the sight we have of God in this life — a nearer vision is
referred to our future glory ; here we see him by faith. Again, love,
or a deep sense of the goodness of God, which enlargeth the heart
towards him, and forceth open our lips, that our mouths may show
forth his praise, Ps. li. 15. There he meaneth God's giving a sweet
and renewed sense of pardoning mercy : Ps. Ixiii. 3, ' Because thy
loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee/ An
intimate sense of the Lord's love sets the tongue a- work to speak of it.
Praise, then, is the result of faith and love. None else do it seriously,
delightfully, but where these graces reign and prevail in the heart.
3. The formality of it is an acknowlegment of the divine virtues,
benefits, and perfections, manifested to us in his word or works, or
both. These must be acknowledged by some outward expression:
words, whereby we express our inward thoughts and apprehensions.
Our tongues are called our glory : Ps. Ivii. 8, ' Awake up, my glory ;'
Ps. xvi. 9, ' My heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth.' When that
scripture is quoted, Acts ii. 26, it is said, ' My tongue is glad/ fyaX-
Xtao-aro rj yXwa-crd JJLOV. So the Septuagint. So called, not only as
speech is our excellency above the beasts, but because God is thereby
glorified and praised ; given us to this end and purpose, to bless God,
192 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [^ER- CLXXVIII.
James iii. 9. As our understanding was given us to know God, and
think on him, so our speech to speak of God, to declare his excellent
perfections, and to stir up others to praise him with us.
4. Holiness, the fruit of it ; for as Job said, the sides of the poor
blessed him, Job xxxi. 20, so must our lives praise God, 1 Peter ii. 9,
show forth his virtues, not in word only, but in works. Our lives
must be a constant hymn to God, though we should be silent. We
remember the Lord's excellences, that we may imitate them, and
express them to the life. The children of God serve only for this use,
to represent God to the world, as the image in the glass represented
the person that looketh in it. So Isa. xl. 21, ' This people have I
formed for myself ; they shall show forth my praise/ The impression
of all the divine attributes and perfections must be left upon us, and
copied out by us, plainly represented in our wisdom, purity, faithful
ness, and godliness
Secondly, The motives, because there is no part of God's worship to
which we are more indisposed. Self-love will put us upon prayers
and supplications, but love of God upon praises. We are inclined to
the one by our own necessities, but we need to be stirred up to the
other by pressing arguments. I will only mention those which are
heaped up together in one place : Ps. cxlvii. 1, ' Praise ye the Lord,
for it is good to sing praises unto our God ; for it is pleasant, and
praise is comely/
1. It is good and profitable, a piece of service acceptable in God's
sight : Ps. 1. 23, ' Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me/ It is a part of
that spiritual worship required under the gospel, beyond all the sacri
fices of the law. In other duties we expect something from God, but
in this we bestow something on him.
All God's praises are a believer's advantage ; every attribute is his
storehouse: ' This is my beloved and my friend/ Cant. v. 16; Ps.
cxxxv. 5, ' For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is
above all gods/ Yea, it is profitable as it is acceptable: Ps. Ixvii.
5-7, ' Let all the people praise thee, 0 God ; let all the people praise
thee ; then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our God,
shall bless us ; God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall
fear him/ Pliny telleth us of a fountain that would rise, and swell,
and overflow, at the playing of a pipe or flute, and when that ceased,
would stop again. The fountain of mercy riseth, and swelleth, and
overfloweth with new supplies of mercy when we praise and acknow
ledge the old.
2. It is pleasant and delightful, full of sweet refreshment. He that
knoweth not this work is pleasant is unacquainted with it ; for this
ravishing, transporting joy is matter of experience. When is the
gracious heart more delighted than when it feasts with God ? All acts
of obedience have a pleasure accompanying them, especially acts of
worship, being the nobler part of the spiritual life ; and among them
praise : Ps. cxxxv. 3, ' Sing praises unto his name, for it is good and
pleasant/ ^ It is our duty in heaven to praise God, when we are in our
highest felicity ; therefore this is a work wherein we should rejoice to
>e employed. It is our reward rather than our work, the heaven that
we have upon earth ; and nothing so fit to cheer up the spirit as to
VER. 164.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 193
remember what a God we have in Christ. The very nature of it hath
allurement enough to a gracious heart : Ps. xcii. 4, ' For thou, Lord,
hast made me glad through thy works ;' when God blesseth our medi
tations of his works with gladness.
3. It is comely and honourable to be about the employment of angels,
to be heralds to proclaim the Lord's glory ; nothing so comely for us
as creatures, who have orar whole being from him. As new creatures,
we are set apart to be to the praise of his glorious grace in Christ,
Eph. i. 12. It beareth all men as a debt, which they owe to God,
though the wicked have no power to perform it. Indeed the new song
doth ill become the old heart ; but when there is an obligation and a
capacity, then it is comely indeed. It becometh them to pay, and God
to receive it from them : Ps. xxxiii. 1, ' Praise is comely for the up
right.' All are bound to praise God, yet none will do it cheerfully and
acceptably save the godly : they have obligations above all people in
the world ; they have a capacity and a heart to do it, and from them
God most expecteth it.
Secondly, The continuance, that we should never cease praising
God. David saith here, ' Seven times a day,' which is the number of
perfection ; and elsewhere you shall find equivalent expressions : Ps.
xxxiv. 1, ' I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall be con
tinually in my mouth.' So Heb. xiii. 15, ' Let us offer the sacrifice of
praise continually, giving thanks unto his name.' So Eph. v. 20,
4 Giving thanks always unto God for all things.' What is the meaning
of these extensive particles, 'continually,' 'always,' 'and at all times' ?
I answer — It is not to be understood as if we were without intermis
sion to be employed in the actual exercise of formal and distinct
thanksgiving. No ; there are other necessary duties, which sometimes
must divert us from it ; but the meaning is —
1. That there is continual occasion of praising God. God is con
tinually beneficial to us, blessing and delivering his people every dajr,
and by new mercies giveth new matter of praise and thanksgiving.
And there are some standing mercies which should never be forgotten,
but be remembered before God every day, as redemption by Christ,
with all the abundant benefits ; and therefore the gospel church is
represented by four beasts, or four living wights, together with four-
and-twenty elders, who ' rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy,
holy Lord God Almighty,' Kev. iv. 8. This is spoken to show that
matter doth still continue of lauding and blessing God ; and David
saith, Ps. Ixxi. 8, ' Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with
thine honour all the day.' There is no moment of time wherein we
are not obliged to praise and glorify God.
2. This must be understood of the preparation of the heart without
intermission. We must cherish that disposition of heart which is
necessary for it. A habit of thankfulness, a heart deeply affected with
the Lord's excellences and mercies, should ever be found in us, and
never laid aside ; the instrument must be kept in tune, though it be
not always played upon. David saith, Ps. Ivii. 7, ' My heart is fixed,
O God, my heart is fixed ; I will sing, and give praise.' There must
be a prepared heart, or a fixed purpose to praise the Lord. A renewed
sense of God's favour, and fresh experience of his goodness to us, do
VOL. IX. N
194 SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXVIII.
draw forth this preparation into act ; yet the preparation must still
remain with us, and we are to watch against dulness and indisposed-
ness for this holy work. This preparation is more or less at times, for
special mercies do raise, enliven, and inspirit the heart; but some
measure of a thankful disposition, or bent and inclination to praise
God, must never be wanting. As the Vestal fire among the Komans
was ever kept in, on special occasions it was blown up ; so there should
be a habitual frame of heart to praise God at all times, but upon
some special occasions it must more especially be excited and stirred
up to it.
3. We must keep a constant course, and certain order of worship
ping and praising God, both in public and private. In scripture they
are said to do a thing always who do it upon stated occasions ; as
Mephibosheth did* eat continually at David's table, 2 Sam. ix. 13 ; not
as if always eating, but at the eating times ; and the disciples are said
to be continually in the temple, praising and blessing God, Luke xxiv.
53 ; that is, at the appointed times of worship. So we are to set forth
certain times to bless and praise the Lord, who is continually good to
us ; especially on the sabbath. See the 92d psalm, the title, with the
first verse, ' It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to
sing praises unto thy name, 0 Most High ! ' We are not to omit any
occasion of formal and direct thanksgiving ; acknowledge mercy and
faithfulness, the two pillars of our confidence ; as it is to be done con
stantly, which the former head called for, so frequently, that is, we
must take every just occasion to perform it, let no special opportunity
pass. The Lord's mercies are new every moment, Lam. iii. 21, and
he loadeth us with his benefits daily, Ps. Ixviii. 19. Therefore as God's
hand is ever open to bless, so should our mouths be ever open to
praise; and we should never go from this exercise nisi cum animo
revertendi, but with a purpose to return to it again. We have poor
temporary affections towards God, and are very rare and infrequent
iu these duties ; though we are daily receiving more and more bene
fits, yet we are slow and backward to this work. Every hour, every
minute, every moment, God is obliging us to it anew ; therefore we
should say, ' I will praise him more and more/
Thirdly, The ground of praising mentioned in the text, ' Because of
thy righteous judgments.' Here observe —
1. The term is one of the notions by which the word of God is ex
pressed. Surely all kind of mercies are the matter of praise, especially
spiritual mercies ; and among these, his word, for this is a great favour
in itself ; the church can as ill be without it as the world without the
sun. ^ Ps. xix., he compareth the sun and the law together. This is a
peculiar favour : Ps. cxlvii. 19, 20, ' He hath given his word to Jacob ;
he hath not dealt so with every nation ; praise ye the Lord/ The
benefit of the scriptures is a precious gift of God to the church, and so
it should be valued and esteemed; not counted a burden, as it is to
them who are wholly earthly, and mind not heavenly things. Alas !
what should we do without this help to ease our burdened minds, to
understand God's providences, and learn the way to happiness, without
these pure precepts and heavenly promises ? What is it that raiseth
in us the joy of faith, the patience of hope, that directeth us to a
VER. 164.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 195
straight and certain way to glory, but the word of God ? This is the
book of books, the food and comfort of our souls : Ps. Ivi. 10, ' In God
I will praise his word, in the Lord I will praise his word/ The best
hold that faith can have of *God is by his word. Let us own his word,
and then, whatever his dispensations be, we have cause to praise him ;
here is a sure hope to fix upon, and a sure rule to walk by. It cannot
be told in a breath what benefit we have by it: here is matter of
glorying, and firm confidence ; we need not fear men or devils as long
as we have such a firm bulwark to secure us : here we have God's will
made known, to give us notice of a blessed estate, and God's promise
to give us an interest in it.
2. It noteth the dispensation of his providence, fulfilling his promises
unto the faithful, and executing his threatenings on the wicked. He
is the same in his works that he is in his word. His judgments are
declared in his holy word, and executed in his righteous providence ;
and therefore it is said of them that have not his word, Ps. cxlvii. 20,
' As for his judgments, they have not known them; praise ye the Lord.'
Where they have not his word, the Lord's dealing with men injustice
and mercy, and the course which he observeth in ruling the world, is
not understood ; it lieth much in the dark, so that his providence is
complicated with his word ; and as it is the sentence of his word exe
cuted, is matter of praise. Well, then, we must praise God for his
righteous government of the world, according to his word ; whether it
concern the church in general, or us in particular : Kev. xvi. 7,
' True and righteous are thy judgments.' But because particular
providences come nearest home, and do most affect us, I shall instance
in them : —
[1.] Let me show you how we should praise God for his favours,
and fulfilling of promises to us, and hearing our prayers, and remem
bering us for good in our low estate. Joshua leaveth this note when
dying, Josh, xxiii. 14, 'I am going the way of all the earth; and ye
know in all your hearts and all your souls, that not one thing hath
failed of all the good things which the Lord hath spoken to you ; all
are come to pass, not one thing hath failed thereof/ Trust God, and
try him, and you will return the same account with this, which was
the result of all his experience. And Solomon taketh notice of God's
fulfilling promises, 1 Kings viii. 20, 24, ' And the Lord hath per
formed his word that he spake ; who hath kept with thy servant
David my father that thou promisedst him ; thou spakest also with
thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand/ There is none of
any acquaintance with God but find much of this. Now they should
therefore praise the Lord, and love him ; so David, Ps. cxvi. 1, ' I
will love the Lord, who hath heard the voice of my supplication.'
When we have 'put promises in suit, and challenged God upon his
word, he hath stood to it, justified our confidence; every fresh experi
ence in this kind should excite new love and praise.
[2.] In time of affliction, when divine dispensations go cross to our
affections, and it may be to our prayers, yet even then should we praise
the Lord. Job when the Lord had taken away, he blesseth the name
of the Lord, Job i. 21. The Lord is worthy of praise and honour when
he giveth and when he taketh away, when he emptieth and when he
196 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SflR. CLXXVIII.
filleth us with blessings. A child of God is of a strange temper ; he
can fear him for his mercies, Hosea iii. 5, and praise him for his judg
ments, as in the text. It argueth a great measure of grace to give
thanks to God at all times and for all things : 1 Thes. v. 17, 18, ' Ke-
joice ever more; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks/
Simply we cannot give thanks for afflictions as afflictions, as we cannot
pray for them, nor joy in them, but as they are a means of good to us.
A thankful frame of heart bringeth meat out of the eater, encourage
ment out of the saddest providences, and taketh occasion to lift up itself
in the praises of God even from those things which are matter of greatest
discouragement and heartless dejection to others. It seeth the hand
of God working for good to him. And then, on the other side, an un
thankful, repining, murmuring spirit soureth all our comforts, is ever
querulous, whethe'r crossed or pleased ; it entertaineth crosses with
anger, and blessings with disdain. It is hard to be in any condition
on this side hell wherein we have not cause to praise God ; even in
great calamities, either for their fruit and issue, as our souls are bettered
and humbled by them : Ps. cxix. 65, ' Thou hast dealt well with thy
servant, according to thy word/ Wherein ? In giving him faith, and
sensible and seasonable correction, ver. 67 ; and presently, ' Thou art
good, and doest good/ ver. 68. Or else for their mitigation, as to
deem them not insupportable, 1 Cor. x. 13 ; that we are not consumed,
Lam. iii. 22 ; that not to the full merit of our sins : Ezra ix. 13, 'Thou
hast punished us less than we have deserved ; ' that comforts come
along with them ; that our afflictions do not exceed the measure of our
comforts, 2 Cor. i. 5 ; that we have a good God still, who knoweth
how to turn all to our advantage. Let us be persuaded he is well
affected to us in Christ, and we will take anything kindly at his hand.
All this is spoken that poor murmuring souls may not set out from so
blessed a work ; yea, when other arguments fail, we may see the wis
dom, justice, and faithfulness of God in his sharpest corrections : Ps.
cxix. 75, ' I know that thy judgments are right, and in faithfulness
thou hast afflicted me/ It is a great honour to God to speak good of
his name when his hand is smart upon us.
Use. Let me press you now to three things : —
1. To the work.
2. Frequency and constancy herein.
3. To suit often God's word and works together.
First, To the work of praising God. Many are often complaining
or begging, but seldom praising or giving thanks. Oh ! surely this
should be more regarded, not always taken up with complaints against
ourselves, and supplications for mercies ; but should some time give
thanks, and praise the Lord ; it is the noblest part of our work, it is
iicarest the work of heaven. As love is the grace of heaven, so praise
is the duty then in season. It is good to be preparing, setting our
hearts in order for our eternal estate ; it is the work of angels ; when
we praise God, we do the work of angels. The angels, according to
the opinion of the ancient Hebrews, do every day sing praises to God,
and that in the morning ; which they gather because the angel said to
Jacob, Gen. xxxii. 26, ' Let me go, for the day breaketh ; ' which place
the Targum of Jerusalem thus explaineth, Let me go, for the pillar
VER. 164.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 197
of the morning ascendeth, and behold the hour approacheth that the
angels are to sing. However that opinion be, sure we are that the
angels ever bless God, and laud his holy name : Isa. vi. 1-3, the angels
cried one to another, ' Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts ; the whole
earth is full of his glory.' They were blessing God for creation ; then
the morning stars sang for joy, Job xxxviii. 4-6, for the nativity of
Christ, Luke ii. 13, 14. They apprehend more of God's excellency
and perfection in himself and in his works than we do, and are more
sensible of his benefits than we are. Now if this be the work of angels,
the highest and greatest of them, surely this work should be more
prized by us. It is nobler than other duties ; we serve God in our
callings, but this work is a part of our misery, this burden was laid
upon Adam after his fall, that in the sweat of his brow he should eat
his bread, Gen. iii. 19. Though honest labour be a part of our
obedience, yet it is also a part of our trouble and exercise. There are
works of righteousness ; as to give every man his due, these are good
works ; but they concern the benefit of man, the good of human
society ; whereas praise is more immediately directed to the honour of
God. There are works of mercy, to relieve the poor, to help the dis
tressed, to support the weak, to comfort the afflicted ; these are good
works indeed, and a very noble part of our service, to be reckoned to
our thank-offerings as praise : Heb. xiii. 15, 16, '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 : but to do good and to com
municate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased/ It is
godlike to do good, and a more blessed thing to give than to receive,
Acts xx. 35 ; as God giveth to all, and receiveth of none ; but still
this redoundeth to men. There are opera cultus, the fourth sort of
works, works of worship ; internal, as humbling our soul, repenting of
our sins, and asking pardon ; these are good works indeed, but such as
imply our misery and imperfection. External, as prayer, hearing, and
reading, and other acts of communion with God ; but when we give
thanks, this is more noble. In other duties, God is bestowing some
thing on us ; but here, in our way, we bestow something upon God.
In prayer, as beggars ; in hearing, as scholars and disciples, we come
to expect something from him. Here we come to put honour upon
God ; in our way it is a kind of recompense, or paying our debts to
him, by word or deed.
Now the reasons why men are so backward to this work are —
1. Because we have so little of the love of God. Self-love puts us
upon supplication, but the love of God upon praise and thanksgiving.
It is a token of great love to praise God without ceasing. We are
eager to have blessings, and then forget to return and give God the
.glory.
2. And partly neglect of observation. We do not gather up matter
of thanksgiving: Col. ii. 4, 'Continue in prayer, and watch in the same,
with thanksgiving.' We should continually observe God's answers and
visits of love, manifestations of himself to the world. The reason,
then, why we have no more pleasure in praising God is, because we
observe not so needfully as we should his mercy and truth fulfilled.
{Secondly, To frequency and constancy therein. Frequency in this
198 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXVIII.
duty doth not beget a satiety and loathing, but rather a greater delight
to continue in it. But here arise two questions : —
Quest. 1. What time must be necessarily spent in acts of worship
and adoration, prayer, praise, and immediate converse with God ?
Ans. 1. It is a truth that our whole time must be given to God, for
a Christian is a dedicated thing, a living sacrifice, Kom. xii. 1. Now
the beast offered in sacrifice with all the appurtenances was God's ; a
Christian, by the consent of his own vows, is not master of anything.
After a vow of all, we must not keep back part, as did Ananias and
Sapphira. A Christian hath given his whole self, time, and strength to
2. Though our whole time be given to God, yet for several uses and
purposes. God's service is not of one sort, and he is served in our
callings as well as 'in our worship. Man in paradise was to dress the
garden, Gen. ii. 15, as well as to contemplate God. Common actions
may become sacred by their end and use : Isa. xxiii. 18, ' And her
merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord.'
3. These several duties must not interfere and clash one with
another, for God's commands are not contrary, but subordinate. We
must not so attend upon religion as to neglect the service of our gene
ration, as instruments of God's providence ; nor suffer the lean kine to
devour the fat, the world to encroach upon religion.
4. The particular seasons for each duty are not determined and set
down in scripture.
[1.] Partly because God trusteth love, and will see whether we have
a mind to cavil and wrangle and dispute away duties, rather than prac
tise them.
[2.] And partly because he would leave something to the conduct of
his Spirit, and the choice of spiritual wisdom : Ps. cxii. 5, ' A good
man will guide his affairs with discretion.'
S3.] And partly because men's occasions and conditions are different,
he would not have his law to be a snare.
[4.] And partly because there are so many occasions to praise God,
that if we do not want a heart, we will be much and frequent in this
duty.
5. Though there be no express rules, there is enough to prevent care
lessness and looseness. God calleth to us in very large and comprehen
sive terms, 'always/ ' continually/ ' and in everything.' The example
of the saints who night and day were praising God : ' Paul and Silas
at midnight sang praises to God/ Acts xvi. 29. So Ps. cxix. 62, * At
midnight will I rise to give thanks to thee, because of thy righteous
judgments.' And in the text, ' Seven times a day.' Besides, there are
daily solemn services, personal and domestic/to be performed, Mat.
vi. 11 ;' Watching daily at my gates/ Prov. viii. 34. Morning and
evening they were to offer a lamb, Num. xxviii. 4.
6. There are general hints and limits enough to become1 love : Ps.
Ixxi. 14, ' But I will hope continually, and will praise thee yet more
and more.' Enough to keep the heart in good plight, and maintain
faith and hope in God, and keep up a spiritual intercourse of com
munion with God by daily offering up prayers and praises to him.
1 So in original. — ED.
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 199
Quest. 2. Whether it be convenient to state and fix a time ?
David had his set times, so had Daniel ; and surely, all occasions,
opportunities, and abilities considered, it may be a help to us, and make
the spiritual life more orderly, to have set, stated, fixed times for the
performance of this duty.
Thirdly, To suit God's word and works together, laws and judg
ments : Kom. i. 18, ' God hath revealed his wrath against all ungod
liness and unrighteousness ; ' Heb. ii.2, ' Every transgression and every
disobedience received a just recompense of reward.' Deliverances and
promises fetch all out of the covenant : Ps. cxxviii. 5, ' The Lord shall
bless thee out of Zion ; ' that relateth to the covenant made to the
church ; this checketh atheism, sweeteneth our duties, allayeth our
fears, and resolveth our doubts, and helpeth us in the delightful ex
ercise of praising God.
SEKMON CLXXIX.
Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend
them.— VER. 165.
ALL that live in this world find this life a warfare, Job vii. 1 ; much
more must the godly expect difficulties and conflicts: Ps. xxxiv. 19,
'Many are the troubles of the righteous/ To the eye of flesh, no
condition seemeth worse and more obnoxious to misery than the con
dition of those that serve God ; yet in reality none are in a better
estate ; whatever happeneth, they are at peace, built on the corner
stone which God hath laid in Zion, and therefore in all the commo
tions and troubles of the world they are safe. This is that which
David here observeth.
In the former verse he had told us that it was his custom to praise
God seven times a day for his righteous judgments, and now he
showeth the reason, namely, from the ordinary course and tenor of
these judgments, or dispensation of his providence, which was to give
peace to them that keep his law, ' Great peace/ &c.
In these words you have —
1. A privilege, great peace have they.
2. The qualification, that love thy law.
3. The effect, nothing shall offend them.
Let me open these branches.
First, The privilege is peace, and that is threefold — (1.) External ;
(2.) Internal; (3.) Eternal.
1. External, in the house, the city, or country, and societies where
we live. In this sense it is taken, Ps. cxxii. 6, 7, ' Pray for the peace
of Jerusalem ; they shall prosper that love thee ; peace be within thy
walls/ Now this is not all that is meant here, for this is a common
benefit, though often vouchsafed for the sake of them that love God ;
as music cannot be heard alone, though intended but to one person,
yet others share with him in the benefit of it. Or if you understand
it of his own personal peace, or being at amity with men, they do
not always enjoy that. God's best children are often forced to be
200 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXIX.
men of contention, that is, passively ; they are contended! with and
troubled in the world, Jer. xv. 10. And therefore the apostle saith,
Horn. xii. 18, 'If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably
with all men/ It is not always to be had, but we should endeavour
to live in peace with all men.
2. There is internal peace, arising either from justification, Kom.
v. 1 ; or sanctification : Isa. xxxii. 17, ' The fruit of righteousness is
peace;' or from contentment with our condition, Phil. iv. 7. By
justification we have peace, when God is reconciled and made a
friend ; by sanctification we have peace, when we walk evenly with
God; and by contentment we have peace, when our affections are
calmed and rightly ordered, or set upon more worthy and noble
objects, so that we are not troubled at the loss of outward things.
These are the ingredients necessary to eternal peace, which is, I suppose,
principally intended here — inward comfort and contentment of mind.
3. There is eternal peace, that happy and quiet estate which we shall
enjoy in heaven, when we are above all desertions, temptations, and
the trouble of hostile incursions, when we shall never have frown
more from God's face, when our sun shall always shine without cloud
or night, when our strife is over, and our enemies that do infest
us now are all overcome. There is no Satan to tempt us, no serpent
in the upper paradise, no world to trouble or divert us ; for all the
wicked are bound hand and foot, and cast into unquenchable fire ;
there is no flesh to clog us, for all is perfect. This glorious estate
is called peace in scripture ; as Kom. ii. 10, ' God will give glory,
honour, peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and
also to the Gentile ;' and Kom. viii. 6, ' To be carnally mind is death,
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.' By death is meant
the torments of hell, and by life and peace the joys of heaven. And,
speaking of the blessedness of those that die in the Lord, he saith, Isa.
Ivii. 2, ' They shall enter into peace.' Now this cannot principally be
intended here, for the man of God speaketh of what we have, not of
what we hope for; and he speaks of God's righteous dispensations
here in the world, for which he praised him ; and therefore it is meant
of our peace here ; but yet it is the sense of peace and happiness we
shall have in heaven that hath an influence upon the tranquillity of
our hearts and minds here.
Secondly, Let me a little explain the qualification, ' that love thy
law.' The word ' law ' is sometimes taken in a limited sense for the
decalogue or moral law ; or else, more generally, for the whole doc
trine of the covenant, the whole tenor of religion, law, and gospel. So
here and elsewhere ; as ' The isles shall wait for thy law/ Isa. xlii. 4 ;
that is, shall readily receive and embrace his doctrine. So Dan. vi. 5,
'We shall not find occasion against this Daniel, unless we find it in
the law of his God;' that is, in his religion. So Ps. i. 2, 'But his
delight is the law of the Lord.' By the law of the Lord is meant the
whole word of God. Well, now, it is said they love his law ; not only
keep it, but love it. A child of God is sometimes described by his
faith, sometimes by his hope or by his fear, but more often by his
love, that commanding and swaying affection that sets the whole soul
a- work. They love thy law ; there is emphasis in that.
VER. 165.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX.
201
Thirdly, Here is the consequent, 'Nothing shall offend them/ The
Septuagint renders it ov/c ea-riv avrols cr/cavSaXov, they have not
scandals, they have their troubles, but no stumbling-blocks : 1 John ii.
10, * There is no occasion of stumbling in them.' There is the same
word used there which the Septuagint useth here. Scandal is either
active or passive, given or taken ; that which is taken out of weak
ness, as young professors, or out of pride and malice ; they interpreted
many things in a worse sense when they knew it might be interpreted
in a better. Now, nothing shall scandalise them. Peace with God
prevents the scandals of weakness, and love to the law prevents scan
dals out of pride and malice. Nothing shall scandalise them. Many
things are apt to scandalise men, as God's judgments, for which David
did so often every day and so solemnly praise God. But they that
love his law, and thereby obtain great peace, they will not stumble .
at God's dispensations, let them be never so cross to their desires and
expectations, because they have a sure covenant, that is, a sure rule,
and sure promises. They are not scandalised by the miscarriages of
men; they can distinguish between the art and the artificer; if the artist
fail, the art is not to be blamed. The reproaches that are cast upon
the ways of God, it doth not offend them, for they have found God in
that way others speak evil of. Gold is gold though cast into the dirt ;
dogs will bark at the moon when it shineth brightest. Would any
man be troubled if a cripple mock him for going uprightly ? Shall
we leave the ways of God, wherein we have found comfort and peace,
because others speak against them ? He is not offended at this. But
that which is meant here is such an offence as turneth them from God,
otherwise a good man may fall and stumble, but not into final apos
tasy, and he is usually kept from lesser offences. A child of God may
be offended in lesser cases, but not so offended as to fall and break his
neck.
But why is it called great peace ? It noteth the excellency of this
kind of peace ; it is not only peace, but great peace, such as is rich
and glorious: Phil. iv. 7, * A peace that passeth all understanding ;' or
it may note the degree and quantity of it, abundance of peace, as it is,
Ps. xxix. 11, and Ps. Ixxii. 3 ; I speak peace to them that are afar
off ; or peace like a river, Isa. xlviii. 18, or pure peace.
Three points I shall handle —
Doct. 1. That it is the property of God's children to love his law.
Doct. 2. Those that love the law shall have great peace.
Doct. 3. This blessed peace maketh a man hold on in the way of
obedience, whatever impediments, stumbling-blocks, or discourage
ments he meets withal.
First point, That it is the property of God's children, not only to
keep his law, but to love his law.
This is often spoken of in this psalm ; now I prove it thus : —
Reason 1. They love God, and therefore they love his law : how
doth that follow? The love that passeth between God and us
is not an arbitrary love of equals, but the necessary dutiful respect
that inferiors owe to their superiors, such as children owe to their
father, servants to their master, subjects to their prince and governor.
Therefore it is not a fellow-like familiarity, but a dutiful submission
202 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXIX.
and subjection to God's authority ; and therefore, if we love God, we
love his law. It is God's condescension that he will use us like
friends in regard of communion, and converse with us, as Abraham was
called God's friend, James ii. 23 ; yet we are but servants, though we
are used like friends, and there is a debt and bond of duty lying upon
us ; and so if we bear any respect to God, it must be determined by
our respect to his laws, and demonstrated by our obedience to them,
not by acts of ordinary courtesy and kindness. This is often spoken
of : John xiv. 15, ' If ye love me, keep my commandments ; ' and ver.
21, ' He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me ; ' John xv. 14, ' Ye are my friends, if you do whatsoever I
command you.' Though none condescendeth to such acts of kindness
and friendship as God in Christ hath done, yet still he standeth upon his
sovereignty : ' If ye love me, keep my commandments.' God's love to
us is indeed a love of bounty, but our love is a love of duty and service.
I have not yet done with this reason. It necessarily follows from the
love of God, though you abstract him from the notion of a sovereign
and lawgiver, and should love him only because of the excellency of his
nature. Now thus I argue : The same reasons that carry us to love
God, do carry us also to love his law ; for he that loveth God, will love
anything of God, wherever he finds it. He will love his word, he will
love his saints ; but chiefly his word, for that is most to be loved, because
that hath most of God in it. The law is a copy of his holiness ; the
tract of God is in the creatures, there is his vestigium. His image is
in his saints, they resemble his divine qualities, but his most lively print
and character is upon his word. The image of God in his saints is
obscured by their infirmities, but the law of God is perfect, there is no
blemish there ; this is the fairest copy and draught of his holiness.
Nay, once more, in this argument abstract the consideration of his
authority and the perfection of his being, yet our obligations to God
as our benefactor will enforce this love to his word, and make it sweet
to us, because it is the letter of our friend and benefactor, and the
signification of his will to whom we owe life and breath and all things ;
and therefore, though the law did not deserve to be loved for its own
sake, yet it should be sweet for his sake from whom it cometh. He
hath evidenced much love to us, as we are creatures ; but much more
love in Christ, as we are sinners ; and it should be acceptable to us
upon his account. Love and gratitude will constrain us to do his will
and regard his commands, 2 Cor. v. 14. If we have any sense of our
great obligations to him, it must needs be so.
Reason 2. God's children find such an excellency in his law that
they must needs love it. As it is —
1. A plain clear word, that doth fully discover the will of God, and
not^ leave duty to our own uncertain guesses. It puts duty into a
plain stated course, how we may come to be blessed for ever more ;
Ps. cxix. 105, ' Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path/
Light is pleasant, but darkness is uncomfortable. When Aristotle was
asked why all men do love the light, his answer was, That was the ques
tion of a blind man ; sense discovereth sufficiently why we should love
the light. Certainly if you ask why men do not love the word of God,
it is because the god of this world hath blinded their eyes, 2 Cor. iv. 4.
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 203
2. It is a good word, because it is suited to our necessities ; so we
read, Heb. vi. 5, ' If so be ye have tasted the good word.' Is food good
when a man is hungry ? Is drink good when a man is thirsty ? Then
the word of God is good, for it suiteth with the necessities of our souls,
as these things do with our bodies: 1 Tim. i. 15, 'This is a faithful say
ing, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the
world to save sinners/ The gospel is a doctrine fitted for hungry con
sciences. If our inward senses were not benumbed, and we were not
so Christ-glutted and gospel-glutted as we are, oh ! how precious would
these tenders of grace be to our souls !
3. It is a pure word; so David gives the reason in the 140th verse
of this psalm, ' Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.'
Hypocrites will now and then relish the comforts of the gospel, be
affected with the word, because it speaketh such good things to poor
sinners ; but God's children love the word for its purity and holiness.
It meeteth with every sin, and directeth them to every duty necessary
for the enjoyment of the blessed God. It is not comfort only must
draw our love, but holiness. This argueth the life and power of grace,
when we would not have the law of God less strict and holy than it is,
but love it for this very reason, because it is pure, strict, and holy.
You would not think a beggar loves you because he liketh your alms,
but he is loath to stay with you for your service, and live under the
orderly government of your family. Most men's love to the word is
such, they delight in the comforts of it as an alms, but they hate the
duty of it as a task ; they had rather let the duties of it alone, if it
could be without danger, and forbear them if they durst. Oh ! but
when your hearts consent to the purity of the law, and you would
choose that life which it points out unto you rather than any life in
the world, or the most absolute freedom that the heart of man can
imagine, so that you love your master the more because he hath ap
pointed you such work, this is true affection to God and his word :
you had rather live in holiness than sin, if you had your freest choice ;
it is a sign then you love holiness for holiness' sake, and admire that
in the word which is most worthy, its strictness.
4. It is a sublime word : ver. 129, * Thy testimonies are wonderful,
therefore doth my soul keep them/ Here are excellent truths, glorious
mysteries, fit to exercise the sharpest wits in the world, a study fitter
for angels than men, 1 Peter i. 12. I do not speak this to stir up
curiosity, which is a moral itch, a lust of the mind, and nothing more
opposite to true love than lust, but to raise men to a due esteem of the
scriptures, which they are wont to contemn for their simplicity and
plainness ; it is full of high mysteries, though it may be read with
profit by simple people, or any who desire knowledge. Sensual men,
that are drowned in worldly delights, only look to the comfort of the
animal life, and value all things as that is gratified ; but those that
look to the spiritual life, and the ennobling of their souls, they will find
the only sublime wisdom in the word of God : Deut. iv. 6, ' Keep these
statutes and do them ; for this is your wisdom and understanding in the
sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely
this great nation is a wise and understanding people/ What pitiful
notions had the philosophers, and the wisest of the heathen, concern-
204 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEK. CLXXIX.
ing God, and angels, and providence, and the creation of the world,
and the souls of men, and the happiness of the other world, and the
way to attain it 1 When the heathen came to be first acquainted with
the Jews, they wondered at their wisdom and skill. These things
would beget admiration in us if we did meditate on them, and con
tented not ourselves with a slight and customary rehearsal of them.
Here are deep mysteries to exercise the greatest wits, and therefore
consider them more.
5. It is a sure word : Ps. xix. 7, ' The testimonies of the Lord are
sure, making wise the simple.' These directions may be safely relied
upon, and will not disappoint us ; for they are not the guesses of
deceived men, nor the collections only of the most observing and wisest
men, or the result of their infallible experiences, but inspiration of the
infallible God ; antl therefore a sensible heart, that knoweth what it is
to live in a troublesome world, and hath been exercised with doubts,
knoweth the comfort of a sure rule and sure promises. Oh ! what a
comfort is this in the midst of the uncertainties of the present life !
Reason 3. There is no keeping the law without loving the law.
There is a keeping the commandments by way of defence, and by way
of obedience ; a keeping of them by way of preservation, when we
will not suffer them to be violated or wrested from us by others ; and
a keeping of them by way of observation, when we are mindful of
them, are careful to observe them ourselves. This latter is the mean
ing of the scripture notion of keeping the law. Now this cannot be
without love ; nothing can hold the heart to it but love. What bonds
will you cast upon yourselves ! But if a temptation come, you will
break them all, as Sampson did the cords wherewith he was bound.
It is not your promises, vows, covenants, resolutions ; not your former
experiences of comfort, when put to no trial ; all is nothing to love.
To evidence this to you, three things are needful — labour, valour, and
self-denial.
1. To keep the commandments is a laborious thing, and requireth
great diligence. Now love is that disposition that maketh us laborious
and diligent. If anything keep a man to his work, it is love. Labour
and love are often put together : Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous,
to forget your work and labour of love ;' 1 Thes. i. 3, ' Your work of
faith, and labour of love.' It is not a slothful and idle affection, but
will make a man take any pains, and endure any toil, nescit amor
molimina—love never findeth difficulties. The reason why they object
difficulties is because they love not. The church of Ephesus, when
she lost her first love, she left her first works, Kev. ii. 4. Our Lord
Jesus, when he had work for Peter to do, gageth his heart upon this
point : John xxi. 15, ' Simon Peter, lovest thou me ? feed my sheep,
feed my lambs.' No man can endure the toil of the ministry, and
the many troubles and difficulties he meeteth with in the discharge
of it, without love to Christ. It is love sets all the wheels in the soul
a-going.
2, To keep the commandments requireth spirit and courage, not
only the labour of an ox, but the animosity and courage of a lion ; for
we are not only to work, but fight and contend for our duty against
the enemies of our salvation. Now the most valorous and courageous
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 205
affection is love. A cowardly lover is a monster, one that hath all
liver and no heart. The poets in their fictions ascribe the valour of the
person whom they would represent as noble and heroical to the strength
of their love. Certainly the heroic acts of the martyrs came all from
love. Others will not be at the charge of keeping the commandments
of God that lie cross to their profits and pleasures ; but love will cause
us to do the will of God, whatever it cost us. Yea, it is loath to serve
God with that which cost nothing : Cant. viii. 6, 7, ' Love is strong
as death, many waters cannot quench love.' Death conquereth the
stoutest, but cannot conquer love : ' They loved not their lives to the
death/ Kev. xii. 11. The waters of affliction cannot quench it, no
threatenings, no promises can quench it. Love will not be bribed
from Christ, nor frighted from Christ. You will be assaulted on both
sides, with hopes and fears, but nothing shall fright or allure the soul
from Christ.
3. To keep the commandments there needeth much self-denial and
submission, that he may have a heart to stoop to the least intimation
of the will of God, though it be against your own will, and against
your own carnal sense and inclination and interest. A man can never
keep the commandments till he thus deny himself ; therefore the world
wondereth what is the reason that men do so submit against their
humour and interest. And say, If this be to be vile, I will be more
vile ; as holy David said : nothing can do this but love. When a
man loveth you, you have the keys of his heart, you can open and shut
it when you please. Sampson like a child submitted to Delilah, because
of his love to her. So Gen. xxxiv., Hamor and Shechem submitted to
any terms, to be circumcised, because of the delight the young man
had to Dinah ; the father loved the son, and the son loved Dinah,
and therefore both submitted to that hateful, painful ceremony.
Jacob's service for Kachel seemed but a few years because of his love
to her, Gen. xxix. 20. So if we love the law of God, we will submit
to the duties of it, against the hair and bent of our hearts.
Use 1. Examination.
1. Do we receive the truth of God in the love thereof? Do we
embrace the offers of Jesus Christ heartily? Acts ii. 41, * They re
ceived the word gladly.' Do you keep up your relish of the gospel,
delight to hear of Christ, to read of Christ, to meditate of Christ, and
the doctrine of salvation ? not one part, but all ? Ps. i. 2, ' His delight
is in the law of God ;' the whole law. Ungodly men will catch at
promises, seem to show a love to these, but grudge at the mandatory
part of the word. Do you delight when it is pressed upon you, when
you are warned of your danger ? know most of your duty, and the
way how to attain your blessedness ? Do you love it most when you
feel the tragical effects of it ? As the apostle saith, * The command
ment came, and sin revived, and I died.'
2. Do you heartily take Christ's yoke upon you, and frame your
selves to practise what he hath required of you ? They that love the
law cannot rest in mere speculations, and be careless in the duties
required of them. Love cannot be hidden, but it will break forth into
action. If it be in your hearts, it will break out in your lives : Ps.
xl. 8, ' The law of God is in my heart/ You will make conscience
206 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXLX. [SER. CLXXIX.
of duty, 1 John ii. 4. Love is found to be solid and real when we arc
tender of Christ's laws ; in vain else do we talk of the new birth, of
the work of grace, or having an interest in Christ, and the like, unless
we keep his law.
3. Do you practise it willingly, and without grudging ? 1 John v.
3, ' His commandments are not grievous.' They that love the law
will not count the work tedious. God doth not look to the work,
praying, hearing, strict observing his ordinances, or Lord's day ; but
minds the will for the deed, not the deed for the will, whether willingly
or unwillingly. God dealeth with us as rational creatures. If your
ox draw your plough, and your ass carry his burden, you care not
much whether it be done willingly or unwillingly ; but God dealeth
with us as obliged, and looketh that love should constrain us, and
influence our actioas ; and God dealeth with us as renewed creatures,
that have a suitableness to their work, Heb. viii. 10 ; Ps. xl. 2, when
rather from him than with him he delights greatly in God's command
ments; Ps. cxii. 1, delights to know, believe, and obey God's word;
and God expects it from us, because of the pleasures that do accom
pany well-doing, Prov. iii. 17. The speculation of a worthy truth
affects the mind, but practice doth more, as more intimately accquainted
with it.
Use 2. It shows —
1. How far they are from the temper of God's people that dispute
away duties rather than practise them, cavil at their work rather than
readily accept it.
2. They do not love the law that are always full of excuses, and
pretend occasions to neglect the service of God ; excuses are always a
sign of a naughty heart. The sinner's non vacat is indeed non placet:
Luke xiv. 18, ' They all began to make excuses.' If we did not want
a heart, we should not want an occasion to manifest our respects to
God.
3. It shows how far they are from the temper of God's people that
are easily discouraged with difficulties; love will make us break
through all, 2 Cor. v. 14. Love hath a constraining force, counts
nothing top dear to be parted with for God's sake ; they that are weary
of well-doing, they are out of their element; as they in Malachi1
inquired, When will the sabbath be over ? They that brought but a
sorry lamb, cried out, Oh, what a weariness ! Again, they that love
the law are not troubled about the strictness of the law, but the
unsuitableness of their own hearts. God's children are grieved for
that weariness and uncomfortableness they find in God's 'service, glad
of any enlargement of heart. Lust is grievous, but not the command
ment : Rom. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver
me (not from the law, but) from the body of this death ?' But others,
when the truth shineth round about them, they receive it not in the
love thereof,
Doct. 2. Those that love the law shall have great peace. Let me
prove this.
1. They shall have peace.
2. Great peace.
First, They shall have peace.
1 Amos. — ED.
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 207
1. Because the God of peace is their God ; they are assured of his
love and favourable acceptance. Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia —
if God be with us, who can be against us ? If he smileth on us, it is
enough, though all the world should be against us ; for it is God's
wrath that maketh us miserable, and God's love that maketh us
happy.
2. Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of peace, is their Saviour, Isa.
ix. 9. He hath made articles of peace between God the Father and
us, and drawn them into a covenant of grace, called the covenant of
his peace, Isa. liv. 10 ; and this founded upon his blood, which is the
price given to purchase our peace, and to set all things at rights
between God and us, Col. i. 20 ; Isa. liii. 5. Having made peace
between God and us. No less would serve the turn completely to
satisfy the justice of God for our wrong, and to purchase his favour
for us.
3. The Spirit, who is a Spirit of peace, Gal. v. 22 ; it is one of his
fruits ; he worketh it in us as a sanctifier and as a comforter.
[1.] As a spirit of sanctification he doth dispossess Satan, and sub-
clueth that rebellious disposition that is naturally in us against God,
and maketh us accept the offer of friendship and reconciliation with
God, and to yield up ourselves servants to righteousness, unto holiness,
and then accordingly to walk as people that are at amity with God.
(1.) Your first resignation in faith and repentance is a ground of
peace, and wrought in us by the Spirit : Kom. xv. 13, ' Now the God
of peace fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound
in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.' Together with our
faith, and in and by our faith, the Holy Ghost worketh this joy and
peace ! When we come to sue out our pardon in his name, to receive
the atonement, and to resign up ourselves to God's use, then is the
foundation laid : ' Give the hand to the Lord/ 2 Chron. xxx. 8.
(2.) This peace is confirmed by holy walking in the Spirit, or per
fecting holiness through the power of the Holy M Ghost: Gal. vi. 16,
' As many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon
them ; ' Jer. vi. 16, ' Ask for the good old way, 'and walk therein, and
you shall find peace to your souls/ Keep close to God and you will
have peace, otherwise not. Peace with God and thine own conscience
is a very tender thing ; you had need be chary of it. If you grieve
the Spirit, you will find it to your bitter cost. When sinful dispositions
are indulged and nourished, our peace is beclouded, and hangeth on
uncertain terms.
[2.] As a comforter, whose office it is to give us a sense of God's
love, and to help conscience to judge of our state and actions. The Spirit
representeth God as a Father, and showeth us what things are given
us of God, and dissipateth and scattereth all the black thoughts -that
are in the soul: Isa. Ivii. 19, ' I create the fruit of the lips to be peace.'
Peace is a sovereign plaister, God maketh it stick, and then all the
world cannot deprive them of this peace. Creation and annihilation
belong to the same power ; the world can never give, nor take ; it is
God's work, and he will maintain it.
Secondly, It shall be great peace, as to the nature and degree of it,
as was before explained.
20S SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXIX.
1. For the nature of it ; it is not an ordinary peace, but of a higher
nature : John xiv. 27, ' My peace I leave with you, my peace I give
unto you ; not as the world giveth, give 1 unto you : let not your
hearts be troubled.' Wherein doth it differ from the world's peace ?
The .world's peace is oftentimes in sin, a concord in evil, a lethargy por
tending sadder troubles ; but this is a holy peace. Prov. iii. 17. That
is a crazy peace that is soon broken and distorted, depending on the
uncertainty of present affairs and the mutable affections of men ; the
more secure they are, the sadder trouble at hand : but this is an ever
lasting peace, which we have now in the way, and shall have in death,
and then for ever. The world's peace is outward ; it is but at best a
freedom from outward troubles, when they are at enmity with God ;
but this is a peace with God himself, Prov. xvi. 7. The world's peace
pleaseth the outward man, but this is a solid soul-satisfying peace, a
peace that guardeth heart and mind, Phil. iv. 7.
2. For the degree, it is many times in a great measure enjoyed ; it
may be more or less, as an interest in God's favour is more or less
in us. And it is not perfect in this life ; there may be clouds and
interruptions, but as our holiness increaseth, so doth our peace ; a little
holiness, a little peace ; but they that love thy law, have great peace.
Object. How have God's children grea,t peace ? None seem more
troubled and harassed with outward afflictions, nor walk more mourn
fully than they do.
Ans. It is true this peace doth not exclude trouble from carnal men
in the world ; they may have little outward peace, yet they shall have
as much of that as God seeth good for them, JobV 23, 24 ; but in
ward peace, which is peculiar to them. They have God for their
friend, are quieted with a true sense and apprehension of his love and
favour to them. It is true, as to this inward peace, God's children may
sometimes be without it ; they that love the law have a greater sense
of sin than others. Wicked men swallow sins without remorse ;
but ^ they are very apprehensive of displeasing God. But we must
distinguish between the time of settling this peace, and when it is
settled. For a time they may walk sadly ; their peace is not grown
up ; light is^sown for the righteous. Many times they sow in tears,
but reap in joy. Sometimes their love to the law is intermitted, so
their peace may be interrupted : But their worst condition is better
than a carnal man's best, as the darkest cloudy day is brighter than
the brightest night ; there is some comfort and staying upon God in
the worst condition.
Use 1. Let us from hence see the sad condition of carnal men. This
clause, ' love thy law/ is exclusive, and confineth it to one sort of men.
The unjustified, the unsanctified want this peace. God saith of them,
they should not enter into my rest, Ps. xcv. 11. The rest is begun in
this life in reconciliation with God and peace of conscience, and per
fected in an -everlasting refreshment in that to come. Their sins are
not pardoned, and therefore continually fear; they have often refused
God's peace, and therefore cannot enjoy comfort with any security, nor
bear troubles with any patience and quiet of mind, nor come into God's
presence with any cheerfulness, nor wait for eternal rest with any
certain hope: 'There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked/ Isa.
VER. 165.J SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 209
xlviii. 22 ; Ps. Ivii. 20, 21. It is not allowed to wicked men, nor
vouchsafed to them. It is true they may have a peace, but it is either
in sin or from sin ; they do not mind the condition of their souls, a
blind presumption that merely cometh from God's forbearance, or
worldly happiness in prosperity. Carnal men seem to be in as great
quietness as the children of God ; as the deep sea in a calm, which
seemeth to be as quiet as other waters, until a storm and tempest doth
arise, then troubled, and cannot rest.
Use 2. To persuade us to love the law of God by this argument,
because we shall have great peace ; for the promise is made to this
love.
But you will say, How must we show love to the law of God, that
we may obtain this effect ?
I answer — Practise the duties it calleth for in order to peace.
1. Accept the articles of peace, that are proclaimed between God
and mankind in and through Christ. Eph. ii. 17, there is peace
preached, not only to them that are afar off, but to them that are
nigh ; there is not only a price paid, but an offer made. Embrace it,
lay hold upon it by faith ; God is in good earnest with you, 2 Cor. v.
20. Oh ! love this good word ; it is the gladdest tidings that ever
sounded in the ears of lost sinners. Now is your time, agree with your
adversary while he is in the way, before you be cast into prison, Luke
xii. 58. If you lose this opportunity, and do not embrace the offered
friendship, God will be exceeding angry : Heb. ii. 3, * How shall we
escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' 2 Chron. xxx. 8, ' Therefore
give the hand to the Lord.'
2. Perform the duty of thankfulness which God requires, Mat. xi.
29. Peace is the fruit of sanctification, as well as justification; it is
not to be found elsewhere, Isa. xxxii. 17.
3. Be much in communion with God and trading with heaven :
' Acquaint thyself with God/ Job xxii. 21.
4. Be tender of your peace, when it is once settled, of doing anything
that may cause war between God and the soul, Ps. Iviii. 8. Take heed
of venturing your peace for the vanities of the world, those sinful and
foolish courses which will lay you open to God's wrath and displeasure :
Ps. xxxvii. 11, ' The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace.'
SERMON CLXXX.
Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend
.—~VvR. 165.
I xow come to the effect, c Nothing shall offend them/ The Septuagint,
OVK ecrnv CIVTOLS c-tcavSakov, there is no scandal in them. The apostle
John applieth the same phrase or form of speech to him that loveth
his brother, OVK ecrnv eV avry crKuvbaXov, there is no occasion of
stumbling in him. The meaning is, they shall not be in danger of
VOL. ix. o
210 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SBB. CLXXX.
those snares and temptations which the world is full of, and which
frequently bring other men to sin and ruin ; or nothing shall wound
or hurt them, or cause them to fall in their journey to heaven.
Doct. That the love of God's law is a great means to carry a believer
straight on his way to heaven, whatever temptations he hath to the
contrary.
Here I shall inquire —
1. What scandals and offences are.
2. How a believer is preserved.
First, What scandals and offences are? I answer — Scandals
literally signifieth temptations, or inducements to sin, any stumbling-
block or hindrance laid in a man's way, by which the passenger is
detained or diverted, or at which, if he be not careful, he is apt to
stumble or fall. Spiritually it signifieth anything that may discourage
or divert us from our duty to God, or may occasion us to fall, to the
great loss or ruin of our souls.
Now, concerning these scandals or offences, I shall give you these
distinctions. With respect to the subject, there are three sorts of
scandals: — (1.) Taken, but not given; (2.) Given, but not taken;
(3.) Both given and taken.
1. There is offence taken where none is given. Thus Christ
himself, in his person, sufferings, doctrine, may be an offence to the
carnal and unbelieving world. In his person, as he is said to be, 1
Peter ii. 8, * A stone of stumbling and a rock of offence to them that
stumbled at the word, being disobedient, whereunto they were also
appointed.' He that is to the believer a corner-stone elect and
precious, is to the obstinate prejudiced unbeliever, with allusion to
those that travel by land, a stone of stumbling, to those that travel
by sea, a rock of offence ; his slender appearance was an offence to
them. As to his sufferings, it is said, 1 Cor. i. 23, that ' Christ
crucified is to the Jews a stumbling-block, and to the Greeks foolish
ness.' They had not a Messiah to their mind, though such an one as
the scriptures had before described. His doctrine : Mat. xv. 12, ' His
disciples said to him, Knowest thou not that the pharisees were
offended when they heard this saying ? ' Again, John vi. 61, when
they murmured at his saying, Except ye eat my flesh, 'Doth this
offend you ? ' Flesh and blood are apt to stumble in God's plainest
ways : at the doctrine of God, which is strict and spiritual. ; the
worship of God, that is simple and without pomp ; the dispensations
of God, in chastising and afflicting his people ; they are all an offence
to carnal and worldly men, and so through their sin prove an impedi
ment to the success of the gospel. But this offence is causeless,
and without ^ any just ground; and without special grace, when it
prevaileth with men, will prove their eternal ruin and destruction.
God never intended to satisfy men's lusts and humours ; truth must be
taught, whoever be displeased ; therefore all our care must be to avoid
this kind of offence : Mat. xii. 6, ' Blessed is he that is not offended
in me/ that doth not stumble at Christ because of the cross, nor the
holiness of his doctrine, nor the simplicity of his worship, nor the
despicableness of his followers, nor the troubles that attend his service.
VEB. 165.] SEBMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 211
2. Offence may be given where none is taken, as when men counsel
others to evil, or reproach the holy ways of God ; as when Peter
dissuaded Christ from suffering : Mat. xvi. 23, ' Get thee behind me,
Satan, for thou art crtcdSaXov, an offence to me.' It was scandalum
in se, though not ratione eventus, — not that Christ was offended by it ;
when the heart is guarded against evil counsel, or the infection of evil
example. So for reproaches, they are a means of betraying the soul
into sin, and prejudicing it against godliness ; but the godly are well
fortified, they can see loveliness in such ways as are hated and dis
countenanced in the world. As David : Ps. cxix. 127, ' They have
made void thy law, therefore I love thy commandments above gold,
above fine gold ; ' and Moses, Heb. xi. 26, ' Esteemed the reproach
of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt/ They are no'
more moved at the world's scorn than a man that is straight and
upright would be at the mocks of cripples because he doth not limp
and walk after their fashion ; they can see honour in disgrace, and
beauty in God's despised ways.
3. Offences also may be both given and taken ; as when one pro-
voketh, and another is provoked to evil, enticed by false doctrine,
corrupt counsel, or evil example. False doctrine : Mat. xv. 14, ' The
blind lead the blind, and both fall into the ditch ; ' not one, but both,
the blind follower as well as the blind guide. Or by corrupt counsel,
as Ahab was seduced by the false prophets, 1 Kings xxii., and Amnon
by his friend Jonadab was drawn to incest, 2 Sam. xiii. 6 ; he as
readily obeyeth the other's wicked counsel, as he was to give it. So
for evil example ; it secretly tainteth us. The prophet complaineth,
Isa. vi. 5, ' I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell among people
of polluted lips/ It is hard to avoid the contagion of iniquities with
which we do daily and familiarly converse, as to live in an infected
air without taint, or to walk in the sun and not be insensibly tanned.
We leaven one another by our coldness and deadness in religion. It
is hard to be fresh in salt waters, to live among offences and not be
offended.
Secondly, With respect to the object or matter of it. A scandal
may be given, dicto aut facto — (1.) In word ; (2.) In deed.
1. In word, by evil counsel or carnal suggestion: Ps. i. 1, ' Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly/ As
carnal friends and parents that relish not the word of life themselves,
out of prejudice against godliness and holy zeal, dissuade their
children and servants from attending on the exercises of religion, as
praying, hearing, meditation, lest they grow mopish and melancholy,
and lest a zealous minding God's interest should hinder their prefer
ment, had rather see them lewd than holy ; but, Luke xiv. 26, ' If
any man come to me, and hate not father and mother/ &c. Or by
atheistical, or obscene and carnal discourse : 1 Cor. xv. 53, * Evil com
munications corrupt good manners ; ' Eph. v. 4, ' Neither filthiness,
nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient/
2. In deed, and so three ways : —
[1.] When they do things that are simply unlawful, and so propa
gate their sin to others by their example : Prov. xx. 24, ' Make no
212 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEP.. CLXXX.
friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man shalt thou
not go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul/ The
violences and furious passions of anger are so uncomely, that a man
would think they should rather affright then allure to imitation ; but
these things insensibly overcome us, and ere a man is aware, he is
tainted.
[2.] By the abuse of Christian liberty to the wrong and hindrance
of others in a way of godliness; as Kom. xiv. 13-15, * Let no man
put a stumbling-block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way : I
know and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing
unclean of itself; but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean,
to him it is unclean : but if thy brother be grieved with thy meat,
now walkest thou, not charitably : destroy not him with thy meat for
whom Christ died ; ' 1 Cor. viii. 10, ' But take heed, lest by any
means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that
are weak.' We must not commit a sin, or omit a duty to avoid
offence ; yet in indifferent things we may expect from others what is
lawful to do, and forbear it, as conduceth to edification ; for we must
have a care of offending little ones, and therefore must drive according
to their pace, using our liberty as they are able to bear.
[3.] By persecution enforce others against their duty : Mat. xviii. 6,
' But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which .believe on me,
it were better a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he
were drowned in the sea ; ' better he did suffer all extremity. Offend
ing is persecuting, as receiving is countenancing, cherishing, treating
them kindly arid tenderly. So Mat. xiii. 21, ' When persecution
ariseth by reason of the word, by and by they are offended ; ' Mat.
xxiv. 9, 10. This opposing, hating, vexing the people of God is one
way of offence, and very dangerous to those that practise it, however
it succeedeth ; for though they be little ones, little in their own eyes,
little in the esteem of the world, little in regard of outward interest,
and so lie open and liable to offences, little in regard of their spiritual
growth, and so apt to take offence, yet they are dear to the great God,
who is their patron, and will take their quarrel into his own hands :
and it will be a thousand times better they had been the persecuted
ones than to be the persecutors.
Thirdly, With respect to the double faculty the devil seeketh to
work upon, which is our irascible or concupiscible faculty, our
eschewing or pursuing power ; the flesh with its Trd6rj KOI eiriOv^iai,,
Gal. v. 24, it is passions and lusts, what we render affections ; and
these are suited to the temptations that most men are usually over
come by. Such are the terrors and allurements of the world : the
terrors of the world, that works upon our passions ; the allurements of
the world, that works upon our lusts.
1. The terrors of the world are apt to draw men to dislike God, and
distaste the way of godliness. Certainly by these the devil seeketh to
get us into his power and reach. Therefore it is said, 1 Peter v. 9,
' Whom resist, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions
are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.' Satan's
temptations are conveyed to the godly through afflictions, hoping by
these to prevail with them to make them quit the truth and their duty
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 213
to Christ, and grow weary of the ways of God ; and it doth the more
prevail when they think they are the only sufferers. This should not
be, for the drift of Christianity is to take us off from the hopes
and fears of the world, and a full third part of the scriptures serveth
to comfort us in tribulations and afflictions for the gospel's sake ;
and if we were not exposed to troubles, these would be as unsuit
able and needless as bladders and arts of swimming were to a man
that standeth on dry land, and never meaneth to go into the deep
waters ; but yet they are a usual stumbling-block to those that have
not overcome the sensual inclination, and are not dead to a worldly
interest.
2. The allurements of the world, or the baits of sense. Present
things have a strange infatuation upon us : 2 Tim. iv. 10, 'And Demas
hath forsaken us, having loved the present world.' The troubles of the
world are not so dangerous as the snares of the world. Though many
be discouraged by troubles, yet many times others are gained by the
patience, courage, and constancy of God's servants in persecutions.
The offence may be more easily disproved as not justifiable; for men
may have a secret liking of the truth, and a purpose to own it in better
times ; but by the baits of sense men are inveigled and tempted to
dislike religion itself, as contradicting their lusts, and nourish a base
opinion of it in their hearts. In troubles and persecutions there is not
a dislike of religion itself, but of the hard terms upon which it must
be received and cherished. And besides, the mischief is greater.
They that cast off the profession and practice of godliness upon some
great earthly hopes, involve themselves in a more heinous sin than
they that shrink from it out of some great fear ; for those things we
fear, as afflictions, torments, and death, they are in themselves de
structive of our felicity, and therefore it cannot be said how much
nature abhorreth them. But those things which we hope for and desire
are such that nature may easily and without great inconveniency be
without them, as great riches, splendour of life, noble affinities and
marriages ; for these things are not absolutely necessary to the worldly
life, but only conduce to the greater conveniency and felicity thereof.
Not our worldly being, but our well-being is concerned in them. Our
being may be kept up and supported in a far meaner condition.
Thence it is that great dangers, when they are at hand, and difficulties
sustained, and the fear of them, doth often sway us against the con
science of our duty ; but if we lose our great worldly hopes, or be cut
short in our condition and worldly expectations, it is no great matter.
Wise and gracious men may easily bear it with a quiet and well- com
posed mind. The sin of those that stumble at great and worldly hopes
is questionless the greater transgression, for they are only enticed and
drawn away by their pleasures and lusts, which all good Christians are
obliged to deaden and mortify. But though to fall out of fear be not
so heinous a sin, yet a great and heinous sin it is, for grace should
govern fear as well as hope. If the coercion and bridling of it be
difficult, it doth not excuse a toto, but a tanto only ; and it is hard to
set a Christian in joint again that is fallen by fear. Witness those
terrors that do haunt men when once they are gotten into the snare.
As ' Peter went out and wept bitterly ; ' it cost him much sorrow at
214 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLXXX.
heart. Christ is fain to direct a special message to him by name,
Mark xvi. 7. Though it doth not exclude all hopes of repentance and
pardon, yet it needeth great mercy on God's part, and repentance on
ours. Indeed, the church is bound to consider men's weaknesses, and
to judge of the fault according to the violent shock and incursion of
the temptation ; because we know not our own strength, and how soon
we may be surprised in like kind, and need indulgence ourselves, Gal.
vi. 1. But God is not in our condition, nor obliged to recover all
that lapse in this kind, and therefore useth his mercy according to
his own pleasure. Sometimes he recovereth them and sometimes
not ; but for the other temptations, what excuse is it capable of ?
Heb. xii. 16, 17.
Secondly, Let us consider how a believer is preserved. Unsound
professors are turned by scandal from the ways of godliness, which
they seemed to walk in ; but for the sincere believer, there may be
many stumbling-blocks laid in his way, but he falleth not at them,
escapeth those heinous sins into which others fall, through his love
to God's commandments. Observe here three things : —
1. It is not light, but love that keepeth them from stumbling. The
light of saving knowledge is a great matter, for it showeth us a sure
rule to walk by, and sure promises to build upon ; but love must join
with it, to assist us, that we may escape those snares, for many fail
because they receive not the truth in the love of it, 2 Thes. ii. 10. Till
light be turned into love, it hath not such a powerful influence upon
us. Certainly a man is better held by the heart than by the head :
Kom. viii. 39, ' Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of
God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord/ The love of God is not prin
cipally taken there in a passive sense, for the love wherewith we are
beloved of God ; but in an active sense, for the love wherewith we love
God. For affliction and persecution do expugn or assault God's love
to us, but not our love to God ; for this maketh us cleave to him,
whatever temptations we have to the contrary. Do but consider what
you are to love.
[1.] We are to love God ; there it beginneth. Love God once, and
then you will take nothing ill at his hands ; how smart soever his
chastenings be, they come from a God that loveth you, and whom your
souls love : Kev. iii. 19, ' As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.'
Now they will not stumble at God's dispensations, be they never so
cross to their expectations and desires. But then—
[2.] We must love the law of God, be satisfied with our duty what
ever cometh of it. Next to a sincere love to God, there must be a
sincere love to his holy law, as the right way to eternal blessedness,
and then temptations will have but little force upon us, for they do not
love their duty for foreign reasons, but for its own sake ; so that whe
ther it be befriended and countenanced in the world, or hated and
despised, it is all one ; they love the law upon its own evidence, as it is
recommended by God, and is a sure direction to true happiness : Job
xvii. 9, ' The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean
hands shall be stronger and stronger.' He meaneth notwithstanding
all the troubles and assaults which he endureth ; they are not scandal
ised at God's dealings, or permitting them to be thus dealt with, but
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 215
do persevere in a course of godliness ; this is the way wherein he
delighteth.
[3.] He loves the brethren : 1 John ii. 10, ' He that loveth his
brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling
in him.' They, together with us, uphold Christ's interest in the
world. The coals, by lying together, inkindle one another, and so are
the better kept from having their zeal quenched, or being ensnared by
the manifold temptations in the world.
[4.] By this love the love of the world and its prosperity is much
abated : 1 John ii. 15, * Love not the world, nor the things which are
in the world ; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is
not in him.' This man cannot part with all when his duty calleth
for it. Till we despise worldly things we are still liable to take offence.
All our disquiet cometh from too great love of the world, and too little
love of the word of God. All this is spoken to show you that it is want
of love wherefore men are so easily taken off ; and this love beginneth
with the love of God, then goeth on to his word, and the obedience it
calleth for, and is strengthened by our love to the saints, and is a
higher love than that it can be controlled by the love of the world.
2. This blessed peace hath an influence upon it upon a twofold
account : —
[1.] This is an experience of the good of that way which the world
speaketh evil of. You cannot persuade a man against his experience,
that honey is bitter, when he has tasted the sweetness of it, 1 Peter ii.
3. They know the grace of God in truth, they have found much com
fort and peace in these ways. Most men know religion and godliness
but by hearsay or looking on ; the testimony of Christ was never con
firmed in them. But these have tried it, and know the good of reli
gion by experience, therefore they cannot be so easily offended as others
are, who have only licked the glass, but never tasted the honey. The
pleasure they find in the duties and exercises of godliness will with
them infinitely outweigh all the transient delights and advantages
that are propounded, or offer themselves as the bait to any unlawful
practice.
[2.] The particular nature of this experience ; it is peace, which
doth guard heart and mind, Phil. iv. 7, that they are not disturbed or
distracted by anything that befalleth them, but enjoy a calm in their
souls, whatever storms overtake or befall them in the way of their
duty : Eph. vi. 15, ' Having our feet shod with the preparation of the
gospel of peace/ This is the gospel-shoe ; there is no going to heaven
without it ; and this is peace, that is, peace with God. When all is
quiet within, and the quarrel is taken up between God and us, we can
the better bear the frowns of the world. And he calleth it the gospel
of peace, because it mainly dependeth on the terms of grace revealed
to us in the gospel. The law discovereth the enmity and the breach,
but the gospel discovereth how peace may be had. He calleth it also
the preparation, erovpacria, because this peace breedeth a firm and
ready resolution to go through all difficulties, crosses, and hardships :
Acts xxi. 13, * I am ready not only to be bound, but to die at Jerusa
lem.' Well, then, this is the fruit of peace and friendship between
God and sinners. It breedeth a resolution to hold on our way to
216 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLXXX.
heaven, notwithstanding crosses and continual hardships, and allayeth
the bitterness of all worldly trouble.
3. There is God's providence and care over them, who is concerned
in the protection of all that love his law, and take care to love and
please him. On the one side, God sometimes threateneth the wicked,
that he will lay stumbling-blocks before them, Jer. vi. 21, that is,
bring those things upon them that shall be a means of ruin to them.
On the other side, Jer. xxxi. 9, that he will lead the penitent believer
in a straight way, that they shall not stumble. We must not omit God's
concurrence, for it is his promise that nothing shall offend them. His
people are very near and dear to him. Our Lord telleth us in his dis
course against offending them, that ' their angels do always behold the
face of his Father which is in heaven/ Mat. xviii. 10 ; that is, though
the angels be appointed to be their guardians on earth, yet they have
their continual returns and recourse to God's glorious presence, to
make requests or complaints in their behalf, or to receive commands
concerning them ; for as God seeth fit they are employed in service for
the benefit of those little ones. I remember Solomon saith, Prov. xii.
21, ' There shall no evil happen to the just, but the wicked shall be
filled with mischief.' We can easily understand that the wicked shall
be overwhelmed with God's judgments ; but how shall no evil happen
to the righteous, since their troubles are many ? The meaning of the
place is, as Augustine well glosseth, non ut non eveniant, sed ut non
noceant — they do not stumble at afflictions, nor are they deserted by
God, as others are. God moderateth the evil, 1 Cor. x. 13, or removetli
it, Ps. cxxv. 3, or turneth it to good, Kom. viii. 28. Now, by this
gracious dealing of God, it cometh to pass that nothing doth offend
them. Those that depend on the favour of men, and the uncertainties
of a worldly condition, how many troubles are they exposed unto !
Therefore we should look to our confidence, whether it be faith or
security, whether we rest upon a carnal pillow, or the corner-stone
which God hath laid in Sion.
Use. It concerneth us all to look to this, whether we love the law
so as to have gotten peace of conscience and assurance of God's pro
tection, because of the multitude of scandals, and the trials and exer
cises we are put upon by God's correcting hand ; the prosperity of the
wicked ; the disgrace that is cast on the stricter ways of God ; the
world being so full of snares and temptations, that bring men to
sin and ruin. Omnia timeo, saith Bernard, et quce placeanl, et quce
tristentur — I am afraid of everything, of those things that please us,
and those that make us sad. What shall a poor Christian do that he
may not miscarry ?
1. Be sure that your resolutions for God and the world to come be
thoroughly fixed and settled ; for you will be distracted with every
thing if you be not at a point, and have not chosen the better part,
and fully fixed your purpose. The apostle telleth us, Jame s i. 8,
' The double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.' A wavering
and inconstant Christian will not know which way to turn himself,
being disquieted upon all occasions.
2. They never rightly begin with God that do not sit down and
count what it may cost them to be holy Christians : Luke xiv. 26, ' If
VER. 165.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 217
any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife
and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be my disciple/ If you have not a preparation of mind to
suffer anything rather than part with Christ, you are not fit for his
turn ; like a man that sets on building, and hath not a stock to hold
out ; or designeth a war, and is not provideth with all necessaries to
go through with it. You must expect temptations and troubles, be
cause they serve to try whether you will hold your integrity ; and if
God be not sufficient enough to be your portion, never serve him.
Never pretend to religion if you do not resolve to renounce all that is
precious to you in the world rather than forsake it,
3. Consider the necessity of standing to God's law, whatever perse
cutions and sufferings you meet with. There is no other way to be
saved : John vi. 68, ' Lord, whither shall we go ? thou hast the words
of eternal life/ Such as have a mind to quit Christ have need to con
sider where they shall find a better master. Change where they will,
they change for the worse. Obedience to the word of God is the only
way to eternal life ; and whatever law you make to yourselves, God
will judge you by his own law.
4. Be established in the peace of God, and never break this peace to
obtain your outward peace. What a wound will it be to thy soul ! and
how shiftless and helpless wilt thou be when, to make thy peace with
the world, thou hast broken thy peace with God ! Therefore rise up
against temptations, as the trees refused in Jotham's parable to be
ruler over the rest. Shall I lose my fatness ; another, my sweetness,
to rule over the trees ? Shall I, to please men, put my conscience to
a continual torment and anguish ? sell the birthright for one morsel
of meat? The remembrance. will come into your minds, when you
had joyful communion with God and his people, whose company you
have abandoned ; every day of solemn assembly will be a new torment
to you.
5. When troubles surprise you, consider how unbeseeming it is to
take offence at God's providence. It is an ill sign to be so apt to pick
quarrels with God and godliness ; it argueth little love either to God
or his law -} for love thinketh no ill of those whom we love. They are
murmurers that said the ways of the Lord are not equal, or what
profit is there if we serve the Lord ? Mai. iii. 14.
6. Consider, the greatest hurt Satan intendeth you is not to hurt
your bodies but your souls, to bring you to be offended at the holy and
righteous ways of the Lord. He would let you enjoy the pleasures of
sin, to rob you of your delight in God and celestial pleasures ; let you
have all the world, if it were in his power, Mat. iv. 9.
7. Consider how short is the prosperity of the wicked, and those
that turn aside to the ways of sin, Ps. xvii. 14. They shall be cut off,
they are soon withered and dried up, and all their outward glory
perishes with them. It is a more prudent course to adhere closely to
God : Job v. 3, 'I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I
cursed his habitation.' It is a prediction ; he foretold that there was a
curse at the root of all his prosperity.
218 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXI.
SERMON CLXXXI.
Lord I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. —
VER. 166.
THE man of God had said, ver. 165, ' Great peace have they that love
thy law, and nothing shall offend them ;' now he particularly applieth
to himself what he had generally spoken before. It is sweet when
we can thus comfortably apply promises, and make out our own title
and interest. This is David's work in this and the following verses.
Here he maketh profession of two things — his hope and obedience ;
which indeed are the two great things that belong to a Christian ;
graces much praised and little practised. Quarum multa sunt elogia,
pauca exampla. They are fitly coupled together in his plea, ' I have
hoped, I have done ;' for our confidence in God's mercy is no greater
than our fidelity in his precepts ; and they are both professed before
God, who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins : ' Lord, I have
hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.'
Doct. Sound hope of salvation is and must be joined with a care of
keeping God's commandments.
1. I shall speak of the several branches of this profession apart.
2. Then of their conjunction.
First, Separately ; and there —
First, Of the profession of his hope, ' Lord, I have hoped for thy
salvation/
1. The object and thing hoped for is salvation. Salvation is tem
poral or eternal, of the body or of the soul. Eabbi David Kimchi
understandeth it of the latter, but it seemeth rather to imply help
and deliverance out of dangers and distresses. Indeed, neither can be
well excluded ; not eternal salvation, for without that, temporal deli
verance is but a reprieve for a time, not a total exemption from evil :
not temporal salvation, because before we come to look for our full
and final deliverance, God will try us by the way, and train us up in
the expectation of other things ; as men learn to swim in the rivers
and shallow waters, that afterwards they may swim in the ocean and
deep waters. So by expecting lesser things we learn to wait for
greater. Both must be hoped for, but with a difference ; eternal
salvation absolutely, but temporal with submission to God's will.
We have not temporal things always in specie, in kind, but sometimes
in value, for these things may be recompensed and made up another
way ; but no recompense can be given us for eternal life. The apostle
speaketh with submission as to his temporal case, but is peremptory
as to his eternal state : 2 Tim. iv. 17, 18, ' Notwithstanding, the Lord
stood with me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching might
be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was
delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord shall deliver
me from every evil work, and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.'
Again, though we are not to neglect the meanest promise, yet our
hearts should run more upon the things of another world. A Christian
honoureth God by his faith about temporal things, when he will not
VER. 166.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 219
cast away his hope in the deepest calamities ; but much more when
the concernments of the world to come are of the greatest force with
him, and his heart is wholly taken up about them : ' Looking for the
blessed hope/ Titus ii. 13 ; there is the character of a Christian.
Peace and freedom from trouble in the world is not the main thing
that we should look after, but perfect conformity to God, and full
fruition of him. God is the chief good, and the fruition of him as
promised is the utmost happiness of the creature. A true Christian
hath a greater indifferency to the things of this life ; all his business
is to get an assurance of a better : he can look through the troubles
of the world, and see sunshine behind the back of the storm : Ps. xlii.
11, ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? why art thou disquieted
within me ? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the
health of my countenance, and my God.' But chiefly his hope is laid
up for him in heaven, Col. i. 5 ; his portion is laid up for him, and
kept safe for his use in a sure place. Here he knoweth he must be
exercised with temptations and crosses. In short, temporal things are
desired for the sake of spiritual and eternal, but eternal for themselves ;
a traveller desireth a horse not for himself, as for the conveniency of
his journey ; so he expecteth temporal things as helps in his way and
passage to heaven. Well, then, salvation is the object of this hope,
temporal salvation in order to eternal, that we may have opportunities
to glorify God here, and may not faint and be overwhelmed with inci
dent crosses. This sentence is borrowed from good old Jacob : Gen.
xlix. 18, ' I have waited for thy salvation, 0 Lord/ It is notable
Jacob speaketh this when prophetically blessing his children; and when
he cometh to Dan, the good old man seemed to be carried beside his
purpose, breaking out thus of a sudden, but in spirit foreseeing the
miseries and calamities with his posterity should fall into for their
idolatry ; for Dan was the first tribe that made defection, therefore he
opposeth his hopes to his fears. We are told in the general, Lam. iii.
26, 'It is good that a man should hope, and quietly wait for the
salvation of God / that is, for deliverance out of troubles. It will be
of great use to us in our troubles to look to the issue of them. The
Lord doth not wholly cast off his people ; when he seemeth to break
down the hedge and fence of his providence, and leave them in their
enemies' hands, he hath salvation for a hoping people. But mark, it
is thy salvation ; it is good to come out of trouble upon God's terms,
in God's way, and in God's time ; others break prison : Ps. Ixii. 1,
' My soul hopeth in God, from him cometh my salvation.' Expect it
from God, and him alone.
2. The act of grace, ' I have hoped/ Hope, in the general, is the
expectation of some future good; as it is a grace, it is some good
thing promised by God : Ps. cxxx. 5, ' I wait for the Lord, my soul
doth wait, and in thy word do I hope/ ' I am judged for the hope of
the promise/ saith Paul, Acts xxvi. 6. So that nope is the expectation
of good things promised. Faith and hope do both work upon the
promise, but yet they are distinct graces ; they differ in their object.
The object of faith is larger ; the whole word of God is the object of
faith. We believe things past, present, and to come, but hope for
things to come only. Among things to come, we believe both promises
220 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXXXI.
and threatenings, but the object of hope is only things desirable. We
believe the torments of hell, but do not hope for them. In the pre
mises, faith believeth the promise, and hope looketh for the thing
promised. Faith looketh to the authority of the promiser, and hope
to the goodness of the thing promised. Faith begets hope, and then
hope strengthens faith. Faith holdeth the candle to the soul, whereby
we see things invisible and to come, and hope maketh this light com
fortable and ravishing to us. We have comfort in believing, because
hopes of enjoying. To believe eternal life, if we had not hopes to
attain it, were a comfortless thing. Faith is before hope, and leadeth
us to the object, and hope followeth as faiiih leadeth. Faith assents
to and applieth the promise, and hope waiteth for the accomplishment.
There are several sorts of hope.
[1.] There is a vain and groundless hope, the dream of a waking
man ; as if a beggar should hope for the succession of a crown. So
there are some that dream of peace and safety, ' and sudden destruc
tion cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child/ 1 Thes.
v. 3. This is an irrational thing.
[2.] There is rational and probable hope, but yet not so firm and
certain ; it is likely it will be so, but we have no absolute certainty :
2 Cor. ix. 10, ' He that plougheth, plougheth in hope ; and he that
thresheth, is partaker of his hope.' This is necessary for the carrying
on of all human actions, that a man should have probable hope of
success, for without it there is no labour or rational attempt.
[3.] There is a firm and certain hope, when we have assurance of
the things hoped for. So in the commerce between us and God, he
giveth us assurance in his promises by his word and oath, that our
consolation might be the more strong, when we fly for refuge to the
hope that is set before us, Heb. vi. 17, 18. There is a blessed and
glorious estate reserved to be enjoyed in the heavens ; this is set before
us, propounded as a prize in the view of the world. Now when we
take hold of this, gain a right and title to it, God would have our
consolation the more strong, by the assurance he hath given us in the
covenant made with us in Christ. Well, then, Christian hope is not
a conjecture or probability, but an assurance. Many times all kind of
probability is contrary to God's assurance : Kom. iv. 18, ' Abraham
believed in hope, against hope/ Credidit in spe gratice, contra spem
natura:. God's assurance prevailed above natural difficulties ; there
rational and human hope and divine hope are opposed.
[4.] This assurance admits of degrees, for it may be full or not full:
Heb. vi. 11, ' And we desire that every one of you do show the same
diligence, to the full assurance of hope to the end/ The full assur
ance is that which removeth all doubts and fears ; -and this it may do
at some time, and not at another ; it may be interrupted, or continue
to the end. Now we must give all diligence that it may do so. By
slothfulness and negligence it will be lost. Presumption and carnal
hope costs a man nothing to keep it, it groweth upon us we know
not how ; but this certain hope is not kept lively and upon the wing
without great zeal and diligence in the spiritual life. Oh 1 but it con-
cerneth us much so to do. This hope is necessary for us —
(1.) To quicken and enliven our duties. Hope of reward is one of
VER. 166.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 221
the bands of a man, the weight that inclineth us to all actions ; much
more doth this great reward which the Christian faith propounds :
Acts xxvi. 6, 7, ' And now I stand, and am judged for the hope of the
promise made of God unto our fathers : unto which promise our
twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come ; for
which hope's sake, King Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews ; ' and
Acts xxiv. 15, 16, ' And have hope towards God, which they them
selves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both
of the just and unjust. And herein do I exercise myself, to have
always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men/
I run not as one that is uncertain, 1 Cor. ix. 26, not by guess, but sure
grounds : Phil. iii. 14, ' I press towards the mark for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' It is great and sure ; here is
excellency and certainty. A man that hopeth for anything will be
engaged in the thorough pursuit of it.
(2.) It sharpeneth our affections after heavenly things ; when we
look for them, we will also long for them : Kom. viii. 23, ' And not
only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit,
even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to
wit, the redemption of our bodies.' Hope stirreth up serious thoughts
of heaven and blessedness to come, and hearty groans after it, and so
sets both mind and heart a- work. It sets the mind a-work. A man
cannot hope for a thing, but he will be thinking of it ; as the scripture
speaketh of the labourer, that he lifts up his soul to the hire which he
expects. Thoughts will be sent as spies into the land of promise,
to bring us tidings thence. And it sets the heart a-longing and groan
ing that we were at home : Eom. viii. 19, ' For the earnest expectation
of the creature/ aTrofcapaSo/cla /m'o-ew?, stretcheth out the head, to see
if it can spy it a-coming ; as when Sisera's mother expected him, she
looked through the lattice. There will be strong desires as well as
serious thoughts ; not glances and hasty wishes, such as worldly per
sons may have in their serious moods and sober fits ; these vanish and
leave the heart never the better ; but earnest longings, such as settle
into a heavenly frame ; that taste which they have already maketh
them groan for what is behind.
(3.) It sets the heart at rest, and allayeth our disquiets, and fears,
and cares, and sorrows, that so we may go on cheerfully in God's ser
vice. It is the pleasure of God that the heirs of promise should for a
while shine as lights in a corrupt world, and be exercised with all
kind of temptations, that his power may be manifested in their weak
ness. Now, that we may ride out the storm, he gave us hope ; not
only veniam sperandi, leave to hope for his mercy, but virtutem sper-
andi, the grace of hope, strength so to do. And what is the use of it,
but to calm the heart under all distempers ? Therefore it is compared
to a helmet and an anchor. To a helmet : 1 Thes. v. 8, ' Take to
you the helmet of salvation, which is hope/ A helmet is to cover
the head ; this maketh a believer hold up head in all his straits and
troubles. The policy of the devil is to weaken or darken the hopes of
eternal life, and then he knoweth he shall the sooner overcome us ;
therefore the life of a Christian should be to keep on his helmet, to
keep his hopes of heaven lively and fresh, and then he will not be de-
222 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXXXI.
jected. Again, it is compared to an anchor : Heb. vi. 19, ' Which
hope we have, as an anchor, both sure and steadfast, which entereth
into that which is within the veil.' As the anchor holdeth the ship in
a tempest, so doth hope keep the mind in a constant temper in the
midst of the stormy gusts of temptation, that we dash not against the
rocks that would break our confidence and profession : it strengthens
and quiets the floating heart of man. Things will end well at last,
how blustering and stormy soever the weather be at the present. The
floods of temptation and the tribulations of this present life are per
mitted to invade us, but that God hath given us an anchor, that they
shall not drive us from the haven of eternal happiness. Whatever
our cross be, immoderate grief for the death of near and dear rela
tions : 1 Thes. iv. 13, ' Mourn not as those without hope/ Cur enim
doleas, si periisse *non credis f Cur impatienter ferres subductum,
quern iterum credis reversurum esse? profesto est quam putas mortem,
saith Tertullian De Patientia. If for loss of goods and estate : Heb.
x. 34, ' And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in your
selves that in heaven ye have a better and enduring substance.' If a
poor man that had all his wealth about him should fall into the hands
of thieves and robbers, and be rifled by them, he must needs cry and
take on pitifully ; for alas ! he is altogether undone, and hath nothing
left him wherewithal to succour himself and his family. But a rich
man, that hath store of money at home, and sure locked up in his
chest, will never complain and be much disquieted when he hath
twenty or forty shillings taken from him. For worldlings to rage and
take on when they must lose their estates, it is no marvel ; those whose
portion is in this life, and know no better ; alas ! for when these things
are gone, they have nothing left, and are quite undone. But those
that are heirs according to the hope of eternal life, they know they
have a better and a more enduring substance ; they consider what they
are born to, what they shall enjoy when they come home to God,
therefore their hearts are calmed and quieted. So if it be the oppres
sion of wicked men, and hard sufferings and persecutions for the
gospel : 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18, ' For our light affliction, which is but for a
moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of
glory ; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the
things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal,
but the things which are not seen are eternal.' He that hopeth for
nothing from God will soon fall off from him, and yield to fainting
discouragements ; their hearts are turned off and perverted ; but when
we hope, we do with patience submit to the cross. What troubles
will not^they undergo that expect undoubtedly their speedy ending in
everlasting and endless bliss and happiness ? If God hideth his face,
that raiseth a storm : Ps. xliii. 5, ' Why art thou so disquieted, 0 my
soul ? still hope in God.5 Casting anchor upon the rock, as the crying
child falls asleep with the teat in his mouth ; or when God delayeth
the performance of what is promised : Prov. xiii. 12, ' Hope deferred
maketh the heart sick.' Expectation is a tedious thing, as smoke to
the eyes, and vinegar to the teeth, an ordinary messenger sent on a
trifling errand. Now, Rom. viii. 15, ' If we hope for that we see not, then
do we with patience wait for it ; ' 1 Thes. i. 3, ' And patience of hope
VER. 166.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 223
in our Lord Jesus Christ.' Is a title nothing before possession ? It
is not a matter of debt. Or is it the fear of approaching death, which
is the king of terrors ? Prov. xiv. 32, ' The wicked shall be driven
away in his wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death.'
The wicked, being arrested by death, is hurried away into hell ; but
the righteous dismisseth his soul into his Kedeemer's hands. Never
more cheerful than when our confidence in God's mercy is most put
to trial.
Secondly, Here is the profession of his obedience, ' I have done thy
commandments/ Here is —
1. The object, thy commandments.
2. The act of duty, done.
1. The object, 4 Thy commandments/ quia tua; therefore kept them,
because they are thine ; things thou hast given in charge. Men were
ready to persuade or threaten him out of his duty.
2. The act of duty, ' Done thy commandments : ' the act of duty,
to do, noteth the substance of the act or omission ; the doing things
commanded by eschewing things forbidden.
3. The manner of doing, out of knowledge of God's command, and
conscience of obeying it, to his glory and our salvation. Now, saith
David, ' I have done it ; ' implying, I have not only care and con
science, but strength and ability, in some measure to do thy will.
But is not this plea a proud word for a creature to say, ' I have
done thy commandments ' ? Who can thus say, and aver it to the face
of God?
Ans. There is a twofold keeping or doing of the commandments —
legal and evangelical.
1. Legal, when we do them so exactly as is answerable to the rigour
of the law, and the rule of strict justice doth require, which exactness
is when our obedience is universal in every point, when everything
commanded by God is done by us without failing in one point : Gal.
iii. 10, ' Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written
in the book of the law to do them.'
tl.] In all things ; and that —
2.J Continually, in respect of time ; from the first minute of our
birth till our dissolution ; one failing in thought at any time casteth off
our plea.
[3.] Full and complete in respect of the degrees and measure of
obedience, with the utmost intension and affection of the heart, which
the scripture expresseth by all the heart and all the soul. In this
sense, never man was able to keep the law, save only the first Adam
in innocency, and the second Adam Jesus Christ; and therefore,
according to this rigour, there is no hope for us ; one sin once com
mitted would undo us for ever, as it did the apostate angels.
2. Evangelical, according to the eVtet/ceta and moderation of the
gospel, that is, when we do the commandments according to those
terms of grace which God offereth to us in Christ ; that doth, as to
obedience, mitigate the rigour of the law in two things : —
[1.] It granteth a pardon of course to some kind of sins.
[2.] Accepteth of repentance after any the most heinous sin com
mitted.
224 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXI.
[1.] It granteth a pardon of course to some kind of sins, as sins of
infirmity, either of ignorance, which if we had known we would not
have committed, or sins of sudden surreption, which escape without
our observing of them ; or sins of violent temptation, which by sudden
assault sway against the right rule before we have time to weigh both
it and ourselves, or in cool blood to think what we are a-doing ; such
as do not arise out of any evil purpose of the mind, but out of human
frailty, and from which we shall never be free as long as we live in this
body of corruption, Kom. vii. 24, — Paul groaneth under these relics ;
when what we have done is not out of deliberate consent, giving way
to the growth and reign of sin : Kom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall not have
dominion over you.' Non dixit, non sit, sed non regnet ; inest pecca-
tum cum perpetras, regnat cum consenseris, saith Austin. When
we give obedience 4o it, freely, willingly yield up ourselves to be ser
vants of it, then sin reigns. Therefore he doth not say, Let not sin
be in you, or tempt you, or please you ; but, Let it not reign in you.
It is a misery to be tempted, a snare to be delighted, and a forfeiture
or renouncing the grace of the covenant to give up ourselves to the
full sway of it.
[2.] The gospel doth herein moderate the rigour of the law, because
it leaveth a sinner a way and means of recovery, namely, by repent
ance and faith in Jesus Christ, and upon repentance giveth him a
pardon, Mat. ix. 13. Eeniissionor forgiveness is a privilege of the new
covenant ; the law knoweth no such matter : Ezek. xviii. 21, 22,
' But if the wicked shall turn from all his sins that he hath committed,
and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he
shall surely live, and not die : all his transgressions that he hath com
mitted they shall not be mentioned unto him/ Well, then, this is to
be understood in the gospel sense ; it is the plea of a man justified freely
by God's grace, and one that is sincere and upright for the main ; one
that had received grace to be faithful, though not without his infirmi
ties, and did not make a practice to live in any known sin against
conscience.
Secondly, We now come to show the connection between these two.
1. None can and do rightly hope for salvation but they that keep
the commandments.
2. None do and can keep the commandments but they that hope for
salvation.
1. None can and do rightly hope for salvation but they that keep
the commandments. That will appear to you—
SI.] Partly because God hath by a wise ordination conjoined means
end, and offered the promises with a qualification : Kom. ii. 7,
' To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory,
honour, and immortality, eternal life.' God hath not simply promised
blessedness, but the promise requireth a qualification and a performance
of duty in the person to whom the promise is made ; and therefore,
before we can have a certainty of hope, we must not only look upon
the assurance on God's part, but make out our qualification. So Ps.
i. 1, 2, ' Blessed is the^ man that walketh not in the counsel of the
ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful ; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law
VER. 106.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 225
doth he meditate day and night.' So Ps. cxix. 1, 2, ' Blessed are the
undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord : blessed are
they that keep his testimonies, and seek him with the whole heart ; '
and many such places, which intimate that blessedness belongeth to
such as are of a holy heart, and entirely give up themselves to a holy
course ; that doing the commandments uprightly, and in a gospel
sense, is a necessary condition to qualify those persons which shall be
saved. And therefore they that live in any sin against conscience
may take notice how fearful their estate is for the present, and how
needful it is to begin a good course before they can have any hope
toward God.
[2.] And partly because true hope is operative, and hath an influence
this way. There are two parts in sanctification — mortification and
vivification, and true hope hath an influence upon both. Mortification :
1 John iii. 3, ' And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, as he is pure ; ' that when we see God, we shall be like him.
He that hopeth for such a pure and sinless estate, either to see God,
will he appear before him in his filthy rags ? Joseph washed himself
when he was to come before Pharaoh ; so when to appear before God.
What ! with this wanton, vain, unclean heart ? We are to be like
him ; is this to be like Christ, where there is such a disproportion
between head and members ? And if this hope be fixed in our hearts,
it will set us a-purifyirig more and more. So for vivification, it urgeth
and encour'ageth to obedience : Titus ii. 12, 13, ' For the grace of God,
that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right
eously, and godly in the present world.' Look backward or forward, it
urgeth the heart to obedience. Why backward to the duties of holi
ness ? Shall we be lazy in his work when we expect such a great
reward ?
[3.] Because there is no such thing to damp hope and weaken our
confidence as sin. We cannot trust him whom we have offended
freely and without restraint ; and therefore, while we please the flesh,
we break our confidence. Sin will breed shame and fear, and it is
impossible to hope in God unless we serve him in love, and seek to
please him. If we feel it not presently, we shall feel it. Sin, that now
weakeneth the faith which we have in the commandments, will in time
weaken the faith that we have in the promises. Every part of God's
revealed will cometh to be tried one time or another. Our confidence
in God's mercy is not earnestly and directly assaulted till the hour of
death, or the time of extraordinary trial. When the evil day cometh,
then the consciousness of my own sin, whereunto we have been indul
gent, will be of like force to withdraw our assent from God's mercies,
as the delight and pleasure we took was to cause us to transgress his
commandments : 1 Cor. xv. 56, { The sting of death is sin, and the
strength of sin is the law/
[4.] Because our hope is increased by our diligence in the holy life.
This fostereth and augments it : Heb. vi. 11, ' And we desire that every
one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope
unto the end/ It must needs be so, for since there is a qualification,
the more clear our qualification is, the more full is our assurance of
VOL. IX. p
226 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEB. CLXXXI.
hope ; and so far as a man neglects his duty, and abateth in his quali
fication, so far doth his assurance abate. To look on one side of the
covenant is a .groundless presumption.
2. None do and can keep the commandments but they that hope
for salvation. This is plain from the order of the words in the text.
First I hoped for thy salvation, therefore done thy commandments ;
implying that thereby he kept the commandments. Without this
none can have a heart or hand to do anything for God. Peccator,
saith Bernard, nihil expectat, indeque peccator est ; quod bonis pre-
sentibus non modo delectus, sed etiam contentus, nihil in futurum
expectat — he that looketh for nothing from God can never be dili
gent in his service, nor faithful and true to him. Hope, it is our
strength : Lam. iii. 18, ' And I said, My strength and my hope is
perished from tha Lord.' We first begin, continue, and go on with
God upon the hope he offereth to us.
Use 1. It reproveth those that hope well, but take no care to do
anything for God. Every one will say they must hope in God, but
none looketh after this lively and operative hope ; their hope is barren
and unfruitful. Who are they that can make application of the
promises? 2 Tim. iv. 8.
Use 2. To persuade us to the coupling of these two. When this
conjunction is founded, then are we in a right frame. If we would
keep the commandments, we must hope for the salvation of God ; if
we would hope for the salvation of God, we must keep the command
ments. This is most acceptable to the Lord: Ps. cxlvii. 11, 'The
Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, and hope in his mercy.'
Such as believe, and fear to offend him, they have acceptable commu
nion with him. It is for your comfort, Acts ix. 31. It is for the
honour of religion on the one side to avoid the carnal confidence of
Papists, on the other the cold profession of Protestants, if you hope
for temporal deliverance. They that make no conscience of obeying
God cannot hope for deliverance from him, for his salvation must be
expected in the way of his precepts : Ps. xxxvii. 3, ' Trust in the Lord,
and do good ; so shalt thou dwell in the land.' So wait on the Lord,
and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land : when
the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it ; then we may commend our
selves and all our affairs to God's care and trust. It becometh them
that look for salvation, and to be helped out of their troubles, to be
more earnest than others in keeping his law. If you would enjoy the
comfortable assurance that you shall be saved at length, live so as you
may never mar your confidence : 1 Peter i. 13, ' Be sober, and hope
to the end.' Live answerable to your hope, 1 Thes. ii. 12. On the
other side hope, study promises : Horn. xv. 4, ' The God of hope fill
you with joy in believing.' He is not only the object, but the author
of it.
VER. 1G7.] SEIIMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 227
SEKMON CLXXXII.
My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.—
VER. 167.
THE man of God goeth on in his plea. In the former verse he had
spoken of the influence of his hope upon obedience ; now of the influ
ence of his love, and so more expressly and directly maketh out this
qualification or title to the promise mentioned ver. 165.
Before we go on, let me answer a question or two.
First, How can a gracious heart speak so much of itself, and insist
so much upon the plea of obedience ? Is not this contrary to our
Saviour's doctrine, who, in the parable of the pharisee and publican
that went up to pray, Luke xviii., taught us to make use of the plea of
mercy, not of works ?
Ans. 1. As to that part of the scruple which concerneth Trepiav-
ro\ojia, that cannot be imagined to be faulty in David, who was a
prophet, and therefore, to instruct the world, propoundeth his own
instance, and setteth forth himself as a pattern of obtaining comfort in
the way of godliness.
2. As to the plea of works, they may be produced by way of evi
dence, not by way of merit, as they prove our interest in the promises,
not as the ground of self-confidence. The pharisee, he came not to
beg an alms, but to receive a debt, and therefore went away without
any mark and testimony of the divine favour and approbation. But
holy men plead this to God as expecting mercy and favour at his
hands ; not in regard of any merit in themselves, or of reward de
servedly for the same done to them, for they acknowledge all that
they do or can do to be but duty, and due debt ; but in regard of his
gracious promise freely made unto them ; in a humble and modest
manner they dare appeal to God himself for the sincerity and integrity
of their hearts, for serious care and sedulous endeavours to please him,
and approve themselves to him.
Secondly, But why is this plea reiterated for three verses together ?
Ans. 2. Too much care cannot be used in making out an interest in
so sweet a promise ; and teacheth us this lesson, that we had need
examine again and again before we can put in our claim. Jesus
Christ puts Peter to the question thrice : John xxi. 15-17, ' Peter,
lovest thou me ? ' So here, it was David's plea thrice repeated, for
the more assurance : ' I have done thy commandments, my soul hath
kept thy testimonies •/ and again, ' I have kept thy commandments
and thy precepts.' After a believer hath found marks of saving grace
in himself, it is wisdom for him to examine them over and over again,
that he may be sure they are in him in deed and in truth. The heart
is deceitful, our self-love is great, our infirmities many, and our graces
so weak, that we should not easily trust the search. Truly such a
holy jealousy doth well become the best of God's children, and doth
only weaken the security of the flesh, not their rejoicing in the Lord.
In the words you have the testimony of David's conscience concern
ing the sincerity of his heart, evidenced by two notes : —
228 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXII.
1. The sincerity of his obedience, 'My soul hath kept thy testi
monies.'
2. His exceeding love to the word, ' I love them exceedingly ; ' or, if
you will, by the manner of his obedience, and the principle of it.
First, The spirituality of his obedience, 'My soul hath kept thy
testimonies/ Mark, the notion by which the act of duty is expressed
is varied in the former verse. It is * I have done thy commandments ;'
here it is, ' I have kept thy testimonies.' Done more expressly noteth
his sedulity and diligence ; kept his constancy and diligence, persever
ance notwithstanding temptations to the contrary. And how kept
them? Saith he, 'My soul hath kept them;' not with outward
observance only, but with inward and hearty respect. ' My soul,' that
is, myself; a part for the whole, and the better part, 'I, with my
soul/ and so it shtfweth his sincerity. It is a usual expression among
the Hebrews, when they would express their vehement affection to
anything, to say they do it with their souls ; as Ps. ciii. 1, ' Bless the
Lord, 0 my soul ;' and Luke i. 45, ' My soul doth magnify the Lord ;'
as, on the contrary, vehernency of hatred : Isa. i. 14, ' Your new
moons and appointed feasts my soul hateth ;' that is, I hate them
with my heart.
The note is —
Doct. God must be served with our souls as well as our bodies.
David saith, ' My soul hath kept thy testimonies/
1. Because he hath a right to both, as he made both, and therefore
hath required that both should serve him. He that organised the
body, and framed it out of the dust of the ground, did also breathe
into us the breath of life, and framed the spirit of man within him ;
therefore since God may challenge all, it is fit he should have the
best: 'My son, give me thy heart,' Prov. xxiii. 26. Look upon it ;
whose image and superscription doth it bear ? ' Give unto Cassar the
things that are Csesar's, and to God the things that are God's/ He
hath redeemed both : 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Ye are bought with a price ;
therefore glorify God both in your body and spirits, which are God's/
Shall we rob God of his purchase so dearly bought ? We would not
rob a man of his goods, and will you rob God ? He challengeth a
peculiar right in souls : ' All souls are mine ;' and therefore they should
be used and exercised for his glory. If we use them for ourselves only,
and not according to his direction, we do as Eeuben did, that went up
into his father's bed. To withhold the heart from God is robbery,
nay, sacrilege, which is the worst kind of robbery ; for God's right in
redemption is confirmed and owned by our personal dedication in bap
tism. Once more, God hath right to the service of both body and soul,
because he offereth to glorify both, and reward both in the heavenly
inheritance. The body and the soul are sisters and co-heirs, as Ter-
tullian speaketh. If we expect wages for both, we must do work with
both. If God should make such a division at death as men do all their
life to him, can they be happy if any part of them be excluded heaven ?
If the body and lifeless trunk were taken into heaven, and the soul
left in torments, what were you the better ? But that cannot be ; God
will have all or no part ; therefore ' your whole spirit and soul and
body must be kept blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus
VER. 167.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 229
Christ,' 1 Thes. v. 23. Otherwise your souls cannot be joined to God
in heaven, if they be divided from him on earth.
2. Because this is service suitable to his nature, when we serve him
and obey him with our souls. God is an all-seeing spirit, and there
fore will be worshipped in spirit and in truth, John iv. 23, 24. It is
agreeable to his spiritual nature, therefore shows and fashions have
little respect with him, but reality and substance ; for he searcheth
the heart and trieth the reins ; it is not the bowing the body, so much as
the humble affectionate reverence and submission of the soul. God hath
appointed service for the body, and so far as God hath appointed it we
must submit to it; but chiefly for the soul, our worship must be chiefly
inward, flowing from grace engaging the heart in God's service. Bodily
exercise is of little profit ; that worship which is most agreeable to
God's nature is most pleasing to him : he ' hath not eyes of flesh, and
seeth not as man seeth/ Job'x. 4. Therefore external duties, without
the inward exercise of the Spirit, is scarce worthy the name of worship
to God. He is not taken with the pomp of ceremonies and external
observances : 1 Sam. xvi. 7, * For man looketh on the outward appear
ance, but the Lord looketh on the heart/ Men are taken with external
pomp and formalities ; they suit with their fleshly natures ; but the
more spiritual the more suitable to God. That which you do, be it in
worship, it is not done unto God, but unto men, when the heart is
not in it : Col. iii. 23, ' And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the
Lord, and not unto men.' Without the heart, all that we do is but a
mocking of God, giving him the shell without the kernel.
3. Because the soul is the principal thing that swayeth the body,
and stirreth it up to all that it doth. It being of itself a senseless
block, it followeth the disposition and inclination of the heart. I shall
make it good in two considerations : — (1.) It is fons actionum ad
extra ; (2.) It is terminus actionum ad intra. It is the fountain of
all actions that go outward, from man towards God ; and the subduing
the heart to God's will is the end of all operations inward, from God
towards man.
[1.] Fons actionum ad extra, the fountain of all actions that go
outward from man towards God. All natural actions proceed from
the soul or heart. It is not the eye that seeth, nor the ear that heareth,
nor the hand that toucheth, nor the feet that walketh; it is the soul
seeth by the eye, and heareth by the ears, and toucheth by the hands,
and walketh by the feet. So in all moral actions the heart is all : Prov.
iv. 23, ' Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues
of life/ All our actions proceed thence ; all the evil that we do
cometh from the heart : Mat. xv. 19, * Out of the heart proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blas
phemies/ All that we speak, and think, and do followeth the frame
of the heart. This is the burning furnace from whence the sparks fly.
The occasion of sin may be without, but the cause of it is ever from
the heart. It is the heart that filleth the eyes with wantonness, pride,
and fury, and the tongue with blasphemy, slander, and detraction, the
hands with blood. So for good, actions, thoughts ; they come out of
the good treasury of the heart : Mat. xii. 35, * A good man out of the
good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things/ The tap run-
230 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXII.
neth according to the liquor wherewith the vessel is filled ; that a man
hath laid up in his heart, that he layeth out in his thoughts, and
speeches, and actions. It is the heart that enliveneth all our duties,
and we act ever according to the constitution of our souls.
[2.] It is terminus actionum ad intra ; all actions inward, the aim
of it is to come to the heart. The senses report things to the phantasy,
the phantasy represents them to the mind, that counsels the heart ; so
in God's operations upon us, his business is to come at the soul.
Wherefore doth he speak, and reason, and plead, but that we may
hear ? And wherefore do we hear, but that truth may be lodged in the
heart or soul ? Prov. iv. 4, ' Let thy heart keep my precepts ; let thy
heart receive my words.' Ay ! then God's word hath its effect upon
us. We are never subdued to God till the heart be subdued. The
word for a while may stay in the memory, and it is good when the
memory is planted with the seeds of knowledge, as children receive the
principles of religion in catechisms ; but the end is not there ; at length
they exercise their understandings about them, when they begin to
conceive of what they learned by rote, and afterwards they begin to
have a judgment and a conscience. These truths begin to stir and
awaken them, but it must not rest there neither ; it soaketh further,
and wisdom entereth upon the heart, Prov. ii. 10. Ay ! that was God's
aim, to bring the work thither, and then the cure is wrought with
man : Kom. vi. 17, * Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doc
trine which was delivered to you/ So this is the end of all the opera
tions of grace, that the soul and heart may keep God's testimonies.
So where is it that Christ would dwell when he taketh up his abode
and residence in us ? The apostle will tell you : Eph. iii. 17, ' That
he may dwell in your hearts by faith/ Till he get possession of the
heart, all is as nothing. He will not dwell in the body only ; that is
the temple of the Holy Ghost at large ; there is a holy of holies, a
more inward place where he will dwell. He will not dwell in the
tongue, or in the brain, memories, or understandings, unless by com
mon gifts. But the heart, the will, and affections of man are the chief
place of his residence ; there he dwelleth as in his strong citadel, and
from thence commandeth other faculties and members. So that the
heart is the beginning and ending of the whole work of religion, from
thence come all holy actions, and thither tend all holy gracious
operations.
4. It is thy hearty soul-service that will only bear weight in the
balance of the gospel. There may be many defects in the action, yet
if the heart be right, God will accept the will for the deed, and you
will find comfort in that another day, when you most need: Isa. xxxviii.
3, ' Kemember now, 0 Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before
thee in truth, and with a perfect heart.' Hezekiah had his infirmities
and failings, but his heart was upright : Heb. xiii. 18, 'Willing in all
things to live honestly ;' that is a gospel good conscience, and will yield
comfort to you. God accepts the will without the deed, but never the
deed without the will. Infirmities may overtake the action, but when
the heart is unfeignedly set to serve God, we shall be accepted. We
allow grains to true, but not to counterfeit gold. The church pleadeth,
Isa. xxvi. 8, ' The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remem-
VER. 167.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 231
brance of thee. When we follow in rugged ways, though we often
times stumble, yet if our soul be with him, we may have comfort.
Use 1. This is for the conviction of divers persons, that they do not
more serve God in their souls, do not keep his testimonies.
1. There are some that neither serve God with body nor soul, as all
loose persons, who do not so much as make a show of his service ; they
are all for their brutish pleasures, their souls to hunt them out, and
their bodies to pursue and follow them. Their soul is a cage of
unclean birds, and a stye of all filthiness, and their bodies only a strainer
for meats and drinks to pass through, or a channel for lust to run in,
so that they have nothing at all to spare for God : the soul is an ill
guide, suggesting all manner of evil, and the body a ready instrument
to accomplish it. These are those that yield up their members to
uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, Kom. vi. 19. Oh ! time
will come when God will tear them in pieces, and rend the guilty soul
from the embraces of the unwilling body. A sad time it will be for
these ; the soul will curse the body as an ill instrument, the body the
soul as a corrupt guide ; and curse the day of their first union, when
they cannot expect but to meet again in flames.
2. Some that give their bodies to God, but withhold their souls from
him. How may this be done?
Am. 1. Generally, when men content themselves with a naked
profession of Christianity, and some external conformity thereunto.
It is a stupid religion that consists in outward actions. Judas was
externally a disciple, but Satan entered into his heart, Luke xxii. 3.
Ananias joined himself to the people of God, but Satan filled his
heart. Acts v. 3. Simon Magus was baptized, but his heart was not
right with God, Acts viii. 22. Many men may not only make pro
fession, but perform many good actions, be as to external conformity
blameless ;• yet till their hearts are subdued to God, they should not
be satisfied with their condition. Though you pray with the pharisee,
Luke xviii., pay thy vows with the harlot, Prov. vii., offer sacrifice with
Cain, fast with Jezebel, sell thine inheritance to give to the poor with
Ananias and Sapphira, it is all in vain without the heart. Many hypo
crites are all ear to hear, all tongue to talk, all face to appear, but not
a heart to obey. Something must be done for religion for fashion sake
and shame of the world. Yea, though thou dost not dissemble, do
many things, yet if your hearts be not renewed and changed, all is
nothing ; you do not keep the testimonies of the Lord with your souls.
2. And more particularly when men make conscience of ceremonies
and outsides rather than sincere obedience. As the pharisees, Mat.
xxiii. 25, 26, ' They make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but
within are full of extortion and excess/ Pretend great purity ia
eating their meat, but care not with how great iniquity they purchase
it. Papists think they have done enough if they mutter over a few
idle words, without spirit and life ; the most part of their service is
but that of the body without the soul ; they worship in a strange
language, not knowing what they do or say. And, nearer home, draw
nigh with their lips when their hearts are far from him, Mat. xv. 8.
These leave their hearts at home ; the devil findeth them other work
that suffer their hearts to straggle and to be like the fool's eyes in the
232 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXII.
corners of the earth, when with their bodies they are engaged in the
serious and solemn duties of God's worship.
Use 2. To press you to serve God with your hearts and souls as
well as your bodies.
1. This is the character of true worshippers: Kom. i. 9, ' My God,
whom I serve in the spirit;' and 2 Tim. i. 3, 'God whom I serve
with a pure conscience/ This was not peculiar to Paul alone ; it is the
description of the spiritual circumcision.: Phil. iii. 3, ' For we are the
circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ
Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.' These are such as are
true worshippers.
2. God will accept of no other, for he looketh for the heart, and
knoweth whether we give it him, yea or no. Men care not for
fawning and the obsequiousness of empty courtships, but look for
reality, if they could discern it : 2 Kings x. 15, 'Is thy heart right,
as my heart is with thy heart ?' It was Jehu's question to Jonadab,
the son of Kechab. Dost thou as really affect me, as I do thee ?
And men do not look to the matter of the gift, but the mind of the
giver; and will God, think you, who can infallibly judge, and will one
day bring the hidden thoughts of the heart to light, 1 Cor. iv. 5, will
he be put off with shows and empty formalities ? Well, then, see
that your souls be in it, otherwise he will not accept of rivers of oil
and thousands of rams. All your pomp and cost upon outside services
is lost. But it is not every soul that will keep God's testimonies.
When the people said, ' All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do it/
Deut. v. 29, * Oh, that they had such an heart ! ' It must be such an
heart, for man is naturally averse from God ; sin sets up its throne in
the heart, and thence diffuseth its venom into his actions, Gen. vi. 5.
It must be — (1.) A broken heart ; (2.) A renewed heart; (3.) A heart
purified by faith ; (4.) And acted by love.
[1.] A broken heart it must be, Ps. li. 11, for before that, all that
we do is forced and superficial. We are never serious till acquainted
with brokenness of heart, but serve God in a slight careless fashion.
That bruising is to cast into a new mould ; it is a preparative to the
new heart. Wheat is not bread till it be grinded, and a cracked
vessel cannot be renewed till it be melted in the furnace, nor we
formed anew till we be first melted, humbled, and broken for sin.
[2.] The heart must be renewed by grace, for it is a renewed soul
only that keepeth the commandments : Ezek. xxxvi. 26, ' A new heart
also will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put into you ; and
then I will cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments to do them.' The hearts of the sons of men are fully set in
them to do evil, till God change them, and renew a right spirit within
them: Prov. x. 20, 'The heart of the wicked is nothing worth.' A
vain, sottish, sensual, careless heart will never do God any service ;
there must be life before there can be action, a supernatural principle
before there can be supernatural operation, for all things act according
to their form ; all that we do else is but like adulterating coin, gild
ing over copper or brass.
[3.] A heart purified by faith, Acts xv. 9. There are fleshly lusts
in us which must be mortified more and more, and deadened to the
VER. 167.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 233
pleasures and profits and honours of this world, by remembering our
great obligations and expectations from Christ's death and eternal
life ; for while any fleshly or worldly lust prevaileth with us, and is
the chief principle in our hearts, we cannot heartily serve God.
[4.] A heart acted by love: 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, 'For the love of
Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died for
all, then were all dead : and that he died for all, that they which
live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which
died for them, and rose again.' This is the active principle which sets
us a- work with cheerfulness. Christ often intimateth that keeping
the commandments is the fruit of love, John xiv. 15. All the expres
sion of our love to him is turned into that channel.
Secondly, I come now to the second evidence and testimony of his
sincerity, his love to the word, ' I have loved them exceedingly.'
Mark—
1. His affection, Hove thy testimonies.
2. The degree, in the word exceedingly \
First, From his affection. Note —
Doct. That it is not enough to keep the commandments, but we
must love them, and that obedience they require from us.
This love to the law is often spoken of in this psalm ; therefore
there needeth the less to be said now. Paul speaketh of this love as
well as David: Kom. vii. 22, 'I delight in the law of God after the
inward man.'
The reasons of the point.
1. We can never thoroughly and constantly keep the law with
out love to it. It is no easy thing to keep the law of God ; there
needeth much labour and striving. Now where there is a sincere
love of the law of God planted in the heart, there will be this striving
and endeavouring to perform it. None so sensible of the weight of
sin, none so active for God's glory : there is nothing so difficult, but
love maketh easy : nihil amarum. In a word, labour and toil prove
a pleasure, and pain a matter of delight, where we love. The careful
mother bringetb forth the child with pain, and nurseth it up with
toil and trouble, is well enough pleased with her work, and cheerful
in it, because of the love she hath to the fruit of her womb, and her
child is dear to her. Jacob's seven years' labour seemed to be a few
days for the love he had to Eachel, Gen. xxix. 29. So God will
have us serve him out of love, because nothing is grievous to love,
1 John v. 3. It beareth all things, suffereth all things, poverty, naked
ness, bonds, injuries, labours, never tireth or groweth weary, 1 Cor.
xiii. 7.
2. Except we obey because we love, our obedience is not sincere
and acceptable : 1 Cor. xiii. 1, 2, 'Though I speak with the tongue
of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding
brass, or a tinkling cymbal : and though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have
all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I
am nothing/ ovSev dpi. Many are frighted into a course of religion,
and go on from duty to duty, out of fear of being damned ; this is
not true obedience, that is done servilely and by constraint, these
234 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXIL
unwilling services which we perform to Christ, out of urging of
conscience and fear of wrath : Jer. ii. 27, ' Which have turned the
back unto me, and not their face : but in the time of their trouble
they will say, Arise and save us.' -They come to God, not out of
delight and choice, but out^ of necessity, and only then, Hosea. v. 6.
They that did not care for Go'd at other times will then come with their
flocks and their herds. The spirit of bondage is clamorous for duty,
as the spirit of adoption sweetly inclineth to it. Many obey God no
further, than they are forced, as slaves, whom nothing but fear in-
duceth to perform their master's commands ; and so do not love the
work, nor do it for the work's sake.
3. The next object to God, fit for our love, is God's law. It is
clear that God is primum amabile, the first thing that is to be loved ;
but what is the second ? Surely that which hath most of God in it ;
next after God, his word. There is vestigium in the creature, there
is imago in his testimonies : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' For we all with open
face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord/ The fairest
draught and print of God that can be taken. His people have his
image, but it is overshadowed with weakness ; it is but the aTrocfral-
vio-^a^ the off-set of his word. It is the word that maketh saints,
there is the liveliest stamp and print of God. His testimonies lead not
only to the knowledge of God, but also the fruition of him. What
soever leadeth us to the fruition of God is incomparably better than
any other thing ; therefore, if we love God, we must love his precepts,
love them so as to keep them ; it is the greatest testification of that
love we can show to God.
Use 1. To show us the reason why so many miscarry in the pro
fession of godliness. Many walk in the ways of God for a while, but
have no sound love to them ; either by-ends, or slavish fears forced
them into some profession ; but they did not love godliness as godli
ness, and therefore cannot hold out with God. When a man is
biassed and poised by his heart to a thing, you cannot easily divert
and break his inclination, that is a rooted thing ; others were but
forced, and forced subjection will not always hold. Men are hoping
they shall shake off an unpleasing task, and where they obey from
constraint, and the iron yoke of terror, they will not long obey.
Use 2. To press us not only to keep God's testimonies, but to love
them.
. Let me use some arguments.
1. From its excellency. To love is more than to do, as to love sin is a
greater evil than to commit it. Gravius est peccatum diligere, quam
facere. A man may commit sin out of infirmity, but he that loves it, sin
reigneth in him. Practice may be overruled ; a man may do evil that
hateth it, being overborne by the violence of a temptation ; as Paul
saith of himself, ' The evil that I hate, that I do/ So a man may do
good that hateth it, being influenced by by-ends ; but our love is our
own, the genuine offspring of the soul.
2. The necessity of it. Unless we love our work, we shall never
be the more earnest in the performance of it. Nature of itself is
unwilling, the heart hangeth off till it be poised by love : reasons
and motives will not do it : Kom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is enmity
VER. 167.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 235
against God, for it is not subject to the law/ The commandments
of God cross our will, profit, and pleasure ; therefore we need not
only reasons with us, but a strong inclination of heart to hold us to
it, else we shall be off and on with God : Neh. iv. 6, ' The building
went on, because the people had a mind to the work/ Nothing else
will do it but this.
3. The utility. We shall have more comfort in the sincerity of
our affections than we can ever have in the perfection of our actions.
The people of God, that cannot plead the perfection of what they do,
plead the reality of their love : John xxi. 17, ' Lord, thou knowest
all things, and knowest that I love thee.'
4. Ex debito. We owe so much love to God, that everything that
he requireth should be welcome to us for God's sake : they are his
testimonies, therefore your souls should love them, and bind them
upon your hearts, and the rather because we are to do our duty not
.as servants but as friends : John xv. 14, ' Ye are my friends, if ye
do whatsoever I command you/ Not, Ye are my servants. Between
friends there is a perfect harmony and agreement in mind and will.
To do a thing for love's sake to his friend, this is an act of friendship.
Not by servile constraint, but to keep them as they are his. We are
to do what Christ commandeth because he commandeth it ; and that
is to do it in love ; otherwise we break the commands when we keep
them. Besides the outward act, there must be a ready inclination
and delight in our work. Carnal men, the good they do they would
not do. That obedience is not worthy the name of obedience that is
extorted from us. Men had rather live ungodly if they durst for
fear of punishment. It is but a slight kind of religion when fear
prevaileth more than love ; they do somewhat God willeth, but they
had rather leave it undone. A man is never firmly gained to God,
till he prefer service before liberty, and loveth holiness as holiness.
But how must we show this love ? By two things. By being
aweful and cheerful ; grieved when we offend him, glad when we
please him ; aweful in avoiding what he forbiddeth, and cheerful in
performing wha'u he requireth.
[1.] Aweful ; you dare not break with God in any one point, but
are very chary and tender of the commandments ; keep them as the
apple of the eye, Prov. vii. 2, that is offended with the least dust ; or
keeping of jewels: Prov. vi. 21, 'Bind them continually upon thy
heart, tie them upon thy neck ' as jewels ; choice of them.
[2.] By being cheerful, ready, and forward to every good work : Ps.
ex. 3, ' A willing people.' You need not stand urging and pressing;
the inclination of their hearts swayeth them. A man is hardly kept
from that he loveth : 1 John ii. 5, * He that keepeth my word, in him
is the love of God perfected.'
Secondly, The degree, ' I love them exceedingly.'
Doct. Our love to the law must be an exceeding love.
1. In the general, it noteth the height and intensiveness of our
love ; not a cold love, as children love things, but are soon put out
of the humour ; but a high strong love, that will not easily be broken
or diverted, such as doth deeply affect the heart : Ps. cxix. 97, ' Oh,
how I love thy law ! it is my meditation all the day/ We that are
236 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXtll.
so coldly affected to spiritual tilings do not understand the force of
these expressions. A high and strong love will break forth into
meditation, operation ; make us sedulous and serious in obeying
God : Ps. cxix. 48, ' My hands will I lift up to thy commandments,
which I have loved ; ' 1 John ii. 5, ' He that keepeth my word, in
him is the love of God perfected.' Lift up our eyes to the receiving,
our ears to the hearing, our hands to the doing of thy commandments ;
this argueth love.
2. The prevalency ; not only high and strong, but to a prevailing
degree.
[1.] Such as prevaileth over things without us. This is such a love
as is greater than our love to all other things, wealth, honour, credit,
estate ; yea, life itself : for if anything be loved above our duty to God,
it will soon prove * snare to us : Mat. xiii. 44, ' Sold all to buy the field
wherein the treasure was hid.' All for the pearl of price. A believer
seeth such a treasure in the word of God ; that he maketh no reckon
ing of any worldly thing in comparison of it, but will part with what
ever is pleasant and profitable to him to enjoy it, rather than be
deprived of his grace. If any fleshly sensitive good or interest lieth
closer to the heart than the word of God, it will in time prevail so as
to make God's will and glory stoop to it, rather than this interest
shall be renounced or contradicted. There "is no talking of serving
God till you have this prevailing love, and hate all things in com
parison of your duty to God : Luke xiv. 26, 'If any man hate not
lather and mother.'
[2.] Such as doth prevail over carnal desires and evil affections
within us ; if it be not a love that doth eat up and devour our lusts
within us, if the bent of your hearts be not more for God than for sin.
See Baxter, pp. 273-279, in his directions about conversion. There
will be evil in the best, and some good in the worst. The critical
difference lieth in the prevalent bent of the heart. When your dislike
of sin is greater than your love, then you may say, Kom. vii. 20, ' It is
not I, but sin that dwelleth in me.' There must be a renewed self
that prevaileth above corrupt self.
Well, then, rest not in some general approbation of the ways of God,
or inclination to good, but this prevailing affection that jostleth sin
out of the soul.
SERMON CLXXXIII.
/ have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies, for all my ways are
before thee.— VER. 168.
DAVID still goeth on in his plea. He had spoken of his faith and love,
and now of his fear. We must —
1. Labour for faith to believe the promises. The man of God
beginneth there, ' I have hoped for thy salvation.'
2. This faith must work by love ; that is his next step, ' My soul
loveth thy testimonies exceedingly.' And—
VER. 168.] SEKMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 237
3. Love must breed in us a reverent fear of God's majesty, and a
care to please him in all things. This is the third part of the plea
mentioned in the text, ' I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies/
&c. In which words —
1. His integrity is again asserted. .
2. The reason and encouragement of it.
1. His integrity is asserted, 'I have kept thy precepts and thy testi
monies.' Where it is notable the object of his duty is expressed by
two words, precepts and testimonies. Mandatis adjungit testimonia,
saith Calvin, ut ostendat se non tantum agere de regula bene Vivendi, sed
complecti totum salutis fcedus. He addeth the word ' testimonies' to
that of ' precepts/ to comprise the whole covenant of salvation. Pre
cepts signifieth the moral law, and testimonies doctrines of grace.
2. The moving cause or proper reason of this obedience, ' For all my
ways are before thee/ Whereby he understandeth either the provi
dence of God apprehended by faith as always watching over him and
all his affairs for good, or a sense of God's omnisciency and omnipre
sence. The interpretations are subordinate one to the other ; and in
both respects, all our ways may be said to be before the Lord, namely,
as he doth govern and dispose of them according to his will. So it is
said, Prov. iii. 6, ' In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy pa^hs/ Or that he doth know and see all : Job xxxiv. 21,
* His eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings/ And
in this double sense may a parallel place be expounded : Ps. xvi. 8, ' I
have set the Lord always before me/ In point of reverence and
dependence, as inspector, helper, observer, second. But why is it
mentioned here ? Three reasons interpreters give for it — either by
way of appeal, or as the reason of his obedience, or as evidence of his
sincerity.
[1.] By way of appeal, as calling God to witness for the truth of
what he had said. Lord, thou art conscious to all my ways, knowest
the truth of what I spake. ' Lord, thou knowest all things ;' thus Peter
useth it, John xxi. 17.
[2.] As a reason why he was so careful to keep all God's precepts.
All my thoughts, words, and deeds are known to thee ; and so I desire
to approve myself to thee in every part and point of my duty.
[3.] Or it is produced as an evidence of his sincerity, that he did all
things as in God's sight, and set him before his eyes as the judge of his
doings, and so would not offend God to please men ; for in this octo-
nary he speaketh as a man in trouble, and ready to miscarry by carnal
fear.
Doct. That walking as in the sight of God is a note of sincerity,
and a good means to make us keep his precepts.
1. In those few words which God spake to Abraham all godliness is
comprehended : Gen. xvii. 1, 'Walk before me, and be thou upright;'
walk before me as in the sense of my eye and the confidence of my
all-sufficiency, behave thyself as in my sight and presence. Let me
give you a note or two concerning this walking as in the sight of
God.
[1.] All men are in God's sight, but few think of it ; they forget
God's eye that is upon them ; as Jacob saith in another case, Gen.
238 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXIII.
xxvi. 16, c Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not.' God is in
them, though they do not see God, and therefore act as if God did not
see them. - The apostle telleth us plainly, Acts xvii. 27, ' He is not
far from every one of us/ Though God be not far from us, yet we
may he far from him, at a great distance in our minds and affections.
God is near us in the effects of his power and providence, but the
elongation and distance is on our parts. We do not consider his eye
that is upon us; for many dare do that in the sight of God and
angels which they dare not do in the sight of a little child.
[2.] This walking as in the sight of God implieth a looking upon
God as witness and judge, as one that seeth for the present, and will
hereafter call you to an account ; and so it works upon those two great
articles of present providence and last judgment; the one considera
tion puts an edge upon the other, and maketh it more operative.
God is to be looked on as one sitting upon his throne ; and Solomon
telleth us, ' A king sitting upon the throne of judgment scattereth
away all evil with his eyes/ Prov. xx. 8. Would a subject break the
laws in his sovereign's sight ? So when God looketh on, shall we
affront him to his face, the great judge of all the earth? Job xi. 11, ' He
seeth wickedness also ; will he not then consider it ? ' As Ahasuerus
said, Esther vii. 8, ' Will he force the queen also before me ? ' The
greatest malefactors will .carry it demurely in the presence of their
judge : Ps. x. 14, ' Thou hast seen it, thou beholdest mischief and
spite, to requite it with thine hand.'
[3.] We are not only to remember God's eye in the duties of piety
which we perform directly to God, but also in the duties of righteous
ness which we owe to men : Luke i. 75, ' In holiness and righteous
ness before him all the days of our lives/ Holiness hath relation to
God, and righteousness to men ; in both we must act as before him,
as in his eye and presence ; not only in praying and hearing ; then we
are before him, immediately speaking to him ; but before him as to
men ; all our respects there must be done as in and to the Lord, per
forming duties we owe to men as in the sight and presence of the
Lord, as it is often said, so as to approve ourselves to God, who seeth
the heart; do it unto the Lord heartily : Ps. xxv. 15, 'Mine eyes are
ever towards the Lord/
[4.] God doth not only behold our actions, but our principles and
aims, and the secret motions of our hearts. ,He is neither ignorant of
man, nor anything in man. Men may judge of actions, but not of
principles, no further than they are discovered; but God judges of
principles when the action is fair: 1 Chron. xxviii. 9, 'And thou
Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy fathers, and serve him
with a perfect heart and willing mind ; for the Lord searcheth all
hearts, and understandeth all the imagination of the thoughts;' words
that imply an accurate search. God looketh to the bottom and spring
of actions, not only the matter, but the principle. A man that standeth
by a river in a low place can only see that part of the stream that
passeth by, but he that is aloof in the air in a higher place may see
the whole course, where it riseth and how it runneth ; so God at one
view seeth the beginning, rise, and ending of actions ; whatever we
think, speak, or do, he seeth it altogether. He knoweth our thoughts
VER. 168.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 239
before we can think them : Ps. cxxxix. 2, ' Thou knowest my down-
sitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thoughts afar off;
before we can conclude anything. A gardener knoweth what roots are in
the ground long before they appear, and what fruits they will produce.
2. This is a good means to make us keep his precepts.
[1.] It maketh for the restraint of evil ; the sight of God is a bridle
to us : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin
against God ?' Shall we break God's laws before his face ? We take
heed what we say and do before informers, and should we not much
more before the judge himself ? If we be not thus affected, it is a sign
we never had a sight and sense of God's eye : 3 John 11, 'He that
doth evil hath not seen God.' God taught his people this by the type
of covering their excrements : Deut. xxiii. 13, 14, ' For the Lord walketh
in the midst of the camp, therefore let thy camp be holy, that he see
no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.' The flesh will
soon seduce us were it not 'for the awe of God's eye. Inferiors, when
they are in the sight and presence of their superiors, are very careful of
their behaviour. He were an unhappy son or a lewd servant that would
misdemean himself in the sight and presence of his father or master.
Children at school, all is whisht when the master cometh. She were a
lewd and impudent wife that in the sight and presence of her husband
would prostitute herself to another man. This is our case ; God is
father and lord, and we are always in his sight ; if we believe it, and
can remember it, would we be so shameless as to sin, he looking
upon us ? The wise heathens were sensible that such a thought would
be a curb to us, therefore admonished their disciples that they should
always set before them some Cato or Cselius, some grave and reverend
person, that they might behave themselves as in their presence ; for
saith Seneca, Magna pars peccatorum tollitur, si peccatoris testis ad-
fuit — a great part of sin would be prevented if, when we are about
to sin, some witness were present with us. They thought this fiction
would be a restraint, and the fiction of grave men. But we speak
now of the eyes of God, and that not as a fiction and supposition, but
as a certain and undoubted truth ; no less certain than that there is a
God, which, of all truths, is most certain. Therefore, should not the
eye of God restrain, who is with us always and in all places ?
[2.] For the encouragement to every good work, and so it is a spur
to us. God looketh on ; he that is thy judge and re warder, he knoweth
how faithfully we keep his law. All the labours, miseries, slanders
which thou endurest for his sake are known to him : Eev. ii. 3, ' I
know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience.' He taketh notice
of thy faithfulness. Do not think only that God doth spy out our
failings : Prov. xv. 3, ' The eyes of the Lord are in every place, be
holding the evil and the good.' He taketh notice of both, both as
rewarder and avenger. Now cowards will adventure much in the
presence of their general, and idle servants will work while their
master looketh on ; and shall not we do the Lord's work, since he
taketh notice ? He knoweth our work and our discouragements, and
will help accordingly : Kev. ii. 13, ' I know thy works, and where
thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is : and thou boldest fast my
name.' See Basil, Eegulis Brevioribus, qurest. 34.
240 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiB. CLXXXIII.
More particularly.
1. It is a great means to make us serious in all our addresses to
God, that we may behave ourselves with that reverence and awefulness
that will hecome the divine majesty. What is the reason men are
so slight and customary in their prayers and other acts of religion ?
They do not see the invisible God, and think of him to whom they
speak. From practical atheism and unbelief we have little sense of
things unseen. In speaking to a man we behave ourselves with that
gravity and reverence that his quality deserveth ; but in speaking to
God, our thoughts wander, our hearts are dead and vain, because we
see not him with whom we have to do : ' Make us gods to go before
us/ Exod. xxxii. 1. Ay ! that we would have a visible God, whom
we may see and hear; but the true God being a spirit and an invisible
power, all the service we do him is a task performed more out of
custom than affection, in a slight perfunctory manner. Now, when we
believe God's eye, and are sensible of his presence, that maketh us
more serious. He telleth man his thought. Thoughts speak louder
in his ears than our words. Oh! with what reverence should we
creep into his presence, before whom all things are naked and open !
It was a direction Seneca gave to his friend Lucilius, Epist. x. — Sic
vive cum liominibus, tanquam Deus videat ; sic loquere cum Deo,
tanquam homines videant — so, live with men as if God saw; so speak
with God as if men saw. Shall such a speech come out of the mouth
of a heathen, and shall not Christians remember God, and set them
selves as in his sight when they come before him? We would be
ashamed if our hearts were turned in and out in any duty, and men
did know all our light, foolish, sinful thoughts that take up our minds;
and doth not God see and hate these things more than men. So that
it is a powerful consideration to make us come with humility and reve
rence into God's presence.
2. It maketh us sincere in our whole course ; for this is sincerity, to
do all things in order to God : sincerity lieth in the universality of
obedience, and purity of intention.
[L] For universality of obedience, we have an instance here in the
text. David, by keeping himself as in God's all-seeing presence, per
formed a uniform acceptable obedience to him. So will all do that
habituate this thought, and make it familiar to them ; this is that that
maketh them obey in presence and absence, to perform secret duties,
Mat. vi. 6. Therefore a Christian is as religious, if not more, alone
and in secret as before others. The hypocrite walketh before men,
who see the outward man only, seeketh chiefly to approve himself to
men, and therefore is more religious before others than alone; but it
is otherwise with a heart deeply possessed with a sense of God's omni-
sciency and omnipresence. So- to avoid secret sins, which are only
liable to God's cognisance ; he that knoweth all the workings of his
heart lie open before God, maketh it his business to abstain from
fleshly lusts as from sinful practices, which would betray him to shame
before the world, and dareth not allow himself to sin anywhere, but
there where God cannot see, that is, nowhere. Yea, when God's
children forget themselves to be in their Father's presence, and corrup
tion gets the start of grace, they afterwards come to be ashamed, and
VER. 1GS.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 241
grieved for those sins for which the world cannot tax them : Ps. xix.
12, ' Who can understand his errors ? cleanse me, Lord, from secret
sins.' All our actions are seen by the Lord ; some of them may be
known to men, but others may escape their eye ; therefore, if we look
to men only, we are partial ; but if to God, universal in our obedience.
If this be all our aim, that men may riot impeach us of any crime ; but if
this be our aim, to approve ourselves to God, it is a sign we are sincere.
[2.] As to purity of intention, the proper reason of that is, because
God seeth our aims as well as our actions, and knoweth all the deceits
and tricks of a false heart. Our business is not with men, but with
God, the searcher of hearts, who can distinguish between the motions
of the flesh, and those inspired by his Spirit. Certainly, if we make
him paymaster, we must intend his work: Horn. ii. 29, ' For he is not
a Jew who is one outwardly ; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly,
whose praise is not of men, but of God/ He that maketh God his
witness, approver, and judge, must chiefly mind what God looketh
after : Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight,
but the Lord weigheth the spirit.' That which he chiefly regardetb
are men's principles and ends.
[3.] It maketh us faithful in our relations, by considering he ap
points them to us, and seeth how we improve them for his glory.
Magistrates, there is a special presence of God, not only to direct and
protect, but also to note and observe them : 2 Chron. xix. 6, ' The
Lord is with you in the judgment ; ' Ps. Ixxxii. 1, ' God standeth in
the congregation of the mighty, and judgeth among the gods/ When
they are for the execution of his office, God is there, and therefore
they above all must be men fearing God, have a reverent regard to his
eye and presence. Diodorus Siculus telleth us of some heathens that
had several empty chairs advanced aloof 1 near the tribunals, as for their
gods, to show they were present, and had an inspection over all acts of
judicature. So for ministers, they must not only give an account at
last, but are observed for the present. God hath a watchful eye over
them, as they have and should have over the flock. He observeth
how we discharge our trust, and what are our aims, whether to pro
mote our own interest or his: 2 Cor. ii. 17, 'But as of God, in the
sight of God, speak we in Christ/ Our doctrines must not only be
sound, but our aims and principles. It is not enough to speak of God,
in his name, his truth, but sincerely approve our hearts to him in the
faithful discharge of our duty. So 1 Thes. ii. 4, ' We speak not as
pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts ; ' in all singleness and
sincerity of heart discharging our trust. So masters of families are
to walk in their houses with a perfect heart, Ps. ci. 2 ; though they
are shut up in their families from the observation of others, yet at
home as well as abroad they must be careful to walk with God in their
domestical converse, where men are wont most to discover themselves,
and should behave themselves prudently, and holily, and faithfully there.
The apostle mindeth masters of their Master in heaven, Eph. vi. 9 ;
one who noteth and observeth your dealings, and will call you to
an account for all your carriage : your sins and graces are not hid from
him. So for servants : Col. iii. 21-23, ' Servants, obey in all things
1 Qu. ' aloft '?—£[>.
VOL. IX. Q
242 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXXXIIL
your masters according to the flesh ; not with eye-service, as men-
pleasers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God : and whatsoever ye
do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.' Still the con
sideration of God's eye is suggested to them ; they must be careful of
their master's concernments, whether their master be present or absent,
or whether the things they do will come to his knowledge, yea or no ;
for though the eye of man will not find them out, yet the eye of God
must be regarded ; therefore, with respect to God, they must be care
ful and faithful. So again, Eph. vi. 5, 6, * Servants, be obedient to
them which are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and
trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ ; with good will
doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men.' They should be cheer
ful, laborious, painful, showing all faithfulness in things committed to
their trust, even t<5 a pin or the smallest matter, not saucy, stubborn,
and malapert ; because the Lord looketh upon them, and if they so do,
will own them and bless them. Thus you see we should have better
magistrates, better ministers, better masters, better servants, better
fathers, better children, if this principle were once deeply imprinted
upon their hearts, that all their ways are before the Lord, and he still
observeth what they do in all their actions.
Use. To press us to walk as in the sight of God, and to foresee him
before you in all your ways. To press you hereunto, consider these
things: —
1. You are in the sight of God, whether you think so or no. We
can no more be removed from the presence of God than from our own
beings, for he is in everything that subsists, and it subsists by him.
The apostle telleth us, Eph. iv. 6, ' There is one God and Father of
all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.' The sun is
some representation of God's eye ; nothing is hid from its sight : if the
sun were an eye, it would see all things that it shineth upon. So doth
God ; only with this difference, the sun cannot pierce through dark
and thick bodies, but God is over all, and through all, and in all,
upholding and overruling all by his powerful providence. Therefore
you cannot lie hid from God ; only this sight is not comfortable and
profitable to you, unless you see him as he seeth you. They say of the
panther, when it hideth the head it thinketh it is not seen because it
seeth not, and so is taken by the hunters. This an emblem of wretched
sinners ; they see not God, and therefore think they are not seen by
him, and so go on doing evil till their iniquities find them out.
2. What a noble thing it is always to live in the sight of God ; for
by this exercise, in some measure, and as this mortal state will permit,
you enjoy the happiness of the blessed angels, for this is the privilege
of the blessed angels : Mat. xviii. 10, * That they always behold the
face of our Father which is in heaven/ So when you live in the
thought of God in some measure, you are doing their work, and your
minds become as it were another heaven ; for heaven is where God
is, and there God is in that heart that thinketh of him ; not only
there by the powerful effects of his providence, and the impressions of
his grace, but there by the workings of our hearts.
3. The profit is exceeding great. By conversing with God often ye
become like him. As musing of vanity maketh us vain, heavenly and
VER. 168.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 243
holy thoughts produce a heavenly mind, and frequent remembrance
is one means to introduce the divine nature. Moses, in that extra
ordinary converse with God, his face shone, he carried away some
strictures and rays of the divine majesty in his countenance. We
cannot look for that effect upon our bodies, but serious and ponderous
thoughts leave some change upon the soul ; there is the lustre of grace,
and the beauty of the divine nature, which is a greater thing left upon
us. The apostle saith, 2 Cor. iii. 19, * For we all with open face,
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the
same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the" Lord.' By
seeing him in the word, considering him as always present with us ;
the heart is coloured and dyed by the object it often thinketh upon.
Oh ! therefore be persuaded to set the Lord before you.
For means.
1. To see God aright we need faith, for God is invisible, and in
visible things are only seen by faith, Heb. xi. 1 ; and the instance is in
Moses, ver. 27, ' By faith he saw him that was invisible/ Many have
an opinion that God knoweth all things, but they have not a sound
belief of it ; it is what is owned by the tongue rather than the heart. .
Cold and dead opinions are easily taken up, but a lively faith is God's
gift ; this is a sight not easily gotten.
2. We must often revive this thought, for the oftener we think of it,
the more deeply it is impressed upon the soul : Ps. ix. 17, 'The wicked
shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.' It is
not said, that deny him, but forget him. On the other side, there is a
book of remembrance for those that thought upon his name, Mai. iii.
16. God takes it kindly when our minds are set a- work upon him
and upon his attributes. We have every moment life and breath, and
all things from him ; he thinketh of us, and therefore out of a neces
sary gratitude we should oftener think of God. Nazianzen saith twice,
Naz. Orat. de Cura Pauperum, Orat. 10, and Orat. de Theol., Orat. 11 :
We should as oftjen think of God as breathe, for we cannot breathe
without him, and without his continual providential influence we fall
into nothing, ab sunbeams vanish when the sun is gone. Therefore
the apostle telleth the Ephesians they were in their natural estate,
dBeoi, Eph. ii. 12. There are two sorts of atheists — they that deny
God, and they that wholly forget God. The latter are more common,
and they are described, Ps. x. 4, ' God is not in all their thoughts.'
Oh ! what misery is this, that we have thoughts more than we can tell
what to do withal, and yet we will not afford God the least share in
them ! He were a cruel man that would cast his provisions and super
fluities into the street, and deny them to the poor, that should let his
drink run into the kennel rather than that they should taste a drop of
it. Such are we to God. We know not what to employ our thoughts
upon, and yet we will not think of his name. We go musing of
vanity all the day long, and be grinding of chaff, rather than take in
good corn into the mill.
3. There are certain seasons when we are bound not only habitually
but actually to think of God.
[1.] In a time of temptation, when the flesh, being enticed by profit
or pleasure, or scared by fears, tempts us to do anything contrary to the
244
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXIII.
will of God. Thus did Joseph, when he might have sinned securely
and with advantage, Gen. xxxix. 0 ; the thoughts of God's eye and
presence dashed the temptation. We forget him that seeth in secret,
and therefore take the liberty to indulge our lusts. Can I consider
that God looketh on, and do thus unworthily ? It is a daring him
to his face to go on with these thoughts; therefore God seeth what I
will now do ; it is a seasonable relief to the soul.
[2.] We should actually revive this thought in solemn duties, when
we come to act the part of angels, and to look God in the face. Surely
God is greatly to be had in fear of all that are round about him. It
would prevent a great deal of carelessness in worship to remember who
is the party with whom we have to do, who is speaking to us in
the word, and to whom we speak in prayer : Heb. iv. 13, ' All things
are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.'
He knoweth how we hear, what thoughts and affections are stirring in
our hearts : ' We are all here present before the Lord, to hear all
things that are commanded thee of God/ We come not hither to see
and be seen of men, but to see God ; we are here before God, as if God
himself were speaking to us. God is everywhere with us, but we are not
always everywhere with God, but when we lift up our hearts and set him
before our eyes. So in prayer, when we speak to God, we should think
of him who is an eternal being, to whom belongeth kingdom, power,
and glory, Prayer is called a corning to God. We beg his eyes be
open, Neh. i. 6, to behold us as well as hear us. Now what an awing
thought is this in prayer, that our preparations, motions, affections,
dispositions, aims are all naked and open to his eyes !
[3.] When God findeth us out in our secret sins by his word, Spirit,
and providence, or the wrings and pinches of our own consciences. By
his word : 1 Cor. xiv. 25, ' And thus are the secrets of his heart made
manifest ; and so, falling down upon his face, will worship God, and
report that God is in you of a truth.' And Heb. iv. 12, 13, ' For the
word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents
of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his
sight, for all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with
whom we have to do.' So by his Spirit setting conscience a-work :
Job xiii. 26, ' Thou makest me possess the sins of my youth.' Old
forgotten sins come to remembrance. Own God and his omni-
sciency in the dispensation when God sets our sins in order before us
as if anew committed. So providence : Gen. xlii. 21, ' We are verily
guilty concerning our brother/ &c. Affliction openeth the eyes ; it is
his rack to extort confessions from us.
[4.] Consider upon what good reason God's knowing all things is
built ; his creation and providence. If he made all things, and sus-
taineth all things, surely he knoweth all things in particular, for every
wise man knoweth what he doth. A father cannot forget how many
children he hath. He that leadeth us by the hand wherever we go,
knoweth where and how we go. Christ knew when virtue passed from
him in a crowd ; he said, ' Somebody toucheth me, for I perceive that
virtue is passed out from me,' Luke viii. 45, 46. Certainly God
VER. 171.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 245
knoweth there is such a creature as thou art, such a man or woman of
the world, knoweth thy uprising and down-lying : Ps. cxxxix. 2, ' Thou
understandest my thoughts afar off.' He knoweth whether we are
laughing, mourning, or praying. He that will judge thee knoweth
thee, or else he were an incompetent judge.
[5.] Humble thyself for walking so unanswerably. It would trouble
us to have our thoughts, counsels, actions, all we think and speak,
divulged and published. All is naked and open to God. If we did
not think God's eye a fancy and fond conceit, we would at least walk
more humbly. It would trouble us exceedingly if men had a window
into our hearts in a time of prayer. Why not because God seeth ?
How watchful are we not to incur the penalty of man's law, but offences
against God are lightly passed over. With what copiousness and
Sowings of language will men enlarge themselves in prayer when in
company, and how slight and overly in closet duties, if not wholly
neglective of them ; which is in effect to say, Our heavenly father
seeth not in secret.
SERMON CLXXXIV.
My lips shall utter praise, wlien tlwu hast taught me thy statutes. —
VER. 171.
IN the two former verses he had prayed — (1.) For an increase of saving
knowledge, ver. 169. (2.) For deliverance out of his troubles, ver.
170. He reinforceth his request by a promise of thankfulness, if he
could get a gracious answer to that, ' My lips shall utter praise,' &c.
In the words we have —
1. A resolution of praise, my lips shall utter praise.
2. The reason and occasion of it, wlien thou hast taught me thy
statutes.
First, A resolution of praise.
The word for ' uttereth praise,' signifieth that praise should break
from him as water boileth and bubbleth up out of a fountain. Indeed
words cometh from the abundance of the heart, Mat. xii. 34 ; either
from the plenty of spiritual knowledge, John iv. 38 — as a fountain
yieldeth water, so his knowledge breakcth out into praises — or from the
plenty of spiritual affection ; rather from the great esteem of the benefit,
or fulness of joy at the thought of it. It is a great privilege to be
delivered from blindness and ignorance : ' To you it is given to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of God,' Mat. xiii. 11. Now they that
have a spiritual gust and taste are so affected with it that they cannot
be enough thankful for it ; and it is notable that this thankfulness is
promised upon granting the first request.
Doct Divine illumination is HO great a gift, that all who are made
partakers of it are especially obliged to praise and thanksgiving.
This will appear by these considerations : —
1. That upon the receipt of every mercy we should praise God.
There is an equity in it, for this is God's pact and agreement with us :
246 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [SEE. CLXXXIY.
Ps. 1. 15, ' Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee,
and thou shalt glorify me.' We are forward in supplications, but
backward in gratulations ; all the lepers could beg health, but one
returned to give glory to God, Luke xvii. 18. Self-love puts us upon
prayers, but the love of God upon praises. Now we should be as
much affected, or rather more, in the receiving mercies, as we were in
asking mercies ; because before we knew it only by guess and imagi
nation, but then by actual feeling and experience of the comfort of it.
Therefore to seek, and not to praise, is to be loving to ourselves.
2. Those that have received most from God are most bound to
honour him and praise him, for the return must carry some propor
tion with the receipt: 2 Chron. xxxii. 25, 'Hezekiah rendered not
according to the benefit done unto him ;' not according to the kind,
only good, and not £vil for good, but according to the degree. Great
mercies require great acknowledgments: she loved much to whom
much was forgiven, and she 1 loved little to whom little, Luke vii. 47.
More sins pardoned, more mercies received, God expecteth more love,
more praise, more thanksgiving. And Luke xii. 48, ' For unto whom
soever much is given, of him much shall be required ; and to whom
men commit much, of him will they ask the more.' Christ pleadeth
the equity from the practice of men. The more helps, the more work
and service we expect. He should come sooner who rideth on horse
back than he that cometh on foot ; so the more light and knowledge
God vouchsafeth, the more honour and glory he expecteth from us.
3. That we should praise God especially for spiritual benefits.
Usually those are overlooked, but they deserve the greatest acknow
ledgment ; these are discriminating, and come from special love. Corn,
wine, and oil are bestowed upon the world, but knowledge and grace
upon his saints ; these are the favour of his peculiar people : Ps. cvi.
4, ' Kemember me, 0 Lord, with the favour that thou bearest to thy
people ; 0 visit me with thy salvation/ To have the favourite's, mercy
is more than to have a common mercy. Protection is the benefit of
every subject, but intimate and near admission is the privilege of
special favourites. Love and hatred cannot be known by the things
before us, Eccles. ix. 1-3. Christ gave his Spirit to the good disciples,
the keeping of the purse to Judas.
[1.] Partly because these concern the better part, the inward man,
2 Cor. iv. 16. He doth us more favour that healeth a wound in the
body than he that seweth up a rent in the garment. Is not the body
more than raiment, the soul more than the body ? and the soul as
furnished with grace more than the soul only as furnished with natural
gifts and endowments ?
[2.] Partly because these are brought about with more ado than
temporal favours. God, as a creator .and merciful upholder of all his
creatures, doth bestow temporal blessings upon the ungodly world,
even upon heathens, who never heard of Christ ; yet saving grace he
bestoweth only as the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Eph.
i. 3, with respect to the merit of Christ, who was to purchase these
blessings before he could obtain them.
[3.] Partly because they are pledges of eternal blessings, and the
1 Qu. ' he ' ?— ED.
VER. 171.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 247
beginning of our eternal well-being, John vi. 27. These and eternal
blessedness are so linked together than they cannot be separated :
Kom. viii. 29, 30, 4 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate
to be conformable to the image of his Son : that he might be the first-
fruits among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate,
them he also called ; and whom he called, them he also justified ; and
whom he justified, them he also glorified ;' and Phil. i. 6, ' Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work
in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.'
[4.] Partly because these incline and fit the heart for praise and
thanksgiving ; the one giveth occasion to praise God, the other a heart
to praise God. Outward mercies give the occasion to praise God,
these the disposition ; other mercies the motives, these the prepara
tions ; these dispose the heart to it : Ps. cxix. 7, ' I will praise thee
with uprightness of heart, when I have learned thy righteous judg
ments/ Here they dispose the lip and open the mouth : Ps. li. 15,
' 0 Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy
praise.' The work of grace doth set our lips wide open in the magni
fying and praising of God. Grace is the matter of God's praise, and
also giveth a ready will to praise God, yea, the very deed of praising
him.
[5.] Partly because temporal favours may be given in anger, but
the graces of the Spirit are never given in anger. God may give an
estate in judgment, and indulge large pastures to beasts fitted for
destruction ; but he giveth not an enlightened mind and a renewed
heart in anger; it is a token of his special love : ' To you it is given
to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God/ Mat. xiii. 11. Well,
then, for all these things should we praise God. We have a quick
sense in bodily mercies, but in soul concernments we are not alike
affected.
4. That among spiritual blessings divine illumination is a very
great gift, and accordingly should be acknowledged by us. To make
this evident, I shall —
[1.] Open the nature of this divine illumination.
[2.] Show you the worth of it, and how much it should be valued
by us.
[1.] For the nature of it. There is a twofold wisdom and know
ledge of divine mysteries : —
(1.) One which is only a gift : 1 Cor. viii. 1, 4 We know that we all
have knowledge: knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth/ This
is an excellent gift, but yet it floweth from the common influence of
the Spirit, and puffeth up the party, because it is apprehended only by
such an excellency as conduceth to the interests of the flesh, and to
attain esteem in the world ; and because he hath not thereby a deep
and piercing knowledge of his misery, but is cold and weak, and doth
not warm the heart with love to the thing known. Therefore we
should see to it what kind of knowledge we have, whether it be a gift
or a grace, whether we use it to exalt God or ourselves. The bare
gift puffeth us up with a lofty conceit of ourselves and a disdain of
others, but grace keepeth us humble ; for the more we know that way,
the more we see our defects, and what little reason we have to glory
248 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXIV.
in our knowledge, or any other grace; and besides, by it we are
suitably affected to what we know.
(2.) There is a special knowledge of divine mysteries wrought in
us by the special and sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost ; this is
' the wisdom which comethfrom above/ which ' is first pure, and then
peaceable/ James iii. 17, which humbleth the man that hath it, for
the more he knoweth of God, the more his own opinion and estima
tion of himself is lessened : Job xlii. 5, 6, ' I have heard of thee by
the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee ; therefore I abhor
myself and repent in dust and ashes.' I have spoken unadvisedly of
God. This knowledge also maketh him serious, and is operative upon
the heart, and worketh love to the thing known : John iv. 10, ' If thou
knewest the gift/ &c. ; and maketh us to know God in Christ, so as to
acknowledge him, and give him due honour, respect, and reverence.
It is a knowledge joined with oblectation and affection. This know
ledge is considerable as to its beginning and increase.
(1st.) Its beginning, the first removing of the natural blindness and
darkness of our understandings, so that we have a clear discerning of
the things of God when the scales fall from our eyes. Naturally we
were ignorant of God and the way to heaven, but now, brought to the
saving knowledge of God in Christ, we are acquainted with both. The
first creature which God made was light ; so in the new creation, the
new creature is illuminated with a heavenly light, and cured qf its
former blindness, that we see things in another manner than ever we
saw them before : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' Called out of darkness into his mar
vellous light / as a man brought out of a dark dungeon into an open
light. And Acts xxvi. 18, ' To open their eyes, and turn them from
darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.' So Eph. v.
8, ' Ye were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord.' To be
seeing is better than to be blind, to be in light than to be in darkness.
This is God's first work, and it is marvellous in our eyes ; it is double,
when we first begin to have a clear knowledge of our own misery,
Kev. iii. 18. Whereas before we lived in gross ignorance of our own
condition ; so when we begin to see the remedy, as well as our misery ;
2 Cor. iv. 6, ' God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' The first thing that God
convinceth us of is our own sin, guilt, and misery. So that those
things that either we knew not, or did swim loose in the brain, we
begin now to be affected with them. We talked before of sin as a
thing of course, and were wont to marvel why men kept such a deal
ado about sin ; but now the case is altered. God hath opened his eyes,
and therefore he complaineth of it as the greatest burden, and fain
would be rid of it at any rate. He beginneth to seek after Christ as
his only remedy, and nothing will satisfy him but Christ; and all
things are but dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of
Christ, and that he may be found in him. He lamenteth his case,
and can trust himself nowhere but in Christ's hands. A natural man
slippeth into a heedless credulity, and either doth not look upon the
gospel as a real truth, or else is not affected with it so as to venture
his salvation in that bottom.
VER. 171.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 249
(2d.) As to the increase and progress, and so those that are taught
of God need to be taught of God again, and to seek a further increase
of spiritual wisdom, or a further degree of the saving knowledge of
divine mysteries; as the apostle prayeth for the Epiiesiaris, towards
whom he acknowledgeth God had abounded in all wisdom and
prudence, yet prayeth that God would give them the spirit of wisdom
and revelation, that the eyes of their understandings might be opened,
Eph. i. 17, 18, with the 8th verse. We are yet ignorant in many
things, for we know but in part, not fully rooted in the knowledge of
these things which we know. They need to be refreshed with new
illumination from God, that our knowledge may be active and lively,
and stand out against new and daily temptations, and that oblivion
and forgetfulness, which is a kind of ignorance, and is apt ever and
anon to creep upon us, may be prevented, and truths may be ready at
hand for our use, James i. 5. And this is that which David beggeth
an increase of knowledge for ; he, being a holy man and a prophet,
needed not the first illumination : and every degree is a great favour,
to be acknowledged with praise.
[2.] Let me speak of the worth of this divine illumination in itself.
The worth of it appeareth in four things : —
(1.) Its author. God, by his efficacious teaching, doth cure the
blindness of our minds, and doth open and incline our hearts towards
spiritual and heavenly things : John vi. 45, ' They shall all be taught
of God ;' 1 Thes. iv. 10, ' Ye yourselves are taught of God to love
one another ;' 1 John ii. 27, ' The anointing teacheth you all things/
As the heathen Cato would have none to teach his son but himself,
for he said that instruction was such a benefit, that he would not
have his son beholden to any for it but himself. Oh ! it is a blessed
privilege to be taught of God, to be made wise to salvation, and not
only to get an ear to hear, but a heart to understand, and learn by
hearing, not only the power to believe, but the very act of faith
itself. God's teaching is always effectual, not only directive, but per
suasive, enlightening the mind to know, and inclining the will and
affections to embrace what we know. He writeth the truth upon the
heart, and puts it into the mind, Heb'. viii. 10. He sufficiently pro-
poundeth the object, and rectifieth the faculty, imprints the truth upon
the very soul. But how doth God teach ? In the very place where
Christ speaketh of our being taught of God, he presently addeth, John
vi. 46, ' Not that any man hath seen the Father.' God's teaching doth
not import that any man must see God, and immediately converse
with him, and talk with God, and so be taught by him. No ; God
teacheth externally by his word, and internally by the Spirit, but yet
so powerfully and effectually that the lesson is learned and deeply
imprinted upon our souls. This teaching is often expressed by see
ing. Now, to a clear sight three things concur — an object conspicuous,
a perspicuous medium, and a well-disposed organ or clear eye. In
God's teaching there is all these. The object, to be seen plainly in
the scriptures, are the things of God, not fancies, but realities, and by
the light of the Spirit represented to us, and the eye of the mind
opened. A blind man cannot see at midday, nor the most clear
sighted at midnight, when objects lie hidden under a veil of darkness.
250 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXIY.
object must be revealed and brought nigh to us in a due light ;
God secretly openeth the eye of the soul, that we see heavenly
. - * *•-• r*\ . • nm j 1 j T i 1 1 , -i
The
and
things with life' and affection. The author then showeth the mercy,
when God will not only teach us by men, but by his Spirit.
(2.) The objects known, the highest and most important matters in
the world, the gracious soul is savingly acquainted with. It is more
to have the knowledge of the profoundest sciences then of some poor
and low employment ; as Themistocles said, To know a little of true
philosophy is more than to know how to play upon a fiddle. But now,
to have the saving knowledge of God and of the life to come is more
than to have the most admired wisdom of the flesh, than all the com
mon learning in the world. And therefore how much are we bound to
praise God if he will teach us his statutes ! More than if we knew how
to govern kingdoms and commonwealths, and do the greatest business
upon earth. Two things do commend the object of this knowledge : —
(1st.) It is conversant about the most high and excellent things.
(2d.) The most necessary and useful things.
(1st.) Things of so high a nature as to know God, who is the cause
of all things ; and Jesus Christ, who is the restorer of all things ; and
the Spirit, who cherisheth and preserveth all things ; especially to
know his heavenly operations, and the nature and acting of his several
graces : Jer. ix. 24, ' Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he
knoweth me, saith the Lord.' There is the excellency of a man to
know God, to conceive aright of his nature, attributes, and works ; so
as to love, trust, reverence, and serve him. Alas ! all other know
ledge is a poor low thing to this. God hath written a book to us of
himself, as Caesar wrote his own Commentaries, and by histories and
prophecies hath set forth himself to us to be the creature's creator,
preserver, deliverer, and glorifier. This is the knowledge we should
seek after ; common crafts teach us how to get bread, but this book
teacheth us how to get the kingdom of heaven, to get the bread of
life, the meat that perisheth not. Law preserveth the estates and
testaments of men, but this the testament of God, the charter of our
eternal inheritance. Physic cureth the diseases of the body ; this,
afflicted minds and distempered hearts. Natural philosophy raiseth
up men to the contemplation of nature; this, of the maker of all
things and author of nature. History, the rise and ruin of kingdoms,
states, and cities ; this, the creation and consummation of the world.
Ehetoric, to stir the affection ; this, to enkindle divine love. Poetry
moveth natural delight ; here psalms, that we may delight in God.
These are the only true and sublime things. As light is pleasant to
the eye, so is knowledge to the mind. But where have you the know
ledge of such high things ? What are the mysteries of nature to the
mysteries of godliness ! To know the almighty living God, and to
behold his wisdom, goodness, and power, in all his works, surely this
is a sweet aad pleasant thing to a gracious soul ; but especially to
know him in Christ, to know the mystery of the incarnation, person,
natures, and mediation of Christ : 1 Tim. iii. 16, ' Great is the mystery
of godliness.' This is a mystery without controversy great, to know,
the law and covenant of God : Deut. iv. 6, * This is your wisdom and
understanding in the sight of the nations who shall hear these statutes.'
VEB. 171.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 251
And the sanctifying work of the Holy Ghost, by which we are wrought
and prepared for everlasting life.
(2d.) So necessary and useful to know the way of salvation, the
disease and remedy of our souls, our danger and the cure, our work
and our wages, the business of life and our end, what is to be believed
and practised, what we are to enjoy and do ; these are the things which
concern us, all other knowledge is but curious and speculative, and
hath more of pleasure than of profit. To know our own affairs, our
greatest and most necessary affairs, these are the things we should
busy ourselves about. fEz/o? %/oeta, ' One thing is necessary,' Luke
x. 42. Other things we may well spare. Now what is necessary but
to know our misery that we may prevent it ; our remedy, that we may
look after it in time ; our work and business, that we may perform it ;
our end, that we intend it, and be encouraged by it ; what course we
must take that we may be everlastingly happy ? Well, then, if God
will show us what is good, Micah vi. 8, and teach us what is good, that
we may know whither we are a-going, and which way we must go ; if
he will give us counsel in our reins, to choose him for our portion, Ps.
xvi. 5, we ought to bless his name. So the llth verse, ' Thou wilt
show me the path of life.' Though ignorant of other things, we are
highly obliged for this discovery. It is the work of God to give us
counsel, and should be matter of perpetual thanksgiving to us.
(3.) The use for which this knowledge serveth.
(1st.) To entertain communion with God for the present, for by
knowing him, we come to enjoy him : Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me I will
behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when 1 awake
with thy likeness ; ' that is more than to have a portion in this world.
And 1 John i. 3, ' That which we have seen and heard declare we
unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us ; and truly our
fellowship is with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ.' By com
munion or fellowship is not meant a society of equals, but the dutiful
yet cheerful attendance of an inferior on his superior, the creature on
his creator ; but yet so as that there is a holy intimacy and familiarity
in it, because we both love and are beloved of God. In every ordin
ance they draw nearer to God than others do ; for 1 John i. 7, * If we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another.' All our duties are the converse of a sanctified creature
with a holy God, and a humble creature dealing with the blessed
God for a supply of all their wants. They pour out their souls to
him, and he openeth his ear and bosom unto them ; he teacheth them
his way, and they walk in his paths, Isa. ii. 3. They walk in the fear
of his name and the comforts of his Spirit, Acts ix. 31. They seek
his glory as their great end, and live in the sense of his dearest love.
(2d.) To enjoy him for ever : ' This is life eternal, that they may
know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent,'
John xvii. 3. Alas ! what is the knowing how to get riches and plea
sures, and the vain glory of the world to this ? Surely you that are
taught of God, your business is above other men's. While they drive
on no greater trade than providing for the flesh, or feathering a nest
that will quickly be pulled down, they are providing for everlasting
glory and happiness. They aim at nothing beyond this life ; all
252 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXIV.
their cares are confined within the narrow bounds of time and the
compass of this world ; but these look higher, and begin a life which
shall be perfected in heaven ; they are laying up treasure in heaven.
(4.) The manner of knowing things, when taught of God. They
see things with greater clearness, certainty, efficacy, and power.
(1st.) With greater clearness. Others know words, but they know
tilings, and therefore know as they ought to know them. They know
the grace of God in truth, Col. i. 6. They have the spiritual dis
cerning, and that is a quite different thing from a literal discerning,
1 Cor. ii. 14. He hath an experimental and sweeter knowledge than
learned men that are ungodly. He hath tasted that the Lord is
gracious, the sweetness of his love, and the riches of his grace in
Christ. The theory of divine knowledge, though never so exact,
giveth us not thie. They have more of the words and notions, but
less of the thing itself, they have the sign, the other the thing signified;
they break the shell, and the other eats the kernel ; they dress the
meat, but the others feed upon and digest it ; dig in the mines of
knowledge as negroes, but others have the gold. A rotten post may
support a living tree.
(2d.) With more certainty. There is a great deal of difference
between taking up religion out of inspiration, and out of opinion or
tradition. Faith is the gift of God, but credulity is received by the
report of men. Men may guess at the truth by their own wit, they
may talk of it by rote, and according to what they read and hear from
others ; but divine knowledge is the fruit of the Spirit : Mat. xvi. 17,
' Flesh and blood hath not revealed these things unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven ;' John iv. 42, ' Now we believe, not because
of thy saying, but we have heard him ourselves, and know indeed that
this is the Christ, the Saviour of the world ; ' and 1 Thes. i. 5, ' For
our gospel came to you, not in word only, but in power arid the Holy
Ghost, and in much assurance.' We never apprehend the truth with
any certainty, nor can we discern God's impress on the word, but in the
light of the Spirit. God's illumination maketh our knowledge of things
certain and infallible : ' Know ao-^aXw?, assuredly/ Acts ii. 36 ; John
xvii. 8, aXrjOa)?. It is not a may be, a bare possibility, or likely to
be, a probability ; but it is sure to be, and will be so, a certainty that
belongeth to faith.
(3d.) For efficacy and power : 1 Thes. i. 5, ' For our gospel came
to you not in word only, but in power and in the Holy Ghost ; '
4 Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost/ Acts vi. 5.
We are affected with the truths we know, yea, transformed and
changed by them, 2 Cor. iii. 18 ; changed into a divine nature, 1
Peter i. 4. Our hearts are moulded and litted for God, and for every
good work ; so that this is a benefit should be much acknowledged.
Use 1. To inform us how the saints do and should esteem this
benefit of divine illumination. In this psalrn they esteem it more
than if God should bestow a great deal of wealth upon them. See
Ps. cxix. 14«, ' I "rejoice in the way of thy testimonies more than in
all riches ; ' and ver. 72, * More than thousands of gold and silver/
Once more, they think themselves well paid if they get it by sharp
afflictions, though by loss of health or wealth : ver. 71, ' It is good
YEK. 171.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 253
for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes/ The
reason is, because they value it as a mercy, for which they can never
enough be thankful : Phil. iii. 8, 'Yea, doubtless, and I count all things
to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ.' The people of God have no reason to
envy others that live in the pomp of the world and the splendour of
outward accommodations, if he give them the saving knowledge of
himself : Prov. iii. 31, 32, ' Envy not the oppressor, and choose none
of his ways ; for the froward is an abomination to the Lord, but his
secret is with the righteous.' If God will teach us his statutes, though
he keepeth us low, it is more to be one of God's disciples, to be owned
by him in an ordinance, than to live a life of pomp and ease.
Secondly, None are fit to praise God but those whom God hath
taught : Ps. 1. 16, ' What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or
that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth ? ' The new
song and the old heart do ill agree together ; but when God hath framed
our hearts to obedience, then is praise comely in our mouths.
Use 2. To direct us —
1. How to pray for spiritual grace if we would obtain it. The glory
of God is the end of all grace vouchsafed to us ; with this end, we must
pray to God for it. The end of our petitions and requests to God
should be, that we may be enabled to praise God ; then we seek God
for God, much more when we ask spiritual grace. To ask temporal
benefits to consume upon our lusts is very bad, and the ready way to
bespeak ourselves a denial : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask, and receive not,
because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.'
Much more to ask spiritual gifts for our lusts' sake ; to beg God to
open our mouths, to show forth our own praises rather than his ; or
knowledge to advance ourselves : as it is a greater indignity to void
our excrements in a cup of gold for a prince's own drinking, than in a
common utensil. Besides, it showeth our value of the benefit to think
of praise before we have obtained it : Eph. i. 6, ' To the praise of his
glorious grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved.'
2. It must be used and improved to that end ; when we have
obtained, we must not be proud of any spiritual gift, but lay our
crown at God's feet : 1 Cor. iv. 7, ' Who made thee to differ ? and
what hast thou that thou hast not received?' We pervert the end of
the end when we are puffed up, and give shrewd suspicion that it is a
common gift, not saving grace, when we are puffed up with it.
Use 3. Exhortation to press you to glorify God and praise him, if he
hath given you any knowledge of himself and of the way of salvation.
1. This is God's end in bestowing his grace, that in word and deed
we should be to the praise of his glorious grace : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' That
ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light.'
2. You were as indocile and unteachable as others, only God made
the difference : Job ii. 12, * For vain man would be wise, though man
be born like the wild ass's colt;' Jer. xxxi. 18, 'Like a bullock
unaccustomed to the yoke;' and therefore the glory must entirely
redound to him. You might have perished as a witless fool, and
gone to hell as others do, but that God gave you counsel.
254 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXTX. [SER. CLXXXV.
3. It is the way to increase it : Col. ii. 7, ' Eooted and built up in
him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving.' Thanksgiving for what we have received
is an effectual means to make us constant, grow and abound in every
crace : ' Let the people praise thee, 0 God, yea, let all the people praise
thee,' Ps. Ixvii. 3. Look, as the vapours go up, so the showers come
down. Experiences of former mercies thankfully acknowledged draweth
down more mercy.
4. Prayer necessarily inferreth praise : Phil. iv. 6, ' In everything
by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God/ Blessing God for favours already received is
necessary to be joined with prayer ; it is disingenuous to1 be always
craving, and never give thanks. Be thankful and depend for more ;
not always porerupon wants, but take a survey of your mercies, and
that will not only enlarge your hearts in thankfulness, but even
invite God to bestow further mercies.
SEKMON CLXXXV.
My tongue shall speak of thy word : for all thy commandments are
righteousness. — VER. 172.
THE man of God had spoken in the former verse how his lips should
praise God; here is his second promise that he maketh, of holy
conference with others.
In the words we have : —
1. David's resolution, my tongue shall speak of thy word.
2. The reason ; because it contained matter that deserved to be
spoken of, for all thy commandments are righteousness.
!!.] He speaketh of the whole word of God, all thy commandments.
2.J In the abstract, are righteousness; altogether righteous and
faithful.
First, From the first branch, David's resolution, ' My tongue shall
speak of thy word/ observe —
Doct. The subject of a believer's ordinary discourse should be the
word, and those spiritual and heavenly matters contained therein.
1. Not that they are always talking of these things ; there is a time
for all things ; the business of our calling will sometimes take us up,
and sometimes our recreations ; but yet there should be generally a
difference between us and others. The people of God should be
observantly different as to their words and discourse from other
people : Cant. iv. 11, * Thy lips, 0 my spouse, drop as the honeycomb/
The lips of Christ's spouse should flow with matter savoury and useful.
So Prov. x. 20, 21, c The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but
the heart of the wicked is little worth ; the lips of the righteous
feed many, but fools die for want of wisdom ; ' where the speech of
the righteous is compared to silver ; of the wicked, to dross ; for
because their heart is little worth, their discourse will be accordingly :
and then the good(man is compared to one that keepeth open house,
that feedeth all those that resort to him ; but fools do not only not
VEK. 172.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 255
feed others, but perish themselves by their own folly. So Prov. xv. 7,
* The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the foolish
doth not so.' Men usually discourse as their hearts are. A man of
a frothy spirit will bring forth nothing but vain and frothy discourse,
but a gracious man will utter holy and gracious things ; for the tap
runneth according to the liquor with which the vessel is filled. One
place more : Ps. xxxvii. 30, 31, ' The mouth of the righteous speaketh
wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment ; the law of God is in
his heart, none of his steps shall slide.' All men's discourses are
vented according as their hearts are busied and affected. A man
that hath the word of God rooted in his heart, and maketh it his
work to suit his actions thereunto, will also suit his words thereunto,
and will edify those that he speaketh unto. Thoughts, words, and
actions are the genuine products and issue of the heart. Grace in
the heart discovereth itself uniformly in all holy thoughts, holy words,
and holy actions ; otherwise their conversation is not all of a piece.
All these places show that a Christian's discourse will differ from other
men's ; but, alas ! our conference is little different from ordinary men's.
2. More particularly I shall show you that we are not left to run
at random in our ordinary discourse, as if our tongues were our own,
to speak what we please. This I shall show — (1.) Negatively ; (2.)
Positively.
First, Negatively ; no profane, no idle discourse.
1. No profane discourse : Eph. iv. 29, ' Let no corrupt communica
tion proceed out of your mouth.' Christians are accountable for their
words as well as actions.
Quest But what is corrupt communication ?
Ans. (1.) Obscene scurrilous discourse. When the heart is filled
with such corrupt stuff, the mouth will be apt to vent it. So Col. iii.
8, ' Put away filthy communication out of your mouth.' Sins of the
tongue and outward man must be abstained from, as well as sins out
of the heart. That alo-^poXojlav, that filthy speaking, rotten speech,
is one of the great sins of the tongue. When we speak of those things
which belong to uncleanness, this is quite unbeseeming the purity and
cleanness of Christians ; the heart of man being as powder to the fire,
easily taken with such temptations.
(2.) Calumnious and censorious discourses, when we cannot meet
together but we must be speaking of others, suggesting evil against
them, blemishing their graces, or carping at their weaknesses, or
aggravating their sins, or divulging their secret miscarriages beyond
what Christianity requireth. This sin the scripture brandeth as
mischievous to ourselves and others. Ourselves : James i. 26, ' If
any man seemeth to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this
man's religion is in vain.' Censuring is a pleasing sin, very suitable
with corrupt nature, but yet it is a bad sign. It is made to be the
hypocrites' sin, who, being acquainted with the guile of their own
spirits, are apt to suspect others, and deprave their best actions, and
upon the ruin of other men's credit build their own reputation for
religion. And it is mischievous to others, and against that justice
and charity which we owe to them : Prov. xx. 22, ' The words of a tale
bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the
belly.' They wound men's reputation unperceivably, and secretly strike
2f)() SERMONS UPON PSALM CXI X. [SER. CLXXXV.
them a blow that smarts not for the present, but destroyeth their
service, at least to such as receive these privy defamations and whisper
ings ; and it is more craftily carried when they wound while they
pretend to kiss, and make their praise but a preface to their reproach,
as an archer draweth back his hand that the arrow may fly with the
more force. They say, He is this and that ; but, &c.
(3.) Proud and arrogant speaking, when all our discourse is a self-
boasting. The pride of the heart sometimes shooteth out by the eyes,
and therefore we read of haughty eyes and a proud look ; but usually
it is displayed in our speech, in a proud ostentation of our own worth
and excellency : 1 Sam. ii. 3, ' Talk no more so exceeding proudly :
let not arrogancy come out of your mouth.' When / cometh in at
every sentence, 7repiavTo\oyia, wanteth not its vanity : Prov. xxv. 27,
' For men to search1 their own glory is not glory/ All their discourses
is to set off themselves, and to usher in something of themselves ; and
if religion be talked of, it is to commend their own knowledge, and
their own notions, or their own endeavours for Christ, or to blemish
others, that they may shine alone.
(4.) When anger sets us a-discoursing ; therefore the apostle saith,
Eph. iv. 31, * Let bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and evil-speaking
be put away from you, with all malice/ Where there is bitterness,
or a secret smothered displeasure, or alienation of affection, it soon
breaketh out into rage ; which if an impetuous rage, or passionate
commotion, that produceth anger; or a desire .of revenge. Anger
produceth clamour, or boisterous words, loud menaces, and brawlings,
or inordinate speeches, which are the black smoke whereby anger and
wrath within doth first manifest itself ; then clamour produceth evil-
speaking, which are disgraceful and contumelious speeches ; therewith
the party incensed doth stain the reputation of him with whom he is
angry ; and then malice is rooted anger and continued wrath. Now
all these should be put away. Christians should have nothing to do
with them. But that we have in hand is disgraceful and contumelious
speaking, as it is the result of anger, wrath, and malice, either by open
railing, or derision, and jeering at their sins and infirmities to shame
them, or by imprecation and cursing, and wishing evil to them ; all
which is contrary to that meekness and love which should prevail in
the hearts of Christians. As Saul in his anger called Jonathan, 1
8am. xx. 3, ' Thou son of the perverse and rebellious woman ; ' in his
raging fit he blemisheth his own wife, of whom we hear elsewhere no
Kiicli imputation. Thou art more likely to be a bastard than my own
eon. Frantic words, all interpreters think them to be.
This is a taste of that profane discourse which is forbidden to
Christians. Now the reasons of it are these : —
(1.) 15ecau.se this allowed and habituated, argueth a rotten and un-
renewcd heart : Mat. xii. 34, * Out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth ppeaketh/ Words much discover the temper of the heart*
there being a quick intercourse between the heart and the tongue.
(2.) Because it is noisome and offensive to honest ears; it is not a
speech that hath any grace or comeliness in it : Col. iv. 6, ' Let your
ppeech be always with grace/
3. It is contagious and infectious to ordinary hearers ; especially to
VER. 172.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 257
children and weak ones : 1 Cor. xv. 33, ' Evil words corrupt good man
ners/ We convey our taint.
(4.) Sinful, vain, and frothy discourse doth make the heart more
\7ain, perverse, and wicked, while the corruption that is in it cloth
.strengthen itself by getting vent. When the sparks fly abroad of the
fire kindled in our bosoms, a man waxeth worse and worse ; his rever
ence of God is lessened and weakened as he hath dared to give vent
to his sin and folly, and is more emboldened to sin again : Mat. xv.
19, 20, 'For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adul
teries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies ; these are the
things which defile the man.' Evil-speaking is one thing mentioned,
and it layeth men open to Satan. Therefore, as the heart should be
kept from framing such conceptions, so the tongue from uttering
them ; for so they prove more dishonourable to God, hurtful to our
selves, and offensive to others.
(5.) I will venture at one reason more against profane discourse ; it
grieveth the Spirit, Eph. v. 29, 30. Many by their obscene, putrid,
and carnal discourse intend no further than to make themselves merry,
jovial, and glad: Hosea vii. 3, ' They make the king glad with their
wickedness, and the princes with their lies,' saith the prophet ; yet,
alas ! it is but a poor sport, and will prove so in the end, for it draweth
God to be against them ; the Holy Ghost is displeased and grieved
with it, these things being against his light, motions, and directions,
and so an offence to him, which a tender conscience is soon sensible of.
2. Not idle discourse, which tendeth not to the glory of God and
the edification of our neighbour. We should have an eye to the good
of those with whom we speak, so as to edify them with our speech ;
for Christ telleth us that we must give an account to God, not only for
words, but even for idle words : Mat. xii. 36, ' I say unto you, that for
every idle word that men speak, they shall give an account thereof in
the judgment.' Men esteem little of their words, yet when they are
put into God's balance they may weigh heavy ; not only wicked words,
but even idle words, such as serve for no good purpose, or for no lawful
end ; and in your account they will come in as so many sins, and sit
heavy upon you ; if you have not received pardon before, it is a strict
sentence. But what is this idle discourse? Such as wanteth the
solidity and substance of truth ; such as tend to no use and benefit.
Dejure God may condemn you for these, though de facto upon re
pentance he pardoneth greater sins. Or possibly such are idle words
as come from a vain idle frame of heart ; for he had spoken before in
the 35th verse that a good man out of the good treasure of his heart
bringeth forth good things, and an evil man evil things. Now such
idle words are a note of the wickedness of the man, of the evil treasure
that is in his heart; for these he is responsible at the day of judgment,
as for a vain conversation and the unfruitful works of darkness.
However, we must not open a gap to licentiousness; as when the
apostle forbiddeth profane discourse, he enjoineth profitable discourse
as the only remedy: Eph. iv. 29, 'Let no corrupt communication
come out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace to the hearers.' As much as may be, holy
conference should be mixed with all our discourses and converses, other-
VOL. IX. R
258 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [&ER. CLXXXV.
wise they are accountable to God. ^ And it is very notable the apostle
forbiddeth /jiwpoXoyla 97 evrpairekia, foolish jesting : Eph. v. 4, ' Nei
ther filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which is not convenient,
but rather giving of thanks.' As he condemneth filthiness, or words
contrary to Christian gravity, decency, or modesty, so he condemneth
foolish talking, which is impertinent, superfluous, and vain discourse.
And then jesting ; not all honest mirth or use of wit, but an intem
perate use ; when men give up themselves to a frothy vanity, that they
cannot be serious; or to tart reflections upon the personal imper
fections of others; or to impious jests, by wresting the scripture, to
express the conceptions of a vain and wanton wit. In the general,
there must be a great guard on all jesting, lest it degenerate ; and
that we entertain one another with thanksgiving, and discourses of the
love of God, and Bis manifold mercies to us ; for it is not an easy
matter to keep within bounds of cheerful and allowed mirth. Hearts
that are kept sensible of God's goodness are desirous to express it to
others whenever occasion offereth, and vain and idle communication
is nothing so pleasing to them.
Secondly, Positively ; we are to edify one another, as David pro-
fesseth here that his tongue should speak of God's word ; his confer
ences and discourses should be filled up of no other matter.
1 . Because our tongue is our glory : Ps. x. 9, ' My heart is glad, and
my glory rejoiceth.' Compare Acts ii. 26, ' My heart rejoiceth, and
my tongue was glad.' Now, why is our tongue our glory ? Not only
as it was given us for the use of tasting meat and drink (so the tongues
of the brute beasts serve them), but because thereby we must express
the conceptions of our minds. So speech is the excellency of man
above the beasts ; but Christianity giveth us a higher reason, because
thereby we may express the conceptions of our minds to the glory of
God, and the good of others : James iii. 9, ' Therewith we bless God,
even the Father.' That is our glory, that we cannot only think of
God, but speak of God, his word and works.
2. Because conference and edifying discourse is one means of spiri
tual growth and spiritual improvement to ourselves and others. (1.)
To ourselves : Prov. xvi. 21, ' The wise in heart shall be called pru
dent, and the sweetness of his lips increase th learning.' The more he
venteth what he knoweth, the wiser himself groweth, and learneth by
teaching others ; for the more he draweth forth his knowledge, the
more it is impressed upon his own heart. It is a truth, he that
watereth shall be watered, and our gifts, as the loaves, are increased
in the breaking, or as the widow's giving oil to the prophet was
enriched by it ; not only as we occasion others to draw forth their
knowledge, but as our own is confirmed and strengthened by using it, as
to him that hath shall be given, Mat. xxv. 29. As venting of sin and
folly increaseth sin and folly, so doth venting spiritual knowledge still
increase it. (2.) Others : it is a great benefit to them when we com
municate our experiences to them : Luke xxii. 32, ( When thou art
converted, strengthen thy brethren.' When he was converted by
repentance, he should be more careful to convert and strengthen
others, that they fall not in like manner, or help them to recover out
of the mire of sin. And the apostle saith, 2 Cor. i. 4, ' That God
. 172.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 259
comfortetk us, that we may be able to comfort others in trouble, by
the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God.' The Lord comforts
one that another may be comforted ; as in the celestial bodies, what
ever light and influence the moon and stars receive, they bestow it on
these inferior bodies : they have their light from the sun, and they
reflect it again on the creatures below. Or as the official part in the
body ; as the heart and liver receive, and convey, and derive the blood
and spirits to all the other parts, so a Christian, when he is strength
ened in himself, ought to convey his comfort and strength to others.
It is mighty edifying, when we have found the usefulness of the word,
to speak of it to God's praise ; if we have gotten direction in doubtful
cases, or benefit by it in the mastery of our lusts, and the promises
have afforded any support and deliverance in our distresses, we are
debtors of the comfort and experiences we have, and are stewards to
dispense it to others. Many take a glory that they have cordials,
strong waters, and medicines in their closets and repositories, that
may be a relief to the bodies of others ; so should we delight to refresh
their souls with what has done us good. The humiliation and broken-
ness of heart which thou hast found may be powerful to persuade
others of the bitterness of sin. David, when he had smarted for sin,
saith, Ps. li. 13, 'I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners
shall be converted unto thee.' He had found how bitter a thing it
was to provoke God by sin, and he could tell them such stories of it
as would make their hearts to wake, and cause them to hate it. The
faith and knowledge which God hath given thee may direct and pre
serve others ; thy temptations may conduce to the succouring of
others who are tempted.
3. It is a mighty comfortable duty, that hath much sweetness in it,
to confer together of holy things : Born. i. 12, ' That I may be
comforted by the mutual faith of you and me.' Holy discourse doth
refresh more than vain and foolish jesting ; it is a far sweeter thing
to talk of the word of God, and those spiritual and heavenly things
which are contained therein, than to spend the time in vain and
foolish jesting, or discoursing about mere worldly matters. Should
anything be more delightful to a Christian than Christ and heaven,
and the promises of the world to come, and the way that leadeth
thither ? and should it be burdensome to talk of these things, which
we profess to be our only hope and joy? Certainly our relish and
appetite is mightily depraved if we think so, judge ourselves in a
prison when we are in good company who remember God ; and when
they invite you to remember him with them, will you frown upon
the motion, because it is some check and interruption to your carnal
vanity ?
4. The well ordering of our words is a great point of Christianity,
and argueth a good degree of grace : ' He thai bridleth his tongue is
a perfect man,' James iii. 2. Death and life are in the power of the
tongue, saith Solomon, Prov. xviii. 21 ; upon t]ie good or ill use of it
a man's safety doth depend. Not only temporal safety, but eternal :
Mat. xii. 37, ' By thy words slialt thou be justified, and by thy words
shalt thou be condemned.' These evidences are brought into judg
ment j therefore it concerneth us to see what our discourses are, as
260 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SBR. CLXXXV.
well as our actions. Solomon often describeth the righteous by his
good tongue: Prov. x. 13, 'The mouth of the righteous bringeth
forth wisdom;' and Prov. xii. 18, 'The tongue of the wise is
health.'
Use 1. Reproof. It reproveth us for being so dumb and tongue-
tied in holy things. We can speak liberally of any subject, only we
are dumb in spiritual matters which concern our edification. We
show so little grace in our conferences, because we have so little grace
in our hearts. Alas ! many that profess religion, their talk is little
different from other men's, as if they were ashamed to speak of God,
or had nothing to say of him and for him. I do not always bind you
to talk of religious things, but sometimes it bindeth. Now, when is
it your tongues §peak of the word in a serious and affectionate
manner? Can you love God and never put in a word for him?
Can you see or hear God dishonoured, and suffer your mouths to be
sealed up with a sinful silence, that you should not have a word to
speak in the cause of God ?
Use 2. To exhort us to be frequent and serious in our discourses of
God, and spiritual heavenly things.
For means to help us.
1. Divine illumination ; to teach others the way of God require th
that we ourselves should be taught of God ; then it cometh the
warmer and fresher when we speak not by hearsay only, but experi
ence ; as heart answereth to heart, so the renewed heart in him that
heareth to the renewed heart in him that speaketh, and we show
others what God by his illuminating grace hath first showed us ; it
savoureth of that Spirit that worketh in both. He will easily kindle
others who is once on fire himself. The word passeth through others
as water through an empty trunk, without feeling ; they may speak
very good things, but they do but personate and act a part. But
when we have been in the deep waters, and God hath bound up our
wounds, we can more feelingly speak to others.
2. A sight of the excellency of the word, and a value and esteem
thereof. The reason in the text, ' For all thy commandments are
righteousness.' We are apt to speak oftenest of those things which
we most affect. Did not your souls grow out of relish with these
holy, spiritual, and excellent things, your speeches about them would
be more frequent, lively, serious, and savoury; for we cannot conceal
our affections. Our coldness in speaking to others of these spiritual
and heavenly things cometh from want of this persuasion, that ' all
his commandments are righteousness ;' for they who are persuaded of
the excellency of the word will be talking of the sweetness of its
promises continually.
3. A stock of spiritual knowledge : Mat. xii. 35, ' A good man out
of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things.' Every
man entertaineth his guests with such provisions as he hath. It is
the word which enableth us to edify ourselves and others with holy
conference. The more store, the more we have to bring forth upon
all occasions: Col. iii. 16, ' Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another.' A
plentiful measure of gospel knowledge enableth us to direct and
VER. 172.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 261
instruct others ; there all wisdom is made plain, things revealed
which cannot be found elsewhere ; that which may by long search be
found elsewhere is made ready to our hands, and brought down to the
meanest capacity. The heart is the fountain from whence the tongue
doth run and flow ; and when the heart is well furnished, the tongue
will be employed and exercised.
4. Zeal for the glory of God, and love to others' souls. We should
communicate to others what we have learned ourselves. David would
not reserve his knowledge to himself : ' Teach me, and my tongue
shall speak of thy word.' Fire turneth all about it into fire : mules
and all creatures of a bastard race do not procreate. David's Maschil,
Ps. xxxii. title, is to instruct others. True good is diffusive in
itself ; our candle enlightened, should enlighten others. When Philip
was called, he inviteth Nathanael to come to Christ, John i. 45 ;
Andrew calleth Simon. True grace showeth itself in zeal to promote
the kingdom of Christ and the good of our neighbours' souls ; and the
new nature seeketh to multiply the kind, and such as are brought to
Christ will be careful to invite others.
5. Wisdom is necessary : Col. iv. 6, ' Let your speech be always
with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how to answer
every man ;' that is, seasoned with the salt of holy and divine wisdom,
that it may be savoury and acceptable to the hearers ; and both delight
and edify. Without this holy skill and wisdom, how often is confer
ence turned into jangling or mere babbling !
6. Watchfulness and heed, otherwise corruption will break out in
pride, in a vain ostentation of parts, passion in some heat of words,
worldliness and sensuality in diverting from holy conference to that
which is carnal and worldly, discontent in some, unseemly expressions
of God's dealings with us, indiscretion and folly in a multitude of
impertinent talk : Ps. cxli. 3, ' Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth ;
keep the door of my lips.' The tongue must be watched as well as
the heart. All watching will be to little purpose unless God bridle
and direct our tongue, that nothing break out to his dishonour.
There must be a constant guard that nothing break from us that
is unseemly.
Secondly, We come to the reason, ' For all thy commandments are
righteousness.'
Doct. There is righteousness, nothing but righteousness, all right
eousness to be found in the word of God.
1. There is a perfect uprightness in all God's promises. They are
sure principles of trust and dependence upon God: Ps. xviii. 30,
' The word of the Lord is tried ; he is a buckler to all those that trust
in him.' He is most just and faithful, and his promises without all
deceit or possibility of failing, and will certainly protect all those that
rely and depend upon him.
2. As to his precepts, nothing is approved in them, or recommended
to us, but what is holy, just, and good. There is no virtue which it
cornmendeth not, no duty which it commandeth not, no vice which is
not condemned therein, nor sin which is not forbidden.
I shall prove the doctrine by three things : —
1. By the sufficient provision that is made for man's duty. In a moral
262 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXY.
consideration there are but three beings — God, neighbours, and self.
Paul's three adverbs are suited to these, Titus ii. 12, l soberly, right
eously, godly.'
[1.] For self-government, or living soberly in the present world,
nothing conduceth to that more than God's precepts. The whole
drift of his word is to check self-pleasing and sense-pleasing, and to
condemn all excess of meat, drink, or apparel, lest our hearts be
besotted and overcharged, and, by indulging sensuality, diverted from
spiritual and heavenly things.
[2.] For carriage to our neighbour. What religion provideth so
amply as the word of God doth against all fraud and violence, requireth
us in all things to do as we would be done by ? Yea, it not only
enforceth justice, but charity, and to love our neighbour as ourselves,
and to account his welfare our own, and rejoice in his good, and mourn
for his evil, as for our own.
[3.] For the third, godliness. God is nowhere represented and
discovered so much as in his word ; nor a way of commerce between
him and us anywhere else so clearly established ; nor what kind of
worship we should give unto him, both for matter and manner. In
short, the scripture is written to teach us how to love him, and enter
tain communion with him, and to serve him in holiness and righteous
ness all our days ; and maketh our daily converse with God in holiness
our great work and business.
2. It appeareth by the connaturality and suitableness which they
have to the best and holiest : Ps. cxix. 140, ' Thy word is very pure,
therefore thy servant loveth it.' It is written in our hearts as well as
in God's book ; and there is something in the one akin to the other :
Heb. viii. 10, ' I will write my law in their hearts and minds/ On the
contrary, so far as a man is depraved, so far he hateth it, Eom. viii. 7 ;
yea, the more he feareth it : John iii. 20, 21, * He that doeth evil,
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved.'
3. The event showeth it ; for the more the word of God is preached,
the more is righteousness spread in the world, and men grow wiser
and better. Banish the word of God, or discourage the preachers of
it, and there followeth nothing but confusion of manners and corrup
tion in religion. The word, then, is the only means of reforming the
world, and curing the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.
Where either the word hath not been received, as among the pagans,
or where it hath been restrained, as in Popery, scriptures locked up in
an unknown tongue, or where neglected or sleepily urged, as in
churches that have left their first love, there is a greater overflow of
wickedness ; their ignorance hath caused a great part of them to dege
nerate into a more sensual, sottish sort of people.
Quest. But are not people very bad that have the scriptures ? Do
not we ourselves complain of a flood of wickedness ?
^ Ans. 1. Christianity must not be judged by the rabble of nominal,
literal Christians, no more than we will judge of the cleanness of a
street by the foulness of a sink or kennel, or of the sound grapes in
a bunch by the rotten ones, or of the fidelity of subjects by the rebel
lion of traitors, or the honesty and justice of a nation by a crew of
VER. 173.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 263
thieves and robbers, nor of the civility of a nation by the rusticity of
ploughmen or carters. Those who are serious in their religion are the
best men, and of the choicest and most excellent spirits in the world ;
the scandals and wickedness of others do not impeach their rule.
2. The strictly religious must not be judged by the re veilings of the
carnal, who are their enemies ; ignorant and ungodly men will blast
them : 1 Peter iv. 4, 5, ' Wherein they think it strange that you run not
with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you ; who shall
account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.'
3. Neither is the state of religion to be judged by the complaints of
friends, hating the least evil, ashamed of men's unthankfulness.
Light maketh it odious ; as bad as we are, it is worse where the word
is not preached in a lively manner.
Use 1. Let us approve of those things which God hath bound us to
believe and practise ; they being all suitable to the nature of God and
man. The first ground of obedience is consent and approbation : ' I
consent to the law that it is good/ Kom. vii. 16. So to the gospel :
' It is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation,' 1 Tim. i. 15.
2. Let us answer this word, let the fruit of the Spirit be in us all,
righteousness, goodness, and truth. The stamp is answerable to the
seal ; this is the genuine result of the doctrine we profess.
SERMON CLXXXYI.
Let thine hand help me : for I have chosen thy precepts. — VER. 173.
THE two first verses show the drift of this portion. He begs two
benefits — instruction and deliverance. His first request, for instruction,
is enforced by a promise of praise, ver. 171, ' My lips shall utter praise,
when thou hast taught me thy statutes.' In ver. 172, of conference or
holy discourse, whereby others may be edified, { My mouth shall speak
of thy word/ Now he comes to enforce the second request for deliver
ance by an argument of his ready obedience, ' Let thine hand help me :
for I have chosen thy precepts/
Observe here —
1. The petition, let thine hand help me.
2. The argument or reason to enforce it, for I have chosen thy
precepts.
First, For the petition, ' Let thine hand help me/ Hand is put for
power : Let thy power preserve me and defend me ; and help is
sometimes put for assistance and sometimes for deliverance. God may
be said to help us when he doth assist us and support us in troubles, or
when he doth deliver us from troubles. This latter acceptation suits
with this place, and it is equivalent with what he said before, ver. 170,
' Let my supplication come before thee ; deliver me ; ' so, ' Let thine
hand help me/ ' deliver me according to thy word/ A good man may
be brought into great straits when his own hand cannot help and
stead him, but then he may fly to God, and say, ' Lord, let thine hand
help me/ His argument and motive which he urgeth is, that ' I
264 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVI.
have chosen thy precepts ; ' and from thence he infers his hope of
deliverance.
The points will he two : —
Doct. 1. That this is the character and description of a good man,
that he is good, and doth good out of choice. So David pleads it here,
' I have chosen thy precepts/
Doct. 2. That a man which makes conscience of God's commands is
encouraged to seek help from him in all his straits ; for he prays, ' I
have chosen thy precepts,' therefore, ' Lord, let thine hand help me.'
Doct. 1. It is the plain character of a good man to be good and do
good out of choice.
It was not out of rashness and ignorance and inconsiderate zeal that
David with so much hazard betook himself to God's service, and was
so exactly faithful with God ; but upon due choice, trial, and exami
nation : ' I have chosen thy precepts.'
The point may easily be proved out of scripture, Isa. Ivi. 4. God's
people are described to be those that choose the things that please him,
and take hold of his covenant. Taking hold of his covenant relates
there to the privilege part of the covenant. As they seek their happi
ness in the privileges of God's covenant, so as to the duty part, they
choose the things which please him. After serious and mature delibera
tion, and judgment rightly informed, and affection thereon grounded,
they embrace the ways of God by a free election and choice. And so
you shall see it is the charge against wicked men, this is the disproof
of their confidence, Prov. i. 29, that they did not choose the fear of the
Lord. Mark the expression, that is, prefer it before the baits of sin.
So Deut. xxx. 19, * 1 have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing ; therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live.' We
shall never have life unless we have it by choice. He sets both before
them ; choose life, not as if it were indifferent in point of duty for to
do the one or the other, but to set an edge upon their affections ; I
have set both before you. God will have his service entered upon by
choice : Josh. xxiv. 15, ' Now if it seem evil for you to serve the Lord,
choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods whom your
fathers served, on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the
Amorites in whose land ye dwell ; but as for me,' &c. He leaves it
not arbitrarily to the Israelites whether they should serve God or no,
but this he saith that they might freely and without compulsion
declare what they were minded to do, and that they might be the more
firmly tied to serve the Lord, because they had voluntarily taken upon
themselves to do it. ' Now choose you whom you will serve ; ' that is,
compare that which is best with that which is worst, life and death,
light and darkness, heaven and hell together ; and resolve accordingly;
because no man in his right wits would make any doubt after such a
representation which to choose. Joshua's speech is just such another
speech as that of Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 21, 'If God be God, serve
him ; if Baal be God, follow him.' Not as if he made it any doubt,
or would have them make it any doubt, or as if it were uncertain, but
that they might choose more freely, and delight and persevere in their
choice. These places show we never rightly enter into God's service
until we enter upon it by choice.
VER. 173.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 265
Here I shall inquire —
1. What it is to choose God's precepts.
2. Give some reasons why they must be chosen, else they can never
be rightly kept, or why this is so necessary.
First, What is choosing God's precepts ? It implies five things —
(1.) Deliberation ; (2.) Esteem or preference ; (3.) A voluntary in
clination ; (4.) A firm and steadfast resolution, by which we are bound
all our days ; (5.) A complacency and contentment in what we have
chosen.
1. Deliberation, or a due consideration of what is chosen, its nature,
worth, and excellency ; for until we compare and weigh things, how
can we make a choice, but take them hand-over-head ; and therefore
there js a weighing the reasons on both sides. God's children are not
ignorant what it is to flow in worldly wealth, pleasures, and earthly
comforts, and to enjoy the favour of the world, and to sail here with a
full stream ; and on the other side, they are not ignorant what it will
cost them to be through with Christ, to be religious indeed. They do
not run hand-over-head to resolve upon such a course. No ; they sit
down, they count the charges, Luke xiv. 27. The business sticks with
many in this first work ; we cannot bring them to any serious con
sideration ; they will not weigh things, but act as their brutish lusts
incline them. It is said, Isa. xlvi. 8, * Kemember this, and show your
selves men ; bring it to mind, 0 ye transgressors/ It is a disgrace to
our reason, when we will not consider well of things, and bring them
not back to our hearts, as the word signifies ; but we run on as chance
offereth objects or occasions. Consider what this and that will tend to,
weigh things in your souls. Even good itself, if we stumble upon it, it
is but a lucky hit or a happy mistake ; therefore the apostle adviseth
us to resolve upon trial: 1 Thes. v. 21, 'Prove all things, and hold
fast that which is good.' Men will not hold fast that which is good
unless they first prove and try. Indeed those things which usually
oppose themselves against the spiritual life are such poor paltry incon
siderable vanities, that they are not worthy to be brought into com
petition, or into any serious debate with them ; for it is no hard
question to resolve whether God or the flesh shall be pleased ? whether
the transitory pleasures of sin should be preferred before eternal glory
or the happiness of the saints ? But yet serious consideration will
discover this to us, and shame us out of our perverse and preposterous
choice ; whereas otherwise we should go on like men asleep, or like
men out of their wits, choose poor base things, delight in inconsider
able trifles, before the things whereof we are so deeply concerned ;
therefore it requires deliberation in weighing.
2. Choice notes esteem or preference ; for election and choice is a
preferring of one thing before another. Though God and Christ be
good, and grace and heaven be good, yet there are other things that
come in competition with them, and when we set ourselves to seek after
God and Christ, these competitors are suing for our hearts, and rival .
Christ in the soul. And therefore this choice implies a renunciation
of all other things, a trampling upon them, and a high esteem and
value of Christ and his ways. The scripture speaks of selling all for
the pearl of great price, Mat. xiii. 45. 46, of accounting tilings but dung
266 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVI.
and dross in comparison of Christ, Phil. iii. 8, 9. In choosing the
ways of God many things will be offered to us that may hale us this
way and that way, many pleasures and contentments of this life. Now
we must trample upon them all, and renounce them as they are temp
tations, that we may actually exalt, prefer, and esteem Christ and his
grace. There are two things which assault our resolution for God —
the terrors of sense, and the allurements of the flesh or the. vanities of
the world. Now a soul resolved to serve God, must actually and posi
tively prefer obedience before both of these, before temptations on the
right hand and on the left.
[1.] For the terrors of sense, we must be resolved rather to suffer
than to sin. In choosing the ways of God, the heart must come to a
firm resolution rather to suffer the greatest inconvenience than to com
mit the least sin. ^This was Moses' choice, Heb. xi. 25. When once it
came to a case of sin, then he renounceth pleasures, treasures, honours.
Whatever it costs us, we must resolve to be faithful with God, and to
run the greatest hazard rather than to do the least thing that is con
trary to his will.
[2.] We must prefer obedience before all the allurements of the
flesh and vanities of the world. David chose God's precepts, that is,
valued them more than all other things. See ver. 14 of this psalm,
' I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies more than in all riches/
He explains the choice here mentioned. If we have grace to serve
God, and to keep the way of his testimonies, we count ourselves more
happy than if we had all the world. It is not enough to approve God's
'•ways simply, but we must approve them comparatively ; not only as
good in themselves, but as better than all other things ; and it should
be more to us to be taught our duty, and to know how to serve God,
than if we did enjoy the fulness of all earthly comforts.
3. Choosing the ways of God implies a voluntary inclination, that we
should of our own accord follow them ; for choice is free, and it is
opposed to force and constraint, and a man is said to choose those
things which he likes, which he loves, which his soul inclines to, when
he is carried to them not by the compulsion of an external principle,
but by his own propension and inclination. Look, as the wicked they
are described to be those ' who leave the paths of uprightness to walk
in the ways of darkness,' Prov. ii. 13, that is, have an inclination
to one rather than another ; for what is expressed that the wicked
leave the paths of uprightness, it is explained, John iii. 9, by ' loving
darkness rather than the light. And so it is said of Mary, she hath
chosen that good part ; of her own voluntary accord and free inclina
tion she was moved to sit at Christ's feet, to attend upon the improve
ment of her soul. The business of salvation is offered to our choice,
it is left to our own free inclination, though God gives the inclination
beforehand (as by and by). If you choose death, you willingly and
freely forsake your own mercies.
4. Choice implies a firm and immutable purpose, a resolved adhesion
to those things we choose. The mind is not anxious and doubtful,
and hanging between two contraries, when we choose, but fixed and
determined : ' I have chosen thy precepts ; ' that is, firmly resolved to
observe them. We never choose till we come to a full purpose, Acts xi.
YER. 173.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 267
33. He exhorteth them with full purpose of heart to cleave to the
Lord. A wavering inclination infers no choice. There may be good
thoughts and meanings in the soul, but till we are resolved for God
we do not choose his precepts. Many are convinced of a better way,
but their hearts are not engaged to walk in it. We are fixedly
determined by our choice : Jer. xxx. 21, ' Who is this that engaged
his heart to approach unto me ? saith the Lord.' He hath sincerely
obliged and bound himself to live in a close way of communion with
God. The soul begins to pause and consider the vanity of earthly
things ; there is the first. Yea, and after this, they are brought on
that they say, Certainly it is much better to be a servant of the Lord
than to be a servant of sin ; and they see that the greatest inconven
ience is a more" tolerable thing than sin, and all the pleasures and
profits of the world will not countervail our duty to God. There is
an inclination to the way of God. Ay ! but this inclination, while it
is wavering, it may be taken off, till it come to a resolution. Here I
will stick ; I will seek my happiness and comfort in seeking God :
' It is good for me to draw nigh unto God/ Ps. Ixxiii. 28 ; and there
fore I am resolved to seek my happiness and contentment, whatever
I do.
5. Choice implies a contentment and complacency in that which we
have chosen ; and the act of the will is quickened by a suitable
affection that accompanieth it. Mark, election is properly an act of
the will. Ay ! but the affections they are but the vigorous motions of
the will. Where there is a remiss will, that is without affection ; but
where there is a strong bent in the will, that is always accompanied
with some suitable affection. As if I have a strong bent and nilling
of sin, there is an affection of hatred accompanying it ; if I have but a
remiss will for holiness, that will never save me ; that is made to be
one of the seven deadly sins which the schoolmen call listlessness ; but
where there is a serious will, such a willing as a choosing, certainly there
is an affection that accompanieth it. Look, as David, when he had
chosen God for his portion, presently he professed his complacency and
delight in his choice : Ps. xvi. 6, ' The lines are fallen unto me in
pleasant places ; yea, I have a goodly heritage.' Where there is a
choosing God for our portion and all-sufficient happiness, there is
presently a delight and satisfaction which results from this choice, and
the soul is affected with its own felicity in God, and finds a joy and
pleasure in choosing him. So it is in choosing the precepts of God :
' I have chosen thy precepts.' See the next verse, ' Thy law is my
delight/ Where there is choice there is delight. A man loves what
he chooseth, and is ready and forward to do it ; and it is a pleasing
thing to serve the Lord, for election in such a weighty case is accom
panied with love. It is not an act of a remiss, but strong will ; and
where there is love, nothing will be grievous, 1 John v. 3.
Secondly, To give reasons why we must thus choose the precepts of
God. I shall reason — (1.) From the necessity ; (2.) From the con-
gruity and convenience ; (3.) From the utility and profit of it.
1. The necessity of it. It must needs be so that God's ways must be
taken up upon choice, because there are several competitors that bid
for the heart of man ; where there is but one thing, there is no choice.
268 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [SsR. CLXXXYL
There is the devil, by the world, through the flesh, seeks to get in, rind
reign in your hearts ; and there is God, Christ, and the Spirit. Now
there must be a casting out of one, and putting in the other. Look,
as in Prov. ix., the whole chapter; there wisdom and the foolish
•woman are brought in pleading to draw in the heart of unwary man
to themselves. Wisdom is pleading, and the foolish woman is
pleading. In the beginning of the chapter, wisdom tells what comfort,
what peace they shall have, if they will take her institutions ; wisdom
offers solid benefits, but folly offers stolen waters and bread eaten in
secret, some carnal mirth when conscience is asleep. Ay ! and the
dead are there too. The intoxicating pleasures of this world bring
death along with them, when they can choke the sentiments of God
that are in his heart. ' Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither,' saith
wisdom ; and ' who is simple, let him turn in hither,' saith folly. As
the poets feign of their Hercules, that virtue and vice appeared to him,
and the one showed him a rough, the other a pleasant way. Certainly as
soon as we come to years of discretion, we come to make our choice,
either to go on in the ways of death, or to choose the ways of God ;
either to give up ourselves to the pleasures of sin, or else to seek after
the comforts of the Spirit. Now, since there are two competitors for the
heart of man, and his love cannot lie idle, it must be given to one
or another ; love and oblectation cannot remain idle in the soul, either
it must leak out to the world, or run out to God. There is a neces
sity of a choice, of renouncing the bewitching vanities of the world, that
we may seriously betake ourselves to the service of God.
2. Consider the corigruity and conveniency of it, both to the honour
of God and nature of man, that no man should ever be happy or
miserable but by his own choice.
[1.] It is not for the honour of God that a man should be happy or
have such great privileges settled upon him without his own choice ;
such great benefits as justification, sanctification, and eternal glory.
On the other side, that a man should be miserable without his know
ledge, or against his will, or besides his purpose and consent, that God
should give eternal life whether men will or no. It is not agreeable to
the honour of God to inflict eternal death upon them without their
consent, unless they choose the ways of death ; man's heart else would
have a plea against God. Certainly the wise God will never make any
happy without their own consent, and never make any miserable but
their destruction is of themselves, Hosea xiii. 9.
[2.] Neither will it agree with the nature of man, who is a reason
able rational creature, or any agent capable of election or choice.
The brutes are ruled with a rod of iron. God guides air things by his
providence ; inanimate creatures by mere providence, brutes by their
own instinct, and man as a free agent, capable of knowing and prose
cuting his chief end. Now every creature of God is governed accord
ing to the nature which is put into it ; and therefore, since man is a
free agent, God expects, in submitting to his service, the creature's
consent and choice ; and before we can submit to his service, before he
will admit us to the benefits, there must be a choice, and an actual will
on our parts : Kev. xxii. 17, ' Whosoever will, let him take the water of
life freely.' The business is brought home to us, and left with our
VER. 173.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 269
will. If we miss of happiness, it is because we would not choose it,
and the way that leads to it. The Lord cliargeth it still upon man's
will, John v. 40 ; Luke xix. 14 ; Mat. xxiii. 37 ; Ps. Ixxxi. 11. Our
misery is from our own wilfulness ; but in all that are brought into
grace, there is a will it is true, but God prevents them and inclines
their will : Ps. ex. 3, ' Thy people shall be willing in the day of grace
and power.' You have a grant, and an offer of mercy from God, and
then he inclines and moves you to make a right choice. So that of
the good and bad it may be said they have their choice. If you
neglect and refuse holiness, you choose your own destruction, and
neglect life. Your hearts must tell you this : Thou wast the fault of
it ; as Plutarch brings in one Apollodorus, that dreamed one night
that he was boiling in a kettle of scalding lead, and that his heart
cried out to him, I have been the cause of all this. This heathen
improves it to show there is a vengeance that attends sinners.
I mention it only allusively. Now it was your own perverse choice
and will that made your hell ; thou hast but the fruit of thine own
choice. Indeed, as to what is good, if you have chosen the precepts of
God, there God must have the glory. You must say, Not I, but
Christ ; as the apostle. Ay ! but there you come in ; there is an act
of your will, but as disposed and rightly inclined by God. You come
both to the duties and privileges of religion by a choice also, though
not of yourselves, but of God.
3. Let me reason from the utility and benefit. A man that takes
up the ways of God upon choice —
[1.] He is able to justify the ways. of God, for he seeth a reason for
what he chooseth. When temptations come strong, there will be
many misgiving thoughts. Ay ! but then wisdom should be justified
of all her children, Mat. xi. 19. A blind accidental love is the fruit
of chance, but a love that is grounded upon knowledge and judgment,
that is choice. This is so grounded, therefore he seeth reason for what
he doth : Phil. i. 9, 10, *' I pray God that your love may abound in all
wisdom and understanding, that ye may approve things that are
excellent.' They see a reason, for they took it upon choice. The
Lord hath showed them the worth and excellency of his ways, there
fore they can better justify God against all their prejudices.
[2.] Such will be more firm and steadfast. The cause of all halting
in religion is the want of a choice, of a purpose resolutely set. A
wavering double-minded man, that is half off and half on, will be
unstable in all his ways, James i. 8, Sn^i/^o? a/caraa-raro?, a two-
soul man, a man that seems to have a soul for God and a soul for
earthly things, and the heart hangs sometimes for one, and some
times for another. A scoff or scorn, or a little inconvenience, a little
fear, a little enticement or stirring of the rebelling flesh within, will
make him. turn out of the way ; and how can such a one hold out
with God, when his way to heaven is a continual warfare ? But on
the other side, a man that is a Christian, and a servant of God by
choice, his course is likely according to his choice, because he is fixed
upon evidence, he knows he is upon sure ground ; and depending upon
God, he will not miscarry. • And therefore Joshua, when he would
engage the Israelites to continue faithful with God, he draws them on
270 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [SER. CLXXXVI.
to a choice, and tlien saith, Josh. xxiv. 22, ' Ye are witnesses against
yourselves, that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him, and they said,
We are witnesses.' It much strengthens the bond when a man binds
himself freely and willingly, and he makes himself the more culpable
and the more inexcusable if he do not observe it.
[3.] They will carry on the work of their heavenly calling with the
more ease and delight, because a choice is nothing else but the incli
nation of the soul guided by reason, strengthened by a purpose, and
quickened and actuated by our love. This reason justifies our choice.
Purpose binds it, makes it firm ; but now here comes love, which
makes it easy and sweet to do what we have resolved upon. A reso
lute traveller will go through his journey, and overcome the tedious-
ness of it ; his mind is set to finish it, let him have what way or
weather he will. *8o a Christian will overcome his difficulties when
his heart is inclined to this course ; it is his own choice, and he will
hold to it. It is a hard heart that makes the work hard, but when the
will is engaged, a firm resolution of the will is the life of our affections,
and to affection ail is easy.
Use 1. To show that they act upon a wrong principle who are not
good, and yet do good out of chance. To this end I shall show you —
(1.) That a man may do good by chance, and not be good. (2.) A
man may do good by force, and yet not be good. (3.) That some do
good out of craft and design ; but to do good out of choice doth only
discover the truth and sincerity of religion.
1. Some do good by chance. As —
[1.] The man that taketh up religion by example barely, and tradi
tion ; not out of any sound conviction of the truth and worth of it.
Thus many are Christians by the chance of their birth in those
countries where the name of Christ is professed and had in honour ;
and the main reason into which their religion is resolved is not any
excellence in itself, but the custom and tradition of their forefathers :
John iv. 20, ' Our fathers worshipped in this mountain ;' and 1 Peter
i. 18, ' Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with .cor
ruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation
received by tradition from your fathers.' It was hard to reclaim
them from their inveterate customs ; this is the religion in which they
have been born and bred. It is true that tradition from father to son
is a duty, and a means to bring us to the knowledge of the truth, and
that Christianity is such an institution as doth so clearly evidence
itself to be of God, and speaketh to us of such necessary and weighty
matters, that it cannot but a little rouse and affect the mind of him
that receiveth it, however he receiveth it. But most men do but
blindly and pertinaciously adhere to- it as that religion wherein they
have been born and bred, without any distinct knowledge of the worth
of it ; so that if there be any goodness in their Christianity (as their
profession is good in itself), they are but good by chance ; for upon the
same reasons they are Christians, if they had been born elsewhere, they
would have been Mahometans or idolaters.
[2.] Not only these, but also those who stumble upon the profession
of religion they know not how, and those who in a pang and sudden
motion are all for God and for heavenly things, but this vanisheth into
VER. 1*73.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 271
nothing ; as fire in straw, which is soon kindled and soon out. This
is a free-will pang, not a choice ; the heart is not hahitually inclined
and devoted unto God : John vi. 34, ' Oh ! that I might die the death
of the righteous,' Num. xxiii. 10. Such kind of wishing of holiness, as
a necessary means, there may be, as well as happiness. These are acci
dentally stirred up in us.
2. Some men do good by force. These also are of two sorts — such
as are forced by the fear of men, or of God.
[1.] Forced by the fear of men, because they dare not be bad with
credit and security ; as fear of parents, tutors, and governors : 2 Chron.
xxiv. 2, ' Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all
the d#ys of Jehoiada the priest.' He did that which was right as to
external acts, but after Jehoiada's death he revolted from the Lord,
2 Chron. xxiv. 17, 18. So fear of magistrates, as Josiah compelled
them to stand to the covenant : therefore, Jer. iii. 10, ' Yet for all this
her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole
heart, but feignedly/ Fear of the times when set for religion : Esther
viii. 12, ' Many of the people of the land became Jews, for the fear of
the Jews fell upon them/
[2.] Forced by the fear of God. A little unwilling service may be
extorted from them by the force of a convinced conscience. There is
a slavish kind of religiousness, arising from a fear of punishment,
without any love and delight in God. Men may be against God and
his ways, when fear only driveth them to them. They do something
good, but had rather leave it undone ; they avoid some sins, but had
rather practise them. By the spirit of bondage they are brought to
tender some unwilling service to Christ; and their only motives are
fear of wrath, and hell, and a sight of the curse due to sin. The false
ness of this principle appeareth —
(1.) Because it is most stirring in a time of eminent judgments,
when they are sick and like to die: Isa. xxvi. 9, ' When thy judg
ments are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn
righteousness ;' Jer. ii. 26, ' In their affliction they will cry, Arise, and
save us/ Metal in the furnace is very soft, but take it out and it
returneth to its old hardness. See Ps. Ixxviii. 34-37. The sense of
present devouring wrath, and the terrors of an angry God, may drive
men to some temporary acts of devotion. These proceed only from the
natural fear of death and love of self-preservation. This may put a
stand for a while to their former ways of provocation, and incline them
to seek God with some diligence in the outward forms of religion ; but
it produceth no steadfastness in the covenant. As if there had been
some weak effect upon them ; as if it brought them for awhile to some
temper of piety ; but it was not hearty and durable, but only formal
and temporary.
(2.) Because they take all occasions to enlarge themselves out of the
stocks of conscience, and as soon as their fear is worn off, away go all
their religious pangs, and thoughts of the other world, and care about
it. How often is this verified by daily experience ! Many that were
frightened into a course of religion went on from duty to duty out of
a fear of being damned, but their hearts were another way ; but after
wards they cast off all, when they have sinned away these fears ; as
272 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXVI.
Herod feared John, and afterwards put him to death, Mark vi. 19, 20.
Yea, all the while they did good they had rather do otherwise if they
durst, and therefore did but watch the occasion to fly out.
(3.) Because men of this frame dispute away duties rather than
practise them, and are quarrelling at those things which the new nature
would sufficiently incline them unto, if they had it. In the New Tes
tament, God much trusts love ; and the number and length of duties
is not stated so exactly, because where the love of God prevaileth in
the heart, men will take all occasions of glorifying God and edifying
themselves. But when men quarrel, How do you prove it to be my
duty to do so much and to give so much ? When the duty itself is
instituted, love will make God a reasonable allowance, and not stand
questioning, How do you prove it to be my duty to pray so often in my
family, or in secret, or hear so many sermons, which our constant
necessities do loudly call for ? Men that have a love to a thing will
take all occasions to enjoy it, or be conversant about it ; and a willing
heart is liberal and open to God, and is rather disputing the restraint
than the command : How do you prove it is not my duty ? and is loath
to be kept back from its delight.
3. Some do good out of craft and design, there is some by-end in
the cause ; as Jehu was not so much zealous for God as his own
interests, 2 Kings x. 16; and our Lord telleth us of some that make
long prayers to devour widows' houses, Mat. xxiii. 14 ; made piety a
colour arid pretext to oppression, and, that they might be trusted, took
a, show of great devotion ; and of this strain were those that followed
Christ for the loaves, John vi. 20, to be fed with a miracle and to live
a life of sloth and ease. God never set any good thing afoot but some
temporal interest grew upon it, with which men were swayed more
than with what belongeth to God.
Use 2. To persuade you to choose God's precepts : * I have chosen
thy precepts,' said the man of God. To this end I shall give you both
motives and directions ; motives why you should choose them, and
then directions in what manner things are to be attended upon in
your choice.
First, For the motives.
1. Choose them because they are God's, to whom you are indebted
for life, being, and all things. Shall we not obey him that made us,
and in whom still we live, move, and have our being ? We are debtors
to him for all that we have, and truly we cannot have a better master.
He was angry with his people, that when the beasts would own their
benefactors, that his people would not own him from whom they had
all things, Isa. i. 3. The brute beasts, the dullest of them, the ox
and the ass, are willing to serve those that feed them, and pay a kind
of gratitude ; and shall not we own God ? Every day your health,
strength, and comforts come out of his hands, so every night's rest and
ease ; and after this can you sin against God that keeps you by night
and by day ?
2. These precepts are all holy, just, and good. What is it the Lord
requires of you, but to love him, and serve him, and fear him, and
forbear those things which hurt the soul ? Thus he speaks to Israel,
Dent, x, 12. Surely these commands are not unreasonable nor grievous*
VER. 173.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxrx. 273
You dare not say sin is better, that it is more profitable to please the
flesh, and to wallow in and seek after worldly things. Why then do
you not choose God's precepts before the work which Satan puts you
upon? for these precepts commend themselves by their own evidence.
3. In keeping them there is a great deal of benefit.
[1.] For the present, there is a deal of comfort and peace to be found
in the ways of God. If there were no reward of heaven, yet there is
such comfort and peace that attends holy living, even as heat from the
fire, that certainly this should draw our choice : * All her ways are
ways of pleasantness/ Prov. iii. 17. And again, the prophet tells you,
' The fruit of righteousness is peace.' A man that doth evil hath a
sting in his conscience and a wound in his own soul. But every good
action is followed with a serenity of mind, and an approbation from the
heart of him that doeth it. Nay, you shall not only have peace, but
joy in the Holy Ghost ; for if you walk in the fear of God, you walk
in the comforts of his Spirit, Acts ix. 31 ; and the kingdom of God
stands in righteousness and peace. Ay ! and a distinct privilege,
joy in the Holy Ghost, Eom. xiv. 17. What is the difference between
peace and joy in the Holy Ghost ? Peace is a tranquillity of mind re
sulting from the rectitude of our actions, but this joy is an impression
of the comforting Spirit. This joy hath God for its author, he puts
it into our hearts; therefore it will more affect us than the bare act of
our natural faculties. Peace is an acquittance from conscience, but
joy in the Holy Ghost is an acquittance from God, who is our supreme
judge, and is the beginning of that endless joy which he hath prepared
for them that love him in heaven.
[2.] For the future and final reward, that is great and glorious
indeed. Surely the glory of the everlasting kingdom should invite us
to choose God's precepts, whatever it may cost us to keep them ; for in
choosing holiness you choose life, and in choosing the ways of God you
choose the heavenly inheritance, which is the certain end and issue of
them. So Prov. viii. 35, 36, ' Whose findeth me, findeth life, and ob-
taineth favour of the Lord ; but he that sinneth against me, wrongeth
his own soul. All they that hate me, love death.' Christians, when
you are about choosing, these are the terms propounded to ypu, and
they should be seriously weighed by us — evil and death, good and life.
Will you choose sin and death, or holiness and life ? Is the pleasures
of the flesh for a few hours better than the endless joy of the saints?
If you believe heaven and hell, as you profess to do, why should you
stand demurring ? Are you content to be thrust out from the presence
of the Lord, with the devil and his angels, into unquenchable flames,
for a little contentment here in the world, for a little ease and delight
here given to your carnal nature ? Is an earthly life, that you cannot
long hold, more valuable than an eternal heaven you shall enjoy forever?
No ; let us go to heaven, though we get thither with many pains and
sufferings. If you forsake all, not only in vow and purpose, but
actually and in deed, yet still you have something better ; you shall be
no loser in the end ; you shall so choose the blessed God, and live with
him for evermore, and be filled with his love as full as you can hold,
and be employed in his service ; and all this in an eternal perfection
and glorified estate.
O
VOL. IX.
274 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVI.
4. Motive. Choose, for you will never have cause to repent of your
choice. The Lord stands upon his justification, is very tender of giving
his people any cause to repent of his service : Micah vi. 3, ' 0 my people !
what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee ? testify
against me/ Pray what hurt hath holiness done you ? Who was
ever the better for sinning, or who was the worse for holiness ? There
was none that ever made a carnal choice but first or last they had cause
to repent of it. Either they repent of it in a kindly manner, while they
may mend the matter, or else they shall repent for ever in misery. But
who ever repented of his repentance, or cursed the day of his new birth?
To whom ever was it any grief of heart that they were acquainted with
God and Christ, or the way that leadeth unto life ? Who dieth the
sweeter death ? or who repents of their choice then, the serious or the
carnal? Oh! they that have chosen the world, they cry out how
the world hath deceived them ; but never any repented of choosing
God and the ways of God. Let these things persuade you to choose
his precepts.
Secondly, For directions.
1. In choosing, the object is to be regarded. God's precepts in
definitely, all of them, not one excepted, the smallest as well as the
greatest, the troublesome as well as the easy, the most neglected
as well as the most observed. We must choose all God's precepts, not
abate anything, but especially the main or the essential precepts of
Christianity, or the fundamental points of the covenant. Now the ques
tion is, what is the fundamental point of the covenant ? Truly that is
known by the form of baptism. Baptism is the solemn seal of entering
into covenant with God ; it is the seal of our initiation or first entrance
into covenant with God, Mat. xxviii. 19. Now what is to be baptized
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ? When you first
choose the ways of God, here you must begin ; you must close with
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, heartily take them to be your God ;
that is, you must close with God the Father, as your all-sufficient
portion, or chief est happiness, to be loved above all ; and also as your
highest Lord, that he may be served, pleased, and obeyed above all.
Well, and in the name of the Son, that is, Jesus Christ, he must be
taken as your saviour and redeemer, to bring you to God, and to re
concile you to him. And to be baptized in the name of the Holy
Ghost is this, to take him as your sanctifier, guide, and comforter, to
make you a holy people to God, to cleanse your hearts from sin, to
write all God's laws upon your hearts, and put them into your minds,
and to guide you by the word and ordinances to everlasting life. This
is the main thing that is first to be minded, because it contains all,
and doth necessarily infer the rest ; for otherwise, to be resolute in
some by-point of religion, though it be right, this is but the obstinacy
of a faction, not the constancy of a Christian zeal.
2. As you must look to the object of this choice, so to the causes of
it ; and what are they ? An enlightened mind, a renewed heart, a love
to God, and then the Spirit of God enlightening and inclining our hearts.
[1.] An enlightened mind is a cause of choosing the ways of God,
when the Lord hath taught us his precepts. An enlightened mind
discovers a beauty and amiableness in the ways of God : Ps. cxix. 128,
YER. 173.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 275
1 1 esteem all thy precepts to be right, and they are the rejoicing of
my soul.'
[2.] A renewed heart, wherein all the precepts of God are written
over again. They were written upon our hearts in innocency, but
that is a blurred manuscript, therefore in regeneration they are written
over again. God writes his law in our hearts, and puts them in our
inward parts, Heb. viii. 10 ; and then the law within suits with the
law without, for the new creature is created after God in righteousness
and true holiness. In true holiness, which relates to the first table of
the law, and righteousness, which relates to the second table of the
law ; the renewed heart that hath this inclination and propension is
carried out to them.
[3.] Love to God, for that is implied in the choice : John xiv. 21,
1 He that hath my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves
me ;' and he that loves me hath my commandments and keeps them.
It follows the other way ; where there is love to God, there will be
choosing of his ways.
[4.] God's Spirit, the Lord enlightening and inclining our hearts to
this choice. God enlightens, for he teacheth us the way that we shall
choose ; and when we see these things in the light of the Spirit,' then
we see the beauty of them, Ps. xxv. 12. It holds good as to the path of
life, -and in particular cases ; but chiefly in the main case God teacheth
him the way that he shall choose. And the Spirit of God inclines the
heart too, as well as enlightens the mind : 1 Peter i. 22, '-Ye have puri
fied your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.'
3. There are the effects of this choice. What are they ? Delight,
diligence, and patience.
[1.] Delight : Ps. xl. 8, ' I delight to do thy will, 0 my God ; yea,
thy law is within my heart/ When the law is not only written in the
book but written in the heart, then there is a delight, a ready and
willing obedience. It is spoken first of Christ ; of David it was said
in type. It is true also of all believers, for they have the Spirit of
Christ ; and the same also is expressed of the people of God : Ps.
cxii. 1, ' Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth
greatly in his commandments.' When a man hath chosen the precepts
of God, and bound himself in this way, then his heart is taken with a
delight.
[2.] Diligence. God's precepts are the great business and employ
ment of our lives, and then there is a constant study to please him :
Col. i. 9, 10, ' Filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord unto
all pleasing.' We must do God's will and precepts, that we may order
our practice accordingly. There must be a habitual aim and purpose
to please God.
[3.] Patience ; a resolute continuance till our service be over. This
is the way I have chosen, and here will I stick until the great reward
come in hand : Kom. ii. 7, ' To them who by patient continuance in
well-doing seek for honour, and glory, and immortality, eternal life.'
And Luke viii. 15, ' The good ground brought forth fruit with
patience.' That distinguished the good ground from all other grounds ;
they had some little liking of it, but never came to a serious choice.
276 SERMONS UPON FSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXVI.
But the good ground, though there be several weathers between sow
ing and reaping, it cherisheth the seed that it is ready at harvest
time ; so we pass through many weathers before we come to our har
vest of happiness and rest.
Doct. 2. That man which makes conscience of God's commands is
encouraged to seek help from him in straits.
Such a one may be in great straits ; as David, his own hand could
not help him, therefore he flies to God. The Lord permits it that he
may be trusted alone in his own hands ; he will break our carnal
dependences ; and that his ways may be chosen for their own sakes,
and not for temporal reward, and that his love to his own people may
not be shown too sensibly, that the mysteriousness of providence may
leave a room and place for faith ; therefore doth God darken the glory
of the godly with afflictions, and put them into straits that their own
hand cannot help them.
Now in these straits, those that make conscience of God's precepts
they are encouraged to seek help from God's hand. Why ? Partly
because integrity breeds a confidence, so that a man which hath been
faithful with God can look him in the face. It breeds a confidence in
life, 2 Cor. i. 12, and in death, Isa. xxxviii. 3 ; when they are sick,
weak, and know not what to do, they can fly to God. And then
integrity also ; it entitles to God's protection all that heartily and- sin
cerely depend upon God : Prov. x. 9, ' He that walketh uprightly,
walketh surely.' An upright, plain-hearted man, that trusts himself
under the shadow and protection of God's providence, he hath no
shifts and tricks ; this man shall walk safely, God is engaged to defend
him. But the perverse, that fly to their shifts, God will disappoint
them and show them their folly: Gen. xvii. 1, ' I am God all-suffi
cient ; walk before me, and be thou perfect.' Do you uprightly serve
God, and study to please him, and you need not seek elsewhere for a
patron, or for one to defend you and plead your cause. And partly,
too, because they are exposed to the greater difficulties, because they
are faithful with God, and trust themselves alone with his protection ;
for so the apostle, 1 Tim. iv. 10, ' For therefore we labour and suffer
reproach, because we trust in the living God.' Faith begets faithful
ness •, their dependence is upon God, and their faithfulness costs them
dear, and so they suffer reproach because they did trust themselves in
God's ways by God's providence. As you stand in need of God's pro
tection, you shall have it. God will not forsake us in our greatest
needs, as the world will ; but in our greatest extremities, when all
carnal dependences fail us, he will not ; then is the time for God to
show himself. He hath still a providence and a fatherly care over
thee, but his power is especially engaged at such a time. If you will
take care of your duty, he will take care of your safety, for he will
either keep you out of troubles, or sustain you under troubles.
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 277
SEKMON CLXXXVII.
I have longed for thy salvation, 0 Lord ; and thy law is my delight.
— VER. 174.
IN this verse you have a twofold assertion or protestation —
1. Of a vehement desire of the salvation promised, I have longed for
thy salvation.
2. A great love and complacency in the word of God, and thy law
is my delight.
This verse may be understood either of temporal salvation or eternal
salvation ; the words may be accommodated to either sense. The
context would seem to limit it to the former, and so an enforcing of
the second request of this portion : ver. 170, ' Deliver me according to
thy word/ Many interpreters, both Jewish and Christian, carry it for
the other. Jewish ; Eabbi David Kimchi expoundeth it thus, ' thy
salvation/ seculo futuro ; and the last clause, * thy law,' quia medium
est ad salutem. Christian ; Chrysostom, Theodoret, Calvin. And
because these senses are not contrary, but subordinate, I shall insist
upon both.
1. Let me handle the words as they may be understood of temporal
salvation ; and so the sense will be, ' I have long expected thy deliver
ance, and yet do desire and wait for it.' The preterperfect tense, as
Vatablus notetb,- includeth also the present : 'For a long time I have
expected thy deliverance, and do expect help from thee/ And the
other clause, ' Thy law is my delight ;' though this help seemeth to be
delayed, yet thy counsel is my consolation and perpetual delight. The
words thus understood yield us two points : —
Doct. 1. That God's people do look to God for deliverance, and
longingly expect the accomplishment of it.
Doct. 2. We should delight in the promise before the salvation
cometh.
For the first point, that God's people do look to God for deliver
ance, and longingly expect it, the point shall be discussed in these con
siderations : —
1. What longing for God's salvation implieth.
2. The encouragements and reasons of it.
3. What singular thing there is in this longing expectation, since
it is natural to all to seek deliverance out of trouble.
First, What it implieth ?
1. A sense of our impotency, or insufficiency to save ourselves, and
help ourselves out of trouble, by any ways and means that we can find
out arid use: Ps. iii. 8, ' Salvation belongeth to the Lord;' Jonah ii.
9, ' Salvation is of the Lord/ Salvation and deliverance of all kinds
is God's prerogative royal, and God's proper work ; none can save
and give peace when he commandeth trouble ; and when he will save
his people, none can let. It is an evidence of men's neglecting a deity
when they would help and save themselves in all conditions, without
depending or employing a God ; Job xl. 9, 14, ' Hast thou an arm
like God ? then I will confess unto thee, that thine own right hand
278 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXXXVII.
can save thee. Alas ! if we look elsewhere, how soon are we disap
pointed! Man is a mutable creature, his affections change, or his
power may be blasted ; an arm of flesh is soon dried up. Besides the
distraction and uncertainty that we have while we depend upon man
and look to man, we involve ourselves in greater miseries, arid meet
with a shameful disappointment at last. Sometimes man will not if
he can, sometimes cannot if he would. If he will and can, yet he
shall not help us without God; for what can the instrument do
without the principal agent, the sword without the man that wieldeth
it ? That is one lesson God hath been teaching his people in all ages,
that salvation belongeth unto the Lord ; they must take their deliver
ance out of his hands. He sits at the upper end of causes, and saveth
his people when he, will, and how he will, and by what means he will ;
and till he take their cause in hand, how sadly do the most hopeful
attempts and expectations miscarry ; for to give salvation is a divine
property, given to no creature, and must not be usurped by them:
looking to man is the readiest way to miscarry.
2. It implieth a dependence upon his fatherly care and powerful
providence, and a persuasion that he will guide us unto heaven in a
way that is most convenient for us. The great cause of God's anger
against his people in the wilderness was because they believed not in
God, and trusted not in his salvation, Ps. Ixxviii. 22. He had under
taken to bring them into Canaan, but they mistrusted his conduct,
either that he had not power enough, or enough fatherly love and care
to do it ; and therefore his wrath was kindled against Jacob, and his
anger was hot against Israel ; and so do they greatly dishonour and
provoke God by their distrust who do not believe that God will bring
them out of every strait, in a way most conducing to his own glory
and their welfare. Now God's children are so satisfied in his conduct,
that in their worst condition they can cheerfully depend upon God,
and look and long for salvation from him : Hab. iii. 18, * I will joy
in the Lord ; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation ;' Luke i. 47,
' My spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour/ They are satisfied in his
love and power : Ps. xiii. 5, ' But I have trusted in thy mercy; my
heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.'
3. Holy desires vented in prayer ; there we express and act our
longings. Words are but the body of prayer, but desires are the life
and soul of it. The children of God are described once and again
to be such as love his salvation, Ps. xl. 16. Now there are but
two acts of love — desire and delight ; the one concerneth the object as
future, the other as present, either to faith or to sense. They rejoice
in it as present to faith in the promise, as well as when they enjoy it.
But the desire we are now upon, this is vented in prayer, there they
express their vehement longings for his salvation : Ps. xxxv. 3, ' Say
unto my soul, I am thy salvation.' God's saying is doing. He
speaketh by his providence ; and this is that the saints long for, they
plead with him, Ps. cxix. 94, ' I am thine, save me, for I have
sought thy precepts/
4. It expresseth waiting God's leisure and submission for the kind,
time, and means of deliverance : Lam. iii. 26, ' It is good to hope and
quietly wait for the salvation of God.' They continue looking and
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 279
waiting : Isa. xxx. 18, ' Blessed are all they that wait for him.' We
must wait in the midst of manifold disappointments. When means
miscarry, it is in his power to rescue his people from the greatest
dangers; and hath a prerogative to save and deliver those whom
reason and probability have condemned and given over for lost ; as
the Israelites, Exod. xiv. 13, ' Stand still, and see the salvation of
God.' They were enclosed, the mountains on each side, the Egyp
tians behind, the sea before ; yet what cannot the salvation of God do ?
There is a holy obstinacy in faith, trusting him in all dangers. Nay,
when God himself appeareth as an enemy, cutting off our hope, and
hewing and hacking at us, yet we must wait upon him. All strokes
come from the hand of God, and no wound given by himself is above
his own cure. Jacob when he fainted was forced to interrupt his
speech, and utter this ejaculation, Gen. xlix. 18, ' I have waited for
thy salvation, 0 God.' In short, God hath ways of deliverance more
than his people know of, and can save his own when they count their
case desperate : Ps. Ixviii. 20, ' He that is our God, is the God of
salvation, and the issues from death belong unto him ; ' the escapes
from death and imminent destruction.
Secondly, The reasons and encouragements of looking and longing
for God's salvation.
1. God hath bound himself by covenant as our God; it is his
covenant style to be the God of our salvation, Ps. Ixviii. 19, 20. In
the one verse he is called ' the God of our salvation ;' in the other, it
is said, ' He that is our God is the God of salvation.' If he be the
God of salvation, he will be the God of our salvation ; for whatever
God is in himself, that in the covenant he will be to his people ; you
shall see the blessing of his people is inferred out of his title : Ps. iii.
8, ' Salvation belongeth to the Lord ; thy blessing is upon thy people.
Selah.' If God can save, and the salvation be a blessing to his people,
he will save them, and deliver them. It is true this title doth mainly
concern our eternal salvation, but the conduct of his providence by the
way is aimed at in the covenant, as well as our entrance into heaven
at the end of the journey. Promises relating to temporal things are
put into the believer's charter ; but the dispensing thereof is left in
the hands of their wise and tender Father. Now temporal deliverance
being a part of our charter, if it be not always performed, it is not for
want of power or truth, but out of wisdom and love. God doth what
is most convenient for us ; it is in a wise hand : if it be good for me,
I shall have it. Now this is a mighty encouragement to look and
long for God's salvation. He shall have the stating of it, for time,
means, and kind of deliverance, but we must look for it.
2. We must look to God for deliverance, because he is every way
able, and fitted and furnished to make good his covenant undertaking.
He hath power enough, wisdom enough, and love enough.
[1.] Power enough : 1 Sam. xiv. 6, ' There is no restraint in the Lord,
to save by many, or by few.' The same supported Asa, 2 Chron. xiv. 11.
The same supported the three children, Dan. iii. 17, ' Our God whom
we serve is able to deliver us out of the fiery furnace.' Now a desire is
mightily quickened by this confidence. God hath promised to do what
is good, and it is in the power of his hands to do this for us.
280 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVII.
[2.] He hath wisdom enough to bring it about in such a way
as may be most for his glory: 2 Peter ii. 9, 'The Lord knoweth how
to deliver the godly out of temptation.' It is an art he is versed
in, how to distinguish between his people and their enemies ; to bring
it about so as may be most for his glory. What is the usual work of
providence, but to give salvation according to his covenant, in such a
way as the beauty of his providence may be seen, the patience and
faith of his people may be tried, and yet his enemies reckoned with.
[3.] He hath love enough. God doth concern himself in all our
affairs : 1 Tim. iv. 10, ' We trust in the living God, who is the
saviour of all men, especially of those that believe.' A protector and
deliverer ; yea, it is said he saveth man and beast, Ps. xxxvi. 6.
The object of his providence is very large. All creatures have their
being and preservation from him, much more man, much more his
children. They are allowed to believe a special providence, and the
more they depend upon him, the more is his care assured to them :
1 Peter v. 7, ' Cast all your care upon the Lord, for he careth for
you/ The Lord is free from all passions of care and sorrow, but we
shall find no less proof of his keeping off danger, or delivering us from
danger, than if we were solicitous for ourselves. Surely our Father is
not unmindful of us.
3. Because there is no difficulty that can fall out to check this
confidence, which is built upon God's undertaking, and sufficiency to
make it good.
[1.] Not any danger from men, though of never so dreadful an
appearance : 2 Cor. i. 10, ' Who hath delivered us from so great a
death, and doth deliver, in whom we trust that he will yet deliver
us.' The danger was trouble in Asia, a great danger, pressed above
measure and above strength. Great trouble was at Ephesus, where
the people in an uproar were ready to tear him in pieces, so that he
received the sentence of death in himself ; yet God found a way and
means to save, and he came off safe and sound.
[2.] Not any appearance of anger from God himself : Job xiii. 15,
' Though he slay me, yet I will put my trust in him.' Sometimes
trouble may represent God as the party dealing with us ; yet faith
can take him tor a friend when he seemeth to deal like an enemy ;
and we must resolve to adhere to God and his ways, and trust his
power, with submission to his good-will and pleasure, and believe that
he hath more respect and care over us than is seen in the present
dispensation.
Thirdly, It is natural to all to seek deliverance out of troubles :
Isa. li. 14, * The captive exile hasteth that he may be delivered, and
that he should not die in the pit.' How then is it any part of grace
to long for God's salvation ?
I answer — It is proper to the godly to love no deliverance but what
God sendeth by his own means, in his own time, and to wait for it
in God's way.
1. There is somewhat of grace in it, that they look for salvation
from God alone, as the author, and are resolved to take it out of his
hands, whencesoever it cometh. Men naturally would be avrapKos,
live upon himself, be sufficient to his own happiness ; and so they
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 281
are vexed when they are left upon God, and put upon dependence and
submission and waiting upon him ; for they think it little worth to wait
upon God as long as any other shift will serve the turn. As Ahaz,
when troubled with the fear of Rezin and Pekah, and the prophet
assureth him of God's salvation, and biddeth him ask a sign : Isa. vii.
11-13, ' I will not tempt the Lord.' I will not trust the Lord, he
rneaneth, though heuseth that pretence ; his expectation was fixed on
the friendship of his confederates. If he had asked a sign of God, he
must wait for the issue in God's way. Now Ahaz could not endure
to trust God alone ; he depended on the Assyrian, and not on God's
salvation ; he believed nothing the prophet spake, but counted it vain
and frivolous, and was resolved to go another way to work.
2. God's salvation as to the means ; not by our shifts, that maketh
a breach upon our sincerity : Gen. xvii. 1, ' I am God Almighty ;
walk before me, and be thou upright/ A man that doth not trust
God cannot be long true to him. You go off from. God to the
creature by distrust and unbelief, Heb. iii. 12. This is making more
haste than good speed, Isa. xxviii. 16. It plungeth us in sin ; it is
the greatest hypocrisy that can be, to pretend respect to God, and
shift for ourselves ; it is to break prison, to get out of trouble before
God letteth us out.
3. In his own time, ' Thy salvation.' They resolve to wait till he
sendeth it. Carnal men, when other means and expectations fail, will
seek to God ; they are beaten to him. But if their expectation in
waiting upon God be delayed, they wax weary and faint ; as that
king put on sackcloth for a while, 2 Kings vi. 30, afterwards said,
' This evil is from the Lord ; why should I wait on the Lord any
longer ? ' They give it over as a hopeless service.
4. That in the height of trouble they still go to God, and will not
cast away their confidence and dependence, come what will come :
Isa. xxvi. 8, ' In the way of thy judgments we have waited for thee.;
our desires are to thee, and to the remembrance of thy name/ They
still look to him, and though often disappointed, will seek salvation
from no other : they still cleave to God's way : Ps. xliv. 17, ' All this
is come upon us, yet have we not forsaken thee, nor dealt falsely in
thy covenant/ They persevere in prayer : Ps. Ixxxviii. 13, 14, * Unto
thee have I cried in the morning ; my prayer shall prevent thee,
Lord ! Why castest thou me ojff ? why hidest thou thy face from me ?'
They will not give over, but show their vehement longings after God ;
whereas wicked and carnal men, when great troubles continue, are
driven to despair, and give over all hope.
Use. In times of trouble let us look to God, and continue looking
all the time that God will exercise our faith and patience, and
express our longings and desires of God's salvation in humble and
earnest prayer.
1. It is no time to look elsewhere ; for God will show us that vain
is the help of man by many disappointments : Isa. xlviii. 11, * I, even
I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no saviour/ He will break
all confidences till we come to this. He shall be my salvation, as
Job resolved when God brake him with his tempests, and pursued
him with his waves, and was ready to slay him, as he thought. In all
282 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVII.
extremities this should be our fixed ground of faith, that salvation
and deliverance is to be expected from God only: Jer. iii. 23, 'Truly
in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills and the mountains ; truly
in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.' God will teach us
this lesson ere he hath done with us. Usually there is no serious
dealing with God till we find the vanity and inability of all other
dependences : looking to the hills and mountains, strength of situa
tion, forces, all these will fail us.
2. It is no time to dally with God and his service any longer ; for
when troubles come close and near, the spirit of prayer should be
revived, and what was cursorily sought at other times should now be
sought with some vehemency and longings in prayer: Jer. xxix. 13,
14, ' When they shall seek me with their whole heart, they shall find
me, and I will give them an expected end.' We do not stir up
ourselves to take "hold of him : Ps. xiv. 7, ' Oh ! that the salvation of
Israel were come out of Zion 1 ' There should be a longing, we
should not content ourselves with a few dead and drowsy prayers.
3. Salvation may be comfortably expected from God ; for as neces
sity enforceth these longings, so hope quickeneth them. Now it may
be expected, for he is mighty to save, Isa. Ixiii. 1 ; he is willing to
save a distressed people : ver. 5, ' I looked, and there was none to
help, therefore mine own arm brought salvation to me.' God struck
in for the deliverance and help of his people when all human help
failed ; he did the work alone himself. Once more, when he meaneth
to save, he covereth himself with frowns and anger, as if he meant to
destroy : Isa. xlv. 15, ' Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, 0
God, the saviour.' He seemeth to hide and stand aloof from his
people in their afflictions, and carrieth himself so closely and covertly
in the passages of his providence, that his people know not what he
meaneth to do. What is our work, then, but to keep longing and
waiting and looking to God's hands, till he have mercy upon us ?
Doct. 2. That we should delight in the promise before the salvation
cometh.
So doth David say here, ' Thy law is my delight ; ' that is, whilst
he was longing for God's salvation; and by law is meant God's
word in the general ; the promise is included in it, as well as the
precept.
1. A believer should not be comfortless in his troubless : John xiv.
1 , ' Let not your hearts be troubled ; ye believe in God, believe also
in me.' Immoderate sorrow for temporal evils will not become one
that hath an interest in God and Christ. Whatever falls out in the
world, God is the same still, and the covenant is the same ; and our
better part, and our happiness is above the reach of trouble ; there is
a long-suffering with joyfulness, Col. i. 4.
2. All our delight and solace must not arise from the delights of
sense, but out of the word of God. It is good to see what is our
solace and support in troubles, for the man is as his solace is : Ps.
xciv. 19, 'In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts
delight my soul.' How do we ease ourselves in our perplexities and
griefs ? Is it with God's comforts ? Now God's comforts are gospel
comforts ; the comforts we have from the word they will make us
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 283
more love the word, and trust more upon God's word, and the more
confidently expect the performance of it.
3. The promises should support us upon a twofold account — partly
because they are good, and partly because they are sure.
[1.] They are good ; there is a fulness in God's allowance that
suiteth with all our cases : Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, * For the Lord God is a
sun and a shield ; he will give grace and glory, and no good thing
will he withhold from them that live uprightly.' So 1 Tim. iv. 8,
' Godliness hath the promises of the life which now is, and of that
which is to come/ Heaven and earth are laid at the feet of it. A
man cannot desire a greater cordial than necessary provisions for this
and the future life : Ps. cxix. Ill, ' Thy testimonies I have taken for
an heritage for ever ; they are the rejoicing of my heart.' The pro
mises of the world to come should swallow up all our present grief,
for there is more in heaven than can be taken from us in the creature :
2 Cor. iv. 17, * For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory/
Heb. x. 34, ' And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods ; knowing
in yourselves that in heaven ye have a better and more enduring
substance.' We have a treasure and a happiness elsewhere, which
cannot be infringed by the afflictions we endure in this world. We
do not lose much if we get eternal salvation in the issue, and so we
get to heaven, no matter how dark soever our passage be. Then for
the promises of this life, they suit with all our troubles, wants, dangers,
breaches, and distresses. But what confidence can we have of these
temporal deliverances or mercies? Ans. Either we shall have the
mercies themselves, or God will order providences so as it may be
good for us to want them, and have something better given in lieu of
them, Kom. viii. 28. We know he will not leave us wholly destitute,
Heb. xiii. 5, nor bring upon us insupportable difficulties, 1 Cor. x. 13 ;
and this should be enough for us to maintain us in life and comfort.
S2.] They are sure as well as good.
1.) As promises. A promise is more than a purpose, for it is a
purpose not as conceived in the mind of a man, but declared to another
to invite hope. It is more than a doctrine. A doctrine giveth notice
of privileges, but a promise giveth us an interest in them. It is more
than a revelation or prophecy. Scripture prophecies will be fulfilled
because of God's veracity ; but scripture promises not only because of
God's veracity, but also his fidelity and justice. There is a kind of
righteousness in making good promises, because we give another a
right and claim to the things promised by the promises we make to
him. A promissory lie is worse than an assertory lie. A promise gives
us a holdfast upon God, promitlendo se fecit debitorem.
(2.) As the promises of God, who cannot lie and deceive the crea
tures : Heb. vi. 18, ' That by two immutable things, in which it was
impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation.' And
therefore by acting faith on these declarations of his will, we may have
the accomplishment of them. None that ever depended on God's
word were disappointed : Ps. xviii. 30, ' The word of the Lord is a
tried word.' God was never yet found worse than his word ; he hath
been tender of the credit of his word : Ps. cxxxviii. 2, ' Thou hast
284 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVII,
magnified thy word above all thy name.' Heathens have acknow
ledged that God hath never so much showed himself in the world, as
in these two things aXrjBeueiv real evepyereiv, in doing good and keeping
promise. Above all that is named and famed of God, this is most
conspicuous.
Use. To exhort us in all bur straits, dangers, and troubles, to be
contented with his word, and to delight in the promise, as if it were
performed. I shall here show you how we are to carry ourselves
towards the promises.
1. You must rest confident of the truth of what God hath promised,
and be assured that in time the performance will come to pass, as if
you saw it with your eyes : Heb. xi. 13, * They were persuaded of these
things.' This is the assurance of faith spoken of, Heb. x. 22. I know
I shall find this to be a truth. Men are conscionable and faithful in
keeping their word ; much more God, who can neither deceive nor be
deceived.
2. You are to delight in the promise, though the performance be not
yet, nor like to be for a good while ; neither performed, nor likely to
be performed. Heb. xi. 13, they saw them afar off, and yet being
persuaded of these things, they embraced them ; and John viii. 56,
* Abraham saw my day, and was glad.' You hold the blessing by the
root, where you have the promise, Heb. vi. 18.
3. You are to take the naked promise for a ground of your hope,
however it seem to be contradicted in the course of his providence. It
is his word you are to go by, and stand by, and according to which you
must interpret all his dispensations. It is said, Kom. iv. 18, that
'Abraham believed in hope against hope/ When faith dependeth
upon God's naked word, then it standeth upon its own basis and proper
legs. Everything is strongest in its props and pillars which God and
nature hath appointed for it. He hangeth the earth upon nothing, in
the midst of the air, but there is its place. So faith standeth fast upon
his word, who is able to perform what he saith.
4. This faith must conquer our fears, and cares, and troubles : Ps.
cxii. 7, ' He shall not be afraid of evil tidings ; his heart is fixed,
trusting in the Lord ; ' and Ps. Ivi. 3, 4, ' In God I will praise his
word, in God have I put my trust ; I will not fear what man can do
unto me.' The force of faith is seen in calming our passions and sin
ful fears ; or else it is but a notion, and our reverence and respect to
God will be weakened by it.
5. When faith hath done its work in the quieting of our own hearts,
you must glorify God in your carriage before others : John iii. 33,
* Put to his seal that God is true ; ; that is, when we confirm others in
the faith and belief of the promises, by our joy fulness in all conditions,
patience and contentedness under the cross, diligence in holiness, hope
and comfort in great straits. You shall see, Num. xx. 12, that God
was angry with Moses and Aaron because ' they believed not, to sanc
tify him in the eyes of the children of Israel.' We are not only to
believe in God ourselves, but to sanctify him in the eyes of others ; as
the Thessalonians by receiving the word in much affliction, much
assurance, and joy in the Holy Ghost, were examples to all that believed
in Achaia, 1 Thes. i. 5-7. Thus we should do, but how few do thus
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 285
believe ! Some count these vain words, and the comforts thence deduced
fanatical illusions or fantastical impressions ; nothing so ridiculous in
the world's eye as trust and dependence on unseen comforts : Ps. xxii.
8, ' He trusted on the Lord, that he should deliver him ; let him de
liver him, seeing he delighted in him/ Ungodly wits make the life of
faith a sport or matter of laughter. Some have more modesty, but as
little faith ; they are all for the present world, 2 Tim. iv. 0. Pre
sent delights please them, but present temptations altogether unsettle
them, Heb. xii. 11 ; cannot bear present smart, nor despise the present
world, Kom. viii. 19. Anything in hand is more than the greatest
promise, of better things to come. They do not deal equally with God
and man. If man promise, they reckon much of that ; but cannot
tarry upon God's security, count his promise little worth. They can
trade with a factor beyond sea, and trust all their estate in a man's hand
whom they have never seen ; and yet the word of the infallible God
is of little respect with them. The best build too weakly upon the
promise, as appeareth by the prevalency of our cares and fears, Heb.
xii. 4-6. If you did take God at his word, you would not be so soon
rnated with every difficulty ; there would be more resolution in trials,
more hardiness against troubles. A man may boldly say, * The Lord is
my helper ; I will not fear what man can do unto me/ If we had faith to
believe it, it would more effectually quiet our hearts and minds in all our
straits, necessities, and perplexities, it would calm our desires and fears :
we would not desire the best things of the world, nor fear the worst.
SEKMON CLXXXVIII.
I have longed for thy salvation, 0 Lord; and thy law is my delight.
— VER. 174.
WE now come to the second acceptation of the word salvation, as it
implieth eternal salvation ; and so the points are two : —
Doct. 1. That we should vehemently long and earnestly wait for
eternal life.
Doct. 2. That we should not only long for salvation, but delight in
the way which leadeth us to it.
For the first point, that longing for salvation is the duty and property
of God's children —
The reasons are taken from — (1.) The object of these desires ; (2.)
The subject of these desires ; (3.) The use of these desires ; (4.) The
state and condition of the present world.
1. The object. The object of desire is good, considered as absent
and not yet obtained good. All desire that it should be well with
themselves. This desire is confused and general ; not the hundredth
part longeth after the true good : Ps. iv. 6, ' Who will show us any
good ?' Some are carried by ambition, others by covetousness, others
by sensuality: 1 John ii. 16, 'All that is in the world is either the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, or pride of life ;' and Isa. liii. 6,
•* All we like sheep have gone astray ; we have every one turned to his
286 SERMONS UPON PSALM CX1X. [SfiR. CLXXXVIII.
own way.' As the channel is cut, so corrupt nature finds a vent.
But now God's salvation is the true good, and ought to be desired,
and will be desired by all his children. It importeth a freedom from
all misery, and an enjoyment of all good. A freedom from all misery :
There sin and sorrow shall be no more, and all tears shall be wiped
from our eyes, Eev. xxi. 4. The blessed spirits above have none of
our cares, and fears, and sorrows. Here we are sighing, and they
are praising ; we sinning, and they pleasing God ; we full of infirmities,
and they are perfect and without blemish, and in the full enjoyment
of all good : Ps. xvi. 11, 'At thy right hand is fulness of joy, and in
thy presence pleasures for evermore ;' Ps. xvii. 15, 'As for me, I will
behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake
with thy likeness.' Alas ! the preparations to this estate in the world
are far above the rain delights of the flesh ; much more the pleasures
there ; these the soul longeth for ; though they are thankful for a
refreshment by the way, yet they long to be at home.
2. The second reason is taken from the subject of these desires ;
and there we have — (1.) The suitableness ; (2.) The experience ; (3.)
Our pressures.
[1.] The suitableness; they are suited to this happiness, wrought
for this very thing, 2 Cor. v. 5. Everything hath a prepension to the
place for which God framed it ; it is the wisdom of God to put all
things in their proper places, as every creature is placed in that element
which is suitable and answerable to its composition and frame, as
fishes in water, fowls in the air. God's children are framed for this
very thing, therefore have an inclination and a tendency thither. As
heaven is prepared for them, so in some measure they for it, Kom. ix.
24 ; aforehand prepared unto glory ; and Col. i. 12, ' Made meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light/ They grow more
dead every day to the interests and concernments of the animal life,
and have a greater agreeableness to this happiness.
[2.] Experience : Kom. viii. 23, ' We that have the first-fruits of
the Spirit, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit,
the redemption of our body.' A Christian here is unsatisfied, and
longeth for a better and purer state of bliss and immortality, light,
life, peace, joy. One drachm of grace is more precious than all the
world, but yet it setteth them a-longing for more. The first-fruits
showeth us what the harvest will be, and a taste what the feast will
prove. Here we get a little knowledge of God, a sight of him in the
ordinances, a twilight discovery of Christ, a look through the lattice,
Cant. ii. 9, a little glance of his face, when neither doth he let the
believers in to him, nor doth he come out to them. This glance maketh
them long for more, so that in effect they send up the same message
to Christ which his mother and brethren did because of the press,
' Thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to see thee/
Tell him thou standest here without, but desirest to see him. So for
the communion we have with Christ, it is but a taste : 1 Peter ii. 3,
' If so be ye have tasted the Lord is gracious ;' but that taste is very
ravishing and delightful. Here we get a little from him in an ordi
nance, but that little is as much as we can hold ; but there he is all
in all. Here our holiness is not perfect, the seed of God remaineth
VER< 174.] . SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 287
in us ; but there it groweth up to perfection, as every spark of fire
tendeth to the element of fire.
[3.] Our pressures and the miseries of the present life : 2 Cor. v. 4,
1 Being burdened, we groan.' We are pressed under a heavy weight,
burdened both with sin and misery, and both set us a-groaning and
a-longing, as men in a tempest would fain be set ashore as soon as
they can.
(1.) Sin, to a waking conscience and a tender gracious heart, is one
of the greatest burdens than can be felt : Horn. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched
man that I am ! who shall deliver me from this body of death ? ' If
any had cause to complain of afflictions, Paul much more ; he was
whipped, imprisoned, stoned, in perils by land and sea ; but afflictions
did not sit so close to him as sins : the body of death was his greatest
burden, and therefore did he long for deliverance. If others go away
silently under their load, the children of God cannot. As light and
love increaseth, so sin groweth a greater burden to us. They cannot
get rid of this cursed inmate, and therefore are longing for their final
estate, when sin shall gasp its last : they long for the parting day, when
by putting off the flesh, they shall put off sin, and dwell with God.
(2.) Miseries : the children of God have not divested themselves of
the feelings of nature, are not grown senseless, as stocks and stones.
The apostle telleth us, Horn. viii. 20-22, that the whole creation
groaneth, because it is under misery and vanity. It is a groaning
world, and God's children bear a part of the concert : they groan and
desire earnestly their full deliverance. ' Few arid evil are the days of
the years of my pilgrimage/ said holy Jacob, Gen. xlvii. 9. Our days
are evil, therefore it is well they are but few ; that in this shipwreck
of man's felicity, we can see banks and shores and a landing-place
where we may be safe ; here is our travail, but there is our repose.
We would sleep too much here, and take up our rest, if sometimes we
did not meet with thorns in our bed.
3. The end and use of this longing and desiring.
[1.] It is an earnest desire, it maketh us industrious, and stirreth up
and keepeth up our endeavours after another world : Phil. iii. 20, 21,
' But our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby
he is able to subdue all things unto himself/ Where there is a lively
expectation, there men drive on a trade for another country. Desire
is the vigorous bent of the soul, and so beareth us out under all the
difficulties of obedience. If we do not desire, we will not labour, nor
seek it in the first place ; and if our desires be weak and feeble, they
are controlled by every lust, abated upon every difficulty : whatever
gets your hearts, that will command your endeavours ; for as a man's
desire is, so is he.
[2.] To make us constant, notwithstanding troubles, reproaches,
persecutions : Mat. xi. 12, * The violent take it by force.' They will
have no nay ; they must have it, whatever it cost ; though sore
troubles and persecutions, yet if we may get heaven and glory at last,
it is enough. But where a thing is coldly and carelessly desired,
everything puts us out of the humour.
288 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXVIII.
4. The state and condition of the present world ; it is called, Gal. i.
4, ' The present world.' The pleasures of it are mere dreams and
shadows, and the evils of it are many and real. God's children are
pilgrims here, and hardly get leave to pass through ; as Israel could
not get leave to pass through Edom. Sometimes they meet with such
bitter and grievous persecutions, which make them weary of their
lives ; as Elijah requested for himself that he might die, 1 Kings ix. 4,
or as the spirits of the Israelites were filled with anguish because of
their hard taskmasters. God will give his people rest hereafter, but
before the rest cometh they are sorely troubled : 1 Thes. i. 6, 7, ' And
ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word
in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost, so that ye were en-
samples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia/ Nay, the
company that we go with to heaven are apt to fall out by the way,
and to deal perversely one with another, unministering, unchurching,
unchristianing one another, impaling, enclosing the common salvation,
and jostling one another out of the way to heaven ; so that the
church, which should be terrible like an army with banners, marching
to heaven in order in one whole body, is like an army in rout, and
most are forced to get home in straggling parties. Now every tender
soul should long for God's salvation, to get up to that council of souls
who with perfect harmony are lauding and praising God for evermore,
Heb. xii. 23.
Use 1. To reprove them that are loath to leave this woful life, and
do not long and prepare for a better. God driveth us out of the world,
as he did Lot out of Sodom, yet we are loath to depart ; as if it were
better to be miserable, apart from God and Christ, than happy with
them. Surely they are far from the spirit of true Christians who
would live always here, at home in the world, and cannot endure to
think of a remove. There are two causes of this — (1.) An unmor-
tified heart ; (2.) An unsettled conscience.
1. An unmortified heart ; they are not yet weaned from the world,
their hearts are set upon satisfying the vile lusts of the body ; carry it
as if their portion lay in this world, Ps. xvii. 14 ; sucking yet upon
the world's dug ; they have no longing nor desire for that happiness
and glory which God hath provided for them that love him; they
desire no other portion than what they have in hand.
2. And the other cause is an unsettled conscience. Some fear the
state of the other world rather than desire it and long for it. There
are two degrees — not knowing for certain it shall go well with us,
and not knowing for certain but that it shall go ill with us ; both sup
press this desire, especially the latter.
Use 2. To rouse up our languid and cold affections, that they may
more earnestly be carried out after heavenly things ; that we may seek
after them with more fervency, and constancy, and self-denial.
The motives to press us are these : —
1. God giveth heaven to none but to those that look and long for it.
Men may go to hell against their wills, but none go to heaven against
their wills. In a punishment there is a force offered to us, but not in
a reward. We suffer what we would not, as Christ saith to Peter,
' Another shall gird thee, and cany thee whither thou wouldst not/
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 289
John xxi. 18. But happiness must be embraced, pursued, and sought
after. Well, then, let the concernments of the other world more take
up our hearts and minds, arid stand as at heaven's gate, expecting when
God will open the door and call you in : Christ will appear to them
that look for him, Heb. ix. 28.
2. The children of God long to see God in his ordinances: Ps.
xxvii. 4, ' One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after,
that I may dwell in the house of God all the days of my life, to behold
the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple;' and Ps. xlii. 2,
4 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God : when shall I come
and appear before God?' Ps. Ixiii. 1, 2, '0 God, thou art my God;
early will I seek thee : my soul thirsteth for thee, ray flesh longeth
for thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see thy power
and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary/ Now if there
be so great and longing a desire to see the glory of the Lord in a glass,
wherein so little of his glory is seen, with any comfort and satisfaction,
how much more to see him immediately face to face ! If a glimpse
be so comfortable, what will the immediate vision of God then be ?
Surely if this be salvation, every one of us should long for this sal
vation.
3. If it be not worth our desire, it is little worth ; the estate being
so excellent, such a complete redemption from all our troubles, so per
fect, and so full a happiness in body and soul, will not you send a
groan, or a hearty act of volition after it ? It is great ingratitude,
that when Christ hath procured a great state of blessedness for us at
a very dear rate, we should value it no more. He procured it by a
life of labour and sorrow, and the pangs of a bitter cursed death ; and
when all is done, we little regard it. Surely if we choose it for our
happiness, there will be longing and looking for it. No man will fly
from his own happiness : a man's heart will be where his treasure
is, Mat. vi. 21. If you prize it, you will sigh and groan after it. The
apostle saith, Phil. i. 23, 'I desire to be dissolved and to be with
Christ, which is far better,' TroXXw ima\\bv. If you count it better to
be there than elsewhere, you will be desiring to be there, and longing
to be there ; for we are always longing for that which is better, chiefly
for that which is best of all. There is the best estate, the best work,
the best company, all is better ; if you count it so, it will be no diffi
cult thing to bring you earnestly to desire it.
4. All the ordinances serve to stir up this longing after heaven,
and to awaken these desires in us. The word is our charter for
heaven, or God's testament wherein this rich legacy is bequeathed to
us, that every time we read it, or hear it, or meditate upon it, we may
get a step higher, and our hearts more drawn out after heavenly
things. In prayer, whether in company or alone, it is but to raise and
act these heavenly desires ; there we groan, and long for God's salva
tion. In the Lord's supper, we come solemnly to put ourselves in
mind of the new wine we shall drink in our Father's kingdom, Mat.
xxvi. 29, to put a new heavenly relish upon our hearts.
5. The imperfection of our present estate. We are now imperfect,
and straitened like a fish in a pail or small vessel of water, which
cannot keep it alive ; it would fain be in the ocean, or swimming in
VOL. IX. T
290 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [$ER. CLXXXVIII.
the broad and large rivers. So we are pent up, cannot do -what we
would ; there is a larger estate, when filled up with all the fulness of
God. That holiness we have now maketh us look for it and long for
it ; and surely holiness was never designed for our torment.
6. We are hastening into the other world apace, and therefore we
more desire it. Natural motion is in principio tardier ', in fine velo-
cior — the nearer to fruition, the more impatient of the want of it.
When a man is drawing home after a long journey, every mile is as
tedious as two. We are drawing, nigh to the other world, let us leave
this willingly, not by force ; let not trouble chase us out of it, but love
and desire draw us out of it. God doth loosen our roots by little and
little, that we may now be fit for a remove ; the pins of our taber
nacle are taken down insensibly, and by leisurely degrees. Now as
fast as we are goiog out of this world, we should be going into another ;
the inner man renewed day by day, that is, as it groweth more holy
and heavenly. From our first renovation we should be dying to this
world, and setting our affections on a better ; much more when God
beginneth to call us home, then draw home as fast as you can.
For means to this desire and longing, there is necessary —
1. A sound belief of this blessed estate, or a certain confidence of
the truth of it : 2 Cor. v. 1, 2, ' For we know that if our earthly house
of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house
not made with hands, eternal in the heavens : for in this we groan,
earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from
heaven.' Not a bare conjecture, but a certain knowledge. Surely
heaven is amiable, and the object of our desires, if we be persuaded of
the truth of it, we will long after it.
2. A serious preparation for it : 2 Cor. v. 3, ' If so be that, being
clothed, we shall not be found naked.' They have made up their
account between God and their souls, sued out their pardon, stand
with their loins girt and lamps burning ; then they long and wait
when God will draw aside the veil of flesh, and show them his glory.
A seafaring man desireth his port, especially if laden with rich com
modities. Where there hath been diligent preparing, there will be
serious waiting and desirous expectation. While we make provision
for our fleshly appetites and wills, we dream of dwelling here ; we
take it for granted they have no thought of removing to another place
who make no provision before their coming thither. When a tenant
hath warning to be turned out of his old house, he will be providing
of another, and be preparing and making it ready before he enter
upon it.
We now come to the second clause, ' Thy law is my delight.7
Doct. 2. That we should not only long for salvation, but delight in
the way which leadeth to it.
Here I shall speak to two things : —
1. That we must take the way that leadeth to it.
2. That we must delight in the way.
First, That we must take the way that leadeth to it.
1. Partly because of the nature of God's covenant, which is con
ditional. There is in it ratio dati et accepti, something required and
something promised : Isa. Ivi. 4, ' For thus saith the Lord unto the
VER. 174.] SERMONS UPON TSALM cxix. 291
eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me,
and take hold of my covenant ; ' Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw near with
a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water ; '
Exod. xxiv. 4, ' And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose
up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and
twelve pillars according to the twelve tribes of Israel : and he took the
book of the covenant and read it in the audience of the people, and
they said, All that the Lord hath said we will do, and be obedient.'
Surely in the covenant of grace God requireth conditions ; it is not
made up all of promises. Now a condition is this, when one promiseth
any good, or threateneth any ill, not simply, but upon covenant ;
if the thing required be performed, or the thing forbidden be com
mitted ; the performance of the thing required is the condition of the
promise, the doing a thing forbidden the condition of the threatening :
1 Sam. xi. 1, 2, ' And all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make
a covenant with us, and we will serve thee : and Nahash the Am
monite answered them, On this condition I will make a covenant with
you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach
upon all Israel ; ' and Luke xiv. 32, ' While the other is yet a great
way off, he sendeth an embassage, and desireth conditions of peace/
Now these conditions are twofold — making covenant and keeping
covenant.
[1.] The conditions as to making the covenant arise from the law
of grace, or the lex remedians, faith and repentance. Faith performed
or omitted : John iii. 36, ' He that believeth on the Son hath everlast
ing life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the
wrath of God abideth on him.' So repentance performed : Ezek.
xviii. 30, ' Kepent ye, and turn from your transgressions ; so iniquity
shall not be your ruin/ Omitted : Lukexiii. 5, 'Except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish/
[2.] Then conditions of keeping covenant, which is conformity to the
law of God, or new obedience performed : Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, * No good
thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly/ Omitted :
Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see the^Lord/ Well,
then, upon the whole we thus judge, that it is not enough to desire
God's salvation, but we must also delight in his law ; that is to say, we
must repent and believe, and so begin our acquaintance with God in
Christ ; and we must also walk in the ways of God's precepts, if we
mean at length to be saved, and to enjoy the vision of the blessed God.
That which is propounded conditionally we must not presume of abso
lutely, and so make reckoning to go to heaven as in some whirlwind,
or as passengers at sea are brought into the harbour sleeping, or to be
crowned without striving.
2. From the nature of this longing and desire, which must be
regular and according to the tenor of the covenant of holiness as well
as happiness ; and it must be strong, so as to overmaster contrary
difficulties, lusts, and desires. Let us instance in Balaam. He said,
Num. xxiii. 10, ' Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my
latter end be like his/ He saw that the state of a righteous man at
the end of it is a blessed estate, and this he longed for. But there was
292 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXIX.
a double defect in his desire ; it was not regular. Balaam desired to
be saved, but he did not delight in God's law. He would be at the
journey's end, but was loath to take the way ; there was a complacency
and well-pleasedness in the end, but a refusing of the means. Again,
this desire was but a flash, a sudden motion, occasioned by con
templation of the blessedness of God's people, but no operative trans
forming desire ; a desire which the love of the wages of unrighteousness
prevailed over. All men will long for salvation, but all men will not
take a right course to obtain it ; and so it is a wish rather than a
desire, if we long for salvation but have not a heart to use the means
appointed thereunto. Where there is a true longing there will be a
using the means, and a using the means with delight. They that
will not submit to these conditions, or snuff at these conditions as
troublesome, they cio not long for his salvation, nor delight in his law.
Secondly. That we must delight in the way that leadeth to glory ;
but this argument being handled in other verses of this psalm, it is
omitted here.
SERMON CLXXXIX.
Let my soul live, and it shall praise tliee ; and let t7iy judgments-
help me. — VER. 175.
THIS verse containeth three things :—
1. David's petition for life, let my soul live.
2. His argument from the end, and it shall praise thee.
3. The ground of his hope and confidence, and let thy judgments
help me.
1. David's petition for life, ' Let my soul live.' ' My soul,' that is,
myself: the soul is put for the whole man. The contrary, Judges
xvi. 30, ' Let me die with the Philistines/ said Samson : Heb. marg.,
' Let my soul die/ His life was sought after by the cruelty of his
enemies, and he desireth God to keep him alive.
2. His argument from the end, 'And it shall praise thee.' The
glorifying of God was his aim. The fruit of all God's benefits is to
profit us and praise God. Now David professeth that all the days of
his life he should live in the sense and acknowledgment of such a
benefit.
3. The ground of his hope and confience, in the last clause, ' And
let thy judgments help me.' Our hopes of help are grounded on God's
judgment, whereby is meant his word. There are judgments decreed
and judgments executed, doctrinal judgments and providential judg
ments. That place intimateth the distinction : Eccles. viii. 11, ' Be
cause sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore
the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. There is
sententia lata et dilata. Here God's judgments are put for the sen
tence pronounced, and chiefly for one part of them, the promises of
grace. As also Ps. cxix, 43, ' I hope in thy judgments. Promises are
the objects of hope.
VER. 175.1 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 293
The points are two : —
Doct. 1. That we may beg the continuation of life for the honouring
of God.
DocL 2. That God's judgments are a great help and relief to his
people, who desire to praise him, even when they are in danger of their
lives.
For the first, that we may beg the continuation of life, for the
honouring of God. This point must be divided into two parts : —
1. That the principal end for which a man should live and desire
life is to praise and glorify God.
2. That we may desire life upon these ends.
First, That the principal end for which a man should live and
desire life is to praise and glorify God. This appeareth —
1. By direct scriptures: Rom. xiv. 7, 8, * For none of us liveth to
himself, and no man dieth unto himself ; for whether we live, we live
tmto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord : whether
we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's;' and Phil. i. 20, 21,
4 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing
I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also,
Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death :
for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain/
2. By the prayers of the saints ; as Ps. cxix. 17, ' Deal bountifully
with thy servant, that I may live,' <fcc. ; and Ps. cxviii. 17, ' I shall not
die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.' This was David's
hope in the prolongation of life, that he should have farther oppor
tunities to honour God. But of this more at large, ver. 17 of this
psalm.
3. By the arguments urged in prayer : Ps. vi. 5, ' For in death there
is no remembrance of thee ; in the grave who shall give thee thanks ?'
and Ps. xxx. 9, ' What profit is there in my blood, when I go down
to the pit ? shall the dust praise thee ? shall it declare thy truth ? '
Ps. Ixxxviii. 11-13, ' Wilt thou show wonders to the dead ? shall
the dead arise, and praise thee, Selah ? shall thy loving-kindness be
declared in the grave ? or thy faithfulness in destruction ? shall thy
wonders be known in the dark ? and thy righteousness in the land of
forgetfulness,' &c. ; and Isa. xxxviii. 18, 19, 'For the grave cannot
praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee : they that go down into the
pit cannot hope for thy truth : the living, the living, he shall praise
thee,' &c. A man may praise God in heaven, but from their bodies no
service is performed for a long while in the other world. There is no
such service there as here ; as reducing the stray, instructing the
ignorant, propagating godliness to others who want it, by our counsels
and example.
4. By reasons.
[1.1 Life is given us by God at first : Acts xvii. 25, ' He giveth to
all life and breath, and all things ;' and ver. 28, ' In him we live and
move, and have our being.' Now all things that come from God must
be used for him: Eom. xi. 36, * For of him, and through him, and to
him, are all things,' &c., angels, men, beasts, inanimate creatures.
He expecteth more from men than from beasts, and from saints than
from men. Life was given for this end, and therefore not to be desired
294 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX [SEE. CLXXXIX.
and loved but for this end, even God's glory. How grievous a thing
is it to go out of the world ere we know why we came into the world !
We live not barely to eat and drink, as brute beasts live ; we live not
to live as heathens. The end of our life is service and obedience to
God ; yea, and it is the life of our lives, the perfection of them. Well,
then, since we live by God, we must live to him.
[2.] It is preserved by him. It is God's prerogative to kill and
to make alive; to wound and to heal, Deut. xxxii. 39. Our life
dependeth wholly on him. It is said, Job xii. 10, ' In whose hand is
the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.' God
hath a dominion over all his creatures, over every living thing, and
man in especial, to dispose of them according to his pleasure ; not an
hair of our heads can fall to the ground without him, Mat. x. 29, 30.
Our life is wholly in his hands ; we cannot add one cubit to our
stature, make one hair white or black at our pleasure. Life cannot be
taken away without him, how casual soever the stroke is : Exod. xxi.
13, ' If a man lie not in wait for his brother, but God delivereth him
into his hand,' &c. Well, then, in all reason we should serve and
glorify him who by his providential influence continueth life to us
every moment : Deut. xxx. 20, ' Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,
and obey his voice, and cleave unto him; for he is thy life, and the
length of thy days/ It is a charge against Belshazzar, Dan. v. 23,
* God, in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast
thou not glorified.' We must not look upon ourselves as made for
ourselves, but for God. He gave us life, and keepeth it, that we may
wholly be at his disposing. While we have it, we must have it for
God, that he may be glorified in the use of it ; and when he cometh
to take it away, he may be glorified by our submitting to his domi
nion. It is a presumption and encroachment on God's right to seek
satisfaction to ourselves in any state, without a subordination and sub
serviency to his glory. He that giveth and preserveth life may dispose
of it at his pleasure ; and our life so continually preserved by him
ought to be devoted to him.
[3.] When he preserveth it in any imminent danger, it is twice given.
I say, in such preservations our life is twice received from God — in
our birth, and as spared in the danger ; and therefore, in all justice it
ought to be dedicated to his service ; 2 Cor. i. 9, 10, ' But we had the
sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves,
but in God which raiseth the dead ; who delivered us from so great a
death, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us/
Many times there is but a step between us and death, as if God were
putting the old bond in suit, and executing the sentence of the law
upon us. Deliverance in such a case is called a pardon and remission ;
and even in the case of the wicked and impenitent : Ps. Ixxviii. 38,
* He being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed
them not/ It was but properly a reprieve for the time, a forbearance
of the temporal judgment, not executing the sentence, or not destroy
ing the sinner presently ; much more to a godly man : Isa. xxxviii. 17,
' Loved' my soul from the grave/ To be loved out of a danger, and
loved out of a sickness, that is a blessed thing, a great obligation
upon us.
VER. 175.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 295
[4.] We must surrender our life to him again ; and therefore, while
we have it, we must employ it for him, Luke xix. 23 ; into his hands
we must resign our spirits. Every one must give an account of himself
to God, what honour he hath by our lives.
[5.] We shall never glorify him in heaven unless we glorify God
on eai'th first, or carefully serve him : John xvii. 4, 5, 'I have glorified
thee on earth ; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do :
and now, 0 Father, glorify me, with thine own self, with the glory
which I had with thee before the world was.' Here is our trial, our
present service. Saints above are e£a>/3eXei? ; that is our reward, to
glorify God in heaven.
Secondly, That we may desire life upon these ends ; as Ps. xxxix.
12, ' 0 spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence and
be no more.' A little time of relaxation, to serve and glorify thee ere
I die.
1. Long life is in itself a blessing, taken into the promises, though
more frequently in the Old Testament than in the New. Of this, see
more at large, ver. 17.
2. It is well sought when this is our scope, for then the request is
lawful both for matter and end : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask and receive not,
because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.' Life
should not be loved but for further glorifying of God, for all our
natural interests must be subordinate to our great end.
Well, then, we may lawfully pray for long life, with submission to
the will of God, and that death may not come upon us suddenly, but
according to the ordinary course of nature.
But how will this stand with the desires of dissolution, and willing
ness to depart and to be with Christ, which certainly all Christians
that believe eternity should cherish in their hearts ?
To this I answer — (1.) By concession ; (2.) By correction.
1. By concession. It is true we are to train up ourselves in an
expectation of our dissolution, &c. See ver. 17 more fully. But —
2. By correction. Though it be expedient to desire death, yet we
are not anxiously 10 long after it, till the time come. For —
[1.] They do not simply desire death for itself, but as a means to
enjoy those better things which follow after death : Phil. i. 23, ' For
I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with
Christ, which is far better/ It' is not our duty to love death as death.
No ; so it is an evil which we must patiently bear, and may holily
deprecate it ; but because of the good beyond it, it is our duty to love
God, to long after communion with him, and to be perfected in holi
ness. Had it not been an evil to be avoided and dreaded, Christ had
never prayed against it ; and 2 Cor. v. 4, ' For we that are in this
tabernacle do groan, being burdened : not for that we would be un
clothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life/
It were an unnatural desire to desire death as death. A creature cannot
desire its own destruction. Jesus Christ, before he manifested his sub
mission, did first manifest the innocent desires of nature : ' Father, let
the cup pass/ The separation of the soul from the body, and the
body remaining under corruption, is in itself evil, and the fruit of
sin : Rom. v. 12, ' And so death passed upon all men, for that all have
296 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXXIX.
sinned.' Grace is not given to reconcile us to corruption, or to make
death, as death, desirable, or to cross the inclinations of innocent nature.
But—
[2.] Upon these terms, death is sweetened to them, and they readily
submit to it. Though it be not to be desired as it is death, yet heaven
and eternal happiness beyond it is still matter of desire to us. Death
is God's threatening ; and we are not threatened with benefits, but
evils ; and evils of punishment are not to be desired, but cheerfully
submitted unto for a higher end. Nature abhorreth and feareth
death; but yet grace desireth glory. The soul is loath to part with
the body, but yet it is far leather to miss Christ, and be without him.
A man is loath to lose a leg or an arm, yet, to preserve the whole body,
he is contented to part with it. In short, the soul is bound to the
body with a double band— the one natural, the other voluntary, by love
and affection, desiring and seeking its welfare. The voluntary bond is
governed and ordered by religion till the natural bond be loosed, either
in the ordinary course of nature, or at the will of God.
[3.] There are certain circumstances in death which do invite us to
ask longer life in order to this end ; as —
(1.) God's children would not have the occasion of well-doing or
self-denying obedience taken from them too soon ; so great is their
love and desire of gratitude to God, that they would yet longer praise
God in this self-denying way. Death would shut their mouths.
(2.) They would not be taken away in a cloud, or before they see
the issue of some present trials on the church or them. They have no
will to die till the sense of wrath be removed : Ps. xxvii. 13, * I had
fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the
land of the living.'
(3.) They may have some design a-foot for God, and therefore are
desirous of a little more time to attain this design ; therefore pray to
God to prolong their lives a while : Kom. xv. 31, 32, ' Now I beseech
you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the
Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,
that I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judea : and
that my service which I have done for Jerusalem may be accepted of
the saints, that I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and
may with you be refreshed.'
(4.) To breed up their children in the nurture of the Lord, and that
they may be useful in their families, as Jacob desired to see Joseph.
(5.) We may beg it that we may not fall into the hands of men,
lose our life by murderers : Ps. xxxi. 15, * My times are in thy hand ;
deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that per
secute me.' The dispensation of all mercies, comforts, troubles, life,
death, are in God's hand, not in man's power ; therefore we pray that
it may rest there, that we may not be given up to the will of those
that hate us. *
All these desires have a respect to the glory of God, and if conceived
with submission and trust, that God will do what is for the best, they
are all lawful.
Use of all. 1. Exhortation. It presseth you —
1. To consecrate yourselves to God: Kom. xii. 1, * I beseech you
VER. 175.] SEUMONS UPON PSALM cxrx. 297
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies
a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service.' Under the law the bodies of beasts were to be slain ; yours
is a living sacrifice. Both were set apart for God, the one to die, the
other to live to God.
2. Having given up yourselves to God, use yourselves for God : there
will be an inquiry what share God hath in your time : Acts xxvii. 23,
' The God whose I am, and whom I serve.'
3. Praise the Lord with heart, mouth, and life. A Christian's con
versation is nothing but a hymn to God : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' But ye are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people,
that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light.' The virtues of God, his attributes.
4. Whenever you pray for continuance of life in any danger or dis
tress, either for yourself or others, propound this as the end, not so much
your own satisfaction as the honour of God. A Christian is not con
tent to have the use of the benefit to himself alone.
[1.] For self. Every man desireth life. The whole world would
all and every of them put this request to God, ' Let my soul live ;' but
very few consider why they should live. Some desire life only to please
the flesh, and that they may enjoy the delights of the present world, a
brutish wish. A heathen could say, he doth not deserve the name of
a man, qui unam diem velit esse in voluptate, &c., certainly not of a
Christian, that would desire life merely to enjoy the delights of the
flesh. These would not leave their riot's trough to go home to their
father. Some there are who desire life to see their children well
bestowed, or to free their estate from incumbrance, and are loath to
part from their natural relations, wife, children, friends. This is a
natural respect, and should be subordinate to a higher end. Though
this desire, keeping its place, may be lawful, yet, out of its place, sinful.
We use to profess, Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ?
and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.'
In short, two motives I will urge why the glory of God should have
the chief respect in our affections : —
(1.) The benefit it giveth, hope of prolonging life, if this desire be
true and real ; and it giveth certain assurance of not perishing for ever.
The one it doth, for God doeth all things with respect to his glory,
Ps. cxix. 94. The other also, for he will glorify those that glorify him.
(2.) This is the temper of a sincere Christian. Surely to a believer
it is a piece of self-denial to be kept out of heaven longer ; therefore
it must be sweetened with some valuable compensation ; something
there must be to calm the mind, and contentedly to spare the enjoy
ment of it for a while. Now next to the good pleasure of God, which
is the reason of reasons, there is some benefit we pitch upon ; there is
nothing worthy to be compared but our service : if God may have
glory, if our lives may do good ; a gracious heart must be satisfied with
gracious reasons.
[2.] For others. If we make it our request, we must have the sanif
aims in this case, that the faith and grace of others may benefit them :
Mark ii. 5, ' When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the
palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee.' Now in such requests bare natural
298 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CLXXXIX.
reasons should not move us, but that God may not lose an instrument
of his glory, and that his power and providence may be more seen in
the world in the recovery. It is good to beg of God for God : Ps.
cxv. 1, ' Not unto us, but unto thy name give glory.' It should be
accounted as a mercy unto us : Phil. ii. 27, ' For indeed he was sick
nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only,
but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow/
5. This end is known by the use in having and submission in asking.
[1.] The use in having, how we use a mercy when we have it, if we
do indeed live to the glory of God, and the rather for these experiences.
[2.] Submission in asking, whether we fight or are crowned, work
or receive our reward ; for God is the best judge of what is most for
his own glory.
Use 2. Direction" ; but of this see ver. 17.
I come now to the second point.
Doct. 2. That God's judgments are a great help and relief to his
people, who desire to praise him, even when they are in danger of
their lives.
Here I shall show — (1.) What are God's judgments ; (2.) How
they are a help.
First, What is the meaning of misphalim, judgments here ?
1. God governeth the world ; that is called judgment : Ps. ix. 7, 8,
* He hath prepared his throne for judgment, he shall judge the world
iu righteousness ; he shall minister judgment in uprightness.' So
John v. 22. When the government is put into the hands of Christ,
it is said, ' For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all
judgment unto the Son.'
2. God governeth the world according to this word ; there is his
judgment concerning things and persons, stating what is good and
evil ; the reward of the one, and punishment of the other : Ps. xix. 9,
' The judgments of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.' The
precept is the rule of our duty, the sanction of God's process. There
fore in scripture the punishments of the wicked are sometimes called
judgments ; so also the rewards of the righteous, as ver. 43 of this
psalm. The word pronounceth concerning every man's condition.
His delivering of the righteous : Ps. Ixxviii. 8, 9, * Thou didst cause
judgment to be heard from heaven ; the Lord arose to judgment, to
save the people of the earth.' The moderation of their affliction : Jer.
x. 24, ' Correct me, but with judgment ; ' that is, his merciful judg
ment, according to the new covenant dispensations. Punishment of
sins, that they are judgments we are sufficiently convinced of and
sensible of it. Well, then, he prayeth that that of the word may be
executed either — (1.) By breaking his enemies, and giving them the
merit of their doings ; or, (2.) That his promises may be accomplished
by sending him help and relief in his troubles.
3. This government is to be observed, for it confirmeth the word :
Heb. ii. 2, ' For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward,
how shall we escape if we neglect? ' &c. ; and he punisheth them ' as the
congregation have heard.' Carnal men attribute all to chance, but
God's people observe his word.
VER. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 299
Secondly, Now these judgments must needs be for a holp to God's
people, because the word of God speaketh more good to them than it
doth to others ; and if God judgeth according to his word, they may
conclude that his children are never finally forsaken, nor will their
enemies escape unpunished. There will be an accomplishment of pro
mises, and an execution of threatenings, which is a comfort to them
that walk uprightly.
1. In the general case, it is a relief to us ; for God hath a provident
care over all those that desire to honour and glorify him ; their hopes
will not altogether be frustrate. Keep his commandments, and it will
turn to good. They shall have seasonable preservation according to
God's promised and wonted mercies.
2. In the particular case of contests and conflicts with the wicked,
he will punish enemies and reward the faithful. This is the tenor of
the word. And to this word of God he ascribed his deliverance. Not
this power, or this means, but thy judgments held me. God doth not
deceive us with vain promises ; when matters are strangely carried on
in the world, here is our comfort.
SEKMON CXC.
/ have gone asiray like a lost sheep : seek thy servant ; for I do not
forget thy commandments. — VER. 176.
THESE words are the close of the whole psalm. In them observe —
1. A representation of his case, or, if you will, a confession of his sin,
I have gone astray Wee a lost sheep.
2. A petition for mercy, seek thy servant.
3. A protestation of obedience by way of argument, I do not forget
thy precepts.
The chiefest matter that needs to be opened is the representation of
his case, ' I have gone astray like a lost sheep/ Sheep are animalia
gregalia, such kind of creatures as naturally gather together and unite
themselves into a flock. Many other creatures live single and apart ;
they may sometimes sort together, yet are oftener severed and kept
asunder : but the property of sheep, and their safety, is to come to
gether in a flock. But now, when they are out of the flock, then they
are exposed to all manner of misery, and therefore a strayed sheep is
usually put in scripture for misery and sin, Isa. liii. 6 ; Mat. xv. 24.
Lost sheep are represented as those that are ready to perish. Now the
business is whether this similitude here mentioned be to be interpreted
of David's misery or his sin. Interpreters are divided, both ancient
and modern. The similitude itself is applicable to either, and accord
ingly used in scripture. Sometimes it is put for sin : Isa. liii. 6, ' All
we like sheep have gone astray/ Sheep are creatures very subject to
stray and wander, especially if driven by wolve^or dogs ; and sometimes
by a disease, a sort of madness incident to them, follow not the rest of
the flock : the Arabians call it tsunall — (Bocliart). And so they would
300 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CXO.
have it signify here his going astray out of infirmity, from the way of
God's commandments. Or else sometimes the condition of strayed
sheep is put for misery ; as Hosea iv. 16, ' The Lord will feed them as
a lamb in a large place.' A lamh that is out of the fold goes up and
down bleating to seek the fold again, and some company with which it
may join itself. It is spoken of them that affected liberty ; the Lord by
his prophet tells them they should have liberty enough, but little for
their profit and comfort ; leave to wander in the world, and should bleat
alone, bewailing their solitude and danger, and be exposed as a prey
to the next wolf. He would not feed them in the flock and body of
the Israelites together, but would scatter them by exile and banish
ment, so that there should be Israelites amidst many Assyrians, like a
lamb bleating up and down that is gone out of the fold. Some think
David here represents his misery, when he was a banished exile from
the assemblies of the faithful ; not living like a prince in his palace,
but wandering from place to place to shift for his life, as a poor sheep
doth that is driven from the flock, exposed to beasts of prey ; and thus
it befell him in the case of Saul's and Absalom's persecution. If this
be the meaning, the following clauses must be suitably expounded :
' I have gone astray like a lost sheep : seek thy servant ;' that is, con
sider my affliction, and in thy good time relieve me and restore me ;
and the last clause, ' For I do not forget thy precepts : ' he did- not for
get his duty, whatever his condition was.
If we should follow this sense, it yields us these points : —
1. That a believer may be driven from place to place, in perpetual
hazards and distresses, wandering up and down like a strayed sheep,
driven by the wolf, and scattered from the fold : 1 Cor. iv. 11, ' We
have/ saith the apostle, ' no certain dwelling-place.'
12. In such a case we may with confidence go to God, the good
shepherd, who hears the bleating of the poor wandering sheep, takes
care of them, seeks them, and reduceth them into the fold.
3. That whatever befalls us, we should still go on in the way of
obedience : * I have gone astray,' &c. ; driven up and down, and yet,
* I do not forget thy precepts.' When God seems to forget us, we
should not forget his precepts. These points might profitably be in
sisted upon.
But because many ancient and modern, both Jewish and Christian
interpreters, understand it of sinful errors, and the words will com-
modiously enough bear this sense, and it being a similitude very fre
quently used in scripture, to compare the faithful to sheep, and God to
a shepherd, I shall handle the words with respect to this interpreta
tion : * I have gone astray,' &c. We may all of us make this confes
sion to God, we are too apt to straggle from our duty, and we all of us
need to make this petition to God, to beg his watchful providence and
shepherd-like care over us ; and we may do it with encouragement to
be heard of God, if our hearts are unfeignedly set to keep his law, that
God will hear us, and keep us from our wandering.
Doct. That a Christian that is obedient for the main, yet may run
into many failings and errors of life.
David was right for the main course of his life. He professeth here
he did not forget God's precepts, he did not cast off the yoke of his law ;
VER. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 301
but yet in particular acts he acknowledgeth he did err and fail, and
went astray like a lost sheep. And so many who are God's own ser
vants, that do not forget his precepts, may thus err and go astray.
First, In.our natural estate, man is of a straying nature, apt to turn
out of the way that leadeth to God and true happiness. The Holy
Ghost sets forth the degeneration of mankind by the similitude and
emblem of a strayed lost sheep : Luke xv. and Isa. liii. 6, ' All we like
sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way.'
Mark, he speaks of our estate by nature collectively and distributively.
Collectively and in common, ' All we like sheep have gone astray.5 And
distributively, ' Every man to his own way.' We all agree in forsak
ing the right way of pleasing and enjoying God, but we disagree, as
each one hath a bypath of his own. Some are running after this lust,
some after that, and so are not only divided from God, but divided
from one another, whilst every one makes his own will his law, quic-
quid velit, licet. As the channel is cut, so corrupt nature in every one
finds an issue and passage : Ps. xiv. 3, ' They are all gone aside ; they
are altogether become filthy ; there is none that doeth good, no not one.'
Some run this way, some that way ; some are enslaved by pleasures,
others are captivated by the honours of the present world, and some
are oppressed by the cares of this life. Every man hath his way of
sinning and running away from God. But, however, the emblem and
similitude of the Holy Ghost is to be considered, that our departing
from God and his ways is like the straying of a sheep. What doth
that note ?
1. In general it implies this, that we are brutish in our sin and
defection from God, led by sense, fancy, and appetite ; and therefore
our condition could not be expressed but by a comparison fetched from
the beasts. Silly sheep are carried away by their fancy and appetite
from the flock : Ps. xlix. 12, ' Man being in honour, abideth not ; he is
like the beasts that perish;' that is, he abode not in the honour of his
creation. Some would render it ' for a night.' Adam ' abode not for
a night.' What we translate man, is Adam : the excellency and dig
nity wherein God had set us ; he became like a beast. How is man
like a beast ? We are governed by our senses and lower appetites.
The senses are grown masterly and inordinate, so eagevly set upon their
objects, that they will not be reclaimed, and man's life just like that of
the brutes ; it is things of the same nature we value and adhere unto,
terrene and earthly things, the comforts of the animal life ; and as we
have the same objects, so the same ends, to enjoy our sensual pleasures,
and satisfy our fleshly minds as long as we may; now what is this but
to suffer the beast to ride the man ; to put reason and conscience in
vassallage, and subjection to sense and appetite ?
2. This similitude is used to show our proneness to err. There is
no creature more prone to wander and lose its way without a shepherd
then the sheep. Sheep are creatures subject to straying if they be not
kept in the pasture ; so all men are obnoxious to erring and straying :
Jer. xiv. 10, ' They love to wander.' It is a delight to us to be
pleasing our flesh and gratifying our carnal senses. So Ps. xcv. 10,
' It is a people that do err in their hearts.' We do not only err in
our minds, but err in our hearts. To err in our mind is to err out of
302 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CXC.
ignorance, but to err in our heart is to err out of sensual obstinacy ; so
are we carried away with the desires of the flesh, think ourselves
never better than when we run away from God. Ah ! the best of
us is soon out of the way. If God takes off his guidance, and leaves
us to ourselves, we are apt to transgress the bounds wherewith God
bath hedged up our way, and make it our business still to be running
away from the chief good, into the bushes and thickets of carnal
error, wherein we are entangled.
3. Our inability to return, and set ourselves into the right way
again ; for we stray like sheep, not like swine and dogs. Swine and
dogs, though they wander, they will find the way home again ; but
a sheep is irrecoverably lost without the shepherd's diligence and care :
Jer. 1. 6, ' My people have been lost ; they have gone from mountain
to mountain, theyTiave forgotten their resting-place/ So should we
run, and keep running away from, and forget our resting-place. I
remember Austin in his meditations hath this passage, Domine errare
potui, redire non potui — Lord, I could go astray by myself, but I can
not return of myself. The sheep easily straggle, but it is the shepherd
must bring home the lost sheep upon his own shoulders, Luke xv. 5.
And to this we may apply that of the prophet, Hosea xiii. 9, '0
Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help.' We could
destroy and ruin ourselves, but we cannot recover and save ourselves.
The shiftless infant can defile himself, but it is the nurse must cleanse
it, and we ourselves can fall from God, but to recover us to God, that
is the shepherd's care.
4. It shows our readiness to follow evil example. A sheep is
animal sequax, a creature that runs after the drove, they run out of the
gap one after another, and one straggler draws away the whole flock.
When the apostle speaks of the sinful state of mankind, Eph. ii. 2, 3,
he reckons up example as one : ' Walking according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience.' In that place
there is the devil, the world, and the flesh. There is the prince of the
power of the air, and there is the course of this world (that I quote it
for now), there is Satan, corrupt example, and evil inclination, all
which are depravers of mankind, and all concur to our ruin and
destruction. We easily swim with the stream and the torrent of
common example, do as others do, and so mutually propagate and
receive taint from one another. Imitation is not the whole cause of
sin, but propagation and inclination of nature, yet imitation and
example doth much to the perverting of the world, and increasing
wickedness and fleshly-mindedness makes us addicted to worldly
vanities, and so we run with the fowl into the snare, walking accord
ing to the course of this world, Eph. ii. 2 ; Isa. vi. 6, ' I am a man of
polluted lips, and I dwell among a people of polluted lips/ We
have sin within, but it is mightily increased by example without ;
by dwelling among those that are polluted, we are more defiled ; we
catch sickness one of another, we do not get health one from another;
as in the law, by touching an unclean thing a man was made unclean,
but not on the contrary. We, being polluted ourselves, are more defiled
by others, by conversing with them. We live among them that are
VER. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 303
neglectful of God, and unmindful of heavenly things, and we come
also to grow more so ourselves.
5. To represent the danger of straying. Sheep when they are out
of the pasture, are in harm's way, exposed to a thousand dangers :
Jer. 1. 7, ' All that find them have devoured them.' So are we in
danger to become a prey to the roaring lion, who goes about seeking
whom he may devour, and to the dogs and wolves that are abroad.
In his sinful state man is a sheep, whom no man taketh up, out of
God's protection, and a ready prey for Satan, taken captive by him at
his pleasure, 2 Tim. ii. 26, till the Lord recover him by repentance.
Thus God forms, represents, and points out our condition before con
version. Certainly before we were converted to God we were as sheep
wandering in our ignorance and sinful ways to our own destruction,
and in hazard to be preyed upon continually by the roaring lion.
Secondly, See if it be better with us after conversion. For here is
a man of God ; he saith, ' I have gone astray like a lost sheep/ Now,
after grace received, though our heart was set to walk with God for
the main, yet we often swerve from our rule through ignorance or
through inadvertency, and sometimes are blinded by worldly desires
and fleshly lusts, and so transgress our bounds and neglect our duty :
Ps. xix. 12, ' Who can understand his errors ? ' Our errors are so
many, who can bear them all in mind ? who can know and remember
them all ? I say, even the best, who are tender of displeasing and
dishonouring God by sin, they have their errors, yea, and sometimes
too their foul faults.
Let me a little show this.
1. There are some unavoidable infirmities and frailties which we
cannot get rid of though we fain would ; as Kom. vii. 15, ' What I
hate, that do I ;' and ver. 19, ' The good that I would, that I do not ;
and the evil that I would not, that do I ;' and Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh
lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would.' A true Christian would love
God more perfectly, delight in him more abundantly, and bring every
thought into subjection to his will. He would get rid of the fountain
of sin, of natural concupiscence, and of the stirrings of envy, lust,
pride, anger ; but alas ! the spirit that worketh in us lusteth to envy,
and bewrayeth itself in these carnal affections. These are aberrations
from the strict law, which God hath given to us, but such as men
are subject unto in this state of frailty. Though they be hated,
resisted, though they be restrained in a great measure, that they do
not break out into gross acts, yet a child of God cannot get rid of them ;
though this fire is not blown up but smothered, yet in some degree it
burns in our bosoms ; there is life in it still.
2. There are other things which they might get rid of if they would,
and yet they are not always so happy as to withstand it ; certain sins
that are avoidable by the ordinary assistances of grace which God
vouchsafes to his people, yet a believer may relapse into them many
times. Men are not always so watchful, nor is the bent of their
hearts so strongly fixed in them ; and there is very much security in
the saints, and they run into the snare till they be awakened either by
some powerful convictions or some smart affliction ; as David saith,
304 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SEE. CXC.
Ps. cxix. 67, ' Before I was afflicted, I went astray.' The best of
God's children many times in their peace and prosperity they fall
asleep and forget themselves, and so let some infirmity still be upon
them, before God doth awaken them, and bring them to themselves
again. Hezekiah was no sooner settled in a peaceful estate, but
presently he forgets himself, and suffers pride to steal upon his heart,
till the Lord humbled him for the pride of his heart, 2 Chron. xxxii.
25, 26. When all things went happily with him, he was recovered out
of his sickness, and had congratulatory messages from the princes of the
nations round about him, and lived in great prosperity, then his heart
was lifted up. Some carnal distemper may grow upon us, or evil prac
tice we may fall into. David, when he had gotten a carnal pillow
under his head, he lay down and slept, and dreamt of nothing but
prosperity, a perpotual uninterrupted temporal happiness, Ps. xxx. 6.
He was full of carnal complacency, until God made him look about
him. Thus by our carelessness do we often provoke God to use sharp
remedies. There are some are not avoidable, but left for humiliation ;
but those that are avoidable by such ordinary assistances of God's
grace to his people, yet many times, through our folly and inadvertency
and sleepiness of conscience, we run into them.
Having showed the kinds of these sins, let me now show the causes,
why many times those whose hearts are right with God, that do not
forget his precepts, yet they go astray like lost sheep.
1. The first cause is their present imperfection. Though grace
doth heal all the faculties, yet it doth not totally heal them, or wholly
overcome the weakness which is in them. God promiseth to put his
law into their hearts and minds, yet both the understanding and will,
and all the inferior faculties, they are but in part sanctified. You
know our soul is divided into two parts, into the r)<yr)fjLoviKov, and the
faculties which should command and direct, and into the faculties
which should be commanded and directed. The commanding facul
ties are called spirit, and the faculties which should be commanded
are called soul. The reason, or the incitation, the affections, the dis
positions, which incline us to things good for us, there is a weak
ness in all these. Whence comes all the weaknesses and errors of the
saints ? There is a defect in the leading or commanding part of
the soul, which is the understanding and the will. In the under
standing is the directive counsel, and in the will is the imperial power.
Now the understanding, which should direct and guide us, is blind
and sleepy, and not so vigilant and watchful as it should be ; and so
in many cases it proves but a dark and imperfect guide and director
to us, and so we err like lost sheep. We have not always so clear and
so deep a sense of our duty as we ought, and find not such lively,
powerful, and effectual thoughts of God and heavenly things, and so
clear a sense, so that the directive part fails us. Then for our wills,
which should command us where the imperial power resides, they are
imperfect. There is, I confess, in the regenerate a sincere will to
please God in all things, but it is not a perfect will ; so that our will
ing and nilling, our consent and dissent, is not so powerful as it ought
to be ; but the will being tainted by the neighbourhood of a distem
pered sense, it yields a little, and bends to the flesh, and gives way to
VEU. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 305
evil, and many times it opposeth that which is good ; at least we are
often overtaken in a fault, being inconsiderately and suddenly sur
prised, as the apostle useth that expression, Gal. vi. 1, ' If a man be
overtaken in a fault.' Though a regenerate man hath a new light put
into his mind, he is renewed in the spirit of his mind, though he hath
a new bent and bias put upon his heart, yet the imperial and directive
power have flesh in them still, and the wisdom of the flesh is so in
grained and kneaded into our natures, that it cannot be totally dispos
sessed, no more than we can sever the leaven and the dough when once
they are mingled together. If there be a defect in the governing and
leading part of the soul, there will be disorders in the life and conver
sation.
Come we now from the r^^oviKovj the leading faculties, to the
faculties which should be commanded and directed. Alas ! they are
by sin grown obstinate and masterly, and are so eagerly set upon their
objects (carnal vanities) that they will not be reclaimed, but rebel
against the direction of conscience and inclinations of the renewed
will. The apostle speaks of a law of his members warring against the
law of his mind, Kom. vii. 23. In the lower, in the most sensitive
faculties, there is much headstrong opposition against the directions of
the will. We have but a slender feeble guide. The leading part of
the will is defective, and there is much of the wisdom of the flesh
there. It is a trouble to the flesh to be restrained from what it de
sires and inclines us to, as a headstrong horse is loath to be governed;
therefore we yield and suffer ourselves to be transported and led away
by our passions and carnal affections. Now, though the rebellious
and disobedient disposition of the appetite and senses is in a great
measure broken and subdued in us by the power of grace, yet the best
have somewhat of inordinate sensuality and weakness, and being im
perfect, are tempted by the world and sense, as well as others. Well,
then, ever weigh in your mind for your direction these two grand
reasons of all the weakness that is in the saints, — there is the debility
and the weakness of the leading and commanding part, and the rebel
ling of the inferior faculties, which should be ruled and commanded.
(1.) The debility and weakness of the leading and commanding part
of the soul. And thence is it that we are so inconsiderate, so dull of
apprehension, have such dark and ineffectual thoughts of God and
heavenly things ; and thence is it that the will doth not so potently
and rulingly command the directive faculties, but is apt to yield to,
that it doth not stand upon its authority as it was wont to do. (2.)
The other part is the rebellion of the inferior faculties, and stubborn
ness of our sensual and carnal inclinations. Look, as in a kingdom
and commonwealth, where are rebellious subjects and a feeble empire,
things must needs run into disorder, so here the reins are managed very
weak ; there is a feeble empire in the soul, and here are strong rebellious
desires not easily controlled, and so draw the soul away. To make this
more evident a little, I shall show the order of all human operations, if
rightly constituted. Their actions are governed in this manner : — The
understanding and the conscience, they are to guide and direct the will ;
the will, according to right reason and conscience, moves the affections ;
the affections, according to the counsel and command of the under-
VOL. ix. u
306 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CXC.
standing and will, move the bodily spirits ; the bodily spirits, they
moye the senses and members of the body. But now by corruption
there is a manifest inversion and change, for bodily pleasure doth affect
the senses, the senses corrupt the phantasy, the phantasy moves the
bodily spirits, and by them the lighter part of the affections. The
affections by their violence and inclination captivate the will, and blind
the mind, and so the man is carried headlong to his own destruction.
Now, though this servitude be in a great measure broken in them that
are called unto the liberty of God's children, they are not slaves to their
lusts, and the vain pleasures of this life ; yet too too often the senses
are too masterly, and too too often transmit objects into the soul in
a rebellious way, against the command of sanctified reason and con
science. Affections are stirred by thoughts, and thoughts by objects
thus represented. " I am the larger in this, that you may more per
fectly understand the reason of the weakness of the saints.
2. The violence of temptations. As sheep may be driven out of the
pasture by the wolf, so is a poor soul hurried into evil to commit known
sin, or omit known duty, by the incursion and shock of temptations,
though for the main he doth adhere to Christ by faith, love, and new
obedience. Thus Peter was drawn to deny Christ, and many are
drawn in the violence of a passion to do things which their hearts do
utterly condemn and disallow. In a storm it is hard for a skilful pilot
to steer aright ; and though it be dangerous to dash against the rocks,
yet Christians come off without a "total shipwreck, though they may be
sore bruised and battered. In such hurries God's children may go
astray, but God will not suffer them to be totally lost. David wandered
far as well as Saul, but God sought David again ; he would not lose
him so. A strong temptation may drive us out of the way, as sheep
when thieves come are driven out of the fold, whither else they would
not have gone.
3. The Lord may withdraw himself for just and wise reasons, and
then, when the shepherd is gone aside, we have neither wisdom to
direct ourselves nor strength to defend ourselves ; as when Moses went
away for a while, how soon did Israel corrupt their way ! So if God
be gone, we see how little we can keep ourselves. God left Hezekiah
to try him, 2 Chron. xxxii. 31. God will show us what is in our hearts,
and that our standing is not of ourselves. We represent ourselves to
ourselves in a feigned likeness, and therefore God will truly show
ourselves to ourselves. We do not know what pride and passion and
carnality lies hid in our hearts when he is present, warming, comforting,
quickening, guiding, directing the soul in the way to life. Now, God,
by withdrawing, will show us the folly of our wisdom, and the weakness
of our strength, and the pride of our humility, and the passionateness
of our meekness. Divines distinguish of desertion ; they say that there
is desertio correctiva, and desertio erudativa — a desertion by way of
correction, 'and a desertion by way of instruction. Sometimes, by way
of correction, because of former sins, or some unkindness, or ungracious
dealing with God — God withdraws ; and there is a desertion by way
of instruction, to teach us to know the sovereignty of grace, and to
know our own weakness. Usually both go together in the same dispen
sation. It is very hard almost to imagine that the same dispensation
VEK. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 307
should not be both instructive and corrective. But the reason why
they distinguish thus is this, because some dispensations are more
clearly for correction, and others more clearly for instruction, but
usually they go together. We provoke the Lord by some slight or
unworthy dealing with him, and then the Lord corrects us, and corrects
us that he may instruct us, to see our all depends upon him, and how
he should be prized in these things.
4. The fourth reason is some special disease, it may be not yet
cured, in our going astray like a lost sheep, even though our hearts be
right in the main with God. It may be some corruption too that they
cherished, some carnal interest which is too near and dear to us ;
either worldly, ambitious, or sensual lusts. Though these reign in
the unconverted, yet they dwell too much in a heart that is gracious,
and so may prevail sometimes to turn us away from God ; something
there is which we may call our iniquity, Ps. xviii. 23. Though in
the general we keep ourselves from it, as an upright heart will, yet it
may sometimes foil us.
Use 1. Let us stand upon our guard. Oh ! let us not leave the boat to
the stream, for there is an erring straying disposition in a great mea
sure left in the people of God. Consider, Satan is subtle and assiduous
in tempting : 1 Peter v. 8, ' He goes about like a roaring lion ; ; he is
searching up and down after the prey, and an unwary and unmortified
soul soon falls into his snare. The flesh is ready to close with the
temptation as soon as it is presented ; and therefore the best of God's
children had need be circumspect and diligent : ' Watch and pray that
you enter not into temptation/ Mat. xxvi. 41, lest you be surprised
unawares by some sin or other. There is enough corruption in every
one of you to betray you to it, if you be not aware ; and your resisting
graces are very weak and imperfect in degree, and (which is one con
sideration more) the danger of a fall is very great, for thereby God is
dishonoured, 2 Sam. xii. 14, and your own peace is mightily ruffled :
Ps. xxxii. 3, 4, ' My moisture was turned into the drought of summer,
and I was filled with roaring all the day long.' Yea, and a stumbling-
block is laid befoie others, and you may destroy those for whom Christ
died; and woe be to men by whom offences come, Mat. xviii. 7.
Under the law, the Lord ordered that if two men strove and hurt a
woman with child, that her fruit departed from her, he should surely
be punished. To hinder birth was counted murder, so to hinder those
that are coming on by any sins of yours in a way to life. If the
offence be foul, you may feel it long afterward, as an old bruise is felt
upon every change of weather ; and this sin may cost you dear, though
your salvation be secured. This should make us stand upon our
guard ; it shows that a Christian should live in constant vigilancy and
daily conflict with sin, and deny the desires of the flesh, that he may
love God, and live to him.
Use 2. It shows us the need of the new covenant, wherein the
pardon of sins is established. All the saints that ever lived have had
their failings, and what would become of them, even of God's own
children, if there were not a forgiving God, and a gracious covenant,
a way found out to remit their offences ? Ps. cxxx. 3, If the righteous
God should call us to a strict account, how could the best of his chil-
308 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [&ER. CXC.
dren stand before him ? So Ps. cxliii. 2. It would go ill with all the
world if strict justice of law were still in force. All are guilty, and all
must perish, the holy, humblest soul cannot abide the trial of that
court ; not only God's enemies, but his servants cannot. The good
they do, it cannot be laid in balance against the evil ; it would yield
no relief as to remission and pardon. Plainly, if the guilt of sins remain
upon us, our duties will not compensate with our sins. But such was
the Lord's mercy, that when we all like sheep had gone astray, the
Lord found a ransom for us, and laid upon Christ the iniquity of us
all, Isa. liii. 6, that there might be pardon for poor creatures.
Use 3. It teacheth us, again, the necessity of dependence upon
God's care and power for our spiritual preservation. Of all creatures
sheep need a shepherd, so do we a spiritual shepherd to keep us from
straying, to reduc§ us from our wanderings, to weaken our distemper,
to drive away the wolf. In short, these two considerations will enforce
the necessity of dependence, the indefatigable malice of Satan, and the
unknown weakness and imperfection of the saints.
1. The indefatigable malice of Satan, and his unwearied diligence
in tempting us to sin ; his hatred and envy against God and mankind
is such that he leaves no man untempted. He would not leave the
Lord Christ untempted. Especially in some regards above others he
labours to draw the children of God into sin, because he knows their
sins, by reason of their profession, will give great occasion of scandal
to the weak, and blasphemy to the profane and wicked. Now, as his
power is very great, so is his subtlety and diligence. That which
Hannibal said of Marcellus perfectly agrees with him ; whether he gives
or takes the foil, he ever renews and reinforceth the fight. When Job
had carried it very innocently in his prosperity in a dangerous time, yet
try him in adversity, Job i. 12. Nay, when he had carried it oif in a
very grievous trial, as the loss of his goods and children, Job ii., &c.
2. The weakness and imperfection of the saints. How easily, if we
take not more diligent heed and care, may we fall into sins, both with
respect to the weakness of our understandings and perverseness of our
affections I
[L] Our understanding is so weak that we are ignorant of many
things necessary to be known ; for we know but in part, 1 Cor. xiii.
12 ; and if we know something in general, we do not know it as we
ought to know it, 1 Cor. viii. 2. How is that ? Either we fail in
particular application, as the heathens that knew there was a divine,
an eternal, and almighty power in general, yet were vain in their
imaginations, in their discourses, and practical inferences. Or if we
should know how to use these truths, if we know them habitually, yet
we do not actually consider. Here is a great part of man's misery,
being hurried by a multitude of business or violence of temptation,
that being laid asleep by the pleasures of the flesh many times fall off.
Though men have a perfect knowledge of their duty, and how to apply
it habitually, yet actually do not consider ; their sin carries them
away : ' They consider not that they do evil/ Eccles. v. 1. Thus for
the understanding.
[2.] Our affections are so apt to be led by sense and not by right
reason, that there is many times great danger that in seeing we should
VER. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 309
not see, lest seeing, knowing, and approving that which is better, we
should embrace and follow that which is worse, act contrary to our
knowledge and conscience, Kom. ii. 18. Thou appro vest the things
that differ, yet doest thus and thus. Many have an approbation, yet
cannot bring forth grace to victory, cannot govern their hearts accord
ing to their speculative approbation. Now if a man be such a blind
indigent creature, it is his wisdom still to lookout off himself, to lift up
his eyes to God ; that is, the God of our salvation and our guide, and
defence ; all our confidence must be in him.
Use 4. We learn hence the encouragement which one hath who is
right for the main, but hath run into some errors of life, to apply him
self to God to remedy that evil, as the good shepherd who must seek
the lost sheep, and reduce him into the right way.
Here let me show two things : —
lc Who are those that are right for the main, and may look upon
their sins as particular errors and frailties.
2. What encouragement they have to apply themselves unto the
Lord.
First, Who are those that are right for the main, and whose sins are
infirmities, such as David's are represented to be here in this text ?
(for I will go no further than the text). To represent that in five
things : —
1. Such as have a conscience, an aweful sense of their duty : ' I do
not forget thy precepts.' He had transgressed some of God's com
mandments, but still he had a sense of his duty ; that was kept alive
in his heart, that awakened him to return again to the Lord.
2. Such as have a habitual will to keep the commandment of God,
though there be failings ; as David, when he asks for his servant,
' Seek thy servant,' he acknowledged his duty still. God's children
may sometimes go astray, but not totally and finally ; they never fall
so but there remains something that maintains God's interest in the
soul : 1 John iii. 0, ' He that is born of God doth not commit sin/ he
cannot sin, &c. He doth not sin so as to lie in sin ; the seed of God
•still remains, and bo is more easily reclaimed than others. Look, as in
Nebuchadnezzar's vision there was represented a tree that was to be
cut down by the watchman, but yet the stump of the roots remained
in the earth, Dan. iv. 23, that is in his melancholy, when he crept on
all four, like beasts (I suppose there was not a transformation into a
beast), he did lodge in the forest among beasts, and ate their kind of
food ; yet there was a stump of this great tree that should bud and
scent again, there was a stock of human nature that should recover
and show itself again ; so here, though a child of God behave himself
like a brute beast, and be mastered by his sense, yet the root of the
matter is still in him ; there is something that will put forth itself
again. Or as a spinster leaves a lock of wool to draw on the next
thread, so there is something left ; they do not wholly cast off the fear
of God, nor the yoke. No ; their souls are habitually bent to please
God more than they are to sin : 'I am thy servant.'
3. As here is a conscience of his duty, and a habitual will to serve
God, so here is a broken-hearted confession of his error : ' I have gone
astray like a lost sheep ; ' and so a repentance of the sin committed.
310 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SfiR. CXC.
It is grievous to a child of God in the remembrance of it ; the sin is
thereby more mortified and subdued.
4. Here is an unfeigned desire to return to his duty, and grace
humbly sought that he may be set in joint again : ' Lord, seek thy
servant/ He would not remain in this condition still ; his desire was
to do the will of God, and to live in no neglect ; and therefore he
complains of his straying disposition, and would fain have it cured :
* Lord, seek thy servant.'
5. The conscience of his sincerity was not wholly lost. Mark, not
only the conscience of his duty, but of his sincerity ; for he prays
still to be sought as a sheep belonging to the fold. I am thine,
though I am gone astray : John x. 3, ' The sheep hear his voice.'
Now this evidence was yet left, I am, Lord, thy servant, and I do
not forget thy precepts. He was willing to hear the voice of God.
In grievous falls it is otherwise. If a man fall grievously (this doth
not relate to any grievous fall), then all were to begin anew. That
robs all our peace ; as David, ' Lord, create in me a clean heart,' Ps.
li, 10. After his grievous fall he speaks as if all was lost. David here
professeth still his devotedness to God as his servant, his love and
respect to his law as his rule ; he could own such a thing in it ; it was
an evil that annoyed him, but it had not rifled his peace.
Secondly, To speak of the encouragement that we have to go to God
if this be our case, as the man of God here desires the Lord to seek
him out, and to bring him again into the right way. Those that have
gone astray, yet should not keep off, but run to their shepherd : ' Seek
thy servant.' Why ?
1. We have a shepherd that loves us, whereof he hath given full
proof and demonstration in that he died for us : John x. 11, 'I am the
good shepherd, that lay down my life for the sheep.' He is not only
the great shepherd, as called sometimes, but the good shepherd gave
his life in a way of ransom to expiate our sins. When he came to
seek and save that which was lost, his first work was to redeem them
by his blood. If he could find in his heart to redeem us by his blood,
and expiate all our faults, he will recover us.
2. It is one great part of his office to reduce his people from their
straggling: Ps. xxiii. 1, 'The Lord is my shepherd/ What then?
Ver. 3, ' He restoreth my soul/ If the Lord be our shepherd, it is a
great part of his work to restore our souls. We fall into the disease
of sin, sometimes wander out of the path, in which we should perish,
if God did not reclaim us from our wandering. Now, it is his work
to restore our souls, that is, to keep us from going on still in our
bypaths ; therefore we may come and press it. He is inclined to
show favour to those who confess their errors, and for the glory of his
grace, and constant love, and sworn covenant, he will not be unmindful
of us.
3. He delights to guide us in our wanderings, Luke xv. 4, 5. The
good shepherd leaves the ninety-nine, and seeks out the strayed sheep
upon the hills and mountains, and brings it home upon his own
shoulders rejoicing. It is a pleasing thing to Christ to be reducing
strayed souls, Ezek. xxxiv. 4. He was angry with the under-shepherds,
and rebukes them because they discharged not their duty : ' The dis-
VER. 176.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. 311
eased have you not strengthened/ &c. ; and he promiseth his own care :
ver. 6, * I will seek that which was lost.'
4. He will bear with our infirmities, and if humbly sought to, will
take care of us. We straggle sometimes out of weakness, and out of
vanity of spirit, and lose ourselves through our own folly ; therefore
Christ saith, ' I will seek that which was lost.' Sometimes we are
driven away by wolves. Christ will fetch us back again, that we may
not be meat for their mouth. If sin be as a breach upon conscience,
he will heal that wound and bind up the broken. If we be weak,
ready to straggle, he will confirm us, and strengthen us more and
more. Having such a shepherd, this should encourage us more to go
to him.
Use 5. Here is caution ; take heed not to run into infirmities, as if
it were matter of nothing. Why ? They must be repented ; and it
is part of wilfulness voluntarily and allowedly to do that which he
must undo again, and necessarily be repented of; as David confesseth
his error. Little sins allowed and customarily committed, on the pre
sumption of a pardon, they are not infirmities, but are of a dangerous
nature. If you indulge iniquity, you lose your claim as those that are
devoted to God; you will hazard this if you indulge your straying
humour. And consider, even infirmities may cost us dear, for though
they do not make void the eternal reward, yet usually God reduceth
us not by internal grace, but by some smart providence ; as David,
Ps. cxix. 67, ' Before I was afflicted I went astray.' God will teach
you your duty by briars and thorns, by sharp affliction. And where
the distemper is more rooted in us, if it be not an act only, but a kind
of rooted distemper, then the dispensation of God's providence may be
very sharp. As Paul's thorn in the flesh . when he was apt to be
lifted up in pride, he prays thrice : - the Lord was terrible to him ;
possibly it was the stone, or gout, some racking pain, 2 Cor. xii.
Though he prays, God would not release him, but still keeps the pain
and trouble upon him. So our strayings will cost us dear. To be
sure they must cost us repentance, but they may cost us a great deal
of sorrow in the world. We should not incur the hazard of God's
temporal displeasure. Again, you have no assurance and command of
the time and measure of the Spirit's assistance ; and therefore, if you
give way to little failings, they may become grievous enormities in the
end, and when you grieve the Spirit, you do what lies in you to drive
him from you, and provoke him to suspend his assistance the longer ;
and therefore, 'Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are
sealed to the day of redemption/ Eph. iv. 30.
SEVERAL SERMONS
UPON THE
TWENTY-FIFTH CHAPTER OF
ST MATTHEW.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
To the Eight Hon? WILLIAM, Earl of Bedford, Baron of Thornaugh,
and Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter.*
MY LORD, — If the sovereign disposer of all things had continued the
life of the author of the following sermons, he had expressed his thank
fulness for your real and noble favours by the dedication of the best
fruits of his studies to your Lordship ; but since it hath pleased God
to remove him from the church on earth to the church in heaven, I
am desired by his most near surviving relation to comply with his
intention, by inscribing your highly honourable name in the frontis
piece of this work.
Your Lordship's esteem of the author, and most free kindness, placed
him in an eminent station; and how faithfully he discharged his
public ministry for those great and most worthy ends, the glory of
God, and the salvation of souls, as there is a full testimony given by
many sincere and understanding persons of all ranks, that were the
happy partakers of it, so it is evident to others by the several volumes
of most useful sermons printed since his decease. These had been
more exact, and worthy of your Lordship's perusal, if they had been
published by himself ; but such as they are, I doubt not but they will
be very acceptable for the heavenly matter contained in them.
I shall not record here the many excellent virtues that are conspi
cuous in your Lordship, and truly adorn your honour ; but I cannot
forbear to mention the foundation of them, sincere and solid piety,
so clearly discovered in a most Christian deportment under your
heavy afflictions. Surely that reverence and meek submission to the
high and holy providence of God, that humble trust in his mercy,
which so admirably appeared in your deep distress, was from the
divine Spirit, whose glorious attribute is the Comforter. I shall
earnestly pray that God, who turneth the shadow of death into the
morning, will be pleased always to support you with his reviving
presence, that he will guide you by his counsel through this afflicting
world, and bring you to his glory. — I am, my Lord, your Lordship's
very humble and obedient servant, WILLIAM BATES.
* This dedication, and the Address to the Reader which follows it, refer to the second
volume of ' Manton's Works,' which contains twenty-seven sermons on Mat. xxv.,
forty-five on John xvii., twenty-four on Rom. vi., forty-five on Rom. viii., and forty on
2 Cor. v.— ED.
TO THE READER.
CHRISTIAN EEADER, — Our blessed Lord, calling the multitude to some
account of their so free and frequent motions in going to hear the first
gospel preacher, John the Baptist, doth it in these terms, Mat. xi.
7, 8, ' What went you out into the wilderness to see ? A reed shaken
with the wind ? But what went ye out for to see ? A man clothed
in soft raiment ? They that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
But what went ye out for to see ? A prophet ? yea, I say unto you,
and more than a prophet ;' ver. 11, * Verily I say unto you, that
amongst them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater
than John the Baptist : notwithstanding, he that is least in the king
dom of God is greater than he ;' — teaching us several things by that
speech, relating to the religious action of hearing the word, and to
a true gospel minister. With reference to the former — (1.) That he
that goeth out to hear ought in the first place to propound to him
self a due end. (2.) That men may propose to themselves in such
motions very false and undue ends, such as going to see reeds shaken
with the wind, men clothed with soft raiment, &c. (3.) That the true
end men should propose to themselves should be, not to hear a philo
sopher or an orator, but a prophet ; which term signifieth a person
revealing the will of God ; for the signification of that term is not to
be restrained to one only from God revealing things to come, but
publishing the divine will, whether relating to future things or things
before revealed ; which is evident not only from the application of it
to the Baptist, but to any that will consider that predictions of future
contingencies was the least part of any of the ancient prophets' work.
This is that true and more special end which every good man ought
to propound to himself when he goeth to hear as a religious action,
whose object is not a mere sound, which is the object of hearing con
sidered as a natural act, but of the * joyful sound.' Nor can there lie
any obligation upon any religiously to hear anything but the will of
God, which a discourse doth not cease to be by the addition of man's
words for the explanation or application of any part of the divine will,
by such as God hath betrusted with that employment, more than an
ambassador's message cease th to be his master's will because delivered
in his own words, though to the sense of his instructions. Which
thing well digested would not only teach ministers what and how to
preach, but the people also what and how to hear, according to the
direction of their Lord. If our end in hearing were to tickle our ears
316 TO THE READER.
with a sound, our reason would guide us to hear such whose language
is * as the voice of one that hath a lovely song, and can play well on
an instrument.' If our end were to promove ourselves in critical
learning, or improve our reason, the same reason would guide us to
choose to hear the best philosophises or grammarians, such as best
understood the niceties of words and varieties of syntax. But if our
end be to hear a prophet, one that should reveal God's mind unto us,
and to make it more intelligible, that by it we may be more improved
in knowledge, faith, love, obedience, and other habits fitting us for the
kingdom of God and eternal salvation, the same reason will teach us
to hear the most substantial, scriptural, and practical sermons that we
can, as being most accommodate to the true end of our action, to which
every wise man proportioned mediate actions. And indeed all other
discourses are abusively called preaching, and Athens were a more
proper place for them than a preacher's pulpit.
God hath seemed to have reserved it for a great blessing to the last
age of the world that, for aught appears to us from any books, it hath
been more fertile of such preaching than any since that of the apostles.
The ancient church had persons that did famously in their genera
tions; such were Chrysostom in the Greek, and Augustine in the
Latin church ; but besides that they were but very few, whoso reads
the one and the other must compliment antiquity at a great rate, if
himself hath any judgment, and doth not say that multitudes in the
last age have been as to preaching greater than they. In the former
are to be found many judicious explications of scripture, many honest
and spiritual discourses; in the latter, not these things only, but a
pleasantness of wit and fancy. But for plenty of matter, clearness of
judgment, orderliness of method, and many other things, they have
not been a little exceeded by men of this last age. Nor is it any dis
paragement to them, more than it was to John the Baptist, that ' the
least in the kingdom of heaven' was to be 'greater than he;' or to
Christ, that the apostles, John xiv. 12, were to do greater things than
he had done. In the middle ages of the church, preaching generally
was turned into trifling about scholastic niceties ; and to the very
dawning of the Keformation the priests' texts were out of Scotus or
Aquinas ; and we remember they were not ashamed when Luther,
Melancthon, &c., restored in some degree the true kind of preaching,
to petition magistrates for the suppression of it, and a liberty to trifle
still in that great work of God with discourses upon Scotus and
Aquinas. Though Luther, Zuinglius, and others in Germany, and
Mr Calvin, Farellus, and Viret, and Beza, in France, about a hundred
and fifty years since mended this matter in a great degree, yet we all
know how ill their examples were followed ; so as Mr Perkins, who
began to flourish about the year 1580, is generally judged to have been
the first who amongst us restored preaching to its true use, and taught
us the true manner of it, whose piety was followed by many ; but as
their number hath vastly increased since that time, especially in the
fifty or sixty years last past, so God hath seemed to pour out his Spirit
upon ministers, as to spiritual gifts, in a more plentiful measure, yet
in very different proportions, that he might have some to feed his
lambs, as well as others to feed his sheep. The generality of good
TO THE READEK. 317
preachers have made it their business to preach Christ, and the exceed
ing riches of his grace, and to study matter rather than words, upon
Mr Perkins' old principle verba sequentur res. But all have not had
alike fertile invention, or solid judgment, or alike skill and learning
in languages and arts, £c. Some particular persons have been blessed
with them all, by which they have made stars of the first magnitude
in the church of God. Such, reader, we take the reverend author of
these sermons to have been, in all whose writings thou shalt find a
quick and fertile invention, governed with a grave and solid judgment,
and the issue of both expressed in a grave and decent style, so as it is
not easy to say what one would desire in a divine that was wanting in
him. He had a heart full of love and zeal for God and his glory, and
out of the abundance of his heart his mouth continually spake. So
frequent, yet so learned and solid preaching by the same person, was
little less than miraculous. But he was a scribe fully instructed in
the things of the kingdom of God, and, like a good householder, was
continually fetching out of the storehouse of his knowing and judicious
soul things both old and new. He was no studier of words and
phrases, he abhorred such a pedantry, and debasing the authority of
gospel propositions ; but a grave and serious soul, fitted with his skill
in arts and languages ; neither ever did nor could want expressions
above the scorn of the most wanton word-dressers, though beneath
the expectations of such as can be pleased with the tuneableness of
paranomasias, or the rollings of six-footed words. ^ He was a good
and learned, a grave and judicious person, and his auditory never
failed (though he laboured more than the most preachers, his constant
course of preaching being for many years five times, and, till near his
end, three times a week) to hear from him a pious, learned, and most
judicious discourse. This those who never heard him may easily
'believe by his printed commentaries and sermons, in which we never
met with any that complained for want of anything fit for a divine.
So that he is one of those authors upon the credit of whose name not
only the plainer and less intelligent sort of people, but even scholars,
may adventure tc buy any book that was his, and be assured they
will see no cause to repent of the expense of their money. ^ His late
large folio upon the 119th Psalm is a plentiful evidence of this ; and a
great part of our English world hath given their suffrage to this, by
making it so scarce in so short a time, as the price of it is enhanced
above a .fifth part.
We here offer a second volume, of a greater bulk (though no greater
price), which contains his discourses upon the 25th of Matthew, the
17th chapter of John, the 6th and 8th chapters of Paul's Epistle to
the Komans, and the 5th chapter of his second Epistle to the Corin
thians ; five chapters, than which possibly in the whole New Testament
there will not be found five others more full of gospel doctrine, in the
knowledge of which God's people are more concerned.
In the first, under the parable of the ten virgins (five of which were
wise, five foolish), our Lord represents to us the state of the members of
the church waiting for Christ's second coming to judgment ; amongst
whom some are sincere, some are hypocrites, the different actions and
issues of whom are excellently represented to us, and most worthy
318 TO THE READER.
to be learned and considered. Secondly, Under the parable of the
talents we are instructed in God's different dispensation of his gifts to
men, their different use of them, and the account they are like to be
called to about them. To which is subjoined a liypotuposis of the
day of judgment, fit to be continually in our eyes and ears.
In the second, we have our Saviour's last prayer for his elect, as
well those that to the end of the world should believe, as those who at
that time did believe. It was our Lord's legacy ; what good Christian
desireth not a full understanding of it, that he may know what to
hope, and pray in faith for, as being first secured to him by the prayer
of him whom the Father heareth always ?
In the 6th and 8th of the Komans are contained great treasuries of
gospel truth. Upon both (the latter especially) many learned men
have spent their labours to great advantage ; but the scripture is such
a book as we never know when we fully comprehend it, and (if he
may judge to whose share it fell to peruse some of those notes) the
reader will find some things here discovered which he will hardly
meet with elsewhere. His way of handling it is rather dogmatical and
practical than polemical; yet he now and then judiciously resolveth
a question. But all along in the handling of it he discovereth both
an excellent notion, and a most profound and solid judgment.
The last discourses, on 2 Cor. v., look like a cygnea cantio. Whether
they were some of his last discourses we cannot tell, nor can we judge
it from the subject, he being a person who was dying daily, and never
so in love with his earthly tabernacle, nor possessed of so weak a faith
as to the house in the heavens, as either to desire the former should
stand longer than should be for the glory of God, or himself kept from
the latter overlong. It pleased God not to surprise him with death,
but to let him see it at some distance, making its approaches to him
before it gave him the fatal word of arrest.
Thou wilt, reader, find some things once and again spoken to, as
the text led him, but in such a variety of phrase that they have much
new in them. Had this eminent person lived to have supravised his
own notes, he might possibly have added or altered something. We
have seen no reason to do it, but given thee his notes as they were
under his hand, only when, not able to read some words in his notes,
we were forced to add a word or two for clearing the sense.
Now, reader, what shall we say to thee, but only to quicken thee to
bless God for this milk from the bottle, when thou canst not have it
from the breasts, rov paKapiTov. Thus Dr Manton, though dead, yet
speaketh. God give thee and us an hearing ear and an understanding
heart ! We have thus line upon line, and precept upon precept ; let
us not be barren and unfruitful. We commend these labours and thy
soul to God's blessing, subscribing ourselves,
Thine affectionate servants in the work of the gospel,
WILLIAM BATES.
JOHN COLLINGES.
JOHN HOWE.
August 1, 1684.
SEVERAL SERMONS UPON THE
TWENTY-FIFTH OF ST MATTHEW.
SERMON I.
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which
took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And
Jive of them were ivise, and five tvere foolish. — MAT. XXV. 1, 2.
IT was Christ's manner to instruct by parables, partly for the greater
evidence and force, while heavenly things are represented to us in such
notions as we do best understand ; and partly to teach us the art of
holy chemistry, or extracting spiritual advantages out of obvious
occurrences and occasions. Now parables are of two sorts — argu
mentative and representative.
First, The argumentative parables are such wherein some notable
reason is couched, or ground is laid for some excellent encouragement
in our converse with God, by showing what falleth out among men.
In these argumentative parables, the parts of the parable are not to
be strained, but the scope and parable itself is to be regarded. As in
the parable, Luke xviii., of the unjust judge, the scope is to be regarded,
but not the parts strained, as if God were to be compared to an unjust
judge. And that famous parable, Luke xi. 8, concerning success in
prayer, where there is argumentum a minori ad majus, an argument
from the less to the greater : ' Though he will not rise and give him
as he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give
him/ And those passages of giving good things to our children :
' If ye, being evil, know how to give good things to your children,
how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them
that ask him?'
Secondly, The other sort of parables, which I call representative,
yields us a notable delineation of some heavenly matter, by laying the
scene of it among earthly affairs ; for God is fain to lisp to us in our
own dialect, and speak as we can understand. This and the next
parable are of this sort. The occasion of it was thus : Our Lord had
been discoursing of the dangerous state of the latter times, and there
fore presseth to watchfulness and timely preparation. This he doth
by three parables : First, By the good man of the house watching
against the coming of the thief, Mat. xxiv. 42, 43 ; by the parable of
320 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SflB. I.
the servant misbehaving himself in the absence of his Lord, Mat.
xxiv. 45, to the end ; and now, the third time, by this parable of the
virgins. Still, in the close of all, he repeateth his charge of watch
fulness, not so much because of the difficulty of the matter, as because
of our dulness. We cannot often enough be put in mind of vigilancy
and diligence in preparing for the coming of the Lord ; so great is
our sloth and drowsiness, and non-attention to the great affairs of our
souls. Now these three parables, though they come to one effect, yet
have their special use. The first of these concerns all ; the second,
the officers of the church ; the third, the members. First, The good
man of the house watching against the coming of the thief speaketh
thus much : If men watch to avoid a temporal inconvenience, much
more should we wjitch to eschew eternal destruction. The diligence
of the men of the world in worldly things upbraideth and condemneth
our negligence in heavenly things. The parable of the unfaithful
servant, that put off the thoughts of his master's coming, and there
fore eateth and drinketh with the drunken, and beats his fellow-
servants, is a notable warning to the officers of the church, that they
do not abuse the power of the keys, and inhaunt with the wicked, and
discourage the godly, and blast them with censures, and stir up the
displeasure of the magistrate against their faithful and painful brethren
in the ministry. A drunkard shall find more favour with them than
one that is mindful of his Lord's coming, and would keep punctual to
the orders and institutions he hath left before he went. Now, lest
the members of the church should want their admonition, besides a
warning to the officers in the second parable, here is a warning to the
members in this third parable, to watch and be ready, that they be
not surprised. In the wise virgins is represented the comfortable fruit
of watchfulness ; in the foolish, the sad effects of security : * Then
shall the kingdom of heaven be likened/ &c.
In the words we have —
First, The thing compared, the kingdom of heaven.
Secondly, The comparison itself, shall be likened to ten virgins.
Who are —
1. Described by their quality or state, virgins.
2. By their number, ten.
3. By their rank or distribution, five wise, and. five foolish.
4. By their work or employment, they went forth to meet the bride
groom.
5. Their preparation for that work, they took their hand-lamps.
Before I explain these circumstances, I must a little acquaint you
with the custom of the Jews to which allusion is here made. The
weddings of those times were kept by night, in which the bridegroom
and his company were by certain virgins fetched in, and conducted to
the bride, with lamps in their hands and songs in their mouths. As
for this custom, I shall give you some passages in scripture. That
the weddings were in the night-time, we read, Gen. xxix. 23, ' It came
to pass in the evening that Laban took Leah his daughter, and brought
her to Jacob.' That the bridegroom had his companions, we read,
Judges xiii. 11, Sampson had thirty companions brought to him.
That both had their companions, we read of ' the children of the bride-
VERS. 1, 2.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 321
chamber,' Mat. ix. 15, the special guests invited to the marriage-feast,
who were by custom to fetch the bridegroom, and wait upon him :
these are called </>/Xot w/jupiov, 'the friends of the bridegroom/ John
iii. 29. That the bride had her companions, it is said in Ps.
xlv. 14, the spouse ' shall be brought to the king in a raiment of
needlework; the virgins her companions that follow her shall be
brought unto thee.' And their fashion was to take hand-lamps, then
in use, and fit to carry abroad, for night-lights. The scripture fre
quently alludes to that : Kev. xviii. 23, ' And the light of the candle
shall shine no more at all in thee ; and the voice of the bridegroom
and of the bride no more at all shall be heard in thee.' And thus
the bridegroom was met by virgins with lamps ; as he drew near the
bride's house, he was met by servants with candles returning to the
marriage. Therefore it is said, Luke xii. 35, 36, ' Let your loins be
girded about, and your lights burning, and ye yourselves like unto
men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding.'
This was the custom, which I the rather observe, that you may see
how fitly our Lord layeth down things. Now those that accompanied
the bridegroom and the bride were children of the bride-chamber, and
admitted into the marriage-room and supper ; and those that came
after that, when once the door was shut, were surely kept out. Now
here is a fit representation of the spiritual mystery laid down by Christ ;
and therefore let us —
1. See the thing compared, 'The kingdom of heaven;' that is, the
state of the church wherein God reigneth in the person of the Messiah.
Of the kingdom of glory it cannot be meant, for there are no foolish
virgins, and in the internal kingdom of grace none ; but in the
external kingdom of Christ in this world. And this is not considered
simply and restrainedly to that point of time when Christ is coming
to judgment, but respects and should affect us all; for such as we
depart out of the world now, such shall we be found to be at the day
of judgment. It concerneth all ages, not only those that shall be found
alive at that time, but every one in successive ages.
2. The comparison must be explained ; the bridegroom is Christ,
and the bride is the church ; the whole church is the spouse of Christ,
and each particular believer a virgin attending upon this spouse ; the
marriage is mutually promised ; the espousals are in this life : Hosea ii.
19, 20, ' I will betroth thee to me for ever ;' and to be solemnised and
completed at the coming of our Lord : Rev. xix. 7, ' Let us be glad
and rejoice, and give honour to him, for the marriage of the Lamb is
come, and his wife hath made herself ready/ Here is the betrothing
in the covenant of grace. A nobis accepit arrhabonem carnis, &c.,
saith Tertullian ; he took the token of our flesh and carried it to
heaven, to prepare heaven for us, and left with us the token of his
Spirit, to prepare us for heaven : he is not gone from us in discontent,
but will come again with all the angels of heaven with him, to receive
the bride unto himself.
[1.] The companions of the bride are here represented under the
name of ' virgins,' for so Christians are called for the purity of their
faith and worship, and also for their blameless conversations.
(1.) Virgins for the purity of their faith, that keep themselves free
VOL. ix. x
322 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiB. I.
and untainted from the corrupt and rotten opinions of the world:
2 Cor. xi. 2, ' I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present
you as chaste virgins to Christ.' He meaneth it here in respect of
the purity of their faith, that they might not be corrupted by false
teachers.
(2.) Virgins for the purity of worship. Idolatry and corruption of
worship is often expressed by harlotry ; and therefore the prophet, to
figure out Israel's apostasy and corruption in worship, is bidden to
take a wife of whoredoms, Hosea iii. And those that followed the
Lamb are said to be virgins not defiled, Kev. xiv. 4 ; not polluted
with idolatry, which is spiritual fornication.
(3.) Virgins for purity and blamelessness of conversation The
apostle speaketh of some that 'had escaped the pollutions of the
world, through tHe knowledge of Jesus Christ, who might be again
entangled and overcome therein,' 2 Peter ii. 20. Well, then, these
were all virgins, even the foolish as well as the wise, not tainted with
error, nor defiled with false worship, nor profane, corrupt or scandalous
in their conversations ; they were such as had escaped the corruptions
of the world, and had as glorious a form of godliness as any others.
[2.] They are described by their number, ' ten/ This is mentioned
either because ten is a number of perfection, or because usually the
number of those companions of the bride never exceeded ten.
[3.] They are set forth by their distribution into two ranks — some
wise, some foolish ; five of the one sort, and five of the other. The
number is not exactly to be stood upon, as. if the number of the saved
and damned were equal ; as in the parable of the marriage-feast one
had not a wedding-garment ; it is not to be understood as if only one
were damned of all that are invited to the profession of the gospel ;
it only signifieth that all the virgins are not alike careful to prepare
for the coming of the Lord. By the wise are meant provident and dili
gent Christians ; by the foolish, the improvident and negligent. Among
those that bear the name and keep up the reputation of Christians,
some will be found not to fill up their profession with answerable duty,
not to make serious provision for the coming of Christ.
[4.] They are set forth by their work and employment, ' They went
forth to meet the bridegroom;' that is, they expected the coming of
Christ, and happiness by him. The foolish and the wise did both
agree in this ; indeed, this is the whole business of a Christian.
[5.] They are set forth by their preparation for this work, 'They took
their lamps ;' that is, made open profession of their hope : Mat. v. 16,
' Let your light so shine among men ;' for external shining profession
they were both alike. All are called Christians, all are baptized, and
all profess faith in Christ, and an expectation of his second coming,
with eternal life to ensue upon it ; all are virgins, all have lamps, all
are devoted to the bridegroom, go forth to meet him, and yet some were
wise, and some foolish ; some made preparation that whenever the
bridegroom should come they might be ready to go in with him, others
contented themselves with an outward profession, or loose waiting for
his coming, but did not with that serious diligence prepare themselves
for it, and so came short of the blessedness expected by them ; there
wanted a deep radication, and a constant perseverance, without which
VERS. 1, 2.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 323
the blaze of profession, which lasted for a while, will soon be extin
guished.
Doct. That in the visible church, among those that give up their
names to Christ, some will be found foolish when others are wise, and
come short of the blessedness expected by them. Or, in the visible
church all are not wise Christians, but some are wise, and really such
as they profess themselves to be ; others negligent, foolish, and impro
vident.
The state of the visible church is here represented ; and observe —
1. This parable is not spoken of the corrupted members of degene
rate churches, but speaketh what shall fall out in the churches not
defiled with whoredoms of the world. There are some churches that
have turned the government of Christ into a temporal domination,
and their worship into a mass of paganish or heathenish rites and
superstitions, and place all their glory, not in excellency of gifts and
graces, but pomp of living and external splendour, and make Chris
tianity look like a temporal worldly thing, calculated only for this
life. Of those Christ speaketh not here ; something may be intimated
of them in the former parable, but here he speaks of a reformed
church ; not the church in her pollution and defection, but a church
in her right constitution. Papists will be counted Christians, who
may be rejected by Christ at his coming ; they have so corrupted his
worship, discipline, and doctrine. Nay, but Christ speaketh here of
those that live under the dispensations of purer Christianity ; some
will be found true believers, others common professors ; even among
the members of a reformed church, that make profession of the
purity of the gospel, all will not be found such as may abide the day
of Christ's appearing in judgment. In Abraham's family there was
an Ishmael as well as an Isaac ; in Christ's, a Judas ; and in the
apostles' time, some were enemies to the cross of Christ that yet took
the profession of Christ upon them, Phil. iii. 18.
2. Mark again, it is not meant the scandalous and faulty members of
a pure church. There are many Christians in name only, but indeed
deny it, Titus i. 16. But it is not meant of the scandalous, that live
as if their hopes were altogether in this world, that engulph them
selves in all manner of sensuality, as if there were no heaven or hell,
nor no future account to be given of our actions ; but it is meant of such
as profess themselves to be devoted unto Jesus Christ the bridegroom,
such as are desirous to be admitted into the nuptial-feast, to have
communion with him in heaven, and possibly may attain to a blameless
conversation, and appear virgin-like, all waiting for the coming of the
Lord, in their own and others' estimation. Some that prophesied in
Christ's name, and ate and drank in his presence, are yet rejected by
Christ as workers of iniquity.
3. It is not meant only of those that have a show or a false and coun
terfeit profession, that are taught to act over their part in religion as
a play, as in the best and purest churches there will be hypocrites.
No ; these had some real work, though not a saving but a common
work, as a man may have a light tincture of religion whose heart is
not yet sound with Grod, Ps. cxix. 80, therefore David prayeth, ' Let
my heart be sound in thy statutes.' There was not a universal
324 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [$ER. I.
renouncing of all corruptions, not that thorough care to please God,
nor a rooted affection to Christ, though they have some good motions,
hopeful inclinations that way, as these virgins seemed to be well
affected to Christ ; for the present they had their lamps, made some
slender preparation, they went forth to meet the bridegroom as others
did. Therefore it will be necessary to show that a common work may go
far, and yet come short of blessedness: I shall prove it by three reasons.
[1.1 Because a common work may go far.
[2.J Though a common work may go far, yet it is not likely to
hold out.
[3.] If it should hold out a constant profession, yet it will not be
enough to qualify us for the kingdom of glory, or heavenly bliss and
happiness.
First Reason. "A common work will go far. I take it for granted
that there is a real common work of grace, as well as also a real
special work. If you doubt it I will inform you from scripture :
Heb. vi. 4, compared with the 9th verse. We read there of some
that were 'enlightened/ some that 'tasted of the good word, and
of the heavenly gift;' and elsewhere of some 'that had escaped the
pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ/ 2
Peter ii. 20. All this is real, the tasting the good word real, the
enlightening real, the partaking of the heavenly gift real, the escaping
the pollutions of the world real ; but the apostle saith in the 9th verse,
* We expect better things of you, and things that do accompany
salvation;' or things that have necessarily salvation in them, things
that whosoever hath them shall certainly be saved. The graces
of temporaries are for substance true, but slightly rooted ; there
are the purlieus of grace, or the borders of the kingdom of heaven,
some flashes of light or dawnings of grace, but the daystar doth not
arise in their hearts ; many are enlightened, taste the good word, have
some delight in the promises, taste of the heavenly gift, apprehend it
sweet to have communion with God in Christ, and taste the powers of
the world to come, feel some transports of soul when they hear of the
hopes of eternal life, and may be brought to some partial reformation ;
but that which is wanting is a deep indication or a more firm inher
ency of these graces in the soul, and a habitual predominancy of these
motions and affections over all other inclinations; for till it be so,
we cannot do any great service for God, or endure any trial for his
sake. Sometimes true grace is described by its deep radication ;
James i. 21, it is called an ' ingrafted word ;' it is not something tied
on, but ingrafted ; the root of the matter is within ; and sometimes it
is described by its efficacy : Eom. vi. 17, 'Ye have obeyed from the
heart the form of doctrine delivered to you/
But more especially I shall show you that a common work may go
far with respect to the three theological graces, faith, hope, and
charity, mentioned by the apostle 1 Cor. xiii. 13, ' Now abideth faith,
hope, and love ;' and again, 1 Thes. v. 8, ' But let us who are of the
day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an
helmet the hope of salvation.' Now a common work may go very far
in all these graces of faith, hope, and love, as here the virgins seemed
to believe the coming of Christ, and went forth to meet him.
VERS. 1,2.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 325
First, Therefore I shall show you what they may do as to faith. I
shall show what the grace is, and how far they may go along with it.
The scripture speaketh so much of faith, that we need to 'know what
it is. Faith in its peculiar respect works towards Christ and heaven ;
but take it in its general latitude, it is a firm and cordial assent to all
such things that are revealed by God, as revealed by him. Let us
explain this. Here is the object, things revealed by God as revealed
by him ; then the act, it is an assent ; the adjuncts, it is a firm and
cordial assent. For the object in this description, I consider it
materially and formally, all things revealed by God whatsoever. All
things necessary to salvation, faith apprehends them distinctly, other
things implicitly, that is, knows them in their general principle. Few
Christians know all the doctrines contained in the Christian religion,
but they believe them in the general. But now things necessary
to salvation, I must distinctly know them, as those that are called
articles of the Creed, the Lord's prayer, the ten commandments.
Faith is an assent to, and built upon a divine testimony, without any
other reason, whether as to things past, present, or to come. Things
past, as the creation of the world : Heb. xi. 3, ' By faith we under
stand the worlds were created by the word of God.' If a man should
hold the creation of the world upon some other reason that seemeth
cogent unto him, and not upon the discovery of it in the word, cer
tainly it is not faith, whatever it be, for faith assents to whatsoever
is revealed by God. So for things present, that God sitteth in heaven,
and Christ at his right hand. Stephen saw it by vision and ecstasy,
but every believer seeth it by faith, which is the evidence of things not
seen, as if with bodily eyes. So for things to come, as Christ's coming
to judgment, John saw it in the light of prophecy : Kev. xx. 12, ' I
saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God ; ' and they see
it in the light of scripture and the promise. So that you see the
objects of faith are things revealed by God, because revealed by him.
If a man should believe the Christian religion upon tradition, or the
current opinion where he liveth, it is not faith, but human credulity.
Now the act of faith it is an assent, not knowledge but acknow
ledgment : the understanding hath a double act, apprehension or
dijudication ; it judgeth of the truth of things apprehended, or appre-
hendeth the tenor of things, and then judgeth of the truth of them.
They are not enlightened in a way of faith that are only able to talk
of heavenly things, but such as are persuaded of the truth of them.
And then mark the adjuncts, it is a firm and cordial assent.
1. It is a firm assent, and that excludeth many things from faith,
as light credulity: Prov. xiv. 15, ' The simple believeth every word.'
He that believeth everything without search and serious advertency,
believeth nothing. And it excludeth bare non-contradiction. Many
are thought to believe the religion they live under, because they do
not question it. These can no more be said to believe than children
are said to believe the questions and answers of the Catechism they
have learned by rote. True faith knoweth the certainty of those
things wherein they have been instructed, Luke i. 4. And then it
excludeth conjecture to be faith, which is a lighter inclination of the
mind to a thing as probable ; it may be so, yet there is a suspicion to
326 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. I.
the contrary. Nay, it excludeth opinion, which goeth higher than
conjecture, but cometh short of faith.
Well, now, thus far many go ; there may be an owning of the true
orthodox religion, only out of custom, chance of birth, education,
tradition of ancestors ; they may talk much, as parrots repeat men's
words by rote only. There may be convictions and opinions about
them, they may be persuaded those things are true that are in the
word of God, and yet no firm assent.
2. But to come nearer yet, the next adjunct it is a cordial and
hearty assent, such as engageth the heart to Christ. We read in
scripture of ' believing with the heart,' Eom. x. 9, and ' believing
with all the heart,' Acts viii. 37. Truths are propounded to us in the
scripture not only as true, but good things, of great weight and
moment; as well as certain. Believing is a hearty business; now
this cordial and hearty assent excludeth historical faith, and tempo
rary faith.
[1.] Historical faith, which rests on a naked speculation, or a simple
and naked assent to such things as are propounded in the word of
God. This consisteth in a mere speculation of the mind, without any
change of the bent of the will and affections. True faith ever over
comes all contrary inclinations and motions, so that God's interest
may prevail above them : Heb. xi. 13, ' Being persuaded of them,
they embraced them.' Those who have a mere historical faith
are not excited to holy living ; are rendered more knowing, not
better : this is a real faith in its kind. Simon Magus did really
believe by the preaching of Philip, Acts viii. 13. It was not
counterfeit, for it is said he wondered. And those in John ii. 24,
that believed in the name of Christ, but Christ ' would not commit
himself to them, for he knew all men.' And no question the devils
do really believe, James ii., not only natural truths, but gospel truths :
' I know thou art the holy one of God.' What a confession is this out
of the devil's mouth ! Therefore it is wrong to say that unregene-
rate men do not believe. Because this being the main business in
hand, I will tell you why it is called historical faith. Not from
the object of it, as if they only believed the histories of the scripture.
No ; they believe promises, threatenings, doctrines, precepts, mys
teries. But it is called historical faith from the manner wherewith
it is conversant about its object. As we read histories in which
we are no way concerned, only for contemplation and knowledge' sake,
not to make a party in their broils, or interpose in their quarrels ; so
they rest in idle speculations, which betters not the practice. Well,
now, this speculative assent they may have ; this faith doth not only
believe those things that are true, but doth heartily and truly believe
them.
[2.] There is besides this, temporary faith ; that is, such an assent
as is accompanied with a slight and insufficient touch upon the heart,
called a taste, Heb. vi. 4, so that they do not only believe the truths
of the gospel, but are tickled with some delight, and do in some
measure find their hearts drawn off from worldly lusts and practices ;
but the impression is not deep enough, nor the joy rooted enough to
counterbalance all temptations to the contrary. They seem to have
VERS. 1, 2.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 327
their hearts loosened from the world, and to prefer Christ before the
creature, as long as no temptations do assault, or sensual objects stand
up in any considerable strength to entice them ; but then they bewray
their weakness. But that faith that is serious and hearty doth so
believe the promises of the gospel as to seek happiness in them,
to make it his business so to believe the mysteries of our redemption
as to build all his comfort and peace upon them, so believe the com
mands of God as to frame his heart to observe them ; in short, to
improve everything to the use of holy living.
Secondly, The next theological grace is hope. Here was an expec
tation of the bridegroom's coming, as well as a belief of it. All
Christians profess that they expect Christ to come to judgment, and
many desire and hope to be entertained at the nuptial feast as well as
others, and hope to go in with him into celestial joys. Now there may
be much of this in temporaries, not only a bare profession, but some
real motions this way. Oh, how often are they pressed to keep on this
joy and comfort ! Heb. iii. 6, * Whose house are we, if we hold fast the
confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end ;' and Heb. iii. 14,
' For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast to the end ; ' and to maintain it with all serious
diligence, Heb. vi. 11, that it may grow into more certainty. But to
evidence this to you, let us see what Christian hope is. It seems to be
described by the apostle, Kom. ii. 7, those that ' seek for life and
immortality by patient continuing in well-doing ; ' or a ' looking for
the mercy of God unto eternal life/ Jude 21. Or more formally, a
certain earnest or desirous expectation of blessedness promised, in
that way wherein it is promised. We believe there is such a blessed
ness, therefore wait with earnestness and patience till it come to pass,
and exercise ourselves with all diligence for the obtaining it. True
hope ever quickeneth our diligence : Acts xxiv. 10, ' And herein do I
exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards
God, and towards men/ Most interpreters say, ' Hereupon do I exer
cise myself/ He had spoken of the hope of Israel, so that it was upon
the account of his hope he did use that diligence. But more plainly,
Acts xxvi. 6, 7, ' Unto which hope our twelve tribes, serving God
diligently, hope to come/ A man that hopeth for anything will ear
nestly pursue it in the way wherein it is to be obtained, and follow his
work close day and night. There is a hope that is but a devout sloth,
but the true Christian is lively and active : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath
this hope in him, purifieth himself as Christ is pure.' Ignorant people
say they hope well, that he that made them shall save them, but live
as if they fled from heaven and salvation ; but the true hope encour-
ageth us to hold on our coarse with diligence and cheerfulness, not
withstanding the troubles and difficulties and temptations we meet
with in the way to it ; they make it their constant work and business.
Now they that are unrenewed may go far in hope, especially when they
are under the initial work of the Spirit ; they may have not only the
careless man's hope, which is a slight and superficial hope, which
groweth upon them they know not how, without any warrant or ground ;
nor a dead and cold hope, which is the fruit of opinion, a loose and
fond conjecture rather than a certain expectation ; but a hope that
hath some life in it ; nor the presumer's hope, which is a lazy loitering
328 . SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. I.
hope, that severeth the end from the means, but may have some lively
tastes, which for a while sets them a-work in the spiritual life ; but the
fault is, it is not so fixed as it should be, neither d'oth it beget in us
that constant assiduous labour, seriousness and self-denial, but enough
to keep up a blazing profession, but doth not make them so earnest for
the possession of what they hope for.
Thirdly, The third theological grace is love or charity ; love to God,
and love to our neighbour. There is somewhat of both here. They
were well affected to the bridegroom ; they went forth to meet and
carry lamps before him, for his honour as well as light ; and they went
in consort and company with their fellow- virgins. . So some are so well
affected to the ways of God as to make profession of them to the people
of God, so as to walk with them. But let me speak of love to God.
Love to God is iiot^a fellow-like familiarity, but ready subjection to his
laws : ' If ye love me, keep my commandments,' John xiv. 15, and
1 John v. 3, ' For this is love, that we keep his commandments.' Now
they may so far do this as to make profession of the ways of God, and
walk blameless in them as to men, yet strangers to heart-mortification
and a true preference of God in the soul. The knowledge of Christ
may make men cleanse their external conversations, but live in secret
love with some lusts, which they serve in a more cleanly manner.
They love happiness more than holiness ; they love God, but do little
for him. Labour and love are often spoken of ; they have not that
active and serious diligence that is commanded in doing the things that
please God. Then, for love to the brethren, they may magnify the
people of God, Acts v. 13, join with them, and do many offices of
love for them ; but the heart needs to be purified before there can be
that ' unfeigned love to the brethren/ 1 Peter i. 22. And it is not
easy to hold on in the ways of God in all conditions. There are many
sins contrary to the grace of love ; pride, envy, self-seeking, self-love,
wrath. It must be such a love as floweth from holy principles, and
breaketh out in real performances ; and this, to be carried out in a
Christian manner, will be found very hard to do.
Second Reason. Though a common work may go far, it is not likely
to hold out. Their lamps went out, and they had no vessels to supply
them. Notwithstanding the sudden pangs and fervours, and forward
profession of temporaries, yet usually they fail in the issue. They
believe for a while, Luke viii. 13, and hope for a while : Col. i.
23, ' If ye continue steadfast, and be not moved from the hope of the
gospel.' Love for a while : Mat. xxiv. 12, ' The love of many shall
wax cold ; ' and good reason ; partly because they have not the grace
to which the promise of perseverance is made. There is donum per-
severantiw, there is such a thing as the gift of perseverance, and it is
assured by promise to special saving grace. Now they that have not
this radicated state of grace, have not this promise ; for Christ saith,
John iv. 14, ' The water that I shall give him, shall be a well of water
springing up to eternal life.' A cruse may fail, a bucket emptied, a
pond dried up, but a fountain is ever flowing, and never dried up.
Therefore David prayeth, * Let my heart be sound in thy statutes,
that I be not ashamed.' When the heart is not sound before God,
disorders break out before men, and many that make a fair show
for a while, afterwards shipwreck themselves, and all their credit
VERS. 1 , 2.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 329
for godliness. And partly because where the heart is not thoroughly
converted to God, evermore some temporal good thing lieth too close
to the heart, and hath a deeper rooting there than grace can have.
And these base and carnal delights will in time prevail over the
interest God hath in the heart, Heb. xii. 13. That which is lame is
soon turned out of the way : ' Demas hath forsaken us, and embraced
the present world.' Men of an unsound heart have some temptation
or other that carrieth them quite off from God : as old Eli fell and
broke his neck, so they break the neck of their profession.
Third Reason why many that are virgins come short of the nuptial
feast. Because if they should hold out a constant profession, it will not
be enough to qualify them for heaven and everlasting happiness. It
is possible an unrenewed man may never fall from his profession, yet
he can bring nothing to perfection. Luke viii. 13, the stony ground
fell from their profession, but the thorny ground brought nothing to
perfection. All are not exposed to great trials. Oh ! nothing but a
real conversion will qualify us for the kingdom of heaven. The foolish
virgins' case was as fair and as good as the other, till the bridegroom
came : Mat. xviii. 3, ' Except ye be converted, and become as little
children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven/ The sentence
is absolute and peremptory. So John iii. 3, ' Except a man be bora
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God/ Nothing less than renew
ing grace will serve the turn. Be a man in appearance better or worse,
a gross sinner, or a painted pharisee, a hopeful beginner, or one of long
standing, 'Except ye be born again, ye cannot see the kingdom of God/
Use 1. To show how far from salvation some are, if those that have
some kind of faith, and hope, and love, may come short ; as for instance —
(1.) All practical atheists and infidels, that scoff at Christ's coming :
2 Peter iii. 3, 4, ' In the last days there shall come scoffers, walking
after their own lusts, saying, Where is the promise of his coming ? '
Some, that they may sin the more securely, question the second coming
of Christ, or banish out of their hearts the thoughts of the day of judg
ment. Many that went out to meet the bridegroom yet were foolish
virgins, and were shut out. (2.) Flagitious persons, or scandalous
sinners, that neither respect Christ nor his people, that make no show
nor preparation, are neither virgins, nor do they take their lamps ; if
they have a historical certainty, not a temporary faith. How much
then of the Christian world would be cut off before we come to an
accurate and exquisite trial ? 2 Peter iii. 11, 'What manner of persons
ought we to be ? ' and Gal. v. 24, * They that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof/ If this be a sure rule
to try by, what a multitude of Christians are there that do not belong
to Christ, that by a real profession have given up their names to him !
Use 2. Is caution to us all. Let us take heed we do not deceive
ourselves, or rest satisfied with the picture of godliness. An army
would be very cautious if they knew beforehand that one-half of them
should be destroyed. Now five of them were wise, and five were
foolish. Among the virgin professors that hold out an honourable
profession, many will be found foolish. Yea, when Christ had said,
' One of you shall betray me ; ' ' Lord, is it I, is it I ?' said the disciples.
Now you are here told, not one, but many. Now go home, and say,
330 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. I.
Lord, is it I ? In the purest churches many may lie hid and not dis
cerned. Oh ! therefore take not up with weak and groundless hopes.
1. Do not please yourselves by being of such a sect or such a pro
fession. Men think the safest place to lie asleep in is Christ's own
lap. If they are of such a party, they think they are safe ; but con
sider, lead may be cast into all forms, an angel or devil, but it is lead
still. Consider God is an exact and impartial judge : 1 Peter iii. 17,
* If you call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth all
men ;' his people as well as others, if they build upon their profession.
Do not content yourselves with a form of godliness, though never so
strict ; nor a name of godliness, though never so renowned. These
were virgins, not defiled with error or idolatry, or the scandalous cus
toms or fashions of the world ; yet some of them were foolish virgins.
2. Do not contefit yourselves that you do not take up a profession
and an intention of religion merely to serve the times and yourselves
of it, not knowing yourselves intentionally and industriously to coun
terfeit ; as Judas, that followed Christ for the bag, being in his heart
a traitor and a thief from the beginning, John xiii. 6 ; or as Simon
Magus at first hoped to make as good market of his new faith as his
old sorcery, professed to believe in Christ out of design. Nay, a man
that, for anything he knoweth or perceiveth, may think that he is in
good earnest, yet he may be a temporary, though he is no temporiser.
Christ knew them that knew not themselves, John ii. 24. To speak
in a word, though you may know nothing of guile, yet do not content
yourselves with that merely.
3. Do not rest in this, that you find some real work, and go no
further. A man's heart may be softened, but not opened to the pur
pose : he may have a love and liking of religion, and yet not come
under the power of it-; some flashes of comfort, yet seek his happiness
in worldly things ; some desires and good inclinations, and yet be
slothful and negligent in the main, in mortifying lusts, or not perfect
ing holiness, and fain would have some part in Christ, but yet make
but slender preparation, get oil in his lamp, but not in his vessel ; fain he
would have the blessings of grace and glory, if bare wishes and desires
would do it ; fain would go to heaven, but would do nothing for it,
unless it be in a lazy, cold, and dull preparation ; doth not make it the
chief business of his life to know the will of God and do it.
Use 3. Is to exhort us to be very serious in our preparation for the
coming of the Lord ; or, as the apostle cautions the Ephesians, Eph.
v. 15, 16, ' See that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise/
To this end consider —
1. That our whole life is nothing else but a preparation for Christ's
coming. The common duty of all Christians is to go forth and meet
the bridegroom ; or, to make sure of life eternal is the necessary busi
ness we have to do in the world. Our whole life was appointed for
this end, and all the time we spend here is worse than lost, if it be not
employed and used for this end. It is now preparation time ; these
are the months of our purification for our immortal souls ; therefore
our continual care should be to make ready.
2. We may defer this work too long, we cannot begin it too soon.
The foolish virgins would get oil in their vessels, but it was too late.
VERS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 331
Never any complained of beginning with God too soon : many could
have wished they had known the ways of righteousness sooner, Rom.
xiii. 11; many have judged 'the time past more than enough,' 1
Peter iv. 3.
3. It is not so slight and easy a thing to get to heaven as the world
imagineth : Mat. vii. 14, ' Strive to enter in at the strait gate, for
many shall seek to enter and shall not be able.' Many deceive them
selves ; it is not so broad as the opinions of some, as the practices of
more would make it, and the carnal hearts of all would have it.
Broader or narrower it cannot be than Christ hath left it. In the
general, a man may come much too short, none go over. Oh ! when
you do but consider that many are afar off. Eph. ii. 13, and some are
near, as Christ told the young man, ' Thou art not far from the
kingdom of heaven ;' and others are scarcely saved, and some enter
abundantly, it concerns us therefore to take heed to ourselves.
4. This is your wisdom. There is a great deal of do in the world
about wisdom : Job xi. 12, ' Vain man would be accounted wise.' A
man cannot endure to be counted a fool, will sooner own a vice in
morals than a weakness in intellectuals. Now wisdom lieth in provi
dence, and folly in negligence, especially in weighty matters. These
wise virgins provided oil in their vessels, and the wise builder built
upon a rock. They are wise in God's account, whatever the world
thinketh of them, that are wise for heavenly things, and govern their
hearts and ways exactly, Eph. v. 14, 15 ; and they are fools that never
mind the good of their souls.
What would you have us do ? I will only press you to three
things : —
[1.] Let your belief be sound and firm to the great articles of
Christianity. It is faith enlivens all our notions of God : John vi. 69,
' We believe and are sure that thou art Jesus the Son of God.'
[2.] Let your resolutions for God be unbounded, Ps. cxix. 112.
You never knew a man fall off from God, but he loved some secret
lust, some corruption was left unmortified, though for the present it
did not appear to the party himself ; this in time will break out, and
cause some scandalous fall.
[3.] I would have you put it out of all question by the lively exercise
of your grace, and by your diligence in the spiritual life, Phil. ii. 12 ;
and in time it will grow up into an evidence, 2 Peter i. 5 ; Luke xiii. 3.
Nothing will yield you comfort but the exercising and increasing grace.
SERMON II.
Tliey that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them :
but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. — MAT.
XXY. 3, 4.
NOT only the openly wicked, those that eat and drink with the
drunken, are rejected, but those that have some show of godliness ;
yea, hopeful beginnings, but not improved, is the drift of this parable.
332 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. II.
We have considered wherein the ten virgins agree ; now, wherein they
differ : they had so much wisdom to take their lamps with them, but
so much folly as to take no oil in their vessels. These vessels were
annexed to their lamps, or that part of the lamp which was kindled
and lighted. By the lamps are meant outward profession, Mat. v. 16 ;
by the oil, the Spirit, called ' the anointing which abideth in us/ 1
John ii. 27. Now the foolish virgins are such inconsiderate Chris
tians as content themselves with the name and blaze of outward
profession, neglecting the great work within ; namely, an inward
principle of grace, which should maintain their profession before men,
and their uprightness before God ; they had only some transient
motions of the Spirit, or inclinations to that which is good, enough
to keep up their present profession, but not to hold out and suffice at
Christ's coming. But the wise virgins, that had oil in their vessels,
with their lamps, are sound and solid Christians, who, with the lamps
of external profession, are careful to be furnished inwardly with the
graces of the Holy Spirit.
Doct. 1. It is not enough to have oil in our lamps, but we must
have oil in our vessels also.
Doct. 2. This will be found to be our true wisdom, and the other to
be the greatest folly.
For the first point, that it is not enough to have oil in our lamps,
but we must have oil in our vessels also, let me explain this point in
these propositions : —
1. Profession must not be neglected : both the wise and the foolish
took their lamps with them. Burning profession is twofold — vocal
and real. Vocal : Kom. x. 9, ' If thou shalt confess with thy mouth,
and believe with thy heart.' Christ will be owned by those that are
his. Christ's followers need not be ashamed of avowing their master.
Faith should not, and love cannot be smothered and hidden ; therefore
profession is as necessary as believing in its kind. Again, there is a
real profession, not so much by word of mouth as by constant practice
and conversation ; so Christians are bidden to ' shine as lights/ Phil,
ii. 15. This is for the glory of God, Mat. v. 16, and the honour of
Christ that it should be so ; therefore the apostle prayeth, 2 Thes. i.
11, 12, * Wherefore we pray always for you, that our God would count
you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his
goodness, and the work of faith with power, that the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you.' It is not meant of the
illicit acts, but the fruit that it produceth ; and it is for the honour of
the truth. Suitable practice joined with profession puts a majesty and
splendour on the truth, and recommendeth it to the consciences of
beholders : Titus ii. 10, ' Adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.' It
is not so much by good words and expressions that Christians do put
a loveliness and beauty upon the ways of God, as by ordering their
ways with all strictness and gravity; so that this fair profession is
of great use, especially the real part ; it is an evidence that all is right
within, for the breaking out of sin and folly in the life clearly
evidenceth the power and prevalency of unmortified lusts in the heart;
therefore we must keep our lamps burning ; the foolish and the wise
did both well in that.
VERS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 333
2. A profession of godliness, though never so glorious, should not
be rested in without a saving work of grace upon the heart to main
tain it. There was the folly of one sort of virgins, that they were
contented with having oil in their lamps for their present use, without
looking further ; and the wisdom of the other, that their vessels were
furnished as well as their lamps. Grace must flow forth, but withal
it must have a bottom within. As a fountain or spring sending forth
streams to water the ground about it, or the heart sendeth forth life
and spirits to every faculty and member, so the graces of the Spirit in
believers flow forth in their carriage and behaviour, to make their
tongue drop that which is savoury, their actions orderly and even,
their carriage in all relations and affairs grave and serious. It is well
when all this hath a bottom, that there is a principle of life within, to
diffuse this virtue into every part of their conversations, and to keep
them mindful and respective to all the commands of God. Now this
is required — (1.) Partly because this glorious profession and practice
will not serve the turn for the present ; for God looks not to outward
appearance, but regards the frame of the heart ; it is internal holiness
that is lovely in his eyes, Ps. li. 6, and without which the external is
loathsome to him, Mat. xxiii. 17. A Christian hath more in the
vessel than in the lamp : Ps. xlv. 13, * The king's daughter is all
glorious within/ That which is outwardly professed is inwardly
rooted and cherished by them who worship and serve God in spirit
and truth. Knowledge, faith, love, hope, zeal, courage, patience, these
adorn the heart, as well as the fruits of them appear in the life,
and this maketh us beautiful in the eyes of him that seeth in secret.
Jt would help us to discover our mistakes if we did make God our
witness, approver, and judge ; for the present studying to approve him
in the frame of our hearts, which is hidden from all others. And (2.)
Partly because the lamp will not long hold burning unless there be a
stock of oil to feed it ; so that if it could suffice for the present,
yet without grace in the heart, for the future, we shall miscarry when
the slender provision and store is spent. A Christian is to provide
for the time to come such grace as may endure and hold out in
all trials, and bear weight in the day of judgment. We are often
pressed to set ourselves in such a state, and put ourselves into such
a frame, as will endure the glory of Christ's presence ; and to think of
that time, and what we shall do, or how we shall be found when
he appeareth. He only believeth aright in Christ that will not be
ashamed at his appearance : Luke xxi. 36, ' That ye may stand before
the Son of man ;' and 1 John iv. 17, ' That we may have boldness at
the day of judgment ;' and 1 John ii. 29, ' When he shall appear we
may have confidence, and not be ashamed of him at his coming/
3. A saving work of grace is an inward principle of life, and that
in such a degree and measure, which the unsound, though the most
glorious professors of the gospel, do not attain unto. Some slight and
insufficient touches upon their hearts many professors may attain
unto that yet never had this rooted principle of grace, which may
properly be called oil in the vessel. It differeth in indication and
efficacy, as I showed before. They are enlightened, but the day- star
doth not arise in their hearts, 2 Peter i. 19, and Eph. v. 8. A flash
334 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiB. II.
of light they may have, but are not light in the Lord. Are affected
with the truths of the gospel, but not changed or transformed by it,
2 Cor. iii. 18. Sin may be restrained or benumbed, but it is not
subdued and mortified, Gal. v. 24 ; we cannot say it is crucified.
They are half loosed, but are still in bonds ; make some show of
escape from Satan, but are surprised by him again ; worse hampered
than before, Mat. xii. 45 ; urged, excited to some good, but not
enabled and inclined to love God with all the heart, and seriously and
constantly to set about the things that please him, and to avoid the
contrary. They have not the grace the apostle prayeth for, Heb.
xiii. 12, that grace ' that may make you perfect in every good work,
to do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight
through Jesus Christ.' Have you this grace, to be always working
that which is pleasing in his sight ? Their fire is like a straw fire,
soon in and soon out; so that there is a difference. The common
grace that they have is real, but not of an abiding and everlasting
nature, not secured by God's covenant and promise ; there is not that
solid, rooted piety. Therefore, it is not enough for Christians to see
that the lamp burneth, but to look what there is in the vessel, to feed
the flame. It is not sudden affections on our part, nor the transient
motions of the Spirit on God's part, that will amount to a constant
principle of life.
4. This constant, abiding state of grace or principle of life may be
known partly by the terms by which it is set forth in scripture, and
partly by the effects of it.
First, By the terms by which it is expressed in scripture.
1. It is expressed sometimes with respect to the original author,
pattern, and fountain of it, which is God; and so it is called the
divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4 ; whereby is not meant the infinite essence
of God, which can neither be divided, or communicated to any
creature, but of those holy and heavenly qualities and dispositions
whereby we resemble God. The heart of this Christian is so
stamped with God's own image and character, that he beginneth
to look like God for wisdom, holiness, purity, pity. So sometimes
it is called the life of God, Eph. iv. 18 : that spiritual life that
is begun in regeneration is so called ; not as God is the first
original author of life natural, but the pattern of it. From both
these places it appeareth we must first be partakers of such a
nature as God hath, before we can live such a life as God doth.
2. It is sometimes expressed with respect to the meritorious and
procuring cause, or the immediate head and fountain of it; and
so Christ is said ' to live in us,' Gal. ii. 20 ; 'to dwell in us,'
Eph. iii. 17 ; ' to remain in us as the hope of glory/ Col. i. 27.
That Christians may live the life of grace, they must first be
united to Christ ; for he liveth in us as the head in the members,
or the root -in the branches : we must be united to Christ, and
receive influence from him as branches from the root. Through
faith Christ is perpetually present in virtue, grace, and spirit. We
must first partake of Christ himself, being most strictly united
to him, as members to the head, from whence they receive sense
VERS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 335
and motion : he taketh up a fixed and immovable habitation in our
hearts, John xiv. 23, not for a visit and away ; but keepeth a perpetual
residence in the heart.
3. With respect to the immediate author and fountain, which is the
Spirit given to us, to dwell in us, by some special way of operation,
Rom. v. 5 ; and 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' Now we have not received the spirit of
world, but the Spirit of God, that we may know the things that are
freely given us of God ;; and Bom. viii. 11, 'If the Spirit of him that
raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you.' A believer's body and
soul is the Spirit's mansion-house ; and those that have the Spirit to
dwell in them, not to come upon them at times, are in an abiding
state of grace. The Spirit came upon Balaam at times, Num. xxiv.
34 ; but in his people he makes his abode. He doth act in others as
a spirit assisting, but not as a spirit inhabiting : he dwelleth in his
people. The Spirit is often promised to dwell in our hearts, not only
for a season, but for ever : John iv. 14, ' The water that I shall give
him shall be a well of water springing up to everlasting life/ Mark,
the Spirit doth not give a draught, but the spring ; not a dash of rain
that is soon dried up, but a well ; not a pond, that may be dried up at
length, but a fountain that ever keepeth flowing, so that we shall
never thirst more. It shall quench his thirst after worldly vanities
and delights : these things grow tasteless the more of the Spirit we
have. The Spirit of Christ, as the fountain, doth make this grace
enduring in itself and in its effects, a well of inexhaustible fulness
and refreshment. So John vii. 38, ' He that believeth in me, out of
his belly shall flow rivers of living water/ Not a petty refreshment
for a season, but his Spirit to dwell in us as a full fountain, to flow
forth for the refreshment of himself and others. Though the ocean
be in God, yet there is a river in the saints. In Christ there is
plenitudo fontis ; in us, plenitudo vasts. If we find any remission of
the comforts of this spring, it is through our own pride and unbelief
and idleness : John xiv. 16, 17, ' I will give you another comforter,
that he may abide with you for ever/ The Spirit will not change his
dwelling-place. This is such a degree of grace as the unregenerate
world cannot receive.
4. This inward principle is expressed with respect to the instru
ment, which is the word of God ; so it is called \6yov ejjKfrvrov,
James i. 21, ' The ingrafted word.' The root of the matter is within ;
it is not the word heard only, or the word obeyed only will save us,
but it must be an ingrafted word. It is not bound on, but ingrafted ;
it is not enough to yield some present obedience to it, but it must be
rooted in us. So in that notable promise, Heb. viii. 10, ' I will put
my laws in their minds, and write them upon their hearts/ The
writing is the law of God, the tables^are the minds and hearts of men ;
that is the understanding and will and rational appetite ; and this is
written by the finger of God ; there where is the source and original
of all moral operations, of all thoughts and affections, and inward
motions, there is the law of God written ; in those parts of the soul
where the directive counsel and the imperial commanding power of all
human actions resideth, there will God write his laws in lively and
336 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEK. II.
legible characters. And what is the effect ? A man becometh a law
to himself, he carrieth his rule about with him, and hath a ready and
willing mind to obey it : Ps. xxxvii. 31, ' The law of God is in his
heart ; none of his steps shall slide/ The truth is rooted in him, and
his heart is suited and inclined to it ; he unfeignedly loveth what is
commanded of God, and hateth what is forbidden by him.
5. The work itself is sometimes generally expressed by these
notions. It is called tcawr) Krivw, ' The new creature/ 2 Cor. v. 17,
when a man is thoroughly framed anew in all his faculties ; and
1 John iii. 9, it is called (nrepfj,a, ' The abiding seed;' not a vanishing
affection, but a remaining seed ; and it is called ' A good treasure/
Mat. xii. 35. There is a stock that supplieth holy thoughts, words,
and actions. As a man that hath a bad treasure of corruption, the
more he spends, the more it is increased ; so a man that hath a good
stock, he bringeth forth holy thoughts, words, and actions. And it is
called ' A new heart, and a right spirit/ Ps. li. 10 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 26,
27 ; and it is called ' A sound heart/ Ps. cxix. 80. There is a slight
heart, and a sound heart, which is not only opposed to the shows of
hypocrites, but to the sudden pangs and half-dispositions of tempo
raries, when grace beareth a universal sovereignty over us, inclining
the heart to love, and please, and serve God.
6. Sometimes the work is particularly expressed by the several
graces of the Spirit, all which are comprised in faith and repentance :
Acts xx. 21, ' Teaching them repentance towards God, and faith in our
Lord Jesus Christ/ Kepentance towards God, because by it we
return to the duty we owe to our creator ; and faith, in the gospel
notion, doth principally respect our Kedeemer, and his mediation for
us. By repentance we return to the duty enjoined by the law, from
whence we are fallen ; and by faith we apprehend the love of Christ,
and what he hath done for us. By repentance we are set in joint
again as to our obedience to the lawgiver ; and by faith we close
with, and are united to our Kedeemer, without which we cannot be
accepted with God. Both are the principles of all sincere obedience
and subjection to the gospel-law or covenant.
If you ask me, what is this oil in the vessel that we must have to
qualify us to meet the bridegroom at his coming ?
Ans. It is repentance, mortifying our inward lusts, and faith work
ing by love.
(1.) Eepentance, mortifying our inward lusts, that in newness of
life we may glorify God ; therefore called ' Repentance from dead
works/ Heb. vi. 1. By common grace men may cast off all outward
evils, escape the pollutions of the world, but are never really and
inwardly changed in their natures till the Spirit of Christ worketh this
grace in the heart ; they are but as a sow washed, 2 Peter ii. 22 ;
there is an inclination to wallow in the mire of carnal delights again.
It is possible a man may see such an excellency in Christ, arid be
so affected at the hopes of his mercy, and melted at the thoughts of
his love, as to cast off outward gross evils which the world liveth in ;
but this is but the sow washed ; the heart is not changed. Lust for a
while may be benumbed, seem quenched, but it is not deadened, it is not
weakened: 'If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body/
VERB. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 337
Kom. viii. 13; as appearetli by its breaking out again with the more
violence.
(2.) Faith working by love, that is the great principle of gospel-
obedience. True grace doth not lie hid in the soul in lazy habits, but
sets the soul a-work for God, upon the apprehension of his love in
Christ ; this constraineth us entirely to give up ourselves to God, 2 Cor.
v. 14, minding his interest, studying his will, seeking to please him in
all things. A man is not to be judged by present pangs, but by the
constant bent and bias of his soul ; it is set God-ward, to please him,
and enjoy him, notwithstanding the back-bias of corruption.
Secondly, We now come to the effects. The effects are two : —
1. A constant fitness, readiness, and propension to do and suffer
what God calleth us unto, or a habitual inclination of heart towards
that which is good.
2. A habitual aversation to that which is evil.
1. A habitual inclination of heart towards that which is good ; this
is called in scripture, * the having the heart at the right hand/ Eccles.
x. 2. He speaketh not of the natural posture, but the leaning of the
heart towards duty ; he is ready fitted and prepared for duty. And
sometimes this is called, ' having our loins girt/ 1 Peter i. 13, as ready
to travel ; or it noteth the ready disposition that should be in us for
duties or conflicts. So ' we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works/ Eph. ii. 10 ; that is, put into a fitness and
aptitude for them. As everything that is created hath a fitness and
aptitude for that use for which it serveth, the water to flow, the air
to be carried to and fro ; so a Christian hath a fitness for his work.
The opposite to this is that, Titus i. 16, ' To every good work repro
bate ; ' unfit to be employed for this holy business. Briefly, as every
habit serveth for this use, Ut quis facile, jucunde et constanter agat ;
to perfect the operation of that faculty in which it is seated, so that a
man may act easily, pleasantly, constantly; so doth habitual grace
serve for this use, to incline us, and fit us for the service of God.
There are three things that are found in those that have this work
wrought in them : —
[1.] There is an inclination and propensity to a godly life ; for as God
created all creatures with an inclination to their proper operations, so
the new creature hath a tendency to those actions which are proper to
.its state ; as the sparks fly upward and the stone falleth downward
from an inclination of nature, so are their hearts bent to please God
and serve him, and what they do therein they do with a kind of
naturalness, because of this bent and inclination : ' The law is in
their hearts/ Ps. xl. 8. There is a purpose there, Acts xi. 23, an
inclination there, Ps. cxix. 112. We read in Exod. xxxv. 29, that
they gave to the sanctuary ' every one whose heart made him willing.'
I bring this expression to explain what I am speaking of ; so their
hearts being thus prepared and renewed by the Holy Ghost, make
them willing ; there is some weight and poise within their hearts to
carry them unto God, and the duties that concern his glory and
service. A man may act from a violent impression contrary to nature,
as a stone nioveth upward, or a bowl thrown with great strength where
the bias is overruled ; so a wicked man may do a good action or two,
VOL. IX. Y
338 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. II.
as Saul forced himself ; but the bent and natural inclination is another
thing. It is good to attend to the principle of our motions, whether
it be natural or violent, whether our spirits make us willing, or some
accidental reason constrain us ; as when men are acted by something
foreign, as the force of holy example, whereby many a man is drawn
to do otherwise than he would, as Joash while Jehoiada lived, 2 Chron.
xxiv. A man may be acted by his company, follow good examples, and
may be provoked thereby : Heb. x. 24, ' Let us consider one another,
to provoke to love and good works.' It were well if one Christian
would more provoke another. Man is an imitating creature, loath to
be outdone ; but if this be all, we shall soon bewray our unsoundness.
He may be forced by envy, vainglory, and by-ends (Phil. i. 5) to
preach or pray, forced by natural conscience, Bom. ii. 14, 15, or set
a-work by a corrupt principle. The urgings of a natural conscience
are quite another thing than the bent of a renewed heart ; there is a
principle of life which breedeth an inclination. He may be forced by
a sense of his misery ; self sets him a-work to seek after God, because
he would use him for a turn, to help him out of his distress ; as those
in Ps. Ixxviii. 34-37, ' When he slew them, then they sought him, and
they returned and inquired early after God ; and they remembered
that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer : never
theless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied to him
with their tongues : for their heart was not right with him, neither
were they steadfast in his covenant.' Their affections were not sincerely
set for God, or towards God, or bent against sin ; the sense of a pre
sent wrath, or the terror of an angry God, did drive them into a fit of
religiousness for the present, which can produce no steadfast purpose.
They that make self their utmost end can never endeavour constantly
to please and glorify God ; but where true grace is, there is a pro
pensity and disposition to every good work, which we should always
cherish in ourselves ; for as it abateth or increaseth, so we are diligent
or sluggish in God's service.
[2.] There is not only an inclination, but a readiness. or preparedness,
which is a further effect of this solid and substantial grace, and often
spoken of in scripture ; as Titus iii. 1, ' Keady to every good work ;'
1 Tim. vi. 18, ' Keady to distribute ;' * Keady to communicate,' Heb.
xiii. 16. So Paul, Acts xxi. 13, eroi/iw? *%&>, ' I am ready not only to
be bound, but to die at Jerusalem/ Or take a general place, 2 Tim.
ii. 4, ' Prepared to every good work ;' and Luke xii. 47, ' That servant
that knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did accord
ing to his will ;' so Eph. ii. 10, and many other places. This goeth
beyond inclination, as fire hath an inclination to ascend upward, but
something may violently keep it down that it cannot ascend actually.
A Christian may have a will to good, a strong and not a remiss will,
yet there are some impediments : Rom. vii. 18, ' For to will is present
with me, but how to perform that which is good I find not.' Incli
nation implieth a remote power, but readiness the next or immediate
power. God's people, that have the seed of grace in them, yet how
unready are they to that which they desire to do ! Therefore a Chris
tian ought always to keep himself in all readiness and fitness of dis
position for his duty, whether it concern God, or ourselves, or others.
VERS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 339
This is opposite to dulness, sleepiness, listlessness, or wearisomeness in
our service, opposite to a/e^Sta, which the schoolmen make to be one
of the seven deadly sins, a remiss, cold will, hanging off from God.
[3.] An earnest impulsion, which quickeneth us to all holy endea
vours of obedience ; this is sometimes called the activity or working of
grace : ' Faith worketh by love/ Gal. v. 6 ; sometimes zeal, or an earnest
burning of affection towards God, or that holy ardour whereby we
repress those affections, unruly motions, and desires which are contrary
to his will, and do excite and stir up ourselves more and more to honour
him and please him : Titus ii. 14, ' Zealous of good works ;' sometimes
alacrity and cheerfulness, as we prevail in striving against sin, and our
love to God increaseth, 1 John v. 3, 4. All these are so many degrees.
First we can make conscience of doing our duty, but that is not
enough : a convinced man may have his conscience stirring and plead
ing for God ; but a converted man, or a renewed heart, hath an incli
nation, and not only an inclination but some fitness, and not only some
fitness but there is an impulsion, which disco vereth itself either by
stirring or exciting to that which is good (though with difficulty),
which is the lowest degree. All grace is stirring, and would fain break
out into action ; for it is not a dead and sleepy habit, but seeketh to
break forth, and is called by the apostle, * The lustings of the spirit/
Gal. v. 17. Another degree is zeal and love to the glory of God,
whom they honour and desire to exalt continually, which maketh them
complain of corruption, and to strive against it, and to shake off sloth-
fulness, and the weights of sin that hang upon us, when the Spirit gets
the upper hand, but the flesh is not easily subdued. Then we are
more at liberty to serve God, and so alacrity followeth, when a man
hath pleasure in good actions, and the flesh is so overcome and sub
dued that it can make little or no opposition, and so we perform our
duty with more ease and delight, which is the highest degree.
SEBMON III.
They that ivere foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them :
but the wise took oil in their vessels ivifh their lamps. — MAT. XXV.
3,4.
I COME now to the second effect.
Secondly, A habitual aversation to that which is evil : Ps. xcvii.
10, ' Ye that love the Lord, hate evil/ It is as natural to grace to
hate evil as to love good. As love was made for God, and the things
which he hath commanded, and tends to the enjoyment of him, so
hatred was made for sin, and what is contrary to God. Man hath an
eschewing faculty as well as an embracing and choosing faculty, and
grace falleth upon both, and sanctifieth the one as well as the other :
Amos v. 15, ' Hate the evil, and love the good.' Love was given us
for good, and hatred for evil ; love was made for the chiefest good, and
all things that tend to it ; and hatred for that which is truly and pro-
340
SKUMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV.
[SER. III.
perly evil. Now concerning this effect of grace, I shall observe these
things.
1. Grace produceth a hatred of sin, not a bare abstinence from it.
Sin. may be restrained by foreign reasons not proper to grace, as a dog
that hath a mi rid to the bait may abstain for fear of the cudgel. So
men may abstain because of the penalty of laws, infamy, shame in
the world, or other reasons ; as Hainan refrained himself, that he
might the better take revenge upon the whole race of the Jews. Men
may refrain from sin, when there is not a rooted enmity against it ;
whereas in the saints there is a constant principle of resistance against
it, 1 John iii. 9, cnrepjuia fjuevov, 'The seed of God abideth in him.' The
grace of sanctification doth change the nature of a man, and his heart
is set against that he loved before. Look, as the Lord will not respect
men's external practice of good, when it may be their hearts abhor and
loathe it, and are bent on other courses — he requireth chiefly that they
be rooted in the love of good and delight in it — so he will not accept
a simple not doing or forbearing evil, while it may be their hearts are
going a- whoring after it, but will have them really hate and detest it,
that there should be an abiding enmity in their hearts against it ; and
where it is so, that there is a habitual love of good and hatred of evil,
Christ will pass by many failings in practice ; as y<m may see, Kom.
vii. 22-25, that is the case there, * The evil that I hate, that do I ; and
I delight in the law of God in the inward man.' Clear these two once,
and the remainders of sin will not be your ruin.
2. Grace produceth a hatred of sin as sin, out of a principle of love
to God, and as it is contrary to his law, and the new nature planted in
us: 'Ye that love the Lord, hate evil ;' and ' he that is born of God,
sinneth not;' that is the principle, ' because the seed of God abideth
in you/ The schoolmen distinguish of two sorts and kinds of hatred
—odium abominationis, and odium inimiciticc. The first is defined
by Aquinas to be dissonantia qucedam appetitus ad id quod apprelien-
ditur ut repugnans et noxium — an aversation of the appetite to what
is apprehended repugnant and contrary to us. Such an hatred there
is in the regenerate, for they apprehend sin as repugnant and contrary
to their renewed will. To the unregenerate it is agreeable and suit
able, as draff to the appetite of a swine, or grass and hay to a bullock
and horse. The other is a hatred of enmity, so called both for the
ground of it and the effect of it ; the ground as an evil, that which is
an enemy and hurtful to us, as sin is to our peace and happiness tem
poral, spiritual, and eternal. But chiefly as to the effect of it, hatred
is a willing of evil and mischief to the thing or person hated. Both
these hatreds are in the children of God. They hate sin not only as
it may bring loss and detriment, horror of conscience and damnation,
but out of the pure love of God, as it is contrary to his image and
will ; and they hate it with a hostile hatred, so as to seek the destruc
tion of it. Non cessat in lcesio?ie peccati, sed in exterminio. It doth
not scratch at the face of sin, but is seeking to mortify and subdue it ;
and therefore are always mourning, praying, watching, striving, famish
ing it by cutting off its provisions and denying its satisfactions, and
still following the work close, till we get the mastery of it.
3. I observe that renewing grace doth so far obtain and produce
VERS. 3. 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 341
this effect in the hearts of those that are under it, that their hatred to
sin is greater than their love to it, and sin is thereby more and more
weakened and subdued in the soul. We flatter ourselves with notions of
love and hatred, unless there be some answerable success and prevalency.
It cannot be imagined that sin should live in its full strength where
there is a fixed settled frame of heart against it ; that there should be
in the soul a working warring principle that shall rouse up a man
daily to take heed of it as the greatest evil, and yet sin should be as
powerful, and as frequently and freely break out as it doth in others.
No ; where there is such an enmity, hostility, and irreconcilableness,
or, to say in a word, such a habitual aversation, it cannot be : 1 John
iii. 9, ' He that is born of God doth not commit sin ; his seed remaineth
in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God/ He that hath
such a blessed change wrought in him by the operation of God's
Spirit as to be transformed in the spirit of his mind, it cannot be sup
posed but that grace will have such energy and efficacy upon him as
to prevent the life and growth of sin, and restrain the practice of it ;
that the habits of grace being cherished, this must needs be famished
and starved by degrees. A man that hath a fixed root of ungodliness
in him, he is at sin's beck, the devil's slave ; but a permanent habit of
grace doth produce a constant carefulness, that God be not dishonoured
or displeased. The apostle telleth us that 'Christ bore our sins in his
body upon the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, may be alive unto
righteousness/ 1 Peter ii. 24. Now certainly this effect is obtained in
those that have benefit by his death, or have assured it by faith.
Before they were alive to sin, being active, and delighting in the com
mission of it, but dead to righteousness, impotent and indisposed for
any spiritual act ; but afterwards their love to sin is weakened, and
their hearts quickened to spiritual life. Once more, that there is a
decay of the evil principle appeareth by that of Gal. v. 16, 17, ' This
I say then, walk in the spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the
flesh ; for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against
the flesh, and these are contrary one to the other, so that ye cannot do
the things that ye would.' This place showeth that the lusts of the
flesh, though they be not wholly abandoned, yet they shall not be
fulfilled. We take it otherwise ; but the meaning is, the unrenewed
part shall be kept under ; we cannot fully effectuate the evil we would.
The spirit always opposeth what we would do according to the direc
tion of the flesh. There are two active principles never wholly dead.
The flesh doth not advance with a full gale, but meeteth with a con
trary tide of resistance from the spirit.
Use 1. Is to reprove those that can afford a little religion, but
cannot afford enough. It may be good words without practice, or
practice without principle. Good words without practice : many talk
well, their notions are high and strict ; but observe them narrowly,
and you will find them cold and careless ; like the carbuncle, at a
distance it seemeth all on fire, but touch it and it is key-cold. •' Be
warmed, be cloathed,' will not pass for charity, nor opinions for faith,
nor notions and elevated strains for godliness. You would laugh at him
that would think to pay his debts with the noise of money, and instead
of opening his purse, shake it. It is as ridiculous to think to satisfy
342 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. III.
God or discharge our duty by fine words or heavenly language, with
out a heavenly heart of life, or afford practice without a principle, or
an inward disposition or inclination of heart to holy things. It is not
enough to do good, but we must get the habit of doing good ; to
believe, but we must get the habit of faith ; to do a virtuous action,
but we must have the habit of virtue ; to perform an act of obedience,
but we must get the root of obedience. The soul must be divested of
evil habits, and decked and adorned with habits of grace, and endowed
with new and spiritual qualities, before it can have a principle of life
in itself. But most men content themselves with a little good affec
tion, that is soon spent : Hosea vi. 4, Ephraim's goodness is like the
morning dew, that wets the surface, but is soon dried up. Many have
some good things nn them, but they want a firm root, which is a
habitual inclination towards God. Oh ! the difference that is between
a man that forceth himself to do good, and one whose heart is inclined
to do good ! He doth not go to it like a bear to the stake, but with a
native willingness : he is inclined to think of good, inclined to talk of
good and holy discourse ; inclined to pray, to exercise himself to god
liness : the Lord hath put a new nature in him, and he feeleth an
internal mover, or an inward impression that moveth him : this is
life, but it is little regarded. Many have a show, but life cannot be
painted ; otherwise a handsome picture of godliness men may keep up.
But what are the reasons of this ?
1. Negligence. They are loath to be at the pains to get grace, to
be at the expense of brokenness of heart, and that humble waiting
and earnest praying that it will cost us. A form is easily gotten and
maintained : painted fire needs no fuel to keep it in ; vanishing affec
tions are soon stirred. A little remorse in a prayer or delight in a
sermon they may have ; but it will cost us labour and diligence to have
the heart strongly bent towards God : Prov. xiii. 4, ' The soul of the
sluggard desireth, and hath nothing ; but the soul of the diligent shall
be made fat.' All excellent things have their incident difficulties, and
nothing is gotten without diligence, labour, and serious mindfulness,
That which is opposed to common grace is casting off slothfulness,
and a diligence to keep some 'full assurance of hope to the end,'
Heb. vi. 11, 12.
2. Inconsideration. They do not consider how they shall appear
before Christ at the day of judgment. Therefore are they called
' foolish virgins/ because they did not foresee all events to provide
against them ; as if the spouse should come later. They thought this
oil they had might suffice, or they should have opportunity to get
more. Christianity is a business of consideration. When Christ had
laid down the terms, he biddeth them * sit down and count the charges,'
Luke xiv. 28. A builder doth but lay the foundation of his shame in
his cost, if he be not able to carry on the building ; a war were
better never be begun, if we have not means to maintain it. If you
mean to build for heaven, to bid defiance against the devil, world and
flesh, you must not rashly engage, but deliberately resolve. We must
consider the quality of Christ's laws, what visible oppositions there
are, that we may knowingly, all difficulties considered, put ourselves
into his hands. There is an anxious and serious deliberation neces-
VERS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 34.3
sary ; otherwise, to leap into profession slightly maketh way for apos
tasy, or else for such a cheap religion which costs nothing, and there
fore is worth nothing.
3. Some unmortified corruption or indulged lust, which hindereth
both the indication and prevalency of grace ; the heart divided, touched
partly with God and partly with the creature, neither loosed nor
unloosed, but between both, can never be sound and upright : James
i. 8, * A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.' A man must
purge himself from lusts before he be a vessel fit for God's use, 2 Tim.
ii. 20. There is some delight in lawful or unlawful things, that lieth
between us and Christ, and is so near and dear to us, as to draw away
the heart, at least in part, that the heavenly plantation cannot thrive
and prosper in our souls, Luke viii. 14. There is some unmortified
root of bitterness : Jer. iv. 3, 4, ' Sow not among thorns ; plough up
the fallow ground.' Till God be our scope, religion can never be our
work. If the pleasing, enjoying, or glorifying him were more sincerely
intended, other things would come on with more ease and success ; as
the water floweth of its own accord if the pipe be not leaky. If the
honour of Christ, his gTory, will, and command, lie nearest and closest
to the heart, then sin would be more loathed than any other thing, more
feared, more avoided, and we would follow our work more heartily.
We are enlivened in the means, by an unfeigned regarding of the end ;
our carelessness cometh from this, that God is only minded as a matter
by the by. The end and means always go together. If anything be
prized more than God, or equal with him, or apart from him, a little
grace and godliness will serve the turn. If God were entirely our end,
we would be mainly for him, and most industrious to approve ourselves
to him ; if it be not so, something there is that causeth that neglect,
that must be found out ; something that cloggeth thy heart, and de-
taineth thee from this effectual pursuit ; some lust, the gratifying of
which is the delight and pleasure which contents us, and therefore are
we cold and slight in religion.
4. Unbelief ; for faith doth enliven all our notions of God, and
Christ, and heaven, and the day of judgment, and maketh them effec
tual and powerful. The apostle telleth us, Heb. xi. 1, ' That faith is
the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'
It puts a presence into things, and so affects us as if the things believed
were before our eyes ; otherwise, a man cannot see things at a dis
tance, 2 Peter i. 9. Christ and eternity are afar off, hence to an
unbeliever they seem little, and therefore, it is not made a business of
the greatest weight or importance to seek after them. At the day of
judgment how will wicked men stamp and tear their hair, when
matters of faith become matters of sense, that they minded them no
more ! Oh ! if I had known this, I should never have dreamed out
my time as I have done, saith the convinced wretch, but made a more
serious business of my preparation. If the day of judgment be too far
off, let us lay the scene a little nearer. Suppose one of the damned
souls now in torments, that feeleth that which he would never believe,
thus crying out, Oh ! had I thought my lazy desires and good mean
ings would have done me no more good, that my slothfulness would
have ended so sadly, I would rather have wept out my eyes, and have
344 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [Sl5R. III.
filled the world with sorrowful complaints ; I would have bereaved
myself of sleep by night, and refused my bread by day, rather than
to have wanted time to have thought of God, and the great affairs of
my soul. If our faith be so short-sighted that we cannot look as far
as the region of darkness, time may come in this world that we shall
wish we had done more for God and our precious and immortal souls.
First or last we bear witness to this truth, when the neglected soul
cometh to be separated from the pampered flesh or over-prized body.
If we would learn to shut the eye of sense, and open the eye of faith,
we might see it now.
Use 2. Is to press you to get oil in your vessels, to be rooted and
grounded in faith, settled in love, hope, zeal, temperance, and perfect
what is lacking to*, every grace. That you may be sensible what I
exhort you to, I shall give you the sum of it by degrees.
1. Do not merely affect the reputation of good people, and rest there.
As the Lord saith of the church of Sardis, Kev. iii. 1 , ' Thou hast a
name that thou livest, and art dead.' Do not rest in this, that you
have a name to live. God judgeth not as man judgeth. Man judge th
according to outward appearance, but God judgeth according to the
reality of the thing. Many have the name without the thing : Isa.
xlviii. 2, ' For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay them
selves upon the God of Israel ;' that is, they get themselves a name to
be his people, but they have not the thing itself. On the other side,
we read of some ' that are Israelites indeed/ John i. 47. Some are
only so in the show and outside, and some are ' disciples indeed/ John
viii. 31 ; so in reality ; others are so in pretence only. There is no
true ground of solid comfort but in. this, in being real disciples. So
John viii. 37, we read of some that were ' free indeed.' The Jews had
the name of freemen, but were not ' free indeed ; ' stood upon their
liberty ; they were in bondage to no man. Some are religious indeed,
humble indeed, fear God indeed : when a man hath gotten the thing,
he may refer himself to God for the name.
2. Do not rest in a common work of grace. Look, as in the beasts
there is some little tincture of reason, so in temporaries there is some
thing that looks like saving grace, but is not ; something that resem
bles it, and looketh most like it ; yet it is but the shadow of grace, not
true grace itself. Historical faith is the shadow of true saving faith.
There are some outward lineaments of repentance in Ahab's humili
ation, and Judas his compunction ; of spiritual affection in Herod's
delight in John ; and 'the stony ground received the word with joy ;•'
and some show of reformation there was in those that escaped the
pollutions of the world. Therefore if you rest here, without a power
ful and inward affecting of the whole heart, you may come short of
glory. The grace of temporaries is good in its kind, but must not be
rested in. It is good in its kind, it is like priming the post, to make
it receptive of other colours ; it is an inchoate, imperfect thing. They
are affected almost with the same feeling the godly are, come very near.
How nice a point is that wherein the temporary and the real Christian
differ ! Both pray with sorrow, hear with joy, perform duties with
some enlargement and sweetness — Similifere sensu qfficiuntur — yet, as
two hills may seem very near at the top, when their bottoms are far
VERS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 345
distant one from another, so these operation may seem near together,
when in bottom and root they much differ. These motions argue
God's Spirit working on them, not dwelling in them. Actuated they
are with the Spirit of Christ assisting, but not reforming ; as an angel
sometimes appears in an assumed body. But it is dangerous to rest
in this ; it maketh our sin and judgment the greater if after a taste we
rest in a common work. Historical faith, if not growing into a saving
sound faith, it is a kind of mocking of God, and a hypocrite's portion.
As for instance, we profess to believe him omniscient, yet fear not to
sin in his presence ; omnipotent, yet cannot depend upon his all-suffi
ciency ; to believe a day of judgment, yet make no preparation for our
account, Titus i. 16. Men's sins and judgments are aggravated
according to the sense they have had of religion, and so ' their latter
end may be worse than their beginning,' 2 Peter ii. 20. And sad it
will be for those that from hopeful beginnings fall off from God. I
will tell you, a man may live and die with a temporary faith and affec
tions to God and holiness, without making any visible apostasy, and
yet have no sound faith of the right constitution. Yea, if you regard
what little rooting grace hath in men's hearts, how weak their pulse
beateth this way, how strong their affections are to the world and the
things thereof, how little they can vanquish the cares and fears of this
world, and the temptations that arise from voluptuous living, it is to be
feared the far greatest part of Christians are but temporaries.
3. Oh ! then, be sure to get this truth of grace into your hearts.
Let your hearts be effectually subdued to God ; let there be a principle
of life set up in them. Keligion respects our principles as well as our
performances : 2 Tim i. 5, ' The end of the commandment is charity,
out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned/
There must be a renewed heart as the fountain, a well-informed
conscience as our guide, and faith unfeigned as our great encourage
ment. And so all acts of charity to God and men are accepted with
God as a piece of obedience done to him. If we will not regard the
manner, God will not regard the matter. Oh ! then, get this renewed
heart, and a lively faith, and an awakened conscience : this is to get
oil into yoar vessels, and if once you get this, it will never fail, but
increase exceedingly, like the Sareptan's oil.
But how shall we get it ?
I answer — (1.) You have this oil from Christ. The unction is
from the Holy One, 1 John ii. 20. As the precious oil was first
poured on Aaron's head, and then came down to the skirts of his
garment, so Christ is first possessed of the Spirit, and then we have it
by our union with him : John i. 16, ' Of his fulness we receive grace
for grace.' We must go to the fountain every day to seek new supplies.
Christ was 'anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows.' Zech.
iv., Christ is represented by the bowl and the two olive-trees that
always poured forth golden oil. Christ as mediator is the storehouse
of the church, who is instructed with all gifts and graces for our benefit.
Oh 1 bring your empty vessels to this golden olive-tree. The widow
only brought casks, the oil failed not till the vessels failed.
(2.) If you would have it from Christ, you must use the means of
grace, the word, prayer, sacraments, meditation. We need continual
346 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. III.
supplies, must use continual prayers, seek the grace of the Spirit to
keep in our lamps, Luke xi. 13. So the word; God droppeth in
something to the soul that waiteth on him : Mark iv. 24, ' Take heed
how you hear ; for with what measure ye mete it shall be measured
to you again/ If we be earnest and diligent in waiting upon God,
God will abound to us in blessing his word to us. So for meditation ;
Mat. xiii. 19, the highway ground did not bring the word to their
minds again ; doth not revolve it, mindeth it not, heedeth it not. So
for the Lord's supper ; it is a means to root us in the love of God when
we so often renew our oath of allegiance to him, to excite our faith in
Christ. All these are a price put into our hands to get oil in our
lamps, and prepare for his coming.
(3.) Keep your vessels clean. The Spirit dwelleth not but in a
clean heart : doves build not their habitations on dunghills. He
cometh as an efficient cause, as a Spirit assisting, before he comes as
a Spirit inhabiting, and purifieth our hearts by faith.
(4.) After you have gotten this oil, cherish it, that it may not
decay. Of its own nature it would do so ; witness that stock of original
righteousness which Adam had. God's promise by which it is secured
supposeth our endeavours to waste it : Luke viii. 18 , ' Whosoever hath,
to him shall be given ; but whosoever hath not. from him shall be
taken even that which he seemeth to have/
(5.) Do not only cherish, and keep it from decay, but see that you
increase it : 2 Peter i. 5, ' Add to your faith virtue, and to virtue
knowledge ;' 1 Thes. iii. 10, ' Perfect what is lacking ;' 1 Thes. iv. 1,
* That as you have received of us how you ought to walk, and please
God, so you should abound therein/ A little faith will be as no faith ;
not honourable to God, nor comfortable to you, nor useful to others.
All our doubts, perplexities, uncertainties, come from the smallness of
our graces. It will not make an evidence, therefore give diligence.
No endeavour, labour, pursuit after God, but hath its recompense ;
not an earnest thought, an earnest prayer, or time spent. What shall I
say ? They whose hearts are upon the ways thereof, go on ' from strength
to strength/ You are almost at home; nearer than when you first
believed ; then you thought all your pains too much, now all too little.
Let me apply all to the sacrament.
1. There we come to meet the bridegroom in a way of grace. The
marriage covenant between God incarnate and his espoused ones is
here celebrated and solemnised. The sacrament is a transfiguration
of the last marriage-supper, to ascertain us what entertainment we
shall have at the day of judgment, when the bride, the Lamb's wife,
shall be made ready, and clothed with fine linen, Rev. xix. 23, and
then be received into the nuptial feast : ' Blessed are they that are
called to the marriage-supper of the Lamb/ All is now prepared in
this duty.
2. In some respect there should be as serious preparation for the one
as for the other, as we would prepare to die, or prepare to meet Christ
the judge. Christ did not wash his disciples' feet when he took them
with him to Tabor, to his transfiguration, but when he took them with
him at his last supper, John xiii. 7. Surely, to rush upon the pre
sence of the bridegroom with a perfunctory, careless, common frame
VEBS. 3, 4.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 347
of spirit, is a dangerous thing. When a people come hand-over-head,
prepare themselves slightly, pray slightly before they come, and live
carelessly and negligently, they slight the bridegroom, and wrong
themselves, strengthen themselves in sin, rather than against it.
Methinks it looks like going to the day of judgment. Here we
receive the pledges of our salvation or damnation.
3. We should come with oil in our vessels as well as in our lamps.
[1.] Our lamps should be kept burning bright. If you are sluggish
now, it is a sign you are slight in the whole. Surely, now the king
sitteth at his table, Cant. i. 2, our spikenard should send forth the
smell thereof ; a lively exercise of grace. Now we come for meat
which perisheth not ; now is our familiar converse with Christ, and
near communion with him ; now we come to our legal investiture ;
Christ and all his benefits are delivered by these signs which he hath
instituted. As if a man should say, Here is my house, when a deed
is delivered, and you give up the key, or give possession of land by a
turf: this is our solemn taking possession of him. and all his benefits. f
We receive Christ in the promises of the covenant, but here is a par-'
ticular close application. In the word Christ is offered, and exposed
to all, as the brazen serpent, that whoever looked upon him might be
healed; but this supper is like the blood sprinkled upon the door
posts. In the work, Christ and immortality are brought to light.
Now Christ is slain before our eyes ; the bread is put into our hands
and mouths.
[2.] We should come with oil in our vessels. Would we have the
Spirit blow upon a dead coal ? He findeth nothing in us to work
upon. We are bidden to examine ; and what must we examine ? 1
Cor. xi. 28. The apostle will tell you : .' Whether you be in the faith
or no,' 2 Cor. xiii. 5. But to speak to this case : I confess, that in
foro ecclesice, in the court of the church, all are virgins that take their
lamps, that do profess to believe ; all these must be admitted ; but in
foro cceli, in the court of heaven, none but converted ones are admitted ;
but in foro conscientice, in the court of conscience, I dare not discou
rage those that have the grace of the second or third ground. It is a
means to strengthen them in faith, hope, and love, and make them
more firm in the covenant of God; and the difference is too nice
between temporary grace and saving grace for any to exclude them
selves. I am bound to come with grace, but I am not bound to come
with assurance. Besides, in the kingdom of grace Christ will not shut
them out. They that have good affections should come, but with this
caution : I would press them to mind the renouncing and engaging
part of the covenant, and earnestly to break the league between them
selves and their own ways, and engage themselves more firmly to God
for time to come ; that you may not think as you have done, or speak
as you have done, nor behave yourselves in your relations as you have
done ; but throw sin out of doors. I would press you in the apostle's
words, Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw near with a true heart, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
clean water.' The one relateth to the duty part. ' Let us draw nigh
with a true heart ;' the other relateth to the promissory part. Though
your grace be common grace, it is this way moulded into special.
348 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. IV.
Doct. 2. That this will be found to be true wisdom, and the other
folly.
For wisdom, to begin with that. Wisdom is index sui et obliqui.
Wisdom lieth —
1. In proposing a right end.
2. In the choice of fit means.
3. In an earnest prosecution of the end by these means. This is
the property of wisdom in the general, and it holdeth true in godly
wisdom. The wise virgins did so. Their end was right ; to be
admitted into the nuptial feast, or everlasting enjoyment of God.
And then they use right means, such as will bring them to the end.
We do not use to draw ships in the sea with horses, nor draw waggons
with the wind. JV"e must not use contrary means, nor insufficient
means. We cannot go to the bottom of a well that is thirty foot deep
with a line that is but ten foot. We must use such as will certainly
do. The wisdom of God hath fixed means for us, and we are doubly
fools if we will not use them opportunely, carefully and constantly ;
else it is a ' price put into a fool's hand/ Prov. xvi. 17. The wise
virgins did all this ; sought oil in time both for their lamps and vessels,
Luke xiii. 24. On the contrary, he that contents himself with a pro
fession of Christ, without a work of grace upon his heart, is a fool ;
he is not a profane fool that doth the contrary, but a professing fool ;
that sort of profession is better than profaneness, so far it is a degree
of wisdom ; but rested in it is folly, itfaileth in all the points of wisdom
in the end. They do not esteem the Lord as the chief good, for they
think a little ease of the flesh, or a little sensual liberty, or a satisfaction
of a lust, to be better ; or honour, or pleasure, or gain ; this quiets them
in the neglect or want of God. They see some good in Christ, offer
fair for him, but take him not as the chiefest good ; they are willing
to part with something, but not with all for his sake.
SEKMON IV.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept —
MAT. XXV. 5.
WE have seen, wherein they differed, now we shall see again wherein
they agree. In the words observe —
1. What happened to the virgins, they all slumbered and slept.
2. The occasion of "it (I do not say the cause), ivhile the bridegroom
tarried. The cause of sleeping was injirmitas huma.nct ; the occasion
of it, mora sponsi. In the first of these —
[1.1 Who? they all
[2. ] What ? slumbered and slept.
First, Who ? they all. It is no wonder to hear it of the foolish
virgins, but that the wise should do it, there is the difficulty ; there
fore some of the ancients understand it of death, which is called sleep
in scripture ; but that is improbable, and suiteth not with the frame
and drift of this parable. Some would understand it distributively,
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 349
not conjunctively ; that the wise slumbered, and the foolish slept ; but
it is not said slumbered or slept, but slumbered and slept. The mean
ing is, all of them were not so diligent in their duty as they should
have been : even the good are in part negligent as well as the foolish,
though they always keep a good conscience, and a heart in some mea
sure always prepared to meet Christ.
Secondly, What ? slumbered and slept ; wherein the degree of their
security is set forth. They did not only slumber, which is a less fail
ing, but slept.
Thirdly, The order, first slumbered, and then slept.
Doct. That the foolish and wise both slumber and sleep.
I shall first inquire, What this slumbering and sleeping is.
Secondly, How far it may befall the children of God, or the wise
virgins.
Thirdly, The causes and reasons of it.
First, What this slumbering and sleeping is. It is twofold — that
of the body, and that of the mind. That of the body, when the senses
cease for a time to do their office ; that of the mind is a secure state of
soul, and that is twofold — moral and spiritual.
1. Moral. When reason and natural knowledge is as it were asleep
and useless to us, a man doth not act as a reasonable creature : Ps.
xciv. 8, ' 0 ye brutish among the people, when will ye be wise ? '
and Ps. xxii. 27, ' All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn
to the Lord ;' Ps. cxix. 59, ' I thought on my ways, and turned my
feet unto thy testimonies.' If men did improve common principles,
show themselves men, they could not continue in that course of life
wherein they allow themselves. In part this sleep of reason may be
fall the children of God : they do not consider nor turn their minds to
their affairs, nor act as men whose eyes are open.
2. Spiritual sleeping. Here I shall show the nature and effects
of it.
[1.] The nature of it ; when graces are not lively and kept in exer
cise. I shall instance in those three theological graces, faith, hope, and
love ; a weak dead faith, a feeble sleepy love, a cold and careless hope.
(1.) A weak and dead faith, that consists more in a form of know
ledge than a lively assent to the truths of godliness. A dead opinion-
ative belief may stand with a carnal life : James ii. 20, * Faith without
works is dead.' The word of God is come to them in word only, not
in power ; it puts no life into what we do believe, 1 Thes. ii. 13 ; doth
not work effectually. This will fit the slumbering and sleeping of the
foolish virgins. But alas ! the wise have their drowsy fits ; the truths
of the word concerning God, Christ, heaven, and hell, have not such a
lively influence upon them, by the blandishments of worldly prosperity.
Faith is fallen asleep, ready to give place to the flesh, and they are
governed more by fancy and appetite than by the heavenly mind ;
there is no consideration of the vanity of earthly things ; the heart is
kept strange to God and heaven, and the soul is taken up with carnal
projects more than it should be.
(2.) A feeble sleepy love, which doth not level and direct our actions
to the great end of them, which is the pleasing and glorifying of God,
so that they live too much to themselves. Love in vigour doth over-
350 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. IV.
rule us to live unto God : 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ' For the love of Christ
constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then
were all dead ; and that he died for all, that they should not hence
forth live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them and rose
again.' And this keepeth us more sincere and uniform in our course,
always tending to the great end.
(3.) A cold and careless hope, when there is not that earnest and
desirous expectation of blessedness to come which doth fortify us
against the allurements of sense: Mat. vi. 19-21, 'Lay not up for
yourselves treasure upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves break through and steal ; but lay up for yourselves
treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through and steal ; for where your treasure
is, there will your hearts be also/ They do not mind their true
treasure.
[2.] The effects of this sleepiness are seen in these things : —
(1.) In some intermission of their care and caution. Watching is
a diligent taking heed to ourselves and ways, so as we keep ourselves
from sin. We are in constant danger of sins that come on us by
insensible degrees: Ps. xxxix. 1, 'I said I would take heed to my
ways, that I sin not with my tongue/ The best are surprised, and
corruption often breaketh out. We may say of them, as Christ of the
damsel, They are not dead, but sleep. The children of God are some
times overtaken by their inadvertency, Gal. vi. 1, or overborne by the
violence of temptations, James i. 14, inconsiderately and suddenly sur
prised with sin. So subtle and assiduous is Satan in tempting, and so
ready is corruption to close with the temptation as soon as it is repre
sented, that if a child of God doth but abate anything of his circum
spection and diligence, he will be surprised by some one sin or other,
and thereby be brought to dishonour God, and so lay a stumbling-
block before others. Besides those sins of daily incursion and sudden
surreption, Satan lieth in wait to draw us to greater offences, that may
dishonour God and wound our peace, and scandalise the world against
our profession.
(2.) Some abatement of our zeal and fervency. We are not always
fervent in spirit, and do not keep up our life and seriousness in the
duties of holiness. Our graces are not actuated and kept in exercise,
but suffer some decay, though they be not quite dead. Faith is weak,
love is cold, Mat. xxiv. 12. There is jnot that lively hope, 1 Peter
i. 3. Christians should not only be living, but lively : 1 Peter ii. 5,
' Ye as living stones/ Nay, there may be so great a damp and
quenching upon us, that there is no outward visible difference between
a dead man and a dying Christian : all things in us may be ready to
die : Kev. iii. 2, ' Be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain,
that are ready to die/ Life is even quite gone in some cases, when sin
hath made fearful havoc in the conscience.
(3.) In forgetfulness or non-attendancy to the Lord's coming. When
we live merrily, quietly, in a careless and unprepared estate ; this is
necessarily to be taken in as the cause of the two former. In the
slumbering and sleeping of the foolish virgins the case is clear ; Christ's
absence or tarrying long is the occasion the world takes to grow secure
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 351
and wicked. The scoffers walked after their own lusts, because they
said, ' Where is the promise of his coming ?' 2 Peter iii. 3, 4. And
in the degenerate church, the reason why they were given to sensu
ality, carnal pomp, and persecution, is set down, Mat. xxiv. 49, * My
Lord delayeth his coming/ Therefore the officers of the church smite
their fellow-servants, and eat and drink with the drunken, encourage
the wicked, and smite the godly with censures ; as it was with the
Israelites, there was no speech of making a calf when Moses first went
up to the mount, but when he tarried long, Exod. xxxii., ' And as for
this Moses, we wot not what is become of him ;' then nothing would
content them but making a calf. The ordinances and institutions of
Christ had never been so perverted in the Christian world, but that
they forgot Christ's coming to see how they have been observed :
1 Tim. vi. 14, ' That thou keep this commandment without spot,
unrebukable, until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ/ But now
for the wise virgins. Alas ! there is not such a constant waiting for
the coming of the Lord ; for if we did not leave off to think of it,
surely we would walk more cautiously, and serve God with greater
ardency and alacrity of spirit ; but when we forget it, we let loose the
reins, and slacken our diligence, and yield to the importunity of the
flesh, and suffer ourselves to be distracted with worldly cares, or be
numbed with fleshly delights, that we do not mind our duty of prepar
ing for the Lord's coming.
Secondly, How far may this seize upon Christians ? The question
may be stated negatively and affirmatively ; how far it may, and how
far it may not.
1. Affirmatively.
[1.] It may seize upon them not only when they are young, but
when they are of long standing. When they are young : Many
a man newly converted, having had as yet no thorough experience of
the strength of sin, the danger of temptations, and his own weakness,
may bear a little too high upon the confidence of his own resolutions,
which, because they are sincere, he thinketh they will easily obtain
their effect. In this rank I put Peter, whilst as yet the Spirit was not
poured out, and was only under his Master's wing : I count him but a
novice then, in comparison of what he was afterwards. He was so
confident of his affection to Christ and resolution, that he had not a due
sense of his danger, Mat. xxvi. 33. But alas ! how soon were his
unpractised wings clipped, and he taken in the snare of the fowler !
Honest Peter would not believe such weakness in himself ; and so
inexperienced Christians can hardly believe themselves to be so weak
as a temptation showeth them to be ; the more sincere their purpose
is, the more confident they are in their own strength, even when near
a fearful fall. So a man of long standing, being assured of salvation,
may grow negligent ; and supposing he hath grace, and is possessed
of the love of God, presumes that he needeth not such diligence as when
he was doubtful of his state ; and if he go round in a course of duty,
and avoid grosser sins, he may think it is enough, as if he were now
past all danger, and so insensibly falleth asleep or into decay: Rev. iii.
18, ' Because thou sayest that I am rich, and increased with goods,
and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched,
352 SEIttlONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. IV.
/
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee to buy
of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich, and white
raiment that thou mayest be clothed, that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear, and eye-salve that thou mayest see.' It is not spoken
to the gross carnal, or to beginners, or persons unacquainted with
Christ, but to lukewarm professors, after the first labours of regenera
tion, and the difficulties of reconciliation with God are passed over, and
the terrors of the law well vanquished, and some peace and confidence
gotten ; then we are in danger of security, by which means all may run
to waste in the soul, arid sins break out and make our blindness and
nakedness appear. The wise virgins slept not until their main work
,,was in some measure over : and therefore a strange security and
sleepiness is incident to us, and may befall not only the wicked, who
scarce ever think^of the world to come, being blinded with present
things, but those that are good have their drowsy fits, by which they
remit of their zeal, and grow more dead, and are not so diligent
in seeking occasions to do good.
[2.] When we are in greatest danger, and matters most concerning
us are in hand, and God calleth most for our service, and so have most
need to watch, then are we usually most secure ; witness the disciples
upon Mount Olivet, after many warnings given them by Christ, Mat.
xxvi. 41-45. Until Christ telleth them, 'Sleep on now;' that is,
sleep if you can ; it will not be long ere you are thoroughly awakened ;
so often are the saints slumbering and sleeping when most need to be
awake, and misspend the time in sluggishness and carnal rest which
is granted them to prepare themselves for trial. So Jonah i. 5, when
a storm arises for his sake, though the winds blow, and the sea roar,
and the mariners at their wits' end, yet Jonah was fast asleep. Those
most guilty, and those whom the correction pointed at, are most
secure under it. And Samson is asleep when the Philistines are
ready to come upon him. Now, if ever, should men be awake. Now
we are awakened by God's providence, and the estate of the Christian
world round about us ; now we should exercise all the grace and skill
we can.
[3.] They may show their sleepiness in their public relations ; as
while the envious man sowed tares, the husbandmen were asleep,
Mat. xiii. 25. Many times magistrates are asleep when abuses creep
in and eat out the bowels of the commonwealth ; and ministers are
asleep while the kingdom of Christ is undermined; masters of families
asleep while disorders creep into their houses. Magistrates are watchers
as well as private Christians, Horn. xiii. 6, who sleep, and neglect the
care of souls. But especially ministers are to watch over their people's
souls, and should put forth their utmost care and diligence, Heb.
xiii. 17.
[4.] It may befall them after some solemn service, 2 Chron. xxxv.
20. After this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, then he falleth
into that rash engagement against Pharaoh Necho, which cost him his
life. Hezekiah after his reformation fell into pride and provocation of
God, 2 Chron. xxxii. Many times when we have performed some
good service to God, we take occasion to be more careless and secure.
We think we are privileged by our former diligence: 'If the righteous
VEIL 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 353
trust in his righteousness, and commit iniquity,' Ezek. xxxiii. 13; that
is, upon the presumption that he laid in a fore-merit. Our hearts
will be seeking some unlawful liberty, and we intermit our watch
upon such occasions.
2. Negatively. We must make the exceptions that are necessary.
[1.] Though the wise virgins may slumber and sleep, and there be an
intermission of the acts of grace, yet no intercision of the habits of grace,
or radical inclination to God. Gradus remittilur, aclus intermittiiur,
habitus non amittitur. Some degrees may be remitted, acts intermitted,
but the habit not extinguished ; still the seed of God remaineth in them ;
love is the predominant habit. Sin doth not possess the heart instead
of God, 1 John ii. 15. The habitual bent of the soul is more for God
than for the flesh or the world. However he fail in some individual
actions, the scope and tenor of his life is for God and sincere obed
ience. There is life and sap at the root, though in the winter the trees
be without leaves and blossoms : Cant. v. 2, 'I sleep, but my heart
waketh/ There is faith, and hope, and love in their hearts all this
while; the Spirit of God abideth in them, and keepeth alive his work:
2 Tim. i. 14, ' That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep
by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.' The Spirit remaineth in
the saints, to maintain the habits of grace. Their choice of God for
their portion remaineth unshaken. They have chosen the better part,
adhere to it, and have a general purpose to please God in all things.
[2.] A universal slumber is not usually incident to the saints. It
is not the sleep of the whole man as to all goodness ; it is not in all
parts of the soul. If there be a remiss will, and dead affections, yet
not a sleepy conscience ; something that taketh God's part, as appear-
eth, because they are unsatisfied with this dull and drowsy estate.
[3.] They are more easily alarmed and roused up out of it than
others that sleep the sleep of death. Their faith and love is soon
awake again, and easily set a-work for God; there is somewhat to
work upon. A true Christian riseth by unfeigned repentance, when
his conscience hath but leisure, and helps to deliberate, and bethinks
what he hath dore ; and so much the better resolveth and bethinketh
himself against his sin for the time to come.
[4.] When they arise again, and repent, and do their first works,
they are more earnest and fervent than they were before : as it were
to make amends for their former languishing, and to redeem the time
they have lost, they double their diligence.
Thirdly, I come to the reasons of this sleepiness.
1. There are two principles in the children of God — the flesh in
clining to sleep, and the spirit to wake: Mat xxvi. 41, 'The spirit
indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak ; ' and therefore the degree of
grace which the best attain unto in this life is mixed with imperfection.
The guiding and commanding faculties do but imperfectly direct, and
the inferior faculties imperfectly obey. It is the office of the under
standing and the will to command, of the inferior faculties to obey.
There is weakness in all of them ; therefore it is said, James iii. 2, ' In
many things we offend all.' The understanding in many things is but
a blind guide ; the will is but in part rectified, and so cannot exercise
such a powerful command over our thoughts, passions, and senses.
VOL. TX. z
354 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. IV.
2. Variety of outward occurrences, working upon the diversity of
principles in us ; as sometimes we are in a prosperous estate, some
times in deep troubles ; both may cause this deadness and drowsiness
in us. Sometimes deep troubles make us 'weary of well-doing/ 2 Thes.
iii. 13. So Heb. xii. 3, ' Consider him that endured such contradiction
of sinners, lest you be weary, and faint in your minds.' Now, as this
weariness and heaviness causeth sleep in the body, so it doth in the
soul. We are tired in God's service, and then our wheels are clogged.
A man may be secure in trouble, but usually he is so in time of peace.
Peace, wealth, and honour are often abused to spiritual drowsiness, and
secure neglect of God : ' Ease slayeth the fool,' Prov. i. 32. We had
need watch when Delilah spreads her lap for us, and the delights of
the world open their bosom to us. Surfeiting with the abundance of
worldly prosperity *we neglect the power of religion, and please our
selves with the form. David, enjoying peace and plenty, slew Uriah
his friend, who in his adversity spared Saul his enemy ; yea, his heart
smote him but for the cutting off the lap of his garment. In the
abundance of outward comforts we sit loose from God ; therefore we
have those cautions, Deut. viii. from ver. 7 to ver. 14.
3. Conversing with spiritual sluggards, that count it a high piece
of wisdom not to be too forward. Irreligious company and example
is a great matter, and hath a mighty force upon us ; and though it
doth not begin sin in the soul, it doth increase it, Isa. vi. 6. Sin is
by propagation, not by imitation ; but yet the contagion of example is
a great advantage to corruption. To be among warm, heavenly,
mortified, self-denying Christians, is a great advantage in the spiritual
life. There is a notable provocation and excitement in their example.
Saul among the prophets had his raptures, 1 Sam. x. 10 ; Heb. x. 24,
* Let us provoke one another to love and good works.' This begets a
holy emulation who shall excel ; but carnal company is a deadening
thing. We are more susceptible of evil than good ; we catch a disease
from one another, but we do not get health one from another. By
touching the unclean they became unclean, but he that was unclean
was not purified by touching the clean. The conversations of the
wicked have more power to corrupt than the good to provoke and ex
cite to virtue. A man that would keep himself awake unto God, and
mind the saving of his soul, must shake off evil company : Ps. cxix.
115, * Depart from me, ye evil-doers, for I will keep the command
ments of my God.' And by evil company I mean not only the pro
fane, who bespeak their own hatred and detestation by their apparent
odiousness, but the loose and careless. As we are to take heed that
we be not allured to that which is evil, so that we be not deadened to
that which is good. Neglect of God will keep us out of heaven as
well as profaneness. We easily leaven one another with deadness and
formality; frequent society with dead-hearted persons breedeth it,
such whose conference is empty and unsavoury, and altogether of
worldly things. Certainly our dulness and backwardness is such that
we need the most powerful helps.
4. Another cause is a dead worship : missa non mordet. Christ
compareth spiritual duties to new wine, Mat. ix., but the pharisaical
feasts to taplash, or old unsavoury stuff that hath no spirits. Old
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 355
bottles will endure that well enough. Nothing lulleth the soul asleep
so much as a perfunctory worship, or sleepy devotions. Christ's ordin
ances are simple, but full of virtue ; his institutions conscientiously
observed will keep us awake : Ps. cxix. 93, * I will never forget thy
precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me.' Use them much in
faith and obedience, and graces will be preserved in us in a lively
manner, and constant exercise : 1 Thes. v. 19, 20, ' Quench not the
Spirit ; despise not prophesying/ If you would not quench the Spirit,
you must not carelessly use the means of grace : ' The words of the
wise are as goads to prick us forward ' (Eccles. xii. 10) in heaven's way.
To stir us up to our duty, the Spirit of God sharpeneth and pointeth
the word, that it may be as goads in our sides. When we are negli
gent, here is quickening. A dull ministry as well as a dull minister
maketh us fall asleep.
5. Slumber is the cause of sleeping. Mark the order in the text :
they first slumbered, and afterwards slept. One degree of carelessness
makes way for another ; and usually there is a lesser degree at first.
Take heed of the beginnings of declinations. If we would avoid sleep,
we must avoid slumber. No man becometh stark naught at the first
step. One careless prayer maketh way for another. Give way to it
now, and it will settle into an utter deadness at last. Men fear not the
danger of little sins, and so are hardened under them, till they fall into
greater. Small sins harden as well as great sins ; it is hard to say
which more. Indeed at first little sins seem to awaken compunction.
The prick of a pin maketh a man start, but a heavy blow stunneth him.
David, when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart smote him ;
but when he fell into adultery and blood, he was like one in a swoon.
This is true ; but then, on the other side, great sins are more apparent
and liable to the notice of conscience ; but we neglect small sins, and
so inveterate custom groweth upon us, and we are insensibly hardened
by a carelessness and constant neglect of those kind of sins ; yea, some
times more than by gross falls. A surfeit or violent distemper maketh
us run to a physician ; but when a disease groweth upon us by degrees,
we have death iii our bowels ere we know it. We take care to mend
a great breach, but a leak unespied drowneth the ship. We have need
always to stand upon our watch. Many great mischiefs would not
ensue, if we took notice of the beginnings of those distempers which
afterwards settle upon us.
6. The omission of holy duties, and the want of a constant serious
exercise, induces a secure careless temper of spirit. Solomon telleth
us, Prov. xix. 15, ' Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep, and the idle
soul shall suffer hunger.' Labour dispelleth the vapours, and scattereth
them, but sloth and idleness maketh way for sleep. It is true in the
soul. The renewed part hath need of a great deal of spiritual exer
cise to keep it awake ; much prayer, much hearing, much fasting.
The apostle saith, Rom. xii. 11, * Not slothful in business, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord.' The way to be fervent in duties is to be fre
quent in them. Be much in action, and in the exercise of grace, that
you may be kept fresh and lively. Wells are the sweeter for draining ;
so is the soul the more fresh and ready for every good work. In gifts,
we see, if they be not traded with, they rust and decay, and fail ; so in
356 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEK. 1Y.
graces : ' To him that hath shall be given.' He that uses his gifts
well shall find them increased. The right arm is bigger and stronger
and fuller of spirits than the left, because more in use.
7. Grieving the Spirit causeth him to suspend his quickening in
fluence, and then the soul is in a dead and drowsy estate. Though the
children of God dare not quench the Spirit, yet they may grieve the
Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. The conscience of a renewed man, after it is
wounded by gross sins, may be a dead and stupified conscience for a
long time : witness David and Jonah.
8. Immoderate liberty in worldly things, as worldly cares and fleshly
delights. Sobriety is necessary, or a sparing meddling with those
worldly comforts that do mightily indispose us for the Christian war
fare, 1 Peter ii. 7 ; Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed your hearts be not over
charged with surfeifing and drunkenness.' Look, as the multitude of
gross vapours cast us into a sleep, so do these delights and cares stupify
the soul : Ps. cxix. 37, ' Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,
and quicken thou me in thy way/ You will need quickening if you
give way to vanity.
Use. Oh ! take heed of this evil : Mark xiii. 26, ' Watch, lest the
Lord cometh suddenly, and he find you sleeping.' Would you have
Christ come and find you in this case ?
1. Some are wholly in a state of spiritual sleep. To them the Lord
speaketh, Eph. v. 14, ' Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from
the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.' And of such the apostle
speaks, 1 Cor. xv. 3, 4, ' Awake to righteousness, and sin not ; for some
have not the knowledge of God : I speak this to your shame.' It is
all reason, and more than time, that you should thoroughly rouse up
yourselves from the condition of sin wherein you have gone. It is a
shame such should be among Christians, such as snort still upon the
bed of security, when the light of the gospel shineth round about them.
Oh ! when God calleth, ' Awake, and rise from the dead ; ' if not, God
may punish you by your own sin. One of his heaviest judgments is a
* spirit of slumber, and deep sleep,' Rom. xi. 8. And then what will
the end of it be ? You may sleep, but ' your damnation sleepeth not/
2 Peter ii. 3. Certainly we should commiserate the case of such,
especially if they be related to us ; and seek to awaken them from the
sleep of sin, that they may be brought home to Christ. Oh ! poor
careless creatures ! they fear not God, nor think of his wrath, nor make
preparation to stand before the Son of man at his coming.
2. There are others apt to slumber now and then, though for the
main they have ' chosen the better part.' To these the apostle speaks,
1 Thes. v. 6, ' Therefore let us not sleep, as do others ; but let us
watch and be sober.' There is great need. Our adversary watcheth ;
the devil is observing all our motions and postures ; if we fall asleep,
we' are exposed as a prey to him. There are many that mind our
spiritual harm. If we had no enemy without, there is hostis domesti-
cus, a bosom enemy ; and we are prone as others to be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin. Therefore you may not sleep as do
others. You have another spirit in you, and if you are God's children
you have other obligations : Rom. xiii. 11, ' It is high time to awake
out of sleep ; for your salvation is nearer than when you first believed.
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 357
When you first gave your names to Christ, you thought no labour too
much, no pains too great. How vigilant and diligent then ! and will
you sleep now ? Your course beginneth to draw to an end, and you
are almost ready to set sail for the other world, that you may meet with
Christ. Oh ! now you have shaken oft' the sleep of sin, shake off the
sleep of sloth too. Shall we be drowsy and cold at last ?
First, I shall give you the signs of this sin.
Secondly, Motives against it.
Thirdly, Directions to avoid it.
.First, The signs.
1. Senselessness, in not discerning and weighing the things that befall
us, good or evil. An instance of the one we have, Hosea vii. 8, * For
she did not know that I gave her corn and wine and oil.' The Lord
is very liberal to us, yet little notice is taken of it. An instance of the
other we have, Isa. xlii. 25, ' Yet he laid it not to heart/ In mercies
we neither consider their author, nor their end, nor their cause. Their
author : We are like swine, that eat the acorns, but never look up to
the oak from whence they fall. It is said of the church, ' She hath
dove's eyes ;' they peck and look upward. We should see God in every
mercy. A drowsy inattentive soul heedeth it not, but is swallowed
up in present delights and enjoyments, and looketh no further. It is
our privilege above the beasts to know the first cause. Other creatures
live upon God, but are not capable of knowing God. Idolatry and
profaneness had never crept into the world if men had kept up the
sense of God's bounty. Some never regard the end of mercies, which
is to draw in our hearts to God ; therefore called the ' cords of a man/
Hosea vi. 4, being so many bonds and ties upon us: What honour
hath been done to God for this and that mercy ? I allude to that in
Esther vi. 3. See how David reasoneth, 2 Sam. vii. 2, ' I dwell in a
house of cedar, but the ark of God within curtains/ When the heart
is urging to duty upon this score : God hath been good to me, given
me food and raiment, and plentiful provision for the comfort of this
life ; what have I done for God ? Not only the impenitent abuse
mercy, Kom. ii. 4, but David lost his awe of God, because he had not
a thankful sense of the mercies of God, 2 Sam. xii. 7, 8. So for cor
rective providences. The body is a tender part with most men ; though
they are sensible of the smart of the lash, yet they do not consider the
hand that strike th, nor the deserving procuring cause ; they do not
look upward nor inward ; they do not see the hand of God in it :
Isa. xxvi. 11, 'When his hand is lifted up they will not see;' look
upon it as a chance, 1 Sam. vi. 4. Job had explicit thoughts of God :
Job i. 23, ' The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken/ Nor the
cause, Lam. iii. 39. ' Wherefore doth a living man complain ? a man
for the punishment of his sins?' If sickness cometh, if a relation be
taken away, if an estate blasted, a waking conscience looketh to the
cause : ' For this cause many are sick, and many are fallen asleep/
1 Cor. xi. We should see the mind of God in his rod. When the
Israelites fled before the men of Ai, Joshua looketh out for the troubler.
So the children of God search for the sin that is the cause of their
trouble.
2. Stupid dulness and cold indifferency in heavenly things : their
358 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. IV.
want of zeal and cheerfulness in holy duties ; they go about them
heavily : dull of hearing, Mat. xiii. 5 ; cold in prayer, when they
should be fervent and effectual, James v. 6. In all things we show
forth a heartless formality. Grace is asleep in the soul, and thence
cometh a sleepy profession, a sleepy hearing, a sleepy praying, a sleepy
receiving. The word, that was wont to be as burning coals, leaveth
no impression, Luke xxiv. 32. ' Your whole converse with the living
God is cold and dead-hearted. In such a condition a man heareth as
if he heard not, and prayeth as if he prayed not, and receiveth as if he
received not, and mourns for sin as if he mourned not, and rejoiceth in
God as if he rejoiced not, looks after heaven and heavenly things as if
he sought them not ; and so brings little honour to God, and little
profit and comfort to his own soul.
3. Tedious irksomeness in God's service. They grow weary of the
ways of God : Mai. i. 13, ' Behold, what a weariness is it ! ' Amos
viii. 5, ' When will the new moons be over, and the sabbath past ? '
Shall God do so great things for us in Christ, and shall anything
which God hath commanded be grievous to us ? How unkind is
this ! Neither have we a hard master, nor hath he enjoined us
tedious work, but all our duties have a sweetness in them : Micah vi.
3, ' Do not my words do good ? ' You carry it so as if God did not
deal well with his people, or were not easy to be served. His com
mands are not grievous, and his yoke is easy ; trials sent by him not
above measure, his corrections not above our deserving ; therefore why
should we snuff at his service ? Weariness and repining at God's
service is an ill sign. God loveth and requireth a willing people.
This weariness, though it doth not make us wholly abandon God's
service, yet it makes us slight it, and mind it no more than how to
get it over any way. Oh 1 take heed, then, of growing weary of
religion, and attending on the duties thereof ; to look upon these as
distractions, or matters by the by, or interruptions of the work we
would be upon. They are led much by sense and carnality that
esteem nothing but what yieldeth pleasure to the sense, or gratifieth
the outward man.
4. Forgetfulness of changes, and vain dreams of worldly happiness.
When we have a carnal pillow to rest upon, we fall asleep, Ps. xxx.
6, 7. A Christian should sit loose from all earthly things. There
was leaven in the thank-offering. We should be content to dwell in
booths as the Israelites : Ps. xxxix. 5, ' Surely every man in his best
estate is vanity/
5. Carnal complacency. The peace and pleasure which you live
upon is fetched more from the world than from God and heaven ; and
you live in quietness of mind, not so much from the belief of the love
of God in Christ, and the hope of heaven, as because you feel your
selves well in your bodily estate, and live at ease and in prosperity in
the world, and have something grateful to the flesh, Luke xii. 19-21.
Oh ! that soul is in a dangerous condition, when the world is so pleas
ing and lovely to it, that it can take contentment and delight in it
without God, or apart from God. To many worldly prosperity is so
sweet, that it can keep them quiet under the guilt of wilful sins.
When you have your heart's desire for a while, you can forget eternity,
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 359
or bear those thoughts with security which otherwise would amaze
your souls.
Secondly, Motives.
1. Your enemy watcheth ; the devil is never asleep, 1 Peter v. 8 ;
he observeth you in all postures, and watcheth all possible advan
tages against the children of God ; and will not you stand upon your
guard and look about you ?
2. If you sleep you hazard yourselves to the whip, or God's severe
correction, Hosea v. 15. God findeth out many times a very smart
rod to whip lazy drowsy saints to their duty. He will not suffer
grace to rust in his children. Your awakening will be sad. God
sent a tempest after Jonah. Some sharp cross or other will fall upon
us.
3. The eyes of many are upon us, and shall we be slumbering and
sleeping ? 1 Cor. iv. 9, ' We are made a spectacle to the world, angels,
and men/ Miscarriages will tend to God's dishonour.
4. When grace is asleep, sin breaketh loose. There is no sin but a
man is exposed to in a secure estate : therefore the devil laboureth as
much as he can to cast us into this temper. When David walked at
ease on the top of his house, little did he know the evil of his own
heart, and the danger of the temptation.
5. Every lesser indisposition, that hindereth any degree of com
munion with God, should be grievous to the children of God. If
we do not take heed to the beginnings of sins, further mischief will
ensue, when temptations are near, importunate, and constant. Little
sticks set green ones on fire ; when the thatch once taketh fire, it is
hard to quench it ; therefore we should not rest in such a temper.
6. Consider, God's eye is ever upon us, and beholdeth all our ways :
Job xxxi. 4, ' Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?'
Shall we sleep when the great God looketh on us ? How dreadful is
his displeasure ! There is no dallying with him.
Thirdly, Means.
1. Pray to God for his quickening Spirit, that he would stir us up
to watchfulness. David is ever and anon crying out for quickening
grace.
2. We should stir up ourselves. Much of this temper cometh upon
us because of our own laziness, and ordinary indisposition : 2 Tim. i. 6,
' Stir up the gift of God that is in thee;' Isa. Ixiv. 6, ' There is none
that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.'
3. We should maintain a lively sense of Christ's appearing, Luke
xii. 35. This looking, and longing, and waiting keepeth the soul
alive and awake : Heb. ix. 28, ' To them that look for him ;' Phil. iii.
20, ' Whence we look for a Saviour.' Many may talk of that day, but
do not look for it.
4. Keep these four fundamental radical graces lively and active in
the soul — faith, fear, hope, and love. Faith presents things to us as
they are, and puts them in being. Love constraineth us, 2 Cor. v. 14.
Fear maketh God everywhere present ; and hope worketh in us a de
sirous expectation of blessedness to come, and this keeps the soul
awake.
5. Keep a sense of the love of God upon your hearts. When your
360 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [$ER. V.
drowsy fits are coming on you, say as they in Jer. xxxv. 6, I dare
not ; my Father hath commanded me the contrary. Hath not God
forbidden this ? how can I rest in such a temper of soul ?
6. Improve the death of Christ for the destroying this sleepy
temper. The great design of Satan is to lull us asleep ; now Christ
came to destroy the works of the devil, 1 John iii. 8. Now, shall we
tie those knots the faster that Christ came to unloose, and tear open
those wounds that Christ came to bind up and heal ? Therefore let
this evil frame of soul be far from you.
SEKMON V.
4
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And oi
midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh ;
go ye out to meet Mm. — MAT. XXV. 5, 6.
THERE is one clause in the former verse that remaineth undiscussed,
' The bridegroom tarried/ which I shall speak to in this verse.
Where observe —
1. The time, at midnight.
2. The means of awakening the sleepy virgins, there loas a cry
made.
3. The matter of the cry, the unexpected coming of the bridegroom,
behold, the bridegroom cometh.
4. An excitement to their duty, go ye out to meet him. Still the
allusion is carried on to the matter from whence this parable is taken.
There were virgins with the bridegroom, and virgins with the bride ;
and that the bridegroom might be received with esteem, and attended
with all respect, some of them were to go before and raise the cry in
season, to bring the virgins forth to meet him. So here, Christ sends
a cry before him to admonish and exhort the church to prepare and
meet him.
[1.] With respect to every particular soul, this cry is to be referred
to the voice and importunity of them that are the children of the
bride-chamber, or friends of the bridegroom, John iii. 29 ; who all
tell us that the Lord is at hand, 1 Peter iv. 7.; that he will shortly
come, Ileb. x. 37. And still the faithful ministers of the church do
cry aloud, and call upon us to meet the bridegroom.
[2.] With respect to the general meeting of the church in one
great rendezvous or congregation, it is meant of the trump of the arch
angel, spoken of in many places, which I shall quote by and by, calling
us to come to judgment.
Doct. The bridegroom will certainly come, but at his own time ;
and then all shall be called upon to go forth to meet him.
I shall handle this point with respect to the circumstances of this
parable.
1. I shall prove the certainty of his coming.
2. Speak of the tarrying of the bridegroom, or the delay of his
coming.
VERS. 5. 6.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 3d
3. His coming at midnight, or the uncertainty of the time when he
will come.
4. The cry that is raised before his coming. Then I shall give
every circumstance mentioned its due weight.
First, Of the certainty of his coming : it is needful to premise that,
because the efficacy of the whole discourse dependeth upon it. Reason
saith he may come, but faith saith he will come.
First, Reason saith he may come : It argueth —
1. From the nature of God. There is a God, and this God is just:
it is agreeable to his general justice that it should be well with them
that do well, and ill with them that do evil ; these principles are out
of dispute, and supposed as the foundations of all religion. Now,
supposing these principles, there must be a day of reckoning, for in
the world the best go to the wall many times, and are exercised with
poverty, disgrace, and scorn, when the wicked are full of plenty, and
live at ease, Luke xvi. 25 ; 1 Cor. xv. 19. Sure it is that there is a
God, and sure it is that he taketh care of human affairs, and will
judge accordingly ; what is the reason then of this disproportion ?
The wicked are reserved to future punishment, and the godly to future-
reward. Now the distinction that is put between men at death doth
not suffice, for that is private, and doth not vindicate the justice of
God in the eyes of the world, and that is but upon a part. We read
of the spirits of just men made perfect, and the spirits that are now in
prison ; but nothing of a reward for the body, or punishment for the
body. The bodies of men, being servants of righteousness, or instru
ments of sin, surely ought to partake of weal or woe, of the curse or
blessing that is due to the person ; for the body is, as Tertullian saith,
the soul's sister and co-heir, and is to share with it in its estate. But
at death the body is senseless, and mouldereth into dust, and till it be
raised up again and joined to the soul, it can neither partake of weal
or woe ; therefore there is a day when God will deal with the whole
man ; otherwise, how shall the goodness of God, who is a liberal re-
warder of virtue, appear, unless he render to the body a full recom
pense of the service it hath done the soul, in yielding up all its natural
appetites, pleasures, interests, and satisfactions to the conduct of reason
and grace, for the practice of that which is good; or the justice of
God, which is the avenger of sin, which would be too narrow and de
fective, unless it punish the body with the soul ? Usually the affections
of the body debauch the soul, and the pleasures of the senses blind and
misguide our reason. Certainly, the love of sin being rooted in bodily
pleasures, it is fit it should be punished with pain, and such pain as is
proportionable to the dignity of him against whom the offence is com
mitted. Now God being of an infinite and unlimited dignity and
authority, how could the punishment of the body by death be propor
tionable to the offence committed against an infinite God ? An out
rage done to the supreme majesty of princes is punished more than an
offence against an inferior person ; therefore there must be a time when
the body shall be raised, to be capable of such a punishment. Besides,
how could the soul be completely happy, since it was made for a body,
if it should always remain a widow, and never meet with its old mate
again ?
362 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. V.
2. It argueth from the providence of God. There are many judg
ments that are pledges that God will at length judge the world for
sin ; as the drowning of the old world, the burning of Sodom, the
destruction of Jerusalem ; these are a document and proof what God
will do to the rest of ungodly ones, for they are set forth as an
ensample, Jude 7. The force of the argument lieth in this, that God
is the same, still in one mind, who can turn him ? . He hateth the sin.
of one as well as the other. In all his dispensations he is always con
sonant and like himself, Gal. iii. 20. If he would not put up with the
sins of the old world, he will not put off the iniquities of the new ; if
he punished Sodom, he will punish others that sin in like manner ;
for he is not grown more indulgent to sin than he was before. There
fore, if it be not now, there will be a time when he will call them to
an account and reckoning. When man first sinned, God did not im
mediately execute the sentence against him, but gave him time of
repentance till he died ; and since he giveth every man time and space,
he would not have all the world be born at once, and die at once, but
to live in several successions of ages, from father to son in divers
generations, till he cometh to the period which providence hath fixed.
Now, as he reckoneth with every man particularly at death, so with
all the world at the end of time. Particular judgments show that
God is not asleep, nor unmindful of human affairs, but the general
judgment is deferred till then.
3. From the feelings of conscience. After sin committed men
tremble, though there be none to call them to an account, as when
the sin is secret, and the person powerful. Conscience is under a
dread of divine justice, and the solemn process and triumph which
one day it must have ; hence conscience is sensible : Bom. ii. 8,
Felix trembled when Paul reasoned of judgment to come, Acts xxiv.
25. There are hidden fears in the conscience, which is soon revived
and awakened by the thought of this day. Every guilty person is a
prisoner to divine justice, and being held in the invisible chains of
conscience, standeth in dread of a great and general assize.
4. The conveniency of such a day.
[1.] To vindicate truth and honesty from the false judgment of the
world. The best cause is often oppressed ; there needeth a review of
things by a higher court, that that which is good may be restored to
its public honour, and evil may receive its proper shame. Christ will
convince the world of his love to the saints, when he cometh ' to be
admired in them/ 2 Thes. i. 10, and when their faith is ' found to
praise and glory/ 1 Peter i. 7. Thus shall it be done to the men
whom Christ will honour, proclaim their pardon, adorn them with
grace, introduce them into their everlasting habitations, and this in
the eyes of the scorning wicked ; as that nobleman, ' Thine eyes shall
see it, but not taste of it.' Then for their everlasting confusion, their
crimes shall be repeated in the ears of all the world, and their false
appearances shall be refuted.
[2.] That the counsels and courses of God's manifold wisdom and
justice may be solemnly applauded. We now view providence by pieces ;
but then the whole context and coherence of it shall be set together,
and the full history of all the world produced before the saints.
VERS. 5, 6.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 363
[3.] Such a coming is necessary, that God may fit us with all kind
of arguments against sin, and so a restraint will be put upon the
heart against it. Many times sin and wickedness is acted in secret :
Eccles. xii. 14, ' God will bring every work into the judgment, with
every secret thought, whether it be good or evil ; ' and. 1 Cor. iv. 5,
* Christ will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, arid make
manifest the counsels of the heart/ Many make no conscience of
secret sins, and if they make conscience of acts, yet not of thoughts ;
yet according to Christ's theology, malice is heart-murder, lustful in
clinations heart-adultery, mind-imaginations are heart-idolatry. There
may be a great deal of evil in a discontented thought against provi
dence, Ps. Ixxiii. 22. He that sinneth secretly is conscious to himself
that he doth evil, and therefore seeketh a veil and covering. Men are
unjust in secret, unclean in secret, envious in secret, declaim against
God's children in secret, neglect duty in secret, sensual in secret,
afraid that men should know it, yet not afraid of the great God. Man
cannot damn us, man cannot fill our consciences with everlasting
burnings. Now that we may be ashamed to commit those sins before
God, the day of judgment is appointed to set these sins in order before
us : Ps. 1. 22, ' I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before
the*.'
Secondly, If it be doubtful to reason, it is sure to faith. Faith
showeth he will come. The light of faith is more certain and more
distinct. More certain, because it buildeth upon a divine testimony,
which is more infallible than the guesses of reason, and yields us a
more compendious way to confute atheism than our arguings, by
which we are often entangled. It is so, for God hath said it. And
it is more distinct. Nature could never find out the circumstances of
that day ; it only apprehendeth the coming of a judge ; but by whom
this judgment shall be managed, in what quality he shall come, as a
bridegroom, and lord, and husband of the church, it knoweth nothing.
In what manner he shall proceed, and with what company and attend
ance, all this we have from special revelation. Faith argueth —
1. From Christ's merit and purchase. Would he buy us at so
dear a rate, and cast us off so lightly, as to come no more at us ?
Surely he that came to redeem us will come to save us ; if he came to
suffer, he will come to triumph. Faith seeing Christ upon the cross,
determineth, I shall see him in the clouds. Would he be at all this
cost and preparation for nothing, and purchase what he never meant
to possess? It cannot be. If he came from heaven upon the one
errand, will he not come upon the other ? Surely Christ will not lose
all this pains he hath taken to purchase to himself a people.
2. Faith argueth from Christ's affection to us, which is very great.
Christ is not gone in anger, but about business, to set all things at
rights for the great espousals. He that wooeth a virgin, if he went
away from her in anger, she might well suspect he would never see
her again. As bridegrooms use to fetch their brides, so will Christ ;
we should never come at him otherwise : his love will not let him rest
satisfied till we and he meet again to enjoy one another's company.
Certainly he who delighted among the sons of men before the world
was, Prov. viii. 31, who delighted to converse with his people in
364. SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEE. V.
human shape before his incarnation, who took pleasure to spend his
time busily amongst them, and to ' dwell with them in the days of his
flesh,' John ix. 45 ; in short, he that had a mind of returning before
he went away, certainly he will once more leave heaven for their
sakes. When he hath done his work there, he will return, and bring
his people along with him to glory, and the full fruition of the pro
mises. * He will stay no longer than our affairs do require, John
xiv. 3.
3. The affections of his saints to him, which Christ will satisfy.
There are many that never saw him, and yet believed in him, and
loved him heartily : 1 Peter i. 8, ' In whom believing ye rejoice with
joy unspeakable and full of glory;' and John xx. 29, * Because thou
hast seen me, thou hast believed ; blessed are they that have not seen
me, and yet have^-believed/ Their faith is not misplaced, they shall
find him such a one as was to be believed, loved, and obeyed. Now, to
gratify their desires, Christ will appear and show himself : ' With
these eyes shall I see my redeemer.' The children of God cannot
look to heaven, but they remember tliey have a Saviour to come from
thence : Phil. iii. 20, ' For our conversation is in heaven ; from whence
also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ/ Paul speaketh
in his own name, and in the name of all those like himself. And Rev.
xxii. 17, ' The Spirit and the bride say, Come/ The Holy Ghost
breedeth the desire, and the church answereth tlie motion. Nature
saith not, Come, but, Stay still. If it might go by voices, whether
Christ should come or no, would carnal men give their votes this
way ? The voice of corrupt nature is, Depart, Job xxii. 14. Carnal
men are of the mind of the devil : ' Art thou come to torment us
before our time ?' Mat. viii. But the Spirit in the bride raiseth these
desires. Now, would Christ disappoint these desires which he hath
raised in the hearts /of his children, and set them a-longing, and a-
looking, and a-groaning for that which shall never be ? It cannot
be imagined.
4. From the constitution of the church. He hath dispensed gifts
and graces there, and left ordinances there ; and he will come, and
require an account of things during his absence, how we have im
proved our talents, Mat. xxv. 31, how things have been managed in
his house : 1 Tim. vi. 14, ' Keep my commandments without rebuke,
till the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ.' Christ is now removed
from us, retired within the curtains of the heavens ; but he will come
again : 1 Cor. xvi. 22, ' If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ,
let him be Anathema maranatha;' that is, cursed till the Lord come.
5. From his promise. We have his word in pawn. It is an ancient
promise, made long ago: Jude 15, ' Behold the Lord cometh,' and
hath been received in all ages by the Lord's messengers ; Moses, and
David, and Solomon, and Daniel, and Job, and Zechariah, and
Malachi ; and revived by Christ at his departure, John xiv. 3 ; by the
angel, Acts i. 11. Arid the apostles everywhere put us in mind of
Christ's coming. Now we may reason thus : Fidelis Deus in omnibus,
in ultimo non deficiet. God hath ever stood to his word, many inter-
venient providences, yet promises still accomplished ; not one word
of God hath iailed. Every one that hath had experience of God may
VERS. 5. G.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 365
make that acknowledgment that Joshua did : Josh, xxiii. 14, ' Behold,
This day I am going the way of all the earth, and ye know in all your
hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the
good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you.' As
unlikely things have come to pass, that have been foretold in the
word. Were the old believers deceived, that expected his coming in
the flesh ? Surely God never meant to deceive us. He will come
again : 'If it were not so, I would have told you/ John xiv. 3. Christ's
deed'and performance never gave his word the lie.
6. His promise is solemnly confirmed —
[1.] By an outward sign and memorial : 2 Cor. xi. 2G, •' For as often
as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord's
death until he come.' God knew he had to do with distrustful crea
tures, therefore left a monument to keep the promise a-foot in the
church, and to revive our hopes. Would Christ institute an ordinance
for the solemn remembrance of his appearing, if he meant no more to
come at us ?
[2.] By a real pledge, his Spirit dwelling in us. He is gone to
heaven, to prepare heaven for us, and hath left his Spirit with us to
prepare us for heaven. He hath left his Spirit in the church, and
doth give out frequent tokens of love, to show that lie doth not forget
us. Christ and a believer are not strange. There is a constant inter
course between them. We are absent from him in the body, but there
are frequent messages of love. We hear from him in the word, prayer,
supper, and will he not come again that is so mindful of us at every
turn ? He did not forget us in his exaltation, as the butler forgot
Joseph; when preferred at court, he did not remember Joseph in
prison. Now, in his Father's house, he is touched with the feeling of
our infirmities ; and will not always leave us liable to sinning and
suffering. Surely he that quickeneth us by the influences of his grace,
and refresheth us with the tastes of his love, he will come again. In
short, what would our faith be worth if Christ would riot come again?
Here we have but a slender enjoyment of Christ ; our full communion
is when he taketh us to himself.
Secondly, I shall now speak of the tarrying of the bridegroom,
' While the bridegroom tarried.' What ! is Christ more backward
than the church, that goeth forth to meet him ? They are ready with
their lamps, but he delayeth his coming.
Ans. 1. Some understand it of our opinion, not the reality of the
thing. Though Christ come always with the soonest, yet to us he
seemeth to tarry. Why ? Because earnest desires crave a present
satisfaction, and c hope deferred maketh the heart sick,' Prov. xiii. 12 ;
and Prov. x. 26, 'As vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, so
is the sluggard to them that send him.' Expectation is in itself
tedious, especially when accompanied with difficulties. Certainly
being accompanied with present troubles, it is more tedious. The
flesh groweth impatient after its own ease ; and in this sense the bride
groom is not slack, but we are hasty. I do observe it the rather,
because the same happeneth when we expect Christ to help us in our
particular distresses. Because of the impatiency of the flesh, and the
levity of our minds, and the weariness of expectation, the time seemeth
366 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV- [SER. V.
long. There is our time, and Christ's time. Our time is always with
us, but his time is not come : Jer. xiv. 19, ' We looked for peace, and
there is no good ; for the time of healing, and behold trouble.' In
this sense Christ only seemeth to delay his coming. We are eager
upon enjoyment, we would have it now.
Ans. 2. Keally. He doth tarry, and suspends his coming. There
is a great efflux of time between his ascension and second coming,
and that for wise reasons.
1. That all this while there may be space for the world to repent.
Mora sponsi pcenitentice tempus est, saith Jerome : Kom. ii. 4,
' Despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-
suffering ; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance?' There is finis operis et operantis. Whatever God's
intentions be, hi*, dealings, his forbearance and long-suffering should
lead us to repentance. God useth great patience to the wicked : Rom.
ix. 22, ' Endureth with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted
to destruction/ So Eev. ii. 21, ' I gave her space to repent, and she
repented not/ God giveth leave to repent, visible means to repent,
and space to repent, even there where he giveth not effectual grace.
Wicked men abuse his patience, take encouragement from thence
to run into all extravagancy ; but God's aim is to leave them with
out excuse.
2. That all the elect may be gathered : 2 Peter iii. 9, ' The Lord
is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but
is long-suffering to us-ward ; not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance/ God would have the world filled
with mankind, and endure for many generations, till it come to that
period which his providence hath appointed. And what is that period?
Till all that belong to the election of his grace be brought in to him ;
for all things are for the elect's sake. Now when his number is full,
he will come. These were not to be born all at once ; and it requireth
time and pains to work upon each elect soul after they are come into
the world : therefore ' he is not slack as men are slack/ Men's slow
ness in performing their promises cometh from their unwillingness, or
backwardness to do the thing ; or from impotency and weakness, or
want of foresight of all possible difficulties ; or else from their forget-
fulness. None of these are in God : not forgetfulness ; for ' he is
mindful of his people,' Ps. cxi. 5. He will not stay longer than the
appointed time. Not backwardness ; for he waiteth, as well as you
wait, for the fittest time, Isa. xxx. 18. Not from weariness ; for he
can do whatever he will.
3. To exercise our patience to the full : Col. i. 24, ' Who now rejoice
in my sufferings for you ; that fill up that which is behind of the
afflictions of Christ in the flesh for his body's sake, which is his church.'
Not as if Christ's personal sufferings for the redemption of sinners
were imperfect, and so to be supplied by the sufferings of others : no ;
it is meant of Christ mystical. So the sufferings are not perfect, or
filled up, till every member of his body endure their allotted portion
and share. This cup goeth by course, and round : Christ first, we
next. It goeth from hand to hand, while the world continueth : James
i. 4, ' Let patience have its perfect work/ That cannot be but under
VERS. 5, 6.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 367
great and long troubles. And as it is for the exercise of our patience,
so to awaken our desires : 2 Peter iii. 12, ' Looking for and hastening
to the coming of the day of God.' Hasten it by your prayers, and
further the great works that are to be done before. God will not bestow
heaven upon us as we lay on gilding and fair colours on wood or stone,
that have no sense of it, nor desire of it ; but we must first groan,
Bom. viii. 23.
Thirdly, His coming at midnight. He tarried somewhat beyond
the season, to show that he would come unlocked for. Jerome saith
it was an ancient tradition that Christ should come at midnight ; and
therefore in the vigil, or watch before Easter, anciently they were not
wont to be sent away till midnight : * But of that day and hour
knoweth no man/ It is put for an unexpected time ; as Zech. xiii. 9,
1 At evening it shall be light/ Christ cometh when he is least ex
pected, when the world groweth secure, and his own people weary with
looking. His coming is often compared in scripture to the coming of
a thief in the night : 1 Thes. v. 2, ' For ye yourselves know perfectly
that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night ; ' by way of sur
prise ; the thief doth not make appointment, nor forewarn the good man
of the house : Luke xii. 46, ' The Lord of those servants shall come in
a day that he looketh not for him/ Now God hideth this day from us.
1. To show his sovereignty : Prov. xxv. 2, ' The glory of God is to
conceal a thing.' There are arcana imperil : and the time and season
of his coming to judgment is one of God's secrets.
2. That we might always keep ready : Eev. iii. 3, ' Kemember
therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.
If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief;
and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee ; ' and
Kev. xvi. 15, ' Behold I come as a thief; blessed is] he that watcheth/
Caesar would never let his soldiers know his resolution for battle onset,
or the removal of his camp, ut paratum et intentum momentis omnibus
quo vellet statim educeret, that they might be always in a ready posture.
So Christ's coming at the last day will be by way of surprisal, that he
may have us always ready. Had it been expedient for us to know, he
would have told us of it. Men will say, if they knew just the hour
and the day, they would be found praying. But you should always
watch and be ready, because you ' know not the hour/ Would our
preparation be hastened, think you ? No ; we should say as they, Isa.
xxii. 13, ' And behold joy and gladness, slaying of oxen, and killing of
sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine. Let us eat and drink, for to
morrow we shall die;' and 1 Cor. xv. 32, ' Let us eat and drink, for
to-morrow we shall die.' Therefore Christ will choose his own time.
Fourthly, I come to speak of the cry made. The cry is the means
whereby God rouseth them up out of this slumber. Christ sendeth
his cry to awaken souls before his coming. This cry is twofold : —
1. The more remote cry ; which is for the rousing of particular
persons in all ages ; and that is the voice of the ministry of the word.
Thus Christ at his first coming had a crier went before him to alarm
the world, and prepare them for his reception ; and that was John the
Baptist : ' The voice of one crying in the wilderness/ So still before
his second coming he hath some to raise a cry. The cry of the word
368 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. V.
is often spoken of in scripture : Prov. i. 24, ' I cried to them, and they
would not hear/ So Isa. Iviii. 1, ' Cry aloud, lift up thy voice like a
trumpet.' And it is the great means to awaken us out of our security.
All God's faithful servants in all ages have been crying, ' The Lord is
at hand.' Our work is to rouse up the hearts of men, that they may
be prepared more and more for the joyful receiving of Christ at his
coming. We should not keep silence, nor deal sleepily. It is a con
vincing powerful word that is a cry ; and it is your duty to be awak
ened by the cry. If this word be not entertained, the hath his rod :
Ps. ii. 5, ' Then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in
his sore displeasure/ So Micah vi. 9, ' The voice of the Lord crieth
unto the city ; and the man of wisdom shall see thy name. Hear ye the
rod, and him that hath appointed it/ We shall hear the voice of the
rough teacher. The word crieth ; and if the word be not heard, the
rod crieth. We need all kinds of excitations to rouse us out of our
careless walking, arid heartless praying, and negligent sleepy thoughts ;
that we may think more seriously of the coming of the bridegroom.
2. There is a more immediate and general cry, for rousing and
raising up all at once ; and that is the trump of the archangel, spoken
of in many places : John v. 28, 29, ' The dead in their graves shall
hear his voice, and come forth, some to the resurrection of life, and
some to the resurrection of damnation/ The means employed in the
resurrection is the voice of Christ Jesus, who shall ' descend with
a shout,' 1 Tlies. iv. 16, and with* the ' sound of a trumpet' sounded
by angels: Mat. xxiv. 31, ' He shall send his angels with a great sound
of a trumpet/ So 1 Cor. xv. 52, ' The trumpet shall sound, and the
dead shall be raised/ Christ, that had a forerunner at his first coming,
hath also at his second. This trumpet soundeth to summon all to
appear before Christ's tribunal to be judged. There was an audible
trumpet at the giving of the law, Exod. xix. 20. This sound shall be
heard all the world over.
Use 1. Let us improve this to the particular use of Christ's coming,
either in a way of mercy to his people, or in a way of judgment.
] . In a way of mercy. The Lord tarrieth sometimes when men
think he should come sooner : John xi. 6, Jesus loved Lazarus ; and
he abode still two days in the same place that he was when he heard
that he was sick. Let there be no misconstruction. It is not want of
love, nor want of power : he could raise him up when he was ready to
stink. He may delay our lielp till a fit time come, wherein his glory
may shine forth, and the mercy be more conspicuous. To come late
is many times the best time. God keepeth back his best blessings for
iixwhile ; and detaineth them long in his own hands before they come
unto us. Therefore wait his leisure. Expectation is tedious, and
reckoneth every minute. Strong desires are importunate ; and usually
we go by an ill count : not by eternity, but time. The timing of all
things is in -God's hand ; not left to our foolish fancies, but his wise
ordering. The dial sometimes goeth before the sun ; so doth our time
before God's time. We would make short work for faith and patience ;
and so our graces would not be found to praise and honour. In all
such cases let us remember —
[1.] The Lord hath chosen the fittest time, Eccles. iii. 11; it will not
VERS. 5, 6.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 369
come one jot too soon, or too late ; but the fittest time for him to give
and us to receive.
[2.] God is very precise in keeping his time : Exod. xii. 41, 42, ' And it
came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the
self-same day it came to pass, that all the host of the Lord went out
from the land of Egypt. It is a night to be much observed unto the
Lord, for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that
night of the Lord to be observed of all the children of Israel in their
generations/
[3.] God stayeth for us, rather than we for him. Christ will come
before we are ready. The great let of mercy was, the people's hearts
were not prepared.
[4.] Every delay will bring some advantage. There is somewhat
more of ourselves, and somewhat more of God to be discovered : some
intervening experience that is worth the having, before full and final
deliverance cometh, Isa. xl. 31 ; Ps. cxxxviii. 39.
2. In a way of judgment. Sometimes Christ raiseth the cry, and
giveth notice of great changes. It concerneth us to take notice
of this voice, that we may not be taken unprovided : Amos iv. 12,
4 Thus will I do unto thee ; prepare to meet thy God, 0 Israel.' When
God threateneth, we had need make serious preparation how we shall
prevent or bear the stroke of an angry God. It is good counsel :
Luke xiv. 31, 32, ' When a king goeth to war against another king, he
sitteth down and considereth whether he be able with ten thousand
to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand. Or else,
while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassador, and
desireth terms of peace.5 There needs in such cases serious prepara
tion. The work will be the more difficult when the storm is broken
out upon you.
Use 2. We may improve this as to his coming to us by death, or
rather our coming to him. The end of time and all things in it are
near to every particular person. Christ and we are to meet shortly ; it
should be our care to meet him by true and serious repentance, that we
may meet him with joy. We are frail creatures, and within a very
little while death will summon us to appear before the Lord ; and when
you die, you are speedily to come to your trial. Now are all things
ready ?
1. Is Christ your bridegroom ? Was there ever a solemn covenant
struck between you and him, as Hosea iii. 3, by renouncing all other
husbands, and giving up yourselves to do his will ?
2. Are your lamps burning, your graces kept in exercise, and shin
ing forth to the Lord's glory ? Are you in a constant and continual
readiness to have immediate communion with Christ, or to set sail
into the world to come? It should be a cheerful thing to you to
depart hence, Phil. i. 23.
3. Have you oil in your vessels ; such a deep and powerful work as
will keep up this affection ? Are these things in you, and ' abound in
you'? 2 Peter i. 8-11. What hast thou that others have not, that
shall never see God's face ? Can you say as Christ, John xvii. 4, '
have glorified thee upon earth ; I have finished the work thou hast
given me to do ' ? Have you been adding one grace to another, so
VOL. ix. 2 A
370 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. V.
that now you have nothing to do but to wait for the crowning of
all?
Use 3. We should improve it as to Christ's general coming. If it
be so that the bridegroom will certainly come, but at his own time —
1. Then be not of the number of those scoffers and mockers that
either deny or doubt of his coming. The most part of men expect no
such matter ; the profane scoff at it, and would fain shake off this
bridle and restraint upon their lusts, 2 Peter iii. 3. Therefore take
heed of the whispers of atheism, which would tempt us to turn unto
the world and present things, and give over our hopes. Most men's
faith about the eternal recompenses is but pretended, at best but too
cold and speculative ; an opinion rather than a sound belief, as appear-
eth by the little fruit and effect it hath upon them ; for if we had such
a belief of them as we have of other things, we should be ' other man
ner of persons, in all holy conversation and godliness.' Two things
are to be wondered at, viz., that any man should doubt of the Christian
faith that is acquainted with it ; and that, having embraced it, should
live sinfully and carelessly. Therefore believe it ae if you saw it :
Rev. xx. 12, ' I saw the dead,' &c.
2. Take heed of apprehending it as a thing afar off ; look upon it
as sure and near, to hasten your preparation. It cannot be long to the
end of time, if we compare the remainder with what is past, and the
whole with eternity : Ps. xc. 4, 'A thousand years in thy sight are
but as yesterday when it is past.' Alas ! it is nothing to the true
measure of things : ' He that shall come will come, and will not tarry/
Therefore we should have more quick and lively thoughts and appre
hensions about it, such as will awaken us out of our security.
3. Take heed of a cold and ineffectual thinking of it. There is a
certain time appointed, and when that appointed time is come, he will
certainly appear ; therefore look for it and long for it. The saints are
described by their looking for it: Titus ii. 13, 'Looking for the
blessed hope;' Phil. iii. 20, 'From whence we look for a Saviour;'
and Heb. ix. 28. Actual expectation enliveneth all our actions.
Eebecca espied Isaac a great way off. Faith and. hope standeth ready
to embrace him. And also by their longing for it, 2 Tim. iv. 8;
Eev. xxii. 17, ' Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.' Long for it for
Christ's sake, and your own sakes. For Christ's sake : His interest is
concerned in it, that the glory of his person may be cleared. His first
coming was obscure ; but now he will come in great splendour, accom
panied with his holy hosts, ten thousands of saints and angels : 1
Peter iv. 13, ' That when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad
with exceeding joy/ His justice will then be demonstrated: Acts
xvii. 31, ' He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world
in righteousness ; ' and 2 Thes. i. 6, 7, ' It is a righteous thing with
God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you
that are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall be
revealed with his mighty angels/ And long for it for your own sake ;
it is a day of the manifestation of the sons of God, Eom. viii. 19. Then
you shall receive your reward to the full : 1 Peter i. 13, ' Hope to the
end, for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ/ Then, is the fullest manifestation of the love of God.
VERS. 7, 8.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 371
Now we are pressed with the remainders of corruption within, and
temptations and persecutions without : wait for his coming. The
people tarried without for the high priest, till he came forth to bless
them : so must we look for his return when he will come to bless us.
SEKMON VI.
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the
foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are
gone out. — MAT. XXV. 7, 8.
THE meaning of this part of the parable is, that the virgins being
roused by the cry made, went to trim their lamps and fit themselves
for their march ; while they were so doing, some of them had oil left ;
but others had spent all their store, and their lamps were going, or had
gone out. Three things are remarkable in these parabolical expres
sions : —
1. That which is common to them all, * All those virgins arose and
trimmed their lamps ; ' which must be differently interpreted of the
wise and the foolish. The arising and trimming their lamps noteth
in the wise their actual preparation for the Lord's coming; in the
foolish, it noteth the strength of their confidence and self-conceit. The
foolish think they are as prepared and ready for Christ's coming as the
wise ; they arise and address themselves to meet the bridegroom.
2. On the part of the foolish, they found their oil spent.
3. That they go to the wise for a supply : * Give us of your oil.'
First, The effect of the cry that is common to them all, ' They arose
and trimmed their lamps/ Which is first to be considered on the
wise virgins' part, and so it will teach us this note : —
Doct. That the faithful, as often as they think of the coming of the
Lord, should more rouse up themselves, and prepare themselves to
meet him with jov and comfort.
For the trimming of the lamps, on their part it noteth the rousing
up of themselves out of their negligence and security, and a serious
preparation for his coming. To evidence this to you, we shall con
sider —
1. How the scripture presseth this upon us.
2. What reasons there are in the thing itself to awaken us to this
serious preparation.
First, How the scripture presseth this upon us. In the word of God
we have not only the doctrine of Christ's coming to judgment, but the
uses and inferences built thereupon. I shall instance in two places in
one chapter, 2 Peter iii. 11 and 14.
Ver. 11, ' What manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conver
sation and godliness ? ' Where observe —
1. That it is not enough to believe the doctrine of Christ's coming,
but we must improve it to the use of holy living. The improvement
is pressed in scripture, as well as the doctrine is revealed. In God's
account no faith will go for faith, but the working faith ; all else is
372 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. YL
but opinion and cold speculation ; whatever truths we believe, we
must bring forth to practice. Therefore if we believe steadfastly, we
must live accordingly ; live as men that look for such things. A bare
apprehension or assent to the truth is nothing worth, unless it be
accompanied with that care and diligence which belongeth to the
truth so apprehended. The Christian religion consisteth not in word,
but in deed ; and our belief of it is not tried by a speculative assent,
especially in the absence of temptations, but by 'a constant and diligent
practice of those duties whereunto this belief bindeth us. So that they
do not truly and savingly believe such things who are not seriously
and constantly diligent in the spiritual life. I cannot say that an
assent separate from practice is no faith, but it is no saving faith ; it
it is such a faith as the devils may have, who know there is a God,
and a Christ, arid a world to come ; they believe it and fear it. So
may carnal men believe it so far as to stir up bondage and legal fears
in their hearts ; but while they improve it not, and prepare not for
their everlasting estate, their faith is ineffectual to salvation. True
faith is tried rather by living than by talking : 1 John ii. 4, ' He that
saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and
the truth is not in him.' There is a difference between an untruth
and a lie. Now where the actions do not correspond to the profession,
that profession is not only an untruth but a lie. There is a denying
in word as well as works,1 Titus i. 16. Many profess and believe as
Christians, but live as atheists. It is not notions, but affections,
living rather than talking, that will demonstrate true faith. Now the
paucity of serious walkers showeth the paucity of true believers.
2. In this improvement there is an appeal to conscience ; for here is
a question put to our own hearts, let reason and conscience speak :
After the serious consideration of the glory and terror of Christ's
second coming, what holiness and preparation is necessary on our
part ! Surely the holiest upon earth, if they would put this question
to their own hearts, they would not be satisfied with that holiness
which they had, but would seek after more ; their desires would be
strengthened, their endeavours quickened, their diligence doubled.
It is for want of self -communing that we are so dull and sluggish. If
men did oftener ask of themselves, reason would tell them that no
slight thing will serve the turn. But truths are not improved. First,
for want of a sound belief j secondly, for want of a serious considera
tion. Therefore in scripture, when any notable truth is propounded
and improved, there are these appeals to conscience : Heb. ii. 3, ' How
shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?' and Kom. viii. 31,
* What shall we say to these things ? '
3. In this appeal the qualification of our persons is first regarded
and looked after. For pray mark the question : it is not, How holy
ought our conversations to be ? but, What manner of persons ? The
state of the person must be first regarded, and then the course of our
actions and conversations. There are some persons at whose hands
God will not accept a gift. God had respect first to Abel, and then to
his offering. The state of the person is to be judged of according to
the two great privileges of Christianity — justification and sanctification.
1 Qu. ' works as well as word ' ? — ED.
VERS. 7, 8.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 373
[1.] That we be justified, and reconciled to God through Christ ;
that we daily renew friendship by the exercise of a godly sorrow for
sin, and a lively faith in Christ: 1 John v. 1, 'Whosoever believeth
that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God ;' and 1 John ii. 1, ' Little
children, these things I write unto you, that ye sin not : and if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right
eous.' Others are not accepted with God.
[2.] That we be sanctified, or renewed by the Spirit, Titus iii. 5,
and so fitted and framed by this general holiness for the particular
duties we are called to. A bowl must be made round before it can run
round ; the instrument must be framed, and strung, and put in tune
before it can make any melody ; the tree must first be made good
before we can expect any good fruit from it, Mat. xii. 33. Actions are
holy by their rule ; a person is holy by his principle. Therefore, till
there be a principle of grace wrought in our hearts, we are not such
manner of persons as God will accept ; nor are we fitted to perform him
any service, or to meet him at his coming.
4. When our persons are in frame, we must look to the course of our
actions or walking ; for the tree is known by its fruit, and a man by
the course of his actions. We do but imagine we have holiness
within, unless we manifest it in our outward conversation ; and will
strive to show ourselves mindful and respectful of God's commands at
every turn : Ps. cxix. 1, ' Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who
walk in the law of the Lord ;' not only undefiled in the rule, but un-
defiled in the way. A sincere, constant, uniform obedience to God's
law, or a careful endeavour to approve ourselves to God in all our
ways, is the mark of true blessedness. A man is judged by the tenor
of his life, not by one action.
5. This holiness must be in all the parts of our conversation : ' In
all holy conversation.' In our outward carriage and secret practice,
common affairs and religious duties ; in the duties of God's immediate
worship and the duties of relations ; towards superiors, inferiors, and
equals, 1 Peter i. 5 ; in every creek and turning of our lives. There
is no part of a Christian conversation but should savour of holiness and
godliness : his common and civil actions, in adversity, prosperity, at
home and abroad. So Titus ii. 12, 13, 'The grace of God which bring-
eth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying
all ungodliness, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this
present world/ Soberly as to ourselves ; righteously as to our neigh
bour ; godly as to God. To rest in a partial practice of holiness will
not become the expectation of Christ's coming, who will examine us
upon every point of duty.
6. Godliness is added to holiness to increase the sense and significa
tion, There is some formal difference between these two. Holiness
signifieth the purity of our actions, and godliness the respect they have
to God, that he be eyed and aimed at in all that we do; that all
things should be done in and to the Lord, or for his glory. This
should be the supreme end of all our ways and actions. If we consider
grace as it provideth for the rectitude of our actions, positively it is
called holiness ; if relatively, with respect to our dedication to God, it
is called godliness. Well, then, we should be such manner of persons,
374
SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV.
[SER. VI.
not only in all holy conversation, but godliness. We should stir up
ourselves to do more for God in the world, and love him, and fear him,
and honour him in all that we do.
7. In both we should endeavour the highest pitch that possibly we
can attain unto ; for it is in the original, * All holy conversations and
godlinesses;' which doth not only imply the extension (as we render
it), ' in all holy conversation and godliness,' but the intension and de
gree, as well as all the parts and points of godliness. Those that have
made most progress in godliness should still aspire after higher degrees :
the more will our comfort be now, and the more our glory when Christ
cometh. We cannot be over, it is easy to be short. The most serious
and the most painful do exceedingly lament their negligence when
they come to die ; but none ever begrudged their pains, or bewailed
their diligence. Tftere should be holinesses and godlinesses. There
fore we should not only keep what we have, but seek to get more.
This is the apostle's use of the resurrection of the dead, and so by con
sequence of Christ's second coming. 1 Cor. xv. 18, 19. So Phil. iii. 11.
The next place is ver. 14, ' Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for
such things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace,
without spot, and blameless.' In which words observe —
1. The exhortation is generally propounded, ' Be diligent.'
2. Particularly, in what this diligence is to be exercised and laid
out.
[1.] With respect to the means, * That ye may be without spot, and
blameless.'
[2.] With respect to the end, ' That ye may be found of him
in peace/ In the original the posture of the words is thus : ' That ye,
being without spot and blameless, may be found of him in peace.' All
these circumstances deserve to be considered by us.
1. The general exhortation, ' Be diligent/ Kouse up yourselves, set
speedily and earnestly about it. We are apt to delay, therefore make
haste : we are too slight and sluggish ; therefore be earnest, and zeal
ous, and hard at work • every slight endeavour will not serve the turn.
The wife that looketh for her husband's coming home will put all
things in readiness : the servant that expects his master's coming will
ply his work. Therefore let us not be remiss and negligent, but make
serious preparation. A loitering profession will fail us in our greatest
need ; and when the bridegroom cometh, our lamps will be gone out.
The devil's bondslaves spare no cost to serve their lusts ; their faulty
self-denial may put Christians to shame : Isa. v. 17, ' They draw on
iniquity with cart-ropes/ The men of the world use all possible dili
gence to obtain the good things of this life, Ps. cxxvii. 2, ' Kise early,
and go to bed late ;' and shall we put our hand in our bosom, and think
all will do well, though we mind our business only by the by ? No ;
if your scope be to meet Christ with joy, religion must be your work
and main employment.
2. Particularly, wherein you are to show your diligence ; for we
flatter ourselves with general notions.
[1.] With respect to the means, ' That ye be without spot and
blameless.' The one word relateth to the heart, ' That we may be
without spot/ and the other to our conversation, * blameless/
VERS. 7, 8.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 375
(1.) The first thing wherein diligence is to be improved is the wash
ing away of our sinful spots, or the washing away of sin in the guilt
and filth of it, or in a way of justification and sanctification, 1 Cor. vi.
11, suing out our pardon in the name of Christ, and by his Spirit using
all holy means for the cleansing of our polluted natures. This is a
work to be done not once, but often ; for we are all washed but in
part : Prov. xx. 7, ' Who can say his heart is clean ? ' And when we
have once washed, we are inclined to defile ourselves again : John xi.
13, 'He that is washed needeth not, save to wash his feet/ Every
day we contract defilement by living in the world. Our final consum
mation is in Christ's day, when we shall be presented to God, ' not
having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing,' Eph. v. 27. For the pre
sent, still we are cleansing, and making use of the blood and Spirit of
Christ for that end and purpose.
(2.) Blameless ; that relateth to our carriage and conversation, as
it is said, Luke i. 6, that Zachariah and Elizabeth ' walked in all the
commandments of God blameless.' So should we take care that we
incur no just blame for all those things Christ hath left in trust with
us, as to the improvement of our talents, keeping his laws, observing
his ordinances, or carriage to his servants and all men.
[2.] As to the end, ' that we may be found of him in peace/ The
word found is often used with respect to Christ's second coming :
2 Cor. v. 3, ' If so be we shall not be found naked ; ' Phil. iii. 9, ' That
I may be found in him/ It is used, because the last day is a
day of exact search and trial, and because that day cometh upon the
greatest part of the world by way of surprisal. We do not look for it,
nor prepare for it, but it cometh, uuthought of, unexpected by the
most. But the word found noteth either n state of reconciliation with
God, Eom. v. 1, or it noteth comfort and joy, 1 John iv. 17. The
wicked are then at their wits' end, Rev. xix. 18, call for the rocks and
mountains to fall upon them. But when you have made diligent pre
paration, you may have boldness in that day, and ' lift up your heads,
because your redemption draweth near/ A peace that will hold
out when Christ cometh, is a peace indeed ; otherwise what a terror
will unpardoned guilt, and an unrenewed nature, a fruitless life, and a
blemished conversation breed in us ? Thus you see how the scripture
presses this.
Secondly, What reasons ther"e are in the thing itself to awaken us to
this serious preparation —
1. Because of the person coming, our Redeemer, the bridegroom,
the Lord himself, who is so great and holy. If we mean to do him
honour, we must prepare to meet him in the best manner we can, as
the bride would provide her ornaments against the nuptial day. Oh !
what cleansing of soul, what fruitfulness and exercise of grace should
there be, that we may not put our Redeemer to shame when he cometh
to be glorified in his saints, and to show forth the fruits of his death in
us ! I say, this preparation should be not only for our own honour,
that the bridegroom may not refuse us his company and approbation,
1 Peter i. 7 ; but for the honour of Christ, that he may be glorified in
the faithfulness and obedience of his servants, when it shall be pro
duced to the view of all the world, as the fruits of his purchase and
376 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. VI.
Spirit : Eph. v. 27, ' That lie might present it to himself a glorious
church, nor having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it
should he holy and without blemish/ It is begun here, and consum
mated there, Col. i. 22, and Jude 25.
2. Because of the manner of his coming, in power and great glory.
Every coming of Christ should be entertained with great reverence.
When our first parents heard but the voice of God walking in the
garden in the cc-ol of the day, they hid themselves from his presence
among the trees of the garden. When he came to give the law, Heb.
xii., it was terrible, and made them quake and tremble ; much more,
now he cometh to judge according to the law, when articles of faith
are to be made objects of sense, and God is no longer in a way of trial
with the world. Christ, in the days of his flesh, when he came not to
judge but to save,»yet sometimes beamed out his majesty, as in the
miracle of the great draught of fishes, Luke v. 3, but especially when
his enemies fell backward with a look or word from his mouth, John
xviii. 6 ; his whipping the buyers and sellers out of the temple, Mat.
xxi. 12; and at his transfiguration his disciples were afraid, Mat.
xvii. 6. If his voice was so terrible in the days of his flesh, what will
it be then ? He came at first in the form of a servant, Phil. ii. 6, 7 ;
now he cometh as Lord and heir of all things, Heb. i. 2. Then he
came in the similitude of sinful flesh, Kom. viii. 3 ; now without
sin, Heb. ix. 28. Then he had a forerunner, John the Baptist, * the
voice of one crying in the wilderness,' Mat. iii. 3 ; now the archangel,
1 Thes. iv. 16. Then he had twelve companions, poor fishermen; now
with saints and angels, his holy ten thousands, Jude 7. Then he
raised some few to life ; now ' all shall hear the voice of the Son of
God and live/ John v. 28. Then he came riding upon an ass ; now he
shall come in the clouds of heaven, and the Judge shall sit in the
throne of majesty, summoning the world to appear before him. As
this will be comfortable to the godly, so terrible to the unprepared.
3. Because of his work when he cometh, which is to judge the
world, and to make a strict inquiry into the ways of men : Eev. xx. 12,
' And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and the books
were opened, and another book was opened which is the book of life,
and the dead were judged out of the things that were written in the
books, according to their works/ All actions are set in order, Ps. 1.
21, with such impartiality and strictness, that we should all tremble at
the thought of it. Surely if we did believe these things we would pre
pare ourselves accordingly : Acts xvii. 31, 'He hath appointed a day
wherein he will judge the world in righteousness/ God governeth
the world now in righteousness, but the justice of God hath not its
full scope and measure. God useth patience to the wicked, and doth
not give the godly their full reward. God is arbitrary in his gifts,
but not in his judgments : all are under a rule, either the law of works
or the gospel law : James ii. 12, 13, 'So speak and so do, as those that
are to be judged by the law of liberty/
4. After judgment sentence is passed, never to be reversed again.
Here there is a possibility of retrieving it by repentance, for here it is
sententia legis,l>ut there it is sententia judicis, there is no appeal from
this sentence. Here sentence may be repealed, Ezek. xviii. 12, 'If
VERS. 7, 8.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 377
the wicked shall turn from his sins that he hath committed, and
keep my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall
surely live, he shall not die.' Therefore we have need to provide for
this day.
5. Prepared or unprepared, we must all go forth to meet the bride
groom. Therefore we had need to consider with ourselves whether we
are in case to meet him or no. Others think we make too much ado
about it ; but this is the great thing that should take up our care and
thoughts, whether we are upon a sure bottom for eternity : Luke x. 42,
' This is the one thing necessary.' Alas ! that we should make no
greater matter of it, and set ourselves about it with no more care and
seriousness, Ps. xxvii. 4. It is necessity, and our own necessity, arid a
necessity for so great an end ; not to live honourably and comfortably
in the world, but for ever with God. In reason necessary things
should be preferred before superfluous ; that which cannot be spared
should be first regarded.
Use 1. Is to quicken you to rouse up yourselves, and to trim your
lamps. God's messengers in all ages have raised the cry : Enoch long
ago : Jude 14, 15, ' Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his
saints.' He speaks of it as a thing in being, and actually in view ; so
do we call upon men. If we had a deeper sense and more lively ap
prehensions of that day, surely we would more bestir ourselves.
1. To rouse up ourselves. Shake off sloth and security : 2 Tim. i.
6, ' Stir up the gift that is in thee ; ' Isa. Ixiv. 7, ' There is none that
stirreth up himself to take hold of thee/ There is need of awakening
ourselves yet more and more. Conscience is too sleepy, the will too re
miss, the affections are dead and earthly, and are not so active and
powerful upon our hearts as they were wont to be. Oh ! do not rest in
a lukewarm drowsy profession, but seriously bestir yourselves.
2. Trim up your lamps ; that is, let your practice and profession
of godliness be more lively and powerful, and grace kept in constant
exercise : ' Having your loins girt, and your lamps burning/ Luke xii.
35. Oh ! it is a blessed thing to be found so doing. You will never
do so —
[1.] While you content yourselves with a little religiousness by the
by, and do not make godliness your main work and business : * Work
out your salvation with fear and trembling/
J2.] While you content yourselves with doubtful questionable grace,
do not put it out of all doubt: 1 Peter i. 10, 11, ' Give all dili
gence to make your calling and election sure, that so an abundant
entrance may be ministered unto you/
[3.] You will never do so while you content yourselves with a little
general religion, without looking into every part and point of duty:
1 Peter i. 15, ' Be ye holy in all manner of conversation/ Wherein
you are to exercise your obedience to God ; Acts xxvi. 7, 8, ' Unto
which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God night and day,
hope to come/
[4.] You will never do so till your minds be taken off from the^ pre
sent world, and more deeply fixed upon the world to come, Mat. vi. 21.
Till that be your treasure, Col. iii. 1, ' Set your affections upon things
above/ Our affections often cool, being scattered too much upon pre-
378 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. VI.
sent things ; we have little or no thoughts of our spiritual journey :
1 Peter i. 13, ' Gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and hope to
the end for the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ/ It is meant of the affections. It is the lively expecta
tion of blessedness to come that keepeth us in life and exercise.
Secondly, We now come to the consideration of it as to the foolish
virgins, c they all arose and trimmed their lamps/ The foolish virgins
made a fair flourish ; on their part it noteth their vain confidence, as if
they were as ready to meet the bridegroom as the wise, though the
event showeth the contrary ; so that on their part it doth not note so
much their serious preparation as their foolish presumption.
Doct. 2. Many think they have grace enough to meet Christ at his
coming, when the event showeth no such matter ; or, many have great
confidence of the goodness of their condition, that will be found foolish
virgins at last. As in the text, the foolish virgins ; and in the 7th of
Matthew, the foolish builder.
There are four reasons of this : —
1. Self-love, which blindeth a man in judging of his state and
actions : Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man are right in his own
eyes/ It is natural to a man to have a good conceit of his own ways ;
so Prov. xxx. 12, ' There is a generation of men pure in their own
eyes, yet not washed from their filthiness/ A man will favour himself,
be a parasite to himself. A self-suspecting heart is very rare, John
xiii. 23, 24, and 2 Sam. xii. 7.
2. An overly sense of their duty, and belief of the world to come.
Temporaries have but a taste of heavenly doctrine, Heb. vi. 4, a light
tincture. The act of their faith is not so intense and serious as to set
them a- work with all life and diligence, or to enable them to judge
impartially, whether they are able to bear the coming of Christ, yea or
no. Presumption is the child of ignorance and incogitancy ; they do
not consider of the strictness of the gospel law, or the impartiality of
the last day's account ; there is but a notional, slight, superficial,
ineffectual apprehension of these things. An ignorant person is fool
hardy, he doth not weigh the danger. It is not the greatness of our
confidence, but the acuteness of our sense.
3. Want of searching or taking the course whereby we may be unde
ceived : Jer. viii. 6, ' No man repented of his wickedness, saying, What
have I done?' Yea, when searched, and their natural face showed
them, James i. 23, 24 ; they will not search and try their ways. A
temporary is seldom discovered to himself till it be too late ; but you
may find him by these notes. Usually he is slothful ; he is not a
laborious Christian — sound exercise maketh us feel our condition; he
is not self-searching, he doth not look into himself, he smothereth
those misgivings of heart which he hath, and will not consider the
case, or return upon himself. If they do not search, they cannot know
themselves ; if they should search, they do not like themselves ; they
choose the latter.
4. Building upon false evidences, or upon sandy foundations. A
formal professor may go very far towards salvation. Temporaries
may have awakening grace, much trouble about their condition ; as
Ahab and Judas. So many are full of doubts and stinging fears, and
VEBS. 7, 8.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 379
make their case known, would fain be eased of their smart. They may
have enlightening grace, Heb. vi. 7, more than many true Christians
have ; Kom. ii. 18, have an ' approbation of the things that are excel
lent, being instructed out of the law ;' 2 Tim. ii. 5, * having a form of
godliness/ Grammatically and logically have a clearer understanding
of the sense of words, the contexture and dependence of truths, be able
to defend any sacred verity, and express their minds about it ; yea,
some sense of Christ and heaven and glory; yea, they may have
affecting grace, be wonderfully taken with the glad tidings of the
gospel; may have some taste of the grapes of the good land, may
desire to die the ' death of the righteous/ Num. xxiii. 10 ; desire the
' bread of life,' John vi. 34 ; they may delight in holy things, Isa.
Iviii. 2, as Herod heard the word which John preached gladly, Mark
vi. 20 ; the stony ground heard the word with joy. But they have not
renewing grace, heart-transforming grace, sin-mortifying grace, nor
world-conquering grace. Yet something like these they may have,
something like transforming grace ; a change wrought in them, though
not such as puts grace in sovereignty and dominion. As to sin-morti
fying grace, there are some conflicts with sin, and they may sacrifice
some of their weaker lusts, yet the flesh is not crucified. As to world-
conquering grace, they may profess long, hold out against a persecu
tion : 1 Cor. xiii. 1, ' If I should give my body to be burnt, and have
not charity, it profiteth not.' Compare Acts xix. 33 with 2 Tim. ii.
10, and 2 Tim. iv. 14. Yea, they may keep some profession till death,
have a good esteem among the people of God, and yet the heart never
be thoroughly subdued to God.
Use 1. Oh ! then, ' let us not be high-minded, but fear/ Eom. xi.
20 ; and let all this that hath been spoken tend to weaken the security
of the flesh, but not the joy of faith. Let it batter down all your false
confidence and carnal security, by which you are apt to deceive your
own souls, and make you build more surely for heaven. Consider —
1. God may see that which yourselves or men do not ; for he seeth
not as man seeth. Others look upon appearance, you yourselves may
be blinded with your own self-love, but God krioweth all things, seeth
all things ; therefore, though thou hast a name, yet perhaps art dead,
Kev. iii. 1 ; and though we ' know nothing by ourselves, yet we are not
thereby justified/ 2 Cor. iv. 4.
2. How dreadful it is to know our error by the event rather than by
a search ! The foolish virgins said to the wise, ' Give us of your oil,
for our lamps are gone out.' They began to see their defect when it
was too late. The foolish builder, that built his house upon the sand,
his building made as fair a show as any ; but it fell, ' and great was
the fall of it.' So is the hope of the hypocrite when God cometh to
take away his soul: then they will see and bewail their deceits of
heart, but have no time to remedy them. Many think they have god
liness enough while they live, but when they come to die they will find
it little enough, and all their false hopes will leave them ashamed.
3. We have need again and again to bring the grounds of our con
fidence into the sight and view of conscience, that we may be sure they
will hold weight : Ps. xliv. 18, ' Our heart is not turned back, neither
have our steps declined thy way ;' 2 Cor. i. 12, ' This is our rejoicing,
380 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. VI.
the testimony of our conscience.' At least, when you suspect your
selves, how do you make a shift to quiet your consciences ? Is it upon
solid grounds, and such as will bear weight in the day of Christ?
Many are strongly conceited of themselves, when there is little ground
for it : Luke xiii. 24, ' Many shall seek to enter, but shall not be able;7
Kev. iii. 17, ' Thou thoughtest that thou wert rich, and increased with
goods, when thou art poor, and wretched, and blind, and naked/ In
a poor case to meet the bridegroom, but they thought themselves in a
happy condition.
Use 2. To excite you to this duty, take these considerations : —
1. Your cure is not fully wrought, you are not yet brought home to
God : 1 Peter iii. 18, * Christ also suffered for sin, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God/
2. To keep to your first beginnings, after a long time of growth, is
to be babes still : Heb. v. 12-14, ' When for the time ye ought to be
teachers, ye have need to be taught the first principles of the oracles
of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong
meat : for every one that useth milk, is unskilful in the word of right
eousness, for he is a babe ; but strong meat belongeth unto them that
are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their sense exer
cised to discern good and evil.' A child, if he should continue a child
and an infant still, is a monster.
3. The same reasons that invited you to begin with Christ should
invite you to go on with his service. If a little grace is desirable,
surely more is desirable, because it is the adorning of the soul. Excel
lency in grace is a great means to convince and convert the world :
Mat. v. 16, ' Let your light so shine before men, that others seeing
your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven ; ' and
John xv. 6, ' Hereby is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much
fruit.' Deprive not God of the honour you owe him, nor the world of
such a powerful help ; we put forth our utmost endeavours to get
excellent things here on earth, and shall eternal glory be only coldly
thought of, and carelessly sought after ?
4. The more serviceable you are for Christ here, the more glory you
shall receive in heaven. We believe there are degrees of glory ; we
read of being ruler of many cities, and sitting at Christ's right hand
and left, Mat. xx. 13. The mother, of Zebedee's children, when she
asked Christ that her sons might sit one at his right hand and the
other at his left, Christ doth not deny the thing, that there were
degrees of glory, but it was to be given them for whom it was prepared
of his Father.
The next thing observable in the parable is the going out of their
lamps : Our lamps are going, or gone out. AVhat is the meaning of
that ? Sometimes the phrase is used in scripture for the failing and
ceasing of the wicked's happiness, or the splendour and glory wherein
they lived in 'the world ; as Job xix. 6, * The light shall be dark in
his tabernacle, and his lamp shall be put out with him ;' and Job xxi.
17, 'How often is the candle of the wicked put out!' But here it
must be interpreted with respect to the scope of this parable, and so
by the lamps two things are intended : —
1. The glorious profession that they make of religion.
VERS. 7, 8.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 381
2. The hope and comfort that is built thereupon.
Doct. 3. Their lamps will go out who have not a stock of grace to
feed and maintain them.
First, Let us explain this.
1. What is this going out of their lamps ?
2. When is this verified ?
First, What is this going out of their lamps ?
1. It may note an extinction of their profession, and so profession,
where it hath not a bottom of grace, will fail : Prov. xxvi. 26, ' His
wickedness shall be showed before all the congregation.' God loveth
to uncase hypocrites. In the course of his providence one occasion or
other falleth out to make them stumble and break the neck of all their
respects to the ways of God : John xv. 6, ' If a man abide not in me,
he is cast forth as a branch that is withered/ Christ drieth up their
gifts and seeming graces, their duties ; they are given up headlong to
their own apostate courses.
2. It may be meant of the extinction of their vain hopes and foolish
confidence and false peace, which is grounded upon their outward
profession and formal practice of external duties ; thus we read that
' the hope of the wicked shall be as the spider's web/ Job viii. 14,
curiously woven, but gone with the turn of the besom. So Job xi.
20, ' The hope of the wicked shall be as the giving up of the ghost/
No more hope of them than of a man's life that is giving up the
ghost ; or with pains and gripes ; which is not only to be meant of the
hope, or the continuance of their prosperous condition in the world,
but of heavenly happiness ; there is a groundless expectation of that,
the apostle's expression intimateth it: Kom. v. 5, 'And hope that
inaketh not ashamed.' The hope of temporaries will at length deceive
them in their greatest need, and leave them ashamed. As Absalom's
mule left his master hanging on an oak, so will their hopes fail them,
and their pretences vanish.
Secondly, When is this verified, and upon what occasions ?
1. Sometimes in life. They took offence at Christ, his doctrine,
or something thst did accompany it : John vi. 66, 'At that time many
of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him ;' some one
prejudice or other took them off.
2. Sometimes at death, if their profession and hope thereupon tarry
so long: Job xxvii. 8, 'What hope hath the hypocrite, when God
cometh to take away his soul ?' A man may live by a form, but he
cannot die by a form with comfort. Men are more serious in the con
fines of eternity, when present enjoyments cease, and we have nothing
left to comfort us but the expectation of the world to come : then we
shall repent that we have been no more provident for eternity ; if God
would spare them a little longer, they would get oil then. When
they come to die, oh ! that they could live over their life again. Men
that have neglected their time of present profiting then see their folly ;
then how serious, anxious, and solicitous are they !
3. It is possible men may go down with a careless profession, and a
blind confidence to the grave, but in God's judgment it will not hold
out ; for the day of revelation and manifestation is hereafter, and every
one is not in a safe condition that dieth in peace, or without actual
382 SEKMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. VI
horror and trouble. Usually, indeed, 1 Cor. xv. 56, 'The sting of
death is sin ; ' but it is possible hypocrites may die with stupid and
benumbed consciences, and therefore Christ maketh their vain con
ceits to be blown away in the day of accounts : Mat. vii. 22, ' Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord ! ' that is, till the day of doom,
may think their plea sufficient.
Seasons why this profession is apt to fail, for there is a distinct con
sideration of these things : —
1. Because they have a principle of apostasy in their hearts still.
The love of some created thing is predominant, as it is in all tem
poraries ; either honour, riches, or pleasure, which when it cometh to
be touched or intrenched upon, religion must give way. Christ's first
lesson is self-denial. Till there be a universal sovereignty of grace
over all our desires and inclinations, so as they shall all give way to
the love of God, something is left that will tempt us to leave our pro
fession of godliness, though unwillingly ; as the young man went away
sad, Mark x. 22 ; and that which is lame is soon turned out of the
way, Heb. xii. ; and therefore we can have no satisfaction and security
while any one lust remaineth unmortified ; if you are not fallen, you
are falling.
2. Because they do not improve what they have received. The
great want of temporaries is the want of a constant, serious, lively
diligence ; now when men have made a good progress in religion, and
stop there, they lose what they hare : Luke viii. 18, ' From him that
hath not shall be taken what he seemeth to have;' to him that
employeth his stock, more shall be given; but the other is on the
losing hand.
Secondly, As to the hope and comfort that f olloweth this profession.
An inclination to that which is good : I suppose without that there
can be no true comfort, until we should submit to the conditions of
the gospel law, Mat. v. 28-30. There temporaries are defective, all
therefore see it and know it when they are serious and considerative,
and their mistakes and misconceits are blown away by death and
judgment. Now the conditions are believing, repenting, and gospel
walking. Now their faith will not yield comfort : Gal. v. 6, ' Neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth anything, but faith that
worketh by love.' Not their repenting, not a little sorrow for sin past,
until carnal distempers are mortified, 2 Cor. vii. 10. So for gospel-
walking ; not a loose owning of Christ, Mat. vii. 21 ; until there be a
full obedience to his law, putting it in practice with an upright heart,
which is not consistent with allowed failings. A man may profess
himself a Christian, yet if he do not his Father's will, he may come
short.
Use. Oh 1 then, let us take heed we be not of the number of those
whose lamps are gone out. The lamps of the sanctuary were never
to go out, but to burn always, Exod. xvii. 20. To this end —
1. Apply yourselves to Christ in the use of his appointed means,
for the renewing your natures, that his Spirit may give you a new
understanding and a new heart : God hath made the offer, Ezek.
xxxvi. 26, and it is only made good to those that diligently attend
upon the appointed means.
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 383
2. Improve what you receive in that way : 1 Thes. v. 14, ' Quench
not the Spirit.' Fire may be quenched by pouring on water, or with
drawing the fuel :^ quench not the Spirit by fleshly delights, nor by a
careless conversation.
3. They ask the wise, ' Give us of your oil.' First, This demand
was unseasonable ; to be getting oil when they should use it, to have
their oil to buy when their lamps should have been burning. There
is a time of getting, if we lose that, our opportunity is gone, Luke xiv.
32; Isa. Iv. 2; John ix. 4. While 'you have the day work, for the
night cometh in which no man can work.' Secondly, it was extorted
by mere necessity. In a time of straits and distresses men will call
upon the people of God to help them, as Pharaoh called for Moses and
Aaron, when God's judgments were upon him.
SEKMON VII.
But the ivise answered, saying, Not so ; lest there be not enough for us
and you : but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for your-
selves.— MAT. XXV. 9.
IN the words we have — (1.) A denial ; (2.) The reason of the denial;
(3.) Their advice and counsel to the foolish.
First, The denial, not so. It is not a churlish and envious denial,
but such an answer as the nature of the thing would bear. If they
should be so kind, they would deprive themselves, and not leave suffi
cient for them both ; therefore they were better take the usual way of
supply. Three points are in this verse : —
Doct. 1. Every one must get oil into his own lamp, or get grace of
his own, or else in the day of his accounts the grace of others will do
him no good.
Secondly, From the reason, ' Lest there be not enough for us and
you.'
Doct. 2. They that have most grace have none to spare.
Doct. 3. If we would get grace, we must have recourse to the ordi
nances.
For the first point, that every man must get grace of his own.
1. I do not hereby exclude the righteousness of Christ, or his com
municating his Spirit to us. There is a great deal of difference between
Christ and the saints in point of sufficiency, power, and authority.
[1.] They have not a sufficiency for themselves and us too. Christ
hath a fulness out of which you may receive enough : John i. 16, * Of
his fulness we receive grace for grace. There is plenitudo fontis et
plenitudo vasis — the fulness of a fountain and the fulness of a vessel.
The fulness of a vessel is lessened and abated the more you take out of
it ; the creature is wasted by giving, but a fountain is ever flowing and
overflowing ; it keepeth its fulness still, though it affordeth to others.
God saith to Moses, Num. xi. 12, ' I will take of the spirit that is
upon thee, and put it .upon them/ The words seem principally to
384 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. VII.
intend as if his own gifts and abilities were given to them to help bear
a. part in the burden of the government.
[2.] In point of power, they have no power to transfuse and put
over their righteousness to another ; as a man cannot divide and part
his life between him and another. But Christ, who liveth in us, and
is spiritually united to us, he can impart his grace and righteousness :
2 Cor. v. 21, * He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him ;' Gal. ii. 20, * The life that
I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.'
[3.] If they could do so, they have no authority and commission to
do it, as God hath given to Christ : John iii. 34, 35, ' For he whom
God hath sent speaketh the words of God ; for God giveth not the
Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath
fiven all things infco his hand ;' and John xvii. 2, ' As thou hast given
im power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given him/ Such a difference there is between the Lord
Jesus Christ and the saints. He can give us of his oil, and will do it,
will not deny those that seek it humbly and seasonably, and have
enough himself ; as the ' precious ointment upon Aaron's head and
beard ran down to the skirts of his garments/ Ps. cxxxiii. 2, so doth
Christ the head communicate his gifts and graces to all his members.
2. I do not hereby exclude the benefit which we have by the ' com
munion of the saints' in the mystical body of Christ here in this
world. The members are mutually useful to one another ; as it is
said, Col. ii. 19, ' From which all the body by joints and bands, having
nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase
of God.' It is from the head, but knit together by nerves, veins, and
arteries. The apostle saith, that 'every joint supplieth something/
Eph. iv. 16. We communicate to one another that strength and
nourishment which all receive by the head. There is no member but
is of use ; we have benefit from one another's gifts and graces, or else
we could not be serviceable in the body. But the case in the text is
different ; these foolish virgins had their former advantages, which
they should have improved, to have supplied them in the day of their
account. Now the wise could not help the foolish, nor the foolish the
wise ; but every man shall be judged according to what is within him.
3. As to the keeping off of temporal judgments, the very society
and neighbourhood of the godly may be a means to respite the wicked :
Jer. v. 1, * Kun to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see
now and know, arid seek in the broad places thereof, if you can find a
man that executeth judgment, that seeketh truth, and I will pardon it.'
If they are not pardoned they may be respited for a time. So the
sentence against Sodom ; we read that if ten righteous persons had
been found therein, Gen. xviii. 32, God would have spared it. And
God gave Paul the lives of all them that sailed in the ship with him
for his sake. As to temporal things, God may stay the judgment
upon others for the godly's sake, though not always ; for it is said,
Ezek. xiv. 14, ' Though Noah, Daniel, and Job stood before me, they
should deliver but their own souls by their own righteousness.' When
the decree was irrevocably past, and their provocations grown to an
insufferable height. So it is said in the Jewish proverb, that two dry
VER. 0.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 3g5
sticks may set a green one on fire : to which Christ is supposed to
allude when he saith, * If this be done to the green tree, what shall be
done to the dry ?' Well, but bating these cases, we shall not be the
better for others' righteousness, and this is often pressed in scripture :
Hab. ii. 4, * The just shall live by his faith ;' by his own, not by
another man's : Ezek. xviii. 20, ' The soul that sinneth it shall die :
the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father
bear the iniquity of the son : the righteousness of the righteous shall
be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him ;'
that is, as to eternal rewards and punishments, every one is to be con
sidered according to their own personal estate. Every tub shall stand
upon its own bottom, and every soul shall be dealt with according to
its own capacity. So Kom. xiv. 12, ' Every one of us shall give an
account of himself to God.' We shall give an account of our own
thoughts, words, and actions ; not shuffled together by the lump, and
in gross, but every one severally. One shall not appear for another, as
here we may appear by proctor or attorney ; nor the whole party and
profession for single persons, but every one is to give an account of
himself apart, man by man. So Gal. vi. 4, 5, ' Let every man approve
his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and
not in another, for every man shall bear his own burden.' We should
every one look to his own actions, and our own spiritual estate and
frame of heart : to fetch the grounds of our rejoicing from abroad
will not be so comfortable and safe to us. We are to look to our own
selves.
Use 1. Is to disprove the conceit of works of supererogation, or
doing more than is required of us, to increase the stock of good works
to be put into the treasury of the church, as if others should fare the
better for their over-godly ing it.
2. To disprove the vain and foolish confidence by which men please
themselves in the goodness of others about them, their relations, and
societies in which they live. They have friendship with such good
people, are in relation to such eminent and pious persons ; a godly
wife, or husband, or father : Mat. iii. 9, ' And think not to say within
yourselves, We -have Abraham to our father.' No ; they cannot give
us of their oil. Men will catch at anything rather than a right ground
of confidence.
Use 2. Is to exhort us to ' work out our salvation with fear and
trembling/ Phil. ii. 12, or to be more careful of our own personal
qualification, if we would be saved in the day of the Lord.
1. It is not enough that Christ engaged for us as the public surety
of the church, Heb. vii. 22. He did some things for us, and in our
names, that we might take a bond upon ourselves, that we may enter
ourselves heirs to the benefits of his undertaking. You must give up
yourselves to the Lord, 2 Cor. viii. 5. All that are brought home to
God do personally covenant for themselves : Ezek. xx. 37, * I will
cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of
the covenant/ one by one. God would not trust the Jews with their own
choice, but would take the tenth that came out of the fold by course.
God will not covenant with us in the lump or mass, but man by man.
2. It is not enough that the church as a visible political body, pro-
VOL. ix. 2 B
38G SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEB. VII.
fessing faith in Christ, doth engage for us : Ezek. xvi. 7, ' I entered
into covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine/ There is a visible
church covenanting which is made between God and whole societies,
as they do profess submission to Christ's gospel. Alas ! in these socie
ties, there may be many persons whose souls have not particularly and
personally, each one for himself, entered into covenant with God,
therefore we cannot satisfy ourselves with this, but every one of us
must engage himself to the Lord.
3. It is not enough that our parents did engage for us, and dedicate
us to God in baptism, as they did in their own names, and in the
names of their little ones, Deut. xxix. 10-12, as we devote, and dedi
cate, and engage our children to God in baptism ; but this is a work
and business that no man can savingly transact for another. The
engaging of a soul 4o Christ is a thing that a man cannot do by proxy
or assignee ; we must personally enter into covenant with God for our
selves, or else our parents' dedication will not profit us ; we shall be
children of Ethiopians to God, though children of the covenant, Amos
ix. 7.
4. It is not enough that we belong to strict and reformed societies,
unless we come visibly to ratify the covenant in our own persons, by
that which the apostle calleth ' a professed subjection to the gospel of
Christ,5 2 Cor. xiii. 9. Unless there be a hearty and real subjection,
as well as a public professed subjection, our company will not save us,
nor our church save us. Many fall asleep in Christ's own lap that
shall awake in flames. He looketh to single persons, knoweth his
sheep by name, and whether they obey and follow him, yea or no.
He considereth the frame of their hearts, and how they stand affected
to him : ' My son, give me thy heart/ Prov. xxiii. 26. It is the heart
he seeketh for : Jer. xxx. 21, ' Who is he that hath engaged his heart
to approach unto me ? saith the Lord.'
Lastly, Consider the distinction Christ will make at the last day
between persons of the same vicinity, family, religion : the one is taken,
the other left.
Now, to excite you to get grace into your own hearts, consider —
1. None is more near to you than yourselves. God hath made
you guardians of your own souls. We read, Eph. v. 20, that ' no man
ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it.' Oh !
that we could say so in this case, that no man ever hated his own
soul ! It is no less monstrous and unnatural not to take care of our
souls, than not to take care of our bodies. The soul is the man, the
nobler and better part, that should be first cared for ; therefore, if you
love yourselves, you should look after your personal interest in Christ.
2. Your happiness is left merely as on your own consent. God
offereth his grace to you as well as to others : Isa. Iv. 1, ' Ho, every
one that thirsteth, come to the waters and drink ;' Kev. xx. 22, ' Who
soever will,' &c. If you refuse it, you wrong your own souls, Prov.
viii. 36, forsake your own mercies, Jonah ii. 8. And if you miss of
Christ, and be shut out of heaven, it is by your own default. You
have none to blame but yourselves, if you do not enter into covenant
with God, and so qualify yourselves for the great blessings and favours
thereof.
VEIL 9.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 387
3. Consider how much others have done for you in a way of means,
though they can do nothing in a way of merit. You have received as
much benefit by others as can rationally be expected ; you were born
of Christian parents, by them dedicated to God, and trained up in his
fear ; and now, after all this, when you come to stand upon your own
bottom, you wrest yourselves out of the arms of grace : your obstinate
refusing seriously and heartily to enter into personal covenant with
God will exclude you out of heaven ; you are not moved by the ex
amples of the word, and self-denying Christians. If you never try to
bring your heart to consent to the Lord's terms, you will find your
oil to seek when you should use it, at the bridegroom's coming.
Secondly, I now come to the reason alleged, 'Lest there be not
enough for us and you.'
Doct. 2. They that have most grace have none to spare.
1. With respect to our great hopes, all our endeavours are little
enough for heaven ; we cannot be at . more cost and pains than our
blessed hope is worth : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling/ Work, because it is for salvation : 2 Thes. ii. 12,
' Walk worthy of God, who hath called us to his kingdom and glory/
That is the worthiness of condecency ; walk suitable to your high and
holy calling, walk as those that expect such a kingdom and glory, walk
as those that are contented with a little here, Heb. xiii. 5. A little
here should serve our turn, but in heavenly things it is otherwise ;
there should be a holy covetousness, and an insatiableness of desiring
more, and a suitableness in our walking to that state of life which we
expect. But alas ! it is otherwise with most, for the comforts of this
life, which are but as a vapour, they are insatiable as the grave ; but
in grace, every little, yea, a bare nothing, is thought sunicient. Surely
these men have not a true sense of God's punishments and rewards,
nor what preparation is necessary for that heavenly happiness they
expect.
2. With respect to our great temptations, not a jot of grace can be
spared. We are told that ' the righteous are scarcely saved/ 1 Peter
iv. 18. There are so many trials by the way, and our folly and weak
ness is so great, that it is no easy matter to get safe to heaven. If we
have strength to carry us through our present condition, yet we know
not what we may meet with before our service be over ; a day may
come when all the grace we have may be thought little enough, and
too little for the trials we may be put upon. Little grace is as no
grace when a temptation cometh : Luke viii. 25, ' Where is your
faith ?' But Mark iv. 4, ' How is it that ye have no faith ?' and Mat.
viii. 26, it is said, ' Why are ye fearful? 0 ye of little faith !' Little
faith in some cases is as if they had no faith : faith in the habit they
had, but they could not put it into act, in that sudden and great
trial : Eph. vi. 10, ' Be ye strong in the Lord, and the power of his
might/
3. With respect to our comfort, a large measure of grace is neces
sary. We are bidden to give all diligence, that we may enter abun
dantly, 2 Peter i. 11. Not only make a hard shift to get to heaven,
but to get thither with full sails of comfort ; now this will never be,
unless we have much grace, and that kept in lively action ; for other-
388 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. VII.
wise it will not come into the view and notice of conscience, to make
up an evidence there.
[1.] I do suppose that conscience hath a vote in the matters of our
peace, Kom. viii. 16. In the matters of our sense, Rom. ix. 1, the
bosom witness is conscience ; the knowledge of our estate is not intui
tive, but discursive.
[2.] That small things are inconspicuous, and not easily to be dis
cerned, especially by weak eyes ; therefore it is a hard matter for con
science to discern a little grace in a great heap of corruption. Man's
heart is not watchful, nor so tender, nor -are things in such order there,
as that every lesser thing should be taken notice of ; though conscience
be a secret spy, yet small things escape its view and notice, both in a
way of sin and grace ; in a drowsy and inattentive soul, it cannot be
imagined : therefore there must be a great deal of grace before it can
be seen and distinguished from a common work ; for the heart of man
is deceitful : the woman was forced to light a candle, and search dili
gently, before she could find her lost groat ; so hard will it be to dis
cover that in the soul which is small and little.
[3.] The testimony of the Spirit is usually given in upon the greatest
exercise and abounding of grace ; for the oil of gladness followeth the
oil of grace, and comfort is dispensed according to the rate of obed
ience : John xv. 10, ' If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in
my love ; ' and John xiv. 21, ' He that hath my commandments and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and is loved of my Father, and
I will love him, and manifest myself unto him.' Therefore out of all
this it followeth, that if we would maintain any comfortable and de
lightful sense of our interest in Christ, and the glory of the world to
come, we should not be contented with a little grace.
4. With respect to the nature of grace, it is a sign we have no grace
when we think we have enough and to spare ; surely they that have
tasted that the Lord is gracious, 1 Peter iii. 2, they are not cloyed, but
will long for more ; that man that doth not desire to be better was
never good. As the little seed works through the hard and dry clods,
that it may grow up to stalk and flower, so is grace, it is working and
increasing to perfection : therefore it is an ill sign, to be satisfied with
small measures of grace, to say I have enough. Every degree of grace,
is as desirable as that we have attained to ; and those whose hearts
God hath touched, they earnestly desire more.
5. All is too little to stand before the Lord, and therefore none have
any surplusage of grace, or more than will serve their own turn ; as
in the gathering of manna, he that had much, had nothing over. If
we consider the glorious and holy presence of Christ, we have all little
enough: Ps. cxliii. 2, 'Enter not into judgment with thy servant;'
Non elicit Cam hostibus tuis, sed Cum servo tuo. He doth not say, O
Lord, enter not into judgment with thine enemies, but, Enter not into
judgment with thy servant.
6. Every one is to be considered according to his advantages,
and opportunities of growth and improvement. Less may be suffi
cient to salvation, but not to them to whom more is given ; as
they distinguish of a fundamental in se and quoad nos. God may
accept of an implicit faith in some, but not in others ; so it is true of
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 389
grace, that rule, Luke xii. 48, ' He that knew not and did things worthy
of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.' God may accept that from
others which he will not from us, and we are to be answerable for our
means of growth ; we expect lie should come sooner that rideth on
horseback than he that travelleth on foot ; and therefore we must not
be contented with a bare competency, but labour for abundance.
7. The greatest graces have many times the greatest corruptions and
temptations to wrestle with. God doth not call every one to such a
trial as he called Abraham ; but as Jacob drove as the little ones were
able to bear, so doth God proportion temptations according to the
measure of grace and strength that every one hath ; and therefore he
that hath most grace, hath but enough for that condition of life
wherein God will exercise and try him.
8. You may easily have too little, you cannot have too much.
There are many come short, none over ; you never read of any that
had too much faith, too much of the love of God and the fear of God.
In the internals and essentials of religion, there is no nimium : a man
may spend too much time in praying and hearing, when it encroacheth
upon other duties ; but he cannot fear God too much with a filial fear,
or love God too much ; many love him too little, and therefore are kept
so doubtful all their days, that they cannot tell whether they love God
at all or no.
9. Because of that conformity that should be between us and Christ,
who is our glorious head ; and all the heirs of glory are destinated to
be conformed to the first-born, Eom. viii. 24, chiefly in grace, purity,
and holiness : indeed this cannot so full and exactly be till we see him
as he is, but the present sight that we have of him by grace should
make some change in us, 2 Cor. iii. 18. In heaven we shall be holy,
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, as he, Heb. vii. 26; above the
reach of temptations, as he, John x. 30 ; our vile bodies shall be
changed, Phil. iii. 21, and both soul and body conformed to that glorious
estate, as he, Born. vi. 9; but it must be begun here ; the very hopes of
it should put us upon purifying ourselves : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath
this hope in him purifieth himself as Christ is pure : ' you are to do so,
that there may be some proportion between head and members.
10. Because a little grace is not so honourable to God : John xv. 8,
' Herein is my Father glorified, in that ye bring forth much fruit ; ' and
Phil. i. 11, ' Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by
Jesus Christ unto the glory arid praise of God ; ' 2 Peter i. 8, ' If these
things be in you and abound, you shall not be barren or unfruitful in
the knowledge of Christ.' It is not a naked and empty profession, it
is not sleepy habits, or a little grace, but when grace hath a deep
power and sovereignty over our hearts and lives, that bringeth God
into request, and cominendeth him to the consciences of men. The
knowledge of Christ is reproached as a low institution by carnal men;
but to the truly wise, no such excellent and noble spirits as they that
are bred up under him.
Use 1. Of reproof to those that think we make more ado than
needeth. When we press men to a constant watchfulness, and serious
diligence in the spiritual life, no wonder that every slight thing
seemeth enough ; so the foolish virgins, * Give us of your oil ; ' the wise
390 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiB. VII.
virgins are more cautious ; their saying is, ' Not so, lest there be not
enough for us and you.' What thoughts have you of Christ, when
you think every slight preparation enough for him ? what sense of the
world to come, when you do so little in order to it ? what is it that
you call grace, that you do so easily come by it, and maintain it upon
such cheap terms ? Surely men have no sense of the end, or else mis
take the way, that think so little will serve the turn. Indeed a little
in the world will serve the turn, if men had sober and moderate desires,
and did not increase their necessities by the largeness of their affec
tions. A man may have estate enough for ten men, yea, twenty men,
and yet not be satisfied, but the best hath scarce grace enough for one ;
but alas ! how soon are men satisfied (such is their indifferency) about
spiritual things ! instead of hungering and thirsting after righteouness,
a little or none contents them ; here only they are for sobriety and
moderation ; all is too much, and too easily passed over that seemeth
to awaken them to a lively sense of that religion they do profess.
Christ saith, ' Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of
the scribes and pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven,'
Mat. v. 20. What do ye more than they ? and Luke xi. 24, ' Strive
to enter in at the strait gate.' They cannot endure that Christ's
authority should be urged on the conscience ; can you hope to be saved
on easier terms without all this ado ? A little time will determine whose
word shall stand, God's or yours ; you cannot do too much as long as
you do but what God bids you. Certainly if you judge by that rule
which God hath given to try by, no man on earth is as good as he
should be, and he that is best is too bad, and he that doth most,
cometh unspeakably short of what he should do. All the holy ones
of God complain of their naughty hearts, that they cannot do the
things that they would ; they groan under the body of death, and cry
out, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from this
body of death?' And will they then obtrude this sorry perfunctory
obedience upon God as a full satisfaction of his gospel law ?
2. It is to reprove those that think they have grace enough to bring
them to heaven. Now they may go rest, and trouble themselves no
further. Alas ! they know not what belongeth to the spiritual life ; for if
they had true grace, they would see a need to keep it lively and grow
ing ; they would find they could not keep what they had unless they
did increase it ; the daily lapses make breaches upon it, and conscience
would tell them how easily they lose many degrees, and a sense of it,
and that every day they need serious humiliation ; and it is a naughty
heart that can satisfy itself with the minimum quod sit, a bare com
petency, without seeking after greater measures. When men do things
against their will, they do not more than needs; but love hath an am
plitude and largeness in it, it thinks it can never do enough.
Use 2. Is to excite us : Phil. ii. 13, 14, ' Forgetting those things
that are behind, and reaching to the things that are before, I press
towards the mark of the high prize of God in Christ Jesus.' You have
not answered your holy rule, nor done things worthy of your blessed
hope, nor answerable to the great obligations laid upon you, nor be
coming the glorious salvation which you expect : if these things were
well thought of, you would see a need of making a speedy addition to
VEK. 9.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 391
your stock every day. Oh ! then, as to the internal habits of grace, we
beseech you let your love abound more and more, Phil. i. 9 ; and as to
the external acts of obedience : 1 Thes. iv. 1, ' As ye have received of
us how to walk, and how to please God, so you would abound more
and more.' Let your vessel be fuller, and your lamps burn brighter ;
you owe God a thousand times more than ever yet you have paid him ;
he hath both deserved and required more at your hand ; you cannot
make out your gospel qualification of sincerity, unless there be a lament
ing of defects, and a striving after perfection.
Thirdly, We come to the advice and counsel, ' But go ye rather to
them that sell, and buy for yourselves.' Go to them that sell ; that is,
go where it may be had ; for selling and buying are put improperly
for getting into our hand. Emptum cedit in jus emptoris. Things are
said to be bought when they are made ours, as if we had paid a just
price for them, as Prov. xxiii. 23, ' Buy the truth, and sell it not ; '
that is, keep it, and do not part with it. So Isa. Iv. 1, ' Buy wine and
milk ; ' and Kev. iii. 18, 'I counsel thee to buy of me gold.' Calvin is
of opinion, non admonitio est, sed exprobratio ; and Austin before, non
consulentium, sed irridentium est ista responsio. It is a check and
rebuke to their negligence ; as if it were said, Go buy now if you can ;
heretofore you had a time of buying, which you neglected ; the shops
were open, but now the opportunity is lost : and so think it not a
counsel but a rebuke. You should have bought for yourselves. I rather
think it is an advice, directing them to the remedy, or the true course
that must be taken if we would get oil, as appeareth by the practice of
the foolish virgins in the next verse ; and if they used this remedy too
late, it was their own folly.
Doct. 3. Those that would have grace must have recourse to the
ordinances.
1. Mark iv. 24, ' Take heed how you hear, for with what measure
ye mete it shall be measured to you again.' And you that attend upon
hearing, more shall be given to you. * With what measure ye mete/
that is a proper rule for commerce between man and man, and our
Saviour urgeth ii, Mat. vii. 12. But it is true also in commerce be
tween God and man ; if you take heed how you hear, and do what
you hear, that is, seriously weigh that divine and heavenly doctrine in
your deep and ponderous thoughts ; if they would use such conscion-
able care to profit as was fit, the Lord would recompense their diligence
with an answerable blessing on the soul. Another place is 1 Thes. v.
19, 20, ' Quench not the Spirit ; despise not prophesying.' If you would
not quench the Spirit, his convictions, excitations, and counsels, you
must use the means ; they are instituted to this end, and God instituteth
nothing in vain ; they have a tendency to that end ; the formality of
the institution is a word of command and a word of promise.
2. Christ hath sanctified ordinances to this end, Eph. v. 26, 27 ; and
John xvii. 8, * Sanctify them by thy truth ; thy word is truth.'
Use 3. If we would have the graces of the Spirit begotten, strength
ened, and increased in us, let us use the means, Acts xvii. 11. ^ Let us
use them more conscionably, and see * that by every converse with God
we may get some new blessing from him.
1 Qu. 'seek'?— ED.
392 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. VIII.
SERMON VIII.
And while tlicy went to buy, the bridegroom came ; and they that were
ready went in with him to the marriage : and the door was
shut.'—MA.T. XXV. 10.
THREE things are here remarkable : —
1. The coming of the bridegroom while they went to buy.
2. The entering in, or admission of those that were ready, into the
marriage-chamber.
3. The shutting of the door to exclude the rest.
For the first of these, their going to buy must be interpreted accord
ing to the scope of the parable ; and so it signifieth their unreadiness
and unpreparedness for Christ's corning : they were to seek of grace
when they had most need to use it. In parables, things are said to be
done in the day of judgment which are done in order to or with respect
unto that day ; not that men do go and buy oil then, &c. I might
observe from hence —
1. The certainty of Christ's coming. We heard before of a great
expectation, of his tarrying, of the cry raised, now of his coming, he
really came at last ; but of that point before.
2. Of the suddenness of his coming, by way of surprise on the carnal
world. When the careless were little ready for him, he came ; when
they went to buy; but of that in verse the 13th.
3. I shall choose to speak now of the quality in which he corneth ;
he cometh as a bridegroom.
Doct. 1. That the Lord Jesus Christ shall come to his people as a
bridegroom at his second coming.
Rev. xix. 7, 9, ' Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him,
for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself
ready : and he saith unto me, write, Blessed are they that are called
to the marriage-supper of the Lamb.'
To evidence this unto you, consider these propositions :—
1. That between Christ arid believers there is a mutual tie, consent,
and obligation each to other, which may be notably represented by the
marriage covenant, Ps. xlv., Isa. xlv. 5, and elsewhere. There is a
living relation between Christ and them, beyond what is between him
and others ; a relation not only notional and imaginary, but is really
transacted between them, as between two parties in the marriage
covenant. So Cant. ii. 16, ' My beloved is mine, and I am his.' Both
the parties are mutually, explicitly, and formally engaged and con
tracted to one another ; Christ to us as head, we to him as members
of his mystical body. As it is real, so it is near ; they twain shall be
one flesh, we one spirit : 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' He that is joined to the Lord
is one spirit/ Whole Christ is ours, we are or should be altogether
his, as full of kindness and love, Eph. v. 25-27 ; Zeph. iii. 17. And
it is indissoluble ; the marriage-knot remaineth inviolable for ever :
* I will betroth thee to me for ever/ Hosea ii. 19.
2. This marriage may be considered in four respects : — (1.) With
respect to the ground and foundation of it ; (2.) With respect to our
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv.
first entrance into this relation ; (3.) With respect to the state of it in
this world ; (4.) With respect to its perfect consummation.
[1.] With respect to the ground and foundation that was laid for it
in Christ's incarnation, or at his first coming. Marriage is between
parties of the same kind, as, in the first marriage, Adam called Eve
bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, Gen. ii. 20. So Christ came to
fit himself for that relation of husband to his church, by taking our
nature upon him ; and therefore the apostle, when he speaketh of the
marriage between Christ and his church, useth the same name which
Adam had used : Eph. v. 30, ' For we are members of his body, of his
flesh, and of his bone/ When Christ was in the world, he made a
way for the marriage : he parted from us it is true, but there was an
interchange of tokens ; he took our flesh, and left with us his Spirit.
[2.] With respect to our first entrance into this relation, when
first converted to God, or upon our thankful, broken-hearted, willing
acceptance of Christ for Lord and husband. All marriage is entered
into by a consent : Christ giveth his consent in the promises, and we
by faith, which is a broken-hearted, willing, and thankful acceptance
of the Lord Jesus Christ to the ends for which God offereth him.
Where note, that faith is an acceptance of Christ : John i. 12, ' To as
many as received him/ Next, for the mode and manner of this ac
ceptance, it is broken-hearted, because we are undeserving and ill-de
serving creatures, altogether unworthy to be taken into such a near
relation to Christ ; as Abigail, when David sent to her to make her his
wife, debased herself : 1 Sam. xxv. 40, 41, * Let thine handmaid wash
the feet of thy servants/ Alas ! who are we ? A poor trembling
soul is afraid of being too bold, but God's offer encourageth it. And
as it is a broken-hearted, so it is a willing acceptance of Christ ;
for Christ will not draw us into this relation by force, or bestow the
privileges of it without or against our consent : Rev. xxii. 17, * Who
soever will, let him take of the water of life freely/ If the will be to
Christ, the great difficulty is over. Christianity is but a hearty consent
to accept of Christ and his benefits ; but the creature's will is not soon
gained : Mat. x^iii. 37, ' I would, but ye would not;' he inviteth and
clucketh by the renewed messages of his grace, but we will not be
gathered : Isa. Ixv. 2, ' I have spread out rny hands all the day long to
a rebellious people/ The ungodly careless world knoweth not the
worth of God's greatest mercies, and therefore despise them, yea, take
them for intolerable injuries and troubles, because they are against
their fleshly appetites ; 'but when the will is once thoroughly gained to
God, the great work of conversion is drawing to a happy period ; the
consent of the will is the closing act, when we yield ourselves to the
Lord, resolving to become his, and to be disposed, ordered, and
governed by him at his own pleasure : * I entered into covenant with
thee, and thou becamest mine,' Ezek. xvi. 8. And as it is a willing
acceptance, so it is a thankful acceptance of Christ ; because it is a
great favour and honour done to us, considering the infinite distance
between the parties to be joined in the marriage-covenant, God over
all blessed for ever, and we poor wretched creatures. There may be
among us great distance between the persons that enter into the
marriage-covenant, but all that distance is but finite, for it is but such
394 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SEB. VIII.
as can be between creature and creature, which are equal in their
being, notwithstanding the inequality of many extrinsical respects ; but
in this distance between Christ and his people, the distance is between
the Creator and the creature, the- potter and the clay, the thing
formed, and him that formed it ; betwixt the most lovely person, and
the most loathsome ; between the heir of all things, and the children
of wrath ; the king immortal, and a poor vassal to sin and Satan. And
consider also the many benefits we enjoy by it ; we have the com
munion of his righteousness, Spirit, and graces : 2 Cor. v. 21, ' He was
made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him.' There are two maxims in the civil law, Uxor fidget radiis
mariti — the wife participated in the honour of the husband ; so we
have the communion of Christ's righteousness ; and Uxori lis non
intenditur — the huslmnd is answerable for the wife ; the pleas must be
brought against him. So Jesus Christ hath paid our debts, and re-
presenteth the merit of his sacrifice ; he is responsible for the debts
we owe to divine justice. Participation is another benefit : Eph. v. 26,
'Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave
himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of
water/ Christ upon the cross had merit enough to purchase, and love
enough to intend, and wisdom enough to choose, the greatest benefit
for us ; and what did he purchase, intend, and choose, but to sanctify
and cleanse us by the washing of water through the word? And
lastly, we must receive him to the ends for which God offereth him ;
that is, to be Lord and husband ; which importeth a forsaking all
others, and a devoting and giving up ourselves to Christ, to live in his
love and obedience.
(1.) Before there can be a receiving, there must be a renouncing of
all other loves. Christ will be entertained alone. The husband can
not endure a co-rival and competitor. And the marriage consent im-
plieth an election and choice, which is a renouncing all others, and a
preferring him alone. So the marriage covenant runneth : Hosea iii.
3, 'Thou shalt not be for another, but shalt be for me/ So Ps.
xlv. 10, 11, 'Hearken, 0 daughter, and consider ; incline thine ear :
forget also thine own people, and thy father's house. So shall the
king greatly desire thy beauty : for he is thy Lord, and worship thou
him.' All that do consider what is offered in Christ's name, and con
sent to the motion, they must forsake all their old ways, the old
corruptions, and old passions, and old affections ; and seriously think
of leaving all their worldly pleasures and vanities ; they must not stick
at their choicest interests, most pleasing lusts, and dearest sins, though
it be a right hand, and a right eye, Mat. v. 29. If we consent to
take Christ, and retain our old loves still, we shall be little the better
for being Christians.
(2.) You must give yourselves up to him, to live in his love and
obedience. There are two grand duties we must resolve upon, if we
enter into this relation — conjugal love and conjugal obedience.
(1st.) Conjugal love. There is no want of love on Christ's part : Isa.
Ixii. 5, * As a bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God
rejoice over thee.' Now this love must be mutual ; as he in us, so we
in him. Now conjugal love is such a love as is greater to the yoke-
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 395
fellow than to any other. So our love to Christ is a superlative love.
We must not only love him not less than other things, nor equal
with other things, but above them, cleaving to him alone. Some
love Christ less than other things ; they love him a little, but love the
world better. Honour and greatness better : John xii. 42, ' How can
you believe that seek honour one of another ?' Pleasure : 2 Tim. iii.
4, ' Lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God.' Profit : 2 Tim. iv.
10, ' Demas hath forsaken us, and embraced the present world/ Some
love Christ, but love other things equal with him. They are divided ;
it is a nice case ; hard to say which hath the mastery : they make a
pother with religion, but never feel the true force of it. But the true
conjugal affection is superlative : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in
heaven but thee ? and there is none on earth that I desire besides
thee ;' Phil. iii. 8-10, ' I count all things but dung and dross, for the
excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord/ They prefer
Jesus Christ before all things in the world. Besides, as an husband,
he must have this love.
(2d.) This is a Lord that must have conjugal obedience : Eph. iii.
23, 24, c The husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of
the church, and the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is
subject to Christ, so let wives be to their own husbands in everything/
I urge it, as wives are subject to their husbands in everything, so let
the church and each believing soul be to Christ. Surely, if you con
sent to marry to Christ, you must reckon upon it, that you are no
longer your own to dispose of, and therefore henceforth you must no
more live to yourselves. Christ is accepted and received for Lord, Col.
11. 6, and as such you must consent to serve and obey him : Ps. xlv.
12, 'He is thy Lord, worship thou him/ You must take him so as
never to be ashamed to own him ; take him for better, for worse; take
him and his cross, Mat. xvi. 24 ; take him and his yoke, Mat. xi. 29 ;
take him and his spiritual laws, John xiv. 21. You are to be obedient
to Christ in all things. You are no more to do what you will, but
what will please the Lord, 1 Cor. vii/30. In short, you must obey
him, if you will have benefit by him, Heb. v. 9.
[3.] It is spoken of with respect to its present state in this world.
The relation is begun, but it is not publicly solemnised : 2 Cor. xi. 2,
.' I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a
chaste virgin to Christ/ The church is sponsa, not 'uxor. Here by
the offers of the gospel we are espoused, and by faith engaged to him :
it is called a betrothing to him, Hosea ii. 19, 20, ' I will betroth thee
to me for ever ; yea, I will betroth thee to me in righteousness, and in
judgment, and in loving-kindness, and mercy : I will betroth thee to
me in faithfulness/ The word is not taken generally for marriage,
but strictly, and hath a special emphasis in that place ; and so noteth.
either the goodness of God ; he would not receive Israel as an unchaste
prostitute, that had broken covenant with him, but as a virgin, as if
never any breach of contract before ; or rather noteth the present state
of the church: she is betrothed to Christ, but the marriage is not con
summate. The day of espousals and public solemnities are deferred
till the resurrection, when Christ will come as a bridegroom to conduct
his spouse into his Father's house, for ever to remain with him.
396 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. VIII.
[4.] With respect to its consummation ; it is perfected at his second
coming ; and it is properly called a marriage. It was hut a wooing
or betrothing before then, when the queen is brought to the king, and
abides with him for ever : Ps. xlv. 15, ' With joy and gladness shall
she be brought ; they shall enter into the king's palace.'
Now there are many reasons why this second coming of Christ is
called a consummation of the marriage, and Christ may then be said
to come as a bridegroom.
1. Because there is a personal meeting and interview between his
spouse and himself. Now he employeth spokesmen : 2 Cor. v. 20,
* Now we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you
by us : we pray you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God.' As
Eliezer, Abraham's servant, went to get a match for his master's son,
so the ministers of the gospel : 2 Cor. xi. 2, ' I have espoused you to
one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ.' He
sends tokens and spiritual refreshings : John xiv. 21 , 'He that hath
my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and
shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself
to him/ Then he cometh himself, we meet him in person. Here we
meet him in ordinances, Isa. Ixiv. 5 : ' Present in spirit,' 2 Cor. v.
At death our souls meet him, Eccles. xii. *7, but then our whole man
shall meet him, Job xix. 26, with these arms embrace him. We are
indeed brought near to him by faith, and have some fellowship and
communion with him ; but we do not see him as he is, nor see him
face to face, as afterwards.
2. For the public solemnisation of the marriage, the bridegroom
and the bride do both deck and adorn themselves. The bridegroom
cometh in the glory of his Father, with great abundance of the holy
angels : Kev. xix. 7, ' Let us be glad, and give honour to him ; for the
marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready/
Common garments are not for that wedding : we must be active in the
purifying ourselves, but the grace is given by God : ver. 8, 'And to
her was granted that she might be clothed in white linen ; the fine
linen is the righteousness of the saints/ As Esther was supplied out
of the king's wardrobe, these ornaments and garments of salvation are
purchased and bestowed freely upon us ; by Jesus Christ all is given.
We are here but renewed in part, and cleansed in part ; all our filthy
garments are not yet put off ; but then we shall not have the least
remainder of sin arid misery. If we should meet Christ with our de
formities, we should meet him with shame and discomfort ; it would
be a dishonour to our bridegroom to come into his presence with our
filthy rags ; therefore we come to present his bride with glory.
3. Then there is an open manifestation of his dearest love. Before
the last day the match is concluded between the parties ; there is love
expressed, but it is secret and hidden : * Our life is hid with Christ in
God/ But then he will own believers man by man, Luke xii. 8,
invite them into his bosom in the sight of the world, Mat. xxv. 34,
pronounce their pardon on the throne, Acts iii. 19, set them at his
right hand, as judging the world together with himself, 2 Cor. vi. 2.
Alas ! now all is under a veil ; the world sees us not, 1 John iii. 1 ;
now we ourselves question whether he loves us or no, question it often:
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 397
1 If the Lord be with us, why are these things befallen us ? ' But
then all is open and clear ; when the clouds vanish about Christ's per
son, so about us also. It is called ' the day of the manifestation of the
sons of God,' Kom. viii. 19.
4. Then we are brought home to his liouse, conducted in state to
heaven, John xiv. 3. Then the day is come when you shall have all
that you have hoped, desired, looked for. Oh ! what a happy day will
that be, when the great shepherd of the sheep shall lead his flock into
their everlasting fold, and the husband of the church carry her with
him into his father's house : John xvii. 24, ' Father, I will that those
whom thou hast given me may be where I am, and behold my glory.'
And his will and testament is made good. Now we are in the outer
court. If one day in the house of God be better than a thousand else
where, oh ! what is it to be brought home to God ! In these blessed
mansions there we shall abide for ever, and never to part more.
5. Everlasting cohabitation and living with him : ' We shall be ever
with the Lord,' 1 Thes. iv. 17 ; not get a glimpse and away, but for
ever to enjoy his presence. Christ's presence for a time upon earth
was very sweet to his disciples ; it was bitter to them to think of his
going from them, though it were expedient for them ; but now remain
in an everlasting state of intimacy and familiarity with him. Now
we have a taste of Christ, but then our communion shall be without
intermission or interruption ; we shall be out of the crowd and press
of troubles and temptations and sins, and study divinity in the Lamb's
face, and he will communicate himself to us according to the vastest
extent of our capacity.
Use, Oh ! then, be espoused to Christ ; otherwise he will not come
as a bridegroom, but as a judge. For motives —
1. Consider your necessity. There is a deep necessity lieth upon
you ; you are undone for ever if you are not married to Christ. The
apostle saith, 1 Cor. vii., if a woman can live without a husband, she
doth well if she marrieth not ; but now you are undone for ever if you
have him not ; you are liable to the wrath of the eternal God. The
apostle saith, Rom. vii. 4, that all those are dead to the law who are
married to Christ : that must be done necessarily. First, now, what is
it to be dead to the law, but to see ourselves miserable and undone for
ever, and impotent, and no way able to help ourselves ? The law
which is written upon every man's conscience is there represented as a
hard and cruel husband, that requireth a hard task to do, but affordeth
no strength at all to do it ; therefore it bindeth us over to death and
the curse. The sense of the law, being inbred in the conscience and
natural to us, cannot be extinguished, but will return with the more
violence. Well, then, the law suggesteth what we should do, threat-
eneth us if we do it not ; and conscience telling us we have not done it,
this is a continual grief and vexation to us, and a man is kept under
fear of death and hell all his days.
2. Consider the excellency of Christ, who is altogether lovely as to
his person and offices, and every way suited to your necessities. As
to his person, he is God-man, able and willing to do you good ; for
what cannot God do? and surely he will not be strange to his own
flesh. You are condemned by the law ; he is a priest to make atone-
398 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. VIII.
ment for you. You are ignorant of the way to true happiness ; he is
a prophet to teach and guide you. You have many enemies and dif
ficulties to overcome in that way ; he points it out to you ; and your
own flesh is weak, but he is a king to vanquish your enemies, and to
assist you with the powerful succours of his Spirit ; he will help you to
perform your duty in the midst of all temptations to the contrary ;
for we are to serve him in newness of spirit, Kom. vii. 5, 6.
3. Consider the utility and profit of it: 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23, 'All
things are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' If you
could as heartily devote yourselves to the service of Christ, as Christ
as mediator did to the work of redemption, nothing would be wanting
to you to promote your present holiness and future happiness.
4. It is no presumption to aspire to this marriage, for God maketh
the first motion. God hath made love to you, and wooed you by all
manner of engaging expressions, that he may win your hearts, and
engage your consent. Oh ! do not refuse the Lord's kindness, or
neglect to bestow your hearts upon him, or to give up yourselves to
him. Christ hath employed spokesmen, sends his tokens as presents
of love : Mat. xxiii. 37, ' I would, but you would not/ All marriages
are brought about by earnest suit on the one side, and consent on the
other : so it is here. Oh ! therefore consider, and say, as Rebecca, ' I
can say no more nor no less ; the thing is the Lord's.'
5. Consider how ill Christ will take it to be refused : Prov. i. 29,
30, 'They would none of my counsel, and despised all my reproofs ;'
and Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 'But my people would not hearken to my voice ;
Israel would none of me/ Despising of kindness is very provoking.
Oh ! then, give Christ a free and a full and firm consent, and all is
ended.
[1.] A free consent, not extorted. When men are a little frighted
into a good conscience, Christ seemeth to be welcome to them ; but as
their trouble weareth off, so doth their resolution to take Christ for their
Lord and Saviour : Ps. Ixxviii. 34, 35, ' When he slew them, then they
sought him, and returned and inquired early after God ; and they re
membered that God was their rock, and the Most High their redeemer/
In such cases men put a force upon themselves, and their heart is not
inclined, but compelled, as those that marry against their wills. It is
only in a pang and fit of conscience that they like Christ, when some great
distress forceth them to resolve for him, and their fears drive them to
Christ, rather than his excellences draw them to him. That which is
forced is not sincere. Many own Christ in their sickness and dis
tress, that never care for him when they are well at ease ; then they
forget all, live as they did before, when their turn is served. There is
a difference between a woman's coming to a physician for cure, and her
coming to a husband to dwell with him. True conversion doth begin
in fear, but it doth not end there ; it endeth in a change of heart, and
a settled love to God and holiness, and a hatred of sin. This is not only
seen in men when the fear of death affrights them, but in their whole
lives. Others, under some conviction, they would have Christ for their
consciences, and the world for their hearts.
[2.] It must be a full and unbounded consent to all the terms and
demands of the gospel, to be what he would have you to be, and to do
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 399
what he would have you to do : Mat. xiii. 44, the man * sold all to buy
the pearl of great price.' You must not stick at anything. Though
you are unwilling to let the match go, yet it is no full consent. Christ
will be taken for better for worse ; you must renounce your dearest
lusts, devote and resign your choicest interests, or else you are un
worthy of him. The bargain is not made till all your interests be laid
at his feet, Luke xiv. 26-33. So for lusts, Mat. v. 29, 30. Here men
usually stick, and had rather undergo any cost and pains, than undergo
the mortification of sin, as you may see in Micah vi. 6, 7, 'Wherewith
shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the most high
God ? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, and calves of a
year old ? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with
ten thousands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my first-born for my
transgression, and the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? ' Now,
before it comes to this, man hath many debates of soul. They are con
vinced that sin is evil, contrary to God, and hurtful to themselves ; and
have some mind to let it go ; but, in fine, their hearts are more for it
than against it, and so do not come up to a saving consent to take
Christ for their Lord and husband. The pleasures of sin are so
bewitching, that they cannot come up roundly to Christ's terms, or to
the whole business of Christianity.
[3.] It must be a firm and habitual consent, and such as is not
retracted in our after conversation. Weak and wavering purposes soon
come to nothing ; but when this is your ordinary frame, and the new
nature, and the inclination of your souls is this way, when there is a
new bent put upon your spirits, then it will hold out : Ps. cxix. 112,
* I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always to the end.'
The second thing remarkable in the text is the entrance of those
that were ready in to the nuptial feast ; and —
1. Who are the persons ? They that are inwardly renewed, and
endowed with the saving graces of the Spirit.
2. What is their privilege ? They went into the marriage, to the
festivities of the marriage-chamber, or place of nuptial entertainment.
Marriage- feasts are often spoken of in scripture : Judges xiv. 10,
' And Sampson made a feast, for so used the young men to do ; ' and
Gen. xxix. 22, ' And Laban gathered all the young men of the place,
and made a feast/ This figureth the joys of eternal life, and that full
and sweet communion we shall have with Christ in heaven.
Doct. Those only who are ready and prepared for Christ shall enter
into eternal joys, when others are excluded.
Luke xii. 37, * Blessed are those servants whom, when the Lord
corneth, he shall find watching/ So Mat. xxiv. 44, ' Therefore be ye
also ready.'
1. I shall inquire what it is to be ready.
2. Show you why they only shall have eternal and immediate com
munion with Christ.
First, What it is to be ready ? There is a twofold readiness —
1. A habitual and constant readiness.
2. An actual readiness, when you specially compose yourselves to
meet with Christ.
1. Of the habitual and constant readiness, that concerneth the
400 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SlSB. VIII.
state of the person, the frame of the heart, and the course of our con
versations, as represented by oil in the vessel, and the lamps kept
burning.
[1.] The state of the person. He must be one reconciled, and one
at peace with God. There are two expressions in scripture that speak
of the state that we must be found in when Christ cometh ; 2 Peter
iii. 14, * That we may be found of him in peace/ The other is, 2 Cor.
v. 3, ' That we may not be found naked/ And both do principally
relate to justification. Our peace depends upon our reconciliation with
God, Kom. v. 1 ; and till your pardon be sued out in a humble and
broken-hearted manner, how will you be able to stand before the
Lord ? till you be rectus in curia, arid have a discharge of sin and
the curse, and be not found in a natural and unconverted estate?
The other expressioa is, ' That we may not be found naked/ It is sad
to appear before God with no other covering but our own skins. No;
there is no getting the blessing but in the garment of our elder brother.
Therefore we are so often bidden to * put on the Lord Jesus/ Rom. xiii.
14, and Gal. iii. 27, and that you buy of Him ' white raiment to cover
your nakedness/ Rev. iii. 17, 18. These places are principally to be
interpreted of justification, though it will not exclude sanctification ;
for that is a garment of salvation to cover our loathsome nakedness
from the sight of the Lord.
[2.] As to the frame of the heart, that it may be renewed and sanc
tified. Habitual grace is oil in the vessel, that there may be a spring
or fountain of grace in the heart, John vii. 38 ; but that I spake of
before. The graces of the Spirit are the bride's jewels, and ornaments
are the things which the bridegroom delights in : Isa. Ixi. 10, ' I will
greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God ; for he
hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me
with the robes of his righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself
with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels/ &c. The
more these things are in us, and abound in us, the more lovely in
Christ's eyes.
[3.] Something as to the course of our conversation. It is not
enough to have oil in the vessel, but the lamp must be kept burning,
our graces in actual and continual exercise ; and we must always make
it our study to please the Lord. This is part of our preparation ; for
men are judged according to their works : ' Therefore what manner of
persons ought we to be, in all holy conversation and godliness ? '
2 Peter iii. 10. The life of grace is seen in the fruits of it ; for that
end was it given us ; not to lie idle in the heart, but to discover its
influence and efficacy in every part of our conversation : 2 Peter i. 8,
' If these things be in you and abound, they make you that you shall
neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ/ That will make a Christian busy and active in God's ser
vice. Well, then, by this you know who are prepared and who
unprepared.
2. There is an actual preparation, which is like the trimming the
lamps when they heard the cry, and that noteth our actual fitting our
selves for death and judgment. Besides our general habitual prepara
tion, there needeth actual preparation. When Pharaoh sent for Joseph,
VEK. 10.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 401
he washed himself. It is no slight thing to appear hefore Christ.
Our general work should often be reviewed, that we may get promises
ready, evidences ready, experiences ready ; that we may have nothing
to do hut to wait the good hour, and give welcome to the Lord Jesus
Christ, as old Simeon, Luke ii. 29, ' Lord, now lettest thou thy servant
depart in peace ; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' You should
he so settled in conscience, weaned in heart, purified in spirit, that you
do with comfort wait for the salvation of God ; and not only wait for
it, but long for it, love his appearing ; especially after a long profession
of the name of Christ, so it should be.
Now this actual preparation should be made, either —
[1.] Daily, and when you are in the greatest health and strength :
we should think of our great change, Job xiv. 14, for death doth not
always give warning ; and to be provided doth no hurt. It enliveneth
our general preparation, and maketh us the more serious : it is like
poising our confidence, and weighing the strength and temper of it, to
see if it can encounter the thoughts of death and judgment to come.
A runaway cowardly faith, that cannot endure the serious thoughts
and supposition of these things, will do us no good : presumption is a
coward. Besides, it riddeth off the present work with more success
when we live every day as if it were our last, and do all things as if
presently to give an account to Christ of the doing of them. Once
more, to familiarise the thoughts of Christ's coming to us, it allayeth
so much of the dread and terror of it as belongeth to bondage, and
keepeth up so much as belongs to reverence, and serious and aweful
walking with God.
[2.] When God summons us by his providence to make up our
account : Luke xvi. 2, * Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou
mayest be no longer steward.' Many are about to go into the other,
world, but they do not think of making ready for it. The wrath of
God is even at the door, and they are stupid and careless. Surely
such a frame of heart should be far from the children of God. They
have a tender conscience, and a deep sense of the world to come ;
therefore in probability, when they have but a short time wherein to
prepare, their preparation should be the more serious. So when we
are to partake of the Lord's supper, a man would go aside and renew
his evidences for heaven, and awaken his spiritual desire ; so for hear
ing the word, a man would compose his heart to receive the word with
meekness ; and should we not set our hearts in frame when we are to
meet with Christ, not only in the ordinances, but in person ?
Secondly, Why those only that are ready and prepared are to enter
into the nuptial chamber.
1. Those are only meet for heavenly happiness. It is most suitable
to them, as having that life begun in their hearts which shall be per
fected there, Col. i. 12. What should poor sensual, sinful creatures do
with heaven ? Heaven is prepared for us, and we for heaven, Koin.
vi. 23. When we are put into a heavenly frame and temper, heaven's
gates stand open for us. It is the wisdom of God to put all things in
their proper place ; heavy and light bodies in their proper places. So
here the apostle saith, 2 Cor. v. 5, ' He that wrought us for this very
thing is God.' Excellent vessels are not thrown about the house, but
VOL. ix. 2 c
402 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. VIII.
put into a place suitable. The purging and purifying of our souls
is a kind of spiritualising of our bodies, and so we are fitted both in
body and soul.
2. These only have a lively sense of the coming of the Lord. Tem
poraries are a sort of hypocrites ; their work is real, though but a
common work ; not because they purposely and intendedly dissemble,
but because they have not answerable impressions to the things which
they profess to believe, and their affections and preparations are not
answerable to what they know; and so it is a kind of mocking of God.
They profess and believe God omniscient, yet fear not to sin in his
presence ; to believe eternity, yet temporal things have the greatest
power and influence upon them : they look for the coming of Christ
in great majesty and glory, but do not make suitable provision. If we
had high thought? of Christ, and a great respect to him, we would pre
pare accordingly ; but surely we have lessening thoughts of Christ, and
his glorious coming, if we do not make ready for him, how high soever
our notions be about it.
Use. Are we ready ? I must direct the edge of this use to four sorts
of people : —
1. Some care not whether they be ready or no ; they do but dally
with eternity and things of religion ; their hearts are not moved with,
joy, or grief, or hope, or fear at the remembrance of this day. Surely
they have no faith, at least not a lively, but dead faith ; and therefore
are so dead-hearted ; and besides they care for none of these things,
* They mind earthly things.' If they can live comfortably here, be well
at ease here, they never take care to live eternally. Now to these I
shall only say, Live in no state or frame of heart but what you would
die in. Alas ! in your serious moods you cannot but say, I would not
die for all the world. But what if God should arrest thee before thou
thinkest of it? What would become of thee? On the other side
consider, when our work is done, and our ornaments put on, then it
will be pleasant to us to think of the coming of Christ : ' Now, Lord,
lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy
salvation/ Luke ii. 29.
2. Some think themselves ready when they are not : Eev. iii. 17,
' Thou thoughtest thou wast rich, and increased with goods ; and
knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind,
and naked/ I trust in God's mercy, and hope I shall go to Christ :
it is easy to say this ; but do you know what it is to meet with Christ,
what honour he expecteth from you at the last day, and how little a
naked trust and a dead and empty faith will do to your acceptance
with him? I confess we have all from Christ, and all the honour we
can do him results from his own grace ; but'yet it is said, Kev. xix.
5, ' The bride hath made herself ready.' There is work required of us,
and such as may be answerable to the dignity of so great a Lord and
husband.
3. Others think a habitual readiness will serve the turn. They
mind present duties, but do not enliven them by the remembrance of
the coming of the Lord ; or they have not done their main work, and
therefore take more liberty about the world than others, and a greater
liberty in the delights of sense ; and therefore we have that caution,
VEK. 10.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 403
Luke xxi. 24, ' Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts
be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this
life ; and so that day come upon you unawares/ That will make you
wither and contract ; deadness and drowsiness hinder your comfort and
peace, and that cheerful testimony you may give for God to others ; as
Peter s question, ' Lord, speakest thou to us, or to all ? ' Luke xii. 41.
4. Many are ready, hut think themselves unready. It concerneth
them to study gospel grounds of comfort and peace, if they can endure
the touchstone, though not the balance. Where there is a sincere bent
of heart to please him, there is a law of liberty, James ii. 12 ; a law of
liberty, not for the carnal, but the sincere ; not a law of trial, but of
gospel liberty.
We now come to the third thing in the text, ' And the door was
shut.' The shutting the door noteth the impossibility of getting our
condition altered when the day of grace and trial is once over. There
is a twofold door:--
1. Janua misemcordicc ad ignoscendum — the door of Christ's pity
and mercy to returning sinners : Mat. vii. 7, ' Ask, and it shall be given
you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you/
And John vi. 37, ' Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast off/
But then this door is shut.
2. Janua gratice ad convertendum — there is the door of repentance
and conversion ; but there is no repentance when we are in termino.
They may have a sense of their misery, but their habitual hatred to
God remaineth : they that have wittingly and wilfully rejected his
counsel, remain so still. The fire of hell doth not soften, but harden
them ; their self-love may make them sensible of their pain.
. Reason 1. His love to his people. Though Christ waiteth long for
the preparation of the wicked, yet he will not always delay the desire
of the godly.
Reason 2. His justice. It is fit that they that live so long in their
unbelief, and disobedience of the counsels and precepts of the gospel,
should at length find this dispensation continued, who grow unteachable
and hardened in their negligences : Ps. xcv. 7, 8, ' To-day, if you will
hear his voice, harden not your hearts/
Use. Is to press us to begin with God betimes. You that are young,
take warning this day ; do not think there is time enough hereafter.
You that are old, do not think it is too late, nor be ashamed to begin
now. (1.) The present time is the only opportunity of salvation, or
embracing the offer of God's grace, Heb. iii. 7 ; Ps. xcv. 7. Oh ! do
not reject his counsel. (2.) Love is impatient of delay ; if we could
hope to prevail with you that way. (3.) When the angels sinned, the
Lord immediately shut the door against them ; to us he hath given
leave, Acts xi. 13, 14, and ' space to repent/ Kev. ii. 21 ; let us not
' receive the grace of God in vain/ 2 Cor. vi. L
404 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [Sl2R. IX.
SERMON IX.
Afterwards came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to
us. But lie answered and said, Vertty I say unto you, I know
you wot— MAT. XXV. 11, 12.
IN these words we have two branches : —
1. The supplication of the foolish virgins, ver. 11.
2. The answer of the bridegroom, ver. 12.
In the first consider the time when it was. These foolish virgins
came aftenvards, when the door was shut.
Secondly, The blandishment and compellation here used, Lord,
Lord.
First, For the time when it was. These virgins came aftenvards,
when it was too late. They should have knocked and cried for mercy
before the door was shut : Isa. Iv. 6, ' Seek the Lord while he may be
found ; call upon him while he is near.' Otherwise our cries are but
bowlings, the fruit of our discontent rather than our own choice.
Heb. xi. 5, it is said of Enoch that he pleased God. If we would live
with God in a blessed estate hereafter, we must please God ere we
depart hence. This is the time of grace, or God's patience : Luke
ii. 14, 'Peace upon earth, good-will to men;' and 2 Cor. vi. 1, 2.
This is the time of labour and service, Eccles. ix. 10. Judgment
findeth us as death leaveth us, Eccles. xi. 3. Then we are in termino.
When this life is ended, all opportunities of doing good end with it.
Corn doth not grow in the barn, but in the field ; therefore we had
need to work now, seek grace now, be instant with God now : John
ix. 4, ' I must work the work of him that sent me while it is day ;
the night cometh, wherein no man can work.' And now, that is, not
only while life lasteth, but instantly.
Secondly, Here is the blandishment, and compellation used, Lord,
Lord ! So Mat. vii. 21, ' Not every one that saith unto me, Lord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth the-
will of my Father which is in heaven ; ' and ver. 22, ' Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord.'
1. Here is a title of honour given to Christ by hypocrites, and it is
ingeminated. The title of honour given to Christ is due to him :
John xiii. 13, * Ye call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so
I am/ But the title must be verified by suitable practice. Men may
delight to be flattered with the title of Lord, Lord, by those that in
wardly bear them no reverence ; but Christ, who knoweth the heart,
will not be pleased with those glorious titles, when your hearts give
your tongues the lie : Luke vi. 46, * Why call you me Lord, Lord, and
do not the things that I say ? ' As they cried, ' Hail king of the Jews/
when the soldiers mocked him. Many often intitle Christ to their
party, take upon them to be his disciples in words ; but the * kingdom
of God standeth not in word, but in power.' But these served their
master more with mouth than with heart ; therefore Christ doth not
accept of them, nor approve of them for his servants. They call Christ
Lord, but obey the devil, are led and governed by the flesh, disobedient
VERS. 11, 12.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 405
to Christ's counsels and precepts. I hear k Lord, Lord ;' but what
means the bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of the oxen ? There
fore it is vain to use this honourable title to move pity in the judge.
2. They ingeminate it to show the ardency of their desires, and
earnestness to have Christ for their Lord. Now, first or last every
knee shall bow to Christ ; they are forced to fly to him now in their
extremity and pressures of misery. Though men will not come to
Christ for grace, yet they will come to him for glory, Now they can
not come because busied about something else, Luke xiv. 18-20 ; in
deed, will not come : John v. 40, ' And ye will not come to me, that
ye may have life.' But then it is all * Lord, Lord.' Oh ! how fain
would they own Christ, and be owned by him ! But alas ! their
repentance cometh too late, their desires too late, their tears too late ;
it is all forced by their extremity : Job xxvii. 9, ' Will God hear his
cry when trouble cometh upon him ? ' A hypocrite would not much
care if he were heard in the times of peace, and the affluence of out
ward enjoyments ; but then, when he would fain flatter God into a
hearing, God rejecteth him. In extremity they prize mercy above a
thousand worlds ; but all will not do, the door is shut.
3. The matter of the petition, ' Open to us ;; that is, the door of the
nuptial chamber. None but desire happiness. This petition, as set
here, noteth two things : —
[1.] The innate desire of happiness that is in man. All desire to
enter, and to be saved at length, however they neglect the means for
the present, to get oil in their vessels, or to keep in their lamps.
[2.] How deeply leavened with self-confidence and self-conceit the
hearts of men are, so that they are not easily dispossessed of it. When
the door is shut, the foolish virgins make full account to enter. The
most sottish think they shall do well enough : Dent, xxix. 19, ' I shall
have peace, though I walk in the imagination of my own heart, and
add drunkenness to thirst/ Especially the temporary, who is the re
fined hypocrite : ' Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, we have
prophesied in thy name/ &c. ; make full account to go to heaven, that
shall never come there. They trust to false evidences ; use negligent
endeavours, please themselves with uncertain and deceitful hopes;
but all vain and false pretences shall then be confuted, and those
that have a high and false opinion of their interest in Christ shall
then be disapproved by him.
Secondly, I now come to the bridegroom's reply, Where note —
1. The vehemency and asseveration, * Verily I say unto you/ To
cut off all further hope, his answer is peremptory and decisive.
2. The reply itself, ' I know you not/ There is a twofold know
ledge — intuitive and approbative. (1.) By an intuitive knowledge :
' Known unto the Lord from the beginning are all his works/ Acts xv.
18. God had an idea of all things in himself before he gave them
actual being : he knoweth all whom he conserves by his providence.
Every wise man knoweth what he hath. Christ knew that virtue went
from him in the throng. (2.) But this knowledge is here meant of
the knowledge of approbation, as we find it often in scripture. Now
Christ's knowledge of his own people is threefold : —
[1.] As they fall under the purposes of his grace. So it is said, 2
406 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. IX.
Tim. ii. 12, * The Lord knoweth them that are his.' This is also in
scripture called his fore-knowledge : Rom. viii. 29, ' Whom he did
foreknow, them he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of
his Son ; ' 1 Peter i. 2, ' Elect according to the foreknowledge of God
the Father/ God the Father having all persons that ever should be in
the world under his all-seeing eye, he did out of his free love single
and choose out some to be the objects of his grace, designing them by
the redemption of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit to come
unto glory. He particularly treated with Christ about them, John xvii.
6, put them into his hands, to be justified, sanctified, and finally saved.
This is ' the foundation of the Lord that standeth sure.'
[2.] As they are under the care of his special providence, when they
are in actual being, to supply them with all things necessary and good
for them. So it is* said, Ps. i. 6, ' The Lord knoweth the way of the
righteous, but the way of the wicked shall perish ; ' John x. 14, * I am
the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.'
Christ knoweth them man by man, person by person ; and all their
safety cometh from his particular care over them : Gal. iv. 9, ' But
now after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God.' He
assigneth the work of conversion to God's preventing grace. Sinners
in an unconverted estate are such of whom God taketh no notice and
knowledge so as to be familiar with them, and to communicate his
special and saving blessings to them.
[3.] It is put for his rewarding grace ; and so he is said to know, or
not to know. To know his people : 1 Cor. viii. 3, ' If any man love
God, the same is known of him/ Those that choose God for their
portion, and cleave to him, and serve him faithfully, Christ will own
them or ' confess them before his Father in heaven,' Luke xii. 8 ; but
others he will not own. See Mat. vii. 21, ' And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you/ He will not own them in judgment
that will not own and obey him now. So Luke xiii. 25-27, ' When
once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut the door ; and
ye begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord,
open to us ; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not,
whence you are : then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and
drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But
he shall say, I tell ye, I know you not.' Here is no entertainment for
such as you, who have by your sloth, negligence, and improvidence
forfeited the advantages offered you. I never approved you for my
disciples and servants. Ma\\ov £e T?}? 766^779 TOVTO, &c., saith Chrys-
sostom ; these words are more cutting and grievous than hell itself,
' I know you not/ Well, these three sorts of knowing must be dis
tinguished.
The first is this, that Christ hath a particular and exact know
ledge of all the elect, and who they are that shall be saved, wherein
he will not be disappointed : John xiii. 18, ' I know whom I have
chosen/
The second is the ground of our present comfort and support. He
hath a special affection to them, taketh special notice and care of
them, and will bring them to know, love, and acknowledge him, as he
doth also them : he beareth a suitable impression thereto.
VERS. 11, 12.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv, 407
The third is matter of our hope, and will be our honour at the last
day, that Christ will come to us, and own us, and reward us for
all that we have done or suffered for him here. When others have
the entertainment of strangers, and are rejected as no true believers
and professors of the gospel, then shall we be owned and admitted into
heaven by him.
Here is a large field of matter. I shall single out those things that
are most obvious and worthy of our remark and observation.
First, That they came afterwards ; I shall take occasion to show
the necessity of hastening our preparation for the day of our accounts.
Secondly, From their passionate desire to have the door opened to
them ; here is a strong insinuation, and vehement desire, ' Lord,
Lord ; ' that even in reprobates and castaways there may be a desire of
entering into the joys of everlasting life.
Thirdly, From Christ's reply, 1 shall show you the dreadful misery
and direful effect of being disowned by Christ at his coming.
For the first, since the foolish virgins came too late, we should all
take care to begin with God betimes ; the sooner the better.
1. Because you make a necessary work sure, and put it out of doubt
and hazard. The time of life is the time of grace, Luke ii. 14 ;
2 Cor. vi. 2. Now the time of life is uncertain : James iv. 14,
'Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what
is your life ? it is but a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and
then vanisheth away.' And a work of necessity should not be left on
peradventures : therefore we ought to bestir ourselves without delay or
fore- slowing. We know not how soon opportunity will be over. It
cannot be done too soon, it may be done too late : and therefore it is
good to be on the surest side. Ludovicus Capellus telleth us, out of
Kabbi Jonah's book of the Mystery of Kepentance, that when a dis
ciple came to his teacher to know what was the fittest time to repent
in, he answered, One day before his death, meaning presently ; for we
have not assurance of another day : Prov. xxvii. 1, ' Thou knowest not
what to-morrow may bring forth/ Our greatest works, and of most
absolute necessitv, should be done first, and have the quickest despatch,
lest it be too late before we go about them. Oh ! woe to us if God
should call us off before we have minded coming to him, and walking
with him.
2. In point of obedience ; God presseth to now. God doth not only
command us to please him, but to do it presently : Heb. iii. 7, 8,
' Now, while it is called to-day, harden not your hearts.' Pompilius
the Roman ambassador, when he made delays and excuses, the emperor
drew a circle on the ground, saying, Intra Jiunc — answer me before
thou stirrest from this place. God standeth upon his authority, and
will have a present answer: if he say, To-day, it is flat -disobedience
for you to say, To-morrow. Now is the time of salvation, at this
instant, 2 Cor. vi. 2. You are charged in his name, as you will answer
the contrary. You say, No ; I will please the flesh a little longer. It
may be just with God, if you refuse him, never to call you more.
3. In point of ingenuity : we receive a plenteous recompense for a
small service. When a man thinketh what God hath provided for
them that love him and serve him, he should be ashamed that he
408 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. IX.
receives so much and does so little ; and therefore he should redeem
all the time that he can, that he may answer his expectations from
God. Shall we adjourn and put off God to our decrepid time, when
he hath provided for us eternal happiness? Can a man that hath any
ingenuity in his breast be content to dishonour God longer, grieve his
Spirit longer, provided that at length he may be saved ? Those that
have any due sense of God's kindness, or their own duty, will think
God hath too long been kept out of his right, and that all the time
that remaineth is too little to express our love and thankfulness to him,
1 Peter iv. 3. Men that do delay, do in effect say, Let me despise thy
commands, and abuse thy mercy a little longer ; but then when my
lusts are satisfied, and youthful heats are spent, I will see what I can
do to be saved. What baseness of spirit is this !
4. It is our advantage to begin betimes, both here and hereafter.
[1.] Here. The sooner you begin to please God, the sooner you
have an evidence of your interest in his favour, more experience of his
love, more hopes of living with him in heaven. Oh ! these things are
not slight things ! When once you come to taste the comfort of them
you will be sorry that you had begun no sooner ; as Paul complaineth
that he was ' born out of due time,' 1 Cor. xv. 8, because he lost the
advantage of seeing Christ in the flesh, and so of many sweet confer
ences, and many sweet visits of love and experiences of grace, that
otherwise might fall to his share : Kom. xvi. 7, ' They were in Christ
before me.' An early acquaintance 'with Christ bringeth many benefits
with it, as peace, and comfort, and joy, and hope, which others that
set forth later want. The consolations of God should not be vile and
cheap with us : if you were acquainted with them you would leave
your husks for bread in your Father's house.
[2.] The sooner you begin with God the greater will your glory be
hereaiter, for the more we improve our talents here, the greater will
our reward be in heaven : Luke xix. 16-19, ' And he said unto him>
Well done, thou good servant ; because thou hast been faithful in
a little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, and
said, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds : and he said likewise
to him, Be thou also over five cities/ And when the mother of
Zebedee's children came to Christ, and desired that her two sons
might sit, one at his right hand, and. the other at his left, Mat. xx. 23,
Christ doth not deny the thing, that there are degrees of glory, set
forth by sitting on the right hand, and on the left; but telleth her that
it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of his Father ; as in
hell there is a hotter and cooler judgment. Certainly then they that
have long pleased God, and made it the whole -business of their lives,
shall have larger measures of happiness.
Use. Is to reprove those that adjourn and put off the work of
religion from time to time, till they have lost all time. It is Satan's
artifice to cheat men of the present opportunity, by promises of a
future obedience. Oh I consider the work is much, and life is short.
If we did live as many years as days, all would be little enough ;
therefore let us begin betimes. There are three arguments to press
this. If this work must be once done, why not now? your hearts will
not be better, nor the terms less.
VERS. 11, 12.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 409
1. Your hearts are not like to be better; for the longer we continue
in sin, the heart is the more hardened. As the highway by continual
treading groweth the harder, and the anvil by continual smiting is
hardened the more, so long use in sin obdureth the heart, and
long resistance grieveth the Spirit, and carnal affections grow upon
us : Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard
his spots ? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil.'
It is hard to transplant an old tree. The affections are now more
settled in a course of sin.
2. The terms of the gospel will not be more easy, and we better
able to obey them hereafter than now we are. The laws of Christianity
are always the same. The pleasures of sin must one day be renounced,
or we are for ever miserable ; and why not now ? Sin will be as
sweet hereafter as now it is ; and salvation dispensed upon the same
terms. You cannot be saved hereafter with less ado, or bring down
Christ or heaven to a lower rate. If this be a reason, it will ever be as
a reason against Christ and religion, because you are loath to part with
this or that pleasing lust ; and so it will never be.
3. The suspicion that is upon a late repentance. It is seldom sound,
and therefore always questionable. That is no true repentance which
ariseth merely from horror and the sense of hell. This sensible work
that men have upon them may be but the beginning of everlasting
despair. All men seek the Lord at length, but the wise seek him in
time. This was the great difference between the wise and foolish
virgins; one sought him ' in time,' the other 'out of time.' They
would covet his favour at last. Upon a death-bed the most profane
would have God for their portion : when they can sin no more, and
enjoy the world no longer, then they cry and howl for mercy and com
fort, and a little well-grounded hope of heaven or eternal life : but
who can tell whether this sensible work that is upon them be not
merely an act of self-love, and the fruit of those natural desires which
all the creatures have after their own happiness, or a mere retreat
others have when they can hold the world no longer. We cannot say
this repentance is true, nor affirm the contrary, that it is false ; but it
is doubtful. There is but that one instance of the thief on the cross,
that truly repented when he came to die. The scriptures contain
a history of four thousand years, or thereabouts ; and yet all that while
we have but this one instance of a true repentance just at death ; and
in that instance there is an extraordinary conjunction of circumstances
which cannot reasonably be expected again. Christ was now at his
right hand, in the height of his love drawing sinners to God : never
such a season as then ; and it is more than probable he had never a call
before then. Well, then, let us put this necessary work of prepar
ation for God out of doubt betimes ; yea, let the children of God, it
they have not yet prevailed against such a lust, or lived in the neglect
of such a duty, could not bring their hearts to it hitherto, make speed,
lest they be surprised, and this defect in their preparation make their
death uncomfortable. A good Christian is always converting, yet not
fully converted: the first work is often gone over, and he is still
getting nearer to God by a more affectionate compliance with his
whole will.
410 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. IX.
Doct 2. That those that are finally refused by the Lord may .yet
have a desire of the joys of heaven.
1. Consider them in this world, and in tho world to come. These
two respects are different ; for though self-love be the common cause
of their desiring heaven both now and then, yet there is a difference :
it is more commendable to desire it now than to desire it then, though
neither be an argument of any gracious constitution of soul. It is more
commendable to desire it now, when it is a matter of faith to believe
the world to come, than when it is a matter of sense ; as when all
shadows are chased away, then it is no hard matter to convince men of
things that lie within the veil ; that is, of the truth and worth of
heavenly things: and yet if they should be convinced of this, we cannot
say they are gracious, however they are better than mere infidels ; for
carnal men may dgsire a share in the state of the blessed, as Num.
xxiii. 10, ' Oh ! that I might die the death of the righteous ! ' Balaam
had his wishes. And those that did not like Christ's doctrine, but
departed from him, said, John vi. 34, ' Lord, evermore give us of this
bread of life.' They would fain be happy. When this happiness was
represented unto them, it may and doth stir up strange motions in the
hearts of those that are unrenewed and unchanged.
2. There is a difference in the end and use of this desire of happiness.
Now and then God leaveth these velleities and inclinations as a stock
upon which to graft grace ; as a spinster leaveth a lock of wool to
fasten the next thread ; as Nebuchadnezzar's shape remained when he
was turned a-grazing among the beasts ; and as Job's messengers, ' I
alone am escaped to tell thee.' There are these inclinations to happi
ness that are escaped out of the ruins of the fall. God by our self-love
would draw us to love himself: man will not be dealt with else. It
leaveth men capable of heaven 1 the doctrine of life represented to them,
they are without excuse if they refuse it. This is the use of it
now ; but then when we are in termino, it hath another use. This
love of their own happiness, and desire to be saved, serveth for this very
use, to make them sensible of their loss, the grief of their condemna
tion and lost estate is increased thereby. Now this is little thought of
by carnal men, because they have oblectamenta sensus, the entertain
ments of sense to divert their minds ; but when separate and set apart
from all these, then, if they have no other punishment, this is enough.
Surely their understanding remaineth, having nothing to comfort them
and allay the bitter sense of their loss. But now let us see —
1. How far carnal and unregenerate men desire happiness.
2. Why this is so little improved, and they make so little use of it.
First, How far a carnal and unregenerate man may desire happi
ness ?
1. They may desire good confuse, non indefinite? happiness in the
general ; but this desire cometh under no deliberation and choice.
The happiness that is offered by Christ, or that life and immortality
that he bringeth to light, cometh under another consideration. Good,
good, is the cry of the world. Certainly no man would be miserable,
but all would be happy, and live at ease. Christians, pagans, all
good men, bad men, they that seldom agree in anything, do all agree
1 Qu. ' having ' ?— ED. 2 Qu. ' definite ' ?— ED.
VERS. 11, 12.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. -ill
in this, they would have good. To ask men whether they would be
happy or no, is to ask them whether they love themselves, yea or no.
2. They would not only have good in the general, but some eternal
good. And because this is not so evident by nature, they grope and
feel about for it, Acts xvii. 26. There is an unsatisfiedness * in present
things, and therefore they are scrambling and feeling about for some
better thing. As Solomon tried all experiments, so do men go about
seeking for good, Eccles. vii. 29. Since we lost the straight line of
God's direction, we seek it sometimes in one thing, sometimes in an
other ; and Christ saith, Mat. xiii. 45, 46, that the ' kingdom of
heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls ; and when
he had found one pearl of good price, he went and sold all that he had,
and bought it/ Man would have something contentful, that may be
an everlasting ground of rejoicing to him.
3. As to true happiness and eternal good, when it is discovered to
us, our inclinations to it are but weak and ineffectual. Without grace
we discern it but weakly ; for there is a great mist upon eternity,
and the light of nature being dim, cannot pierce through it, 2 Peter
i. 9. As a spire at a distance, men see it so that they cannot know
whether they see it, yea or nay ; or as the blind man, when his eyes
were first touched by Christ, he saw men walking like trees. Again
we consider it but weakly, the mind being diverted by other objects.
As when we see a man in a crowd, we can hardly take notice of him ;
so men seldom retire to consider what God offereth them in Christ.
When God promised Abraham the land of Canaan, he biddeth him
go and view the length and the breadth of it, Gen. xiii. 14-17. So
when he promiseth the kingdom of heaven, he doth in effect speak the
same to us ; for certainly no man shall enter into that land of pro
mise but he that hath considered it, and well viewed it, and can lay
aside his earthly distractions sometimes, to take a turn in the land of
promise : but few do this ; few send their thoughts before them as
spies into that blessed land, and therefore it worketh so little upon
them. And we desire it but weakly ; the affections being prepossessed
and pre-engaged by things that come next to hand, we conceive only
a wish or a velleity for this happy estate, not a serious volition, or a
firm bent of heart ; and therefore we pursue it but weakly, as children
desire a thing passionately, but are soon put out of the humour : they
do not pursue it with that earnestness, exactness, and uniformity,
which is requisite : ' The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath
nothing/ Prov. xiii. 4, ' because his hands refuse to labour/ Prov. xxi.
25. So that this inclination to happiness is neither serious, nor con
stant, nor laborious : these desires are but desires.
4. If they like the end, they dislike the means. Our souls are more
averse from the means than from the end. All agree in opinions and
wishes about a supreme and immortal happiness ; yet there is a great
discord in the way that leadeth to it, not so much in opinion as prac
tice. Men like not God's terms : Esau would have the blessing, yet
sold the birthright, Heb. xii. 16, 17. Indeed in things natural we do
not expect the end without the means ; but in things supernatural we
do, and so by refusing the means, we do separate the end, Ps. cvi. 24.
1 Qu. ' unsatisfyingness ' ? — ED.
412 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. IX.
Heaven is a good place, but it is a hard matter to get thither ; so loath
are we to be at the cost and pains : we desire happiness, not holiness.
God doth promote those things we naturally desire ; but still that we
submit to those things we are naturally against. Whatsoever maketh
for ourselves we are naturally more willing of than what maketh for
the honour of God : now if we will not submit to the one, we shall
not have the other. We would all be pardoned, and freed from the
curse of the law, and the damnation of hell ; but we are unwilling to
let go the profit and pleasure that we fancy in sin.
Secondly, Why this is no more improved, and why we make no
better use of it? There are four causes of it — (1.) Ignorance. To
many the object is not represented; as to heathens and to sottish
Christians. (2.) Inconsideration. Spiritual objects must not only
be represented, but Enforced upon the will by the efficacy and weight
of meditation, Ps. i. 3. (3.) "Unbelief. They have not a sound
persuasion of these truths : Heb. xi. 13, ' They were persuaded of
them, and embraced them.' They had not a guess, but a sound
belief. (4.) Unsubjection of will : Eom. viii. 7, * Because the carnal
mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of God,
neither indeed can be.' It is easier to cure their errors than to mortify
their affections.
Use. Oh ! do not rest in desiring to be happy ; there is no great
matter in that ; the damned would have the door opened to them : but
desire grace, Ps. cxix. 5 ; Kom. vii. 23 ; desire it prevalently, so as not
to be put out of the humour ; as children would fain have something
when they are in pain, but are pleased with rattles or any toy. If
your vain delights abate not, this desire will do you no good. Desire
it so as to labour for it, yea, so as to make it your main business, Ps.
xxvii. 4 ; yea, to part with all for it, Mat. xiii. 46. This is the way to
be happy indeed.
Doct. 3. That it is a dreadful misery to be disowned by Christ at
his coming : ' I know you not.'
1. Consider who may be disowned. Many that profess respect to
Christ, and may be well esteemed of in the visible church ; many that
cry ' Lord, Lord ; ' many that have ' eat and drunk in his presence.'
There is a great deal of difference between the esteem of God and the
judgment of the world. Many whom we take to be forward professors,
yea, many that have great gifts and employments in the ministry, and
with great success, Mat. vii. 22. If only pagans, or only profane per
sons were damned, or the opposite party to Christ, it were another
matter ; there were not such cause of fear : but those of Christ's faction,
many that profess to know him, but were never subdued by the power
of his grace, John xi. 52-54, Christ doth not know, because he doth
not love them.
2. The misery of being disowned. (1.) This disowning is the act
and sentence of a judge. If it were the frown of a bare friend in our-
misery, it even cuts the heart in sunder ; but when a neglected Saviour
shall become an angry judge, when his favour hath been slighted long,
then he will stir up all his wrath. When it is ' kindled but a little,
blessed are all they that put their trust in him/ Ps. ii. 12. (2.) It is
the disappointment of a hope. They supposed he meant to own them,
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 413
and therefore put in their plea. There is a hope that will leave
ashamed, Rom. v. 5. (3.) It is the cause of all other misery. Poena
damni maketh way for pcena sensus. Here we care not for him, so
long as we can be well without him. It may be now you esteem it
nothing to have a frown from Christ in the day of his patience ; but
then, ' Depart, ye cursed.'
Use. Oh ! let this make you more serious for the time to come. Do
not grieve the Spirit any longer, Eph. iv. 30. Do you receive arid
own Christ when others refuse him, and you will be owned by Christ :
Luke xii. 8, 9, 'And I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me
before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of
God. But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before the
angels of Grod.'.
SERMON X.
Watch therefore; for ye know neither the day nor the hour ivherein
the Son of man corned.— MAT. XXV. 13.
HERE is the conclusion of the whole parable, as the illative particle
therefore showeth. Every passage in it will infer this conclusion.
First, The suddenness and unexpectedness of his coming, watch
therefore.
Secondly, Only those that are ready shall enter into the marriage-
chamber, watch therefore, that ye may be always ready.
Thirdly, The shutting the door, and exclusion of the unprepared,
watch therefore.
Fourthly, The door is shut, as never to be opened again. When
they beg entrance they are refused and disowned by Christ, as having
not his mark upon them, watch therefore ; for ye know not the day,
neither the hour, &c.
In the words \va have — (1.) A duty; (2.) The reason of it. The
one will explain the other.
1. For the duty; what is meant by watching? Because we are
pressed to it upon the account of the uncertain time of Christ's coming.
Here it meaneth a care to get and keep ourselves always ready, and in
a posture to receive him for our Lord, as himself explaineth it, Mat.
xxiv. 42, ' Watch therefore ; for ye know not what hour your Lord
doth come.'
2. The reason, ' For ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein
the Son of man cometh ; ' Mat. xxiv. 44, ' For in such an hour you
think not of, the Son of man cometh.'
Doct. The great duty that lieth upon them that believe and look for
Christ's coming is watching.
My business will be to show you what watching is in the general
notion of it. As it is taken spiritually and metaphorically, it implieth
a diligent care and heed to the great affairs of our souls ; for it is a
mixed thing, made up of prudence and diligence. It implieth a pru
dent foresight of the soul's danger, with a diligent care to avoid it. It
414 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. X.
is pressed in scripture to a double end ; partly that we may maintain
the present state, and partly that we may prepare for the future : the
one quickeneth the other. And though the latter be of chief consi
deration in this place, yet it will not be amiss to consider both ; for
there is no hope to stand before Christ at his coming, unless we be
careful to get and keep grace for the present. And on the other side,
the argument to quicken us to present care and diligence is the
blessedness we shall have at Christ's corning, and the danger of being
disallowed at last.
lt Watching with respect to our present preservation is pressed :
Mat. xxvi. 41, 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation;'
and 1 Cor. xvi. 13, ' Watch ye, stand fast in the faith/
2. Watching with respect to future acceptation. That is pressed in
other places : Mat^xiv. 42, ' Watch ye, for ye know not in what hour
the Lord cometh/ The particular time of Christ's coming is kept
secret, that we may be moved at all times to prepare for it. The Lord
foresaw that we would be prone to negligence and carnal security, and
that the knowledge of the express time of his coming would be hurtful
to us ; therefore it is inter arcana imperil, among the secrets kept in
the Father's bosom, that we might be always ready. So Luke xxi. 36,
' Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted
worthy to stand before the Son of man/ The meaning is, that we
may escape the judgments then to be poured out upon the wicked and
the careless; that we may not causa cadere; that we may have a
sentence of approbation passed in our favour. These are the two sorts
of watching pressed upon us in scripture, the one to avoid the snares of
the devil, the other that we may be ready for the coming of the Lord.
First, Watching with respect to our present state and safety. This
again is twofold — a watching to avoid evil, and a watching for the
careful performance of that which is good. The scripture speaketh
of both ; and both are enforced by their own proper reasons.
1. For the avoiding of evil. There is in us all a sinful proneness
to evil, which we must seek to cure and prevent : Prov. iv. 23, ' Keep
thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.' The
heart is terminus actionum ad intra, et fans actionum ad extra. It is
the heart that God aimeth at in all that he doth upon us, and it is the
heart that is the ground of all our actions. The fountain must be
kept pure from pollutions, that the streams may be the more limpid
and clear. Every man hath a little garrison to keep, and he himself
is the watchman of it ; his conscience is to sit porter at the door, and
to examine whatever cometh out and entereth in, as a watchman doth
at the gates of a city. All the thoughts, affections, words, actions, are
to be examined, what they are, whither they go, whence they come,
whither they tend, lest a temptation be let in, or a corruption be let
out ; otherwise the heart cannot be kept pure and loyal to God.
Solomon telleth us, Prov. xxv. 28, 'He that hath no rule over his
own spirit, is like a city that is without walls/ A town without
walls lieth open to every comer : sin and danger, and all kind of evil
motions go to and fro, without any kind of check and control : things
will pass out which should be suppressed and kept in, and temptations
will enter which should be kept out. Now this caution is no more
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 415
than needeth, if we consider the enemies of our salvation, the devil,
the world, and the flesh.
[1.] The malice of Satan. Our adversary is very watchful, and
getteth advantage by nothing so much as our security. Vigilat host-is,
et dormis? It was an old word: the devil is neither dead nor as:
and shall not we stand upon our guard ? 1 Peter v. 8, 'Be sober and
watchful, for your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour.' Satan is a restless adversary, lull of
malice and craft ; his end is to destroy and to devour souls, and his
diligence is answerable to his malice. Night and day we are in danger
every one of us. There were but two Adams, and they were both
tempted, though the one was made after God's image, and the other
had the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily. Adam in
innocency and Christ in human nature were tempted, and can we hope
to escape ? Neglect your watch, and you become a ready prey to the
devil : ' When the servants slept, the enemy sowed tares,' Mat. xiii. 25.
He observeth all our drowsy fits, and is waiting for some advantage,
or at least some occasion. Sometimes we give him an advantage by
our folly and indiscretion: 2 Cor. ii. 11, 'Lest Satan should get an
advantage against us/ Or if not, he taketh occasion, as he tempted
Christ when he was an hungry, Mat. iv. 2 ; and 2 Cor. vii. 5, ' That
Satan tempt you not.' He can interpret the silent language of a blush,
a smile, a frown, a look, the glance of a lustful eye, the most secret dis
covery of wrath and discontent, and suiteth his temptations to all the
postures of spirit we are in.
[2.] There is besides this, Jiostis domesticus, the bosom enemy, the
flesh, or the inbred corruption of our nature, that is ready to betray us
to the basest temptations, and to open the gates to the enemy without.
Man needeth no devil to tempt him, we have enough in our own
bosoms to prompt and urge us to sin : James i. 5, ' The spirit in us
lusteth to envy;' Gen. vi. 5, ' The thoughts and imaginations of our
hearts are evil continually.' It is easy to set tinder, gunpowder, or
flax on fire, and therefore they had need to be kept asunder. We
cannot be too careful, the best of us have a good self and a bad self ;
the one must watch over the other, or all will come to ruin, and grace
will be ready to die : Kev. ii. 2, ' Be watchful and strengthen the things
that remain, that are ready to die.' From whence cometh the vanity
of our minds, our proneness to break the bounds of due liberty in all
our comforts, our readiness to err in speech, our frequent miscarriages
in conversation, our frequent unfitness for holy duties, our unfruit-
fulness in our conversing with others, our unsettledness in our con
sciences, our immoderate cares and fears ; whence, I say, cometh all
this, but from our want of watching against this inward enemy our
flesh ? Especially when temptations are near, importunate, and con
stant. We proceed every step to heaven by conflict and contest, be
cause sin is always at hand, ready to assault us and taint us ; so that
a serious Christian cannot but take himself to be still in danger.
[3.] The world. We walk in the midst of snares and temptations,
saith Austin ; and Bernard saith that our life is a continual tempta
tion. We are in the midst of tempting objects, that are comfortable
to our senses, necessary to our uses, and present to our embraces, that
41 6 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. X.
we can hardly distinguish between what necessity craveth, and lust
desire th, and so we are strangely gained upon : 1 John ii. 16, ' For all
that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and
pride of life.' He doth not say, ' Whatsoever is in our corrupt hearts ;'
but he describeth the objects by the lusts, because they are readily
excited by them : ' All that is in the world.' There are baits for every
temper ; honour for the ambitious, wealth for the covetous, pleasure
for the sensual. Now every distemper loveth the diet that feedeth it :
lust in the soul, or unmortified corruption maketh our abode in the
world dangerous : 2 Peter i. 4, that ' having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust/ Here one plungeth himself over
head and ears in the world ; another is intemperate in the delights of
the flesh and the entertainments of sense ; another is aspiring after
honour, great place*, and pomp of living, or esteem in the world ; or
at least we give ourselves too great a liberty and freedom in these
things. Therefore you see what need there is of watching, when
alluring objects lay such close siege to the appetite and senses.
2. There is a watching unto good, or for the performance of our
duties, that we go about them in a holy, serious, conscionable manner,
observing the best opportunities, and taking heed there be no secret
leaven of hypocrisy in them. Of all holy duties the scripture applieth
it to prayer, which of all other holy services is the commonest and the
chiefest ; and watching therein is a great help ; though by analogy it
holdeth good in other duties, as we shall see in a few places : Col.
iv. 2, ' Continue in prayer, and watch in the same, with thanksgiving.'
So 1 Peter iv. 7, ' Be sober, and watch unto prayer.' So Eph. vi. 18,
' Watching therein with all perseverance.' Satan is a great enemy to
this duty, and our hearts are averse, and hardly brought and kept to
it. Unless it be well performed, our communion with God is inter
rupted and at a stand. Out of all these places we may well collect
that there is— (1.) A watching unto prayer, or before prayer. (2.) A
watching in prayer, or in the duty. (3.) A watching after prayer, or
when the duty is over.
[1.] The watching unto prayer, or before the duty, is mainly to keep
up a praying frame, that we may be ready upon all occasions to call
upon God. The praying frame lieth partly in brokenness of heart, or
a due sense of our necessities ; and partly in an earnest bent of heart
towards God, and holy and heavenly things ; and partly in a holy
liberty, and child-like confidence. If either of these be lost, how slack
and backward shall we be in God's worship, or slight in the perform
ance of it, whether in closet, or family, or public assemblies ; and
slubber it over in any fashion. But when this frame of spirit is kept
up, the soul is mightily actuated and enlarged in the duty. As when
there is brokenness of heart, or a due sense of our necessities, which is
the occasion of prayer, or an earnest desire of grace, which is the soul
of prayer, or our liberty and confidence is not broken, which is the
great encouragement of prayer, then we are like light and airy bodies,
whose natural motion is upwards ; so are we carried out towards God,
and prayer is our element in which we live and breathe. Indeed the
whole spiritual life is but a ' watching unto prayer,' that we may have
always a readiness for communion with God, 1 Peter iii. 7.
VEIL 13.J SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 417
[2.] There is a watching in prayer, that the duty be performed with
that seriousness, attention, and affection that the nature of it doth
require. This watching is necessary because of the slipperiness of our
hearts, which easily go off from the work in hand. We often mingle
sulphur with our incense, interline our prayers with carnal distractions,
suffer our hearts to be stolen away from under Christ's own arm:
therefore we had need to watch, Eccles. v. 1, 2.
[3.] There is a watching after prayer, partly that we may observe
God's dealing with us, whether our souls have been straitened, or
whether he hath, given liberty, hidden his face, or showed himself
gracious. Here we may gather some matter of comfort to ourselves
and thanksgiving to God, Col. iv. 2. We must not throw away our
prayers, as children shoot away their arrows, and never look after them :
Hab. ii. 1, ' I will pray and look up,' to spy the blessing a-coming.
We should have many an argument against atheism, great helps to
faith, and encouragements to love God, and many a sure ground of
comfort in ourselves, if we did look after the answer of our prayers.
And partly that we lose not that affection which we have professed and
expressed before God. We seemed to express a great desire of glorify
ing his name, and doing his will, and being sanctified, pardoned, and
strengthened against temptations. Now it is but the personating and
acting a part before God, if we be not such in some measure as we
professed ourselves to be in prayer ; if we be not careful to glorify his
name, zealous to promote his kingdom, ready to do his will, earnest
tor pardoning grace, watchful against temptations. A Christian's life
is a comment upon his prayers, and his prayers do interpret his life ;
we understand the one by the other. Our endeavours and diligent use
of means do show what we really desire ; for what we pray to God for
we bind ourselves to seek after.
Secondly, There is a watching with respect to our future estate,
that we may be ready to meet Christ at his coming. Now this con-
sisteth —
1. In a deep and lively sense of Christ's appearing, and the whole
state of the world to come. We look for nothing but what we believe.
Faith is a realising sight of things not yet in being ; and maketh them
in some measure to work as if they were at hand and ready to be
enjoyed. Now the more lively sense we have of the concernments of
the other world, the more diligent and serious shall we be in our pre
paration ; when we have a deep sense of these things, as if presently
to be arraigned, and walk as before the judge to whom we are to give
an account of all our actions. Most men live as if there were no day
of reckoning, no God to see and punish, no books to be opened : the
careless spending their time showeth they have no deep sense of these
things, no sound belief of them. But faith looketh upon these things
as great, sure, and near, and so keepeth the soul awake and alive. It
greateneth our apprehensions of these things ; for it is nought matter
for the creature to meet with his creator, the sinner with his judge, from
whom he must now receive his final doom. Faith doth speak aloud
to a sluggish soul, Thou must be judged: Horn. xiv. 12, 'So then
every one of us must give an account of himself to God/ And as it
is sure, so it is near : ' The judge is at the door,' James v. 9. You must
VOL. ix. 2 D
418 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. X.
hear of what you now speak and do another day : Mat. xii. 36, ' For
every idle word that a man shall speak, he shall give an account
of at the day of judgment/ It suppresseth sin, and quickeneth and
awakeneth to duty, 2 Peter iii. H, 12. Without faith we have no
sensible, awakening, practical knowledge of these things. The sight
of faith differeth from the sight of sense. Sense can discern little
more than we see, taste, smell, hear, and feel. We are affected with
these things ; so are the beasts, who only see things before their eyes by
the eye of sense. We see nothing but what dogs may see and beasts
may see ; that it is comfortable to eat well, and drink well, and sleep
well, and be well clothed, and walk up and down at pleasure, and
pursue the advantages of the animal life. There is a mist upon
eternity ; how acute soever men be in worldly things, they are blind
here: 2 Peter i. 9,* He that lacketh these things is blind, and can
not see afar off ;' sharp-sighted in things that concern the back and
belly, and this present world, but know nothing of the hazard of
perishing for ever, or the worth of salvation, their need of Christ, and
making serious preparation for their great account. Faith is a per
spective, by which we look into the other world. None have such a
sharp sight as believers have ; for they can see beyond the limits of
time, the corruption and changes of all things that are in the world,
even to that blessedness which God hath reserved for them that love
him. And the light of faith differeth from reason. That can only
see things by guess, or see things in their causes, and that as probable ;
but faith can look through the mists and clouds of intervening ages :
Heb. xi. 13, ' Having seen them afar off, embraced them ;' and with
certainty, and such a sure persuasion, as if the things we are persuaded
of were in hand and actually enjoyed. Beason corrects sense. A star
to the eye of sense looks no bigger than a spangle, but reason showeth
it must be of a vast bigness, because of its distance from us. But faith
is a higher light ; and compare it with the light of prophecy, Kev.
xx. 12; they agree in the common object, divine revelation; they
agree in their common nature, that they are both for things future,
and things future to us ; but they differ, that faith depends upon the
common revelation which God hath made to all the saints, whereas
prophecy hath more of ecstasy and rapture in it, and the light is like
the lumen glorice, the beatifical vision in some measure and degree.
We do not see him face to face, but are desirous of this blessed estate,
and persuaded of it, and are affected with it as if we saw it. The
sight of faith is not a full enjoyment, but as sure, and so proportion-
ably affects the heart. Nay, this lumen fidei is somewhat like the
sight God hath of things. God seeth all things in his own design, and
faith seeth them so far as they are manifested in the promises of the
gospel. There is no hope to get rid of our dead-heartedness and
security till we have this realising light of faith.
2. This watching consisteth in preparation. If we expect a thing
to come, and do not prepare accordingly, we do not watch for it but
neglect it. Now this preparation must be speedy, thorough, and con
stant.
[1.] Watching implieth a speedy preparation. That we may be in
a lit capacity to receive Christ at his coming, we must take the next
VEK. 13.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 419
advantage, lest we be surprised and called home before we are ready.
This is not a work to be put off to age or sickness. Why should we
provide a burden for that time when we are weakest and least able to
bear it ? And therefore now we should begin it. Every day brings
burden enough for itself. He is an unthrifty tenant that suffers the
rent of one year to run into another : how shall that crop discharge two
years' rent that cannot pay one ? If it be tedious now to turn to God,
it will be more tedious when thou art hardened in sin, and thy neglects
of God and Christ will provoke him to deny his grace. And what
assurance have we of another year ? We have this by the favour of pro
vidence. Our life was forfeited and lost in law the first moment, and
therefore we have but a reprieve during pleasure. What warrant have
I to expect another day but my own hope and fancy ? He that is
security for himself to himself is no whit the better secured ; he doth,
but take the word of a spendthrift. If we had a lease of our lives, yet
what hope of grace ? when we have resisted the Spirit of God all our
lives, what hope that he should assist us at death ? We do but pro
vide matter of despair to ourselves ; every day will prove worse and
worse. A traveller may easily pass over the head of a brook, but when
he goeth down, thinking to find it narrower, it is so broad that he can
not pass at all. Every delay brings on a new degree of hardness of
heart on our part, and a new desertion on God's part. Now how wilt
thou untwist the former web which thou hast been so long a- weaving ?
That soul must needs be in perplexity at the hour of death that seeth
the day spent and the business appointed to him not yet begun, and a
disease disabling him for any serious reflections ; as if a traveller seeth
the sun setting when he is entering upon his journey • the evening of
the day and the morning of the task do not well agree together. All
the time that remaineth is too short to lament the lost time already
past. Therefore, if watching inferreth preparation, it inferreth speedy
preparation ; and a man is not in a good condition to live that is not
fit to die.
[2.] It must be a serious and thorough preparation, such as will
serve the turn, and be accepted by Christ at his coming. The whole
design of this parable is to caution us against the shallowness and
slightness of the work of grace upon our hearts. Heathens have a con
science (as Felix trembled) ; much more Christians. Men may see
and have a taste of sin's bitterness, and have a longing mind after
Christ, but the life of grace is not begun in them ; they do not * awake
to righteousness/ 1 Cor. xv. 34. We should often think what is
required in order to that day, and -what the scripture maketh our
readiness to consist in. Kepentance and actual conversion to God,
this is pressed upon us, Acts iii. 19, ' Kepent, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshment shall come from the pre
sence of the Lord.' Kepentance is the soul's return to God in love..
And Acts xvii. 30, 31, ' Now he commandeth all men to repent,
because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in
righteousness/ That day is kept off that we might have time to
repent, 2 Peter iii. 9. So faith in Christ, that will unite us to him, or
a hearty taking him for our Lord and Saviour : Kom. viii. 1, ' There
is no condemnation to them that are in Christ / Phil. iii. 9, ' Found
420 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. X.
in him ;' 1 John ii. 28, ' And now, little children, abide in him ; that
when he shall appear you may have confidence, and not be ashamed
before him at his coming/ We must be in Christ, and abide in
Christ. To abide in Christ is to persevere in our adhering to him as
our Lord and Saviour, in the profession of his name, observation of
his precepts, recumbency on his merits, imitation of his graces, com
munion with his person. Certainly he will not cast off those who are
members of his mystical body, and abide in him by faith, nor condemn
those whom he hath redeemed and washed in his blood, arid sanctified
by his Spirit. This is our preparation ; yea, the scripture doth not
only look to our hearts, but to our lives, James ii. 1, 2.
[3.] It must be a constant and daily preparation. You must not
only get ready, but keep ready. Besides habitual preparation, there
must be actual preparation. We must every day be more in a readi
ness. The sentinel is to watch all hours; it is death to be taken
sleeping, though he hath watched all the night before : ' We know
neither the day nor the hour/ it is in the text, implying there must
be no intermission of our care. What if my master should come and
find me idle ? said Calvin to his friends, that demanded of him why he
wasted his body in such constant labours. Few are like-minded that
put this question to their souls, Am I as I would meet with Christ ?
We should always stand with our lamps burning and our loins girt,
Luke xii. 35. A Christian should be always as a ship that hath taken
in its lading, and is prepared and furnished with all manner of
tackling, ready to set sail, only expecting the good wind to carry him
out of the haven. So should we be ready to set sail for eternity, stand
at heaven's gates, be in a perpetual exercise of faith and love, and be
fittingly prepared to meet our Saviour. Oh ! what a happiness is it to
live so that we care not when death cometh upon us ; and so live every
day, as if we were presently to be summoned before the tribunal of
Christ ! The world thinketh this a foolish strictness, because many
days go over our heads, and it proveth not so. But let them mock on;
when they come to hell they will find this to be the greatest wisdom.
A Christian will count every day his last. Not only his own necessity,
but his love and earnest desire of Christ's coming maketh him look out.
3. The last thing in this watching is earnest expectation of Christ's
last appearance, and the grace he will bring along with him : 1 Peter
i. 15, ' Gird up the loins of your minds, and be sober, and hope to the
end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ/ Our hearts and minds should be more taken up with
the thoughts of his coming, and the privileges we shall have by him.
It is expressed by looking, longing, waiting ; and Christians are often
described by these acts : Titus iii. 13, ' Looking for the blessed hope ;'
Phil. iii. 20, 21, ' From whence we look for a Saviour,' Heb. x. 27.
We should stir up our minds to look for his coming ; and not only stir
up our hopes, but our desires : 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' To them that love his
appearing ; ' it is a sign and token that he cometh with a blessing to
us : to them he cometh with a crown of righteousness. So for waiting :
1 Cor. i. 7, ' Ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ/ We were converted for this end, to wait for his
coming from heaven, 1 Thes. i. 10.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 421
^ Now I come to show you the reasons why this watching is required
of us, or to move us to it.
1. Consider who it is that biddeth you watch. Christ himself, whom
you call Lord and Master, who knows the worth and danger of souls,
and hath a tender esteem and value for them. If we did impose so
strict a duty upon you, you might take or leave it as it shall be for
your conveniency. In the 1st of Proverbs, Solomon bringeth in Wis
dom lifting up her voice, and crying, Prov. i. 20. What to do ? To
accept of the grace offered. The most then will miss the season ; they
shall never receive advantage by the cry if they neglect it, ver. 26 ;
ver. 28, ' They shall call upon me, but I will not answer.' Many
clauses in these verses do fitly agree with the passages of the parable.
It agreeth with the foolish virgins, who lost their opportunity of getting
oil ; and with the wise, who in a time of plenty provided against a
famine, as Joseph advised the Egyptians : a greater than Joseph is
here. Now in the times of grace watch.
2. Consider whom it is he inviteth. Do not put it off to others :
Mark xiii. 37, ' What I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch/ Some
persons are especially deputed to watch over others, as magistrates,
Horn. xiii. 6; ministers, Heb. xiii. 12; but every man is made a guardian
over his own soul ; rich and poor, they are both to watch. The meanest
people are then taken notice of, and that exactly : Mat. xxiv. 40, 41,
' Two women grinding at the mill ; one shall be taken, and the other
left : two in the field, one taken, and the other left.' Those of the
meanest degree. All that live in all ages, in all times, to them he
said, Watch. Do not put it off to them that live in the age on which
the ends of the world are come. You will be found at that day as
death leaveth you. None of all degrees of grace are past this care.
If there be any difference between Christian and Christian, one is more
watchful than another ; if of never so long standing and experience,
yet if not watchful, soon surprised. God's best servants have been
surprised for want of watching. Noah was overtaken in drunkenness ;
Lot, that was chaste in Sodom, committed incest in the mountains,
where were nont but his own family. And do but compare David
and Joseph ; you find David tempting, Joseph tempted. David was
a king, Joseph a slave ; David an old man of much experience, Joseph
a young man ; David a married man, and Joseph a single man. David
was fain to plot and contrive to make way for his sin, but Joseph had
the advantage of secrecy ; but the one stood, and the other fell ; David
left his senses at random, but Joseph kept himself in an aweful watch
ful posture : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How shall I do this great wickedness and
sin against God ? '
3. Consider when and how long we are to watch. The time is kept
from our knowledge for this very end, that we may always be watch
ing: Mat. xxi. 36, 'Watch and pray always;' 2 Tim. iv. 5, 'But
watch thou in all things.' There must be a constant and continual
watch. When we are secure we lose our actual fitness, and our common
enemy breaks in upon us. There is a working, warring principle in
our hearts.
4. There is a blessing promised to those that watch : Kev. xvi. 15,
1 Blessed is he that watcheth ;' and Luke xii. 37, ' Blessed are those
422 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. X.
servants whom their Lord when he cometh shall find watching/
What do we lose by watching but a few trifling pleasures, which are
abundantly recompensed here and hereafter by solid rejoicing in
Christ ? It is irksome to the flesh, but the reward sweeteneth it.
5. The hazard and danger of not watching. It is notably repre
sented in this parable : only the ready enter. Take heed, therefore,
the like do not happen to you as to the foolish virgins : they are
excluded, and that irrevocably; if they would never so fain enter,
Christ will not hearken unto them : Kev. iii. 3, ' If therefore thou shalt
not watch, I will come upon thee like a thief in the night ; ' 1 Thes.
v. 3. Woful is their condition that are secure and unprovided.
6. Consider what men would do to avoid temporal inconveniency :
Mat. xxiv. 43, ' If the good man of the house had known when the
thief would come, lie would have watched ;' much more should Christ's
disciples to avoid eternal destruction. It is an advantage to put the
case in outward things, Mai. i. 8 ; it showeth the disproportion of our
respects to temporals and spirituals. If we are so careful in looking
to our bodies and goods, we are or should be more careful in watching
over our souls, where the danger is greater. The world's diligence
and double diligence in earthly things will condemn our neglect in
spiritual things.
Use 1. I may from hence take occasion to bewail the neglect of this
duty. Oh ! how much is watching laid aside ! Thence cometh our
decay of grace. The church of Sardis was even dead for want of it,
Kev. iii. 2. Thence comes our want of comfort, and of assurance of
God's love. Our peace of conscience is gotten by diligence, and kept
with watchfulness. Thence comes our loathness to die, and our cold
ness to everlasting life. We do not * gird up the loins of our minds,
and watch/ Thence come all our afflictions. God is fain to use
dreadful means to awaken his servants out of their drowsiness. We
are apt to be drowsy and sleepy ; God useth sharp discipline to awaken
us ; some smart cross or sickness to bring us to ourselves again. We
should bewail the neglect of watching in two things : —
1. Our not watching for the coming of the Lord. Some can live
merrily and quietly in a careless unprepared estate ; but do these men
consider what it is to meet with their Redeemer, before they have
gotten any benefit by his blood ? We cannot draw nigh to him with
any comfort till we feel the benefit of his death, Heb. x. 22. His
business is ' to present his people faultless to God/ Jude 24. These
men do not consider what it is to meet with the judge, 1 Peter iv. 5.
There is no plea but innocency and pardon in Christ, Roin. viii. 1 ;
1 John iii. 8. These do not consider how they shall look Christ in
the face, when so unlike him, 1 John iii. 1, 2, and 1 John iv. 17.
These do not consider what it is to meet the bridegroom when their
filthy garments are yet on.
2. Bewail the neglect of watching against present evils with care and
circumspection. What is the matter ? Is Satan less busy to tempt,
or is the heart of man and human nature grown better, and sin less
dangerous ? Is our weakness and inability so far strengthened and
cured, that we are out of danger of falling? Were the servants of
God such weaklings, that prayed, as David, Ps. xxxix., ' I put a
VERS. 14, 15.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 423
watch upon the door of my lips ;' and Job, that ' made' a covenant
with his eyes'? Job xxxi. 1. But rather are not we more foolhardy
and negligent, do not mind our business, and consider not the incon-
veniency of not watching ?
Use 2. To press us to this duty ; there is a God that watcheth, and
enemies that watch, and conscience watcheth, and will do its office
first or last ; a day of judgment, when you are to answer for all that
you have done ; and will not you watch ? When you consider how
much you are in danger of sin, and in danger by sin, can you be
negligent and secure ? Oh ! watch your hearts, Prov. iv. 23 ; watch
your tongue, Ps. xxxix. 1 ; watch your senses, Job xxxi. 1 : gratify
them and you wound your hearts. Watch your ways, Prov. iv. 24 ;
but above all watch your state. Let us examine well our case, that
we may be found in Christ, and have the ' seal of his Spirit/ Eph. i.
13. That is your warrant.
For means to help us in this duty of watchfulness : —
1. Sobriety, or moderation in the use of all outward things : 1
Thes. v. 6, ' Therefore let us not sleep, as do others, but watch and be
sober/ 1 Peter i. 13, iv. 7.
2. Go to God in prayer. Watching and prayer are often joined
together. We are best kept when recommended into God's hand:
Ps. cxli. 3, ' Set a watch, 0 Lord, before my mouth ; keep the door
of my lips.' I do observe there — (1.) That unadvised and passionate
speeches do easily drop from us in our troubles, especially in our per
secution. (2.) That a godly conscientious man is very tender of these,
as of all evil. He that would live in communion with God for the
present, and hope to appear with comfort before him hereafter, is
sensible of the least thing that tends to God's displeasure and God's
dishonour. This is the true spirit of one that will be owned by Christ
at the last day. (3.) There is no way to prevent being provoked to
impatience and rashness of speech, or any evil, but by keeping a watch,
and renewing our obligations to God. (4.) Whoever would keep a
watch must call in the aid and assistance of God's grace : * Lord, set
a watch upon the door of my lips.'
SERMON XL
For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country,
ivho called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods.
And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one;
to every one according to his several ability. — MAT. XXV. 14, 15.
THE particle for showeth that this parable hath some connection with
the former. We have but two great affairs in the world — the one to
promote God's glory, the other to save our own souls ; or, in other
words, to be faithful to God and wise for ourselves. This latter was
taught us in the former parable ; the wise and provident virgins made
sufficient preparation for their reception into the nuptial feast. The
other, faithfulness to God, in employing our gifts, talents, and oppor-
424
SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV.
XL
tunities for his glory, is taught in this parable. Therefore the drift
of it is, to set us all a-work in our places and callings for the glory of
God, that we may look Christ in the face at his coming, for the king
dom of heaven, &c.
In which words we have —
First, The person trusting, a man ; who is here represented —
1. As a great lord and master, that hath servants of his own, and
several gifts to bestow upon them at his pleasure. In Luke it is, 'A
certain nobleman, who went into a far country, to receive for himself
a kingdom/ Luke xix. 12. In Mark, chap. xiii. 34, ' A great master
of a house/ who intrusts his servants with his goods till his return.
2. He is here considered as travelling into a far country. Christ's
ascending into heaven is thereby intended ; for gifts are the fruits of
his ascension.
Secondly, The persons intrusted ; he called his oivn servants^ and
delivered to them. Not only ministers and officers of the church are
meant, though they especially ; but all Christians, who are Christ's
servants, employed by him in one state of life or other.
Thirdly, The things intrusted, his goods ; they are bona, things
good in their nature; and they are dona, gifts freely given, and
delivered to us : and not merely given ; they -are talenta, talents ; not
things merely given as we give money to a beggar, but as we give to
a factor. As they are bona, they must not be despised ; as dona, gifts,
they call for thankfulness ; as talents, for faithfulness. The Jewish
talent was a hundred and eighty- one pounds ten shillings. Now these
talents are ordinances, opportunities, estates, gifts, graces, all that we
have received from God, either dona administrantia or sanctificantia :
helps and means and opportunities to glorify him, which are the
occasions or the graces of the Spirit ; which are the dispositions to
make us so to do.
Fourthly, The variety observed in the distribution, to one Jive, to
another two, to another one ; which difference expresseth the divers
kinds of gifts, and the measure and the degree in which they are
bestowed. Though all have not equal measure, yet every one hath
some gift and some measure, something that is peculiar to himself,
whereby he may be useful.
Fifthly, The rule which is observed in the distribution, to every one
according to his ability. As in the parable the wise master knoweth
every servant, according to his prudence and skill, so in the explication
of the parable every man is gifted and employed by Christ according
to his natural receptivity. The eye hath its office as an eye, and the
hand as a hand, and the foot as a foot.
I shall not pursue every minute circumstance, but only touch upon
those things which are most remarkable.
First, Observe then —
Doct. 1. That Christ Jesus is the great Lord and owner.
He is so represented here with respect to persons and things. Per
sons : those that receive the talents are called ' his own servants ; ' and
the several gifts and good things bestowed upon them are called ' his
goods ; ' and these dispensed according to his sovereign will and plea
sure, to one more, to another less.
VERS. 14, 15.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 425
Concerning Christ's being a lord and owner, let me give you these
observations : —
First, The power of Christ as an owner and free lord is to be dis
tinguished from his power as a governor and ruler. As a free lord,
' he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy.' As a governor and
ruler, so he 'judgeth the world in righteousness/ or according to the
law or stated rule which he hath given of his will. With respect to
the one, ' it is not in him that willeth, or in him that runneth, but in
God that showeth mercy/ But with respect to the other ' so run that
you may obtain/ Compare Kom. ix. 16, with 1 Cor. ix. 24 ; for God,
that is arbitrary in his gifts, is not arbitrary in his judgments. His
law and the precepts of it is the rule of our duty ; but in the sanction
of it it is the rule of God's process. But as an owner he discovereth
his sovereignty and dominion ; as a ruler or judge, his justice or right
eousness. All acts and matters of free favour are dispensed by him as a
lord, but matters of right and wrong come before him as a judge. The
goodrnan of the house pleaded ill, 'I may do with my own as it pleaseth
me/ Mat. xx. 15 ; that belongeth to a supreme owner. Besides, his
being an owner goeth before his being a ruler, and is the foundation of
it ; for his absolute propriety in us giveth him a legislative power over
us, to dispose of us or command us according to his own will. He may
give his creatures what rules he pleaseth, and order them to what ends
he thinkethgood, and bind them to observe his order upon what terms
he will : ' I am the Lord/ Lev. xviii. 1-6. Therefore, before the course
of government established between him and the world, he is first con
sidered as an owner.
Secondly, This power and ownership accrueth to Christ by a double
title— jure creationis, et redemptions.
1. By right of creation : Ezek. xviii. 4, ' Behold, all souls are mine/
He hath a right to dispose of man, and all the rest of his creatures, as
being all of them the works of his hands. He that gave them their
beings when they were not, and still supporteth them now they are,
hath an undoubted just right to order them according to his own will.
We have nothing but what we had from him ; and we have nothing
that we ourselves can keep a moment ; and we have it upon these terms,
to use it for his glory.
2. By right of redemption : Kom. xiv. 9, ' For to this end Christ
both died and rose again, that he might be Lord of dead and living ;'
and 1 Cor. vi. 20, * Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God
in your bodies and souls, which are his/ This giveth him a new title
to us, though the former ceased not, but will continue/ Whilst man
receiveth his being from God by creation, and the continuance of his
being by preservation, it is a power commutative, not destructive ; it is
superadded to the former, and is more comfortable and beneficial to us,
as well as bindeth us more firmly to God, wholly to be disposed,
guided, and ordered by him at his will.
Thirdly, This power as owner is entire and absolute : Kom. xi. 36,
' For of him, and through him, and to him are all things/ We receiv
ing our whole being from God, it is all at his dispose. All human
propriety is derived, limited, and respective, because we in being and
operation depend upon another ; and therefore man cannot be sui juris,
426 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XI.
at bis own dispose, and lord of his own actions. He hath principium
etjinem, a principle upon which he dependeth, and an end to which he
is appointed. Now it is no more lawful to abstain from respecting and
seeking his end, than it is possible not to depend upon his principle.
He hath a superior, to whom he must give an account, seeing he wholly
dependeth upon him, and is wholly subject to him. But this property
is originally and primarily in God as a fountain, not subordinate, or
dependent upon any higher. If this be not so intelligible, let me
speak more plainly. There is dominium jurisdictionis, et dominium
proprietatis ; such as a prince hath over his goods and lands. His
dominion is more absolute over his goods and lands than over his
subjects ; that is bounded by laws. God hath the most absolute
title over us, and ail that we possess ; it is so great that it cannot be
greater.
Fourthly, God cannot be divested of this power and interest in us.
1. It is so absolutely inherent in him, that it cannot be communi
cated to another ; that is, we cannot alienate and make void this right
by our sins. Though we sold ourselves for nought, Isa. lii. 3, it was
to our loss, not to God's. He hath a full right to command us to keep
his law, whether men be faulty or innocent. A drunken servant is a
servant, though he be disabled to do his master's work. No man's
right can be vacated without his consent. Creatures are creatures
still, obnoxious to the law of the Creator, or his punishment for the
breach of it. In that interest we have in things, the default of
another doth not make void our right, especially if it be inferiors ; as
the rebellion of the subject doth not exempt him from the power of his
.prince.
2. Neither doth God give it away by bestowing gifts upon the crea
ture ; for he hath given us only dispensationem, the employment of
these things, not dominium, the sovereign power over them. Man hath
nothing that is his own. As to life, it is clear man is not dominus
vitce, but custos ; which is true not only of our life, but of our time,
wealth, strength, parts, yea, of all that we have. Still we are subject
to a higher lord, who hath an absolute uncontrollable right. All our
owning is but a stewardship, Luke xvi. 2. We have a right to pre
vent the encroachment of our fellow-creatures. We have a right by
way of charge and trust, as a steward to things committed to him, or
as a workman hath a right to his tools or instruments to do his work,
or a factor in the estates committed to him ; but an absolute inde
pendent right we have not. They are not ours to use as we think
meet. They were rebels that said, ' Our tongues are our own/ Ps. xii.
4. Well, then, when God dispersed his gifts, he did not dispossess
himself. As the husbandman doth not intend to throw away his seed
when he scattereth it in the furrows, but soweth it to receive it again
with increase, so God.
3. I will add this, that God cannot give this absolute right to another
that is not God, no more than he can cut off the creature from depend
ing upon himself. In our way of owning our petty interests it may be
permitted, as a lord may make his vassal and slave free, or a prince
his subjects; as Saul proclaimed that whosoever should overcome
Goliath, he would make his house free in Israel ; that is, free from
VERS. 14, 15.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 427
taxes, imposts, service in war, 1 Sam. xvii. 25. But now no creature
can be exempted from duty to God ; -for dependence upon God and
subjection to him are so twisted together, that the one cannot be with
out the other. We wholly depend upon him for being, and all things
else, and therefore must be wholly subject to him. We still continue
in our being ; now the continuance of our very duty and being doth
still depend upon God.
Fifthly, God's sovereign dominion over us, and interest in us, may
be set forth by these three things, at least to our present purpose : —
1. A right of making or framing anything as he willeth, in any
manner as it pleaseth him : ' As the potter hath power over his own
clay to form what vessel he pleaseth, either of honour or dishonour/
Kom. ix. 21 ; and Jer. viii. 16, ' As clay in the hand of the potter, so
are ye in my hand, saith the Lord of hosts.' Nothing before it had a
being had a right to dispose of itself, neither did God make it what it
was by necessity of nature, nor by the command, counsel, or will of
any superior, or the direction of any coadjutor ; neither is there any to
whom he should render an account of his work ; but merely produced
all things by the act of his own will, as an absolute owner and sovereign
lord of all his actions : Eph. i. 11, ' He worketh all things according
to the counsel of his will ;' and Kev. iv. 11, * Thou hast created all
things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.' Such was
God's absolute power. This should be thought of by us, because
whatever was given us in creation is not a matter of right, but the
mere effect of God's good-will and good pleasure. He might have
made us stocks and stones, and not living creatures, or, among living
creatures, plants only, with a life of vegetation and growth ; or if a
sensitive life, in the lowest rank, toads and vipers, or at best, but as
horse or mule, without understanding, and not men. Among men, all
the blessings and privileges we were born to might have been with
held without any injustice. The various constitutions and complexions
of men, all their gifts and natural capacities, are the fruits of his
sovereign will.
2. A right of having and possessing all things so made and framed by
him. Amongst men, whosoever maketh anything by his own proper
art and labour, and of his own stuff, must needs have a full right to
it, and a full power to dispose of it ; yet no workman ever made any
thing without some matter ; but God made all things without matter
pre-existing, and therefore surely his right is greater. Wherefore
God is called not only the maker of heaven and earth, but the possessor,
Gen. xiv. 19. God is the great proprietor, and in a sense the only
proprietor that hath dominium proprie dictum : * Gold and silver are
mine,' Hag. ii. 8 ; and Hosea ii. 9, ' I will return, and take away my
corn and my wine in the season thereof ; ' Ps. 1. 10, ' His are the cattle
upon a thousand hills ; ' yea, ' The whole earth is the Lord's, and the
fulness thereof,' Ps. xxix. 1, 16. All is God's, in whatsoever hands it
be : ' The Lord hath need of him/ is argument enough. Now this
doth mightily increase our confidence, check our usurpations, quicken
us to faithfulness, that the great owner may not be deprived of his
right.
3. He hath a right of using and disposing all things thus in his
428 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. XI.
possession according to his own pleasure. Keason will tell us that the
use, benefit, and utility of anything belongeth to him whose it is ; so
God is the sole disposer of all things. As he made them for himself,
so he governeth them ultimately and terminatively for himself ; some
things immediately, all things ultimately : ' By whom and for whom
all things were made/ Prov. xvi. 4; all the conditions of men, riches,
poverty, health, sickness, ease, pain, life, death. Now this right of dis
posing of us is of great use to keep us in a quiet subjection to God's
laws and providence, without murmuring or repining. We cannot
gay to him, What makest thou ? or, Why doest thou this ? Isa. xlv.
9. It is enough God did it. But to apply the whole.
Use 1. It serveth to check many sins. All mischief arid disorder
cometh from looking upon ourselves as proprietaries and owners, and
not considering who hath the great interest in us. Surely were these
truths well digested and thought of by us, it would work a great cure
upon mankind.
1. That nothing we have is our own.
2. That whatsoever is given us by God, is given us for his service,
to be done to him.
3. That to this Lord of ours we must be answerable, who will one
day call us to an account. Or will you take one of them, if all be too
many to be remembered by you ; and that one implieth all the rest :
' Ye are not your own, but are bought with a price.' If a man did
think of this, My heart is not my own, it is God's, and he must have
it, he would not fill it with the dross of evil thoughts. My time is
not my own ; my tongue, my wit, my language, it is not my own.
Would the prodigal waste his estate so vainly ? Keprove him, and he
will tell you, I spend but my own. The covetous man saith, ' Shall
I take my bread, and my water, and my flesh, and give it to men that
I know not ? ' 1 Sam. xxv. 11. How easily might you persuade him
to charity, could you convince him it is another's goods, and to be laid
out when the Lord hath need of it. It would check our pride to con
sider ' who made us to differ/ 1 Cor. iv. 7. Alas ! master, it was
borrowed, as Elisha's servant told his master. A groom is proud of
his master's horse : they are proud of that which is none of theirs,
that are proud of their parts and proud of their estates. Yea, it
would check our spiritual pride, when we have done anything for God,
or suffered anything for God, or given anything for God's sake : 1
Chron. xxix. 12-14, ' Of thine own have we given thee, for all is thine.'
Use 2. Is to press us to more faithfulness in God's service ; to serve
him more with our parts, time, strength, wit, wealth, power, and in
terest. All the good things that God hath given us are God's still.
Now you should ' give unto God the things that are God's. You are
robbers if you lay not out all that you have according to his will, and for
his glory. But (1.) ' Give yourselves to the Lord/ 2 Cor. viii. 5, and
then other things will come in the more easily. You are his already ;
you cannot add to God's right ; yet it may add to the obligation, bind
you more strongly to subjection and obedience. Oh ! then, in the first
place, become his servants and vassals ; avouch God to be your God :
Deut. xxvi. 17, ' Thou hast avouched Ihis day the Lord to be thy God/
Wicked men give up themselves to the Lord, but it is by constraint :
VERS. 14, 15.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 429
' All that the Lord hath spoken we will do.' But, ' Oh, that they had
an heart ! ' Deut. v. 28, 29. (2.) Having given yourselves to the Lord,
give other things to him. A Christian lays himself, and all his in
terests and capacities, at Jesus Christ's feet, that he may make an
advantage of everything for God : Zech. xiv. 20, * In that day there
shall be upon the bells of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord ; yea,
every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holiness unto the Lord/
We have received nothing from ourselves, and therefore should improve
all we are and have for God. (3.) The reality of our dedication will
be known by our use, if hard at work for God, and this be the business
of our lives : Phil. i. 21, * To me to live is Christ.' It is not enough
negatively that our gifts be not employed against Christ as weapons of
unrighteousness, but positively for God, that he gets something by
every relation and acquaintance: Neh. i. 11, 'Prosper, I pray thee,
thy servant this day, and give him mercy in the sight of this man ; for
I was the king's cup-bearer.' He improved his place for God when he
was in it. God hath made many great and rich, but what doth the
Lord get by them ? Are they more useful ? Some have wit, but do not
consecrate it to Jesus Christ ; have power, interest, and great place, but
they do not honour God thereby : though they profess to give up them
selves to God, yet in the use of themselves there appeareth no such
matter : they use their tongues as their own, hearts as their own,
wealth, strength, and interests as their own. Therefore you should
keep a constant reckoning how you lay out yourselves for God.
Undertake nothing but what will bear this inscription upon it, ' Holi
ness to the Lord/ Put this question to yourselves, Can I dedicate this
to the Lord ? Eccles. ii. 2, ' What doth it ? '
Secondly, In the parable, this man, the owner, is represented as
' travelling into a far country/ and undertakes there to receive a king
dom, and disposing of all his interests till his return. This noteth
Christ's ascension into heaven ; and the point will be —
Doct. 2. That Christ at his departure appointed every man his
work, and at his ascension gave gifts unto men, to be employed for his
glory till he come again.
There are two things offered in the parable and in the point : —
1. His appointing every man his work ; as the man disposed of all
his matters till his return. Christ hath given order how every man,
according to his ability and calling, should employ himself till he
come again.. We read, Acts i. 3, how Christ before his ascension in
structed his disciples in 'all things pertaining to the kingdom of
heaven ; ' that is, in all the duties of rulers and ruled, teachers and
taught ; the ordinances, laws, and institutions of his kingdom, the duties
and privileges of the subjects thereof; what immunities they enjoy,
what obedience they must perform. This was his last charge before
his departure. Now we are to keep his charge as we will answer it to
him at his coming : 1 Tim. vi. 13, 14, ' I charge thee in the sight of
God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before
Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that thou keep this com
mandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearance of our
Lord Jesus Christ/ It was needful that Christ should go from us for
a while ; for he would not govern the world by sense, but by faith.
430 SERMOis7S UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XL
Now he will make trial of our faithfulness and diligence during his
absence ; and therefore, having appointed us our work, he withdraweth.
He will come again to take notice not only of the malice of his enemies
against his people and interest, but also of the coldness and negligence
of his own servants and domestics: 2 Thes. i. 8, 'He shall come in flam
ing fire, rendering vengeance upon them that know not God, and obey
not the gospel ; ' nay, if not flatly disobedient, yet if evil slothful servants.
2. His giving gifts. Gifts were given at Christ's ascension ; when
he took his journey, then he bestowed his goods to his servants. As
Elijah let fall his mantle, when he was translated, so did Christ bestow
his gifts and the graces of his Spirit : Eph. iv. 8, ' He ascended up on
high, and gave gifts to men/ There is a threefold reason of this: —
[1.] The bestowing of the Spirit was necessary to supply the want of
his bodily presence/. John xvi. 7, ' Nevertheless. I tell you the truth ;
it is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the Com
forter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you.' While Christ was with them, the Spirit was not given ; but
when his bodily presence was removed, then cometh the Comforter :
God will not withhold what is useful. If he take away outward com
forts, he will give us the Spirit.
[2.] It was fit he should enter upon his kingdom before his mem
bers participate so largely of his fulness, John vii. 38. Before his
incarnation grace was given upon trust, therefore more sparingly ;
afterwards coming in the flesh, the disciples were dull in comparison
of what they were when the price was paid. He was entered into pos
session of his dignity, had taken actual possession of his kingdom ;
then he poureth out the gifts and graces of the Spirit, that the glori
ous estate of his church and subjects might not go before, but come
after the glorious estate of their king and head.
[3.] To show that in his exaltation he is still mindful of his ser
vants. As soon as warm in the mediatorial throne, he sendeth down
gifts and graces : Acts ii. 33, ' Being at the right hand of the Father
exalted, he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear.' Pre
sently he beginneth to show for what reason he is gone to heaven,
powerfully to apply the work of redemption.
Use 1. Hath Christ appointed to men their work ? It should
quicken us to keep the charge of the Lord: Gen. 1. 16, 'Thy father
did command before he died.' If we have any respect to the memory
of our Lord departed from us, any expectation of his coming again, so
let us be faithful in the work appointed us to do. He instructed his
apostles in all the duties and privileges of the kingdom of God, and
they have instructed us, and you must answer it to Christ at his
coming ; therefore be diligent in glorifying God in your places.
Use 2. As he gave gifts. Look upon Christ as exalted at the right
hand of God to dispense the gifts and graces of the Spirit, for the
bringing about the salvation of all that come to God by him. It is said,
2 Kings ii. 9, 10, that if Elisha should see his master ascending, he
should have his spirit doubled upon him. It is true here ; if by faith
we look to Christ ascended, his Spirit in some measure will come upon
us ; we have free liberty and access to him, to enjoy him for ever.
Thirdly, The master in the parable giveth not the same measure
VERS. 14, 15.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 431
of talents to each servant: Christ giveth not a like measure of grace
to every one ; but to some more, to some less, as he thinketh expe
dient. Here are five talents, and two talents, and one talent, given to
each servant, as there was a different measure given to Timothy and
Dernas.
Doct. 3. That it pleaseth the Lord to dispense his gifts variously
among his people, to some more, to some fewer talents.
See this is often inculcated in the scripture : Kom. xii. 6, * Having
then gifts, differing according to the grace given to us ;' 1 Cor. vii. 7,
' Every man hath his proper gift, one after this manner, another after
that.' God giveth to every one in the church a measure and portion of
gifts as it pleaseth him. So 1 Cor. xii. 11, { All these things worketh
one and the same spirit,' which is the proper seat of this doctrine. So
Eph. iv. 7, * To every one of us is given grace, according to the mea
sure of the gift of Christ.' So 1 Peter iv. 10, ' As every one hath
received the gift, so minister the same one to another, as good stewards
of the grace of God.' I have brought all these scriptures to show
you that this is a thing worthy to be taken notice of, and seriously
improved by us.
I shall give you some observations concerning this diversity and
variety.
1. That every one hath some talent or other to improve for God.
He that had least, had one ; and the least gift is compared to a talent :
there is none of God's people but they have received some gift from
him, which, being rightly employed, may make them useful for the
glory of God and the good of others ; if not in the higher and more
public office, yet as wives, children, servants, Titus ii. 10. Every one
hath his service and opportunity to do something for God : all offered
to the tabernacle gold, or silver, or brass, or chittim-wood, or goats'-
hair, or badgers'-skins. So, as Christ went to Jerusalem, some strewed
the way with garments, others cut down branches, some cried Hosanna;
that was all they could do.
2. That there is a great diversity in the talents which we have.
The Lord doth not give all to one, nor to all alike.
[1.] There is a diversity of employments and offices. The apostle
eth us, Kom. xii. 4, ' All members have not the same office ; ' some
an eye, some a hand, some a head, some a foot. Magistracy, ministry
are distinct offices in the church, which ought not to be confounded
or invaded : Eph. iv. 11, 12, ' And he gave some apostles, and some
prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers : for
the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edi
fying the body of Christ ;' and Isa. liv. 11, ' I will lay thy foundations
with sapphires, and thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles,
and all thy borders of pleasant stones/ Here are variety of employ
ments, foundations, windows, gates, borders, to hold forth the variety
of the gifts and graces of the members of the Church.
[2.] There is a diversity in the kind of gifts. In the general, some
are common, some saving, Heb. vi. 5, 9. Carnal men have groat
abilities for the good of others, the stamp may be iron or brass, though
the impress be on gold and silver ; some bodily, some spiritual. Some
are called to glorify God with their honour and estates ; so Luke
432 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. | SlUl. XL
ix. 11 ; others with the gifts of the mind. The gifts of the mind are
common or saving. Among the common gifts, ' One hath the word
of wisdom, another the word of knowledge/ 1 Cor. xii. 8-10. Some
are able to lay down the truth soundly, others able to apply it forcibly.
Some have the gift of prayer and utterance, others are able to inform
the judgment or convince gainsayers ; some to clear up doctrines,
others to stir affections. As the three ministers of Geneva, Vireto
nemo docuit dulcius, Farello nemo tonuit for tins, nemo doctius locutus
est Calvino. Among hearers, some have more wisdom, some more
knowledge, some more affection. Amongst the penmen of scripture,
there is a great variety: John is sublime and seraphical, Paul spirit
ual and argumentative, Peter in an easy fluent and mild way, Isaiah
more court-like and lofty, Jeremiah more priest-like and grave.
Among the saving gif ts there is a diversity of graces, though all have
all in some measure. The new creature is not maimed, yet some are
more eminent, some for one grace, some for another : Abraham for
faith, Job for patience, Moses for meekness, Timothy for temperance ;
every grace working according to the diversity of tempers. Some are
modest and mild, others bold and zealous ; some are mourning for sin,
others raised in the admiration of the grace of God in Christ ; others
exemplary for strictness, and weanedness from the delights of the
animal life.
[3.] There is a diversity as to the measure and degrees. Every
barque that saileth to heaven doth not draw a like depth : there is
* the measure of the gift of Christ/ Eph. iv. 7 ; and ' the measure of
every part/ ver. 16. To some it may be said, ' Great is thy faith ;' to
others, ' 0 ye of little faith ! ' Some are fathers, some young men, some
babes in Christ, 1 John ii. 13, 14; and in heaven there are degrees
of glory suitable.
[4.] That this diversity cometh from the same free love of God, and
therefore not to be used contrary to the mind of the giver. This is
the free gift of God, flowing from his undeserved grace, there being
nothing foreseen in any that can merit the least good at God's hand :
1 Cor. iv. 7, ' Who made thee to differ ?' Kom. xii. 35, ' For of him,
and through him, and to him are all things/ The sun oweth nothing
to the stars, nor the fountain to the streams.
[5.] Our account must be answerable to our receipts ; there is a
proportion of return expected : Hezekiah rendered not according to
what he received. They that have received much shall account for
much ; and they that have received little shall account for little : he
that received five talents must look to reckon for five : as he com
forted his friend that had but one eye, that he should account but for
the sins of one eye.
Now for the reasons of this diversity.
1. To show the liberty of his counsels. Christ may do with his
own as he pleaseth ; he will be known to be the sovereign Lord in the
distribution of his gifts, and giving out his grace to his creatures as he
shall see good : Mat. xi. 26, ' Even so, Father ; for so it seemeth good
in thy sight ; ' 1 Cor. xii. 11, ' For all these worketh that one and the
self-same Spirit, distributing to every man severally as he will/ Not
as you will, but as he will. The Spirit is compared to wind, not only
VEKS. 14, 15.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 433
for its force, but its liberty, John iii. 8 ; when and how he pleaseth.
To some he giveth riches, to some gifts, common knowledge and
utterance; some have this gift, some that; some in a lower measure,
some in a higher ; some have a peculiar excellency in gifts and graces,
others only the common sincerity.
2. That all may know that all fulness is only in himself, Col i. 19.
The greatest degree of gifts and graces that God bestoweth upon any
is far below that fulness that is in Christ ; they have a measure, but
Christ without measure, John iii. 34. He giveth to none so much
but there is always something wanting ; and they that have received
most are capable of receiving more.
3. God will have this difference for the beauty and order of the
whole : variety is more grateful. Hills and valleys make the world
beautiful ; so do distinct orders, ranks, and degrees of men. All eye
or all belly is monstrous ; difference with proportion maketh beauty ;
therefore one excelleth another, and several gifts and ranks there are
for the service of the whole.
4. That every one in the sight of his own wants may be kept
humble. When we are singular for any excellency, we are apt to
grow proud and unsociable ; the eye is apt to say to the hand or foot,
* I have no need of thee/ 1 Cor. xii. 21. Every man hath something
to commend him to the respect of others ; therefore God hath so
scattered his gifts that every one should need another, that we may
have the use of that gift which we have not the possession of.
[1.] To maintain love and mutual respect, and that there might be
no schism in the body. The apostle saith, Eph. iv. 16, ' The whole body
compacted and joined together by that which every part supplieth.'
[2.] Diversity of gifts was most intended, not to dissolve the bonds
of union, but to strengthen them rather; and therefore the apostle,
when he had reckoned up the bonds of union, he presently addeth,
* But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of
the gift of Christ/ Eph. iv. 7. First he speaketh of what is one in all,
and then of those things which are not one in all, but diverse in every
one. Every one hath his distinct excellency to endear him to the
respects of others. Diversity of gifts are an ordinary occasion of
division and strife ; contempt, envy, pride, discouragement ariseth
from hence, but in itself one of the strongest bonds of union ; whilst
all in their way contribute to the good of the whole, and make use of
that excellency in another which themselves want, and we mutually
communicate to one another our benefits. As divers countries have
divers commodities, and one needeth another ; one aboundeth with
wines, some have spices, others have skins, and commodities in other
kinds, that by commerce and traffic there might be society maintained
among mankind ; so God in his church hath given to one gifts, to
another grace, to maintain a holy society and spiritual commerce
among themselves.
Use 1. Is to persuade us to employ our several talents for God,
be they more or less ; none are to be idle : 2 Tim. ii. 6, ' Stir up the
gift that is in thee.'
1. If we have but one talent, God expects the improvement of it :
Adam in innocency had his work appointed him by God.
VOL. ix. 2 E
434 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XII.
2. Those that have the greatest gifts should not contemn those that
have few or less ; and those that have few not envy others that have
more, but be mutually helpful one to another, acknowledging the wis
dom and goodness of God in all that we have. It is a base spirit that
would shine alone, or set up one gift to the prejudice of another:
' Let no man glory, for all things are yours/ 1 Cor. iii. 21. He that
laid the world in hills and valleys would not have all champaign and
smooth ground, Prov. xvii. 15.
Use. 2. Give yourselves and all that is yours to God. Nothing is
more reasonable than that every one should have his own ; therefore
let us consent to God's propriety, and absolutely resign ourselves to
the will, dispose, and use of our creator ; but first ourselves, and then
what is ours.
SEKMON XII.
Then he that had received the five talents went and traded tuith the
same, and made them other five talents. Likewise lie, that had
received two, lie also gained other ttuo. But he that had received
one ivent and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. — MAT.
XXV. 16-18.
•
THIS is the second part of the parable. We have heard of the master's
distribution, now we shall hear of the servants' negotiations, how they
employed the talents received. There was a disparity and inequality
in the distribution, so in the negotiation. Two of the servants used
their talents well ; the third traded not at all, but ' went and digged in
the earth, and hid his lord's money.' Among them that used their
talents well there was a difference, but still with, proportion to what
they had received : ' He that had received five talents made them other
five : and he also that had received two gained other two/
Doct. 1. That those that have received talents must trade with, them
for God's glory and the salvation of their own souls and the good of
others.
Doct. 2. In trading, our returns must carry proportion with our
receipts.
Doct. 3. Among those that have received talents all are not faithful ;
for one hid his lord's money.
For the first point —
Doct. 1. That those that have received talents must trade with them
for God's glory and the salvation of their own souls and the good of
others, I shall first explain the point, and then prove it.
First, For the explication or illustration, I will inquire —
1. What things are to be accounted talents ?
2. What it is to trade with them ?
3. To whom the gain and increase redoundeth ?
First, What are these talents ? In the general, all the things God
hath intrusted us with, or anything that may help to promote the
glory of God ; reason, health, strength, time, parts, interests, power,
VBRS. 16-18.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 435
authority, wealth, the mercies of his providence, afflictions, ordinances,
means of grace ; yea, grace itself. All these are vouchsafed to us
freely by God, and may be improved for his glory. There is none of
us but have had many advantages and opportunities put into our
hands of glorifying God and promoting our own and others' salvation.
Of all it may be said, Prov. xvii. 1 6, ' Wherefore is there a price in
the hand of a fool to get wisdom, seeing he hath no heart to use it?'
Reason and parts are a price put into your hands, so is time and
strength, so are riches and power, so are ordinances and providences,
and indeed all the blessings of this life. God must be gainer, and also
yourselves. In a spiritual sense he must have a share in your time,
strength, wealth, and power ; and you must gain by every ordinance
and every providence something whereby you may be more fitted to
glorify his name, and to do good in your generation. But more par
ticularly talents may be referred to two heads — dona sanctificantia
et administrantia ; graces, helps, and saving gifts.
1. Dona sanctificantia, sanctifying gifts, or the graces of the Spirit;
these are highest, and are called the ' true riches ;' Luke xvi. 11, 'If
therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who
shall commit to your trust the true riches ? ' To be trusted with an
estate is not so great a trust as to be trusted with grace : this is a gift
more precious, and should not lie idle. God trusts ordinary men with
common gifts before he trusts them with grace. When we suspect
that a vessel is leaky, we try it first with water before we fill it with
wine. God expecteth more honour from new creatures than he doth
from all the world besides, that they should do. more good in their
places ; partly because they have new obligations by redemption :
1 Cor. vi. 20, * You are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in
your bodies and souls, which are God's.' You are twice bound, and a
double obligation will infer a double condemnation, if we answer it
not. And partly because by regeneration they have new dispositions,
they are more fitted to glorify God and do good to others ; Eph. i. 12,
' That we should be to the praise of his glory.' Their TO eli/at, their
new being, fitteth them to honour God. They serve mainly for this
very use, and therefore this duty of trading for God lieth first and
most upon them. Wherefore hath God created them anew in Christ
Jesus but to glorify his name, and admire his grace, and live answer
able to his love, and to bring him into request among all about them ?
Mat. v. 16, 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven/ They
that are eminent for the profession of godliness, and are set as lights
in the world, or a city upon a hill, these should bring much honour
to God, and provoke others to do so ; as the stars, which are the shin
ing part of heaven, draw eyes after them ; if they should be eclipsed
they set the world a-wondering: so should they shine as lights in the
' midst of a crooked generation,' Phil. ii. 15 ; or as the star that shined
at Christ's birth conducted the wise men to him, so should they by
their profession and practice lead others to Christ.
2. Dona administrantia, subservient helps. Now these are of several
sorts.
436 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. XII.
[1.] Either gifts of nature, both of the mind and of the body. Of
the mind, as promptness of wit, clearness of the understanding, sound
ness of judgment, or solid wisdom; all these were given you of God,
and he expects an improvement of these for his glory ; that every man
should be what he is for his creator. 'It was a good saying of Epic-
tetus in Arrian, Si essem luscinia, &c. — If I were a nightingale, I would
sing as a nightingale : Si essem alauda, &c. — If I were a lark, I would
piere as a lark ; but now I am a man I will glorify God as a man.
But alas ! how often do men of the best endowments miscarry ! Isa.
xlvii. 10, ' For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness, thou hast said,
None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge it hath perverted
thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none besides me.'
Satan made use of the serpent, who was the subtlest of beasts of the
field, Gen. iii. 1. ..The devil loveth to go to work with the sharpest
tools. God hath given great abilities to some above others, to enable
them for his service. Now the devil, to despite God the more, turneth
his own weapons against himself. But it should not be so. We should
remember that we have nothing but what we have received, and ' who
rnaketh us to differ?' 1 Cor. iv. 7. So of the body, as health and
strength. Surely these bona corporis are talents. God fitteth every
man for the work wherein he will be honoured by him : Gal. i. 15,
' Separated from his mother's womb/ with a body fit to endure travel
and hardship. Strength is not to be wasted in sin and vanity, but
employed for God. It is better it should be worn out with labours
than eaten out with rust.
[2.] Outward interests, such as wealth, honour, and power ; these
are comfortable to the animal life, and lay an obligation upon us, and
also they give us many advantages of doing good, which should always
be taken hold of, and used by us ; as the greater veins abound with
blood to supply the less : Prov. iii. 9, ' Honour the Lord with thy sub
stance, and the first-fruits of all thy increase.' Though many never
forget God more than when he hath blessed them, it is their duty to
make some improvement of this talent also : Eccles. vii. 11, * Wisdom
with an inheritance is good/ It is good of itself alone, but it is better,
more useful and beneficial to ourselves and others, when God giveth
us, with the blessings of this life, wisdom. Wealth is an excellent
instrument, whereby a man is enabled to do much good, and is a help
to piety and charity. Poor men are not heeded and regarded. So
honour arid great place is an opportunity whereby grace may put forth
itself with greater advantage : Neh. i. 11, * The Lord show me favour
in the sight of this man ; for I was the king's cup-bearer/ He men
tions his relation as having made an advantage of it.
[3.] The providences we are exercised withal, whether mercies or
afflictions, we are to give an account of them : mercies and comforts
vouchsafed to us by God. It is a naughty heart that would enjoy
anything apart from God, and looketh to his own personal content
ment more than God's glory, Joel ii. 14. In a great famine they desire
plenty, that there may be a meat-offering and a drink-offering for the
Lord. So for afflictions ; God expecteth some improvement of them.
There is mercy in it, that God will put us under his discipline : Job
vii. 18, ' What is man that thou shouldest visit him every morning,
VERS. 16-18.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 437
and try him every moment?' And we must account for our afflic
tions, Amos iv. 2, 3. God reckoneth up our chastisements.
[4.] Ordinances and instituted helps; they come under a fourfold
notion— duties, privileges, means, talents. As duties enjoined, so they
are part of our homage due to God. It is not a matter arbitrary ;
there is a tie upon our consciences to keep us to the due observance of
them. As privileges : Hosea viii. 12, < I have written to them the
great things of my law/ This keepeth us from weariness, that we may
not consider them as a burdensome task : they are a great privilege,
dearly bought : it is by the blood of Jesus that we draw near to God.
As means for our growth and improvement ; that notion is necessary,
that we may not rest in the work wrought, but look after the grace
dispensed thereby. There is much difference in doing things as a task
and using them as a means ; means are for some end. As talents for
which we must give an account, which will quicken us to more earnest
diligence in the improvement of them. Some do not look upon them
as duties, and so neglect them ; others not as privileges, and so are not
so cheerful in the use of them ; others not as means, and so rest in the
work wrought ; others not as talents, and so are indifferent whether
they get good by them, yea or no.
Secondly, What is it to trade with them ? It implieth —
1. A conscionable use of all our gifts.
2. A diligent improvement of them to the ends for which they were
intended.
1. That we should use them well and holily ; our graces well, our
parts well, our estates well. Our gifts and graces are not for pride
and ostentation : ' Open my lips, that my mouth may show forth thy
praise/ not my own, gaith holy David. The service of hell must not
be maintained with the contributions of heaven, neither must we seek
God's approbation to the setting up of our own glory: Phil. i. 15,
some * preached the gospel out of strife and envy.' Unmortified cor
ruption will make a man's most excellent gifts subservient to his basest
lusts, though exercised in the choicest duties of prayer and preaching.
Applause, vainglory, and such like carnal motions and ends may set
some men on work, and make them prostitute the service of Christ to
their own lusts. This is not to trade as factors for God, but to set up
for ourselves. So for estate ; to spend it in pomp and vanity, it is
' sowing to the flesh/ Gal. vi. 8. To spend our wit, time, and strength
upon the service of our fleshly lusts, or to make our body a strainer
for meat and drink, or a channel for lust to run through ; to be all for
present profit, pleasure, and preferment; this is, instead of trading
with talents, to use them to God's dishonour.
2. That we should be laborious according to our gifts and oppor
tunities. As a servant is sent abroad to spy all advantages of gain for
his master, so we are sent into the world to take all occasions of doing
good : 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Always abounding in the work of the Lord/
Ministers are to watch for souls, and magistrates are to watch for good,
and private Christians to be careful to maintain good works. To do
a little good by the by will not be accepted ; we must be hard at work
for God.
Thirdly, To whom the gain and increase redoundeth ? In a moral
438 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. XII.
consideration there are three beings — God, neighbour, and self:
accordingly we are appointed to work for three ends — the glory of God,
the salvation of our own souls, and the good of others; and as we
promote either of these ends, we are said to gain and increase our
talents.
1. The glory of God must be regarded in the first place, or, which
is always concerned with it, the advancement of the kingdom of Christ,
and his interest in the world ; for all the gifts that we have received
are for the Master's use. Though God cannot be enriched by anything
that we can do, yet he counteth it an increase if we study to bring
him into request, or to advance the kingdom of his Son. Therefore
this must be our supreme end in all things : 1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether
ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' If in
eating and drinking, and the use of our ordinary comforts, much more
in the supreme and important actions of our lives, such as we would
make a business of : God must be specially eyed there. God only is
independent and self-sufficient, of himself and from himself; but self-
seeking is monstrous and unnatural in the creature ; they are of him,
and by him, and for him : Kom. xi. 36, ' Of him, and through him,
and to him are all things.' The motion of the creatures is circular,
they end where they begun, man especially. Other creatures glorify
God necessarily, we voluntarily and by choice ; they passively, as they
minister matter to the beholders to glorify God ; we actively, as we are
to intend and seek his glory in all things. They are made for God
ultimately, but mediately for man ; but we are made for his immediate
service, and should glorify him in all:
2. The saving of our own souls, that must be regarded next to the
glory of God. For next to the love of God, man is to love himself,
and in himself first his better part. The great errors of the world
come from mistaking self, and misplacing self : they misplace self when
they set it above God, and prefer their interests before the conscience
of their duty to him ; then they mistake self, thinking themselves more
concerned as a body than a soul, and prefer the satisfactions of the
carnal life before the happiness of the spiritual. We never truly love
ourselves but when we love our souls and seek their good. God ordereth
all his providences for his own glory and the good of his people : Kom.
viii. 28, ' All things shall work together for good to them that love
God/ So should we order all our actions. All things are sanctified
to them that are sanctified to God, as helps and means, 'and something
to bring us to him ; so should we use all gifts, ordinances, and provi
dences. We distinguished before of dona sanctificantia, et adminis-
trantia; this is the difference between them. The graces of sanctifi-
cation, though profitable for others, yet are chiefly intended for the
good of him that hath them ; gifts of edification, though profitable for
the owner, yet are principally intended for the good of others. A man
that hath sanctifying grace, he doth good to others with it, that is but
utilitas emergens, not finis proprius; it is not the proper and chief
end for which those graces were chiefly given ; but other subservient
gifts are for the good of the body, not for the worth of the person that
hath them: 1 Cor. xii. 7, ' The manifestation of the Spirit is given to
every man to profit withal/ That was the main and proper end.
VERS. 16-18.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 439
3. For the good of others, their edification and benefit ; as the snu
doth not shine for himself, nor the fountains flow for themselves. We
drive a joint-trade for heaven, and God hath scattered his gifts, that
every part may supply somewhat for the good of the whole ; as every
member in the body hath its proper station and several use, by which
the whole body receiveth benefit: Rom. xii. 4, ' For as we have many
members in one body, and all members have not the same office;'
1 Cor. xii. 14, ' For the body is not one member, but many.' A man
hath not wealth for himself, nor parts for himself, not ministerial gifts
for himself, to promote his own ends, but to bring in souls to God ; not
for pomp, but for use. All have their proper and distinct offices, some
to serve, others to rule, some to counsel, others to execute. Every one
hath their proper and distinct use ; for God maketh nothing in vain,
nor was the world appointed to be a hive for drones and idle ones.
Therefore we should all in our places be doing good to others, helping
them by our counsel, or by our estate and interest, or by our service ;
but especially should we do good to their souls ; for we are to love our
neighbour as ourselves, that is, by a regular love. Therefore first seek
their spiritual good, as we would do our own, gaining upon them by
assiduous counsels, provoking them by our example. Otherwise we
hide what we have in a napkin ; and what profit hath the world by
hidden wisdom more than by hidden treasure ?
Secondly, The reasons, or the confirmation of this point.
1. They that have received talents must trade, with them, because
they are not only a gift, but a trust, given us to employ. As a gift,
they call for our thankfulness ; as a trust, for our faithfulness. He
that hath an estate made over to him in trust, and for certain uses
expressed in the conveyance, hath indeed no estate therein at all, but
only with respect to those uses. The right of a feoffee in trust isfidei
commissarius, is quite distinct from that of an owner and possessor.
Just so it is here ; and oh ! that we could make you sensible that all
that you have is for such uses whereby you may bring some glory to
God and some good to others, and so save your own souls by the dis
charge of your ^rust ! Surely, then, men would use their gifts more
industriously, spend their estates better, their time better, and be more
profitable in all their relations.
2. This trust is committed to servants, not to strangers or freemen,
who are at their own dispose ; so that from the quality of the persons
receiving there is an argument and obligation upon them. I may
desire another to take a trust, who may refuse me ; but those under
command must do as their Lord would have them. Now, thus are we
to Christ, who hath an absolute right in us, and both made us and
bought us.
3. The argument is still more binding, if there be a formal covenant
and promise on their part that they will faithfully perform this trust.
Now there is a covenant between God and us : ' 1 will be your God,
and you shall be my people.' In that covenant we bind ourselves to
seek his glory, and to do his people good. As we take God, whole
God, to be ours, so we give up ourselves and all that is ours to him, to
be for his use and service. In this covenant the altera pars
is an inferior. Though there be a mutual interest, yet there cannot
440 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SflR. XII.
be such an interest in God as God hath in us. God hath not only an
interest in us, but a dominion over us, which an inferior cannot have
over a superior ; so that we are God's more fully than he can be ours.
Now a trust accepted and broken afterwards involveth us in the greater
crime. 1 am God's, and will be God's, and would I could do more for
his glory ; as a Christian in general, as a husband, or wife, or father,
or child, or servant, I will more honour God in my place.
4. The fruit, comfort, and excellency of the thing trusted is most
seen in the use. It is true of all sorts of talents. Take the lowest
outward subservient helps, wealth, power, and honour. A man doth
not see the comfort and use of wealth so much in anything as when he
doth employ it for God. If he hoard it up, he hath it only for show ;
if he layeth it out to clothe his back or to feed his belly, he doth but
make himself a more honourable sort of brute beast ; all the while he
is sowing to the flesh, or sacrificing to his god, the belly, or offering
up a meat-offering or a drink-offering to appetite. But how sweet is
it when we have opportunities of doing more for God ! Then he seeth
the use of wealth indeed ; it giveth him advantages of service, and a
more diffusive charity. Ordinances, the worth of them is most known
in the use and improvement; not when we resort to them out of
custom and fashion's sake, but use them as means to do our souls good.
So for gifts; as wells are the sweeter for draining, so gifts are
improved by using: so graces of the Spirit. God's most precious
gifts should not lie idle: 2 Cor. vl. 1, 'We beseech you receive not
the grace of God in vain.' In short, you do not taste the true sweet
ness of wealth when gorgeously attired, your tables plentifully fur
nished, and you glut yourselves with all manner of fleshly delights ;
but in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, that satisfieth the mind
and conscience of them that do it ; as you do not reap the increase of
corn by scattering it in the sand, but casting it into a fruitful soil.
Use 1. To press us to this negotiation ; for if these things be so, we
should all rouse up ourselves, and say, What honour hath God by my
wealth, my parts, my honour and greatness, my place and office?
what protection to his cause, what relief and comfort to his people?
1. Consider, it is our business in the world. Now every one should
ask for what end he was born, and continued in the world so long. Our
Lord Jesus, John, xviii. 37, saith, ' To this end was I born, and for this
cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the
truth.' Every one is sent into the world for some end ; for surely God
would not make a creature in vain. We did not come into the world
merely to fill up the number of things, as stones and rubbish, nor to
grow in bulk and stature, as the plants, nor to enjoy pleasure without
remorse, as the beasts : God would never then have given us those
higher faculties of reason and conscience. For what end did I come
into the world but to glorify God in my place, to act that part in the
world which the great Master of the scenes appointed to me ? Why do
I live here ? What have I done in pursuance of my great end ?
Most men live as beasts ; eat, and drink, and sleep, and die, and
there is an end of them ; they never asked in good earnest for what
purpose they came hither.
2. Every one is trading for somebody, the devil or the flesh, regard-
VERS. 16-18.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. .{41
ing his maker's glory or his own satisfaction : there is no median}.
Now which are you doing, trading for heaven or hell ?
3. Consider how much you are intrusted with. Look within you,
without you, round about you, and see how much you have to account
for ; the faculties of the mind, the members of the body, your time,
health, honour, estate, lifted up to heaven in ordinances, Mat. xi. 23 ;
much given, Mat. xii. 48, and Neh. i. 11. Now improve all for God.
4. Talents are increased the more employed. We double our gifts
by the faithful use of them : ' He that had five talents gained other
five ; and he that had two, other two.' The more grace here, the more
glory hereafter. If they be not employed they are lost. How many
poor, blasted, withered Christians may we find, by slacking their zeal,
and for want of diligent exercise ! But on the contrary, as the widow's
oil increased in the spending, and the loaves multiplied in the break
ing, in Christ's miracle, and the right arm is bigger and fuller of
spirits than the left, so grace, that decayeth by disuse, groweth by
exercise. The corn sown bringeth in the increase.
5. We must give an account at last to God, Luke xix. 23 ; he will
* demand his own with usury.' What honour hath God had by us as
ministers, magistrates, masters of families, husbands and wives, parents-
and children, masters and servants ? Beasts are not called to an
account, for they have no reason and conscience, as man hath. What
will you say when God shall reckon with you, what you have done
with your time, strength, and estates? If an ambassador that is
sent abroad to serve his king and country should return no other
account of his negotiation than I was busy at cards and dice, and could
not mind the employment I was sent about ; or a factor, I spent riot
ously that which I should have spent in the mart or fair, will this pass
for an excuse ?
6. What a sad thing is it to have gifts for this end, to leave us
without excuse, as the Gentiles have the ' light of nature,' Rom. i. 20,
and Christians the ' light of the gospel :' John xv. 22, * If I had not
come, and spoken to them, they had not had sin, but now they have no
cloak for their sin.' Others have the word preached to them : Mat.
xxiv. 14, ' And the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness to all nations;' compared with Mat. xiii. 9, 'Know
that a prophet hath been among them ; ' have advantages and oppor
tunities, but no heart to use them ; only that God may be clear when
he judgeth.
7. We improve the stock of corruption left us by Adam, why not
the gifts given us by Jesus Christ ? This fire needeth no blowing ;
of itself it breaketh out into a flame; and shall not we stir up ourselves,
that we may be more useful ? In employing our gifts three things are
necessary — prudence, fidelity, and industry.
[1.] Prudence. This is necessary for a steward or factor : Luke
xii. 42, 'Who then is a wise and faithful steward, whom the Lord shall
make ruler over his household ? ' Now, there is a twofold wisdom
— a wisdom that is not from above, and a wisdom that is from above,
James iii. 16, 17. The first is earthly, sensual, devilish ; it either
serveth for earthly profits, or to give content to the flesh, or to affect
dominion and greatness. He that hath this wisdom sets up for him-
442 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. XII.
self, and will never be a steward and factor for God. And this is to
be wise for the present. But the wisdom we speak of is to be wise for
the future, that it may be well with us to all eternity ; and that is
the wisdom that is ' pure and peaceable/ and full of good fruits ; for
that is the truest wisdom ; it serveth all turns, and provideth for God
and self too : that is a holy self-seeking, to seek self in God : it hath
what the other affecteth in a more sincere way of enjoyment, ' Honour
with God,' Kom. ii. 7; 'Pleasures with God,' Ps. xvi. 2; 'Kich towards
God,' Luke xii. 20 ; 1 Tim. vi. 18, ' Kich in good works, that they
may lay hold of eternal life.' This prudence would serve the turn,
and make a man take all advantages of doing good.
[2.] Faithful : 1 Cor. iv. 2, ' Moreover, it is required of a steward
that a man be found faithful ; ' that he sincerely seek the glory of
God, and watch all* advantages to promote his Lord's interest, and
carry himself well in his trust.
[3.] Industry, that he stir up himself, 2 Tim. i. 6 ; 2 Tim. iv. 14,
' Neglect not the gift that is in thee.' Oh ! let us not be idle, but
hunt out occasions of doing good.
Doct. 2. In trading, our returns must carry proportion with our
receipts.
' He that had five talents gained other five, and he that had two
gained other two.' God will not accept of every man's rendering for
the mercies of common providence, deliverances ; 2 Chron. xxxii. 25,
Hezekiah rendered something, but not according to the benefit received.
Nor for the mercies of his covenant, j ustification, or pardoning mercy :
Luke vii. 47, ' Her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; for she loved
much : but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.' All
love requireth love, and an answerable degree. So for sanctification :
he expecteth more from them to whom he hath given more grace :
1 Cor. xv. 10, * But by the grace of God I am what I am ; and
his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain, but I
laboured more abundantly than they all ; yet not I, but the grace of
God that was with me.' And in general, of all talents, ordinances, he
expecteth improvement suitable, clear knowledge, strong faith, more
ready obedience : Luke xii. 47, 48, ' And the servant that knew his
lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will,
shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did
commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes : for
unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required.1
Otherwise his judgments will make it evident : Amos iii. 2, the valley
of visions had the heaviest burthen. So for gifts of the mind. God
expecteth service according to their measure : Eph. iv. 16, ' That
which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the
measure of every part ;' according to that place they hold in the body.
No member is either dead, or idle, or living and working only to
itself, but every one is to contribute for the good of others according
to its measure. So for estate. God looks for more from them whose
superfluities are larger than others enjoy, that they should be ' rich in
good works/ 1 Tim. vi. 18. God accepteth the widow's two mites,
that was more than the abundance of the rich ; for * she cast in all
that she had/ Luke xxi. Still the rule holdeth.
VERS. 16-18.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 443
The account riseth with the gifts ; and God will accept that at one-
man's hands that he will not accept of another, whose capacities and
opportunities are greater, who have more time to spend in his imme
diate service, more wealth to bestow, more advantages of acquainting
themselves with God. Only let me give you two cautions in judging
of our returns.
First, That in gifts, either of mind or of the body, our faithfulness is
measured by our endeavour, and not by our success. Dominus non
considerat^ saith Jerome, lucri magnitudinem, sed studii voluntatem.
The crown of faithfulness and the crown of fruitfulness do both adorn
the person that wears them. Though they be not gathered, yet our
work is with God : Isa. xlix. 4, ' Then I said, I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judg
ment is with the Lord, and my work is with God.' Though little
fruit and effect on men, yet not the less regarded and rewarded by
God.
Secondly, That in the laying out of our gifts, God doth not measure
them by the quantity and value of what is given, but by the affection
and heart of the giver. Affectus pretium rebus imponit, saith Ambrose;
which is a comfort to the poorer sort, who have but little to give and
contribute to good uses : 1 Cor. viii. 11, ' If there be first a willing
mind, a man is accepted according to what he hath, not according to
what he hath not.' So in other things ; the smallness and meanness
of the benefit doth not diminish God's estimation of man's love and
affection. On the other side, it is an awe to the great and rich. All
those pompous services, if not a real mind, are not accepted, 1 Cor.
xiii. 1. God loveth non copiosum, sed hilarem datorem, not a large,
but a cheerful giver.
Thirdly, Where the matter will afford it, a liberal and open heart
will not be defective in quantity: they think nothing too much for
God, and therefore will do all that they can ; all seemeth too little :
1 Chron. xxii. 14, ' And now behold, in my trouble (Heb. or poverty),
I have prepared for the house of the Lord an hundred thousand talents
of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver, and brass and iron
without weight/ Look, as there may be a winter's day in summer,
and a summer's day in winter, for the proportion ; so much may be
little, and little much, according to the mind and love of the giver ;
the widow gave o\ov TOV ftlov. Some do twice as much good with a
little as others with a great deal. Love will not be backward.
Keasons of the point.
Because righteousness doth consist in a proportion, and so it holdeth
good both for our duty and God's judgment.
1. For our duty ; that we should be fruitful according to our means,
opportunities, and helps ; for every one of these increase our obliga
tion.
2. For God's judgment. God is not a Pharaoh, to require the full
tale of brick where he doth not afford stubble. In all his proceedings
there is great equity ; he considereth men according to their advan
tages : Kom. ii. 9, ' Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man
that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile.'
Use 1. Let this assuage the envy and trouble of the meanest. If
444 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. XII.
thy gifts be mean, thy account will be so much the easier. Merchants
that have the greatest dealing are not ever the safest men : Eccles. i.
18, * He that iiicreaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow/ None so miser
able as they that have received much and returned little; which should
prevail with us to an acquiescence in God's providence, though our
talents be not so large.
2. Let it quicken those that have received greater gifts than others
to do so much the more good with them. You are more bound, and
that which God will accept from others he will not from you. If you
have many ordinances and means of improvement, you should get the
more grace, Heb. vi. 6, 7, and Mat. xi. 22-24. You are deeper in the
state of condemnation if you do not bring forth fruit proportionable to
the means of salvation : if greater abilities, you must give God the
more glory ; if a greater estate, you must be richer in good works,
1 Tim. vi. 7, 8 ; for you to shut up your bowels : 1 John iii. 17, ' How
dwelleth the love of God in you ? ' Potentes potenter cruciabuntur.
Mighty shall be the destruction of the mighty. If we have greater
mercies, there is greater duties ; and greater duties, greater sins ; and
greater sins, greater judgments. Surely if men had any sense of their
accounts, those that have much to answer for would have more
trouble.
Doct 3. Among those that have received talents all are not alike
fruitful.
I shall handle the point with respect to the context we have in
hand.
1. Though but one be mentioned, yet the number of unfaithful ones
is very great. In parables the scope must be regarded. Now the
general scope is to show that as the virgins are not all admitted, so all
the servants of the house not accepted. In the parable, indeed, two of
the servants are faithful, one unfaithful. We cannot conclude thence
that the number of those that used their talents well should be greater
than of those that hid them or neglected the improvement of them ;
as in the former parable, that the number of the foolish shall be just
equal with the number of the wise ; or in the parable of the wedding
garment, that but one shall come to the gospel-feast unprepared. No ;
the ornament of that scheme and figure which Christ would make use
of to signify his mind required it should be so expressed ; for since
our Lord, to avoid perplexity and confusion, would mention but three
servants, it was fit that one should be an instance of eminent faithful
ness and service, another of service in a lower degree, that the meanest
may not be discouraged, and the other should represent the unfruitful
ones. Now experience showeth they are more than one to two ; yea,
more than ten to one, much the far greater number. Oh ! how few
are there even of those that hold much from God, that return him
aught of love and service ! The idle and unprofitable ones are found
everywhere, in all ranks and conditions of men.
2. Observe, he that had but one talent is represented as the unfaith
ful one, and that with good advice. If the example of reprobation and
punishment had been put in the servant that had five talents, or two
talents, we might have thought that men of eminent gifts, rank, quality,
and employment in the church, shall be called to an account, and pun-
VERB. 16-18.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 445
ished for their neglect. No ; but as our Lord hath laid it, it reacheth
his full scope and purpose. For in the instance of the servant that
had hut one talent, those that had five and two may easily know how
much sorer punishment shall light upon them, if he that had least !><'
called to such a strict reckoning for his non-improvement. However,
this we may observe, that he that had the least gift was unfaithful.
To be sure, those that have most spiritual gifts, do usually improve
them, and the rest are left without excuse.
3. Observe, his crime is, * he went and digged in the earth, and hid
his lord's money.' Men dig in the earth to find metals and talents,
not to hide them there. Mark, it is not said he did embezzle his
talent, as many waste their substance in riotous living, quench brave
parts in excess, sin away many precious advantages of ordinances and
education, and powerful convictions. No ; he did not embezzle his
talent, but hid it. Mark again, he did not misemploy his talent, as
some do their wealth, others their wit, to scoff at religion, or to put a
varnish on the devil's cause, their power to oppress and crush the
good : the precious gifts that many have are like a sword in a mad
man's hand, they use them to hurt and mischief. No ; no such thing
is charged upon this evil and naughty servant. It is fault enough to
hide our talents, though we do not abuse them. That you may con
ceive of this, I shall show you —
1. His sin, in hiding his lord's money.
2. What may be the cause of it in those that imitate him.
First, It was a sin, partly because it was against the command of his
master. In Luke xix. 13, ' He gave them a charge, occupy till I
come.' Partly because it was against the end of the distribution of
the talents. To keep money unprofitably by us is a loss ; it was made
for commerce, so were gifts given us to profit withal ; scattered into
several hands to bring in some increase to the Lord and owner.
Partly because it was against the example of his fellow-servants, who
were industrious and careful to comply with their charge : 2 Cor. ix.
2, ' Your zeal hath provoked very many/ And partly as his obedience
and account would have been easier ; as it is more easy to give an
account of a small sum than a greater, as there is less trouble, less
danger; so his refusal is less excusable. And partly as it was an
abuse of his master's patience; it was long ere he called him to a
reckoning. God will bear long with us, in infancy, childhood, and
youth, but he will not bear always ; if we do not bethink ourselves at
last, our account is hastened, and God will suffer idle servants no
longer to have an opportunity of promoting his glory, the good of
others, and their own salvation.
Secondly, What may be the causes of such-like unfaithfulness?
Men are taken off from improving their talents —
1. Sometimes by a slothful laziness, and should that hinder us,
especially us that are servants to God? What man can endure an
idle servant ? Though he should not whore and steal, yet if he do not
his work, you put him away. Everything in the world costs diligence,
and shall not we be diligent in our master's work ? How will men
labour for a small reward in the world, and is not heaven worth our most
industrious care ? Shall not we be hard at work ? 1 Cor. xv. 58. The
4-16 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XII.
reward is still propounded to the diligent : 1 Cor. iii. 8, c Every man
shall receive his reward according to his own labour;' 2 Cor. ix. 6,
' He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly.' Idleness is its own
punishment. An idle man is a burden to himself, like a man buried
alive. When it is morning, would God it were evening. He contracts
distempers ; a key seldom turned rusts in the lock ; standing pools are
apt to putrify. David, when he was idle, fell into those foul faults.
An idle man can think of nothing but the delights of the flesh, and so
becometh a ready prey to Satan.
Oh ! then, shake off laziness and the ease of the flesh ! God is at
work, John v. 17 ; the creatures are at work ; the sun is always going
up and down.
2. Another cause is a foolish modesty and pusillanimity. Oh I
this should not be;, we should not, like Saul, hide among the stuff
when God calleth us forth to some employment for his glory, 1
Sam. x. 22 ; or, with Moses, draw back when opportunity is offered us
to be useful in our generation, Exod. iv. 20. God can help the stam
mering tongue, and will bless mean gifts when you sincerely obey
his call.
3. Self-love : Phil. ii. 21, ' All men seek their own things, not the
things of Jesus Christ/ Many care not how it goeth with Christ's
matters, if their particular go right : they serve their own worldly
ease, profit, credit, pleasure.
4. Distracting businesses, or love to the world; this is digging
in the earth, and hiding our talent indeed : 2 Tim. iv. 10, ' Demas
hath forsaken me, and embraced the present world/
5. Fear of danger, if publicly active for God. Some are so
cowardly that they are browbeaten with a frown ; cannot venture a
lesser interest, cannot bear a scoff or a disgraceful word ; therefore
sneak, loath to own what they are, or to do for Christ and his despised
cause. This is not a Christian frame : Phil. i. 28, ' In nothing terrified
by your adversaries, which to them is a token of perdition, but to you
of salvation, and that of God/ It looketh like Christ's business ; he
speaketh of endeavours to propagate the faith of Christ, and to gain
men to embrace the gospel.
Use. Let us see if we be found in the number of the faithful or
unfaithful. A negligent ministry, a Gallio, a careless magistrate, an
idle master of a family, a slothful Christian, is like the servant in the
text. You have your use whether you be in a public or private station.
Let us be faithful ; if but one talent, the smallest gifts must not lie
idle, but be seriously exercised for God's glory ; if but one, your
temptations are the less, private men are not exposed to such dangers
as public persons. It will aggravate your negligence if, when less is
required, you are found idle. Oh ! therefore, shake off the ease of
the flesh, that loathness to be troubled with the faithful discharge of
your duty. *
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv 447
SERMON X11I.
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckonetk
ivith them. And so he that had received five talents came and
brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliver edst unto me
five talents : behold, I have gained besides them Jive talents more.
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful
servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make
thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me tivo talents : behold, I Jiave gained two other
talents besides them. His lord said unto him, Well done, good
and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things,
I ivill make thee rider over many things : enter thou into the joy
of thy lord.— WAT. XXV. 19-23.
WE now come to the third part of the parable.
The first we called the distribution ; the second, the negotiation ;
and the third, the account. This account is —
1. Spoken in the general, ver. 19.
2. More particularly described and set forth. There we shall take
notice —
First, Of the reckoning with the good servants.
Secondly, With the bad one. In the passages that concern the
good servants, you may take notice of the servants' account and the
master's approbation. The account of the first servant is in ver. 20 ;
of the second, in ver. 22 ; the master's approbation in ver. 21 and 23.
He entertaineth both the servants with the same countenance and the
same words.
First, I begin with the general intimation of the account, ver. 19 ;
where the time —
1. When he cometh, after a long time.
2. His work ; what he will do when he cometh ; he reckoneth with
his servants.
First, For the time.
Doct. 1. There is a good space of time between Christ's ascension
and second coming.
Quest. But why is this last reckoning so long delayed ?
Ans. Not from any unreadiness in Christ; he is ready to judge if
we be ready to be judged, 1 Peter iv. 5.
1. There is a reason on the part of the good ; and that is, that the
number of the elect may be gathered, who live in several ages and
places ; and it requireth some time and pains to work upon each soul
of them ; for ' not one of those must perish,' 2 Peter iii. 9. And
after they are converted, there must be some time allowed to exercise
their diligence : they must have a day to work in, John ix. 4, and to
try their faith and patience in : Eev. vi. 11, ' They should rest yet for
a little season, until their fellow-servants and their brethren that
should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled/ A certain number
are enrolled for sufferings, as well as for heaven, many of which had
448 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XIII.
not obtained their crown ; as the high priest tarried within the veil
till his ministration ended. As long as there is need of Christ's
intercession, he defers his second coming.
2. On the wicked's part ; it is necessary they should have a time of
improvement, that they may be left without excuse : Kom. ix. 22,
* What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power
known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted
to destruction ? ' It is for the glory of God that he should take them
when ripe. Then the 'angel thrusts in his sickle/ Kev. xiv. 15.
Therefore they have longer time of prospering in their sinful ways.
[1.] Let us not make an ill use of this, either to deny or doubt of
his coming, as those, 2 Peter iii. 3, or of slackening or putting off
your preparation, as the naughty servant, Mat. xxiv. 48, 49. But let
us * wait with patiqnce/ and ' hold out to the very last.' Saul held
out till Samuel was even ready to come, and so forced himself to offer
sacrifice, whereby he lost his kingdom, 1 Sam. xiii. 8, 9. If he had
stayed a little longer, Samuel had come. So many grow weary of
doing and suffering, and miscarry in the very haven. We wait in ordi
nary things : James v. 7, 8, ' Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the
coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious
fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the
early and latter rain. Be ye also patient ; stablish your hearts, for the
coming of the Lord draweth nigh/ His hastiness cannot alter the
seasons ; so we, in improving our interests and employing our talents,
should not faint : Gal. vi. 4, ' And be not weary in well-doing, for in
due season we shall reap if we faint not.
[2.] Let us shame ourselves that, having so much time, we have
done so little work. Our master hath tarried long, and given us a
large space of time wherein to employ ourselves ; but what have we
done for his glory ? Alas ! either we do nihil agere, or male agere, or
aliud agere ; either we do nothing, or nothing to the purpose, or that
which is worse than nothing, which will undo us for ever. Oh ! what
thoughts will we have of a careless and misspent life when we come to
die ! Many do not think of the end of their lives till their lives be
ended; and then they moan and bewail themselves when they lie
a-dying. Oh ! rather think of your last end and great account betimes.
It is lamentable to begin to live when we must die. Quidam tune in-
cipiunt vivere cum desinendum est — they end their lives before they
begin to live. Therefore if hitherto you have been pleasing the flesh,
idling and wantoning away your precious time, say, 1 Peter iv. 3, ' Let
the time past suffice/ 1 have been long enough dishonouring God,
and destroying my own soul : hath my master tarried so long, and
shall I still abuse his patience ? This is a holy and right use of this
delay.
Secondly, His work, what he will do when he cometh : he ' reckoneth
with his servants/
Doct. 2. Those that have talents must look to .reckon for them, for
though he be long first, yet at length the Lord cometh.
1. Consider the certainty of this account ; his wisdom, justice, good
ness, and truth require it. His wisdom requireth it ; for no wise man
would put his goods to trust, and never look after them more ; and
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW x\v. 449
shall we imagine that the wise God would send reasonable creatures
into the world, and furnish them with excellent gifts and endowments,
and never consider how they employ themselves ? Is man God's ser
vant ? then certainly he is liable to an account. You had never come
into the world but for this business, to serve and please God. For
God maketh nothing in vain, but all things for himself, Prov. xvi. 4.
And do you think that after you are made for this end you may live as
you list, and never be called to a reckoning ? So absurd a thought
cannot enter into the heart of a reasonable man : Eccles. xi. 9, ' Rejoice,
O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days
of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of
thine eyes : but know thou, for all these things God will bring thee to
judgment.' Man would be but a sort of beast if he had no other end
of his actions but to eat and drink and sleep, and no other account to
give. Surely the most wise God would not have given us such excel
lent faculties in vain. He fitteth all creatures for their use : every
workman fitteth his work for the end for which it serveth ; so God
hath made man for some end and use. And God's justice requireth it
that it should be well with them that do well, and ill with them that
do ill. In the world it is not so : his servants are very often abused
while doing their work most faithfully, the world thinks them mad,
hateth them. They that neglect their own work beat their fellow-
servants ; therefore the honour of his justice requireth they should be
called to an account : 1 Peter iv. 5, ' Who must give an account to
him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead.' There is not a
thought in wicked men's hearts, nor a word in their mouths, contrary
to God and his people, but he taketh notice of it, and will exact an
account thereof, a strict and impartial account of all their hard
speeches. And the goodness of God requireth it. His goodness to
the world in general ; the world would be a wilderness, and men like
ravenous beasts, if there were not some bridle and awe of a world to
come upon them; but every one that had power would prey upon
others, but that there is a higher judge. God hath appointed a
supreme tribunal, where causes are judged over again ; otherwise those
that have power enough to do mischief would be under no restraint.
But it is goodness to his people, whom he hath set a-work, and there
fore hath appointed a day when he will give them their wages ; his
goodness will not permit that they should be any losers by God, their
love and obedience to him that deny themselves, their own affections
and interest, for his sake. Therefore certainly the great God of recom
penses will come and call the world to an account, that the faithful
ness of his servants may appear with praise and honour. This is a
supreme truth : Heb. xi. 6, ' That he that cometh to God must believe
that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him/
And his truth requireth it, it is laid at pledge in the word ; that is the
proper ground for faith to build upon. Now there we have not only
God's word, but God's oath : Kom. xiv. 10, 11, ' For we must all stand
before the judgment- seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith
the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess
to God.' There we have plentiful evidence.
2. It is a personal account : Horn. xiv. 12, ' So then every one of us
VOL. ix. 2 i'
450 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SflR. XIII.
shall give an account of himself to God/ We should not look to
others what they be and do. As to ourselves, we must give an
account of ourselves, our life, our heart, our own thoughts, words, and
actions. It is personal, partly because every one must give his account
apart ; not every one shuffled together and in gross ; but every servant
apart and severally ; first he that had five talents, then two, then one.
And partly because every one unavoidably must answer for himself.
Here we may have our attorney or advocate to appear for us in
court ; but there every one for himself, every man must in person,
give an account of his own fidelity.
3. It is an impartial account, every one without exception : Rev.
xx. 12, * I saw the dead, both small and great, stand before God.'
Small and great, king and peasant, they shall all one day be called to
an account, whether faithful or no. None so high as to be exempted
from this account ; none so mean as to be neglected in it : he that
received five talents and he that received one both gave an account.
The poor beggar is not left out, nor the king excused.
4. It is a particular account. God will not take our accounts by
the heap and lump, but there is a narrow search into all our hearts
and ways. The great thing is, What we have done in that place and
relation where God hath set us our stewardship ? Luke xvi. 2, but
that is not all ; we are to give an account of every action : Eccles. xii.
14, ' For God shall bring every work into judgment.' Every idle
word must be accounted for, Mat. xii. 36. All the time we have
spent, degrees of grace we received, what we have done, proportion
able to our trust, five for five, two for two.
5. It is an exact account, that nothing is lost' : Rev. xx. 12, ' The
. books were produced ; ' the book of conscience, and the book of God's
remembrance : one of these is in the sinner's keeping, and yet it cannot
be blotted out nor defaced : but at the day of judgment, conscience
shall be extended to the recognition of all our ways. Now these books
of account that are kept between God and the creature are somewhat
like the books of merchants, of debtor and creditor, what returned and
what received. God's mercies to us are booked, so are our returns.
That God's mercies are put upon the book and register appeareth by
the expostulations used in scripture when God proceedeth to any par
ticular judgment ; as for instance, opportunities of grace, and instruc
tions of the word ; the word preached, et? papTvpiav : Mat. xxiv. 14,
1 And the gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for
a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come.' God keepeth
exact account : ' Behold, these three years came I seeking fruit/ Luke
xiii. 7 ; ' This second epistle write I unto you/ 2 Peter iii. 1, He
taketh notice of a former. God remembereth the prophets' words
when the prophets are dead and gone. Every pressing sermon, every
notable help : ' This second miracle did Jesus in Cana of Galilee/
John iv. 54. Christ's special works and manifestations of himself
ought to be marked and kept in memory. God doth so for deliver
ances from danger : Isa. xi. 11, * The Lord shall arise the second time
for the deliverance of his people/ He taketh notice that he has been
once at it, and would be again. So what talents and gifts we have had,
whether five, two, or one. Secondly, on the other side, all the good
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 451
that we do ; therefore the apostle speaketh of 'fruit abounding to his
account/ Phil. iv. 17. The Lord taketh notice of our faithfulness in
evil times : Mai. iii. 15, 16, ' And now we call the proud happy ; yea,
they that work wickedness are set up ; yea, they that tempt God are
even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to
another ; and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them
that feared the Lord, and thought upon his name ;' 1 Kings xix. 18 ;
Acts xvii. 34. Kindness to his servants : Mat. x. 42, ' And whosoever
shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water
only, in the name of a disciple, he shall not lose his reward ;' Eccles.
xi. 1, ' Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it after
many days;' it is not lost. On the other side, injuries done to his
people ; he hath a bottle for their tears, and a book for their sorrows,
Ps. Ivi. 8. All the snares contrived : Deut. xxxii. 34, ' Is not this laid
up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures ? ' Job xiii.
27, * Thou lookest narrowly to all my paths, thou settest a print upon
the heels of my feet.' Every action leaveth a track, every word, Mat.
xii. 36, every thought, 1 Cor. iv. 5.
Use. Is our account ready against that great day of audit ? Most
neglect it, put off the thoughts of it. Take occasion hence to reckon
with yourselves aforehand, and see what an account you can give to
conscience. We should prepare more for this solemn day of reckoning,
and therefore should take notice of what we do, and what we receive.
We had need keep a register of every day's work, and every day's
mercies. There are three questions in scripture; often put them to
your hearts : Deut. xxxii. 6, * Do ye thus requite the Lord. 0 foolish
people and unwise ? is not he thy Father that hath bought thee ? hath
he not made thee and established thee?' Heb. ii. 3, 'How shall we
escape if we neglect so great salvation?' Isa. v. 4, ' What could I have
done more for my vineyard that I have not done in it ? Wherefore,
when I looked for grapes, behold it brought forth wild grapes ? ' The
profit of daily arraigning conscience is great.
1. It keepeth us sensible of our duty, maketh us often have recourse
to grace, when we continually observe our sins, duties, afflictions, mer
cies, comforts, opportunities of receiving grace, and do but intermingle
this thought, that one day for all these 1 must give an account.
2. It presseth us to be more earnest for pardoning mercy, and every
day to make even. This is the great folly of men, that they put off
sin when God doth not put it away. There is an expression often
used in scripture, ' Their iniquities shall find them out;' this notion
of accounts will help us to understand it. It was committed many
years ago, never heard of it since, but at length they shall hear of it :
God reckoneth with them. If men escape and prosper a month, or a
year, or two, they think all is forgotten ; but at length it findeth them
out. Sins are called debts, and all debts lie upon account against us,
till they be cancelled. Augustus bought his quilt of one who slept
securely, when he owed an hundred thousand sesterces. We may
wonder at the security of sinners, who sleep when their damnation
sleepeth not ; they run upon the score, and never think of a reckoning.
Solomon adviseth a man in debt ' not to sleep till he be delivered like
a roe from the hunter,' Prov. vi. 4. 5. It is good advice to us, to get
452 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [$ER. XIII.
our spiritual debts discharged : Ps. li. ], ' Blot out my transgressions.1
Christ hath taught us to pray for daily pardon as well as daily bread.
The thought of these records that are kept, and the account we must
make, should quicken us to it. Oh ! what a clamour will our sins
make when God sets them all in order before us ! Ps. 1. 21. Thousands
of vain thoughts, light words, and sinful actions, much mispense of
time, abuse of mercies. We know not how soon God will put the
bond in suit : other debts have a day of payment fixed, but this God
hath reserved in his own breast, when he will call us to an account.
3. It presseth us to live always as those that are to give an account.
Paul quickened himself to diligence upon this consideration, 2 Cor. v.
9, 10. If we were never to be called to an account, we should do God
all the service that possibly we can, we are so much obliged to him ;
but he hath set a day wherein he will reckon with us. Oh ! what
watchfulness, what diligence and faithfulness, should this produce in
us ! James ii. 12, 'So speak and so do as those that shall be judged
by the law of liberty/ We read in the story of the Albigenses, when
the president of St Juliers coming to Angrogne would have forced a
man to re-baptize his child in the popish way, he prayed the president
that he would give it in writing, and sign it with his own hand, that
he would discharge him before God, and take the peril upon himself ;
this made him relent and profess his trouble. Conscience is startled
at God's records. If a man should do nothing, and speak nothing but
what is to be registered and proclaimed at the market-cross, how
watchful would he be ! All is recorded, the books will be opened ;
therefore, when we are about to do anything unworthy, say as he, Acts
xix. 40, ' We are in danger to be called to an account for this day's
uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this
concourse;' so should you. We that are to give an account, how-
careful should we be how we use our time, health, strength, under
standing, authority, wealth, and other blessings of God. The common
ness of these notions maketh them to lose their life and influence;
therefore we should especially act faith in believing, and urging the
soul with this account.
Secondly, It is particularly described ; and there —
1. Of the servants' allegation.
2. The master's approbation.
First, The servants' allegation, ver. 20 and 22. The two first ser
vants came cheerfully to their account, as having discharged their
duty faithfully, and with all diligence improved the talents received.
Not that in the day of judgment good men shall make any narrations
of what they have done ; they need not, for Christ shall do it for
them: they rather wonder that anything they have done is taken
notice of, as in the 37th verse of this chapter ; but all this is spoken
after the manner of men, and to keep up the decorum of the parable.
If it signifieth anything, it signifieth the confidence of a good con
science, and what comfort and boldness it breedeth in the day of our
accounts.
Doct. That a faithful discharge of our duty will give us comfort and
boldness when our Lord cometh to reckon with us.
1. There is a confidence and comfort that ariseth from a good con-
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 453
science, or from sanctification as well as justification. In the inward
court, conscience is one of the witnesses, as well as the Spirit of God,
Rom. viii. 16, and much comfort ariseth from its testimony : 2 Cor. i.
12, ' This is our rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience.' A carnal
man is ashamed of the grounds of his rejoicing, and what it is that
keepeth his heart merry ; but a godly man can own the causes of his
joy, which are, in the first place, the blood of Christ : Rom. v. 11,
' We joy in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have
received the atonement;' next, the testimony of his conscience con
cerning his sincere walking. But if a man can live with these comforts,
can he die with them ?
2. The review of a well-spent life is a great comfort in death. Our
Lord Jesus, at the end of his days, when he was to go out of the
world, John xvii. 4, saith, ' I have glorified thee upon earth, and
finished the work thou gavest me to do/ Hezekiah, when that sad
message was brought to him, that he must die, and not live, Isa.
xxxviii. 4, that comforted him upon his death-bed : ' Remember now,
0 Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and
with a perfect heart, and have done what is good in thy sight/ So the
apostle Paul, when he drew nigh his end, 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8, saith, ' I
have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, 1 have kept the
faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day/ Oh I
it is a blessed thing if we can have this comfort, when conscience puts
off all disguises, and the everlasting estate is at hand, and we are
immediately to appear before the Lord ; to remember then that we
have been careful to please and honour God, and done his work, how
sweet is it I
3. In the day of judgment; their works follow them into the other
world, Rev. xiv. 13. Their wealth doth not follow them, but the con
science of having done well abideth with them. Conscience is heaven
or hell to us. In hell it maketh up a part of the worm that never
dieth ; so in heaven, it giveth us confidence, 1 John ii. 28 ; and 1 John
iv. 17, ' That we may have boldness in the day of judgment/ Works
are not meritorious, and have no causal influence upon our salvation,
yet they have the full place of an evidence, and so may wonderfully
comfort and embolden our hearts.
Use. Let us labour to get this evidence. The time of death is a
time that will rifle all our false hopes. You are in your health and
strength now, but how soon you may shoot the gulph, you know not ;
we are hastening into the other world apace. When you are imme
diately to appear before God, you will have other thoughts of the world
to come, and the necessity of preparation for it, than you have now ;
that which will comfort you now, will not comfort you then. You
must look that the devil will then be most busy to tempt and trouble
you, and as now he prejudiceth you against the precepts of the
gospel, so then against the promises of it : all your worldly comforts
then will fail, and have spent their allowance, and become to you as
unsavoury as the white of an egg. Will this comfort you, that you
have sported and gamed away your precious time ? that you have fared
of the best, and lived in pomp and honour? Oh, no! but this will
454 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XIII.
comfort you: I have made it my business to glorify God, I have
been faithful in my place, have gotten some evidence of the love of
God. It is not riches or greatness, or any earthly advantage will do
you good. Oh ! it is a cutting thought to the careless and negligent :
Now I must give an account of every day and hour I have spent in this
world ; the improvement of every opportunity will be called for. Then
all your vanities and carnal pleasures will be smart upon you, and vex
your souls with the grievous remembrance of them. Well, then, can
you in any measure look back upon the discharge of your duty?
There are two extremes : —
1. Some are presumptuous and confident, because, they are not gross
sinners. But what have they done for God ? The sluggish and un
profitable servant was cast into utter darkness ; he did not misspend
his talent, but yet he* did not improve it. The tree that bringeth forth
no fruit is hewn down, though it did not bring forth bad fruit. It is
not a negative religion will comfort thee, but a positive and a fruitful
one. You are no drunkard, no adulterer, no profane person ; but have
you been at work for God ?
2. Others are pusillanimous and diffident, because they do not arrive
at the eminency and perfection of the highest. David had other wor
thies besides the first three. There were two faithful servants ; one
brought five talents, the other two. Now the middle is of those that
can see in themselves more zeal than formality, more grace than cor
ruption, that, for the main, have made it their business to honour God,
though conscious to many weaknesses and defects, yet throughout grace
gets the upper hand ; according to the degrees of grace received they
are faithful with God.
Secondly, The master's approbation, ' Well done, thou good and
faithful servant/ The faithful servants are well accepted by Christ.
First, he entertaineth them with praise, ver. 21, 23. Secondly, with
preferment and advancement, ' Thou hast been faithful over a few
things, I will make thee ruler over many.' Thirdly, with joy, ' Enter
into the joy of thy Lord.'
Doct. That at Christ's appearing, faithful servants shall not only be
commended, but gloriously rewarded.
1 Peter i. 7, that your faith may be found unto praise, honour, and
glory, at the appearing of Christ.
1. There is not only verbal commendation, but real remuneration ;
glory and honour put upon them, as well as praise ascribed to them. (1.)
Praise, because he shall then commend their faith before men and
angels : Kev. iii. 5, ' I will confess his name before my Father and his
angels/ (2.) There will be a solemn owning and honouring of them,
when all the holy angels shall be present. Oh ! what a favour is it to be
commended of God ! 2 Cor. x. 18, ' For not he that commendeth him
self is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth/ When they had
finished the tabernacle, all was viewed and approved by Moses : Moses
blessed them. Oh ! what is it to be blessed and commended by the
Son of God in that great assembly of the whole world I
2. Here is preferment and advancement to a higher place in the
family. Christ will prefer them as men do their servants : Mat. xxiv.
47, ' Make him ruler over all his goods/ These expressions are taken
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 455
from the greatest honours a man can do his faithful servants in the
world, I Kings xii. 20. As Jeroboam was made ruler over all the
charge of the house of Joseph; so will Christ advance his servants to
high dignity, sometimes expressed by * setting them upon thrones/
Kev. iii. 21 ; ' giving them crowns,' 1 Peter iv. 13 ; 2 Tim. iv. 8. That
antithesis is to be regarded ; few things, and many things. All things
are few in comparison of heaven, our works, our gifts, our sufferings ;
the reward is far above all these : Kom. viii. 18, ' For I reckon that
the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with
the glory that shall be revealed in us ; ' 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' For our light
afflictions, that are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory.' It is all little that we do or suffer ; it is
little that God hath done for us in this world, in comparison of what
he will do for us there. Here is the earnest ; that is but a small part
of the whole sum.
3. The next expression is, ' Enter into the joy of thy Lord/ Here
Christ slideth into the thing signified by the parable, as afterward in
assigning punishment unto the unfaithful servant : ver. 30, ' Cast him
into outer darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Here is joy, and ' the joy of the Lord ; ' and faithful servants are said
to enter into it.
[1.] The estate of the blessed is a state of joy ; which ariseth partly
from the beatifical vision ; partly from their own blessedness, and also
the blessed company.
(1.) The beatifical vision, or the vision of God : Ps. xvi. 11, * In thy
presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand pleasures for ever
more/ There is a mighty complacency that we take now in seeing,
knowing, loving, and being beloved of God. What can be found in
the creature is but a drop to the ocean in comparison of what a believer
findeth in God himself. God is to them an overflowing fountain of
all felicity. But there is gaudium vice, and gaudium patriot. Here
it admits of increase and decrease ; but there the soul is so filled that
it cannot receive any more : Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold
thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy
likeness/ God maketh out himself in the utmost latitude. As to the
wicked, he stirreth up all his wrath. Here he punisheth by the
creature, and so doth not put forth all his power ; as a giant striking
with a straw cannot put forth his strength. In heaven the soul shall
be filled with unspeakable joy and delight. What delight is to the
sense, that joy is to the mind. Three thing are necessary to delight —
a faculty, or power of the soul capable of pleasure ; and then the thing
itself ; which being brought to the mind, doth stir up delight. As in
bodily things, colours, fruits, tastes, pleasure consists in the near union
and conjunction of these things. The more noble the faculty, the
more excellent the object ; the nearer the conjunction, the greater the
delight and pleasure. Now in heaven our faculties are perfected :
God is the subject, and there is a near conjunction. Oh ! what
embraces between him and the soul !
(2.) In their own glorified estate : 1 Peter iv. 13, ' Rejoice inas
much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory
shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy/ So Jude :
456 SEUMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [!$EK. XIIL
' Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy.'
The fulness of our joy is suspended till then, that we may long much
for that day. It will be a glad day to all faithful ones. Joy is quies
animi in bono adepto ; there is an aggregation of all good for soul and
body. If the hope of this blessed estate breedeth joy, what will enjoy
ment, what will fruition do ? If a glimpse or taste be so sweet, what
will the full enjoyment be ? Kom. v. 2, In deep troubles, yet * we
rejoice in hope of the glory of God ;' 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom having not
seen ye love ; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye
rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory/ Their hearts are now
and then filled with such a joy as they can hardly contain and keep
within doors, when they have but a well-grounded hope, or assurance
of the full possession^ it.
(3.) In the company of the blessed. It is comfortable to meet with
the saints of God now, though it be but in a mourning duty ; but the
communion of saints there is quite another thing ; they are our ever
lasting companions ; they are free from all sin and weakness, Heb.
xii. 23. Especially it will be a delight to them whom we have been a
means to bring home to God : 1 Thes. ii. 19, 20, * For what is our
hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye, in the presence
of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? for ye are our glory and joy ;'
and Phil. ii. 16, ' That I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have
not laboured in vain, nor run in vain/ The glory that shall be put
upon gracious souls at the day of judgment will add to the glory and
joy of those faithful ministers by whose labours they have been gained
to God.
[2.] It is called the 'joy of the Lord ;' that is, either provided by
him — called 'my joy/ by Christ, John xv. 11; this by way of pur
chase, allowance, and gift, dignified as one of those whom the Lord
delighteth to honour, Esther vi. 6 — or such as he himself possesseth.
Jesus Christ himself had his 'joy set before him/ Heb. xii. 2, that happy
and glorious estate that happened upon his sufferings : to this he
inviteth us, into his own joy. Men are not wont to treat their servants
so as to let them enter into their joy : Luke xvii. 7, ' Which of you
having a servant ploughing, or feeding cattle, will say unto him by
and by, when he is come from the field, Go, and sit down to meat ? '
No ; but, Make ready. But Christ, Luke xii. 37, ' will make them sit
down to meat, and he will come forth and serve them/ In the civil
law, Accubitus servi a domino invitati, it was a token of manumis
sion. Now Christ will bring us into his joy, Luke xxii. 30, ' That ye
may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom, and sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel;' John xvii. 24, 'Father, I will
that those whom thou hast given me may be where I am, and behold
my glory ;' Kom. viii. 17, 'If we suffer with him, we may also be
glorified together ;' 2 Tim. ii. 12, ' If we suffer with him, we shall
reign with him/ We are sharers in all the happiness that he enjoyeth,
and are partakers of the same glory, and the same kingdom, arid the
same joy.
[3.] We enter into it. It is a Hebraism such as that, Ps. Ixix. 27,
* Let them not come into thy righteousness ; ' that is, be partakers of
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 457
it. So Ps. lix. 11, ' Not^ enter into my rest;' that is, partake of it.
So the servant entereth into his Lord's joy, ut possessor sit gaudii,
non tantum spectator. However, it noteth the highest and fullest
participation ; they enter into the blessed state of eternal joy, and it
abide th for ever with them, in a full, constant, uninterrupted joy. We
shall have as much as we can hold, and we shall hold more than now
we do.
Use 1. It informeth us that it is good to be Christ's servants, and
to be faithful in his work. See how ready the Lord is to reward our
little sorry service. Come and receive the fruit of my bounty, and the
reward of your fidelity. Who would not serve such a master ?
2. Consider it, this doth make up all the shame and disgrace that
can be in our trials. We have enough in hand for all the pains and
shame that we suffer for his service ; the inward peace that we have,
and the sense of his approbation : but our great reward, when we and
he meet together, should strike all discouragements dead, and be
enough to allay all the sorrows of this life, and the censures of men.
3. To quicken us to diligence, let us often think of this. When
God intended to give Canaan to Abraham, he biddeth him ' walk
through the land, and view it,' Gen. xiii. 17. He hath promised to
give the joys of heaven to us ; we should often consider it ; then en
couragement is no encouragement if it be not regarded.
Lastly, The same words are used to both alike ; the second servant
is approved, his faithfulness commended and rewarded, as well as the
first servant.
Doct. Whether our talents be few or many, yet if we be but sincere,
we shall be put into everlasting happiness.
The essential happiness of the saints is the same, though the degrees
differ ; ten cities, and five cities, in Luke.
1. They may be alike in fidelity, though a difference in opportunity.
Their industry will be alike. Though their gifts and opportunities be
not alike, their zeal to God and love to souls will be alike.
2. The grounds of essential happiness are the same to all.
[1.] They havo the same Kedeerner and Mediator, Exod. xxx. 15.
If they had a better Christ, another mediator to ransom their souls,
they might expect another happiness ; but all is brought about by the
same Kedeemer, Jesus Christ, theirs and ours, 1 Cor. i. 2, by his
mediation, sacrifice, and meritorious righteousness.
[2.] The same covenant, which is the common charter of the saints :
Acts ii. 39, ' The promise is to you, and to your children, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call/ A covenant which offereth the
same benefits, and requireth the same duties. The same benefits,
pardon and life. Pardon : Kom. iv. 23, 24, ' Now it was not written
for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him ; but for us also, to
whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus
Christ from the dead/ Life is the common portion of all the saints :
1 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous
ness ; and not for me only, but for all those that love his appearing/
It requireth the same duties of all the saints, and they have the same
rule to walk by, Gal. vi. 16 ; ' This same gospel is the power of God
unto the salvation of every one that believeth/ Bom. i. 16. Well,
458 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [&ER. XIII.
then, if all have no other charter from God to show for pardon and
life, and all are bound to the same duties, surely all shall have the
same happiness.
[3.] The same Spirit to be Christ's agent, to sanctify, and to prepare
them for this glory. He is at work in all the saints : 1 Cor. xii. 4,
'There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit;' 2 Cor. iv. 13,
1 We having the same Spirit of faith.' This is considerable, because
the Spirit doth form us for this very thing ; that is, prepare us for
this very estate. If all have the same heavenly principle, all shall
have the same heavenly happiness. We have the same almighty
power within to destroy sin, to raise our dead and earthly hearts to
God, to keep in us the same love to him, and prepare us for this
blessed estate.
[4.] The same mercy of the same God distributed the reward.
The main grounds of the expectation of the best are the mercy of God
and the merits of Christ ; and we have the same mercy to trust unto :
Kom. x. 12, ' For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call
upon him.' As rich in mercy to you as to others, to pardon your
failings, to wash off your stains, and finally to receive you into his
blessed presence. They look for mercy, and we look for the same
mercy, Jude 21. All that keep themselves in the love of God may
do so.
3. The things which are absolutely requisite to this essential hap
piness are the same. As the vision and fruition of the same God,
1 Cor. xiii. 12, with John xvii. 24, 'All that believe in me through
their word:' they have the same place, heaven; the same state, the
same company ; they all make one family, Eph. iii. 15. Now some
are in heaven and some on earth, but then they shall all make one
heavenly society, called ' the city of God/ Heb. xii. 22, 23 ; they shall
all 'sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/ They have the same
work, which is, to love and laud God for evermore.
Use 1. To persuade us to be contented with the meanest estate, till
God's providence call us to a higher. Every one must glorify God in
the place where he hath set him ; as in a choir of voices, it is not who
sings the bass or who the treble, but who well discharges his own part,
bass or treble. So in our account, it is not what part we have acted,
so much as how we have acted it, whether glorified God in the work
which he hath given us to do, John xvii. 4. If thou hast doubled thy
talents, though but two, Christ will welcome thee into the ' joy of thy
Lord/ It is not who hath undergone the greatest bodily labour in
religion, or passed the severest sufferings, or gone through the emi-
nentest offices and employments, but who hath most honoured God in
his place, got most holiness in his heart, been most humble and con
tented with his condition.
Use 2. Is for the encouragement of poor weak Christians, who have
the essentials of godliness, though they be weak, and have not attained
to the eminency of many others. These should not be dismayed ; there
are persons of all sizes, and several degrees in heaven, and they are all
possessed with the same common happiness : 2 Peter i. 2, ' To them
that have obtained like precious faith with us/ Mean believers in
some sense have like precious faith with an apostle, as to the great
VERS. 19-23.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 459
ends of the covenant ; the same jewel. Gomplectitur et puerulus, com-
pleciitur etgigas ; one holds with a strong, the other with a trembling
hand ; the jewel is of the same value. The same sacrifice for sin ; we
all depend upon the infinite mercies of the same God; the same
physician of souls hath us in cure who hath cured all others ; the same
captain that hath saved others who are more eminent is conducting us
to salvation, 'and is preparing us for the same estate which they hope
to enjoy. They have no greater nor better high priest and mediator
with God than we have ; they are going to the same place that we
are, and we that they are ; only they have gotten the start a great way
before us. But whilst we strive to overtake them, and make as much
haste as we can, though we bewail our imperfections, yet we should
not lose the comfort of our sincerity.
Doct. 2. Though the essential happiness of the saints be the same,
yet there are degrees in glory.
Luke xix. 16-19. We read there of having authority over ten cities
and five cities. More is required of the first servant and more is given
him ; and more is required of the first servant than the second ; as we
expect a horseman should come sooner than a footman. But more
particularly to prove that there are degrees of glory. First, from scrip
ture : 2 Cor. ix. 6, ' He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly, and
he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully. As there is a differ
ence in the kind of the crop, according to the kind of the seed, Gal.
vi. 6, 7, so according to the degree. Some do well, others do better ;
so some fare well, others fare better, are more bountifully rewarded ;
for God will deal more liberally with them who shall accordingly with
greater fidelity acquit themselves in well-doing. There is a proportion
observed. Again, the common happineso of the saints is to shine as
the stars, Mat. xiii. and Dan. xii. 3 ; yet the apostle telleth us, that
' one star differeth from another in glory ; so shall it be in the resur
rection from the dead,' 1 Cor. xv. 41 ; namely, that their glory shall
be according to their inequality in zeal, service, and faithfulness to
God. Another place shall be that, 1 Cor. iii. 8, ' Every man shall
receive his own reward, according to his own labour ;' that is, accord
ing to the degree ; for he speaketh there of degrees of serviceableness
in the church. Every man hath a labour of his own, that is, such a
measure and degree of service appropriately his; and so by conse
quence hath his own reward, somewhat which doth exactly answer his
labour. Some have thought no, that the saints in heaven, their
reward is exactly equal. It is true all shall have enough, but some
more than others : so Eph. vi. 8, ' Whatsoever good thing any man
doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or
free ;' that is, shall be punctually and particularly considered by God
for it ; he shall receive the same, not for kind, but quantity and pro
portion ; they shall have in their reward a particular and appropriate
consideration ; a bondman a bondman's reward, a freeman a freeman's
reward ; every degree of goodness shall be considered by God : so there
seemeth to be a distinction between a prophet's reward, and a righteous
man's reward, and a disciple's reward, Mat. x. 41, 42. Add that con
cerning Zebedee's children, Mat. xx. 21, 22. She cometh to Christ,
and prayeth that her two sons might sit one at his right hand and the
4GO SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiK. XIII.
other at his left in his kingdom. Christ doth not deny hut that some
thing there is which may be signified by his right hand and his left;
yea, rather asserts it ; for he saith, ' It shall be given to those for whom
it is prepared of my Father.' There are some chiefest and highest
places of glory and preferment in his kingdom, and he hath pre
pared these places for persons of the greatest worth and eminency in
his service ; for these the greatest honours of the world to come are
reserved.
Reasons of the point.
1. From the nature of that glory and blessedness we expect. It
standeth in communion with God, and conformity to him, or the vision
and full fruition of God, Ps. xvii. 15 ; 1 John iii. 2. Now the more
holy the more suited to this happiness, and therefore have larger
measures of it : Mat v. 8, ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God ;' Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see the
Lord/ We * behold his face in righteousness.' Now we are more
capacitated, vessels of a larger bore. It is unreasonable to imagine
that clarified souls have no more fruition of God than those that only
have grace enough to make a hard shift to get to heaven : Sicut se
hdbet simpliciter ad simpliciter, ita magis ad magis. Holiness singly
fits to see God, and without it we cannot see him. So a little holiness
fits us to take in a little of God ; the more holiness the more of God.
2. From the pleasure God taketh in his own image. So much of
the image of God as his creature hath, so far more amiable in the sight
of God : ' The Lord delighteth in the upright,' Prov. xi. 20. If God
delighteth in them, he delighteth more in one that is more holy and
upright. Thus from God's holiness we may argue he doth not delight
in the impure : Ps. v. 4, ' Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in
wickedness.' He cannot so fully delight in the less pure : Ps. xviii.
25, 26, ' With the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright, with
the pure thou wilt show thyself pure.'
3. From the justice of God, and the quality of that happiness which
we expect. Though it be an act of free grace and bounty in God to
bestow it on us, yet it is a reward ; and reward is considerable with
respect to the work. The reward is not of merit, but grace ; but yet
God's merciful justice respecteth the degree of our service: Heb.
vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous, to forget your work of faith and labour
of love.' It is an act of remunerative justice, according to the new
covenant. The higher service hath an ordinability to the greatest
reward.
4. God doth in this world give the greatest blessings to those that do
most eminently glorify him ; therefore signal faithfulness is eminently
rewarded in the world to come ; as God promiseth to make a covenant
with Phinehas, because he was zealous for God, to make an atonement
for the people, Num. xxv. 13. This the rather holdeth good, because
the rewards of the Old Testament were a kind of figure of eternity.
5. In the punishment there are degrees, therefore in the reward God
will punish men differently, more or less according to the rate of their
sins. We read of ave/crorepov, more tolerable. So he will reward men
more or less according to the different degrees of their faithfulness : so
Mat. xi. 21, 22, ' It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the
VERS. 24, 25.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv.
4G1
day of judgment than for you.' So Luke xii. 47, 48, we read of many
stripes and few stripes. It is true the reward is not of debt ; yet there
is an equity observed in his bounty.
6. The glorified state of the saints in all probability suiteth with all
the rest of the creation. There is a difference and disparity in every
thing else. Among men in the world, in wisdom and rank, and quality
and riches ; in the church some have meaner, some larger gifts. There
are degrees among the devils. We read of Beelzebub the prince of
the devils. Among angels there are archangels, principalities, powers,
thrones, dominions. So it is likely among the saints.
7. The profit : it encourageth to godliness : this inequality of rewards
giving greater things to those that do more, and be more faithful, than
to imagine that they who sow more sparingly shall reap as plentifully
as those that sow liberally. It is a great damp to all worthy dealing
and signal excellency, that all shall fare alike ; but it quickeneth us
to our utmost activity to remember that as our work is our reward
will be.
Use. Is to quicken us to be more faithful to God for these consi
derations : —
1. Heaven being the perfection of holiness, if you do not desire more
degrees of holiness, you do not desire heaven itself : 1 John iii. 2, 3,
* Behold now ye are the sons of God, and it doth not appear what we
shall be : but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like
him ; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this
hope in him, purifieth himself as he is pure/
2. It is gross self-love to go as near the brink of hell and destruction
without falling into it, and to beat down the price of salvation as low
as we can ; and he that will do nothing more than what is simply
necessary to salvation will never be faithful with God. To save the
stake of their souls they will serve God as little as they can.
SERMON XIV.
Then lie wliicli had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I
knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping ivhere thou hast
not sotued, and gathering where thou hast not straived : and I was
afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou
hast that is thine.— MAT. XXV. 24, 25.
WE have seen the account and reception of the faithful servants ; we
now come to the master's reckoning witli the unfaithful one. The
order is observable : first he rewardeth the faithful servants, and then
punisheth the careless and negligent. His own nature inclines him to
reward ; he doth good and showeth mercy out of his own self-inclina
tion ; but our sins force him to punish. And mark, he that had
received one talent is called to an account as well as he that had
received more, that no man may think to be excused for the meanness
of his gifts and place. It is true he giveth an account for no more
than he hath, but for so much as he hath he must give account
462 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XIV.
Christians that have five or two talents must give an account for five
or two ; but heathens, that have but one talent, the light of nature,
give an account for one. The apostle telleth us, ' That as many as have
sinned without the law, shall perish without the law, but as many as
have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law/ Rom. ii. 12;
every one according to the dispensation they have lived under. The
apostle intimateth a distinction of two sorts that are to be judged :
2 Thes. i. 8, ' In flaming fire, take vengeance on them that know
not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ/
Those that have great parts and great opportunities will not be accepted
with the same improvement that others are that have fewer ; neither
from the same person will God accept a like service when sick as when
well ; but according to their abilities and opportunities he doth expect.
Well, but let us sae what account he bringeth that had but one talent.
The parable offereth —
First, The servant's allegation or excuse.
Secondly, The master's answer or reply.
We are now upon the former ; and there —
1. The remote cause of his neglect ; his prejudice against his master,
* Lord, I knew thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not
sowed, and gathering where thou hast not strawed.'
2. The effect of this prejudice; and so the next and immediate
cause of this neglect, ' I was afraid.'
3. His negligence and unfaithfulness itself, in bringing his talent
without improvement, ' I went and hid thy talent in the earth : Lo,
there thou hast what is thine.'
[1.] In the prejudice, Christ impersonateth our natural thoughts and
the secret workings of our minds ; we dare not say so, but many think
so : as if God were a hard and morose master, whom it is impossible
to please. The servant in the parable had as little cause for his pre
tence as we have for our hard thoughts of God : he knew the contrary.
If he would consult his own experience, he might have found his master
to be good and kind, who had taken him into his family, intrusted
him with a talent, waited long for his improvement. But this is the
nature of man ; self-love will rather blame God than acknowledge our
own fault and sin, tax his severity than confess its own negligence.
[2.] In the servant's being afraid, Christ would teach us that ill
opinions of God beget pusillanimity and slavish fear.
[3.] In his non-improvement, but rendering the talent as he received
it, that pusillanimity or slavish fear and sloth go together, or those
that are afraid of God will never do him hearty service.
I cannot handle all the points that will arise from this paragraph,
yet I shall discuss one, that will take in the substance and effect of all.
And that is —
Doct. That slavish fear is a great hindrance to the faithful discharge
of our duty to God.
First, Let me observe to you that there is a twofold fear — filial and
servile, childlike and slavish. The one is a lawful and necessary fear,
such as quickeneth us to duty, Phil. ii. 12, and is either the fear of
reverence, or the fear of caution. The fear of reverence is nothing
else but that awe we are to have of the divine majesty as creatures, or
VERS. 24, 25.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 463
our humble sense of the condition, place, and duty of a creature towards
the Creator. The fear of caution is a due sense of the importance and
validity of the business we are engaged in, in order to salvation:
certainly none can consider the danger we are to escape, and the
blessedness we aim at, but will see a need to be serious. And therefore
this fear is good and holy.
1. But there is, besides this, a slavish fear, which doth not further,
but extremely hinder our work ; for though we are to fear God, yet we are
not to be afraid of God. This is that which the apostle calleth, irvev^a
ta?, opposite to the ' spirit of adoption,' Rorn. viii. 15, and a
cowardly fearful spirit, opposite to that spirit of power and love and of
a sound rnind, which is the principle of all faithful service to God.
They that are under the spirit of bondage serve not God as children
serve a father, but as slaves serve a hard and cruel master. Fear is
the inseparable companion of this spirit, which must needs be a great
hindrance to our duty, because it begets hatred to God, and the tor
ment it bringeth to ourselves. As it breedeth hatred to God : oderunt
quern metuunt, quern odimus periisse cupimus. When we only dread
God for his vengeance, we keep off from him, as a dissolute servant
hateth that master who would scourge him for his debaucheries. The
nature of this fear is to drive us from God : Gen. iii. 7-10, ' I was
afraid/ So because of the torment it bringeth to us, Eph. iv. 18, for
the legal spirit, it is called a ' spirit of bondage/ Kom. viii. 15 ; it hath
fear and torment in it, and is an enemy to us, for it banisheth all those
sweet principles which should enliven our service ; as love to God, and
delight in our work, which doth enliven and inspire everything that we
do with an earnest spirit. But where love is wanting, and all the com
fort that should accompany our duties, it is lost ; either a man doth
nothing, or all that he doth is in a compulsory manner, by mere force;
and so our hands must needs be weakened in God's service, if we be
not totally discouraged ; for often it endeth in a despair of pleasing, or
being accepted with God. There is a lazy sottish despair, as well as
a raging tormenting despair : Jer. xviii. 12, ' There is no hope ; we will
walk in the imagination of our own hearts.' Cast off all care of the
soul's welfare. This was the fear of the slothful servant in the text ;
and such a fear have many others in the bosom of their hearts, by
which they can never do anything effectually in the business of religion,
by reason of their strong prejudices, occasioned by their own torment
ing fear.
2. That this fear is begotten in us by a false opinion of God, that
rendereth him dreadful, rigorous, and terrible to the soul. The ser
vant in the text doth not only say, * I was afraid,' but giveth a reason
of it, * I knew that thou wert an hard man, reaping where thou hast
not sowed, and gathering where thou hast not strawed.' A paraboli
cal speech to set forth a cruel tyrant, that doth exact upon those that
are under him without mercy and reason. Our affections follow our
apprehensions, and we either love or fear according to the inward
notions that we have of God in our minds : ' They that know thy name
will trust in thee,' Ps. ix. 10. If we had righter notions of God, we
would love him more and trust him more ; but when we conceive
amiss of him, accordingly we are affected to him. And therefore we
4 1
XIV.
:-:• r -.---. :
-c i
" . -- --- -_/
~
466 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XIY.
' Father of mercies/ 2 Cor. i. 3. Misericors est, cui alterius miseria
cordi est — mercy hath its name from misery, and is no other thing
than laying another's misery to heart, not to despise it, nor to add to
it, but to help it. And therefore, if thou be miserable, and knowest
it indeed, his nature giveth a strong inclination to succour the miser
able. Ay ! but saith the convinced soul, there is nothing in me to be
regarded. The Lord telleth, ' I am gracious ; ' and grace doth all
freely, and from a self-inclination ; it giveth all the qualifications he
requireth. B.ut I have been long a presumptuous sinner. Why, God
telleth you his name is ' long-suffering.' He that gave not the angels
one hour's space for repentance, hath long delayed the execution of our
sentence, and calleth us to himself, that we may escape the condemna
tion of angels. But I am exceeding perverse and wicked. The Lord
telleth you he is ^ abundant in goodness.' I am full of fears and
doubtings. Still 'he is ' abundant in goodness and truth/ I have
abused much mercy, and can mercy pity me? The Lord telleth you,
he ' keepeth mercy for thousands, and can forgive iniquity, transgres
sion, and sin/ His treasure of mercy is not soon spent and exhausted :
no sin can exclude a willing soul ; mercy will pardon thy abuse of
mercy, if thou repentest of it.
[3.] To the people of God, who having a clearer sense of their dutyr
and a larger heart towards God than others have, and so are the more
troubled for the poverty of their graces, and weakness and imperfec
tion of their services than others are, which may breed bondage and
uncomfortableness. I would have them consider that humility and
meekness doth still become them, but not dejection and despondency
of mind, that they should ever be complaining, fearful, and disconso
late. We have not a hard master ; he hath made joy a part of our
work, Phil. iv. 4 ; he gave his Son, Luke i. 74, 75, ' That being deli
vered from our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness
and righteousness.' We should consider that he is ready to bear with
failings where there is an upright heart ; that God accepteth what we
can through grace well and comfortably perform. It is a general
maxim of the gospel, though spoken upon a particular occasion, 2 Cor.
viii. 12, ' That if there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to-
what a man hath, not according to that he hath not:' that the God
whom they serve in the spirit can put a finger on the scar : ' Ye have
heard of the patience of Job/ James v. 11. Ay ! and we have heard
of his impatience too, his cursing the day of his birth, and his bold
expostulations with God ; but this is passed over in silence, and his
patience commended. Nothing should be a discouragement from
serving cheerfully so good and gracious a God, who is so ready to-
accept and assist us, 1 Peter iii. 6, compared with Gen. xviii. 12. He
will own a pearl on a dunghill, the least act of sincere obedience,
though there be many failings. But I must return.
3. The usual ill thoughts of God are these three— (1.) That he is.
rigorous in his commands; (2.) Niggardly and tenacious in his giits
and helps of grace ; (3.) And as to acceptance, that he is hard to
please and easy to offend. All these may be gathered out of the words
of the unfaithful servant, and all these lie deep in the hearts of men
against God's sovereignty.
VERS. 24, 25.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 467
[1.] Hypocrites accuse God of tyranny in his laws, as if ho dealt
hardly with his creatures, to leave them with such affections in the
midst of the snares and temptations of the present life, and requiring
such duty from them. Certainly, all that God hath required of us is
holy, just, and good, conducing not only to his glory, hut to the recti
tude and perfection of our natures. Man would not he man if such
things were not required of him ; so that if we were in our right wits,
and were left to our own option and choice, we would prefer subjection
to such laws before exemption and freedom, Micah vi. 8. Are justice,
temperance, chastity, piety, patience gyves and fetters to human nature?
We cannot be without these and preserve the nobleness of our being
and the good of human societies. It is true this lower world fur-
nisheth us with many temptations to the contrary, but these tempta
tions work not by constraining efficacy, but only by enticing persuasion ;
and have we not more earnest persuasions to love God and please God ?
Are not God and Christ and heaven more lovely objects than all the
pleasures and profits and honours of the world? These things do not
force the will, but draw your consent ; and surely God hath pro
pounded more lovely things in his covenant to draw this consent from
them. The great fault is in our lust, 2 Peter i. 4 ; as the poison is not
in the flower, but in the spider.
[2.] He accuseth God as backward to give grace and help our im-
potency, and as if he did require more than he giveth. This is obvious
and express in the words of the naughty servant : ' Heaping where
thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed.' But
this also is an unjust charge ; for God requireth nothing but according
to the talents received. Now he needeth not take anything from the
creatures, for he giveth all ; he had one talent, and God expected the
improvement but of one. Let men try to the utmost, and see if they
have cause to make this complaint ; they will find, that ' the way of
the Lord is strength to the upright/ Prov. x. 29, and that all these
jealousies are but a slander against God's government. Why do you
complain that he would reap where he hath not sown ? Is it because
you would have God force you to be good whether you would or no,
and by an absolute constraining power drive you out of your flesh-
pleasing course ? Consider how unbeseeming it is the wisdom of God
that men should be holy and good by necessity, and not by choice.
V7irtue would then be no virtue, not a moral, but a natural property,
as burning is to fire ; and it were no more praiseworthy to mind hea
venly things than it is for a stone to move downward. It is true God
must make us willing, but willing we must be. Now there is no such
thing on your parts, when you wilfully refuse the hopes God offereth :
Acts xiii. 46, ' Since ye put away the word of God from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.' At
least you do not apply your hearts to work with God, or frame your
doings to turn to him, as it is' in the prophet ; you do not improve
means, and mercies, and providences, and helps vouchsafed. And will
you, after all this, think God a Pharaoh, that requireth brick and
giveth no straw ? Here it is verified, Prov. xix. 3, ' The foolishness of
man perverteth his way, and his heart fretteth against the Lord.' We
usually ruin ourselves, and then complain that God giveth no more
4G8 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. XIV.
grace. But do not we justify this conceit of wicked men, when we say,
God requireth duty of the fallen creatures, who have no power to per
form it ? I answer —
(1.) We must so maintain God's goodness as still to keep up his
sovereignty and right of dominion. Man had power, which was lost by
his own default ; but God doth not lose his right, though man hath lost
his power: their impotency doth not dissolve their obligation. A drunken
servant is bound to the duty of a servant still. It is against all reason
the master should lose his right to command by the servant's default.
A prodigal debtor, that hath nothing to pay, yet is liable to be sued for
the debt without injustice. God contracted with us in Adam, and his
obedience was not only due by covenant, but by law and immutable
right ; not by positive law only, or contract ; and therefore he hath a
right to demand obedience, as the fruit of original righteousness.
(2.) It is harsh, men think, to answer for Adam's fault, to which
they were not conscious and consenting. But every man will find an
Adam in his own heart : the old man is there wasting away the relics
of natural light and strength ; and shall not God challenge the debt of
obedience from a proud prodigal debtor ? We are found naked, yet
we think ourselves clothed ; poor, yet we think ourselves rich, and to
have need of nothing : therefore God may admonish us of our duty,
demand his right to convince us of our impotency, and that we may
not pretend we were not called upon for what we owe him. Man is
prodigal ; we spend what is left, lose those relics of conscience and
moral inclinations which escaped out of the ruins of the fall.
(3.) God requireth it that we may acknowledge the debt and con
fess our impotency, being practically convinced thereof, and so humbly
implore his grace.
(4.) God is still offering recovering mercy, and never forsaketh any
but those that forsake him first : 1 Chron. xxviii. 9, ' If thou forsake
him, he will cast thee off for ever ; ' 2 Chron. xv. 2, ' If you forsake him,
he will forsake you/ Did you improve yourselves, and beg God's
grace, and carry on the common work as far as you can, then it were
another matter. He that useth God's means as well as he can, he lieth
nearer to the blessing of them than the wilful despiser and neglecter
of them. Unsanctified men may do less evil and more good than
they do : therefore if they neglect the means, they are left inexcusable ;
not only as originally disabled, but as wilfully graceless : so that no
such prejudice can lie against God ; he offereth grace and power, and
men will not have it.
[3.] The third prejudice is, that he is hard to please, and easily
offended ; as if he did watch advantages to ruin and destroy the
creature. Oh, no ! This cannot be thought of God. He that rewarded
the picture and shadow of duty, as in Ahab, 1 Kings xxi. 29, the first
offers of it in his servants, Isa. xxxii. 5 ; that regarded the returning
prodigal, Luke xv. 20 ; Isa. Ixv. 24 ; whose bowels relent presently ;
who hath promised to reward a cup of cold water given for Christ's
sake, Mat. x. 42, and that our slender services should receive so great
a reward ; that beareth with his people's weakness ; that ' spareth
them as a man spareth his only son,' by their failing, surely he is not
harsh and severe.
VERS. 24, 25.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 469
[4.] These prejudices are very natural tons, and therefore should be
regarded by all. This appeareth partly by the first fall of man. Pre
judice against God was the fiery dart that wounded our first parents to
death. The first battery that Satan made was against the persuasion of
God's goodness and kindness to man ; he endeavoured to make them
doubt of it by casting jealousies into their minds, as if God were harsh,
severe, and envious in restraining them from the tree of knowledge, and
the fruit that was so fair to see to, Gen. iii. If once he could bring
them to question God's goodness, he knew other things would succeed
more easily ; for the sense of the Creator's goodness was the strongest
bond by which the heart was kept to God. And partly because still
the devil seeketh to possess us with this conceit, that God is harsh and
severe, and delighteth in our ruin ; and casteth jealousies into our
heads, as if God did infringe our just liberties by the restraints of his
law. And we have the same impatiency of restraints which they had ;
and the flesh being importunate to be pleased, we are apt to find out
excuses ; and as the naughty servant condemneth his master when he
should beg pardon, so such is the perverse disposition of man, when we
should confess our fault, we will abuse God himself ; as Adarn, Gen.
iii. 12, ' The woman thou gavest me, gave me, and I did eat.' This
monstrous conceit of God we further by observing his injuries (as
we count them), rather than his benefits. We take notice of afllictions,
but not of daily mercies. David had much ado to hold his principle :
Ps. Ixxiii. 1, 2, ' Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a
clean heart : but as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had
well-nigh slipped/ These thoughts are very incident to us.
Use. Oh ! then, when we set our hearts to religion, let us take heed
of slavish fear ; and if so, take heed with what thoughts of God you
are leavened, and that you do not draw a monstrous and horrid picture
of him in your minds. Oh ! look upon him as full of grace and mercy,
ten thousand times more inclined to do good than any friend you have
in the world. The devil governeth the dark parts of ^the world by
slavish fear, but God governeth by love. To this end consider —
1. That in his word God representeth himself by mercy and good
ness rather than any other attribute. Mercy is natural to him ; he is
' the father of mercies/ 2 Cor. i. 3. God is not merciful by accident,
but by nature. The sun doth not more naturally shine, nor the fire
more naturally burn, nor water more naturally flow, than God doth
naturally show mercy. It is pleasing to him, Micah vii. 18 ; James
ii. 13, ' Mercy rejoiceth over judgment.' Punitive acts are forced from
him, but gracious acts drop from him of their own accord, like life-
honey. Nay, God is mercy itself : 1 John iv. 8, * God is love/ It
cannot be said of a man that he is learning and wisdom, though learned
and wise. But God is not only loving, but love, an infinite sea of love,
without banks and bounds. It was well observed of (Ecolampadius,
that men were taught amiss to know the nature of God by vulgar
pictures and representations (for their fashion was then to picture God in
some fair and beautiful form, and the devil in some foul ugly shape).
Puerorum major pars nescit quid sit Deus, quid sit Sathan. But he
adviseth parents, if they would teach their children to know what God
is, they would first teach thorn to know what goodness is and justice
470 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [$ER. XV.
is, what mercy is, what bounty and loving-kindness is ; per illas emm
proprie quid Deus sit discimus. Again, if they would know what kind
of creature the devil is, they should first know what malice is and
filthiness, and what villany and treachery is ; for Satan is a compound
of all these. The best picture that could be taken of the devil would be
by the characters of malice, falsehood, and envy. But God is justice
itself, goodness itself, mercy itself, as it is expressed in scripture.
2. In Christ, who is the 'express image of his person,' Heb. i. 3.
Now, Christ disdained not the company of sinners, went about healing
sicknesses and diseases, and doing good. His miracles were acts of
relief, not done for pomp and ostentation.
3. In his providence : Acts xiv. 17, ' He left not himself without
witness, in that he^did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruit
ful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness/
SERMON XV.
His lord said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, tliou knewest
that I reaped ivliere I sowed not, and gathered ivhere I have not
strawed j thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the ex
changers, and then at my coming I should have received mine
own with usury.— WAT. XXV. 26, 27.
HERE is the master's reply to the servant's allegation. In the words
we have two things : —
1. An exprobration of his naughtiness and sloth.
2. A retortion of his vain excuse upon his own head, ' If thou
knewest,' &c. Not as if the lord did grant it to be true that the sloth
ful servant had alleged ; but his own opinions and conceits were
enough to convict him.
[1.] Here is a crvyxcbprja-is, a concession ; for dispute's sake, be it as
thou hast said.
[2.] The inference, ' Thou oughtest therefore to have put my
money to the exchangers, that at my coming I might have received
my own with usury/ The argument is returned upon himself. The
bankers and usury here mentioned are only by way of comparison, and
can no more be urged to justify the putting money to use than, * Be
hold, I come as a thief,' can justify theft; or that parable Luke xvi.
should justify fraud and injustice; the unjust steward did wisely, non
servi fraudem, sed prudentiam, &c. Parables are not taken from those
things that de jure ought to be done, but de facto are done. There
fore I shall not interpose any judgment of mine upon this occasion as
to that case, whether any putting money to use be lawful, yea or no :
only observe, that Christ will have his own with usury ; some improve
ment he expects when he cometh.
First, I begin with the exprobration. It was a sharp but well
deserved reproof ; if the bad servant had feared this aforehand, it might
have been better with him ; shame is the fear of a just reproof. Mark
VERS. 26, 27.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv.
471
the different entertainment of the good and bad servant : there it is, Cnod
and faithful servant; here, Thou wicked and slothful servant : Christ
will upbraid the unfaithful at the day of judgment. Jle is (:1i.
•wicked, evil servant, because unfaithful ; slothful, because ncgli.
Doct. 1. A slothful servant is a wicked servant.
These two terms are here coupled. There is a twofold sloth :
First, Common, in the ordinary affairs of this life : 2 Thes. iii. 10,
1 We commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should they
eat;' 1 Tim. v. 8, ' He that provideth not for his own is worse than
-an infidel ; ' ver. 13, 'And withal, they learn to be idle.'
Secondly, Spiritual, called aic^ia, and torpor spiritualis, one of the
seven deadly sins among the papists; a remiss will in divine and
heavenly matters, or a negligence in the duties of holiness, because of
the labour and trouble that accornpanieth them : Kom. xii. 11, ' Not
•slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord ; ' Heb. vi. 12,
' That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience have inherited the promises/ There are in these scriptures
two words, oKvypoi and vw9poi, dull, stupid, backward. They an-
both bad ; but this latter is worst, because of the matter about which
it is conversant. The one in our particular, the other in our general
•calling. To be negligent in our ordinary callings is bad ; but much
more in the great affairs of our souls. It is not only an evil thing, but
an evil sin. Of this principally.
1. Because total omissions, against knowledge and conscience, espe
cially of necessary duties, are very great sins. That omissions are
sins as well as sins of commission, appeareth from the nature of the
law, which consists of a precept and prohibition. It enforceth good,
as well as forbiddeth what is evil : Ps. xxxiv. 14, ' Depart from evil,
and do good/ In the government of man, the law useth both these,
the bridle and the spur, inciting him to that which is good, and re
straining him from that which is evil. You deny God his due when
you withhold from him that service, love, and worship which he re-
quireth ; which is a great evil in his creatures, which are made by
him, and fed and maintained by him. You wrong him when you
deprive him of your service for whose use you were made. Therefore
sins of omission are sins. Now, of all omissions, omissions of the most
necessary duties are most culpable ; want of love to God, fear of God,
faith in God, are greater evils than not praying at such a time, hearing
of the word, or labouring in our callings at such a time. The life of
religion lieth in the one more than in the other ; and they are more
indispensably required. The scripture pronounceth a heavy doom
upon these kind of defects : 1 Cor. xvi. 22, * If any man love not the
Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.' Among these, sins contra
remedium are more baneful than peccata contra qfficium : Heb. ii. 3,
4 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ?' Especially
when total. To omit an act of love to God, or to fail in point of faith
in a particular case or exigence, is a great evil; but to be wholly care
less and mindless of the favour of God, or to seek after it in a very
overly slight manner, is worst of all : Rom. iii. 11, ' There is none that
understandeth, that seeketh after God.' They do not make it their
business to remember God, or their duty to him, or their study to
472 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiR. XV,
please him ; they think of him seldom, or very neglectfully worship-
him, or make mention of him very coldly, serve him carelessly, or by
the by. This showeth that men are naughty, wicked, arid in a cursed
estate ; especially when they are convinced of better, that God de-
serveth more serious regard at their hands, and Christ to be more dear
and precious to them, and their converses with him more delightful.
The religion they profess doth plainly call for more at their hands ;
and their consciences are clamorous, and the Spirit of God importunate
with them. To omit a duty against knowledge is as great a sin as to-
commit evil against knowledge : James iv. 17, ' Therefore, to him that
knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.' The closer the
application by serious convictions, strong motions, and impulses to do
better, the greater their sin ; for this argueth a flat disobedience and
contempt of God, and a grieving of his Spirit, Eph. iv. 30, to give
him the repulse when he would fain enter and take possession of our
hearts. Now, put all these things together, and you will soon find
that a slothful servant is a very wicked, naughty servant. Satis est
mail ipsum nihil fecisse boni. They are not only evil servants that
teach falsities, but they also that do not promote the kingdom of Christ
to their power ; not only they that do no hurt, but they that do no
good : Mat. iii. 20, ' Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down and cast into the fire.' Not only the poisonous, but the
barren tree.
2. The motives that draw us to this idleness and sloth are paltry,
base, and such as offer great wrong to God. Alas ! what have we to-
hinder us in God's service, but a little worldly profit, pleasure, or
honour ? Now, what a gross sin is it to love the world above God, or
to neglect Christ that died for thee, merely to please the flesh, and to^
seek its ease and contentment ! Probatio unius sine contumelia alte-
rius procedere non potest: Heb. xii. 15, ' Lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.' If there were
some better or more considerable thing in the case, the fault were the
less, and our negligence might the more be excused ; but this is a gross,
sin, to despise God for poor contemptible-vanities. The world counts
profaneness by another measure than the scripture. You count adul
terers and drunkards and swearers profane ; but the scripture counteth.
them profane that have not an esteem of spiritual privileges. There
are peccata majoris infamice, and peccata majoris reatas. Some sins-
in the eye of the world have more filthiness and turpitude in them,,
and some sins in the eye of God have more guilt, as when we despise
the favour of God, and do not think it worthy our most serious arid
lively diligence ; the smallness of the temptation aggravateth the negli
gence. The service of God is of everlasting consequence, but the
things of the world are of short continuance; all this dust is gone
with the spurn of a foot ; one turn of the hand of God separateth thy
neglected soul from thy pampered body, and then ' whose are all these
things?' Luke xii. 20; 2 Cor. iv. 18.
3. Negligent unfruitfulness is a breach of trust, to which we are
bound by covenant, and so a disappointment of God's expectation. To
fortify this consideration, I need not repeat that all God's gifts to us.
imply a trust ; the very scope of this parable showeth it, and it may
VERS. 26, 27.J SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 473
be further confirmed by Isa. xliii. 21-24, ' This people I have formed
for myself, they shall show forth my praise. But thou hast not called
upon me, 0 Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me, 0 Isr;i«-l : thou
hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt-offerings, neither
hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thec to
serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense ; thou hast bought
me no sweet-cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fet
of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou
hast wearied me with thy iniquities.' That where God hath given a
people advantages, he expecteth answerable service and improvement ;
and that we are bound to this by the covenant of grace, wherein we
give up ourselves to the Lord for his use and service ; and that God
reckoneth upon this : Gen. xviii. 19, 'I know my servant Abraham,
that he will command his children and his household after him ;' and
Luke xiii. 7, ' Then said he to the dresser of the vineyard, Behold,
these three years have I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree ;'. and Isa.
Ixiii. 8, ' For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not
lie.' Only now I press that unfruitfulness and breach of trust is a
great crime, and a disappointing the righteous expectation of God, a
very provoking thing ; and therefore the slothful servant, that doth not
answer the ends of his trust, nor fulfil his covenant vow, must needs
be highly culpable, though he should not break out into acts of gross
excess, and apparent enmity against God.
4. He that ceaseth to do good, evil must needs ensue ; and the un
profitable servant hath his blots and blemishes, which render him
odious unto God. Homines nihil agenda, male acjere discunt, saith
Cato. Standing pools are apt to putrify ; and the Psalmist saith, Ps.
xiv. 2, ' They are all become filthy and abominable, for there is none
that seeketh God.' When the gardener holdeth his hand, the ground
is soon overgrown with weeds. Sins of omission will make way for
sins of commission ; and those that neglect improvement lose all reve
rence and awe of God every day more and more, and so are given up
to a hatred of his people, and many brutish lusts. As a carcase not
embalmed is more noisome every day : Job xv. 4, ' Thou castest off
fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
Use 1. Let us all be ashamed of our sloth. There is more evil in it
than we are aware of.
1. Consider the necessity of diligence. There is nothing in religion
can be gotten, kept, increased, or maintained, without great diligence.
No comfort without it: 2 Peter i. 10, * Wherefore the rather, brethren,
give all diligence to make your calling and election sure;' 2 Peter
iii. 14, 'Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look^or such things, be
diligent that you may be found of him in peace/ No grace without
it : 2 Peter i. 5, ' And besides this, give all diligence to add to your
faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge.' No hope of coming to heaven
without it : Heb. vi. 11, ' And we desire that every one of you do show
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end.' Illifalsi
sunt, saith Sallust, qui diversissimas res expectant, ignavice voluptatem,
et prcemia virtutis. It is in vain to think that a loitering profession
will ever bring any glory to God, comfort, or increase of grace to our
selves, or breed in us any comfortable hope and expectation of blessed-
474 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XV.
ness to come. All excellent things are hard to come by ; it is true in
earthly matters, it is much more true in spiritual.
2. Consider the evil of sloth. A slothful man and a profane man
differ very little : Prov. xviii. 9, ' He that is slothful in work is brother
to him that is a great waster.' The one getteth nothing, and the
other spendeth all. Thou wilt say, thou art no drunkard, no whore
monger. But thou art idle and negligent, so that you and they are
brothers ; all the difference is as between a consumption and an apo
plexy ; the one destroyeth in an instant, the other consumeth by
degrees ; the one is like splitting a ship, that goes down to the bottom
presently, the other like a leaky ship that sinketh by degrees. Though
you do not run into the same excess of riot with others, yet you are
idle in the Lord's work : it cometh much to the same effect ; the heart
groweth poorer and poorer, till at length it ends in final hardness.
Nay, in some sense negligence is worse than gross profaneness. Many
from great sinners have turned great saints, but few from a lukewarm
careless profession have come to anything. Therefore these are ' spewed
out of God's mouth/ Kev. iii. 16. There is more hope of a sinner
than of a lukewarm careless person, for he doth riot think himself
evil, and so is more liable to security. God may give grace to the
one, but taketh away the talent from the other.
. 3. Consider the rewards of diligence. This labour will turn to a
good effect : 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Your labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord.' If there were nothing in chase, or not so great a reward, we
had more excuse ; but when the reward is so full and so sure, shall not
we labour for it ? We labour and toil, and use all diligence to obtain
the things of this world ; and shall we think to go to heaven with our
hands in our bosom, or lying upon a bed of ease ? To see men under
the power of a lust may shame us, Ps. cxxvii. 2. Men rise early and
go to bed late to gain the world ; men labour, sweat, and travail, and
spare no cost to go to hell. The devil gets more servants than God
with all his promises, threatenings, and mercies. Shall they be so
diligent that have such bad work, worse wages, and the worst master,
and shall not we bestir ourselves ?
4. The whole course of nature inviteth us to labour and diligence,
in order to our future estate. The sun is unwearied in his motion,
that he may go up and down, preaching God to the world : Prov. vi. 6,
' Go to the ant, thou sluggard ; consider her ways, and be wise.' There
is a great deal of morality hidden in the bosom of nature, if we had
the skill to find it out. What can the ant do ? ' She provideth her
meat in summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.' These little
creatures are not able to endure the cold of winter, therefore work
themselves deep into the earth, but they carry their food along with
them ; and should not we have as great a sense of futurity ? We
cannot endure the day of the Lord unless we make provision : Prov.
x. 5, ' He that gathereth in summer is a 'wise son, but he that sleepeth
in harvest is a son that causeth shame/ Now is our season to work,
that in the day of our accounts we may not be unprovided.
The means against sloth are faith, patience, and love. Faith and
patience we have in one place : Heb. vi. 12, * That ye be not slothful,
but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the pro-
VERS. 26, 27.1 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 17.-,
mises.' They inherited the promises, that is, the tilings proii.
If we propound to ourselves such a divine and noble end ;is those -n ;it
and glorious things that are offered in the promises, we must use the
means. They had faith, so must we have ; they had patience, and \ve
must be patient.
[1.] By faith we are not to understand confidence and reliance upon
God's promises ; a probable human faith and hope will not be sufficient ;
but a firm adherence to God's word : whatever falleth out we are sure
to .have enough in the promise. We must have faith, because the
things promised are invisible, rare, and excellent, far above the p
of the creature to give. The promise is a firm and immutable foun
dation of our hope; we should rejoice in it as much as if the tiling
promised were in hand : ' In God I will rejoice, in the Lord I will
praise his word ;' or praise his word till the thing promised cometh to
be enjoyed : ' Faith is the substance of things hoped for/
[2J For patience: Heb. x. 36, ' For ye have need of patience, that
after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise.'
And we must have patience, because the things hoped for are to come,
and at a great distance : Korn. viii. 25, ' But if we hope for that we
see not, then do we with patience wait for it.' Besides, we shall meet
with many difficulties, oppositions, and trials, all which must be over
come : many things must be done, many things must be suffered, and
we must make our way through the midst of dreadful enemies before
we can attain our end. Further, our desires are vehement, and we
long for enjoyment, which is yet to come ; therefore we must be patient,
that we may quietly wait God's leisure : Kom. ii. 7, ' To them who by
patient continuing in well-doing, seek for glory, honour and immor
tality, eternal life/
[3.] The next grace is love. Where there is love there will be
labour, Heb. vi. 10, ' For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work
and labour of love ;' 1 Thes. i. 3, ' Kemembering without ceasing your
work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope ;' Kev. ii. 3, 4,
* And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast
laboured, anil hast not fainted : nevertheless I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love/ And love is said ' to endure
all things/ 1 Cor. xiii. 7. It was love made Christ to suffer hunger
and weariness, and to forbear to refresh himself for the good of souls ;
it was love made him endure the bitter agonies of the cross. Love
puts strength and life into the soul, addeth wings and feet to the body,
spareth no pains nor cost. Keep up this grace, and you have an over
ruling bent upon your hearts.
Use 2. If spiritual sloth be so great an evil, let the children of God
take heed of it when first it beginneth to creep upon their ^spirits; as
when they begin to pray without affection or fervour of spirit, to medi
tate of divine things without any sense, affection, or fruit; when they
find it difficult to withdraw from carnal company or vain discourse,
and are hardly persuaded to return unto themselves, and to consul T
their ways, and can freely let loose their thoughts and words to all
manner of vanity, and their comfort is rather sought in the creature
than in God ; they can rarely speak of others, but it is in reflecting
upon them rather than themselves; when reproofs grow burdensome,
476 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XY.
and are not entertained as a help but as an injury ; when they give up
themselves to carnal sports, and take a license for vain recreations, and
so fly from the labours that are profitable and necessary for their sours
health ; their zeal languisheth, their duties are not so frequent, nor the
means of grace used with life, vigour, and affection, but they are more
coldly affected towards them ; a satiety and fulness creepeth upon
them; they do not so solicitously avoid the causes of sin, begin to
indulge the body, or the bodily life, to have more admiring thoughts
of the honours and pleasures and profits of the world ; either neglect
or quench the motions of the Spirit : all these are the' effects of a
remiss will, or a fainting heart, that beginneth to tire in the ways of
God.
Use 3. It serves to justify God in- his judgments upon the careless
and negligent, though they be not grossly dissolute and profane. There
is more contempt of God in neglecters than you can at first be sensible
of. Hypocrites complain of the severity of God, the rigour of his
law, the grievousness of his judgments; they should rather complain
of the naughtiness of their own hearts. They are convinced of more
duty than they are willing to perform, and they are not willing,
because they follow after a few paltry vanities, which is a great dis
honour to God. It was not the austerity and rigidness of the master
in requiring improvement that hindered the increase of his talent, but
his own baseness, being wedded to sensual delights. They say, ' The
ways of the Lord are not equal ;' but their hearts are not right with
God.
Secondly, I come now to the retortion of his vain excuse upon him
self. The damned can have no just complaint against God ; they are
apt to murmur, and lay their defects upon the rigidness of God's
government or God's providence ; but in the issue the blame will light
upon themselves, even the things they allege make against them. He
was convinced the master expected increase, therefore he should have
done what he could : Luke xix. 22, * Out of thy own mouth I will con
demn thee.' So it is here ; men's consciences convince them they ought
not to live in idleness, and if they have a master, the thought of their
'account should enforce them, if not their own inclination, especially if
a severe master. Grant the sinner's supposition, it bindeth the duty
upon him, and so he cuts his throat with his own sword ; as they said
of Job, chap. xv. 6, ' Thine own mouth condemneth thee ; thine own
lips testify against thee.'
Doct. No excuse shall serve the unfaithful and slothful servant at
the day of judgment.
Let a man deceive himself now, and please himself with these pre
tences as he will, all his excuses shall be retorted upon him, and made
matter of his condemnation ; for the judge is impartial, and omniscient,
his eyes cannot be blinded ; nay, he can open your own consciences,
and so overwhelm you with the evidence and conviction of your sins,
that you shall have nothing to say. As in the 22d of Matthew, ' The
man was speechless' when arraigned. But because the excusing
humour is very rife, and many things serve the turn now which will
not bear weight then, I shall a little handle this matter of excusing.
In the general, an excuse is an apology or vain defence, whereby the
VERS. 26, 27.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 477
sinner seeketh to palliate his negligence in God's service. To unde
ceive you—
First, Take these general considerations.
1. That carnal men are ill versed in the art of excusing evil, when
they have a right principle to go upon, and that which they think
inaketh for them usually maketh against them. Solomon telfeth us,
Prov. xxvi. 9, ' That a parable in a fool's mouth is like a thorn in the
hand of a drunkard.' The thorn was their instrument of sewing, as
the needle with us. Now, a drunkard woundeth and goreth himself,
because of his uneven touch, when his spirits are disturbed with
excess of drink. Do but observe how contrarily and perversely wicked
men will reason, and what inferences and conclusions they will draw
from those very principles the godly make a good use of. As in 1 Cor.
xv. 32, ' Let us eat and drink ; for to-morrow we shall die.' Now, com
pare this with 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30, ' But this I say, brethren, the time
is short ; it remaineth, that both they that have wives, be as though
they had none ; and they that weep, as though they wept not ; and
they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not ; and they that bu\
though they possessed not ; and they that use the world, as not abusing
it : for the fashion of this world passeth away ;' 2 Kings vi. 33, ' And
while he yet talked with them, behold the messenger came down unto
him ; and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord ; why should I wait
for the Lord any longer ?' Compare this with 1 Sam. iii. 18, * And
Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him ; and he said,
It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good.' So Haggai i. 2,
* Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, The people say, the time is not
come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.' Compare this
scripture with 2 Sam. vii. 2, ' And the king said unto Nathan the
prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God
dwelleth within curtains/ When David dwelt in a stately house, his
heart was set upon building a house for the Lord. So Rom. ii. 4,
' Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and
long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to
repentance ? ' with Titus ii. 11, 12, ' For the grace of God, that bringeth
salvation, hath appeared to all men ; teaching us, that denying'
ungodliness, and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly in this present world ;' Jude 4, ' Ungodly men, turning
the grace of God into lasciviousness.'
2. Sometimes carnal men pretend certain causes and excuses, when
their conscience knoweth it is otherwise ; and then the things alleged
are not the real opinions and inward sentiments of their own minds,
but something said or taken up to justify their sloth: 1 Cor. vi. 9,
' Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God ? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adul
terers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,' &c.
As hopes of impunity, though they live a godless and sinful course of life.
If they were serious, conscience would tell them men may be deceived
with these things, but God cannot. Ye may stifle conscience for ;i
while with these allegations, but it will speak, and then these sorry
fig-leaves will not serve the turn to hide your nakedness.
3. Sometimes these excuses are the fruit of blindness, sottishness,
478 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SfiK. XV.
ignorance, and infatuation ; and the sluggard hath a high conceit of
his own allegations : Prov. xxvi. 16, ' The sluggard is wiser in his own
conceit than seven men that can render a reason/ He thinketh others
are mopish, giddy, and crack-hrained people, that make more ado with
religion than needeth, are too nice and scrupulous ; take it to be good
prudence to keep out of harm's way : his very foolish thoughts he
thinketh are wise reasons ; that religion is a merry thing : Prov. xv.
19, ' The way of a slothful man is a hedge of thorns, but the way of
the righteous man is made plain/ He imagineth difficulties and
intolerable hardships in a course of godliness. It is our cowardice
and pusillanimous ignorance maketh the ways of God seem hard.
All things are comfortable, plain, and easy to the pure and upright
heart. Thus he bloweth hot and cold, speaketh contrary things,
according as he loofteth upon them with a slight or pusillanimous
heart.
4. Excuses argue an ill spirit and an unwilling heart. When they
should do something for God, there is something still in the way,
some danger, or some difficulty, which they are loath to encounter
withal : Prov. xxvi. 13, ' The slothful man saith, There is a lion in
the way/ They are fruits of the quarrel between conviction and cor
ruption, and are usually found in us when we first begin to understand
the way of the Lord, but are loath to come up to the terms. Certainly
it is better be doing than excusing. Poing is safe, but excuses are,
but a patch upon a sore place. If we have done a fault, it is better
confess, and seek a pardon, than to excuse and extenuate.
5. Consider the invalidity of all things that are usually alleged by
sinners ; and to help you, consider —
[1.] Nothing can be pleaded as reason which God's word disprove th.
The scriptures were purposely penned to refute the vain sophisms that
are in the hearts of men : Heb. iv. 12. ' To divide between soul and?
spirit, joints and marrow, and to discern the thoughts and intents of
the heart;' to discover the affections of a sensual heart, however
palliated with the pretences of a crafty understanding, to hide the evil
from themselves and others. You must not lift up your private
conqeits against the wisdom of God.
[2.] Nothing can be pleaded as reason which your consciences are
not satisfied with as reason. That is the reason there are so many
appeals to conscience in scripture. Do not your consciences tell you
you ought to be better, to mind God more ? That if these things be
true, 2 Peter iii. 11, ' That all these things shall be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and
godliness ?'
[3.] Nothing can be pleaded by way of excuse which reflects upon
God, as if he had made a hard law. We are apt to plead so : * The
way of the Lord is not equal ;' ' The woman thou gavest me, she gave
me, and I did eat/ Will you excuse your idleness and sin by the
severity of your master, and cast your brat at his doors?
[4.] There can be no excuse for a total omission of necessary duties.
In a partial omission, the law itself alloweth a dispensation; as in
case of sickness we are taken off from some work which God requireth
at other times. But some things are indispensably required : John
VERB. 26, 27.1
SKUMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV.
47'.)
iii. 5, ' Except a man be bora of water and the Spirit, he cannot
into the kingdom of God ;' Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man
shall see the Lord.' Here is necessitate precepti et medii.
[5.] You should harden yourselves with no excuse or reason but
what you dare plead when you stand before the bar of Christ ; for
then will the weight of all pleas be considered. Now, God hath left
all creatures without excuse, Rom. i. 20. There is some witness of
God to them, that conviriceth them of more duty than they are willing
to perform.
Secondly, And more particularly, the usual excuses are these : —
Object. 1. I have no time to mind soul-affairs; my distractions in
the world are so great, and my course of life is such, I have no leisure.
Ans. 1. Whatever your business be, you have a time to eat and
drink and sleep ; and have you no time to be saved ? Better encroach
upon other things than that religion should be cast to the walls, or
jostled out of your thoughts. David was a king, and he had more
distracting affairs than most of us have, or can have; yet, Ps. cxix.
147, 148, he saith, 'I prevented the dawning of the morning, and
cried ;' and 'Mine eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might medi
tate on thy word.'
2. Do you spend no time in idleness, vain talking, or carnal sports ?
And might not this be better employed about heavenly things? Eph.
v. 16, ' Redeeming the time, because the days are evil/
3. Much of religion is transacted in the mind. A Christian is
always serving God; big second-table duties are first-table duties.
As carnal men go about heavenly things with a carnal mind, so the
Christian goeth about carnal things with a heavenly mind.
4. God would be sure to have a portion of time, therefore the Lord's
vlay was appointed : Isa. Iviii. 13, ' If thou turn away thy foot from
the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the
sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable ; and shalt honour
him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor
speaking thine own words/ &c. That it may be dear to us in the
flesh, and in the Lord, when we have God's command, and the laws
of the land too.
5. All your time is lost that is not spent in God's service.
Object. 2. But I have no power nor strength to do good ; and what
will you have us do ?
Ans. You can do more than you do, but you will not make trial.
God may be more ready with the assistances of his grace than you
can imagine. The tired may complain of the length of the way,
but not the lazy that will not stir a foot. If you did make trial,
you would not complain of God, but yourselves ; and beg grace more
feelingly. You are not able because you are not willing. Your im-
potency is contracted by evil habits and long custom in sin ; that is
an aggravation of your sin.
Object 3. It is dangerous and troublesome to own God and rcn
heartily.
Ans. Did not you resolve to serve God whatever it cost you ? .
is God harsh and severe because he trietli whether you will be as
as your word, and will not let you go to heaven with a vain complaint
480 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XV.
in your mouths ? Will this comfort you in hell, and for the loss of
everlasting happiness ? In hell will you say, I came hither to save
myself a lahour, and to be exempt from the diligence of the holy life,
and sufferings incident to it? Will you stop a journey for your lives
because the wind bloweth on you, and there is dirt in the way?
Nothing can take off a minister from seeking the conversion and salva
tion of souls, Acts xx. 23, 24 ; and can anything be an excuse to you ?
{Should your souls be dearer to us than you ? It is necessary for our
trial that we should meet with scorns and oppositions. Should a weak
blast drive us from God ? Kev. ii. 13, 14, ' I know thy works, and
where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is ; and thou boldest fast
my name, and hast not denied my faith ; even in those days wherein
Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where
Satan dwelleth/ It is exceeding commendable to be zealous in such a
place, or in such a time, when religion is hazardous and dangerous.
Christ suffered more for you than you can for him, and God hath greater
terrors than man can present.
Object. 4. I am of a slow wit, have a weak understanding, know not
to which party I should cleave and join myself.
Ans. Certainly not to that which is most pleasing to corrupt affec
tions. But divisions in the church are to try the approved, who is
chaff, and who is good grain : 1 Cor. xi. 19, ' For there must be also
heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made mani
fest among you.' The scripture is not dark, but we want eyes. You
may know the mind of God : Ps. cxix. 18, ' Open thou mine eyes, that
I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.' And John xvii. 17,
* Sanctify them by thy truth ; thy word is truth.'
Object. 5. I have so many temptations and enticements, I hope God
will consider my weakness.
Ans. You are as earnestly persuaded upon better motives if per
suasion will do it. What is a little worldly glory to eternal glory,
brutish pleasures to pure delights ?
Use 1. Since sloth is so great an evil, let the children of God take
heed of it.
And so, first, of sloth and idleness in their particular calling. Tin's
was one of Sodom's sins : Ezek. xvi. 49, ' Pride and fulness of bread,
and abundance of idleness.' This is sensuality, as well as other sins
that are more noted in the world, as being an indulgence to the flesh,
as well as other things, which are commonly decried, because they be
tray us to more shame in the world.
1. Every creature is God's servant, and hath his work to do wherein
to glorify God ; some in one calling, some in another : Neither rich
nor poor are exempted ; for a lawful calling is* not a matter of necessity,
but duty, enforced by a commandment. What our callings should be
is determined by providence giving gifts and education, and obtruding
us upon such a course of life. But it is a mistake to think that bare
necessity maketh a calling ; no, it is obedience. And if we be with
out such necessity, we may live idly, without any calling. No ; every
man and woman hath their labour and service ; for God made no man
or woman in vain. Would the wise and almighty God make so noble
a tiling as a rational human civnture onlv to eat. nnd drink, and sleep,
VERS. 26, 27.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 481
and rise and dress themselves, that they may show themselves to com
pany, and impertinently chat away their hours and precious time ? No ;
he hath ordained them for some service, which at length they are to
give an account of ; as the Mediator did of his work : John xvii. 4,
* I have glorified thee on earth, and have finished the work thou gavest
me to do/
2. This work is not of one sort. Some are called to a higher, some
to a lower employment, some noble, some citizens, some fathers of
families, others matrons or mothers of families, some are magistrates,
some ministers ; but every one must do their duty in their place!
Christianity falleth in with natural relations : 1 Cor. vii. 20, 'Let every
man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.' God gives
every man his work : Mark xiii. 34, * The- Son of man is like a man
taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his
servants, and to every man his work.'
3. The work of our callings must be constantly and diligently
attended upon. A rich man cannot say, I have no need ; therefore I
will attend upon my calling at my pleasure. You must not consider
your present need, but your future account. The baseness of a man's
calling must not be a discouragement to a poor man, seeing God
counteth himself honoured in the lowest service as well as in the highest,
and hath promised the reward of the inheritance to servants as well as
nobles : Col. iii. 24, ' Knowing that ye shall receive the reward of the
inheritance ; for ye serve the Lord Christ.'
4. Every one that feeleth any tediousness growing upon him in his
work should often rouse up himself by considering —
[1.] The active nature of man was never made to be idle ; and shall
we cross the law of our creation ? When the beasts lie down in their
dens, ' Man goeth forth to his labour and work till the evening/ Ps.
civ. 23.
[2.] The preciousness of time, which is too good to be loitered away
upon mere nothing. We should buy it at any price, not waste it :
Eph. v. 16, 'Kedeem the time/ We shall wish we had done so when
it is too late.
[3.] The eye of God, who observeth every man in his station, how
he acquitteth himself with good fidelity. Eye-service, with respect to
man, maketh us unfaithful : Eph. vi. 6 ; but eye-service with respect
to God is the great ground of diligence, Col. iii. 22, 23.
[4.] The near approach of death. Would we be found eating, drink
ing, playing, sporting away our precious time, or diligently employing
ourselves in our callings, at that day ? Luke xii. 43, ' Blessed is that
servant whom when his lord cometh he shall find so doing.'
,[5.] Our accounts, which mainly concerneth — (1.) Our particular
calling, and that course of living wherein we were set to glorify God.
The unprofitable servant will be cast into utter darkness, Mat. xxv.
30. God will judge all according to what they have done in their
places ; and then what will become of the idle and the slothful ? (2.)
In our general calling, as Christians. Take heed of being naughty
and slothful servants.
First, Let us inquire who may be characterised with this brand.
1. Who? Those who complain for want of strength, yet do not
VOL. IX. 2 H
482 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XVI.
diligently use the means whereby they may be quickened and strength
ened : they are idle, and lie upon the bed of ease, and complain that
God doth not give grace ; languish for comfort, rather than set about
the work of obedience. Christ telleth his disciples; John xiv. 21, ' He
that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth
me ; and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father ; and I will
love him, and manifest myself to him/
2. That content themselves with a loitering profession, when their
hearts swarm with noisome lusts, and are unfurnished of faith and
love, and other necessary graces ; and yet think a lazy profession will
serve the turn : Mat. vii. 22, ' Many shall say to me in that day, Lord,.
Lord, we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils,
and in thy name done many wonderful works : and then will I pro
fess, I never knew them.' Because they pray, and hear, and receive
sacraments, they tffink all is well, and they have no more to care for*
Is this ' working out our salvation with fear and trembling' ? Phil. ii.
12 ; * Serving God instantly day and night' ? Actsxxvi. 7 ; ' Labour
ing for the meat that perisheth not ' ? John vi. 27 ; ' Denying our
selves ' ? Luke xiv. 26.
3. That snuff at a little mock-service as if an intolerable burden :
Mai. i. 13, 'What a weariness is it ! '
4. The children of God may feel this temper coming upon themr
when though they do not cast off prayer altogether, yet they cut off or
abate and diminish their prayers, either in fervour, or frequency, or
continuance and perseverance in prayer ; pray without sense, affection,
or life ; or do not pray so often, or do not continue instant in prayer.
This cutting short of duties in time tendeth to a quitting of them
altogether. Man is ready to cast off what he thinketh to be a burden.
So when they are backward to meditation, or to withdraw from the
delights of the flesh, and the distraction of ordinary employments. In
all such cases we should rouse up ourselves. Time is short ; our
account sure and near ; we are labouring for heaven and salvation :
shall we tire and faint ? ' Be not weary of well-doing.' It is spoken
with respect to the duties of piety, Heb. xii. 12; duties of mercy,
Gal. vi. 9 ; duties of our calling, 2 Thes. iii. 13. Oh ! then, let us
rouse up ourselves.
SERMON XVL
Take therefore the talent from Mm, and give it to him which hath ten,
talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall
have abundance ; but from him that hath not shall be taken away
even that which he hath.— MAT. XXV. 28, 29.
WE have seen the arraignment of the evil servant ; now followeth the
sentence, which intimateth a double punishment — privative and posi
tive, loss and pain. The former is in these two verses ; wherein you
may observe three things : —
1. The taking the talent from the evil servant.
VERS. 28, 29.] SERMONS UPON MATTIIKW xxv. 483
2. The disposition of the talent so taken from him.
3. The reason of both.
Let me explain these branches, and then draw one point from the
whole.
First, The taking the talent from the evil servant, ' Take therefore
the talent from him.' Naughty servants either lose the gifts them
selves, or the benefit, comfort, and reward of them. Here, in time,
they lose their gifts ; when time is no more (which is the case in our
parable), they lose their reward.
^ Secondly, The disposition of the talent so taken from him, ' And
give it to him that hath ten talents ;' that is, five by trust, and five
more by gain and improvement. The giving of the talent to the first
servant was thought unequal by some, because he had such plenty
already ; as appeareth, Luke xix. 25, ' They say unto him, Lord, he
hath ten pounds.' But the Lord adherethto his sentence : * For I say
unto you, Unto every one that hath shall be given,' &c. He giveth.
most to those that have done most diligent and faithful service, and
delighteth to enrich them more and more with the rewards of grace.
Object. But how can we receive other men's talents ? Shall the
elect receive benefit from the reprobate, and their loss be our gain ?
Ans. 1. It is spoken after the manner of men. Nothing more usual
among men than to take that from the unfaithful which was com
mitted to them, and to give it to the faithful. It is such another
expression as Rev. iii. 11, ' Hold fast that thou hast, that no man take
thy crown ;' as if that crown which we had lost were taken and worn
by others. So Num. xi. 17, 25, God took of the Spirit that was upon
Moses, and gave it to the seventy elders ; as if what were given to his
assistance were taken from him, and his abilities were lessened with
his work ; whereas it is only meant of the communication of the same
graces.
2. The meaning is, he that useth his gifts well shall be amply
rewarded ; so amply, as if the happiness which others expect should
accrue to them, and be put on their account.
Thirdly, The reason of both, in the 29th verse, ' For unto every one
that hath shall be given.' That these expressions are proverbial is
out of question with the learned. Hdbenti dabitur is an expression
verified in all ages and in all countries. The rich have many friends,
and he that hath much shall have more ; every one will be presenting
them : and they have great advantages of laying out themselves, and
improving themselves more than others have. So, on the contrary
side, by the neglect of others, and their own incapacity to improve
themselves, poor men commonly grow poorer. Upon this occasion
were the words first used, which our Saviour is pleased to translate
and apply to his own purpose. The sense of the words, as they lie
here, will be known by taking this copulate axiom and proposition
apart. The first branch speaketh of gain, the second of loss.
First branch. * Unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall
have abundance.' The word e^e^ doth not only signify the possession
of a thing, but the use, which is the end of possession : and so he that
hath is lie that hath to purpose, that occupieth and trafficketh with his
"race or gift received, with that care and diligence that belongeth to
484 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XVL
so great a treasure and trust : * To him shall be given ;' he shall
increase his stock, and accordingly the comfort, benefit, and reward
that belon<£eth to it Yea, it follows, ' He shall have abundance,'
TrepuraevOqa-ercu ; not a single abundance, but a continual increase,
even unto perfection ; an increase of gifts, graces, and rewards. The
sum is, to him that useth and improveth God's grace shall by degrees
be given so much as that at last he shall have all abundance.
The second branch of this copulate axiom is, * From him that hath
not, shall be taken away even that which he hath.' As he that had
one talent, but had it not for his master's use, is counted and reckoned
as though he had none. We have not what we have if we use it not
well ; as we say of a covetous man, avaro tarn deest quod habet, quam
quod non habet. It is as if we had it not : idle gifts and habits lie
dead and useless. Ifl Luke it is, chap. viii. 18, ' And from whomso
ever hath not, shall be taken that which he seemeth to have.' He
maketh no use of his gifts, but lets them lie idle, as if he had not had
them. Of grace and righteousness the proposition holdeth most true ;
of reprobates their grace and righteousness is but a pretension : of
other gifts which they have, they have them not for use, for the Lord's
service ; and so, in effect, they have them not : therefore, they shall
be taken from them ; that is, they lose their reward : Ezek. xxxiii. 13,
' If he trust in his righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his right
eousness shall not be remembered ;' 2 John 8, ' Look to yourselves,
that we lose not those things which 'we have wrought, but that we
receive a full reward ;' Gal. iii. 4, ' Have you suffered so many things
in vain ? If it be yet in vain.1 Men may suffer many things for the
truth who afterward make foul defection from it ; but all is vain, lost,
and to no purpose, as to anything that can be expected from God.
The jSazarite was to begin again 5 he had defiled himself in the days
of his separation, Num. vi. 12. Thus for their putative righteousness ;
for other common gifts which they really have, they shall be deprived
of all the real benefit which otherwise they might have had, if they
had laid them out for the glory of God, their own salvation, and the
good of their neighbours.
Doct. That all the good gifts which God hath bestowed upon men
increase by good use, but wither and are lost by negligence.
For this is the sum of Christ's sentence and reason.
Now, that I may speak distinctly of the point, I must say some
thing as to the increase, and something as to the loss.
First, For the increase, ' To him that hath shall be given, and he
shall have more abundantly, ' I shall deliver my sense of it in these
propositions : —
1. That diligence is the means, and God's blessing is the cause, of
all increase ; and both must be regarded, or else we profit nothing.
We cannot expect God's blessing while we sit idle ; and it is a wrong
to grace to trust merely to endeavours, or without looking up to God.
It is said in Prov. x. 4, ' He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack
hand ; but the diligent hand maketh rich ; ' that is, that is the means ;
for ver. 22, it is said, ' The blessing of the Lord maketh rich ; ' that is,
the blessing of the Lord upon the use of means. God hath ordered it
so in his providence, that diligence should be always fruitful and pro-
VERB. 28, 29.]
UPON MATTHEW xxv.
485
fitable, both in a way of nature and grace ; that the joy of the harvest
should recompense the pains and patience of the diligent husbandman,
and that the field of the sluggard should be overgrown wit:
Iron by handling weareth brighter and brighter, but by standing still,
or being let alone, it contracteth rust, by which it is darkened and
eaten out. Take away use and exercise, and wisdom turneth into
folly, and learning into ignorance, health into sickness, riches into
poverty. Strength of body and mind are both gotten by use ; he that
useth his talent with fidelity and sedulity shall increase in it, but such
as are idle and negligent shall grow worse and worse. God doth
plentifully recompense the diligence and fidelity of his servants ; he
that maketh use of any degree of grace and knowledge shall have
more given him ; by exercising what he hath he doth still increase it.
Whereas, on the contrary, remiss acts weaken habits, as well as con
trary acts; this is a common truth, evident by daily experience ; but
then God's blessing must not be excluded. God would have us labour,
rather to keep us doing, than that he needeth our help. He that made
the world without us can preserve it without us, as he that planted the
garden of Eden could have preserved it without man's dressing, yet
we read that when he had furnished the garden of Eden with all de
lights, God took the man and put him into it, ' to dress it and to keep
it,' Gen. ii. 15 ; that is, to use husbandry about it, that by sowing,
setting, pruning, and watering, he might preserve those fruits where
with God had furnished that pleasant garden, and to bestow his pains
upon that whereof he was to receive the benefit, and that by busying
himself about the creatures, he might the better observe God in his
various works in and by them. And indeed nothing was such a means
to convince him of his dependence upon God as this labour of dressing
and keeping the garden which God put him into ; for he could produce
no new plant, but only manure and cherish those which God had
planted there already, and all his keeping and planting was nothing
without dews and showers and influence from heaven, and the con
tinual interposing of God's providence. And still in every calling he
that is sedulous in it seeth more need of God's concurrence than those
that are idle ; for those that have done their utmost by experience find
that the success of all their endeavours dependeth upon his power and
goodness, or the effect followeth not. I am sure it holdeth good in the
work of grace : none are so practically convinced of the necessity of
divine assistance as they that do their utmost; for they see plainly all
will not do if God withhold his blessing ; and their often disappoint
ments when they lean upon their own strength teacheth them this
lesson, that all is of God.
2. That this increase must be understood of the same talent, not in
another kind. It holdeth not, that he that useth the talent in one
kind shall thrive in another, for what a man soweth that shall he
reap. No; the meaning is, the thing used is still increased. It is
not intended that by employing his talent in riches he should increase
in learning, that by improving his learning he should grow in strength
and beauty of body. No ; it holdeth good in eodem genere, in the
game kind. Use common helps well, and you increase as far as com
mon helps will carry you ; use moral virtue well, and you increase in
486 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XVI.
moral virtue ; use that measure of saving grace you have well, and you
shall have a great measure given you by God ; set a-work thy know
ledge, faith, zeal, and love, and all these graces will increase in you:
* Wait on the Lord, and be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
thy heart/ Ps. xlvi. 14; and Ps. xxxi. 24, and Isa. Iviii. 13, 14, 'If
thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure
on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord,
honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor
finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt
thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon
the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob
thy father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' So Ps. xci. 1,
' He that dwelleth in the secret places of the Most High shall abide
under the shadow oithe Almighty/ God, that punisheth sin with sin,
doth reward grace with grace : they that abuse the light of nature are
given up to a reprobate sense ; they that improve the grace they have
shall have more ; every act maketh an increase of the habit, and who
soever employeth that spiritual wealth that he hath shall have an
addition from God, be more strong in faith and love, and more rich in
knowledge.
Object. But may not we enlarge this a little further ? Arminius
gathereth from hence that the works of the unregenerate, done by the
mere strength of nature, are so accepted with God that by them he is
moved and induced to give them supernatural grace. And many
others, that will not speak so grossly, think that if we improve the
gifts of nature, we shall have common grace, and if we improve com
mon grace, we shall have special and saving grace. And ought we
not, and can we not, use these common gifts and graces to this end
and purpose, that we may obtain conversion and faith in Christ ; such
as the use of reason, the freeing of the mind from brutish passions
and affections, good education, the examples of others, the powerful
preaching of the gospel, and common illumination, and the knowledge
of the truth gained thereby ?
Ans. 1. Those that have common grace ought and are bound to
use it for the obtaining of more grace ; there is no doubt of that, for
therefore they are accused that * They have ears and hear not, eyes
and see not;' and God findeth fault with his people that 'they will
not frame their doings to turn to the Lord/ Hosea v. 4. So much as
put themselves in a posture ; they are threatened that ' it shall, be
more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for them ;' and that
'the Ninevites shall rise in judgment against them, and condemn
them/ They are reproved for being ' idle and slothful servants, and
hiding their talents in a napkin/ Certainly they that are lifted up to
heaven in ordinances, that receive so much grace from God, and yet
turn it into wantonness, and do not know, nor worship, nor seek after
God, they aggravate their own condemnation ; their destruction is of
themselves ; they shut themselves out of the kingdom of God, reject
the counsels of God against themselves. In short, they put away the
word of God from them, and judge themselves unworthy of eternal
life. The scripture everywhere speaketh at this rate concerning the
folly and negligence of men.
VERS. 28, 29.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xx.v.
Ans. 2. But if it be asked, whether they that have received common
grace not only ought, but also can, use it for the acquiring and getting
the special grace of conversion? this question concerneth the manner
how the will of God and the will of man meet together in the work of
conversion. And here we must use great care in answering, to avoid
inconveniences on all hands. Certainly merit they cannot, neither
de congruo, nor de condigno, nor by any covenant oblige God to give
them the grace of regeneration ; neither can Christ be said to have
acquired^ and purchased this grace for them to whom lie is not given
as a Mediator ; nor by any promise is God bound to give us grace for
the good use of our natural abilities. No ; the distribution of con
verting grace is not promised or bound to any works of righteousness
that we have or can do, but is reserved and referred to the free dispo
sition, good-will, and pleasure of God : Bom. ix. 16, ' Not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy/ So
Titus iii. 5. ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us.' The first grace is given by God
as a sovereign Lord, according to the counsel of his own will. But
since the question is propounded, whether a man can by common
grace obtain special ? the answer must be prudent and cautelous, that
of the one side we may not prejudice the truth, nor of the other side
give scandal and offence to the weak. For —
[1.] If you answer that an unregenerate man may by the use of
common grace acquire and obtain the special grace of regeneration,
and that the whole business lies in the good use of his will, you seem to
dash upon the eternal purpose and decrees of God, by which he hath
determined not to give all men, but only the elect, this special grace ;
and upon the intention of Christ's dying, which was not to sanctify
himself for all, but for those whom the Father had given to him ; and
you seem to put the whole business upon man, as if he did make him
self to differ, and that the good use of common grace doth all ; and
then the Pelagian axiom will be true, facienti quod in se est — that he
that doth what he can, God is bound to give him what he cannot ;
which will run little lower than the merit of congruity. Then we
cannot say, God hath made himself a debtor ; some would seem to
have given him first. All which are against the scripture ; and there
fore we are justly afraid to enlarge and extend the liberty and power
of man in this business.
[2.] If you answer that a man cannot use that common grace which
lie hath received so as to obtain the grace of regeneration, and that the
thing dependeth no way upon his will and choice, or that there is no
hope or possibility of doing otherwise than they do, or that, do their
duty or do it not, still condemnation rests upon them, then no less
difficulties will offer themselves. Flesh and blood will then complain
that God is harsh and austere, ' Heaping where he hath not sowed,
and gathering where he hath not strawed ;' and that he requireth what
we cannot do ; and when we do it not, doth severely punish us. What
shall we answer to the question, whether it be in the power of the
creature to acquire the special grace of regeneration by the good use
of common grace ? The best answer that we can give is, that the
question is curious, and needeth no answer. The business is not
488 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XVI.
whether God will or not, but what I am bound to do. The great rule
in all such cases is, God may do what he pleaseth, but I must do what
he commandeth. He that is deadly sick doth not refuse physic till he
be made certain that it will recover him ; but useth it, and committeth
the event to God. He that is to plough, and commit his precious seed
to the ground, doth not stand to have assurance that the next year
will prove fruitful and the seasons kindly, but ventures, because usually
God's blessing concurreth with man's industry. So in the business of
salvation, we should not dispute of our power, nor the event of our
endeavours : it is enough to acknowledge the debt of obedience, to try
our power, to endeavour to do what we ought to do, and then leave
the event to God. There is no need to dispute of our power ; it is
much safer to confess our impotency, to humble ourselves before God,
and to seek his blessing and grace in the means he hath instituted to
that end ; but not at all to doubt the counsel and will of God. And
the intention of Christ, whatever it be, will be no impediment to us in
doing our duty. And it is as certain that no man doth all that he
can, but by divers offences and abuse of the gifts received giveth God
just cause to be angry and withdraw his help. And it is also out of
doubt that it is not for want of God's help, but for their own folly and
negligence that they perish. Therefore let us do what we are com
manded to do, and leave the event to God, confessing when we have
done all that we can that God is not our debtor, but that we remain
debtors to God, guilty of eternal condemnation, as long as we are not
partakers of regeneration and justification by Christ. If we could
learn to suppress our cavils and curiosity by this humble submission,
the business of our salvation would soon come to an issue, and we
should find God better to us than we could imagine.
3. The next consideration is, that this increase is given in by
degrees : we have not all at first, nor all at once ; but as our capacities
are enlarged, so is God's hand : Ps. Ixxxi. 10, * Open thy mouth wide
and I will fill it.' The more we improve the grace received, the more
are we strengthened for God's service, and our desires and expec
tations, which are as the mouth of the soul, are more raised. It
is exercise maketh us see the necessity and worth of grace, and so
desire more as necessary to bear our burdens, perform our duties, and
resist temptations. And the more grace we have, and the more we
are acquainted with God, the more hopes have we towards him. By
hope and desire the soul is more widened and fitted to receive : as
Moses, ' Tell me thy name ;' and then, ' Show me thy glory/ None
see the want of learning so much as they that have most of it. So for
grace, the desire and sense of want increaseth with enjoyment ; so doth
God's bounty to us. The desires and endeavours of believers after
grace are not easily satisfied.
4. This gradual increase is continued, till at length all be full and
perfect. The apostle prayeth for the saints, Eph. iv. 19, that they
' might be filled with all the fulness of God.' God keepeth filling
still, till grace, begun here, be fully completed in glory hereafter ; and
in heaven they are filled up with God, as far as finite creatures are
capable of enjoying that which is infinite. The reason is, because the
riches of God's goodness are inexhaustible. God is never weary of
YERS. 28, 29.J SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 439
well-doing ; where he hath given, he will give ; and delighteth to crown
his own gifts. Some gifts of God leave some obligation upon him
to give more. Deus donando debet. Christ's reasoning implieth so
much : Mat. vi. 25, ' Is not life more than meat, and the body than
raiment?' That is an argument, as long as God will use us for his
glory he will provide for us : Zech. iii. 2, ' Is not this a brand plucked
out of the fire?' The argument is from a brand almost consumed.
Would God so eminently appear for them, not to destroy them?
Certainly he will still take care of them. This holdeth universally true
in point of grace ; for it is given as an earnest ; not as donum, a gift, as
men give a shilling to a beggar ; nor as pignus, a pledge, to be taken
away ; but as arrJia, an earnest of a greater sum, of which that is a
part. So that he that hath shall have more, and so abundance in all
perfection in heaven.
Secondly, Now I must speak to the loss. Talents may be said to
be lost, or taken away, two ways — in this world or in the next. These
proverbial speeches are made use of by Christ upon a twofold occa
sion — after the parable of the sower, Mat. xiii. 12, and here after the
parable of the talents : the one relateth to losing in this world, and the
other in the world to come. They that rejected the gospel, and would
not hear, or heard it carelessly, or would not come under the power
and obedience of it, all their external privileges, glittering profession,
common gifts of illumination, fasts, partial practice, all will be lost.
Only the good and honest heart, that receiveth the good seed so as to
keep it, so as to be a principle of life to them, to these shall be given.
And then here is the other occasion when Christ speaks this. The
taking away of the talents is after the lord had been reckoning with
his servants, after he had been a long time absent, and in a far country.
Therefore this taking away the talent is not meant of the gift itself, as
of the comfort, benefit, and reward of it ; for all trading then is at an
end ; that is the time of recompense, and the talent is lost. It will do
us no good to have had estates, and to have lived in pomp and splen
dour in the world, if we have not made use of it for God. Our fall
will be the greater because of our height. It will do us no good to
have borne office in the church if we have not been faithful: Mat.
vii. 22, ' Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, we have
prophesied in thy name/ Such as have taken up office and employ
ment in the church, and made no conscience of doing the duty that
belongeth thereto, these will not have, but lose their reward : these are
'idle shepherds/ Zech. xi. 17; their unfaithfulness and idleness in
their trust will cost them dear. So for the ordinances and means of
grace : Luke xiii. 26, ' Then shall they begin to say, We have ate and
drank in thy presence.' It will be no plea that you have been at God's
board; nay, you will have the greater judgment: Mat. xi. 23, 'And
thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be brought down
to hell.' A place that enjoyeth the gospel is near heaven, it is the
suburbs of heaven ; but where not improved, these privileges plunge a
man deeper in the state of condemnation. Sins against the law do
not weigh so deep in his balance as slighting and neglecting the gospel ;
that brings on heavy wrath. So for common gifts, good affections,
partial reformation ; it is all lost, as to any reward, Ezek. xxxiii. 13.
490 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XVI.
Yea, it is worse : 2 Peter ii. 20, 21, ' For if after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome ;
the latter end is worse with them than the beginning ; for it had been
better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after
they have known it to turn from the holy commandment/ The wrath
against them that return back to their sins is much greater than
if they had never been so enlightened and reformed. Those that have
had more light, and some taste of the sweetness of heaven's way, if
they fall away, it is hard to renew them to repentance. This is the
principal sense intended in this place ; yet because the words are so
contrived that they comprehend also the loss we may sustain in this
world while we are trading for God, I shall show you how God pun-
isheth naughty and elothf ul servants in this world with the loss of their
talents.
1. Sometimes God taketh from them opportunities and liberty of
doing good. Nothing is so soon lost as this : Gal. vi. 10, 'As we have
therefore opportunity, let us do good to all men.' There are some fit
opportunities offered us by the providence of God for doing our duty
in this kind, as are soon gone ; and being past and gone, it is hard to
say whether ever we may enjoy the like. As when we are specially
fitted, and there is a concurring harmony of all circumstances. There
fore, we should take hold of them without delay or fore-slowing. Oppor
tunities are not always as long as life : Eccles. xi. 1,2,' Cast thy
bread upon the waters, and give a portion to seven and to eight ; for
thou knowest not what evil there may be upon earth/ Embrace the
present opportunity ; thou canst not foresee how soon thou mayest be
deprived of it. Thou mayest die, and leave thy wealth to those that
will shut up their bowels. Thou mayest be in want ; God may dis
able thee : therefore, make use of the season for liberality, for doing
good, while you have it. So office, authority, respect in the church, is
an opportunity. God may cast us out of the vineyard by the. malice
of men, or as unsavoury salt, Mat. xiii. : Mai. ii. 9, ' Therefore, I
have made you contemptible and base before the people ; ' though all
that are cast out are not so. Mat. xxi. 35, the husbandmen took
' his servants, and beat one and killed another.' However, it will be
a discomfort if we have been negligent.
2. Ordinances ; means of improvement may be lost : Gen. vi. 3,
' My Spirit shall not always strive with man ;' that is, by the ministry
of Noah. And God threateneth to take away the hedge of his vine
yard when all his cost is lost : Isa. v. 5, 6, ' What could I have done
more for my vineyard ?' So Luke xiii. 7, ' And he said to the dresser
of the vineyard, Lo, these three years came I seeking fruit on this
fig-tree, and I find none; cut it down, why cumbereth it the
ground ? '
3. Common gifts; God justly taketh them away from those that
abuse, or make no good use of them. Many that excelled in gifts,
that seemed to have great parts, are pitifully blasted afterwards. It
is no hard matter to discern a maim and decay of gifts in them that
use them not, as if the Spirit were departed from them : Zech. xi. 17,
' The idol-shepherd's arm shall .be dried up, and his eye darkened ;'
VERS. 28, 29.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW xxv. 491
that is, his gifts shall be taken away, at least, the power and life of
them. Many lose the freshness of their gifts of prayer, the liveliness
of their knowledge.
4. Initial grace, Heb. vi. Saving gifts and graces are a^era/ze^ra,
without repentance, Rom. xi. 29. Where there is life begun, it is
not quenched; but where there are some hopeful inclinations, they
begin to draw off their hearts from the world to God ; though they
had ' escaped the pollutions of the world, their latter end may be worse
than their beginning/ 2 Peter ii. 20.
5. Dona sanctificantia ought still to be improved, that the grace
of God be not ' received in vain/ 1 Cor. xv. 10. Grace in some mea
sure may suffer ^ loss by our negligence : 1 Thes. v. 19, 'Quench not
the Spirit ; despise not prophesying/ Fire is quenched by pouring on
water or withdrawing fuel ; so the Spirit is quenched by living in°sin,
which is like pouring on water ; or not improving our gifts and grace,
which is like withdrawing the fuel. Gradus remittitur, actus inter-
mittiiur, habitus non amittitur. Though the habit be secured by
God's covenant, yet such portions and degrees of grace may be lost as
may not easily be recovered again.
Use is to commend to us diligence and industry, especially in the
work of our heavenly calling. A man's life is divided between waking
and sleeping, so is his waking time divided between labour and rest ;
for human nature cannot endure continual exercise without inter
mission. Therefore a spiritual wise man should so govern his life
that his labour may answer his great work and trust, and his rest may
not infringe his labour, but help it. Our first care should be of labour ;
for man in this world is born to labour. Here is not the place of his
rest and recompense, but of his exercise and trial. Rest is but for
labour ; therefore doth he rest that he may be refreshed for his labour.
Six days are given in the law to labour, but one to rest ; and that rest
is not carnal, but holy, and to be improved for our main duties. Adam
in innocency was not made for idleness. Moses telleth us that God
put him into the garden to dress it. That happiness we partook of
then was consistent enough with our work. He that looketh upon
the beauty of the sun may easily collect that God lighted not such a
bright torch for man to sleep by, or to pass over his days in ease and
idleness. The law that was given man to labour remained after sin ;
yea, sin brought grievousness and burden to it : so what was a law
before, is turned into a punishment now ; for God told Adam that ' in
the sweat of his brow he should eat his bread/ In the whole course
of nature nothing is idle ; the sun and stars do perpetually move and
roll up and down ; the earth bringeth forth fruit ; the seas have their
ebbings and Sowings, and the rivers their courses ; the angels are
described with wings, as ready to fulfil God's commandment, and run
to do his pleasure. It were an unworthy thing, among so many
examples and patterns of diligence, for man alone to be idle. In the
least creatures God hath taught us ; as by the ant or pismire : Prov.
vi. 6, ' Go to the ant, thou sluggard/ Now, as all men must labour,
so chiefly a Christian. The scripture compareth our life to a journey,
which is a constant motion till it be accomplished ; to threshing, which
is the painf ullest part of husbandry ; yea, to a warfare, when the enemy
492 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SER. XYI.
is at hand ready to fight. We are always to watch and pray. If our
enemy did not alarm us, yet our Master will call us to an account for
what we have done.
And consider the danger of negligence. It befalleth to the idle
and negligent, as those that came after the camp in the wilderness.
Amalek smote the weak and the feeble in the rear. Yea, God him
self will be angry with us. The idle and slothful servant is cast into
utter darkness, the foolish virgins are shut out. If God, by his
prophets, curseth them whom he employeth to execute his judgments —
' Cursed is he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently/ — what will
become of them that are negligent in working out their own salvation ?
Horses grow resty if they be not used, and impatient of a burden ; so
all goes to wreck in the soul if we are idle. We should profit when
we look on the fieM of the sluggard, Prov. xxiii. 30, 31, 34. So will
my soul be, if I let it alone. Oh ! then, shake off your sloth ; be not
always resolving, never beginning the heavenly course. Nothing can
be gotten, nothing kept, nothing to be enjoyed, without industry. The
saints in heaven are not idle ; but are always lauding, and praising,
and glorifying of God for evermore.
THE END OF VOL. IX.
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