The Leonard Library
OTpdtffe College
Toronto
Shelf
Register No....l..B..Q..O..Q.
1952-
THE
ENTIRE WORKS
or THE
REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A.
WITH COPIOUS INDEXES,
PREPARED BY THE REV.
THOMAS HARTWELL HORNE, B.D.
LONDON:
PRINTED BY RICHARD CLAY, BREAD-STREET-HILL.
HOR^E HOMILETIC^E:
OR
DISCOURSES
(PRINCIPALLY IN THE FORM OF SKELETONS)
NOW FIRST DIGESTED INTO ONE CONTINUED SERIES,
AND FORMING A COMMENTARY
UPON EVERY BOOK OF
THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT;
TO WHICH IS ANNEXED,
AN IMPROVED EDITION OF A TRANSLATION OF
CLAUDE S ESSAY ON THE COMPOSITION OF A SERMON.
IN TWENTY-ONE VOLUMES.
BY THE REV. CHARLES SIMEON, M.A
SENIOR FELLOW OF KING S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE.
VOL. VI. #
PSALMS, LXXIIL CL. COLLEGE
LONDON:
HOLDSWORTH AND BALL,
18, ST. PAUL S CITURCTT-YARD.
MDCCC XXXII.
CONTENTS TO VOL. VI.
Discourse
Text.
Subject.
Pag*.
623.
624.
625.
626.
627.
628.
629.
PSALMS
Ixxiii. 1.
Ixxiii. 16, 17.
Ixxiii. 23, 24.
Ixxiii. 25.
Ixxiii. 28.
Ixxiv. 22.
Ixxvi. 7.
The Goodness of God to Israel . . .
Prosperity of Sinners not to be envied
The Christian s Experience and Hopes
The Christian s Choice
Benefit of drawing near to God
God s Interest in his People . . . .
God Greatly to be feared . .
1
5
11
15
18
23
27
630.
631.
632.
Ixxvii. 7 10.
Ixxviii. 8.
Ixxviii. 19 22.
Despondency depicted and reproved .
Jews and Christians compared . . .
The Evil of Unbelief
31
37
42
633.
634.
Ixxviii. 32.
Ixxviii. 32, 33.
Obstinacy in Sin reproved . . . .
The Fruit of Impenitence and Un
belief
45
49
635.
636.
Ixxviii. 34 39.
Ixxx. 17 19.
The Extent of God s Mercy . . -
53
56
637.
638.
639.
640.
641.
Ixxxi. 10.
Ixxxi. 11, 12.
Ixxxiv. 1 4.
Ixxxiv. 10.
Ixxxiv. 1 1.
Prayer Effectual to any Extent
God giving up obstinate Transgressors
Divine Ordinances lovely ....
God s Ordinances precious ....
Promises to the Unrioht . . . .
60
64
67
71
76
642.
643.
Ixxxv. 8.
Ixxxv. 9, 10.
Attention to God s Word encouraged .
The Perfections of God reconciled in
Christ Jesus
80
83
644.
645
Ixxxvi. 1 5.
Ixxxvi. 11.
A praying Spirit exemplified . .
How to walk with God
88
93
646
Ixxxvii. 3.
97
647.
648.
649.
650.
Ixxxviii. 14 16.
Ixxxix. 15, 16.
Ixxxix. 19.
Ixxxix. 28 35.
j j
Distress of Soul considered ....
The Blessings of God s People . . .
The Sufficiency of Christ to save . .
God s covenant Engagements with Christ
and us ....
101
107
110
113
VI
CONTENTS.
Discourse.
Text.
Subject.
Page
651.
PSALMS
xc. 11, 12.
God s Anger a Reason for turning to
116
652.
653.
xc. 14.
xc. 17.
Satisfaction in God alone . . .
The Beauty of Jehovah imparted to his
121
125
654.
655.
656.
xci. 1 4.
xci. 9, 10.
xci. 14 16.
The Blessedness of God s People .
The Security of those who dwell in God
The Character and Privilege of the
Gospel
131
137
141
657.
658.
659
xcii. 4, 5.
xcii. 1215.
xciv 1 9
God admired in his Works . . . .
The Believer s Security
Comfort in God ......
144
146
151
660.
xcv. 6 1 1 .
Devotion to God recommended and en-
153
661.
xcvi. 1 3.
The Duty of making Christ known to
the Heathen
156
662.
663.
664.
665.
666.
667.
668.
669
xcvi. 9.
xcvii. 2.
xcvii. 1 1.
xcviii. 1 9.
c.l 5.
ci. 1.
ci. 2.
ci. 3.
Worship in the Beauty of Holiness
God s Ways dark but just ....
The Blessedness of the Righteous .
Christ s Advent a Ground of Joy .
Gentiles called to glorify God . .
Mercy and Judgment Grounds of Praise
A wise Deportment delineated . .
159
164
169
174
178
181
187
194
670.
671.
672.
673.
cii. 1315.
cii. 2528.
ciii. 1 5.
ciii. 8 13.
The Restoration of the Jews ....
The Eternity and Immutability of Christ
Duty of praising God for his Mercies
The Goodness of God
197
203
205
209
674.
675.
676.
ciii. 1518.
civ. 33, 34.
cvi. 4, 5.
Perpetuity of God s Mercy ....
The Duty of praising God ....
212
215
218
677.
cvi. 1012.
The Effects which national Mercies
should produce on us
220
678.
679.
680.
681.
682.
683.
cvi. 2123.
cvi. 30.
cvi. 48.
cvii. 1 3.
cvii. 8, 9.
cvii. 43.
The Evil and Danger of Ingratitude .
The Zeal of Phinehas commended . .
Praise to God for his Mercies .
Praise to God for Redemption .
The Duty and Grounds of Praise . .
God s Love seen in all his Dispensations
222
225
235
238
242
246
CONTENTS.
Discourse
Text.
Subject.
Page.
684.
685.
686.
PSALMS
ex. 17.
cxi. 2.
cxi. 10.
The Person and Offices of Christ . .
The great Work of Redemption . . .
The Fear of the Lord ....
250
256
260
687.
688.
689.
690.
cxiii. 5 8.
cxv. 9 13.
cxvi. 1 7.
cxvi. 8, 9.
Greatness and Condescension of God .
Trust in God recommended .
Thanksgiving for Deliverance .
Grateful Recollections
265
269
273
277
691.
692.
693.
694.
cxvi. 12 14.
cxvi. 15.
cxvii.
cxviii. 27, 28.
How to requite the Lord for his Mercies
The Death of Saints precious
The Gentiles called to praise God .
The Exaltation of Christ a Ground oj
Confidence . . . . .
282
288
291
295
695.
696.
697.
698.
699.
700.
cxix. 4 6.
cxix. 9.
cxix. 18.
cxix. 20.
cxix. 30 32.
cxix. 34.
Practical Religion enforced .
God s Word the Means of Sanctification
How to attain Divine Knowledge
David s Desire after God s Word .
Christian Experience .
Wisdom of true Piety
299
302
306
310
315
318
701.
702.
cxix. 37.
cxix. 45.
The Vanities of this World an Obstacle
to spiritual Progress
True Liberty
322
326
703.
704.
cxix. 51, 52.
cxix. 59, 60.
Comfort under Persecution . . .
Serious and speedy Conversion to God
recommended
329
333
705.
cxix. 68.
The Goodness of God
337
706.
cxix. 71 .
The Benefit of Affliction .
339
707.
708.
cxix. 76.
cxix. 97 100.
The Loving-kindness of God . . .
David s Boasting explained and vin-
344
347
709.
710.
711.
712.
713.
cxix. 128.
cxix. 132, 133.
cxix. 136.
cxix. 145148.
cxix. 165.
The true Test of Religion in the Soul
The Christian s chief Desires .
Reasons for weeping over Sinners .
David s Desire to serve God
Blessedness of those who love God s
Law
350
364
368
371
375
714.
715.
716.
717.
cxxi. 1 8.
cxxiv. 1 8.
cxxiv. 1 8.
cxxv. 1, 2.
Security of those who trust in God . .
Thanksgiving for great Deliverance
God to be acknowledged in our Mercies
Trust in the Lord
379
384
385
391
Vlll
CONTENTS.
l>icourse.
Text.
Subject.
Page.
718.
719.
720.
721.
722.
723.
724.
725.
726.
727.
728.
729.
730.
731.
732.
733.
734.
735.
736.
737.
738.
739.
740.
741.
742.
743.
744.
745.
746.
747.
748.
749.
750.
751.
752.
PSALMS
cxxv. 4, 5.
cxxvi. 1 4.
cxxvi. 5.
cxxvi. 5, 6.
cxxx. 1 4.
cxxx. 5, 6.
cxxx, 7, 8.
cxxxi. 2,
cxxxii. 13 16.
cxxxiii. 1 3.
cxxxvi. 26.
cxxxviii. 2.
cxxxviii. 3.
cxxxviii. 4, 5.
cxxxviii. 6.
cxxxviii. 8.
cxxxix. 1 12.
cxxxix. 17, 18.
cxxxix. 23, 24.
cxlii. 7.
cxliii. 2.
cxliii. 7 10.
cxliv. 15.
cxlv. 1, 2.
cxlv. 8. 9.
cxlv. 18, 19.
cxlvi. 5.
cxlvi. 7, 8.
cxlvii. 5 7.
cxlvii. 11.
cxlvii. 12 14.
cxlviii. 14.
cxlix. 2.
cxlix. 46.
cl. 6.
The Upright and Apostates contrasted
Deliverance from spiritual Bondage
394
397
402
405
411
415
419
422
426
429
432
436
441
444
448
452
455
460
465
467
471
475
480
485
490
493
498
502
506
509
512
516
520
523
526
God s Mercy an Encouragement to
Praiier
^Vaitino upon God
The Duty of hoping in God ....
Weanedness from the World
Zion a Type of the Church ....
The Benefit of Christian Unity
A Call to adore God for his Mercy .
God s TVord magnified . . . .
j j
The Gospel a Source of Happiness
God s Views of the Lowly and of the
Proud
God s Care of his People ....
Omnipresence and Omniscience of God
A Christian s Delight in God . . .
The Difficulty of knowing our own State
A strict Award of Justice deprecated .
God a Refuge to the Distressed . .
The Blessedness of the Righteous . .
Praise to God for his Goodness and
The Goodness of God to Man . . .
God s Readiness to answer Prayer .
The Blessedness of trusting in God
The Extent of Christ s Compassion
The Power and Wisdom of God . .
God s Regard for the least of his Saints
Temporal Mercies a Ground of Praise
God s People near unto him .
Duty of praising God for his Goodness
The Duty of praising God .
PSALMS.
DCXXIII.
THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO ISRAEL.
Ps. Ixxiii. 1. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are
of a clean heart.
THE aversion which men usually feel to a vindi
cation of God s absolute sovereignty, proceeds from
an idea, that the exercise of it would be repugnant to
his other perfections of goodness and mercy. But
there is no just foundation for this conceit : nor is
there any reason why we should doubt the sove
reignty of God, any more than any other of his
attributes. That God does dispense his favours
according to his own will is an undeniable truth :
how else can we account for his taking one nation
from the midst of another nation, and forming them
for his peculiar people, and giving them his righteous
laws, and expelling seven nations from the land of
Canaan in order to give it to his chosen people for
their inheritance ? But however freely he exercises
his own prerogative in this respect, he will take care
that his final appointment of men s states shall accord
with perfect equity : he even calls the day in which
that decision shall pass, " The day of the revelation
of the righteous judgment of God." The truth is,
that though God has no respect to men s moral cha
racters in the first communications of his mercy, he
invariably transforms the objects of that mercy in
such a manner, as to make it suitable and proper that
he should confer upon them the ultimate and ever
lasting tokens of his love. The Israel of old, and
those to whom that name at this time belongs, were,
and are, a chosen people : but all the true Israel are
renewed in the spirit of their minds ; they are " such
VOL. VI. B
2 PSALMS, LXXIII. 1. [623.
as are of a clean heart;" and therefore they are such
as may reasonably hope to experience the transcen
dent goodness of their God.
The words before us will naturally lead us to
consider,
I. The character of Israel
" All are not Israel, who are of Israel*." The
true Israel are widely different from those who are
only " Israelites after the flesh." They cannot how
ever be known from others by their outward appear
ance. Others may be as modest in their apparel, and
as humble in their looks, as they ; and yet have no
part with them in their more distinctive characters.
They cannot be distinguished from others by their
language. There certainly is a mode of speaking
which religious people will adopt : they will be sin
cere, modest, inoffensive ; and will accustom them
selves to such speech as, " being seasoned with salt,"
is calculated to " administer grace to the hearers."
But hypocrites may vie with them in this particular
also. Nor can they be altogether known from others
by their actions : for though their actions will doubt
less be holy, and just, and good, and extremely dif
ferent from those of the ungodly world, yet Pharisees
and formalists may " cleanse the outside of the cup
and platter," and be as punctual and correct in all
external duties as any persons whatever.
The true Israelite is known by no external badge,
but by "the circumcision of the heart" only b . He
is of a clean heart : he is clean,
1. From idolatrous regards
[The very best of ungodly men teas some idol in his heart
which usurps the throne of God. Pleasure, riches, and honour
are the common objects of men s regards: but some, who seem
indifferent to these things, are no less in subjection to a carnal
love of ease, wherein their happiness principally consists. But
the true Christian has taken the Lord for his God; and has
determined, through grace, that no rival shall ever be harboured
in his bosom. He makes his adorable Saviour the one object
of all his trust, his love, and his obedience 6 .]
2. From allowed lusts
a Rom. ix. G. t> Rom. ii. 28, 29. c Ps. Ixxiii. 25.
623.] THE GOODNESS OF GOD TO ISRAEL. 3
[None but those who have embraced the promises of the
Gospel have been able to " cleanse themselves from all fleshly
and spiritual filthiness :" but " all who are really Christ s, have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." We say not,
that Christians have no lusts remaining in them ; (for a man
that is crucified may still continue to live a considerable time ;
and the lusts that are crucified may still live and act :) but their
lusts shall never regain the liberty which they once had : the
death of their corruption is irreversibly decreed ; and their
strength is gradually weakening; and in due time they shall
utterly expire. In all other persons, sin of some kind has
dominion ; but over the Christian " it shall not ; because he is
not under the law, but under grace."]
3. From sinister and selfish motives
[All, even the most refined hypocrites, are under the
influence of self-seeking and self-complacency. But the true
Christian endeavours to consult the glory of his God. He is
as jealous of his motives, as of his actions. He knows that
self is but too apt to mix with what we do ; and therefore he
labours to counteract its influence, and to do his most common
actions to the glory of his God. To please God, to serve God,
to honour God, these are the ends which he proposes to him
self; nor is he ever satisfied with any one action which has not
these objects as their true and ultimate scope. He that is " an
Israelite indeed, is an Israelite without guile d ."]
Let us now proceed to contemplate,
II. The character of Israel s God
" God is good to all, and his tender mercy is over
a~ll his works :" but he is more especially good to
Israel : for,
1. He is reconciled to them
[They once were under his displeasure, even as others :
but he has given them repentance unto life ; he has accepted
them in and through his beloved Son ; he has blotted out all
their transgressions as a morning cloud; and " he has given
them a name better than of sons and of daughters." These are
peculiar mercies not vouchsafed to others, whatever be their
profession, or whatever their character.]
2. He admits them to most familiar communion
with himself
[Others may have prayed in some peculiar extremity, and
may have obtained deliverance from their distress ; but " they
will not always call upon God:" prayer is not their delight;
nor have they any freedom of access to God in it. But " the
a John i. 47.
4 PSALMS, LXXIII. 1. [623.
true Israel" are " a people nigh unto God." It is their delight
to draw nigh to God at all times, to make known to him their
requests on all occasions, and to walk continually in the light of
his countenance. He, on the other hand, like a tender parent,
condescends to hear and answer their petitions, and reveals
himself to them as he does not unto the world. Thus, while
others perform prayer as a mere service which they would think
it criminal to neglect, they account it their highest privilege to
say, " Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son,
Jesus Christ."]
3. He makes all things to work together for their
good
[Many dark and afflictive dispensations do they meet with;
but not one more than shall issue in their good. Under the pres
sure of their trials they may be ready to say, " All these things
are against me : " but they shall at last see reason to confess,
that " it is good for them that they have been afflicted." God
has expressly promised, that " all things should work together
for their good ; " and he sooner or later fulfils the promise, to
every one that loves him, and that trusts in him. The perse
cutions of men and the temptations of Satan shall ultimately
conduce to this end: " The wrath of men and devils shall praise
him ; and the remainder of it," which would counteract his
designs, " he will restrain."]
4. He has prepared for them a glorious and ever
lasting inheritance
[To others he generally gives a greater measure of earthly
wealth: but " for these he has prepared a city;" being " not
ashamed to be called their God." The very hope and prospect
of that far outweighs all earthly possessions ; What then must
the actual enjoyment of it be ! With what emphasis do those
in heaven say, "Truly God is good to Israel!" Well does
David exclaim, " O how great is thy goodness which thou hast
laid up for them that fear thee e !" But we must wait till we
come to heaven, before we can form any adequate idea of this
glorious subject.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are ignorant of God
[You are ready to think of God only as a harsh Master,
and a severe Judge : but if you knew him aright, you would
cry out, with the prophet, " How great is his goodness ! how
great is his beauty!"" The fact is, that while your heart is so
corrupt, you cannot form any correct judgment concerning God:
your eyes are jaundiced, and you behold all his perfections,
yea, and his dispensations too, under false colours : " the light
e Ps. xxxi. 19.
624.] SINNERS PROSPERITY NOT ENVIABLE. 5
shines ; but your darkness doth not comprehend it." If you
would know him as he is, pray that he would " create in you
a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within you." Then
shall you be disposed to admire the justice and holiness which
you now hate, and, instead of denying his distinguishing grace,
you will seek to obtain an interest in it f .]
2. Those who are tempted to think hardly of God
[This had been the state of the Psalmist s mind, just before
he penned this psalm : and it was on finding his error, that he
abruptly exclaimed, " Truly God is good," notwithstanding-
all I have been tempted to think to the contrary. The same
temptations are common with us : and when we see the un
godly triumphing and the righteous afflicted, we are ready to
say, " I have cleansed my heart in vain> and washed my hands
in innocency." But go into the sanctuary, as David did, and
then you will learn the different ends of the righteous and the
wicked. Take eternity into your estimate, and the delusion
will vanish ; and you will see, that no state in which an ungodly
man can possibly be, is any more to be compared with yours,
than the twinkling of a taper is with the light and splendour
of the meridian sun.]
f See Ps. cvi. 4, 5.
DCXXIV.
PROSPERITY OF SINNERS NOT TO BE ENVIED.
Ps. Ixxiii. 16, 17. When I thought to know this, it was too
painful for me ; until 1 went into the sanctuary of God :
then understood I their end.
TO unenlightened man, there are numberless things
in the dispensations of Providence altogether dark
and inexplicable : it is the light of Revelation only
that enables us to form any just notions respecting
them. Moreover, after that men are enlightened,
they still are liable to be disconcerted and perplexed
by the events which daily occur, in proportion as they
lean to their own understandings, and neglect to avail
themselves of the means which are afforded them for
the regulation of their judgment. Nor has Satan
any more powerful instruments wherewith to assault
the minds of Believers, than those which he derives
from this source. The temptation with which he
assaulted our first parents in Paradise, was furnished
by the prohibition which God had given them to eat
6 PSALMS, LXXIII. 16, 17. [624.
of a certain tree ; " Hath God said, Ye shall not eat
of every tree of the garden ?" insinuating, that such a
prohibition could never have proceeded from a God
of love. In like manner, if God have seen fit to
deny his people any particular comfort which he has
vouchsafed to others, or suffered them to be afflicted
in any respect more than others, Satan suggests to
their minds, How can these dispensations consist
with his professed regard for you as his own peculiar
people ? Thus their subtle adversary would instil
into their minds hard thoughts of God, and a distrust
of his providential care. It was in this way that he
assaulted the author of the psalm before us, and
caused him almost to renounce his confidence in
God. The Psalmist himself (whether it were Asaph,
or David, we cannot certainly declare) tells us, how
nearly he was overcome by this temptation : " As for
me, my feet were almost gone ; my steps had well
nigh slipped : for I was envious at the foolish, when
I saw the prosperity of the wicked." He proceeds
more fully to state the difficulty with which his mind
was harassed, and the way in which the snare was
broken : and as the subject is of universal interest,
we will draw your attention to it, by stating,
I. The difficulty-
It is frequently seen that the wicked prosper, whilst
the godly are grievously oppressed
[The godly are for the most part " a poor and afflicted
people 3 ." They are objects of hatred and contempt to an un
godly world b , and they suffer much from the unkind treatment
which they meet with c . Not unfrequently, " their greatest foes
are those of their own household." From the hand of God
also they receive many strokes of fatherly correction, from which
the avowed enemies of God are in great measure exempt d . It
is necessary also, with a view to the accomplishment of God s
purpose of love towards them, that they should, for the most
part, " be in heaviness through manifold temptations 6 ."
The wicked, on the contrary, frequently pass through life
without any particular trials f : having nothing to humble them,
they are lifted up with pride, (which they glory in as their
brightest ornament g ;) and are encompassed with violence, as
a Zeph. iii. 12. b John xv. 19. c 2 Tim. iii. 12.
d Heb. xii. 68. e 1 Pet. i. 6. f ver. 4, 5.
e Dan. v. 29. with ver. 6.
624.] SINNERS PROSPERITY NOT ENVIABLE. 7
their daily habit: they gratify their sensual appetites, " till their
eyes stand out with fatness 11 :" they despise all restraint, whether
human or divine 1 ; and even atheistically question, Whether
God notices and regards the conduct of his creatures k . These
are the persons who generally get forward in life, and engross
to themselves the wealth and honours of a corrupt world.
Doubtless, in countries where the rights of individuals are
secured by just laws and a righteous administration, this in
equality will be less apparent, than in places, where there
is more scope afforded for the unrestrained exercise of fraud
and violence : but in every place there is ample evidence, that
worldly prosperity is the attainment, not of spiritual, but of
carnal minds
This, to the carnal mind, presents a difficulty not
easy to be explained
[There is in the mind of man a general idea that the
Governor of the universe will testify by his present dispensa
tions his love for virtue, and his hatred of iniquity. The
friends of Job carried this notion so far, that, without any
other evidence than what arose from his peculiar trials, they
concluded, that he must of necessity have been a hypocrite and
deceiver, whom justice at last had visibly overtaken. Nor
could Job himself understand, how it should be, that the pro
sperity of the wicked should be so great, whilst he, who had
walked in his integrity, was so overwhelmed with troubles 1 .
Even the Prophet Jeremiah, who might be supposed to have
a deeper insight into divine truth than Job, was stumbled at
the same thing: and therefore we must not wonder that it
operates as a temptation in the minds of the generality.
Under the Mosaic dispensation, the difficulty of accounting
for these things was certainly very great : for all the sanctions
of the Law were almost, if not altogether, of a temporal nature:
temporal prosperity was promised, and that too in very general
and unqualified terms, as the reward of obedience ; and temporal
judgments were threatened as the punishment of disobedience:
and consequently, when the wicked prospered and the righteous
were oppressed, it seemed as if the providence of God were
in direct opposition to his word. Nor did Moses alone give
ground for such expectations: even David himself had said,
that " they who sought the Lord should want no manner of
thing that was good 11 ." Nay more, the same language is used
in the New Testament : If we " seek first the kingdom of God
and his righteousness, all earthly comforts shall be added unto
us." And again, " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit
the earth ." Now it may be asked, How can this consist with
h ver. 7. * ver. 8, 9. Mark the language of ver. 9.
k ver. 11. i Job xxi. 713. m Jer. xii. 1.
11 Ps. xxxiv. 10. and Ixxxiv. 11. Matt. v. 5. and vi. 33.
8 PSALMS, LXXIII. 16, 17. [624.
the exaltation of the wicked, and the almost universal depres
sion of the righteous, of whom it may be said, that ^ they are
plagued all the day long, and chastened every morning p ?"]
But the Psalmist, having stated his difficulty, gives
us,
II. The solution-
To the carnal mind the difficulty is insurmount
able : but " if we enter into the sanctuary of God,"
it will vanish instantly. There we shall see the
lamentable state of the wicked in the midst of their
prosperity ;
1. The danger of their way
[" Their feet are set in slippery places," where it is,
humanly speaking, impossible for them to stand. This may
appear a strong assertion; but it is not at all too strong: it is
the assertion of our Lord himself q Indeed, it is with
great justice said by Solomon, that " the prosperity of fools
destroyeth them 1 ;" for it almost universally generates those
very dispositions which are so strongly depicted in the psalm
before us s . If riches increase, we are immediately ready " to
set our heart upon them*," and to trust in them rather than
in God u . They foster pride in the heart of the possessor x ;
and lead not unfrequently to an oppressive conduct towards
the poor y , and to the most daring impiety towards God 2 . Are
they then to be envied, who are placed in such perilous circum
stances ? or are they to be envied, who, when running for
their lives, have " their feet laden with thick clay ?" Be it so,
that the rich have many comforts which the poor taste not of:
but what enjoyment can that man have of a feast, who sees a
sword suspended over his head by a single hair, and knows not
but that it may fall and pierce him the very next minute ? So
the man who knows his own weakness, and the force of the
temptations to which he may be exposed, will be well satisfied
to have such a portion only of this world as God sees fit to
give him ; and will abundantly prefer the eternal welfare of
his soul before all the gratifications that wealth or honour can
afford him.]
2. The awfulness of their end
[As God raised up Pharaoh to the throne of Egypt, with
an intent to shew forth in him his wrathful indignation against
sin a ; so he loads with temporal benefits many, who shall
P ver. 14. q Mark x. 23 27. r Prov. i. 32.
8 ver. 6 11. t p s . i x ii. IQ.
u 1 Tim. vi. 17. Luke xii. 19. * Prov. xviii. 23.
y Jam. ii. 6. z Jam. ii. 7. a Rom. ix. 17.
624.] SINNERS PROSPERITY NOT ENVIABLE. 9
finally be made objects of his heavy displeasure for their abuse
of them. He bears with them for a season : but " their feet
shall slide in due time b ;" and then " they will be cast down
into everlasting destruction ." O how terrible is their trans
ition in a single instant, from a fulness of all earthly comforts
to an utter destitution d even of " a drop of water to cool their
tongue !" Think of the Rich Man who was clothed in purple
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: what a
change did he experience the moment that his soul departed
from the body ! The next thing we hear of him is, that " he
was in hell, lifting up his eyes in torment," such as no words
can describe, no imagination can conceive 6 . Lazarus, on the
contrary, who in this world had not the most common neces
saries of life, was enjoying unspeakable and endless felicity in
Abraham s bosom. Who that beholds the termination of their
career, would not infinitely prefer the temporal estate of
Lazarus, even though it should last a thousand years, before
all the vanishing gratifications of the man of wealth ? If it
should be thought that this rich man was more addicted to sin
than others, the account we have of him suggests no ground
for it whatever: on the contrary, it tells us, that his five
surviving brethren, who inherited his wealth, were, like him,
yielding to the sad influence of the temptations which it offered,
and therefore were hastening to that same place of torment,
to which he had been consigned f . Doubtless it is painful to
reflect on the thoughtless security of millions, who, if not
guilty of any flagrant enormity, have no conception of the
predicament in which they stand. But the Scripture speaks
too plainly on this subject to admit of any doubt g
Say then, Are these to be envied? Alas! if viewed aright,
they must be regarded only as persons accumulating wrath
upon their own heads h , or as victims fattening for the slaughter 1 :
and consequently, their superior prosperity in earthly things
affords no ground for complaint to the godly, however destitute
they may be, or however afflicted.]
Let us LEARN then from this subject,
1. To mark the motions of our own hearts
[We greatly deceive ourselves if we imagine that our
actions afford a sufficient criterion for judging of our state.
There are many who indulge in all manner of evil thoughts,
whilst yet they are restrained by merely political considera
tions from carrying them into effect. Whilst therefore man
b Deut. xxxii. 35. c ver. 18. d ver. 19.
e Luke xvi. 23, 24. f Luke xvi. 27, 28.
g Ps. xcii. 7. Job xx. 4 7. and xxi. 30. Prov. xxiii. 17, 18.
h Rom. ii. 5. Jam. v. 1, 2, 3, 5.
10 PSALMS, LXXIII. 16, 17. [624.
sees nothing amiss in us, God may see our " hearts to be full
of evil." It was not any overt act that the Psalmist spoke of
in our text, but of his thoughts only : and yet he acknow
ledges, that they had well nigh destroyed and ruined his soul k .
O let us observe from time to time the various thoughts that
arise in our corrupt hearts, (the proud, the vain, the envious,
the wrathful, the vindictive, the impure, the covetous, the
worldly thoughts,) and let us humble ourselves for them in
dust and ashes, and pray, that " the thoughts of our hearts
may be forgiven us 1 !" If we view ourselves as we really are
in the sight of God, we shall see that we may, on many occa
sions, justly, and without hyperbole, say, " So foolish am I
and ignorant, I am even as a beast before thee m ."]
2. To be satisfied with our condition
[To Judas was consigned the custody of the stock provided
for the daily support of our Lord and his disciples. What if
the other disciples had envied him that honour ? would they
have been wise ? Judas was a thief: and the pre-eminence he
enjoyed, afforded him an opportunity of gratifying his covetous
desires, whilst the rest were free from any such temptation. God
knows that many of those things which we would fain enjoy,
would only prove snares and temptations to our souls. He
sees, not only the evil that does exist, but the evil also that
might arise, within us : and he withholds in mercy many things,
which he knows would be injurious to our spiritual welfare.
How happy would it have been for the Rich Youth in the
Gospel, if, instead of being possessed of wealth, he had been
as poor as Lazarus ! It was his wealth alone that induced
him to forego all hope of an interest in Christ": and, if he had
been a poor man, he might, for aught we know, have been at
this moment a blest inhabitant of heaven. Let us then re
member, that if God sends us trials which we would gladly
escape, or withholds comforts which we would desire to pos
sess, he does it in wisdom, and in love : and in all probability
we shall one day see reason to adore him for the things which
we now deplore, as much as for any of those benefits in which
we are most disposed to rejoice.]
3. To seek above all things the prosperity of our
souls
[Here is full scope for our ambition. We may " covet, as
earnestly as we will, the best gifts." We must not indeed
grudge to any their higher attainments: but we may take
occasion from the superior piety of others to aspire after the
highest possible communications of grace and peace. Were
we to possess the whole world, we must leave it all, and " go
k vcr. 2, 3. l Acts viii. 22. m ver. 22. n Mark x. 22.
625. J THE CHRISTIAN S EXPERIENCE AND HOPES. 11
as naked out of the world as we came into it." But, if we
possess spiritual riches, we shall carry them with us into the
eternal world, and have our weight of glory proportioned to
them. The operation of these upon our souls needs not to be
feared : they bring no snare with them ; or, if they be accom
panied with a temptation to pride, they will lead us to Him,
who will assuredly supply an antidote, to screen us from its
injurious effects . If we are " rich towards God," we are
truly rich ; yea, though we possess nothing in the world be
sides, we may exult, as " having nothing, and yet possessing
aU things P."]
2 Cor. xii. 79. P 2 Cor. vi. 10.
DCXXV.
THE CHRISTIAN S EXPERIENCE AND HOPES.
Ps. Ixxiii. 23, 24. / am continually with tliee : Thou hast
holden me by my right hand. Thou shalt guide me with thy
counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
THERE are in the Holy Scriptures many expres
sions which are difficult to be reconciled with each
other. For instance, the Psalmist, in the very words
before my text, says, " So foolish was I and ignorant,
I was as a beast before thee." Yet behold, in the
text itself, he speaks as one enjoying the sublimest
communion with his God, and possessing a most con
fident expectation of his favour. Now, how is this
to be explained? The fact is, that he had been
sorely tempted to envy the ungodly world, when he
saw how prosperous they were, in comparison of
many of God s most faithful servants. But when he
reflected on "the end" that awaited them, he con
demned his former thoughts, as betraying rather the
ignorance of a beast than the judgment of a real
saint : and then he congratulated himself as elevated
far above the most prosperous of ungodly men, in
that, whatever he might want in this world, he pos
sessed God himself for his friend, his counsellor, his
everlasting portion.
I shall take occasion from these words to consider
the saint in,
I. His present experience
12 PSALMS, LXX1II. 23, 24. [625.
Here we see, the saint with his God, in a way of
humble dependence ; and his God with him, in a way
of effectual support.
1. The saint with his God
[Numberless are the difficulties with which the Christian
is encompassed, whilst yet in himself he has not power to
surmount the smallest of them. In fact, he has to wrestle not
only with flesh and blood, but with all the principalities and
powers of hell itself. What then shall he do ? How shall he
entertain a hope of a successful issue ? He would sit down in
utter despair, but that he remembers he has with him, at all
times, a Friend, who is almighty, and all-sufficient for him.
He has been taught to look unto God as his Father in Christ
Jesus : he has been assured, that, since he has fled to Christ
for refuge, and sought for reconciliation with God through
Him, he is entitled to regard God as a friend, and to commit
into his hands his every concern. Hence he becomes com
posed, in the midst of all his trials ; and comforts himself with
the reflection, ( I am continually with my God : I see him
ever present with me : confiding in him, I have no fear : it is
a small matter to me what confederacies there may be against
me : having him at hand, I need no other help : I therefore
repose all my confidence on him, and " cast all my care
on him". ]
2. His God with him
[To enter fully into this idea ; conceive of a child passing
over rocks where there is scarcely room for his feet ; and where
the path is so slippery, that it is scarcely possible for him to
stand ; and where there are precipices on every hand so steep
and tremendous, that a single false step must of necessity
cause him to be dashed in pieces. Conceive a father guiding
his beloved child in all this way ; " holding him by his right
hand," that he may not fall ; and raising him up, if at any time
he have fallen ; and preserving him from all the dangers to
which he is exposed. Here you see our God with the soul
who trusts in him. Not for a moment does he leave the
trembling saint : and it is altogether in consequence of this
effectual help that any saint in the universe is enabled to
pursue his way. Hence every child of God ascribes his safety
to him who has thus upheld him ; and with unfeigned gratitude
exclaims, " My foot standeth fast : in the congregation will I
bless the LordV]
In unison with his present experience, are,
II. His future prospects
a Ps. xxvi. 12.
625.] T HE CHRISTIAN S EXPERIENCE AND HOPES. 13
" Knowing in whom he has believed/ he expects
1. Guidance in all his way-
fin addition to all the difficulties of his journey, he knows
not which way he is to pursue. He has a general notion of
his path : but an infinite variety of circumstances occur from
time to time, to render it difficult to discern which is the way
in which it will be best and safest for him to proceed. He is
aware that one single step may lead to consequences incon
ceivably important. Joseph was sent to visit his brethren.
The step was good : but oh ! to what a diversity of trials did
it lead b ! David also was sent to visit his brethren : here too
the step was good; and from it resulted the victory over
Goliath, and the deliverance of Israel from their oppressors .
In the consciousness that God alone can guide him, he asks
counsel of the Lord every step he takes : and God vouch
safes to guide his feet into the way of peace. There are
many different means which God is pleased to make use of
for the direction of his people : sometimes he guides by his
word; sometimes by his Spirit; sometimes by his providence,
opening or shutting a door, as is pleasing in his sight : diver
sifying these as he sees occasion, he accomplishes his gracious
ends; just as, in the days of old, he led his people Israel
through the trackless wilderness, till they came in safety to the
Promised Land.
The entire process may be seen, as it were, realized in
actual life. Behold the saint s desire of counsel, as expressed
in the prayers of David d and mark the accomplish
ment of that desire in the consolations and encouragements
administered to the waiting soul 6 - And this is exactly
what every believing soul is warranted to expect: " I will
instruct thee, and teach thee in the way thou shalt go : I will
guide thee with mine eye f ."]
2. Glory at the end
[Never will God cease from his offices of love, till he has
completed all his gracious purposes, and fulfilled the utmost
desires of those who wait upon him. Glory is that to which
every soul looks forward, as the consummation of its bliss :
that is " the joy that is set before us, the prize of our high
calling," " the recompence of our reward ; " and God will not
suffer his people to come short of it. " He will fulfil in them
all the good pleasure of his goodness," till the work which has
been begun in grace is consummated in glory. Of this St. Paul
was confident^; and in the prospect of it every believing soul
b Gen. xxxvii. 14. c 1 Sam. xvii. 20. d Ps. cxliii. 4 8.
e Isai. xli. 1015. f Ps. xxxii. 8. Phil. i. 6.
14 PSALMS, LXXIII. 23, 24. [625.
may rejoice, even as if he were already in possession of the
full result 11 - ]
SEE, then, the Christian s life exhibited before you.
It is,
1. An arduous life
[The people of the world imagine it an easy thing to get
to heaven : but the real saint finds it far otherwise. They
glide down the stream in a way of carnal gratification : but he
has to go against the stream of corrupt nature, and to stem
the tide of a voluptuous world. Were it so easy a matter to
serve the Lord, it would never have been characterized by
terms which convey so different an idea. The wrestler, the
racer, the warrior, find that they have enough to do, in order
to obtain a successful issue to their exertions.]
2. An anxious life
[St. Paul says, " I would have you without carefulness."
But our Lord says, " Watch and pray, that ye enter not into
temptation." Unbelieving anxiety is doubtless to be put away:
but watchfulness and holy fear are never to be intermitted one
single moment. St. Peter knew, by bitter experience, how
needful that caution was, " Be sober, be vigilant; because
your Adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about, seek
ing whom he may devour." It would ill become a man on the
borders of eternity to indulge a careless frame of mind. The
most eminent saint in the universe should " take heed lest he
fall," and should " walk in the fear of the Lord all the day
long."]
3. A happy life-
fit should seem as if anxiety were inconsistent with hap
piness. And it would be so, if we knew not where to look for
the grace that is needful for us. But the very trials which
drive us to our God for help, are the means of drawing forth
the succours which God has promised, and of bringing God
himself into closer union with us. In truth, it is from such
discoveries of the divine character, and such communications
of the heavenly grace, that the Believer derives his sublimes t
pleasures : and he is then most truly happy, when " his fel
lowship is most intimate with the Father, and with his Son
Jesus Christ 1 ."]
4. A glorious life
[To the eye of sense, a Believer is only like a common
man, and his walk like that of other men : but to the eye of
faith it is not so. A Believer walks with God : his soul is
h Rom. viii. 3339. * 1 John i. 3.
THE CHRISTIAN S CHOICE. 15
brought into closest union with the Deity. What has been
said of a father and a son, does but very faintly convey what
actually passes between God and him. There is, on the one
part, the entire dependence of his soul on God ; and, on the
other part, the tender care of a father exercised towards him
in every step he takes. Throughout the whole of his life is this
continued, till the period has arrived for his being invested with
all the glory and felicity of heaven. And is not this a glorious
life ; ordered as it is by the Father ; prepared by the Son ;
effected by the Holy Spirit ; begun in grace ; consummated in
glory ? Think what ye will, this is a glorious life indeed ; a
life which even an angel might affect; and which is, in some
respects, more glorious than that of angels, inasmuch as it is
the effect of Redeeming Love, and will issue in louder songs of
praise and thanksgiving, than the angels, who never experienced
such trials, will ever be able to sing.]
DCXXVI.
THE CHRISTIAN S CHOICE.
Ps. Ixxiii. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is
none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
THIS evil and deceitful world promises happiness
to its votaries ; and men, naturally carnal, are too
willing to be deceived by it. Even the godly them
selves are sometimes drawn aside by its delusions ;
but when the snare is broken, they see, and lament
their folly a . David contrasted the mirth of the
wicked with the troubles he had to conflict with,
and was ready to conclude that they had a better
portion than himself b ; but on deeper investigation
he found, that their happiness was soon to end c .
Whereas, however difficult his path at present was,
God would guide him safely to the regions of eternal
felicity d .
Hence, as the result of his more deliberate judg
ment, he determines to take God as his only portion 6 .
I. The Christian s choice
The Christian, by nature, differs not at all from
those who are still in darkness. He once chose the
a ver. 22. t> ver . ^ 4, .^ IQ, 12, 13, 14.
c ver. 1720. a ver< 23, 24. e The text.
16 PSALMS, LXXIII. 25. [626.
world as the portion in which his soul delighted, but
now he renounces it as sincerely as he ever loved it
[He does not indeed treat it with stoical indifference.
He knows that wealth and honour are capable of important
uses, and that, if God bestow them, they may be richly
enjoyed f . But he is well assured that they are not a satisfying
portion : he is persuaded that our cares increase with our pos
sessions g , and that Solomon s testimony respecting the world
is true h .]
God is the one object of his choice
[Before his conversion he could think as lightly of God as
others 1 , but grace has altogether changed his sentiments and
desires. God appears to him now exceeding great and glorious.
The love of God in sending his own Son to die for us has
made an indelible impression on his mind. Since the Chris
tian has been enabled to see this mystery, all created beauties
have vanished as the stars before the sun. There is nothing
" on earth" which, in his eyes, can stand for one moment in
competition with his incarnate God. The pleasures, riches,
and honours of the world seem lighter than vanity : by the
cross of Christ he is utterly crucified to them all k . Without
the Saviour s presence there would be nothing desirable even
" in heaven" itself; the glorified saints and angels would have
nothing to attract the soul, nor would the bright regions in
which they dwell, be any better than darkness itself. Created
glory would be utterly extinguished, if the Sun of righteous
ness were withdrawn l . The Christian has ALL in God ; with
out him NOTHING.]
Nor is this an exaggerated description of the
Christian s character
[The children of God in all ages have been of one mind
in these respects. Though their attainments have been dif
ferent, their aims have been the same. David frequently
expresses, in yet stronger terms, his desires after God m , and
declares that he coveted nothing so much as the divine pre
sence". St. Paul had as much to glory in as any man what
ever, yet he despised it all as dung for the excellency of the
knowledge of Christ . Nor were these views peculiar to these
distinguished servants of God, they were common to all the
saints^in the days of old?; nor is there a true Christian now,
who, if interrogated respecting true happiness, would not reply
in the language of the Psalmist <*.]
f 1 Tim. vi. 17. Eccl. v. 11. h Eccl. iL 11.
1 Job xxi. 15. k Gal. vi. 14. 1 Rev. xxi. 23.
m Ps. xlii. 1, 2. and Ixiii. 1, 2. Ps. xxvii. 4.
Phil. iii. 7, 8. P Isai. xxvi. 8, 9. q Ps. iv. 6.
626.] THE CHRISTIAN S CHOICE. 17
However enthusiastic such a choice may be thought
by a blind and sensual world, it is perfectly rational
and wise
II. The reasons of it-
Whatever men choose, they invariably choose it
under the idea of good. Now there is no created
good that can be at all compared with God :
1. He is an ever-present portion
[We may possess many things, yet not have them with
us in the time of necessity ; yea, we may be utterly deprived
of them by fraud or violence : but God is every where present
to afford us help : though we be immured in a dungeon, he
can visit us ; nor can any human power intercept his gracious
communications. This was a reflection peculiarly grateful to
the Psalmist r , and, doubtless, was an important ground on
which he fixed his choice 8 .]
2. He is an all-sufficient portion
[A man may enjoy all which this world can bestow, but
what can it avail him while racked with excruciating pains ?
What relief can it afford him under the agonies of a guilty con
science ? Or what can it do to appease the fears of death ?
But there is no situation wherein God is not a suitable por
tion. In the possession of earthly blessings, his presence will
greatly enhance our enjoyment of them. In the absence of
all temporal comforts, with HIM we can feel no want 1 . A
view of him as our friend will allay every fear, and assuage
every pain ; nor, having HIM, can we want any other thing
that is good u .]
3. He is an eternal portion
[However long we retain earthly things, we must part
with them at last. Death will reduce us to a level with the
poorest of mankind, nor can we carry any thing along with us
into the invisible world x . But, if God be ours, we shall pos
sess him for ever. We are not left without many rich com
munications from him now ; yea, sometimes, even in this vale
of tears, our joy in him is unspeakable y . But it is not till
after death that we shall have the full enjoyment of him. Now
we taste of the streams ; then we shall drink at the fountain-
head. Now our capacity to enjoy him is but small ; then all
our faculties will be wonderfully enlarged. Now our delight
r Ps. cxxxix. 7 10. 6 Ps. cxxxix. 17, 18.
i 1 Cor. iii. 21 23. and 2 Cor. vi. 10. u Ps. xxxiv. 9, 10.
x Ps. xlix. 17. y 1 Pet. i. 8.
VOL. vi. c
18 PSALMS, LXXIII. 28. [627.
in him is transient; then, without intermission or end 2 . Hence
the Psalmist looked forward to that period for his full satisfac
tion a .]
INFER
1. How little is there of true religion in the world!
[If to be called after the name of Christ were sufficient,
his flock would be large. If to attend his ordinances and
profess his faith were enough, there would be many in the
way to heaven. But God will judge us, not according to our
professions, but our practice. That, which alone can consti
tute us truly religious, is, to choose God for our portion. Can
we then, like David, appeal to God himself, that we do this ?
Could we make Peter s reply to the question which was put
to him b ? Does the ardour of our devotions attest the strength
of our desires after God ? Have we the same evidence of our
supreme regard for him, that the sensualist or worldling have
of their love to the things of time and sense? Let us be
assured that God can never be our portion, unless we delibe
rately choose him in preference to all others.]
2. How enviable a character is the true Christian !
[He can adopt the language of David c , and of the ancient
church d . Hence, however destitute he may seem to be, he needs
envy none ; he is freed from the cares which corrode the hearts
of others ; he is sure, not of attaining only, but of possessing
for ever, the object of his desires, and that, in proportion as
he delights in God, his God will delight in him 6 . Surely we
cannot but subscribe to the truth of that assertion f . Let us
then beg of God to deliver us from the love of this present evil
world, and so to cast the mantle of his love upon us, that we
may both follow him and serve him for ever g .]
z Ps. xvi. 11. a Ps. xvii. 15. * John xxi. 17.
c Ps. xvi. 5. d Song v. 10. e Zeph. iii. 17.
f Ps. cxliv. 15. g 1 Kings xix. 1921.
DCXXVII.
BENEFIT OF DRAWING NEAR TO GOD.
Ps. Ixxiii. 28. It is good for me to draw near to God.
THE dispensations of Providence are often so
dark and inscrutable,, that the proud man is ready to
question the wisdom of them, and almost to doubt
whether they are the result of design or chance.
The prosperity of the wicked is more particularly a
stumbling-block to those who limit their views to the
627.1 BENEFIT OF DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 19
things of this life. But a more enlarged acquaintance
with God and his ways will silence every cavil, and
oblige us to confess, that however " clouds and dark
ness may be round about him, righteousness and
judgment are the basis of his throne." The Psalmist
himself for a season was unable to account for the
prosperous state of the ungodly, while the righteous
were regarded by them as objects of contempt and
abhorrence. His reasonings upon the subject could
not satisfy his mind : but at last he " went into the
sanctuary of God," and there learned to estimate the
ways of God by a very different standard, and to
think those the most happy who were happy for
eternity. In the review of this experience, he was
led to acknowledge the more than brutish stupidity
of his soul a , and the benefit which he had received
from drawing near to God : " It is good for me,"
says he," " to draw near to God."
In discoursing on these words, we shall shew,
I. What is meant by drawing near to God
We must not suppose that any bodily motion is
necessary in order to the drawing nigh to God ; since
he filleth all space, and is " never far from any one
of us b ." The expression in the text imports a draw
ing nigh to him,
1. With the mind
[Though " God is a Spirit, " and therefore not to be
apprehended with bodily eyes, yet man is able, by the exercise
of faith, to place him as it were before the eyes of his mind,
and thereby to " see Him that is invisible c ." Nothing can be
more absurd or delusive, than to draw a picture of him, as it
were, in our imagination, and to present him before us in a
way of vision. Whatever visions were granted to men in former
times, it is rather a sense and consciousness of his presence, tha<i
a sight of him as present, which we are to expect. We must
not look for such a luminous appearance as Moses saw ; but it
is our privilege to say with David, " I have set the Lord
always before me d ." When we set God before us, we also
set ourselves before him : we summon ourselves into his pre
sence ; and endeavour to impress our minds with the con
viction that he discerns our inmost thoughts. In this way
a ver. 22. b Acts xvii. 27. c Heb. xi. 27. d Ps. xvi. 8.
20 PSALMS, LXXIIL 28. [627.
we may properly be said to draw near to him ; because, though
in fact we are no nearer to him than before, yet we are much
nearer in our own apprehension ; and the effect upon our
own minds is precisely the same as if the approximation were
real.]
2. With the heart
[The drawing nigh to God is not a work of the under
standing only, but also of the heart e : and the exercises of the
one are as necessary as those of the other. Indeed the idea of
approaching God without suitable affections, is vain ; since
man cannot remain unaffected in the Divine presence ; nor
would he be approved of God if he did. It is obvious there
fore that an acceptable approach to God must be attended with
such emotions, as become a sinner in the presence of his Judge,
and a redeemed sinner in the presence of his Lord and Saviour.
It must be accompanied with a fear of God s majesty, an admi
ration of his goodnesss, an affiance in his mercy, a love to his
name, a submission to his will, a zeal for his glory. These
various, feelings must be expressed in such petitions and
acknowledgments as the occasion requires. In short, our
drawing nigh to God must somewhat resemble Esther s ap
proach to Ahasuerus. She knew that none but the king could
help her ; and that she must perish if she did not obtain
favour in his sight : and therefore, with much preparation of
mind, she humbly presented herself before him, and then
offered her petition in the manner she thought most likely to
prevail f .]
Having ascertained the import of drawing nigh to
God, we proceed to shew
II. The benefit arising from it
There is no other thing under heaven so " good
for" the soul, as this g :
1. There is nothing so pleasant
[We will grant, for argument sake, that the things which
this world afford are capable of imparting as much happiness
as the votaries of pleasure expect : still the happiness of draw
ing near to God is incomparably greater. We appear indeed
to " speak parables 11 " when we descant on such a subject as
this, because the things we affirm can be known only from
e 1 Cor. xiv. 15.
f Esth. v. 1 4. This whole head might be changed ; and, in
stead of it, one might shew, How we are to draw nigh to God. This
would be more in the common-place way ; but it would be easier,
and perhaps more profitable to the lower class of hearers.
s Lam. iii. 25. t Ezek. xx. 49.
027.] BENEFIT OF DRAWING NEAR TO GOD. 21
Scripture and experience : and people have an easy way of
setting both these aside. The words of Scripture are repre
sented as high eastern metaphors : and the experience of the
primitive saints is supposed to be confined to the earlier ages
of the Church. And with respect to the experience of living
saints, that is derided as enthusiasm. But there is a blessed
ness in communion with God, whether man will admit it or
not. To the ungodly it is an irksome task to approach God ;
but to the godly it is their chief joy. The Psalmist justly
says, " Blessed is the man, O Lord, whom thou choosest, and
causest to approach unto thee V But how shall we describe
this blessedness ? How shall we paint the lowly self-abasing
thoughts which lead a man to prostrate himself in the very
dust before God ? How shall we express the wonder and
admiration with which he is filled, when he contemplates
the goodness of God towards him ? How shall we declare
the ardour of his feelings when he is adoring that Saviour
who bought him with his blood ? We do not say, that any
man feels at all times the same rapturous and exalted joys;
but we do say, that the joys of those who live nigh to God are
at some seasons " unspeakable and full of glory k ," an earnest
and foretaste of heaven itself.]
2. There is nothing so profitable
[Not to mention the pardon and acceptance which flow
from communion with God, it is certain that it will restrain
from sin. The presence of a fellow-creature, yea, even of a
child, will restrain men from the commission of crimes, which
in secret they would perpetrate without remorse. How much
more then would a consciousness of God s presence awe us, if
we felt it as we ought ] ! The falls and apostasies of those who
profess religion always originate from, or are preceded by, a
secret departure of the heart from God.
It will also console us in trouble. David, both on this and
many other occasions, found prayer the best means of com
posing his spirit when it was harassed by temptations or per
secutions m . And did any one ever apply this remedy in vain ?
When we have complained to man only, we have felt the pres
sure of our burthens still, and groaned under them as much as
ever : but when we have carried our complaints to God, we
have almost invariably had our murmurs silenced, our agita
tions tranquillized, our spirits comforted. God has fulfilled to
us his promise, " Call upon me in the time of trouble, and I
will hear thee, and thou shalt glorify me n ."
1 Ps. Ixiv. 5. * 1 p ett j. 5> i p s . i v . 4.
m ver. 3, 13, 17. See also Ps. Ixix. 17, 18. and cxvi. 35.
u Ps. 1. 15.
22 PSALMS, LXXIII. 28. [627.
It will moreover strengthen us for duty. We should not so
often faint in the way of duty, if we waited more constantly
upon our God. He " would renew our strength as the eagle s :"
he would " give us more grace p ," even " grace sufficient for
us." However weak we are in ourselves, we should be " able
to do all things through the strength which he would impart
unto us q ." By drawing nigh to God, our humility is increased,
our faith invigorated, our hope quickened, our love inflamed,
and the whole work of grace advanced in our souls.
Lastly, it will prepare us for glory. Nothing transforms us
into the Divine image so much as communion with God.
When Moses continued with God for a season upon the holy
mount, his face contracted a radiance which was visible to all
who beheld him. And, though no bright effulgence will now
adorn the countenances of those who live nigh to God, yet a
glory will shine around their paths, a lustre which will compel
others to " take notice of them, that they have been with
Jesus r ." By " beholding his glory they will be changed into
the same image s ," and be progressively fitted to " see him as
he is V]
ADDRESS
1. Those who never draw near to God at all
[How many are there of this description ! You rather say
to him in your hearts, " Depart from us u :" and, in so doing,
you pass sentence upon yourselves : you even inflict on your
selves, by anticipation, the punishment prepared for you x .
God assures you, that " all who are far from him shall perish y ."
O that you might tremble at the denunciations of his wrath,
and not bring upon yourselves the bitter experience of it in the
eternal world !]
2. Those who draw nigh to him, but only in a
formal manner
[Your state is as dangerous and deplorable as if you lived
ever so far from God: for it is to no purpose to " draw nigh to
him with your lips, while your hearts are far from him 2 ."
" Bodily exercise profiteth nothing a :" you must have " the
power of godliness as well as the formV " God is a Spirit:
and, if you do not worship him in spirit and in truth c ," your
service is a mockery, and your hope a delusion. Be in earnest
therefore in your walk with God : for as your formal duties,
Isai. xl. 31. P Jam. iv. 6. i Phil. iv. 13.
r Acts iv. 13. 2 Cor. iii. 18. * 1 John iii. 2.
u Job xxi. 14. x Matt. xxv. 41. y ver. 27.
z Matt. xv. 8, 9. " 1 Tim. iv. 8. *> 2 Tim. iii. 5.
c John iv. 24.
628.] GOD S INTEREST IN HIS PEOPLE. 23
whether in the Church or closet, bring with them neither
pleasure nor profit, so will they ultimately deceive you to your
ruin. On the contrary, if you really draw nigh to God, and
" stir up yourselves to lay hold of him," he will draw nigh to
you, and load you with his richest benefits 1 ."]
3. Those who find their happiness in communion
with God
[This is the character of all the saints : " they are a people
nigh unto God e :" " truly their fellowship is with God, and
with his Son Jesus Christ f ." It is true, that there is no merit
in this ; and it arises only from the grace of God, which effect
ually worketh in them : nevertheless God admires and applauds
their conduct : viewing them with a kind of rapture and sur
prise, he says, " Who is this that hath engaged his heart to
approach unto me g ?" Happy, happy are the people who can
say, " Lord, it is I," " Lord, it is I." Continue then and
increase your diligence in walking with God. Then you shall
not only say now, " It is good for me to draw nigh to God;"
but you shall one day add with ten-fold emphasis, " It is good
for me to have drawn nigh to God : " yes ; if now you can look
back upon your seasons of communion with God as the best and
happiest hours of your life, much more shall you, when your
intercourse with him shall be more immediate, and you are
dwelling in the very bosom of your God.]
d Jam. iv. 8. e Ps. cxlviii. 14.
f 1 John i. 3. s Jer. xxx. 21.
DCXXVIII.
GOD S INTEREST IN HIS PEOPLE.
Ps. Ixxiv. 22. Arise, God ! plead thine own cause.
NO one can have ever heard or read the account
given us of Abraham s intercession for Sodom, with
out being struck with the condescension of God in
suffering a poor sinful worm so to urge his requests
as to make every fresh concession an occasion of still
larger demands. Yet, methinks, the petition offered
in my text is incomparably more bold than perhaps
any other that was ever offered by fallen man.
In unfolding this petition, I will shew you,
I. That there is an identity of interests between God
and his people
This the psalm before us clearly proves
24 PSALMS, LXXIV. 22. [628.
[Great was the distress of God s people at the time it was
written: they appear to have been forsaken of their God, and
delivered over into the hands of their enemies. But the writer
speaks, throughout the psalm, as if their cause was God s ; and
calls upon God to take it up altogether as his own: " O God,
why hast thou cast us off for ever ? why doth thine anger
smoke against the sheep of thy pasture ? Remember thy con
gregation, which thou hast purchased of old ; the rod of thine
inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this Mount Zion,
wherein thou hast dwelt*!" " Have respect unto the Covenant*"
" Arise, O God ! plead thine own cause." Who would imagine
that this is the address of a sinner imploring mercy for himself
and for his people ? Yet such it is : and this clearly proves
that God considers his people s cause as his own, and their
interests as identified with his.]
The whole Scriptures also speak to the same
effect
[When the people murmured against Moses, he warned
them that their murmuring was not against him, but against
God himself . When the people of Israel desired to have
no longer a judge, like Samuel, but a king, like other nations
around them, Samuel told them, that it was not him that
they had rejected, but God d . The Prophet Zechariah con
firms this, in terms peculiarly strong and energetic, when he
represents God as saying to his oppressed people, " He that
toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye e ." Our blessed
Lord and Saviour speaks to the same effect ; and so identifies
himself with his people, that, whether they be benefited or
injured, he considers it as done to himself. Is any poor ser
vant of his clothed or fed or visited, Christ says, " In doing it
to him, ye did it to ME f ." On the other hand, is any one of
them oppressed, Christ feels the stroke as inflicted on himself:
" Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME g ?"]
This being clear, I proceed to shew.,
II. Whence this identity arises
It arises,
1. From the relation in which they stand to God
[In the psalm before us this is strongly marked. The
Jewish nation being " his sheep," " his congregation," " his
inheritance," was a reason why he should consider " their cause
as his own." The whole people of Israel were accounted by
God as " his portion and inheritance," and the more religious
a ver. 1, 2. b ver. 20. c Exod. xvi. 8.
d 1 Sam. viii. 7. e Zech. ii. 8. f Matt. xxv. 40.
g Acts. ix. 4.
628. J GOD S INTEREST IN HIS PEOPLE. 25
part of them as "his peculiar treasure" and "his jewels."
Yea, he accounted himself as their Father, and them as his
children. Now, is there a parent in the universe who, if his
child were injured, would not account the injury as done to
himself? We wonder not, then, that God should regard his
children s cause as identified with his own.]
2. From the union which subsists between them
and the Lord Jesus Christ
[They have been " bought with the precious blood of
Christ," who therefore considers them as " his own h ." And
how near their union with him is, may be seen by the images
under which it is described. He is " the foundation" on which
they stand 1 , and consequently one with the superstructure
built upon him. He is " the Husband" of his Church, and
therefore one with his spouse k . But the union is far closer
than this : for " He is the vine, and they are the branches,"
vitally united to him, and deriving all their sap and nourish
ment from him 1 . But neither does that come up to the full
idea of our union with him: for " we are members of his body,
even of his flesh and of his bones m ," yea, and are also " one
Spirit with him"," he being " the very life that liveth in us ."
In fact, there is no union with which it can be compared, but
that which exists between the Father and Christ p : and hence
St. Paul calls the collective members of his body by the very
name of Christ: " As the body is one, and hath many members,
and all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body, so also is Christ * ;" that is, so also is the Church of Christ,
which is so identified with him, that it may well bear his very
name. How can it be, then, but that he should make our
cause his own ?]
3. From the connexion which there is between
their prosperity and his glory
[When God threatened to extirpate Israel for their heinous
provocations, Moses urged on God the consideration of his own
glory, which would suffer, if that threat were carried into exe
cution 1 ". On the other hand, God s honour is represented as
greatly advanced by their welfare. If they flourish as " trees
of righteousness, the planting of the Lord 8 ," and " bring forth
much fruit, God is glorified*." Hence, in the book of Psalms,
this consideration is urged with earnest importunity as a plea
for speedy and effectual relief: " Help us, O God of our
h 1 Cor. vi. 20. i 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. k Eph. v. 32.
1 John xv. 4, 5. m Eph. v. 30. n 1 Cor. vi. 17.
Col. iii. 4. and Gal. ii. 20. P John xvii. 21.
q 1 Cor. xii. 12. r Exod.xxxii.il 13. Numb. xiv. 13 16.
s Isai. Ixi. 3. * John xv. 8.
26 PSALMS, LXX1V. 22. [628.
salvation, for the glory of thy name; and deliver us, and
purge away our sins/or thy names sake. Wherefore should the
heathen say, Where is their God u ?" In a word, as children
by their conduct may reflect either honour or disgrace upon
their parents according as that conduct may deserve, so God
himself participates in the honour or disgrace of his people ;
" being blasphemed," when they violate their duty x ; and lauded,
when they approve themselves faithful in the discharge of it y .]
This point being clear, let us consider,
III. The use which we should make of it in our
addresses at the throne of grace
We should plead with God precisely as the Psalmist
does in the words of our text. Whatever be the
pressure under which we labour, whether it be from
men or devils, we shall do well in offering up this
prayer, " Arise, O God, and plead thine own cause."
[Let us suppose a person bowed down with a sense of
sin, and an apprehension of God s heavy displeasure : Is that
a case wherein this plea may be urged ? Yes, assuredly ; for
so it was urged by the Church of old, in language peculiarly
strong, and, I had almost said, presumptuous : " We acknow
ledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our
fathers : for we have sinned against thee. Do not abhor us,
for thy name s sake ; do not disgrace the throne of thy glory :
remember, break not thy covenant with us 2 ." Precisely thus,
however, may we also address the Father of mercies : for he
has covenanted to receive all who come to him humbly in his
Son s name ; and if he should cast out one, he would violate
his covenant, and " disgrace the throne of his glory"
In like manner, if we are suffering under persecution, we may
come to God in this very manner, and entreat him to plead
his own cause : " Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that
strive with me : fight thou against them that fight against me.
Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help :
draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that
persecute me : say unto my soul, I am thy salvation .....
This thou hast seen, O Lord ; keep not silence : O Lord, be
not thou far from me ! Stir up thyself, and awake to my judg
ment, even unto my cause, my God, and my Lord\" There
can be no situation whatever, where this plea is not proper ;
nor any in which it shall not prevail, if it be offered in humility
and faith --- ]
u Ps. Ixxix. 9, 10. * R. om . ft t 4. y i p et j v<
z Jer. xiv. 20, 21. * p s> xxxv . i_3, 22, 23.
629.1 GOD GREATLY TO BE FEARED. 27
1. A word of caution, however, may not be un
seasonable
[It may be supposed, that, whilst we thus consider God
as engaged to help us, we are at liberty to sit down in sloth
and inactivity. But God will help those only who endeavour,
as far as they are able, to help themselves. Hence, when the
Church of old cried to him, " Awake, awake, O arm of the
Lord ! awake as in the ancient days, in the generations of
old !" he replied, " Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem !"
and again, " Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion b !"
The paralytic, notwithstanding his impotence, endeavoured
to put forth his arm ; and in that effort he was healed . And
so also shall it be with us : let us labour to the uttermost to
maintain our own cause, and God will then both make it his
own, and plead it for us
2. A word of encouragement, at all events, must
not be omitted
[If God make our cause his own, what have we to fear ?
for " who can be against us, if He be for us ?" Let our Sa
viour s consolations in the depth of all his troubles be applied
by you for the comfort of your own souls : " The Lord God
will help me ; therefore shall I not be confounded : therefore
have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be
ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend
with me ? let us stand together : who is mine adversary ? let
him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me ;
who is he that shall condemn me ? lo, they all shall wax old
as a garment; the moth shall eat them up d ." Rely on God
thus, and all will be well : for of " those who thus trust in
God, not one shall ever be confounded."]
* Isai. li. 9, 17. and Hi. 1. c Matt. xii. 13. d Isai. 1. 79.
DCXXIX.
GOD GREATLY TO BE FEARED.
Ps. Ixxvi. 7. Thou, even thou, art to be feared : and who may
stand in thy sight, when once thou art angry?
THERE is not only a generally prevailing notion
that God is merciful, but the consideration of his
mercy is with many a ground and reason for dis
missing from their minds all fear of his displeasure.
But it is not in this partial view that the Deity
is represented in the Scriptures of truth : on the
contrary, the whole sacred records bear witness to
28 PSALMS, LXXVI. 7. [629.
him as a God who is greatly to be feared. On many
occasions has his indignation against sin and sinners
been most awfully displayed ; as when, in one single
night, he slew one hundred and eighty-five thousand
of the Assyrian army, who had besieged Jerusalem
and defied his power. It was probably on that
occasion that the psalm before us was written : and
in reference to it was this testimony given, " Thou,
even thou, art to be feared : and who may stand in
thy sight, when thou art angry?" To establish and
confirm this sentiment, is my purpose at this time.
I. To establish it
But where shall I begin? or where shall I end?
Of course, it is but a very partial view of this subject
that can be presented in one discourse. Let us,
however, notice,
1. What God is in himself
[If we contemplate his natural perfections, we shall see
this truth in very striking colours. He is omnipresent, so that
we can never escape from him for a single moment. He is
omniscient, so that there is not so much as a thought of our
hearts which can be hidden from him. He is omnipotent
also, to deal with men according to their deserts. His moral
perfections, too, are well calculated to impress our minds with
awe. So holy is he, that " he cannot behold iniquity" of any
kind without the utmost abhorrence; and BO just, that he cannot
but enforce on men the observance of his laws, and execute his
judgments upon them for every act of disobedience : and so
unalterable is his truth, that sooner should heaven and earth
pass away than one jot or tittle of his word should fail. Say,
then, whether such a God be not greatly to be feared.]
2. What he has recorded respecting his dealings
with mankind
[Behold Adam in Paradise: he violated the command
which had been given him respecting the forbidden tree : and
how was he dealt with ? The curse of God came upon him
instantly; and he was driven from Paradise, and with all his
posterity subjected to misery both in this world and the world
to come. See the whole race of mankind after they had mul
tiplied and filled the earth : they had provoked God to anger
by their abominations: and he swept them all, with every
living creature, from the face of the earth, a remnant only in
the ark excepted, by an universal deluge. Trace the Deity
at subsequent periods; his judgments upon Sodom and all the
629.] GOD GREATLY TO BE FEARED. 29
cities of the plain ; his wonders in Egypt ; his judgments on
all his own chosen people in the wilderness ; his extirpation of
all the nations that inhabited the land of Canaan : in a word,
see his dealings either with nations or individuals, and you
must come speedily to this same conclusion, that he is a God
very greatly to be feared.]
3. What he has taught us to expect at his hands-
file has told us plainly, that " the wicked shall be turned
into hell, even all the nations that forget God a ." He has said,
that " he will rain upon them snares, fire and brimstone, and
an horrible tempest; and that this shall be their portion to
drink b ." And what is the feeling which such declarations
should inspire ? Even in heaven itself they connect with these
views the fear of God ; saying, " Great and marvellous are thy
works, Lord God Almighty ; just and true are thy ways, thou
King of saints ! Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify
thy name ?"]
Plain and undeniable as this sentiment is, I will
nevertheless proceed,
II. To confirm it-
Here is an appeal to every child of man ; " Who
shall stand before God, when once he is angry?"
Indeed, God is angry with those who are disobe
dient to his laws
[Of course, we are not to conceive of God as under the
influence of such a feeling as we call anger : but he will surely
act, in reference to sinners, as men do against those who have
excited their displeasure ; and this we call a manifestation of
his anger. To this effect the Psalmist speaks : " God is angry
with the wicked every day. If he turn not, he will whet his
sword : he hath bent his bow, and made it ready : he hath also
prepared for him the instruments of death d ."]
And who may stand in his sight, when once his
anger is excited ?
[Not even the angels in heaven could abide his wrath,
when once they had kindled his indignation against them : how
much less, then, can man, who is crushed before the moth e !
Shall it be thought that any man is so holy, as not to deserve
God s anger ? Vain imagination ! fatal conceit ! " There is
no man that liveth and sinneth not." " In many things we all
offend f :" and " if any man say he hath not sinned, he maketh
a Ps. ix. 17. b Ps. xi. 6. See also Rev. xiv. 911.
c Rev. xv. 3,4. a Ps. vii. 1113. e 2 Pet. ii. 4.
f James iii. 2.
30 PSALMS, LXXVI. 7. [629.
God a liarC Even Job himself says, " If I justify myself,
mine own mouth shall condemn me : if I say, I am perfect, it
shall also prove me perverse 11 ." But possibly it may be thought
that God will never proceed to extremities with all the human
race ; and that, consequently, if we are as good as the genera
lity, we have nothing to fear. This, however, is a fatal delu
sion : ibr already is death inflicted upon all as the wages of
sin ; and on all who die in impenitence and unbelief will his
ulterior judgments fall, even the destruction of body and soul
in hell."]
APPLICATION
1. Let the ungodly, then, seek reconciliation with
God
[Indeed, indeed, ye have angered the Most High God, all
ye who have lived to yourselves and not to him. But is there
no way of reconciliation with him ? Yes, blessed be his name !
he has given his only dear Son to bear your sins in his
own body on the tree, and to effect reconciliation for you
through the blood of his Cross. Yes, and he has given to us
the ministry of reconciliation, and commissioned us to pro
claim, that " God was in Christ reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them." Happy
are we, Brethren, to announce, that, however ye may have
angered God in past times, ye may yet find mercy with him
through the Son of his love. In the name of Christ himself,
then, we address you; and in his stead we beseech you all,
" Be ye reconciled to God 1 ."]
2. Let the godly forbear to anger him any more
[Though God will be merciful to his repentant people,
he will not spare any who shall live in sin. No : he com-
mandeth "everyone that nameth the name of Christ to depart
from iniquity." And so far will he be from overlooking sin in
his professing people, that he has declared, " His judgments
shall begin with them k :" " You only have I known of all the
families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for all your
iniquities 1 ." Presume not, then, upon your being in his favour,
as though that would preserve you from his judgments : for
I tell you, that of all who came out of Egypt, two only were
suffered to enter into the land of Canaan : and the only evi
dence of real friendship with God, is the keeping of God s
commandments, and the doing unreservedly whatsoever is
pleasing in his sight m ."]
e 1 John i. 10. h Job ix. 20. * 2 Cor. v. 1820.
k 1 Pet. iv. 17. l Amosiii. 2. m John xv. 14.
630.] DESPONDENCY DEPICTED AND REPROVED. 31
DCXXX.
DESPONDENCY DEPICTED AND REPROVED.
Ps. Ixxvii. 7 10. Will the Lord cast of for ever? and will
he be favourable no more ? Is his mercy clean gone for ever ?
doth his promise fail for evermore ? Hath God forgotten to
be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies ?
And I said, this is my infirmity : but I will remember the
years of the right hand of the Most High.
IT pleases God to deal with men in a great variety
of ways : some, in their bodies, experience scarce any
pain or sickness till the period of their dissolution ;
whilst others know little of health or ease through
the greatest part of their lives. In like manner, the
souls of some enjoy an almost uninterrupted course
of peace and prosperity; whilst others are made to
pass through deep waters, and to sustain fiery trials
during a great part of their earthly pilgrimage. It is
of these last that we propose at this time to speak.
The afflictions of Asaph were certainly exceeding
heavy : and the account, which in the preceding
verses he gives of himself, shews, that he may well
be considered as a mirror, wherein the Lord s people
in all ages may, under their several temptations,
behold the workings of their own minds. Scarcely
any one can experience a sorer temptation than his a .
When he wrote this psalm, he was brought through
it b : but he tells us faithfully, what were his views
and feelings under it. He sought the Lord without
intermission ; but found no comfort : his very recol
lections of God s character contributed only to aug
ment his grief d . To such a degree was his spirit
oppressed, that he was deprived of all rest by night,
and of all power of friendly communication by day;
and he altogether sunk under his trouble 6 . In vain
did he call to mind the consolations he had enjoyed
under former trials f , or examine to find the causes of
this peculiar dispensation g : he thought surely that
a He seems to have been that Asaph who was contemporary with
David.
b ver. 1. c ver. 2. d ver. 3. e ver. 3, 4.
f ver. 5, 6. ver. 6.
32 PSALMS, LXXVIL 710. [630.
God himself must have changed, and have cast off
that character, which, in appearance at least, he had on
all former occasions exhibited : yea, his darling attri
butes of mercy and truth seemed to have undergone a
change, and to have assumed an aspect totally different
from that in which they had hitherto been viewed 11 .
Happily, however, the snare was broken ; and he
saw, that these hard thoughts of God had no founda
tion in truth : they were the result only of his own
weakness 1 ; and would be effectually removed by a
more attentive consideration of all that God had
done for his people of old k .
His temptation was at its height, when he asked
the questions recorded in our text. We shall do
well therefore to consider,
I. What these questions import
They are not to be viewed as subjects of a merely
speculative inquiry, but to be taken in connexion
with all that agitation of mind that is depicted in the
foregoing context. In this view they express,
1. Disquieting apprehensions in reference to him-
self-
[He had thought in former times, that he was a monu
ment of God s " mercy," and an object of his " favourable"
regard: but now he seems as one cast out, and doomed to
everlasting misery. It must be remembered, that interroga
tions, which in our language would imply a negation of the
thing inquired about, have frequently in Scripture the force of
affirmations 1 : and thus it is in the various questions that are
before us, in which therefore there is a very strong degree of
apprehension intimated. Yet is this feeling by no means un
common at the present day. Many in a season of darkness
are led to write bitter things against themselves, and to
account all their past profession a continued scene of hypo
crisy and self-delusion. They think that they have resisted
the Spirit, till they have utterly quenched his sacred motions;
yea, that they have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost,
and placed themselves, as it were, out of the reach of mercy : and
such an unhappy degree of positiveness frequently accompanies
these apprehensions, that they read their doom as if it had
h ver. 7 9. ver. 10. k ver. 10 20.
1 Jer. ii. 14. and xxxi. 20.
630.] DESPONDENCY DEPICTED AND REPROVED. 33
been already past, and disregard all means of grace as though
it were utterly in vain to use them.]
2. Desponding fears in reference to God
[He properly referred every thing to God as the one
source of all good : but instead of deriving comfort from this,
he made it an occasion of increased despondency. And thus it
is with many : " They remember God, and are troubled."
Every attribute of the Deity is brought against them, to
aggravate their guilt and ensure their condemnation. Even
mercy and truth are regarded by them as arrayed in hostile
attitude against them, and as uniting their influence on the
side of offended justice. His paternal corrections are con
sidered by them as judicial inflictions, and as the forerunners
of yet heavier judgments in the lake that burneth with fire and
brimstone. His delays in answering prayer are viewed as
absolute refusals, and as decisive proofs of final dereliction.
Hence their fears are vented in terms similar to those in the
passage before us m .]
An apprehension of the true import of these ques
tions will enable us to discover,
II. Whence they proceed-
Justly did Asaph say, " This is my infirmity :" and a
grievous infirmity it was. Such questions as his arise,
1. From impatience
[There is great impatience in the mind of man, yea, even
of good men, and especially under any dark and mysterious
dispensation. We are apt to think that God is, as it were, bound
to hear us, and to interpose, either for the solution of our dif
ficulties, or the removal of our trials, as soon as we call upon
him. We cannot wait his leisure. Like Saul, we think he has
forgotten us ; and, that our enemies will crush us, before he can
come to our relief". Thus David was exercised, as he himself
tells us : "I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine
eyes ." To such a degree was he agitated on one occasion, that
he declared, it was altogether in vain that he had served God :
" Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my
hands in innocency p ." Arid, as for all that God s saints had
spoken from the beginning of the world respecting the grace
and mercy and fidelity of God, he did riot hesitate to pronounce
it all a downright falsehood : " I said in my haste, all men are
liars q ." The Prophet Jeremiah, too, cast reflections even upon
God himself, as having deceived him by false promises ; " Thou
m Lam. iii. 17, 18. " 1 Sam. xiii. 12, 13. Ps. xxxi. 22.
P Ps. Ixxiii. 13, 21. 1 Ps. cxvi. 11.
VOL. VI. D
34. PSALMS, LXXVII. 710. [630.
hast deceived me, and I was deceived 1 ." Alas! what a root of bit
terness is an impatient spirit ! and how greatly does it aggra
vate the calamities under which we suffer ! Surely we should
leave times and seasons, whether of trial or consolation, unto
God, and say, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him 8 ."]
2. From unbelief
[This is the great source of all our disquietude. If we
truly believe that God ordered every thing with infallible
wisdom, and unbounded goodness, and an inviolable fidelity,
we could never be put into such a consternation as is expressed
in our text. We should rather lie as clay in his hands ; and
leave him to fashion us according to his will, and to put us
into as many successive furnaces as he sees fit, and to accom
plish his own purposes in his own way. We should have it
fixed as an immutable principle in our minds, that though
" clouds and darkness may be round about him, justice and
judgment are the basis of his throne: " and under the influence of
this faith, we should adopt the language of the Prophet Habak-
kuk, and say, " Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither
shall fruit be in the vines ; the labour of the olive shall fail, and
the fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall be cut off from
the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stall ; yet I will
rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation*."]
Happily the same authority that points out the
source of these questions, shews us also,
III. How they should be answered
Would we know what God will do, we should
attentively consider what he hath done. We should
mark his wonders of old, and observe all the diver
sified exercises of his perfections towards his people
from the beginning of the world, and especially
towards the Israelites whom he redeemed from the
land of Egypt :
1. How mighty his power !
[When the moment for the deliverance of his people was
arrived, not all the power of Egypt could detain them. Dif
ficulties indeed were multiplied, but only for the purpose of
displaying more gloriously his power in their behalf. The Red
Sea obstructed their flight; but it opened at God s command,
and made for his people a passage on dry ground; and then closed
again to overwhelm their enemies. Their necessities in the
wilderness were such as no human power or wisdom could
supply : but this also only tended in the same manner to
r Jer. xx. 7. s Job xiii. 15. t Hab. iii. 17, 18.
630.] DESPONDENCY DEPICTED AND REPROVED. 35
proclaim His might, who for the space of forty years fed them
with bread from heaven, and with water out of the stony rock,
and caused their garments never to decay. Be it so then, that
our difficulties are great, yea, insuperable by human power :
then will God magnify towards us his power so much the
more, and shew, that still, as in former times, he " makes the
depths of the sea (not a place for his people to be drowned in,
but) a way for the ransomed to pass over u ." J
2. How rich his mercy!
[Truly it was " not for their righteousness that he brought
them out; for they were a stiff-necked people" from the very
beginning : and " many a time would he have consumed them
for their iniquities, but for his own name s sake, that it should
not be dishonoured among the heathen." See their mur-
murings, their idolatries, their innumerable provocations, and
then say, whether God s grace be not sovereign, and his
mercy infinite ? And, if such surmises as those suggested in
our text arise in our minds respecting him, let us remember,
that he is the same God now as in former ages, and that now,
as well as in former times, the very chief of sinners, if truly
penitent, shall be accepted of him ; and that " where sin has
abounded, his grace shall much more abound V]
3. How mysterious his ways!
[In the space of a few months God had brought his people
to the borders of Canaan ; and yet for their murmuring and
unbelief he turned them back into the wilderness, and caused
them to wander there forty years, till all that generation,
excepting two persons, were swept away. This was most
mysterious : yet are we told on infallible authority, that " He
led them by the right way." In truth, that dispensation has
afforded the richest instruction to the Church from that period
to the present hour, and will continue to do so to the end of
time : and it will be found that his darkest dispensations
towards us also are the most replete with instruction to our
souls. It is usually those who are most exercised with trials,
that know most of themselves, and most of God. Whenever
therefore his dealings with us appear strange and inexplicable,
let us compose our minds with the reflection suggested toward
the close of this psalm, " Thy way is in the sea, and thy path
in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known V]
4. How sure his promises!
[He had pledged himself to Abraham, that he would bring
his posterity into the full possession of the Promised Land :
and, though for their iniquities he caused all who came out of
u Isai. li. 10. x Rom. v. 20. y Isai. li. 10.
36 PSALMS, LXXVII. 710. [630.
Egypt to die in the wilderness, yet he brought their children,
who they supposed would fall an easy prey to their enemies,
into that good land, and gave it them for their inheritance :
and so perfectly did he fulfil his word to them in every respect,
that Joshua after many years could appeal to the whole nation,
that " not one thing had failed of all the good things which the
Lord their God had spoken concerning them; all was come to
pass unto them, and not one thing had failed thereof 2 ." Thus,
if the thought arise in our hearts, " Is his mercy clean gone
for ever ? doth his promise fail for evermore ? " our answer
must be, " No:" " it is impossible for God to lie a :" " his
promises in Christ are all yea, and amenV and "his mercy
endure th for ever ."]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are walking in darkness
[There are changes in the spiritual, as well as in the
natural world. We must not any of us expect that our sun
shall shine equally at all times with unclouded splendour.
Notwithstanding we may truly " fear God and obey the voice
of his servants, we may yet be walking in darkness and have
no light." But in that state we are directed what to do : we
must " trust in the Lord, and stay upon our God d ." The
longest night will have an end : and if we wait patiently upon
our God, " his way is prepared as the morning," which, though
the night appear exceeding long and tedious, will come at last 6 .
He may for wise reasons hide his face from us for a time ; but
it shall not be for ever f . Hear his own answer to the com
plaints which we are apt to make g And know, that
though " heaviness may endure for a night, joy shall surely
come to us in the morning h :" if only we wait till the appointed
hour, " our light shall rise in obscurity, and our darkness shall
be as the noon day 1 ."]
2. Those who enjoy the light of God s counte
nance
[O what a privilege, what an unspeakable blessing, is this !
Learn to value it aright : and take care that you do not pre
sume upon the mercy vouchsafed unto you. Do not be saying
with David, " My mountain stands strong, I shall never be
moved," lest you provoke " God to hide his face from you, and
you be troubled 11 ." A slavish fear is doubtless to be avoided
on the one hand ; but so is a presumptuous security on the
other. The true medium is, to " rejoice with trembling 1 ," and
z Josh, xxiii. 14. a Heb. vi. 18. b 2 Cor. i. 20.
c Ps. cxxxvi. 1 26. d Isai. 1. 10. e Hos. vi. 3.
f Isai. liv. 7, 8. s Isai.xlix. 14 16. h Ps. xxx. 5.
1 Isai. Iviii. 10. k Ps. xxx, 7. ] Ps. ii. 11.
631.] JEWS AND CHRISTIANS COMPARED. 37
to unite " the fear of the Lord with the comforts of the Holy
Ghost m ." Be watchful then, that you do not by any unhallowed
dispositions " grieve the Holy Spirit" ;" but endeavour to " walk
in the fear of the Lord all the day long ."]
m Acts ix. 31. n Eph. iv. 30. Prov. xxiii. 17.
DCXXXI.
JEWS AND CHRISTIANS COMPARED.
Ps. Ixxviii. 8. A generation that set not their heart aright, and
whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
HISTORY is universally considered as a source of
the most valuable instruction, since it sets before us
the actions of men, under all the most important
circumstances of life, and teaches us what to avoid,
and what to follow. But in this point of view the
inspired history is of incomparably greater value
than any other, because it portrays the conduct of
men under an infinitely greater variety of circum
stances than any other history can do, and does it
also with far greater truth and certainty. Its im
portance in this respect is strongly marked by the
Psalmist in the preceding context. He calls on the
whole Jewish nation to listen to him, whilst he sets
before them the dealings of Jehovah with their
ancestors, and their conduct towards him: and he
charges them to impart the information to their
children, in order to its being transmitted through
successive generations to their latest posterity; that
all might learn their obligations to God, and be
instructed to avoid the evils into which their an
cestors had fallen : " that they might set their hope
in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep
his commandments : and might not be, as their
fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a
generation that set not their heart aright, and whose
spirit was not steadfast with God."
With a view to a similar improvement of the sub
ject for ourselves, I will point out,
I. The character of that generation
To estimate this aright, we must consider what
might reasonably have been expected of them
38 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 8. [631.
[No nation under heaven were ever so distinguished by
the Divine favour as they. The wonders that were wrought for
them in Egypt their passage through the Red Sea, in which
the enemies who followed them were drowned their being
guided by a cloud which afforded them shade by day, and light
by night their being nourished for forty years by bread from
heaven, and by water, which, issuing from a rock, followed
them in all their way their having the Law written by the
finger of God himself given them, together with laws and
ordinances for the political and religious government of their
nation their having the river Jordan open a passage for them
as the sea had formerly done the seven nations, greater and
mightier than they, all subdued before them the promised
land in due time put into their possession ; and the worship of
God, with all its attendant privileges and blessings, established
amongst them these were favours peculiar to that nation, and
elevated them above all other people upon the face of the earth.
Respecting their superior obligations to love and serve God
on account of these things, Moses made an appeal to their
forefathers, which appeal may still be made to their descendants
at the present day a
Now, I ask, what might reasonably be expected of a people
so favoured ? Might it not be supposed, that they would love
their God supremely, and cleave to him steadfastly, and trust
in him confidently, and serve him with their whole hearts?
One would think it impossible that they should do otherwise,
if we did not know that]
The very reverse of this characterized their whole
deportment
[Their whole history from the beginning records one con
tinued series of murmurings and rebellions. In Egypt itself,
and within a few days after their passage through the Red
Sea but how shall I recite all their provocations? I must
recite their whole history, if I would bring before you the full
extent of their wickedness. Now and then they seemed to
manifest a better spirit. When they saw all their enemies dead
upon the sea-shore, they began to sing praise to their almighty
Deliverer : and on some occasions, when he punished them for
their rebellions, they manifested some contrition, and promised
to amend b But they soon returned to their former
habits, and " turned aside like a deceitful bow," which, when
promising to carry the arrow to the mark, causes it to drop at
your very feet c . At no time did they evince any real desire
" to set their heart aright ;" and, when they professed any such
purpose, they soon forgat their engagements, and shewed, that
" their spirit was not steadfast with their God."]
a Deut. iv. 3235. b ver. 3437. c ver. 57.
631.] JEWS AND CHRISTIANS COMPARED. 39
Now from having so complete a knowledge of
them, we are ready to imagine, that they were as far
beyond all others in depravity as they were in their
privileges. But, that we may do justice to the cha
racter of that generation, let us proceed to consider,
II. The character of ours
The favours conferred on us are as superior to any
bestowed on them as it is possible to conceive
[Their redemption was from oppressive task-masters ; but
ours is from sin and Satan, death and hell. Theirs was
accomplished by power only; ours by a price surpassing all
calculation, even the inestimably precious blood of God s only-
begotten Son. Theirs was for a time in the earthly Canaan ;
ours for eternity in heaven. Theirs was a mere shadow;
ours is the substance ]
What then may not reasonably be expected of us ?
[Suppose we could divest ourselves of all recollection that
we were a party concerned in this matter, and were called
upon to give our opinion, how any people, so favoured as we
have been, might be expected to requite their heavenly Bene
factor ; what answer should we give ? Should we not say,
There will be no bounds to their gratitude : they will adore
their God day and night : they will almost grudge a moment
that is not spent in his praise : they will commit all their
concerns to him with a confidence which nothing can shake ;
and devote themselves to him with an ardour which nothing
can abate : they will be wholly his, in body, soul, and spirit ;
and will look for his presence and his blessing as the only
portion of their souls ? ]
And how is it with us ?
[How is it with the generality ? Do they " set their heart
aright " towards him ? Is there in their hearts any real deter
mination to live to him, and for him, as their rightful Lord
and Master ? Is there any decided purpose to secure at all
events an interest in that redemption which he has wrought
out for them; and to live entirely on Him, who has lived and
died for them ? Let me rather ask, Is there any con
cern about their heart at all ? Provided only they be moral
in their lives, and regular in their attendance on ordinances,
do they not think themselves at liberty to set their affections
on things below, instead of reserving them exclusively for
things above ? See, in their converse with the world, how little
they savour of heaven and heavenly things ! See them even in
their religious worship, (whether in the closet, or the family,
or the public assembly,) how cold and formal all their services
40 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 8. [631.
are ; performed from a sense of duty, rather than from inclina
tion ; and with a view to satisfy their conscience, rather than to
enjoy and glorify their God ! In a word, instead of pointing like
the needle to the pole, their heart rests indifferently in any other
position than the right ; and never, unless from some forcible
impulse, and for a moment, points towards God as its rest at all.
And how is it with the greater part of those who profess
godliness ? As the former " set not their heart aright," so these
" in their spirit are not steadfast with God." What lamentable
instability is found in many who embrace the Gospel as a
system, and number themselves amongst the Israel of God !
They " name the name of Christ ; but depart not from ini
quity :" they " profess to know him ; but in works deny him :"
they " have a name to live ; but are really dead :" or, if they
" run well, it is only for a season ;" they are soon diverted
from their course ; they are drawn aside by temptation ; and
though they " begin in the Spirit, they end in the flesh."
Thus it was in the Apostle s days : and thus we are taught to
expect it will be in every age, till that blessed period shall
arrive, when " all nations shall serve the Lord," and " the
Canaanite no more be found in the house of the Lord of hosts."
The good-ground hearers are but few, in comparison of those
wiiose unfruitfulness or instability disappoint the efforts of the
labourer. Discontent with respect to what God has done, and
distrust as to what he will do ; a love of present gratifications,
and a contempt of future good ; a renunciation of God himself
for base and worthless idols ; are not evils peculiar to that
generation: they exist and operate amongst ourselves with
undiminished force ; and in the conduct of the Israelites we
have a mirror, wherein we may see our own faces, with the
exception of a few who serve God in spirit and in truth. There
is indeed, thanks be unto God! " a generation of righteous"
persons, who are truly " upright," and truly " blessed d ." But,
for the most part, the present generation has little reason to
boast against that which is mentioned in our text : yea rather,
inasmuch as our privileges exceed theirs, and our obligations
to holiness are greater, it may well be doubted whether we
are not more criminal than they ; and whether they in the day
of judgment will not rise up against us and condemn us.]
ADDRESS,
1. Those who are satisfied with themselves
[We are told that " there is a generation that are pure in
their own eyes, but are not washed from their filthiness e ."
Yes, thousands are well satisfied with themselves on account
of their outward morality, though they have no real spirituality
d Ps. xiv. 5. and cxii. 2. e Prov. xxx. 12.
631.] JEWS AND CHRISTIANS COMPARED. 41
of mind, no entire devotedness of heart to God. But let it be
remembered, that " God looketh not at the outward appear
ance, but at the heart :" he " requireth truth in the inward
parts." And to the heart must we also look: for " as a man
thinketh in his heart, so is he." I mean not that we should
take no notice of our actions ; because if they be bad, our
hearts must of necessity be bad also ; since it is " out of the
abundance of the heart that we both speak" and act. But
actions, though good in appearance, will not suffice to prove
our integrity before God. By the heart alone he judges : (acts
are regarded only as proofs and evidences of our state :) and
according as that is found upright or hypocritical before him,
will our sentence at his tribunal be. Let us then look well to
the truth of our profession, and to the stability of our ways.
Let us see to it, that our " heart is set aright " to glorify his
name, and that our spirit is steadfast with him, whatever
temptations or difficulties be put in our way. For then only
" have we a good hope," when we are " Israelites indeed, and
without guile f ."]
2. Those who are conscious of their departures
from God
[To see that we have erred from his ways is the first step
towards a return to him. If you see then a resemblance
between yourselves and the Jews of old, be thankful that " God
has not yet sworn in his wrath that you shall not enter into
his rest." And without delay flee to the Saviour, " whose blood
will cleanse you from all sin." Yet be not content to have
your sins forgiven. When you pray with David, " Purge me
with hyssop, and I shall be clean," " wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow," forget not to add, " Create in me a clean
heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me ! " " The old
heart must be taken away, and a new heart be given you,"
before you can enter into the kingdom of heaven. You must
be born again, and become " new creatures in Christ Jesus."
You must become the very reverse of what the world are,
regarding God, as they regard the world ; and the world, as
they regard their God. When they are in holy exercises, they
are quite out of their element : but when engaged in worldly
pursuits or company, they are quite at home. Be ye, on the
contrary, strangers in the world, and at home with God. Let
your whole life and conversation testify for you, whose you
are, and whom you serve : and then will God acknowledge you
as his In the eternal world.]
f John i. 47.
42 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 1922. [632.
DCXXXII.
THE EVIL OF UNBELIEF.
Ps. Ixxviii. 19 22. They spake against God : they said, Can
God furnish a table in the wilderness ? Behold, he smote the
rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams over
flowed ; can he give bread also ? can he provide flesh for his
people ? Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth : so
a flre ivas kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up
against Israel; because they believed not in God, and
trusted not in his salvation.
HUMAN nature is the same in all ages. On a
comparison of ourselves with the ancient Jews, we
are ready to suppose that we are better than they.
But, if we were subjected to the same trials as they,
and as faithful a record were kept of all the workings
of our hearts, I doubt not but that our incorrigible
perverseness would be found to equal theirs.
This murmuring of theirs will lead me to shew,
I. The evil of unbelief
Unbelief often assumes the garb of humility. But
the evil of it appears,
1. From the construction which God himself has
put upon it
[He says, " They spake against God," when they ques
tioned his power to give them flesh. And this is what we do,
whensoever we call in question God s power to effect any thing
which our necessities require. He has declared himself to be
possessed of all power in heaven and in earth : " I am the Al
mighty God a ." But when we limit his power, we represent
him as unworthy of credit; or, as St. John strongly expresses
it, " We make him a liarV We may not intend to cast this
reflection upon him ; but we do it ; and, in fact, reduce him to
a level with his creatures.
As for our acknowledgments of his past interpositions, these
aggravate, rather than excuse, our doubts of his power ; since
they are standing witnesses for him : and our doubts are enter
tained in direct opposition to their testimony. Let us not,
therefore, imagine that the giving of glory to God for past
favours will at all palliate our refusal of credit to him for the fu
ture: for, on the contrary, he will rather say to us, " Out of thine
own mouth will I judge thee, thou calumniator of thy God."]
a Gen. xvii. 1. *> 1 John v. 10.
632.] THE EVIL OF UNBELIEF. 43
2. From the indignation which he manifested on
account of it
[" When he heard these unbelieving doubts, he was wroth :
and so a fire was kindled in Jacob, and anger also came up
against Israel," and " he smote them with a very great and
fatal plague ." Now, it is true, we do not see the same dis
pleasure exercised on us ; but we can have no doubt but that
our unbelief is as offensive to God as theirs was : indeed, it
involves us in deeper guilt ; because his mercies to us, in our
redemption by Christ, infinitely exceed all which the Jews
experienced in the wilderness. And, if we still harbour it in
our hearts, it will bring down a proportionably heavier judg
ment than what theirs brought on them. They were excluded
from the earthly Canaan for their unbelief: but we shall be
excluded from heaven itself, and from the everlasting enjoy
ment of our God d ."]
Seeing, then, that unbelief is so offensive to him, let
us inquire after,
II. The disposition of mind which God approves
This is clearly intimated in our text : His anger
was kindled against Israel, " because they believed
not in God, and trusted not in his salvation." Of all
the images that human wisdom can suggest, no one
can be devised so complete as that before us, for the
purpose of illustrating a life of faith
[The people of Israel were brought out of Egypt ; but
they knew not one step of the way that they were to take :
they were unprovided with any sustenance : they were inca
pable of protecting themselves against any enemy : they had to
pass through a country infested with wild beasts, and full of
obstacles apparently insurmountable : consequently, they had
to trust to God for every thing from day to day ; and, in
dependence upon him, to expect a successful termination of
their labours in a peaceful enjoyment of the Promised Land.
A new-born infant was not more incapable of providing for
itself than they: yet were they to prosecute their journey
without fear, and without any apprehension respecting its final
issue. Now this is precisely the frame of mind which God
expects from us. We must feel our dependence on him as
much as they did. We must look to him in every difficulty;
and expect from him a supply of every want ; and never move,
but as guided and directed by him. If trials arise, they must
drive us all to him, and lead us to expect from him the more
c Numb. xi. 33. d Heb. iii. 19. and iv. 1, 11.
44 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 19 22. [632
visible manifestations of his power and love. If he delay, we
must wait his time : if he appear for a time to have forgotten
us, we must regard it only as a call to give him a more abun
dant measure of glory, by a full persuasion, that " in the mount
of difficulty he will be seen ; " and that, though he were to
suffer us all to perish, he would rather raise us up again from
the dead than fail to accomplish any one of his promises. Such
was Abraham s faith; and such should be ours also 6 : and
"sooner shall heaven and earth pass away" than one such
Believer ever fall short of the promised inheritance.]
And now let me ADDRESS,
1. The querulous
[Alas ! to what an awful degree has discontent raged in
our hearts, under circumstances of trial ; so that we have dared
to question, not only the willingness, but even the power, of
God to relieve us ! Nay, we have even, like Jonah, vindicated
our complaints, and thought that " we did well to be angry."
But remember, Brethren, that God is the disposer of all events:
and, whilst you vent your rage against those who may have
been accessary to your troubles, your murmuring is in reality
against God. Beware, I pray you, lest you provoke him to
anger, and bring down upon your souls his heavy displeasure.
Your wisdom and your duty is, under every affliction, to " be
silent before God," or to say, " It is the Lord, let him do what
seemeth him good."]
2. The doubting
[You do not well to limit the mercies of your God.
" Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall / have a child, who
am old f ?" And wherefore do you suffer any difficulties to
shake your confidence in God ? " Is there any thing too hard
for the Lord?" Peter, when he saw the waves, began to sink
through fear. But our Lord reproved him, saying, " O thou
of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" So then I say to
you, Look only to the promises : and think not whether they
be more or less difficult of accomplishment : but take them ;
plead them ; rest on them ; expect the fulfilment of them : and
be assured, that " not one thing shall fail, of all the good things
which the Lord your God has promised to you&." " Faithful
is He that hath called you ; who also will do it h ."]
3. The true believer
[" Hold fast your confidence in God." This will bring
peace unto your souls, and will give glory to your God. Of
all the graces that have been ever exercised by the Lord s
e Heb. xi. 1719. f Gen. xviii. 12, 13. & Josh, xxiii. 14.
b 1 Thess. v. 24.
633 J OBSTINACY IN SIN REPROVED. 45
people, no one has been so much noticed, and so highly ap
plauded by him, as faith. Even when as bright an assemblage
of graces as ever were united, were called forth into exercise
by the penitent Mary, nothing but her faith was noticed by our
Lord: " Thy faith hath saved thee: go in peace 1 ." In fact,
as it is that which, more than any other grace, honours God,
that beyond every other shall be honoured by him. "Be
strong then in faith, giving glory to God;" and " according to
your faith it shall be unto you."]
1 Luke vii. 50.
DCXXXIII.
OBSTINACY IN SIN REPROVED.
Ps. Ixxviii. 32. For all this, they sinned still.
THE history of the Israelites in the wilderness
should not be considered as the history of that people
only, but of human nature in general. In this view,
it is pre-eminently instructive ; because it serves as
a mirror, to reflect our own persons, and to shew us
what is actually passing in our own hearts. In illus
tration of this remark, I will set before you,
I. The state of Israel in the wilderness
It is plainly depicted in the psalm before us. It
was one continued contest between God and them ;
God endeavouring, by mercies and judgments, to
reclaim them from their evil ways ; and they deter-
minately persisting in their rebellion against him.
1. They had begun their wickedness early
[Whilst they were yet in Egypt, where, as might be
supposed, they were led to commit idolatry, God had endea
voured to withdraw them from it. He had revealed himself
to them as the God of their fathers ; and had urged them to
cast away their abominations and their idols. But they
would not hearken unto him : on the contrary, so obstinately
did they adhere to their idol worship, that, had it not been
for his own great Name s sake, which would have been dis
honoured among the heathen, God would have cut them off
from being a nation, and have utterly destroyed them from
the face of the earth a . When Moses had clearly proved to
them his divine mission to deliver them, they murmured at
the delay which Pharaoh s obstinacy had created, and made
their augmented trials an occasion of utter despondency b .
After all the wonders that had been wrought in Egypt before
a Ezek. xx. 5 9. b Exod. v. 20, 21.
46 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 32. [633.
their eyes, and they were brought out with a high hand, no
sooner did they see fresh perils arise, than they renewed their
murmurings with augmented vehemence, and complained that
they had been betrayed to their utter ruin c . Nor did even
the passage of the Red Sea, and the sight of all their enemies
dead upon the sea-shore, cure them of this propensity : for
they were a rebellious and stiff-necked people even to the end d .]
2. They continued it with scarcely any intermission
[For a little moment " they believed the words of God,
and sang his praise 6 :" but "they soon forgat his works f ,"
and provoked him at the sea, even at the Red Sea g ." Read
their history, of which a summary is given in the psalm before
us, and you will find it one continued series of murmurings and
rebellions. Dissatisfied with the provision which God gave
them in the wilderness, they invidiously contrasted with it the
delicacies which they had enjoyed in Egypt, their flesh and
fish, their leeks and onions, and expressed their doubt whether
God could furnish them with such provisions as those h : and,
when God had done it in such profusion that it was not possi
ble for them to consume it all, and at the same time had testi
fied his abhorrence of their inordinate desires, they, instead of
humbling themselves before him, continued impenitent, and,
as my text expresses it, " for all this, they sinned still 1 ."
They had not been three months in the wilderness before they
even made a golden calf, and worshipped that as their deliverer.
On some occasions, indeed, after signal judgments had been
inflicted on them, they pretended to repent, and to turn unto
God ; but " their heart was not right with him, neither were
they steadfast in his covenant k ." In truth, " they despised
the pleasant land 1 " which God had promised to them for an
inheritance ; and, in the issue, they provoked " him to swear
in his wrath that they should never enter into his rest m ."]
3. They were utterly irreclaimable by any dispen
sations, whether of mercy or of judgment
[The mercies which God vouchsafed to them were innu
merable; yet, " for all this, they sinned still." The judgments
also which he inflicted were most awful ; but, " for all this, they
sinned still." In a word, they kept up the contest, till they all,
with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, were utterly consumed.]
And can any parallel to this be found ? Yes, in
deed, it will be found in,
II. The state of the Christian Church at this day
c Exod. xiv. 11, 12. d Deut. ix. 7. e Ps. cvi. 12.
f Ps. cvi. 13. s Ps. cvi. 7. h ver. 19, 20.
1 ver. 2732. k ver . 3437. l Ps. cvi. 24.
m Ps. xcv. 11.
633.] OBSTINACY IN SIN REPROVED. 47
1. Our guilt resembles theirs
[The sins of Israel may be comprehended under these
two, ingratitude and unbelief. And let me ask, Are not these
sins as prevalent amongst ourselves as ever they were in the
days of Israel ? Are not we loaded with benefits, even as they
were ? What conveniences had they, which are not showered
down on us? It matters not whether our food be rained
down from the clouds, or raised up from the earth : here it is,
and we gather it, and have the calls of nature satisfied. The
providence of God, if less visibly displayed towards us, is not
a whit less careful of us, nor is his goodness towards us less
manifest to the eye of faith. But where do we find hearts
duly sensible of his tender mercy ? Where do we find persons
rendering to him the honour due unto his name ? Where do
we find persons, under circumstances of trial, able to repose
their confidence in God, and with peaceful resignation ex
pecting his gracious and seasonable interposition? Where
do we find that his word forms such a ground of affiance, as
to supersede all doubts and fears respecting the final issue of
events ? In a word, who amongst us is in the daily habit of
acknowledging God in every thing, and of committing every
thing to his disposal, and of living only to his glory ? If our
murmurings and discontent be less visible, they are not less
real, when we cast the blame of our trials on second causes,
instead of tracing them to that divine hand from whence they
all proceed. And if, instead of living with heaven in our view,
and proceeding towards that as our desired rest, we are occu
pied mainly with the things of time and sense, we are really
in the state which we have before contemplated, and may see
in the Israelites of old our own hateful deformity.]
2. The gradations of our guilt, too, are the same
[They sinned they sinned still they sinned still, not
withstanding all that God could do to reclaim them. And
what have we done from our youth up ? In our earliest years,
we no sooner began to act, than we began to violate the laws
of God As our reason became matured, it might be
hoped that we should act in a way more suited to our profes
sion, and more pleasing to God. But neither days nor years
have made any difference in this respect : on the contrary, we
have gone on adding iniquity to iniquity, in one continued series,
even to the present hour : nor have any dispensations of God,
whether in a way of mercy or of judgment, produced any per
manent effect upon our minds. Now and then, perhaps, we may
have felt a transient gleam of thankfulness on our minds, or
some faint resolve to amend our ways : but both the one and
the other have passed away without lasting benefit; and notwith
standing all God s efforts to reclaim us, we are still the same.]
48 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 32. [633.
3. The aggravations of our guilt are greater far
[We have sinned against greater light than they. What
knew they of the mind of God, in comparison with us ? The
poorest person in the midst of us is better informed than they :
and, consequently, our violations of duty are proper tionably
heinous in the sight of God. We have sinned, too, against
richer mercies than they. What is their redemption from
Egypt in comparison of that which has been vouchsafed to us
from sin and death ? Theirs was by power only : but who can
estimate the price that has been paid for us, even " the pre
cious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and
without spot n ? " They ate indeed of manna, and drank of
water from the rock : but we have Christ himself, who is the
true bread from heaven ; and we have the Holy Spirit, whom
Christ pours out abundantly upon us, for the refreshing of
our thirsty souls. They had the guidance of the pillar and
the cloud; but we have the word of God, which is both " a
light to our feet in general, and a lantern to our paths," for
our direction and preservation, every step we take. We have
sinned, also, against stronger inducements than they. To them
was promised the enjoyment of the land of Canaan, as a land
flowing with milk and honey; and the loss of it was threatened
as the punishment of disobedience. But heaven and hell are
set before us ; even heaven with all its glory, and hell with all
its inconceivable terrors : the one, as the reward of our fidelity ;
the other, as the recompence of impenitence and unbelief.
Say, then, whether the guilt of Israel can be compared with
ours ? and whether, whilst we are ready to cast reflections on
the Jews of old as a race of unparalleled impiety, we have not
reason to acknowledge ourselves their equals, or rather their
superiors, in iniquity ?]
But it is time that we descend from general views
of this subject, to a PERSONAL APPLICATION of it.
Permit me, then, to ask of you individually,
1. What is your state at this time ?
[You have seen what the state of Israel was : and you
know, by the state of Caleb and Joshua, what it ought to have
been. Now, has your state resembled theirs ? Are you
" following the Lord fully ? " Have you searched out the Pro
mised Land, and brought from thence the grapes of Eschol ?
and are you bearing your testimony before all, that it is the
duty of every man to go up and possess the land ? Are you
exercising faith in God, as able to put down your enemies, and
as pledged to bring you into possession of your promised inhe
ritance ? Is there a wide difference between the unbelieving
" 1 Pet. i. 19.
634.] THE FRUIT OF IMPENITENCE AND UNBELIEF. 49
world and you, so that to the whole camp of Israel you are
patterns of courage and fidelity ? Be assured, your conduct
must resemble theirs : your faith, your hope, your love, your
zeal, must operate to the production of a life like theirs, if you
would attain the same testimony from God, and the same
happy issue of your labours ]
2. What will your state very shortly be ?
[Death is spreading its desolations far and wide ; and,
whether by sweeping judgments or a more silent process, is
terminating the career of thousands ; so that in the space of
forty years a whole generation, as it were, passes away from
the face of the earth. But do all go to one place ? O !
could we but follow the spirits of departed men into the pre
sence of their God, as we follow their bodies to the grave,
what scenes should we behold ? In some happy cases, we
should behold them seated on thrones of glory, and crowned
with immortal bliss: but in how many cases should we see
them hurled from the tribunal of their God into the bottom
less abyss of hell, and cast for ever into the lake that burneth
with fire and brimstone sad monuments of human folly, and
objects of God s everlasting wrath and indignation! Indeed,
my Brethren, this is no vain conceit ; it is a reality : it is an
event that is taking place every moment ; and in the space of
another day may be realized in you. Is it not time for you
to inquire, whether you have turned unfeignedly to God, as
reconciled to you in the Son of his love ; or whether you are
" sinning still??" Remember, that " the goodness and
patience and long-suffering of God, which have been so long
exercised towards you, are intended to bring you to repent
ance q ." I pray you, despise not these mercies, as the Israelites
did in the wilderness, and as thousands around us do : but
" to-day, whilst it is yet called to-day," bear in mind the doom
that befel them, lest " ye also, having the same promise of
entering into God s rest, should at last come short of it 1 ."]
Numb, xxxii. 12.
v Here the particular dispensation, whether of war, famine, pes
tilence, sudden death, or any other calamity, may he urged as a call
from God to personal self-examination, and preparation for death.
<i Rom. ii. 4. r Heb. iv. 1.
DCXXXIV.
THE FRUIT OF IMPENITENCE AND UNBELIEF.
Ps. Ixxviii. 32, 33. For all this, they sinned still, and believed
not for his wondrous works. Therefore their days did he
consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
VOL. VI. E
50 PSALMS, LXXVI1I. 32, S3. [634.
IT is a saying of Solomon s, that " he who soweth
iniquity, shall reap vanity a :" and the truth of this is
remarkably illustrated throughout all the history of
God s ancient people. The Jews were, beyond all
comparison, the most favoured people upon earth :
and if they had made a due improvement of their
mercies, they would have been as much exalted above
others in happiness, as they were in their outward
privileges. But neither mercies nor judgments could
prevail upon them to yield themselves unfeignedly to
God. The mercies they received were so signal, that
one would have supposed it impossible for them to
forget the Donor. Their judgments, too, on some
occasions were so awful, that one would have sup
posed fear should supply the place of love, and con
strain them to turn to God with their whole hearts.
In the preceding part of this psalm, these dealings of
God with them are especially referred to : yet, in my
text we are told, " They sinned still, and believed
not for his wondrous works." In consequence of this,
they reaped according to what they sowed : for, on
account of this incorrigibleness, " God consumed
their days in vanity and their years in trouble."
But is that generation passed away ? Is there not
amongst us the same obstinacy in sin ? and do we
not feel the same effects of transgression ? Yes, verily,
they are a mirror in which we may see our own
image ; and the events of their days are still visible
in ours. This will appear, whilst I shew,
I. The incorrigible obstinacy of sinners
God diversifies his dealings with us for our good
[Our temporal mercies, public, social, personal, have been
equal to any that have been vouchsafed to any people under
heaven But what shall I say of our spiritual mercies?
Verily, if a preached Gospel be the greatest of all mercies, we
have indeed very abundant reason to acknowledge the tran
scendent goodness of God to us In some instances,
too, has God dealt with us, both individually and collectively,
in a way of paternal chastisement ]
But to an awful extent have we persisted in im
penitence and unbelief
a Prov. xxii. 8.
634.] THE FRUIT OF IMPENITENCE AND UNBELIEF. 51
[What were the sins in which we indulged years ago?
Take us as a collective body; and it must be said, " In those
we continue still." The gay, the worldly, the sensual, the pro
fane, all follow their respective courses as much as ever, equally
unallured by mercies, and unawed by judgments Nor
have all " the wonders" of redeeming love, though so fully
and faithfully proclaimed, wrought any change in us. As the
Israelites, though so visibly under the care of Almighty God,
could not be prevailed upon to enter into the design of God s
mercies to them, or to yield up themselves to him in a way of
holy obedience, so neither are we led to exercise a simple faith
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and to " cleave unto him with full
purpose of heart" - - Dependence on him, communion
with him, and devotedness to him, are as far from us as
ever Our heads possibly may be instructed ; but our
hearts and lives are unchanged
And now let me ask, What are,
II. The bitter fruits which they reap from it?
Certainly, if ever a people could be happy, the cir
cumstances in which the Israelites were placed were
calculated to make them happy. But " their days
were consumed in vanity, and their years in trouble,"
as the just punishment of their sins. And how are
our lives spent ?
What have we, but vanity and trouble ?
[In the abundance of all things that we enjoy, it is sur
prising how little there is of real comfort to the possessors.
Many possess all that the world can give ; yet " in the midst
of their sufficiency they are in straits b ." It may be thought
that the rich are happier than the poor : but the very reverse
of this is true. God has cursed their very blessings
Yea, the nearest of all connexions which God ordained for
the happiness of man is, in a great majority of instances, un
attended with the blessedness which the parties hoped for;
yea, and too often is made a source of bitterest woe. Truly,
" man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards d :" and this
poor wilderness world is found to most a vale of tears ]
And what is this but the fruit of sin ?
[This was not the state of man in Paradise : it came as the
fruit of sin : and in proportion as men live without God in the
world, is the world and every thing in it embittered to them.
It may be asked, Are the saints exempt from this common
lot? Do not they find "vanity and trouble" here below, as
well as others ? They do; but by no means in the same degree.
b Job xx. 22. c Dent, xxviii. 15 20. d Job v. 6, 7.
52 PSALMS, LXXVIII. 32, 33. [634.
To the saints, blessings are really blessings ; and even troubles
are blessings in disguise. The man who truly believes in Christ,
enjoys, in common mercies, a sense of God s love and favour,
to which an unbeliever is an utter stranger : and his trials
he receives as paternal chastisements, which are the means
ordained for his furtherance in the divine life, and for the
eventual increase of his happiness to all eternity. Though
therefore, in a certain degree, he finds vanity and vexation of
spirit to be stamped on all sublunary good, he has, on the
whole, a different portion from that of the ungodly world even
here : and hereafter, I need not say how widely different is his
lot. As for the impenitent and unbelieving, possess what they
may, they are not happy ; and, in the prospect of death and
judgment, it is from want of reflection only if they are not
completely miserable ]
To APPLY the subject to our hearts
[Have we not sinned enough already? May not the past
time suffice for our neglect of God, and our contempt of his
favours? Shall it continue to be said of us, They have sinned
still; and will not believe in God, notwithstanding all his
wondrous works? Do but look back, and see what has hitherto
been the " fruit" of such a life 6 . I appeal to all, What have
ye found but vanity and trouble, even in your best enjoyments ?
Verily, they have been but as the " crackling of thorns under
a pot," which blazed for a moment, and then vanished in
smoke f . Indeed, Brethren, if the happiness of this world only
were concerned, I should recommend to you a life of peni
tential sorrow, and of entire devotedness to God : for " godli
ness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life
which now is, as well as of that which is to come g ." But
there is a world to come ; a world in which we shall reap, in
its full extent, the fruit of our present conduct. Oh! where will
the impenitent transgressor find pardon then? and where the
contemptuous unbelieving sinner flee to hide himself from the
wrath of an avenging God ? Let there then, Brethren, be an
end to your contest with the God of heaven. Cast down the
weapons of your rebellion; and, with penitential faith, cast
yourselves on the Saviour, who died even for the very chief of
sinners. " Humble yourselves truly under the mighty hand
of God ; and in due season, notwithstanding all your past
transgressions, he will lift you up h ." -
e Rom. vi. 21. f Eccl. vii. 6.
g 1 Tim. iv. 8. h Jam. iv. 10.
635. J THE EXTENT OF GOD s MERCY. 53
DCXXXV.
THE EXTENT OF GOD s MERCY.
Ps. Ixxviii. 34 39. 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. Nevertheless they did flatter him
^vith their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues :
for their heart was not right with him, neither were they
steadfast in his covenant. But he, being full of compassion,
forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not : yea, many
a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his
wrath : for he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind
that passeth away, and cometh not again.
THE psalm before us is altogether historical : yet
may it be called one great parable. It is, in fact, so
called by the Psalmist himself: and the very words
by which he designates this composition are quoted
by the Evangelist as fulfilled, when our blessed Lord
spake to the people in parables, and in parables ex
clusively a . The truth is, that the whole account of
the redemption of Israel from Egypt, with their pre
servation in the wilderness, and their final establish
ment in the land of Canaan, is typical of man s
redemption through Christ, and of the final salvation
of all God s chosen people. It is not unlike the
parable of the Prodigal Son : and, unless we view it
in this light, and read in it the great concerns of our
own souls, we have no just conception of its true
import. As a record of the most important events
in the Jewish history, the writer of it might justly
urge the importance of transmitting it with care,
and teaching it with diligence, to all succeeding
generations 15 : but, as a vehicle of spiritual instruc
tion, it is of inestimable value, not to Jews only, but
to Gentiles also, and ought to be studied with care
by every child of man.
We shall not now enter into a minute illustration
of this truth, because it would occupy far more of
your attention than could be allotted to one dis
course : but a general view of the subject will be
a Compare ver. 2. with Matt. xiii. 35. b ver. 3 6.
54 PSALMS, LXXVI1I. 34, 39. [635.
brought before us, whilst we notice the conduct of
the Israelites towards God, and his forbearance
towards them, or, in other words,
I. The extent of their wickedness
They were continually provoking God to anger
[They were frcm the beginning " a rebellious and gain
saying people." Never would they pay any regard to God, till
they were constrained to do so by his chastening rod. In vain
were his mercies multiplied unto them : they overlooked them
all, and " forgat all the wonders" of his love and mercy c . Dis
satisfied with what he gave them for their subsistence, notwith
standing it was " angels food," they lusted after things which
were in no respect necessary for their well-being 01 . And when
they had provoked God to punish them for their ungrateful
murmurings, instead of being reclaimed by his chastisements,
" they only sinned yet more against him 6 ." When, in conse
quence of their obstinacy, these chastisements became more
severe, and no way of deliverance was found but by their
turning unto God, they pretended to return unto him ; but it
was a mere pretence. They called to remembrance his past
interpositions in their favour, and professed to acknowledge him
as their Redeemer and their God : but they only " flattered
him" with titles, which excited no corresponding sentiments in
their hearts, and " lied unto him " with vows, which they never
intended to perform. They pretended to lay hold on " his
covenant : " but they would " not be steadfast in it, or perform
any of the engagements which it entailed upon them."]
And what is this, but a history of ourselves also ?
[In our prosperity, we care not about God ; " he is not in
all our thoughts" But under some heavy calamity we
begin to lay to heart our former transgressions, and to inquire
after God. This is common, especially in sickness, and at the
expected approach of death f . Then we can bear to hear of
God, and of Christ ; yea, we apply to God as our Father, and
to Christ as our Redeemer ; we acknowledge with apparent
gratitude all that they have done for us ; and profess a depend
ence on them for all that we stand in need of -Yet in the
midst of all these professions there is no true contrition, no real
self-abhorrence, no fixed determination to give up ourselves
unreservedly to God. We approach our God indeed, but it is
" with flattery and lies g ." We profess much love to him, and
much delight in that covenant which he has made with us in
Christ Jesus ; but " our hearts are not right with him, neither
are we steadfast in his covenant." This appears from our
c ver. 11. d ver. 18 25. e ver. 17, 32.
f Isai. xxvi. 16. and Hcs. v. 15. e Hos. xi. 12.
635.] THE EXTENT OF GOD*S MERCY. 55
speedy return to vanity, as soon as ever the judgment is
removed from us. We are like metal taken out of the furnace,
which, however liquefied, soon returns to its original hardness.
Our relentings possibly have been renewed either under the
ministry of the word, or by some fresh calamity : but, after all,
like Pharaoh, we have only verified that humiliating description
of the Apostle, "we have turned again with the dog to his vomit,
and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."]
These rebellions however against their God only
gave occasion for displaying,
II. The extent of his mercy
Many times did he forgive them
[Often, through the greatness of their provocations, did
he lift up his hand to destroy them in the wilderness ; but he
forbore to execute upon them the judgments they deserved.
" He remembered that they were but flesh, or as a wind that
passeth away, and cometh not again ; " and, if he should give
vent to his indignation against them, they must inevitably, and
irremediably perish.]
It is thus also that he hath dealt with us
[" How oft have we provoked him, and grieved him by our
transgressions h ! " yet on every fresh occasion he has
shewn himself " slow to anger and of great kindness." Let
every one think with himself how many seasons there have
been, when, in heart at least, if not in act, we have exceeded
our usual measure of wickedness, and when he might have cut
us off, so to speak, with advantage, and made us signal monu
ments of his displeasure Yet he has borne with us,
and not suffered his whole displeasure to arise. He has, thus
far at least, " forgiven us;" and, in answer to the intercessions
of our great High Priest, he has spared the barren fig-tree,
revoking the order for its removal, and renewing, for its pre
servation, all the means which have hitherto been used in vain.
Of this his mercy we are all living monuments : from time to
time he has said concerning us, " How shall I give thee up 1 ? "
" Wilt thou not be made clean ? when shall it once be k ? " Yes,
we must all bear witness for him, that the only reason of our
not having been long since " consumed, is, because his com
passions fail not."]
SEE, then,
1. What improvement we should make of afflictive
providences
[What the Jews professed to do, we should do in reality
God sends afflictions for this end and, if they
h ver. 40. * Hos. xi. 7 9. k Jer. xiii. 27.
56 PSALMS, LXXX. 1719. [636.
produce this happy effect, we shall have reason to be thankful
for them.]
2. What, under all circumstances, should be the
chief object of our attention
[The Jews failed, because " their heart was not right with
God." Let us look to this, that we indulge not hypocrisy in
our hearts. If we call God our God, and our Redeemer, let
our eyes be to him as our only, and our all-sufficient Help.]
DCXXXVI.
THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER.
Ps. Ixxx. 17 19. Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right
hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thy
self. So will not we go back from thee : quicken us, and we
will call upon thy name. Turn us again, Lord God of
Hosts ; cause thy face to shine : and we shall be saved.
THIS psalm appears to have been written about
the time when Sennacherib had invaded the land of
Judah, and threatened the two remaining tribes of
Judah and Benjamin with the same utter destruction
as had already been inflicted on the ten tribes of
Israel. The writer, whoever he was, addresses Je
hovah in nearly the same terms as Hezekiah did on
that occasion, even as " the Lord of Hosts that dwelt
between the cherubim a ." And when he says, "Be
fore Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy
strength, and come and save us ;" he merely desires
that God would afford them now the same protection
as he had formerly afforded to all his people in the
wilderness ; which protection these three tribes had
better opportunities of discovering than others ; be
cause, whilst three tribes preceded the ark, and three
marched on either side, these three brought up the
rear, and consequently were in a better situation for
noticing the various interpositions of Jehovah in their
behalf. The disconsolate state of the country at that
time is set forth by the Psalmist under the figure of
a vine, which had been planted there by Jehovah
himself, and had flourished so as to fill the whole
land ; but now it was exposed to all the rage of the
a ver. 1. with Isai. xxxvii. 15 17.
636.] THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER. 57
enemy, who " wasted and destroyed it ;" and it would
shortly be entirely rooted out, if God did not speedily
interpose for its protection b . By " the man of God s
right hand, and the Son of Man whom God had made
strong for himself," I suppose the Psalmist intended
to specify king Hezekiah, whom he entreated God to
make his instrument for effecting the desired deli
verance : and in the latter verses of my text he pro
mises, in behalf of the nation at large, that the mercy
shall not be lost upon them, but shall be requited by
them in the way which God will approve, even by
greater steadfastness in their future adherence to
him, and a more entire obedience to his commands.
In this view, I conceive, the psalm may properly
be applied either to the Church, or to any individual
Believer in a season of deep distress : and " the Son
of Man, whom Jehovah has made strong for himself,"
may be understood as designating the Lord Jesus
Christ, who is the King of Israel, and whom in that
capacity Hezekiah especially prefigured.
Let the afflicted Believer then see in this passage,
I. How to approach God in a season of trouble
We are especially invited to " go to God in a time
of trouble." But in what way shall we approach him ?
The Lord Jesus Christ is the appointed Head of
God s Church and people
[Even whilst he was yet on earth, " all power in heaven
and on earth was given to him c :" and, on his ascension to
heaven, he was constituted " Head over all things to the
Church d ," and had all fulness committed to him e , " that he
might fill all things f ," and be the one source of light and life
to the spiritual world, as the sun in the firmament is to this
material globe on which we live. To this the Psalmist bears
testimony, when he says, "Thou spakest in vision to thy Holy
One, and saidst, / have laid help upon One that is mighty ,- I
have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found
David my servant : with my holy oil have I anointed him :
with whom my hand shall be established : mine arm also shall
strengthen him g ." In this passage there is no doubt but that
the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of precisely in the view in
b ver. 816. c Matt, xxvii. 18. d Eph. i. 22.
e Col. i. 19. f Eph. iv. 10. e Ps. Ixxxix. 1921.
58 PSALMS, LXXX. 1719. [636.
which I suppose him to be spoken of in the psalm before us.
He is that David whom God has anointed to rule over his
Church and people, and through whom he will shew himself
at all times mighty to save.]
Through Him, then, we must seek for God s effec
tual help
[Through him must we look for the acceptance of our
prayers ; and from him must we expect those communications
which God has promised to his believing people. " God has
made him strong," not for us only, but " for himself" also ; see
ing that in this mode of dispensing his blessings he is particu
larly glorified. This is the account given us by an inspired
Apostle : " Him hath God highly exalted, and given him a
name above every name ; that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and
things under the earth ; and that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father 11 ."
And to the same effect our Lord himself also says, " What
soever ye shall ask in my name, that will / do, that the father
may be glorified in the Son i ." Let not any one, then, hesitate
to look thus to Christ, from an apprehension that, in so
honouring the Son, he should dishonour the Father : for God
would have " all men to honour the Son even as they honour
the Father:" and he declares, that " he who honoureth not the
Son, honoureth not the Father who hath sent him k ." Be it
remembered, then, that Jesus is " the way, the truth, and the
life ; and that no man cometh unto the Father, but by him V]
From the passage before us we may further learn,
II. What we should seek for at His hands
Doubtless we are permitted to ask for deliverance
from trouble. But there are other things which we
are far more concerned to ask, even things for the
production of which affliction itself is sent us. We
should seek,
1 . The communications of God s grace
[These are of infinitely more importance than any tem
poral deliverance. With these, every affliction is light : without
them, no enjoyment whatever is of any real value. Whatever
be our state as it respects ease or trouble, we are dead, and
need to be " quickened ; " we are rebellious, and need to be
" turned." The first thing, then, that we should seek, should
be quickening and converting grace. Every creature in the
h Phil. ii. 911, * John xiv. 13.
k John v. 23. J John xiv. 6.
63G.] THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER. 59
universe stands in need of these ; and on the attainment of
it depends our everlasting welfare. Let every one, then,
pray, " Quicken me, O Lord ! " Oh! turn me, for thy mercy s
sake ! " Turn thou me, and I shall be turned."]
2. The manifestations of his favour
[We should never rest without an evidence in our own
souls that we are the Lord s. While our interest in his favour
is doubtful, what happiness can we enjoy I There must
always be a secret fear and misgiving, that ere long we may
become monuments of his righteous indignation. We should
therefore entreat of God to " lift up the light of his counte
nance upon us," and to give us a spirit of adoption, testifying
that we are his. It is not the sun of outward prosperity that
we are to desire, but that inward light, by which we can dis
cern our adoption into his family, and our title to his glory.
This will make every " yoke easy, and every burthen light."]
But the text itself leads us to consider,
III. The fruit and consequence of accepted prayer
These blessings once obtained, we shall assuredly,
possess,
1. Stability in God s ways
[Thousands there are who " run well only for a season,"
and who, by turning back from God, make " their latter end
worse than their beginning." But real conversion, especially
when it issues in a peaceful walk with God, produces a decision
of character which nothing can shake. I mean not to say that
any man has strength of his own, whereby he can stand :
even St. Paul himself needed incessant care and watchfulness,
lest, " after having preached to others, he himself should be
come a cast-away." But a sense of God s love in the soul
confirms our confidence in him ; and enables us, in dependence
on his grace, to hurl defiance at all the enemies of our salva
tion, and to rest assured that "none shall ever prevail to
separate us from his love."]
2. The everlasting enjoyment of his favour
[Thrice is this repeated, and each time with increasing
earnestness : " Turn us again, O God, and we shall be saved :
turn again, O God of Hosts, and we shall be saved : turn us
again, O Lord God of Hosts, and we shall be saved m ." If we
commit ourselves truly to the Lord Jesus Christ, " none shall
ever pluck us out of his hands ; " but that promise shall be
fully verified, " Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an ever
lasting salvation ; ye shall not be ashamed or confounded world
without end n ."]
m ver. iii. 7, 19. n Isai. xlv. 17.
GO PSALMS, LXXXI. 10. [637.
Hence we may SEE,
1. How little reason there is for any man to de
spond
[Who can be in a more desperate state than that depicted
in the psalm before us ? Yet for them was relief solicited and
obtained. And is there not the same help for us ? Is not the
Saviour as mighty as ever ? Is his hand shortened at all, that
it cannot save ? or his ear heavy, that it cannot hear ? Let,
then, the same means be used, and the same result may
assuredly be expected. I will suppose that the enemy has
" overflowed even to the neck," and is even now exulting in his
triumphs. Spread but your case before the Lord, as Hezekiah
did, and you may adopt the language which was put into his
mouth; " The virgin, the daughter of Israel, hath despised thee,
and laughed thee to scorn ; the daughter of Jerusalem hath
shaken her head at thee ." Sooner shall heaven and earth pass
away, than one praying and believing soul be left to perish.]
2. How little ground there is for any one to glory
[I will suppose that any one of you is now flourishing like
the vine, of which the Psalmist speaks, in all its glory. Whence
came you ? Know that you were once in Egypt, and were
brought out thence to the place in which you stand. And who
has kept you from being trodden down and devoured by the
beasts of the field? It is God alone who has kept you, even
to the present hour. It is He who gave you his converting
grace ; He who infused peace into your soul by the light of
his reconciled countenance. And when you shall arrive at the
realms of glory, it is to Him that you must ascribe your salva
tion, from first to last. If any man be disposed to glory, I
would ask, " Who made thee to differ ? And what hast thou,
which thou hast not received ? " Whilst you are building on
the true foundation here, you must say continually, " By the
grace of God, I am what I am P :" and when " the headstone
shall be brought forth with shoutings," you must spend eternity
in crying, " Grace, grace unto "
Isai. xxxvii. 22. P 1 Cor. xv. 10. Q Zech. iv. 7.
DCXXXVII.
PRAYER EFFECTUAL, TO ANY EXTENT.
Ps. Ixxxi. 10. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out
of the land of Egypt : open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
ACCESS to God, and a certainty of acceptance
with him, have been amongst the most distinguished
privileges of the Lord s people in all ages. To his
637.] PRAYER EFFECTUAL, TO ANY EXTENT. 61
ancient people the Jews, God said, " What nation is
there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them as
the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon
him for?" To us, under the Christian dispensation,
it is promised, that " wherever two or three are
gathered together in the name of Jesus, there will
that blessed Saviour be in the midst of them." None
shall " draw nigh to him in prayer, but he will also
draw nigh to them," to answer their prayers. In the
psalm before us, God most affectionately encourages
his people to come to him, and to enlarge their re
quests to the utmost extent of their necessities :
" Hear, O my people ! and I will testify unto thee,
O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me." " I am the
Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of
Egypt ; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it."
Here, Brethren, let me call your attention to,
I. The invitation given us
How comprehensive the words in which it is
contained !
[Here is no limit to our petitions. On the contrary, we
are encouraged to extend them to every thing that our souls
can desire. Nor is there any limit assigned, beyond which we
are not to expect an answer. Whatever we want for body or
for soul, for time or for eternity, it shall all be given us, if only
we will " approach unto God," and "make our requests known
unto him."]
And how marvellous the invitation, as sent by God
to sinful man !
[God can receive nothing from us : " our goodness can
never extend to him. 1 He is altogether independent of us:
and if the whole human race were annihilated this very moment,
God would suffer no loss. Neither his honour nor his happi
ness were in the least diminished, when the fallen angels were
cast oat of heaven into the bottomless abyss of hell : nor if we
were all plunged into the same abyss of misery, would God be
in the least affected by it. Yet, behold, He deigns to send us
the gracious invitation which we have just heard, and permits
even the vilest amongst us to regard it as addressed personally
to himself. To every soul amongst us he says, " Open thy
mouth wide, and I will fill it."]
Listen then with wonder to,
62 PSALMS, LXXXI. 10. [637.
II. The consideration with which it is enfo reed-
Surprising encouragement ! Mark it,
1. As referring to God s ancient people
[God had brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand
and a stretched-out arm. What an evidence was this of his
power ! and what a pledge was this of his willingness to do for
them all that their necessities might require! Behold the
sea opening before them, to give a dry path to them, and to
overwhelm in one common ruin every one of their pursuers !
Behold the bread given them for forty years by a daily mira
culous supply from heaven, and the water from the rock follow
ing them in all their way! See them at last established in the
Promised Land ! Could they ask more than had already been
done for them ? And if these things had been done notwith
standing all their rebellions, what should they not obtain if
they would implore it with all humility from God ?]
2. As comprehending that more wonderful redemp
tion vouchsafed to us
[If the typical redemption from Egypt afforded such
encouragement to prayer, what must we think of that redemp
tion which it shadowed forth, even the redemption of our souls
from death and hell, by the precious blood of God s only dear
Son ? Hear Jehovah saying, 1 I am the Lord thy God, who
became a man for thee ; who died upon the cross for thee ;
who bore thy sins in my own body on the tree, that thou
mightest be freed from the condemnation due to them, and
mightest inherit a throne of glory ! What a claim is this to
our gratitude ! what an incentive to the utmost possible enlarge
ment of our petitions ! and what an encouragement to our most
unshaken affiance ! Take the invitation by itself, and it ex
presses all that we can wish : but take it in connexion with
this consideration with which it is enforced, and methinks there
will not be one amongst us that will not most cordially accept
it, and most thankfully avail himself of the liberty, the inesti
mable liberty, thus accorded to him.]
But, seeing that this invitation has been so often
sent to us,
1. How amazing is it that any of us can live with
out prayer !
[Methinks it were almost a libel upon human nature to
suppose that there should be any one so stupid and so brutish
as to live without prayer; and I ought to make an apology
for suggesting even a possibility that such an one may be
found in this assembly. Well ; forgive me, if in this I have
erred : yet I would affectionately put it home to the consciences
637.] PRAYER EFFECTUAL, TO ANY EXTENT. 63
of all who are here present, and ask, Have you, my Brethren,
and you, and you, really sought after God, and spread your
wants before him, and implored mercy at his hands, and wrestled
with him, as it were, in prayer, for an out-pouring of his Spirit
upon you ? Have you done it this week past ? Have you done
it this very morning ? Can you call God to witness that you
have thus opened your mouth wide before him, in the hope
that he would fill and satisfy you with the abundance of his
grace ? Is there no one amongst you that stands reproved for
his neglect of this duty? Yea, rather, are there not some
amongst you who have never poured out their souls before God
in prayer during their whole life, or, at all events, only under
the pressure of some great calamity, which, when it was past,
left them in the same careless and obdurate state as before ?
Perhaps some of you may have repeated some form which you
learned in early life, or may have read some form out of a book :
but this is not prayer, if it be unattended with the real desires
of the heart : prayer, is not a mere service of the lip and knee,
but the effusion of the soul before God in earnest supplication.
I lament to think how many there are utter strangers to such
holy wrestlings, such sweet communion with their God. Let
me, then, remind such persons what sad regret they excite in
the bosom of Jehovah ; and what bitter regret they themselves
also will one day experience in their own bosoms. God says,
" O that my people had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked
in my ways ! " And will not you also, ere long, adopt a similar
language, and say, " O that I had hearkened to the voice of
my God, and had walked in the ways to which he called me!"
And if God contemplate with such regret the blessings which
he would have bestowed % with what sad regret will you one
day view the blessings you have lost ! Be wise in time ; and
now avail yourselves of the opportunity that is afforded you,
" seeking the Lord whilst he may be found, and calling upon
him whilst he is near."]
2. How lamentable is it that any one should yield
to discouragement in prayer !
[What could God say to you, more than he has said; or
do for you, more than he has done ? St. Paul says, " He that
spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how
shall he not with Him also freely give us all things ? " Only
reflect on what he has done, and how impossible it was any
fallen creature should dare to ask SUCH things at God s hands,
and you need not fear to enlarge your petitions, to the utmost
extent of language to express, or of imagination to conceive.
You are not straitened in him; be not straitened in yourselves b .
Only spread your wants before him freely, and you shall find
ver. 1316. b 2 Cor. vi. 12.
64 PSALMS, LXXXI. 11, 12. [638.
that " He is able to do for you exceeding abundantly above
all that you can ask or even think c ." Go to him, then, and
"pray to him with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit;"
yea, "pray without ceasing," and "give him no rest" till he
has answered your requests. But be not hasty to imagine that
he will not hear ; because he may already have heard and an
swered in the way most conducive to your good, whilst you are
doubting whether he will so much as listen to your petitions.
Of course you cannot expect to receive, unless you ask accord
ing to his will d ; but, with that reserve only, I assure you, that
" ye may ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you 6 ."
Only " ask in faith," and " according to your faith it shall be
done unto you."]
c Eph. iii. 20. <* 1 John v. 14. e John xv. 7.
DCXXXVIII.
GOD GIVING UP OBSTINATE TRANSGRESSORS.
Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12. My people would not hearken to my voice,
and Israel would none of me : so 1 gave them up.
THE history of the Jews is not a mere record of
times and persons far distant from us, but a display
of the Divine procedure towards others, as a pledge
of a similar procedure towards us. The Jews were
intended as examples to the Church of God in all
ages : their prosperity whilst serving God, and their
adversity when they had departed from him, were
designed to shew us what blessings we may expect
at God s hands, if we serve him acceptably ; and
what judgments, if we rebel against him a . In this
view it will be profitable to consider the words before
us ; and,
I. The perverseness complained of
Nothing could exceed the kindness of God towards
his people of old
[How tender and affectionate is his address to them b !
He entreats them not to look to any strange god,
since he alone has an exclusive right to their regard
He assures them also, that whatsoever they shall ask at his
hands, he will do it for them d
And is it not precisely in the same way that he addresses us?
a See 1 Cor. x. 111. and Heb. iii. 1619. and iv. 1.
b ver. 8. c ver. 9, 10. d ver. 10. with Deut. iv. 7.
638.] GOD GIVING UP OBSTINATE TRANSGRESSORS. 65
He invites us to look to him 6 , and to come unto him f , and to ask
of him whatsoever we will, with an assurance that we shall
not be disappointed of our hope g . There is no limitation or
exception, provided only the things we desire be agreeable to
his holy will. If we plead with him in earnest, there is no
sin that shall not be forgiven 11 , no corruption that shall not be
mortified 1 , no want that shall not be supplied k . He engages,
that, to whatever temptation we may be exposed, his grace
shall be sufficient for us 1 .]
But their obstinacy was incorrigible
[The Jews, with but few exceptions, " would not hearken
to his voice." His precepts, his promises, his threatenings,
were alike disregarded by them. " They would none of him ;"
but said to his messengers whom he sent to reclaim them, " Make
the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us" -
And is it not thus with us ? Is not his authority trampled
on by us? and are not both his mercies and judgments almost
universally despised? We will have other objects of our affec
tions in preference to him - We will not open our mouths
in prayer, though we know that nothing is to be obtained with
out it - The language of our hearts and actions is, " We
will not have this man to reign over us m " - Notwith
standing all that he has done to " redeem" us from death and
hell, we will not take upon ourselves his light and easy yoke.]
While we thus imitate the perverseness of the
Jews, let us tremble for fear of,
II. The judgments inflicted on account of it-
Consider,
1. What a loss they sustained
[He would have preserved them in Canaan, and loaded
them with all imaginable blessings, even as he had done in
former times n
But this was a very faint shadow of what he would do for us.
What victory would he have given us over all our spiritual
enemies! - -What a fulness of consolation and joy also
would he have bestowed upon us, in the communications of his
grace, and the manifestations of his love ! Surely his Spirit,
as " a Spirit of adoption," should have " witnessed with our
spirits that we were his," and should have " sealed us unto the
day of redemption " ]
2. What misery they incurred
e Isai. xlv. 22. and Iv. 13. f Matt. xi. 28.
s John xiv. 13, 14. and xv. 7. h Isai. i. 18.
1 Mic. vii. 19. k Phil. iv. 19. l 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
m Luke xix. 14. n Dent, xxxii. 29.
VOL. VI. F
63 PSALMS, LXXXT. 11,12. [638.
[God gave them up to idolatry, and to their own hearts
lusts ; and left them to " walk in their own counsels " -
And this is the curse which he denounces against us also.
" His spirit will not always strive with us." If he see that we
are bent upon our evil ways, he will abandon us to our own
delusions P, and will say, " He is joined to idols, let him alone q "
A greater curse than this God cannot inflict, because
our remaining days will be occupied only in augmenting our
guilt and aggravating our condemnation 1 Were the
judgment only to deliver our bodies to Satan now, that might
lead to our final salvation : but to give us over to the uncon
trolled influence of self, is a certain prelude to our everlasting
damnation. It is, in fact, the very beginning of hell, where it
will be said to the unhappy souls, " He that is filthy, let him
be filthy still ; and he that is unjust, let him be unjust still 8 ."]
Hence it APPEARS,
1. Whose will be the fault, if any be lost
[None can lay it to the charge of God that he is unwilling
to save them. He has sworn with an oath that he willeth not
the death of any sinner*. And in the psalm before us he takes
up a lamentation over those who obstinately compel him to
give them up u . Thus did our blessed Lord over the murderous
Jerusalem x : and thus does he over all impenitent transgressors ;
" Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life y ." " Often
would I have gathered you, even as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings; but ye would not 2 ." And what a bitter source
of self-condemnation will this be to us, that God would have
saved us, but we would not be saved by him ! The language
which God noiv uses over us, we shall then use in reference to
ourselves : " O that I had hearkened to his voice ! O that I had
walked in his ways !" How should I have been at this instant
triumphing over my cruel adversary, and feasting on all the
richest fruits of paradise, instead of dwelling with everlasting
burnings, without one drop of water to cool my tongue ! Surely
this reflection will be the bitterest ingredient in that bitter cup,
which they who perish will be drinking of to all eternity.]
2. Whose will be the glory, if any be saved
[We never come to Christ, till the Father, by the mighty
working of his power, draws us to him. Such is the pride of
the human heart, that no man will submit to be saved by grace
alone, till God has made him " willing in the day of his power."
See Rom. i. 24, 26, 28. " So I gave them up."
P 2 Thess. ii. 1012. q Hos. iv. 17. r Rom. ii. 5.
8 Rev. xxii. 11. t Ezek. xxxiii. 11. 1 Tim. ii. 4.
u ver. 13. * Luke xix. 40, 41.
y John v. 40. * Matt, xxiii. 37.
639.]] DIVINE ORDINANCES LOVELY. 67
If therefore we have been brought to hearken to his voice, let
us remember Who it is that has unstopped our ears.
If it be said, We prayed for these blessings ; and therefore
we at least may glory that the blessings do not come to us un
solicited ; we would ask, Who inclined or enabled us to pray ?
We should never have been inclined to pray, if God had not
given us a spirit of grace and of supplication ; " nor should we
have known what to pray for as we ought, if He by his Spirit
had not helped our infirmities." If still it be said, " Yet we
prayed ;" Be it so : but how long were you before you prayed
at all ? And what have been your prayers since ever you began
to pray ? Are you not amazed when you review your prayers,
and see how cold, and dead, and formal they have been ? What
if a beggar had asked of you in the way that you have but too
often asked of God ? Would you have granted his request ?
or, if you had granted his request, and not only relieved his
present necessities, but conferred upon him one half of your
fortune, would you not be surprised, if he, instead of admiring
your unequalled generosity, were taking credit to himself for
asking relief from you ? Know then, that if you are partaking
of God s mercy, you are no other than " beggars, who have
been taken from the dunghill, and set among the princes."
Know, that ye are altogether debtors to the grace of God,
and must ascribe to him " the kingdom, and the power, and
the glory, for ever and ever."]
DCXXXIX.
DIVINE ORDINANCES LOVELY.
Ps. Ixxxiv. 1 4. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of
Hosts ! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts
of the Lord : my heart and my jlesh crieth out for the living
God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow
a nest for herself, where she m.ay lay her young, even thine
altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are
they that dwell in thine house : they will be still praising thee.
TRULY it is sweet to read of the experience of
the saints, and to be able to appeal to it in vin
dication of our own experience. I wonder not that
the world should cry out against the people of the
Lord as enthusiastic and absurd ; for they cannot
by any means conceive how a person should lose all
relish for carnal delights, and find all his happiness
in employments wherein they see nothing but re
straint and melancholy. But, indeed, there is a
delight in communion with a reconciled God, an
F2
68 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 14. [639.
ineffable "joy, with which the stranger intermeddleth
not." This is well expressed in the passage before
us ; from whence I shall take occasion to shew,
I. The light in which we should view divine ordi
nances
Certainly the expressions here used in reference to
them are exceeding strong. To a mind not conversant
with the subject, they would appear rather like the
flights of a poetical imagination than as the dictates
of sober judgment. But they are not a whit too
strong, if viewed in reference to the object respecting
which they treat. Both body and soul may well unite
in the feelings here expressed, feelings of intense de
sire, such as envies the very birds the privilege they
enjoy of building their nests around the sacred edifice
where God s presence is enjoyed. Truly the taber
nacles of the Most High will appear amiable, if we
consider that in them,
1. God s presence is vouchsafed
[Formerly God dwelt in his sanctuary by the Shechinah,
a bright cloud, the symbol of his presence, which was in itself
visible to the eye of sense, though it was seen only by the High
Priest, and that only on one day in the year. Now, his pre
sence is visible only to the eye of faith (for there is an eye that
" seeth Him that is invisible 21 "), and by him who possesses a
spiritual discernment, even though he be the least and meanest
of God s children, the divine presence is both seen and felt.
What else is the meaning of those words, " If a man love me,
my Father will love him ; and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him? " Yes, verily, God will manifest him
self to his believing people as he does not unto the worldV he
will, in an especial manner, " draw nigh to those who draw nigh
to him : " Wherever two or three are met together in his name,
he will be in the midst of them ; " and to every weeping sup
pliant he will say, " Behold me, behold me c ! " " Here I am d ."]
2. His blessings are dispensed
[In the days of our blessed Lord, we are informed, that
multitudes, labouring under every kind of malady, thronged
about him ; and that " virtue went forth from him to heal
them all 6 ." Somewhat similar to this may yet be seen under
the ministration of the Gospel. Multitudes, oppressed with
a Heb. xi. 27. b John xiv. 21 23. c Isai. Ixv. 1.
d Isai. h iii. 9. e Luke vi. 19.
639.] DIVINE ORDINANCES LOVELY. 69
every species of mental trouble, approach the Majesty of
heaven, to pour out before him their supplications, and to re
ceive from him a supply for their diversified necessities. The
weary and heavy-laden sinner sues for pardon and peace : the
soul, harassed with temptations, implores strength whereby to
cope with its great Adversary, and to fulfil the will of God :
in a word, whatever be men s trials, thither they bring them
all; and there they look for aid; and there, through the mi
nistry of the Word, they actually " find mercy and grace to
help them in the time of need." To every distinct case God
mercifully suits his aid ; and the succour afforded by him proves
sufficient for them all : so that, as thousands can testify, when
they have come hungering and thirsting for the blessings of
salvation, they have not been sent empty away, but have been
filled and satisfied with the plenteousness of God s house, and
had all their sorrows turned into joy.]
3, His name is glorified
[Every one, entering the house of God in a becoming
spirit, feels a consciousness, that he is approaching a Father
and a Friend ; yea, a Friend who is infinitely more willing to
give than the most oppressed suppliants can be to ask, and
" willing to give exceedingly above all that they can either ask
or think." Conceive of millions assembled at the very same
instant of time, in every quarter of the globe, thus honouring
their God as omnipresent to hear their prayers, and omnipotent
to supply their wants. Who must not love those ordinances
where God is so exalted? Again, amidst all the millions that
have been relieved, there is but one sentiment of gratitude to
God as their Almighty and all-gracious Benefactor. Verily, in
this respect the tabernacles of the Most High on earth resemble
his house above, where all the hosts, whether of saints or angels,
join in one harmonious song of praise to their creating and
redeeming God. Say, are not " God s tabernacles amiable" in
such a view as this ? and can any one long for them with too
intense desire, or enter them with too sublime delight ?]
But that this may be more manifest, let us consider,
II. The blessedness of those who estimate them
aright
As for those who only occasionally visit the house
of God, merely for form sake or to perform a duty, it
cannot be expected that they should derive much
benefit to their souls. But those who, in the habit of
their minds, " dwell" as it were, " in God s courts,"
will find their souls exceedingly elated and com
forted. They will acquire, yea, and speedily too
70 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 14. [639.
attain, a disposition of mind that is little understood
by the world at large, a spirit of praise and thanks
giving, not unlike to that which animates the hosts
above.
1. Their occasions for praise will incessantly be
renewed
[Not a prayer they offer shall ever go forth in vain. Their
access to God will become more intimate, their confidence in
him more entire, their communion with him more sweet, and
their communications from him more abundant. As every day
brings with it fresh temporal benefits, so will their stock of
spiritual blessings be daily multiplied, so that it shall appear
to them as if a new series of mercies were every day begun ;
a series, for the acknowledgment of which an eternity of ages
would scarcely suffice.]
2. In the exercise of praise they will abound more
and more
[I say not that they will cease to pray ; for their need of
prayer will never cease, till they arrive in heaven itself. But
their devotions will more assume the character of praise : their
view of the divine perfections will be greatly enlarged; and
their sense of God s mercies be deepened, insomuch that they
will see mercy in every thing, and be disposed " in every thing
to give thanks." Their very trials and afflictions will be regarded
as tokens of God s love, and as incentives to praise Him " who
giveth songs in the night." If their tribulations be great, they
will glory in them, as contributing both to their present f and
eternal welfare g . Behold the Apostles just dismissed from
scourging and imprisonment ! they go forth " rejoicing that
they are counted worthy to suffer shame for Christ s sake."
Behold Paul and Silas also with their feet made fast in the
stocks, whilst their backs are yet bleeding by the stripes just
recently inflicted on them ! Do they mourn and weep ? No,
" they sing praises unto God at midnight." Now, all this was
the fruit of communion with God : and in proportion as we
also live nigh to God in prayer, we shall surely find, whether in
life or death, little else than occasions of praise. In whatever
state we be, we shall be uttering thanksgivings to God; yea,
come what may, we shall " be still praising him."]
SEE, then, I pray you,
1. The happiness of the saints
[I may appeal to you, whether the worldling has any
source of joy that can be compared with this ? No, verily ;
the first monarch upon earth that is ignorant of God, feedeth
f Rom. viii. 28. e 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.
640.] GOD S ORDINANCES. PRECIOUS. 71
only upon husks : whereas the true saint, though poor as
Lazarus himself, eateth of " angels food" ]
2. The blessedness of heaven
[If such be God s courts below, what must heaven itself be?
Well may we long to be there. Well may we " desire to depart
and be with Christ," where we shall " behold him face to face."
I need not say, how blessed are that choir who day and night
incessantly sing praises to God and to the Lamb. But may
we so anticipate that employment, that we may be prepared to
join in it to all eternity! Amen, and Amen.]
DCXL.
GOD S ORDINANCES PRECIOUS.
Ps. Ixxxiv. 10. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of
my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
IN matters of doubtful disputation, it is of great
advantage to have some established ground, to which
reference may be made; and some adjudged case, on
which arguments may be founded, without any far
ther appeal. In my text, the point at issue is, Which
is preferable, the service of God, or the service of
the world ? On this subject there is a great diversity
of opinion ; some accounting the world the only true
source of happiness, whilst others conceive that there
is no happiness but in God. But we have in the
very words before the text an adjudged case, which
may well determine the point for ever. The Psalmist
expressly declares, that "a day in God s courts is
better than a thousand" elsewhere. If a doubt arise
whether he was competent to decide the matter, I
answer, that, as a King, he knew all that attached to
royalty and to the splendour of earthly courts ; and,
as a Saint, he knew what was to be found in the
exercises of piety and devotion : and, consequently,
he was a proper person to hold the scales, and to
declare on which side true happiness preponderated.
Besides, his particular situation at this time qualified
him in a more than ordinary way to form a just
judgment : for he was driven (it is supposed) by
Absalom both from his throne and from the house of
God : and consequently he could declare, from his
own experience, which of the two losses was the
72 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 10. [640.
heavier, and which was the greater subject of regret.
Under these circumstances we read not one word of
complaint respecting the loss of his kingdom : his
mind was wholly occupied about the ordinances of
God, of which he was deprived. " How amiable are
thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts ! My soul longeth,
yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord : my
heart and my flesh cry out for the living God a ." He
envies the very birds the facility which they enjoyed
of approaching the altars of the Lord, and more
especially the priests who had constant opportunities
of officiating there ; as also the people, who could
come, though with great difficulty, from the extremest
parts of the land to worship there at the appointed
feasts b . He then begs of God to restore him to the
enjoyment of these lost privileges ; and declares,
that, in his judgment, " one day spent in his courts
was better than a thousand" elsewhere ; and that he
would rather be a door-keeper in the House of God,
than to dwell amidst the richest enjoyments that the
tents of wickedness could afford him.
The case being so clearly determined by him, I
will endeavour to point out,
I. The grounds of his judgment-
He preferred the lowest office imaginable in the
House of the Lord, before the highest that was
merely secular ; for he deemed it,
1. More honourable
[In earthly palaces, dwell " men of like passions with our
selves:" but in Mount Zion. God himself dwells: there he holds
his court : there he sits upon his throne : thither all his servants
come to behold his glory, to worship at his footstool, and to
receive the tokens of his gracious favour. There, though
invisible, are assembled all the hosts of heaven ; so that the
humble worshipper, when coming thither, is justly said to have
" come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God,
the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of
angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born that
are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to Jesus
the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling,
that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel d ."
a ver. 1,2. t> ver . 3 7. c ver> g, 9. d Heb. xii. 22 24.
640J GOD S ORDINANCES PRECIOUS. 73
Now, conceive of a poor man admitted only to " the threshold"
of this holy place 6 , and compare his state with that of the most
distinguished favourite of an earthly monarch; and say, whether
the honour conferred on him be not infinitely higher than any
which earthly courtiers can possess ? In truth, the matter admits
not of comparison. Between a king on his throne and a beggar
on the dunghill there is no disparity at all, when compared with
that between a creature and his Creator ; so that in this respect
the Psalmist had just ground for his preference: for in propor
tion as " God humbles himself, when he beholds the things which
are on earth," is that man exalted, who becomes the object of
his condescension and grace.]
2. More delightful
[We will concede to the delights of sense all that the most
sanguine mind can annex to them : but still they are carnal and
temporary, and cloying and unsatisfying ; and the man who
possesses the greatest portion of them all, must acknowledge
them to be justly designated, " Vanity, and vexation of spirit."
But very different is the character of those pleasures which the
sinner partakes of in the presence of his God. Behold the
publican standing, as it were, on the very threshold of God s
house, as unworthy to enter in : behold him smiting his breast,
and, with floods of tears, crying, " God be merciful to me, a
sinner!" To the eye of sense he appears a miserable object,
that decides at once the point at issue in favour of the world :
but to the eye of faith he is an object, whose state may well be
envied by the greatest and happiest of carnal men : for He,
who is " the true and faithful Witness," has said, " Blessed are
the poor in spirit : blessed are they that mourn." On the
mind of such a penitent the light of truth beams with increas
ing splendour : the peace of God flows down into his soul : a
hope full of immortality springs up within him : and the joy of
the Holy Ghost elevates his mind to heaven, and gives him a
foretaste of angelic bliss. Follow this same person through all
the services of the sanctuary : behold him pouring out his soul
in prayer to God : hear him singing the praises of redeeming
love : mark the emotions of his soul when God s word is preached,
and the blessings of redemption, as purchased by Christ and se
cured to him by an everlasting covenant, are unfolded to his view.
What are any carnal delights in comparison of those which fill
his soul ? Verily, they are not worth a thought : they are only
as the husks of swine, whilst he is feasting on " angels food."]
3. More profitable
[Temporal advancement a man may gain by attending on
earthly courts : but how many miss their aim ! and, after all,
c See the marginal translation.
74 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 10. [640.
what does the most successful gain ? what can he possess, more
than food and raiment? Let the most favoured courtier in the
universe say, whether that which he has so assiduously followed
be not a delusive shadow, an unsubstantial vanity ? But the
humble worshipper is in no danger of disappointment ; and
every particle of what he gains is " durable riches." What can
be put in competition with " a new heart," " a right spirit," " a
divine nature," a transformation of soul into the very image of
God, a meetness for heaven, and a title to an everlasting inhe
ritance ? Yet these are the certain portion of those who wait
on God in his appointed ordinances : not one can fail, if only
he seek these things in the way that God has ordained, namely,
through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and by an entire sur
render of the soul to him. Take notice, I speak not here of
those who may be supposed to occupy the highest seats in the
Lord s house, as prophets and Apostles : I speak of" the door
keeper, the man upon the threshold," whose conscious unwor-
thiness suffers him " not so much as to lift up his eyes" to his
Redeemer s throne : it is of him I say, that he has a better
portion than the whole world can bestow ; and that " happy is
the man that is in such a case ; yea, happy is the man who
has the Lord for his God."]
Having given what I conceive to be ample grounds
for David s judgment, I now come to mark,
II. The wisdom of his decision
Certainly the whole world of the ungodly are at
issue with him on this point. They have no taste
for spiritual exercises or spiritual enjoyments. They
observe, indeed, the outward forms of religion, for the
sake of setting an example to others ; but of felicity
to be enjoyed in the worship of God they have no
idea. If they see persons much interested about the
worship of God, they are ready to account them
superstitious, and scrupulous, and " righteous over
much ;" and all the delight which they perceive to
be derived from that source they impute to vanity or
enthusiasm. But, however the multitude may prefer
the pleasures of sense, we have no hesitation in saying
that David s decision was wise,
1. On his side are ranged all the Inspired Men
from the foundation of the world
[There is not a shadow of difference among them in rela
tion to this matter. One common testimony pervades the whole
Scriptures. The things of time and sense are invariably
040.] GOD S ORDINANCES PRECIOUS. 75
represented as of no value, in comparison of the things which
are invisible and eternal ; and the possession of the whole world
as of no account in exchange for the soul. Now, when there are
so many witnesses, all unconnected with each other, and living
at times and places so distant from each other, and all inspired
by an unerring God, must we not conclude that their testimony
is true, and that David, in according with them, was true also ?
The whole Inspired Volume must be set aside as an imposture
and a delusion, if David s preference was not such as wisdom
dictated, and God approved.]
2. On his side are even the ungodly, in their hours
of more serious reflection
[Giddy as the world are, and ready to pour contempt on
all serious religion, there is not one who does not sometimes
say in his heart, " Let me die the death of the righteous, and
let my last end be like his." The consciences of men will
sometimes speak ; and they will acknowledge that they have
never found that satisfaction in earthly things which they had
once hoped to find : and that religion alone can bring solid peace
into the soul. And here I will venture to appeal to every indi
vidual, whether on some particular occasions, perhaps on the
death of a friend or in a time of sickness, or after some faithful
discourse, he have not felt the vanity of this present world, and
the need of securing a portion beyond the grave ? and whether,
on such occasions, he have not envied the state of those, whom,
in his more thoughtless seasons, he has ridiculed ? Yes, Herod
revered John, because he knew him to be a just and holy man :
and Felix trembled, because he could not controvert the state
ments of Paul : and scarcely is there an ungodly man to be found,
who has not, on some occasion or other, justified in his mind, if
not in his words, the sentiment avowed by David in our text.]
3. On his side is every man, the very instant he
enters into the eternal world
[Think you that there is a man in heaven that is not like-
minded with David ? or, that there is one in hell who would
not assent to it as a truth which he could no longer doubt ?
Here, men are blinded by their love of earthly things ; but in
the eternal world they view things as they really are : nor is
there one to be found either in heaven or in hell that would
not prefer the state of Lazarus with all his privations to that
of the Rich Man with all his indulgences. Whence was it that
the Rich Man was so anxious to send a messenger to his five
surviving brethren ? was it not to undeceive them, and to make
known to them the proper mode of estimating the things be
longing to their peace ? So, if it were permitted, would they
who are daily and hourly going into the eternal world : gladly
76 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 11. [641.
would they send to warn their surviving relatives ; but that
cannot be : and if we will not believe Moses and the prophets,
we shall learn the truth when it is too late to avail ourselves of
it. But all this may serve at least to shew us that the decision
of David was truly wise.]
LEARN, then, from hence,
1. How to form a right estimate of your state
[You must not judge of yourselves by your actions only,
but by the tendencies and habits of your minds. What is your
taste ? is it for communion with God in holy exercises ? or is
it for the vanities of this present world ? God himself teaches
us to judge of ourselves by this standard : " They that are
after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; and they that
are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit f ." If your taste
accord with that of David, it is well ; you have so far an evi
dence that you are the Lord s : but if it be the reverse of his,
deceive not yourselves ; "ye are yet in your sins," children of
the wicked one, and heirs of wrath.]
2. How to make your profiting to appear
[Cultivate this high and heavenly disposition. Let the
things of this world sink in your estimation sink, I had almost
said, into absolute insignificance; and let communion with God
be the delight of your soul. Let it be a small matter to you
whether you have more or less of the honour that cometh of
man ; and seek the honour that cometh of God only : and " let
your conversation be more and more in heaven, from whence
you look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ," with whom
you hope ere long to participate an eternity of bliss.]
f Rom. viii. 5.
DCXLI.
PROMISES TO THE UPRIGHT.
Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. The Lord God is a sun and a shield: the
Lord will give grace and glory : no good thing will be with
hold from them that walk uprightly.
THE choice which every true Christian makes,
affords matter of astonishment to the ungodly world.
He prefers a life of godliness with all the odium
attached to it, before all the pleasures and honours
which he could possibly enjoy in the ways of sin.
They, who look no further than to the concerns of
time and sense, are amazed that so many sacrifices
should be made without any visible recompence.
Doubtless the choice of Moses must have been
641. J PROMISES TO THE UPRIGHT. 77
deemed marvellously absurd in the palace of Pha
raoh a ; as that also, which David deliberately made,
mast have been among his ungodly courtiers. But
the reason assigned for it was sufficient to justify
him in the eyes of every rational being b .
His words lead us to shew,
I. The character of true Christians as here described
" They walk uprightly " both towards God and
man. Integrity in our dealings with man is an essen
tial part of true uprightness, yet it is far from
being the whole of what is comprehended in that
term. Many act honestly from a mere sense of ho
nour, while they pay no regard at all to their duties
towards God. But sincere Christians act in a very
different manner, they have respect to God in every
thing, that they may approve themselves to him.
They search out their duty diligently
[A child of God will not conclude hastily that he knows
his duty. He is aware of the deceitfulness of sin, and the
wickedness of his own heart. He knows that, if he blindly
follow the dictates of an unenlightened conscience, he may
commit murder itself under the idea of doing God service .
He therefore desires to have his judgment informed. For this
end he reads the Holy Scriptures and begs the Spirit
of God to guide him into all truth He is glad of in
struction and reproof from his fellow-creatures, that he may be
preserved from error. And the one desire of his heart is, to
be freed from every undue bias and to fulfil in all things
the will of God.]
They perform it uniformly
[Every true Christian labours to do unto others as he would
have others do to him. But he does not rest satisfied with this.
He strives to maintain the mastery over all his motives and
principles of action He endeavours to have his tempers
regulated according to the word of God, and the example of
his Lord and Saviour He moreover watches unto secret
prayer. He lives a life of communion with God and
of dependence on God He would not make any ex
ceptions or reserves - He longs to be free both from
partiality and hypocrisy ; and desires rather to descend from
a throne to the place of a door-keeper in God s house for the
a Heb.xi.24 26. b ver.10,11. " I had rather ," &c." For ," &c.
c John xvi. 2. Acts xxvi. 9.
78 PSALMS, LXXXIV. 11. [641.
maintenance of his integrity, than to rise from the place of a
door-keeper to a throne through the smallest violation of his
duty d . He says with David, I esteem all thy precepts con
cerning all things to be right, and I hate every false way 6 .
And with him also he prays, " O that my ways may be directed
to keep thy statutes 1 "!"]
What delight God has in such characters we may
see, if we consider,
II. The blessedness that shall be accorded to them
We are here distinctly told what God will be to
them
[There is scarcely any thing noble or useful in the sphere
of nature or of art, which is not used to illustrate the goodness
of God towards his people. To the upright he will be " a sun."
How welcome is the sun to one who has been groping his
dubious way during a long and dreary night g . His path is now
made clear, and he is enabled to avoid the stumbling-blocks
which before obstructed his progress. Nor are its beams less
refreshing to his body, than its light is useful to his feet. He
now shakes off the anxieties and cares with which he was before
disquieted. He feels his spirit exhilarated; and prosecutes his
journey with ease and pleasure. Thus does God arise on those
who have been sincerely occupied in doing his will. He causes
light to arise in the darkness 11 . Even when they were in dark
ness, he was a light unto them 1 ; but now he dispels all the
clouds, and shines upon them with healing in his beams k . How
sweet the change when the light of God s countenance is thus
lifted up upon them! How plain is now the way of duty, which
before was dark and intricate ! And how pleasant is it to " run
the way of his commandments, now that their feet are set at
liberty!"
He will also be to them " a shield." The more upright they
are, the more will Satan and the world combine against them.
Men will strike at them with the sword of persecution ; and
Satan will cast at them the fiery darts of temptation. But God
will " compass them with his favour as with a shield." If they
be wounded, he will heal them again, and overrule their mo
mentary pain for their greater advantage. As for their head,
he will surely protect it in the day of battle. He will perfectly
secure them from every fatal blow. Nor shall any weapon that
is formed against them be ever suffered finally to prosper 1 .
d ver. 10. e Ps. cxix. 128. f Ps. cxix. 5.
s This metaphor must not be taken in its full extent, but only in
reference to a traveller. h Ps. cxii. 4.
1 Mic. vii. 8. k Mai. iv. 2. * Isai. liv. 17.
PROMISES TO THE UPRIGHT. 79
Whilst God himself thus becomes their light and protection,
he informs us further,]
What he will do for them
[He will give them grace. Certain it is that he must have
given them grace before, or else they never would have been
able to attain to real uprightness. But, as their conflicts in
crease, he will give them more grace" 1 . As particular occasions
call for it, he will give them seasonable grace, even in the very
time of need 11 . And if their temptations should exceed all that
ever were experienced by man, he will give them grace sufficient
for them . " My grace is sufficient for thee," is his word to
every soul, however buffeted by Satan, or ready to sink under
the violence of his assaults. " They shall receive continually
out of Christ s fulness, even grace for grace."
He will also give them glory. His favours to them shall not
terminate with their present state of existence. He will not
only make them more than conquerors here, but will give them
an unfading crown of righteousness and glory in a better world.
Whatever felicity the angels enjoy in heaven, that shall his
saints also participate. And as our first parents were banished
from the tree of life for yielding to the tempter, so shall they,
who resist and overcome him, be admitted to the tree of life
that grows in the midst of the paradise of God, and shall go no
more out for ever P.
" Nor will he withhold from them any thing that is truly good."
Were wealth and honour good for them here below, they should
possess it. If God withhold those things from his people now,
he does it because he knows that they would not, on the whole,
be good for them. He that gave his own Son to die for them,
will assuredly give them all other things that will promote their
welfare. They shall never want any thing for body or soul, for
time or eternity.]
INFER
1. How truly blessed are they who are upright
before God!
[This is the Psalmist s own reflection q . He varies indeed
the term by which he describes the people of God ; but his
meaning is the same ; for none can be upright except those
who trust in him, because nothing but the grace of God can
make them so : nor do any trust in him without receiving that
grace which shall make them upright. The manner in which
he expresses his reflection, is worthy of notice ; he does not
merely assert it as a fact, or appeal to men for the truth of it,
but appeals to God himself respecting it. " O Lord God of
m Jam. iv. 6. n Heb. iv. 16. 2 Cor. xii. 9.
P Rev. ii. 7. 1 ver. 12.
80 PSALMS, LXXXV. 8. [642.
hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee." How strong
must have been the conviction of it in his mind! And can
any thing be more clear? To have the LORD GOD himself
for their light and defence, and to have all the blessings of
grace and glory ensured to them by the unalterable promise
of JEHOVAH; what can they have more? Let every upright
soul then rejoice ; for he is and shall be blessed. And let all
be stirred up to walk worthy of their high calling. So shall
God be glorified in them ; and they, ere long, be glorified with
him for evermore.]
2. In what a pitiable state are the generality of
mankind !
[There are many who are honest and just even among the
heathen. But, alas! the generality labour not in earnest to
find out their duty; nor do they know any thing of that unre
served devotedness to God which characterizes the true Chris
tian. Is God then a sun to them ? Is he not rather a cloud
of darkness to them, or rather, I should say, a consuming fire r ?
Is he a shield to them ? Is he not rather an irresistible adver
sary s ? Will he give them grace and glory? Shall he not rather
visit them with wrath and fiery indignation 1 ? Will he with
hold from them no good ? Is there not rather a time shortly
coming when they shall not have so much as a drop of water
to cool their tongue ? O that men would consider this ! Surely
their state calls for much compassion. Let every one lay this to
heart. Let every one seek to be found " an Israelite indeed, in
whom is no guile." And let it be the one ambition of us all to
be found of God in peace, without spot and blameless".]
r Exod. xiv. 20. Heb. xii. 29. s Matt. v. 25.
t Rom. ii. 8. u 2 Pet. iii. 14.
DCXLII.
ATTENTION TO GOD s WORD ENCOURAGED.
Ps. Ixxxv. 8. / will hear what God the Lord will speak : for
he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints : but
let them not turn again to folly.
IF we would obtain any blessing from God, we
must seek it in the exercise of fervent prayer. Yet
shall we not really obtain a blessing, unless we look
up to God in expectation of an answer to our prayers.
In this respect we must resemble a beggar who sup
plicates for alms. He is not satisfied with having
presented his petition : he waits for an answer ; and
never considers himself as having succeeded in his
642.] ATTENTION TO GOD s WORD ENCOURAGED. 81
requests, till he is in the actual enjoyment of the
desired boon. This waiting spirit was exemplified in
David, when he said, "In the morning will I direct
my prayer unto thee, and will look up*." In like
manner it is illustrated in the psalm before us, which
seems to have been written after the Babylonish
captivity, but previous to the complete and quiet
settlement of the people in their own land. The
petitions which are offered are extremely urgent :
" Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine
anger towards us to cease ! Wilt thou be angry with
us for ever ? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all
generations ? Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy
people may rejoice in thee ? Shew us thy mercy, O
Lord, and grant us thy salvation b ." The petitioner,
then, determines to listen to God s voice, in the hope
that he shall, in due season, receive an answer of
peace : " I will hear what God the Lord will speak."
Let us, for the elucidation of this subject, consider,
I. The attention to be paid to the word of God
[The word, whether as contained in the inspired volume,
or as delivered to us by the ministers of Christ, is truly and
properly God s ; and, as his, it should be received by us vvitli
the deepest reverence. When St. Paul ministered at Thessa-
lonica, the people "received his word, not as the word of man,
but as the word of God :" and for that he specially commends
them . And thus, whether written or preached, it must be
received by us. Whether we open the inspired volume our
selves, or go up to hear it in the house of God, we must, like
Cornelius and his family, place ourselves as in the immediate
presence of God, "to hear all that is commanded us of God d :"
and with meek submission we must say, like Samuel, " Speak,
Lord, for thy servant heareth e ."]
But in our text we are informed,
II. What particular reason there is for that attention
[" The Lord will speak peace unto his people and to his
saints : " however much they have deserved his wrath and in
dignation, he will not retain his anger against them, if only
they give ear to his word, and set themselves diligently to obey
it. To the impenitent he never utters a single word of peace :
a Ps. v. 3. b ver. 47. c 1 Thess. ii. 13.
d Acts x. 33. e 1 Sam. iii. 10.
VOL. VI. G
82 PSALMS, LXXXV. 8. [642.
but to the humble and contrite soul, that relies on his pro
mises in Christ Jesus, there is not a syllable throughout all the
inspired volume that leads to discouragement : grace, mercy,
and peace are held forth to all of this character. These,
though but in an infantine state, are God s "saints and people;"
and for them are prepared " a peace that passeth all under
standing," and " a joy that is unspeakable and glorified. "
Shall such tidings, then, be announced, and the trembling soul
not listen to them ? If there were nothing but precepts pro
claimed, they should be listened to with the most reverent
attention : but, when nothing but the voice of love and mercy
sounds in our ears, it must be strange indeed if we do not hear
it with the devoutest gratitude, and treasure it up in our minds
as a source of the richest consolation.]
With this attention, however, must be blended a
regard to,
III. The ultimate scope and object of all his gra
cious declarations
[Sin, under what circumstances soever it be committed, is
" folly" in the extreme : and to turn us from that folly is the
true end of all that God has done for us. "Our Lord Jesus
Christ gave himself for us, to deliver us from this present evil
world, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of
good works f ." To him, therefore, we must cleave in a way of
holiness, never for a moment turning back to our evil ways, or
even so much as " looking back after having once put our
hands to the plough g ." For, whatever we may have experi
enced, it will all cease to be of any value in the sight of God
the very instant we depart from his holy ways h : yea, it will
be " better never to have known the way of righteousness at
all, than after having known it, to depart from it 1 ." It is " by
patient continuance in well-doing that we must seek for eter
nal life k ;" and only by enduring to the end, can we ever attain
the promised salvation *.]
Let me, then, ADDRESS
1. The inattentive hearer
[God speaks in his word : but the generality of the world,
though within reach of the sound, hear him not : " They have
no ears to hear." But let me ask, Will you be always able to
shut your ears against his voice? Will you not hear him
when he shall summon both the quick and dead to his tribu
nal ? Will you be deaf to his voice when he shall pronounce
upon you that awful doom, " Depart accursed into everlasting
f Tit. ii. 14. s Luke ix. 62. h Ezek. xxxiii. 18.
1 2 Pet. ii. 21. k Rom. ii. 7. ] Mark xiii. 13.
643.] GOD S PERFECTIONS RECONCILED IN CHRIST. 83
fire prepared for the devil and his angels ? " If, then, you must
listen to him in that day, would it not be wise to regard him
now ? Be assured the day will come when you will regret that
presumptuous indifference which now you manifest ; and when,
if you turn not to him in sincerity and truth, you will "call upon
the rocks and mountains in vain to hide you from his wrath."]
2. The backsliding professor
[What have you gained by returning to the world ? Nay,
have you not lost the peace which you once enjoyed ? You
may pretend to possess a quiet mind ; but you do not : or, if
you do, it is only by drowning the voice of conscience, and
silencing its remonstrances. Compare the penitential sorrows
which you once felt, with the liveliest joys that you now expe
rience ; and then say, whether you were not really happier
when weeping for your sins, than you now are when launching
into either the cares or pleasures of the world ? I well know
the answer you must give, if you will speak truly ; and there
fore you, of all men, are constrained to acknowledge the folly
of sin. " Remember, then, whence you have fallen, and repent ;
and do your first works m ." But if you will not repent and turn
to God, then prepare to meet him in judgment, and to receive
at his hands the just recompence of your deeds.]
3. The obedient saint-
fit is your privilege to have your " peace flowing down
like a river." And such it will be, if you apply to your souls
the many " great and precious promises " which are given you
in the Gospel. Search them out, therefore, and treasure them
up in your minds. Hear God himself speaking to you in them :
and so embrace them, as to live upon them, and to derive from
them all the consolation which they are calculated to impart. In
this way will you be kept from spiritual declension, and will
be enabled to " cleanse yourselves from all filthiness both of
flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God"."]
m Rev. ii. 5. "2 Cor. vii. 1.
DCXLIII.
THE PERFECTIONS OF GOD RECONCILED IN CHRIST JESUS.
Ps. Ixxxv. 9, 10. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear
him, that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth
are met together ; righteousness and peace have kissed each
other.
WE are told in Scripture, that " the prayer of the
upright is God s delight :" and in instances without
number has he evinced the truth of this saying. If
84 PSALMS, LXXXV. 9, 10. [643.
only we wait upon him with humility, and listen to
his voice, "he will speak peace unto us a ." The
writer of this psalm, which was most probably com
posed after the return of the Jews from their cap
tivity in Babylon, records for our instruction, that he
sought not the Lord in vain. The people, though
restored, found many difficulties to encounter : and
the Psalmist earnestly entreated God to perfect for
them what he had begun, and to establish the nation
in righteousness and peace b . In answer to this
prayer, God assured him, not only that the blessings
which had been solicited should be conferred, but
that the more glorious redemption, which was sha
dowed forth by those events, should in due time be
accomplished. In this sense of the passage all the
best interpreters concur : and it perfectly accords
with the general language of the Prophets, which, in
addition to the literal meaning, has also a spiritual
or mystical sense ; and which, under images appa
rently relating only to one peculiar people, has
respect to Christ and his Church to the end of time.
Taking the words then in a prophetical sense, we
may notice in them,
I. The obstacles on God s part to the salvation of
man-
When man fell, the "truth and righteousness" of
God required that the penalties of his transgression
should be executed upon him
[To man in Paradise, God gave liberty to eat of every tree
in the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil: but in reference to that tree he said, " In the day that
thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die." This death com
prehended not merely the dissolution of the body, but the de
struction also of the soul, even that everlasting destruction
from which the second Adam has delivered us : according as it
is written, " The wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord c ." From the moment
therefore of his transgression, man became obnoxious to this
punishment ; and the truth of God was pledged to inflict it.
Moreover, God as a righteous Governor could not but maintain
the honour of his law. His justice was engaged not to suffer
the violations of that law to pass unpunished.]
a ver. 8. b ver. 17. c Rom. v. 1219. and \i. 23.
643.] GOD S PERFECTIONS RECONCILED IN CHRIST. 85
This presented an apparently insurmountable ob
stacle to man s salvation
[To say that God could not have found some other means
of satisfying the demands of truth and righteousness, would be
presumptuous, because the resources of his wisdom are infinite :
but we are perfectly justified in saying, that he could not save
man unless some way of satisfying the demands of truth and
righteousness were found. However God might desire to
exercise mercy, and to be at peace with man, he could not
do it at the expense of any other of his perfections. St. Paul
himself frequently assigns this limit to the divine procedure :
" God cannot lie," says he : and again, " It is impossible for
God to lie :" and again, " God cannot deny himself." Again
he says, " Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid."
It is plain, therefore, that unless a way could be found for
" mercy and truth to meet together, and righteousness and
peace to kiss each other," no hope could be entertained for
fallen man: the judgments denounced against him must be
executed ; and, having partaken with the fallen angels in their
guilt, he must partake with them also in their misery.]
But, formidable as these obstacles were, we behold
in our text,
II. The way in which they are removed
All has been done for man that was required of man
[A substitute has been provided for our guilty race. The
Son of God himself has come down from heaven, and been
made under the law, that, in the very nature that had sinned,
he might bear the penalty of sin, and fulfil the utmost possible
demands of that law which we had broken. True it is, that
the law denounced eternal death ; and that Christ bore that
penalty only for a season: but then it must be remembered,
that he was God, as well as man : and from his godhead is
derived a virtue on all that he did or suffered, a virtue which
is fully adequate to the obedience or sufferings of the whole
world. Indeed the law gains more honour by the sufferings
of our incarnate God, than it ever could have gained from the
sufferings of the whole human race : for, if man had undertaken
to pay the penalty, no time could ever have arrived, when it
might be said, " Now divine justice is satisfied, and the law has
received a full compensation for the dishonour done to it:"
but in the sufferings of God s co-equal Son there is " a full,
perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation and satisfaction for the
sins of the whole world." In his obedience also to the law
there is an honour done to it far beyond all that could have
accrued to it from the obedience of man. That God himself
should become subject to his own law, and fulfil in his own
86 PSALMS, LXXXV. 9, 10. [643.
person all that is required of his creatures, is such an exalted
honour to the law, that it may well be regarded as a sufficient
substitute for the obedience of man, and as an adequate ground
for the justification of all who shall trust in it d .]
Thus a way is opened for man s salvation, in per
fect consistency with every perfection of the Deity
[" Truth and righteousness" are now completely satisfied.
They demanded a perfect fulfilment of the law ; and the law
has been perfectly fulfilled : they demanded the penalty of death
to be inflicted on account of sin ; and it has been inflicted on
the sinner s substitute. Now as a debt, discharged by a surety,
can no longer be demanded of the principal, so can our debt
no longer be demanded of us, if we plead what Christ has
done and suffered for us. And, as a thing purchased for any
person, belongs to him for whom it was purchased, so we, who
have all the glory of heaven purchased for us by our adorable
Emmanuel, have a right to it, if we plead the purchase he has
made. Hence it appears that truth and righteousness are no
longer against us, but are rather on our side ; and, instead of
demanding, as before, the destruction of our souls, are become
advocates for our free and full salvation. Justice now says,
Pay them, O God, what their Redeemer has purchased for
them : and Truth says, Fulfil to them, O Lord, all that thou
hast promised to those who believe in Jesus.]
But let us more particularly consider,
III. The blessed consequences of the removal of them
[Salvation is now accessible to all : it is come both to Jews
and Gentiles : " It is near unto us." To those especially " who
fear the Lord," it is near, even " in their mouth and in their
heart 6 ." No longer does the fiery sword prohibit our access
to the tree of life. " Mercy" has now full scope for the freest
exercise. God can now be " a just God, and yet a SaviourV
He " declares his righteousness," no less than his mercy, " in
the forgiveness of sins ; and is just, and yet the justifier of all
who believe in Christ g ." Hence he proclaims " peace" to all
that are afar off h . He establishes his tabernacle in the midst
of us : and invites all to come unto him, even to his mercy-seat,
in full assurance of faith. " In every corner of the land his
glory dwells 1 :" and all who truly fear him may have daily
" fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
The manner in which this assertion is made, deserves particular
atention : " Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him."
This blessed truth admits not of the smallest doubt : it may be
d Isai. xlii. 21. R om . x . g, 9. f Isai. xlv. 21.
R Rom. iii. 25, 26. h Eph. ii. 17. * Isai. iv. 5.
643. J GOD S PERFECTIONS RECONCILED IN CHRIST. 87
fully and firmly depended upon. A spring of great elastic
force does not more certainly rise up when the superincumbent
pressure is withdrawn from it, than mercy issues from the bosom
of our God now that the obstacles to its exercise are removed.]
BEHOLD then how replete this passage is with,
1. Instruction to the ignorant
[Men differ much about the way of salvation : but this
passage clearly determines who is right. That plan of salva
tion, and that alone, is right, which is carried into effect in
perfect consistency with all the attributes of God. But there
is no way that provides for the honour of God s truth and
righteousness, but that which is revealed in the Gospel, the
way of salvation by faith in Christ. Nothing but Christ s
obedience unto death ever did, or ever could, answer the de
mands of law and justice : nothing but Christ s completion of
that work in the quality of our Surety could enable the sinner
to say to the supreme Governor of the universe, " Avert thy
wrath from me ; for I have already endured it in my Surety ;
and give me everlasting glory, for I, in the person of my
Surety, have fulfilled all righteousness, and perfectly obeyed
thy law." But the Believer may adopt this language ; since
God himself has said, that " Christ, who knew no sin, was made
sin for us, that we, who had no righteousness, might be made
the righteousness of God in him." Let the uninstructed bear
this in mind, and " determine to know nothing" as a ground of
hope towards God, " but Jesus Christ, and him crucified."]
2. Terror to the presumptuous
[It is surprising what a measure of confidence some will
express, notwithstanding neither their principles nor their
conduct at all accord with the Scriptures of Truth. But we
must declare to all, that both in the foundation of our hope,
and in the superstructure built upon it, " Mercy and truth must
meet together, and righteousness and peace must kiss each
other." We have before shewn, that no one perfection of the
Deity will display itself at the expense of another : all must
unite and harmonize in every work of his : it is as impossible
for God in any one instance to violate his righteousness or
truth, as for him to cease from his existence. In us also must
those graces which correspond with his perfections be found in
united and harmonious exercise : we must be just and true, and
merciful and kind : yea, it is by our conformity to the Divine
image in righteousness and true holiness, that we must judge of
our state before him : for, however accurate our views of his
Gospel may be, it is a certain truth, that " without holiness no
man shall see the Lord : " " Truth must spring out of the earth,
if ever righteousness shall look down from heaven V]
k ver. 11. with Isai. xlv. 8.
88 PSALMS, LXXXVI. 15. [644.
3. Consolation to the timid-
fit is frequently amongst those who truly " fear God" a
matter of doubt and anxiety, whether God can pardon them :
they see their manifold imperfections in so strong a light, that
God appears to them bound, as it were, in justice, to banish
them from his presence, yea, and bound in truth also to exe
cute his threatenings upon them. But let such persons view
God, not as he is in himself, but as he is in Christ Jesus.
There it is that he must be seen as a God of love and peace.
There it is that the drooping penitent may behold him " as a
reconciled God, who will never impute to him his trespasses V
Yes, in Christ Jesus, " God is not only merciful and kind, but
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness." Dismiss then your fears, ye trembling
saints ; and put your trust in Him, who has in so wonderful a
way removed all the obstacles to your salvation. The veil of
the temple was rent in twain on purpose to shew you, that
henceforth there is free access to God for every sinner upon
earth, and that all who approach him in that new and living
way, by faith in Christ Jesus, shall surely find acceptance with
him. If God will be just in punishing the ungodly, he will be
no less just to his Son in pardoning all who plead the merit of
his blood : and if he will be true in executing his threatenings,
he will be no less true in fulfilling his exceeding great and
precious promises. Only rely on them, and plead them at a
throne of grace, and you shall never, never be disappointed of
your hope.]
i 2 Cor. v. 19, 20. "i ] j o hn i. 9.
DCXLIV.
A PRAYING SPIRIT EXEMPLIFIED.
Ps. Ixxxvi. 1 5. Boiv down thine ear, O Lord ! hear me ;
for I am poor and needy . Preserve my soul ; for I am holy.
O thou my God, save thy servant that trust eth in thee ! Be
merciful unto me, Lord ! for I cry unto thee daily. Re
joice the soul of thy servant : for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift
up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive;
plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
TRUE and genuine piety cannot always be cer
tainly known by men s intercourse with their fellow-
creatures. Appearances may be so plausible, that
they cannot, except by Him who searcheth the heart,
be distinguished from realities. But in their inter
course with the Deity, the truth or falsehood of their
644.] A PRAYING SPIRIT EXEMPLIFIED. 89
profession may be clearly discerned. The most re
fined hypocrite may, by examining the state of his
soul in his private devotions, obtain the certain
means of discovering his proper character, provided
he have his standard rightly fixed, and his test im
partially applied. To furnish such a standard, is our
object in the present discourse. We here behold
the man after God s own heart drawing nigh to a
throne of grace, and pouring out his soul in suppli
cations before God : and we wish to call your atten
tion especially to the spirit which he manifested in
this sacred duty, since it will serve as an excellent
criterion whereby to try and judge ourselves.
Let us then consider,
I. The subject-matter of his prayer
It should seem that David was now under great
affliction, either from the persecutions of Saul, or
from the unnatural rebellion of his son Absalom :
and his prayers may well be understood, in the first
instance, as relating to his temporal trials. But, as
it is of his soul that he chiefly speaks, we shall dwell
upon his prayer principally in that view. Let us
notice then,
1. His petitions
[St. Paul, in both his Epistles to Timothy, prays, that
"grace, and mercy, and peace" may be multiplied upon him.
These three terms comprehend the substance of the Psalmist s
petitions. He desired " grace," to " preserve and save his soul."
He desired " mercy ;" " Be merciful unto me, O Lord !" And
he desired " peace;" " Rejoice the soul of thy servant, O Lord!"
Now these are such petitions as every sinner in the universe
should offer. There are no other that can be compared with
them, in point of importance to the souls of men. As for all
the objects of time and sense, they sink into perfect insignifi
cance before the things which appertain to our everlasting
salvation. To all therefore I would say, Seek what David
sought. Cry mightily to God to have mercy upon you, and
to preserve and save your soul : and when you have done that,
you may fitly pray also for that consolation and joy, which a
sense of his pardoning love will produce in the soul.]
2. His pleas
[These are taken, partly, from what he experienced in his
own soul; and, partly, from the character of God himself .
90 PSALMS, LXXXVI. 15. [644.
Observe how he urges, what he experienced in his own soul.
The things which God himself requires from us, in order to the
acceptance of our prayers, are, a deep sense of our necessities,
an entire surrender of our souls to him, a reliance on him for
all needful blessings, and a continual application to him in a
way of fervent and believing prayer. Behold, these are the
very things which David at this time experienced, and which
therefore he pleaded before God as evidences of the sincerity
of his prayers : " Bow down thine ear, O Lord, and hear me ;
for I am poor and needy!" And who is there that must not
adopt the same acknowledgment ? Who that considers, how
destitute his soul is of all that is truly good, will not find these
words exactly descriptive of his state? Again, the Psalmist
prays, " Preserve my soul ; for / am holy." We must not
imagine that David here meant to boast of his high attainments
in holiness: the term " holy" is applied in Scripture to every
thing that is dedicated to God, though from its very nature it
cannot possess any inherent sanctity : the temple of God, the
vessels of the sanctuary, and all the offerings, were holy, be
cause they were set apart for God. So David here speaks of
himself as " set apart for God a :" and his expression is exactly
equivalent to that which he uses in another place; " I am
THINE; save meV This then is another plea which it be
comes us all to use. As the Israelites were " a holy nation ,"
so are we d : and if we have given up ourselves unreservedly
to God, we may well hope, that he will hear and answer our
petitions. Once more David says, " Save me ; for / trust in
Thee." This also was a most acceptable plea. If we ask with
a wavering and doubtful mind, we can never succeed 6 : but the
prayer of faith must of necessity prevail f . The suppliant who
truly and habitually trusts in God, can never be disappointed.
Lastly, David says, " I cry unto thee daily :" " Unto thee, O
Lord, do I lift up my soul" God " will be inquired of, to do
for us the things that he has promised." " If we ask, we shall
have ; if we seek, we shall find ; if we knock, it shall be opened
unto us g :" but, if we ask not, we shall not, we cannot, have h .
But David s chief plea is taken from the character of God
himself : and this is, in reality, the most satisfactory to the
human mind, and most acceptable to the Divine Majesty, who
" will work for his own great Name s sake," when all other
grounds of hope are subverted and lost. Towards his creatures
generally, whether rational or irrational, God is "good;" but
towards the children of men he is "ready to forgive, and plen-
a See Ps. iv. 3. b Ps. cxix. 94. c Exod. xix. 6.
d 1 Pet. ii. 9. e Jam. i. 6, 7.
f Matt. xxi. 22. Mark xi. 24. g Matt. vii. 7, 8.
h Jam. iv. 2.
644. ] A PRAYING SPIRIT EXEMPLIFIED. 91
teous in mercy unto all that call upon him." No mother is so
tender towards her new-born child, as God is towards his peni
tent and believing people. He is far more " ready to forgive,"
than they are to ask forgiveness ; and will multiply his pardons
beyond all the multitude of their offences 1 . " Where sin has
abounded, his grace shall much more abound k ." The freeness
and fulness of God s grace should be clearly seen, and confidently
relied upon : but then we must never forget, that this glorious
perfection shines only in the face of Jesus Christ. It is in Christ
only that God can pardon sinners in consistency with his jus
tice : but in Christ, " he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 ." In Christ there
fore, and in God as reconciled to us through the blood of his
Son, must be all our hope. If we rest solely on Christ s obe
dience unto death, all will be well ; for " in him all the promises
of God are yea, and amen m ." But, if we look at God in any
way but as in the person of Christ, we shall surely find him " a
consuming fire"."]
The prayer itself not calling for any farther eluci
dation, we proceed to notice,
II. The spirit manifested in it-
Here the subject is peculiarly important, because
it exhibits in so striking a view the dispositions of
mind which we should invariably exercise in our
approaches to the Divine Majesty. In this example
of David, then observe,
1. His meekness and modesty
[He approaches God, as a sinner ought to do, with reve
rential awe. He exhibits none of that unhallowed boldness, and
indecent familiarity, which are so commonly to be noticed in the
prayers of many at this day. It is much to be lamented that
many address God almost as if he were an equal. We speak
not now of that irreverence with which people, altogether igno
rant of religion, conduct themselves in the public services of the
church ; (though that is deeply to be deplored ;) but of the
state of mind manifested by many religious people, ministers, as
well as others, in their public and social addresses to the throne
of Heaven. How different, alas ! is it from that which is incul
cated, both in the Scriptures , and in the Liturgy of our Church!
In the Liturgy, the people are exhorted to " accompany their
minister with a pure heart and humble voice to the throne of the
heavenly grace :" and, in another place, " to make their humble
confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling on their knees."
* Isai. Iv. 79. k Rom. v. 20. ] Rom. iii. 24, 25.
m 2 Cor. i. 20. n Heb. xii. 29. Ps. Ixxxix. 7. Eccl. v. 2.
92 PSALMS, LXXXVI. 15. [644.
This is a lovely state of mind, and as opposite to that which many
religious people manifest, as light to darkness. Many whose
religious principles differ widely from the self-applauding Pha
risee, resemble him very nearly in his spirit and conduct : but
let us, on the contrary, imitate the publican, who, " not ven
turing so much as to lift up his eyes to heaven, smote upon his
breast, and cried, God be merciful to me a sinner."]
2. His humility and contrition
[He felt himself a guilty and undone creature, deserving of
God s everlasting displeasure : and hence he cried so repeatedly
for mercy and salvation. And here again we see how the same
views and dispositions are inculcated in the services of our
Church. Let any one peruse the confession which is daily
offered or that which we are taught to utter at the table
of the Lord or let him read the responses after every
one of the Ten Commandments or the repeated cries,
" Lord, have mercy upon me ! Christ, have mercy upon me !
Lord, have mercy upon me ! " and he will see at once, what a
beautiful harmony there is between our Liturgy and the Holy
Scriptures ; and what distinguished saints all her members would
be, if the Spirit of her Liturgy were transfused into their minds.
This is the state of mind which, above all, we would recommend
to those who desire to find acceptance with God : for " to this
man will God look, even to him who is of a broken and contrite
spirit p :" this is the sacrifice which, above all, God requires, and
which he has assured us "he will never despiseV]
3. His faith and love
[David did not so view his own sinfulness as to distrust the
mercy of his heavenly Father ; but rather took occasion from
his own sinfulness to magnify still more the free and supera-
bounding grace of God. In this, his example is especially to
be followed. Nothing can warrant us to limit the mercy of our
God. O how " ready is he to forgive " returning penitents !
Of this, the conduct of the father towards the repenting pro
digal is a lively and instructive image. In that parable, the
compassion of God towards returning sinners is, as it were,
exhibited even to the eye of sense. Let us then, whatever be our
state, bear this in mind, that unbelief is a sin which binds all
our other sins upon us. Never, under any circumstances,
should we harbour it for a moment. It is enough to have
resisted God s authority, without proceeding further to rob
him of the brightest jewels of his crown his grace and
mercy. The goodness of God, as described in our text, and
in another subsequent part of this psalm r , is a sufii-
P Isai. Ivii. 15. and Ixv. 2. <i Ps. li. 17. r ver. 15.
HOW TO WALK WITH GOD. 93
645.]
cient pledge to us, that of those who come to him in his Son s
name, he never did, nor ever will, cast out so much as one.]
4. His zeal and earnestness
[The diversified petitions and pleas which we have already
considered, together with the renewed urgency of his supplica
tions in the verse following my text 8 , shew, how determined
David was not to rest, till he had obtained favour of the Lord.
And thus must we also "continue instant in prayer: " we must
" watch unto it with all perseverance ;" we must "pray always,
and not faint." Alas ! how are we condemned in our own
minds for our manifold neglects, and for our lukewarmness in
prayer to God ! But we must not rest satisfied with confessing
these neglects : we should remedy them, and break through this
supineness, and correct this negligence, and lie at Bethesda s
pool till the angel come for our relief. This is suggested to us
in our text. What we translate, " I cry unto thee daily" is,
in the margin, " I cry unto thee all the day." O that there were
in us such a heart ! O that our sense of need were so deep,
our desire of mercy so ardent, and our faith in God so assured,
that we were drawn to God with an irresistible and abiding
impulse ; and that, like Jacob of old, we " wrestled with him
day and night, saying, I will not let thee go except thou bless
me 4 ." Such prayer could not but prevail; and such a suppliant
could not but find everlasting acceptance with God, who is so
"plenteous in mercy, so ready to forgive 11 ."]
8 ver. 6. * Gen. xxxii. 24, 26, 28. with Hos. xii. 3 5.
u Luke xviii. 1 8.
DCXLV.
HOW TO WALK WITH GOD.
Ps. Ixxxvi. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord! I will walk in
thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
IN mercy, no less than in judgment, does God see
fit to afflict his people : he does it " for their profit,
that they may in a more abundant measure be par
takers of his holiness a ." And when we are brought
nigh to him by means of our afflictions, then have
they answered the great end for which they were sent.
David was a man who enjoyed much communion
with God ; and probably it was to the extraordinary
trials with which, for many years, he was visited,
that he was indebted, under God, for that sublime
a Heb. xii. 10.
94 PSALMS, LXXXVI. 11. [645.
piety which shone so conspicuously in him. In the
psalm before us, he pours out his soul before God
under some great and heavy affliction, probably under
the persecutions of Saul : but it had produced the
most beneficial effect upon his mind ; seeing that it
stirred up within him more ardent desires after God,
and determined him, through grace, to walk more
diligently in the ways of God : " Teach me thy way,
O Lord ! I will walk in thy truth : unite my heart to
fear thy name."
In these words we see the two great requisites for
an acceptable walk with God ; which are,
I. An illumination of mind, that we may know His
ways
[We know nothing of God or his ways, any farther than
he has seen fit to reveal himself to us (How little our
unassisted reason can teach us, has abundantly appeared in all
the philosophers of Greece and Rome.) Least of all can we
know any thing of the way which he has appointed for our
reconciliation with him through the blood of his Son : respect
ing that no finite intelligence could have formed any con
ception, if it had not been made known to us by a special
communication from heaven But we need also, yet
further, a special revelation of it to our own souls. The mere
report, as contained in the written word, is not of itself suffi
cient to bring us to a saving knowledge of these sublime truths :
Christ must be revealed in us b , as well as to us, or we shall
never " know him as we ought." These great things are, in
deed, " freely given to us of God:" yet must we " receive the
Spirit of God, in order that we may know them" aright :
He must, as " a Spirit of wisdom and revelation," open the eyes
of our understanding, before we can comprehend d this great
mystery, so as really to acquiesce in it, and cordially to come
to Christ as "the way, the truth, and the life 6 " - - If the
Apostles themselves, after above three years attendance on
the public and private instructions of our Lord, yet needed to
have " their understandings opened, in order that they might
understand the Scriptures f ," there can be no doubt but that
the same is necessary for us all ; and that we all need to cry
with David, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may see wondrous
things out of thy law g ;" or, as he speaks more fully in another
psalm, " Shew me thy ways, O Lord ; teach me thy paths ;
b Gal. i. 16. c 1 Cor. ii. 12. d Eph. i. 17, 18.
e John xiv. 6. f Luke xxiv. 45. e Ps. cxix. 18.
645.] HOW TO WALK WITH GOD. 95
lead me in thy truth, and teach me : for thou art the God of
my salvation : on thee do I wait all the day V]
To this must be added,
II. A concentration of our souls, that we may walk
in it
[Our heart by nature is divided amongst ten thousand
vanities, all of which are sought in preference to God. What
ever can contribute to the satisfaction of the carnal mind be
comes, on that account, an object of desire ; and according as
our prospects of attaining it are varied, our hopes and fears,
our joys and sorrows, are called forth into powerful and suc
cessive operation. But the powers of the soul are not to be
so abused : they were given by God in order that they might
be employed in his service : and in order to an acceptable walk
with him, they must all centre in him. He will not accept a
divided heart. Whosoever possesses that, " will be found
faulty 1 . God says, " My son, give ME thine heart k :" and it
must be given to him entire. To him it must be exclusively
devoted, in all its faculties : at least, nothing must be an object
of hope or fear, joy or sorrow, but in subserviency to his glory,
and in obedience to his command. " We cannot serve God
and Mammon too 1 ." There is " a singleness of eye," and "a
singleness of heart," that is indispensable to a right walking
with God m : without that we cannot be " Israelites indeed 11 ,"
or approve ourselves to " Him who searcheth the heart and
trieth the reins " ]
ADDRESS
1 . Those who think it an easy thing to serve God
[Many have an idea that this is so easy a matter, that
they may execute it at any time, whenever satiety shall have
rendered them less anxious about carnal enjoyments, or the
approach of death shall render a preparation for eternity more
an object of desire. But supposing it to be so easy, how great
must be their guilt in neglecting it! Is it so easy a matter to
please, and serve, and honour God : and will they not do it ?
Then " out of their own mouth shall they be judged :" and the
heaviest condemnation shall be awarded to them, because they
would rather rebel against their God and " provoke the eyes of
his glory " by their impieties, than they would take on them, what
they themselves acknowledged to be, his " light and easy yoke."
But if it be, indeed, so easy, try it; and see if it be so easy
to come to God in his appointed " way." See, if you can come
with brokenness of heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the
h Ps. xxv. 4, 5. Hos. x. 2. k Prov. xxiii. 26.
1 Matt. vi. 24. m Acts ii. 46. Col.iii.22. n John i. 47.
96 PSALMS, LXXXVI. 11. [645.
Father through him, imploring mercy solely through the blood
and righteousness of your adorable Saviour You will
soon find that the proud heart of man does not easily stoop to
so humiliating a way of approaching God. If you might come
in your own name, and in your own righteousness, you would
perhaps consent to do it : but to come with penitential sorrow
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in a simple depend
ence on his atoning sacrifice, is a work to which you are utterly
averse, and which none but God can enable you to perform.
Again, if it be so easy to gather in all the affections of the
soul, and to fix them exclusively on God. do it. But you will
find that this is far beyond the power of man to effect. In
order to this, you must have " a new heart given you, and a
right spirit renewed within you : " nor can any power short of
that which created the world at first form such a new creation
within you. Lay aside, then, your vain conceits respecting
this matter; and begin, without delay, that work, which a
whole life is short enough to accomplish, and which, if not
wrought speedily, may soon become a subject of remediless and
endless woe ]
2. Those who desire, but find it difficult to serve
him
[You, probably, have depended too much on the resolu
tions you have formed. I am far from disapproving of reso
lutions, if formed in dependence upon God. Joshua s has been
the just subject of applause in all ages : " As for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord ." But Peter has sufficiently
shewn how weak all human strength is, when unaided from on
high. It is by prayer alone that we can hope to prevail, either
for the illumination of our minds, or the concentration of our
souls, both of which are so necessary in this good work. David
was no novice in the divine life ; yet did he cry, " Teach me
thy way, O Lord ; and unite my heart to fear thee ! " And,
if he had not so cried to the Lord, in vain would he have said,
" I will walk in thy truth." If then he, notwithstanding his
attainments, still had recourse to God in prayer, know, that
there is no other way for us to prevail ; and that, if you would
succeed according to your desire, you must cry day and night
to God in prayer, and bring down from him those supplies of
grace and strength which are so needful for you ]
3. Those who are really walking with God accord
ing to his command
[Be not discouraged, if you should find that, notwith
standing your good endeavours, you make not all the advance
Josh. xxiv. 15.
646.] THE GLORY OF ZION. " 97
that you could wish. You yet have flesh, as well as spirit;
and " if the spirit lust against the flesh, so will the flesh still
strive against the spirit p ." You will yet find a law of sin in
your members, warring against the law of your minds, and con
straining you at times to cry out, " O ! wretched man that
I am! who shall deliver me q ?" But go forward, in humble
dependence on God. " Continue instant in prayer." Let not
your hands hang down ; but let them be stretched forth to God
in continual supplications ; and he will come to your relief.
He will embitter to you the vanities on which you are tempted
to set your affections, and will gradually get himself the victory
over all the enemies of your souls. It was only " by little and
little that he drove out the Canaanites" before his people of old;
and it is not to be expected that you should have no difficulties
to contend with, no conflicts to sustain. But remember where
your strength is ; and, "as ye have received the Lord Jesus
Christ, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and esta
blished in the faith as ye have been taught, and abounding
therein with thanksgiving r :" so will he " preserve you blame
less unto his heavenly kingdom," and " present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy."]
P Gal. v. 17. Rom. vii. 23, 24. r Col. ii. G, 7.
DCXLVI.
THE GLORY OF ZION.
Ps. Ixxxvii. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of
God,
THE city here spoken of, is Zion : of whose
praises the whole Scriptures speak. She is repre
sented as " beautiful for situation, and as being the
joy of the whole earth a ." Even God himself is repre
sented as delighting in her, and as " loving the gates
of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob V Why
she, and the Church which is represented by her,
are so high in the estimation of God and man, it will
be not unimportant to consider.
To bring the subject fully before you, I will shew,
I. What glorious things are spoken of her
Amongst the many things spoken of her in Scrip
ture, she is particularly commended,
1. As the residence of the Deity
a Ps. xlviii. 2. b ver. 2.
VOL. VI. H
98 PSALMS, LXXXVIL 3. [646.
[God chose Zion of old for his habitation, and delighted
to make that above all other cities in the universe " the place
of his rest c ." There he abode in that bright symbol of his pre
sence, the Shechinah, " dwelling between the cherubims d ."
There his people assembled by his appointment to worship him :
thence he dispensed his blessings : and thence in due time he
sent forth his everlasting Gospel 6 .
Thus under the Christian dispensation he has honoured his
Church, dwelling in it ; as he has said, " I am with you alway,
even to the end of the world." There he reveals his glory,
even " all the glory of the godhead, in the face of Jesus Christ"
- There he makes known all the riches of his grace and
love - There he communes with his people who pre
sent their supplications before him, " drawing nigh to them,
whilst they draw nigh to him ;" and giving them answers of peace ;
not indeed visibly, as by the Urim and Thummim of old, but
really, and satisfactorily to their souls - In a word, though
unknown in every other place under heaven, " He is known in
her palaces as a refuge f ."]
2. As the birth-place of the saints
[This is particularly noticed in the psalm before us : " Of
Zion it shall be said, This and that man is born in her g ."
Under the Jewish dispensation conversions were comparatively
few ; but under the Christian dispensation they are very nume
rous ; though at present they are only as the drop before the
shower. On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was poured out in
richer abundance, and thousands were converted in a day : and
still, wherever the Gospel is preached in sincerity and truth,
there the power of God accompanies the word, and " subdues
the souls of men to the obedience of faith." Amongst the heathen,
Satan maintains an universal sway : and amongst those Chris
tians who are not blessed with a faithful ministry, very few are
ever rescued from his dominion : but where the cross of Christ is
exalted, there will be found " a stir among the dry bones," and
multitudes will be born to God. And may we not ask, Whether
this is not confirmed by the experience of many here present ?
Once you were dead in trespasses and sins, and as destitute of
all desire after God, as any people in the world : but, through
the preaching of a crucified Saviour in this place, your souls have
been " turned from darkness unto light, and from the power of
Satan unto God." Here also, when you have been mourning
on account of your indwelling corruptions, God has "given you
the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the
spirit of heaviness 11 ;" so that you can confidently say, " I was
born there." Blessed testimony, that may well endear to you
c Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14. d Ps. Ixxx. 1. e Isai. ii. 3.
f Ps. xlviii. 3. s ver. 5, 6. h Isai. Ixi. 3.
646.] THE GLORY OF ZION. 99
the gates of Zion, and render her more lovely in your eyes than
all the palaces in the universe !]
3. As an emblem of heaven itself
[Such it really is : for all who are horn in her " are come
unto Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jeru
salem 1 ." Though she is a spiritual edifice, she has her foun
dations, her walls, her gates ; all of which are found also in that
heavenly Zion which St. John saw, even in " that great city,
the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, and
having the glory of God k ." And both the one city and the
other " are of pure gold 1 ." Each of them too, amongst the many
distinctions which they enjoy above all earthly cities, have a light
peculiar to themselves. Of our Zion it is said, " The sun is no
more her light by day, neither for brightness does the moon give
light unto her ; but the Lord is unto her an everlasting light,
and her God her glory m ." And thus it is also in the heavenly
Zion : " The city has no need of the sun, neither of the moon,
to shine in it : for the glory of God does lighten it ; and the
Lamb is the light thereof"." It is but one family that is in
habiting both the one city and the other, " even the family of
our Lord Jesus Christ ;" and their employments are altogether
the same : for whilst the one are " rejoicing in the Lord always"
here below p , the other are incessantly engaged in singing praises
to him above, even " to Him, who loved them, and washed them
from their sins in his own blood, and made them kings and
priests unto their God ; to him, I say, do they ascribe all glory
and dominion for ever and ever q ."]
II. The effect which these testimonies should have
upon us
Surely, when the Church is so high in the esti
mation of God,
1. We should inquire what place she holds in our
esteem
[Never has she had, at least in a spiritual view, any visible
glory. In the days of the prophets, her limits were contracted,
and her members poor, despised, persecuted. In the days of
Christ and his Apostles, though her limits were enlarged, she,
like her Lord himself, had " no beauty nor comeliness for which
she was to be desired 1 ." She has been in a wilderness state even
to this present hour 8 , an object of hatred and derision to all that
were round about her. Yet to the eye of faith she is most
1 Heb. xii. 22. * Rev. xxi. 10, 11, 14, 21.
1 Rev. xxi. 18. m Isai. Ix. 19. n Rev. xxi. 23.
o Eph. iii. 14, 15. P Phil. iv. 4. 1 Rev. i. 5, 6.
r Isai. liii. 2. s Rev. xii. 6.
100 PSALMS, LXXXVII. 3. [646.
beautful, most glorious. In all that pertains to her, she is " the
perfection of beauty*." Her foundations are of the most pre
cious stones : " her walls are salvation, and her gates praise u ."
Her laws are all holy, and just, and good : her ordinances are
a very heaven upon earth : and her members more highly privi
leged than all other creatures in the universe. Say then, Brethren,
whether such be your views of Zion ; and whether to be enrolled
amongst her citizens be the highest object of your ambition?
Our blessed Lord told his disciples, that even to have " the devils
made subject unto them" was no ground of joy in comparison
of this x : for, if you really belong to Zion, "your names are
written in heaven," and all the glory and felicity of heaven are
yours. But if you are " aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
you are strangers from the covenants of promise, without God,
without Christ, without hope y ."]
2. We should seek to advance her glory
[God has promised, that, in due season, " the mountain
of the Lord s house shall be established on the top of the
mountains, and that all nations shall flow unto her 2 ." " Then
shall Zion be no more termed desolate, or forsaken : for God
will delight in her ; and all the kings of the earth shall bring
their glory to her." " Her gates shall be open continually:
they shall not be shut day nor night ; that men may bring unto
her the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be
brought. Then the nation and kingdom which shall not serve
her shall perish ; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
The glory of Lebanon shall come unto her, the fir-tree, the
pine-tree, and the box together, (the meanest slave being as
acceptable as the mightiest monarch,) to beautify the place of
God s sanctuary, and to make the place of his feet glorious.
The sons also of them that afflicted her, shall come bending
unto her ; and all that despised her shall bow down themselves
at the soles of her feet ; and shall call her, The city of the Lord,
the Zion of the Holy One of Israel a ." Now then I ask, Should
we not long for this glorious period? Should we not exert
ourselves to the uttermost to help it forward ? Should we not
search out the benighted Gentiles, and labour to bring back to
their God the dispersed of Israel ? Should we not endeavour
to bring men from every quarter, " their sons in our arms, and
their daughters in litters upon our shoulders, to glorify the
house of his glory ? " Men may pretend to love the Church :
but their professions must be brought to this test. If we are
at all sensible of the benefit of belonging to Zion, we shall
neither rest ourselves, " nor give any rest to our God," till
t Ps. 1. 2. u Isai. Ix. 18. x Luke x. 20.
y Eph. ii. 12. z Isai. ii. 2. a Isai. Ix. 11 14.
647.1 DISTRESS OF SOUL CONSIDERED. 101
" the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the
salvation thereof as a lamp that burnethV]
3. We should labour to participate in all her pri
vileges
[Is God indeed revealed there in all his excellency and
glory ? Is it the place, the only place, where sinners are born
to God? Is it an emblem even of heaven itself? We should
determine then to come to her without delay, and to seek
admission into her blissful community. In comparison of being
numbered amongst her children, all that the world can give
should be esteemed by us as dung and dross ; and we should
say with David, " I would rather be a door-keeper in the house
of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness ." As for
hatred, contempt, persecution, or even death itself, they should
be accounted rather as an honour, and a happiness, and a pri
vilege, than as objects of fear, if they are brought upon us for
Zion s sake. It should be a sufficient recompence to us, that
our God is glorified, and that the interests of Zion are ad
vanced/ 1 . If we are children of Zion indeed, we shall be joyful
under any circumstances; we shall u be joyful, I say, in our
King 6 :" as it is written; " They shall come and sing in the
height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the
Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young
of the flock and of the herd ; (that is, for all spiritual consola
tion and support ;) and their soul shall be as a watered garden ;
and they shall not sorrow any more at all f ." Whether they be
priests or people, it shall be thus with them : for, " I will satiate
the soul of the priests with fatness ; and my people shall be
satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord g ."]
APPLICATION
[Let us then love Zion, and " prefer her before our chief
joy h ." Let her ordinances be our delight 1 ; and let us pray for
her advancement, saying, " Peace be within thy walls, and pro
sperity within her palaces." Then shall our own souls most
assuredly flourish: for " they shall prosper that love her k ."]
b Isai. Ixii. 1, 6, 7. c Ps. Ixxxiv. 10. d 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14.
e Ps. cxlix. 2. f Jer. xxxi. 12. s Jer. xxxi. 14.
h Ps. cxxxvii. 5, 6. * Ps. Ixxxiv. 4, 7. k Ps. cxxii. 6, 7.
DCXLVII.
DISTRESS OF SOUL CONSIDERED.
Ps. Ixxxviii. 14 16. Lord, why easiest thou off my soul ?
why hidest thou thy face from me ? I am afflicted, and ready
to die, from my youth up : ivhile I suffer thy terrors, I am
distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me , thy terrors have
cut me off.
102 PSALMS, LXXXVIII. 1416. [647.
HEMAN the Ezrahite, the author of this psalm,
is thought by most to have been the grandson of
Judah a ; and to have been so eminent for wisdom,
as almost to have equalled Solomon himself b . But
he seems rather to have been the grandson of
Shemuel, or Samuel . Whoever he was, he was a
man greatly afflicted, and, at the time that he wrote
this psalm, altogether destitute of any other conso
lation, than what he felt in spreading his sorrows
before God. In other psalms we find many and
grievous complaints ; but the gloom that overspreads
the mind of the author at the commencement of
them, is usually dispelled before they are brought to
a close ; and what began with sorrow is terminated
with joy. But in the composition before us there is
no such pleasing change : it is nothing but one con
tinued complaint from beginning to end. In dis
coursing on it, we shall point out,
I. The state to which a righteous soul may be reduced
Truly the state of Heman was most afflictive
[There can be no doubt but that he was a righteous man.
Had he not been so, he would not have addressed Jehovah in
such expressions of holy confidence, as " The Lord God of his
salvation ;" nor could he have affirmed, that " night and day
he had poured out his prayers and cries before him d ." Yet be
hold, how heavy, how exceeding heavy, was his affliction! " His
soul was so full of troubles, that they brought him nigh to the
grave 6 ." Hear how he himself represents them, referring
them all at the same time to God himself as the author of
them : " Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in
the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me; and thou hast
afflicted me with all thy waves f ." To the same effect he speaks
also in the words of our text, complaining of the dereliction he
experienced in this hour of his calamity, and of the terrors
which he endured, which, whilst they were rapidly bringing
down his body to the grave, had well nigh bereaved him of his
senses, and reduced him to a state of utter distraction.]
And such, alas ! is the state of many in every age
of the Church
a 1 Chron. ii. 6. b 1 Kings iv. 31.
c 1 Chron. vi. 33. and xv. 19. compared with the title to Ps.
ixxxix. The grandson of Judah could not have written so about David.
11 ver. 1, 2, 9, 13. e ver. 3. f ver. 6, 7.
647. J DISTRESS OF SOUL CONSIDERED. 103
[Some there are of a low, nervous, hypochondriac tempe
rament both of mind and body, and who, whether they were
religious or not, would of necessity be of a melancholy dispo
sition; that being their constitutional tendency, just as cheer
fulness or confidence are the tendencies of others. Persons of
this class view every thing in a dark unfavourable light : they
forbode nothing but evil : and, if religion occupies their minds,
they write bitter things against themselves, and conclude that
they never can be saved. They love gloomy thoughts, and brood
over them day and night; and greatly injure both their minds
and bodies by ruminating on subjects that are too deep for them.
They perplex themselves about the divine decrees, and thus
give occasion to many to represent religion as distracting their
minds. But the truth is, that they seek for nothing but poison :
they have no appetite for wholesome food : and religion is
no more answerable for their distraction, than a fertilizing
stream is for the death of a maniac who drowns himself in it.
Some there are who are brought into this state by long and
complicated troubles. The mind of man, unless supported in
a miraculous way, cannot endure a pressure beyond certain
limits. Even Job himself, notwithstanding his extraordinary
patience, seemed at times to sink under the accumulated load
of his afflictions, and to be transported beyond the bounds of
sense or reason. And the dejection of many, however it
appear to originate in matters connected with religion, must
in reality be traced to this source : their mind is enfeebled by
a complication of bodily diseases, and of worldly sorrows, and
then becomes an easy prey to any discouragements which may
engross its attention.
Some are broken down by means of some great transgression,
which, either before, or after, their religious course, they have
committed, and which has destroyed all hope of respect from
man, or comfort in their own minds. To such, life is become
a burthen : they cannot bear even the sight of those whose
esteem they have forfeited : they affect solitude, which yet is
irksome to them ; and they long for death, as a relief from
the torments of a self-condemning conscience. It is no wonder
if such, though truly penitent before God, yield to desponding
fears, and anticipate nothing but misery in the eternal world.
Some are in a more extraordinary degree than others exposed
to the assaults of Satan. That powerful adversary seems, as
it were, to take possession of their minds, as formerly he pos
sessed the bodies of men : and by his fiery darts he inflicts the
deadliest wounds upon their souls. He is well called, " The
accuser of the brethren ;" for he accuses them to God, as he
did Job of old ; and accuses them also at the bar of their own
consciences, to prove them hypocrites and self- deceivers. Is it
to be wondered at, if that roaring lion prevail over a weak
104 PSALMS, LXXXVJII. 1416. [647-
and unprotected sheep ? The wonder rather is, that any are
enabled to withstand him.
But once more : there are some who by God himself are
brought into manifold temptations, and are suffered to expe
rience much darkness in their souls. And though at first sight
it should seem as if these persons were less beloved of the
Lord than others, the truth is, that they are often to be found
amongst those who are his chief favourites : " Whom the Lord
loveth, he chasteneth ;" and usually, those most, who are most
beloved. We cannot doubt but that Job was an object of God s
peculiar favour : yet who was ever more afflicted than he, even
in the very way that we are now speaking of? Hear his own
words : " The arrows of the Almighty are within me, the
poison whereof drinketh up my spirit : the terrors of God do
set themselves in array against me g ." And need we say how
deeply our blessed Lord himself was afflicted, when " his soul
was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death," and his mind was
so distracted, that " he knew not what to say 11 ?"
That God sends these dispensations to his people in love,
will appear even from our text : for Heman, who was eminent
for his piety, declares, that he had been so " afflicted from his
youth up." And where did he attain this extraordinary piety,
but in the school of affliction ? Whilst others were intent on
pleasure, he by his troubles was led to study his own heart,
and to seek an acquaintance with his God ; and thus he gained
a knowledge which well repaid him for all that he endured.
And it is a well-known fact, that those who are most exercised
with spiritual troubles, are usually best instructed in " the
deep things of God."
It is evident, then, that pious souls may be reduced to great
distress, and that, in fact, many in every age are really so
reduced ; some through constitutional infirmity ; some by means
of accumulated afflictions ; and some by an irretrievable loss of
character consequent on some heinous transgression : some are
brought into it by the assaults of Satan, and some by the wise
and gracious appointment of their God.~\
Let us now turn our attention to,
II. The reflections which naturally arise from the
subject
And,
1. How great is the evil and bitterness of sin
[If there had been no sin, there would have been no
sorrow. Sorrow is the fruit of sin ; the fruit which immedi
ately sprang up, as soon as this root of bitterness was planted
in the human breast. Till Adam fell, he enjoyed the sweetest
s Job vi. 4. h John xii. 27.
647.] DISTRESS OF SOUL CONSIDERED. 105
intercourse with his Creator : but, after his transgression,
instead of going forth as before to meet his God, he fled from
his face, and strove to hide himself. From that moment has
the world become a " Bochim," a land of weeping and of
mourning \ Sorrow is that inheritance to which every child of
man is born : and, even if any be truly converted unto God,
still, as long as they continue in this vale of tears, they will, at
a greater or smaller distance, be followed by two inseparable
attendants, " sorrow and sighing :" and it is only when they
shall arrive at the portals of heaven, that joy and gladness will
be their sole companions : then indeed, but never till then, will
that Scripture be fulfilled, " They shall obtain joy and glad
ness ; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away k ." How fearfully
the minds even of good men may be oppressed, by a sense of
God s displeasure against sin, will appear from the experience
of David ; who " ate ashes like bread, and mingled his drink
with weeping, because of God s indignation and wrath 1 ." And
it yet more forcibly appears from the complaints of Job : " Thou
scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions : so
that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than life m ."
If we look to the terrifying effects of sin on the ungodly, the
sad history of Judas paints them in their true colours. Let
these sorrows then, in whomsoever they be found, be traced to
their proper source : and let this at least be learned from them,
that "it is an evil and bitter thing to sin against the Lord."]
2. What obligations to God do they lie under, who
are favoured with any measure of peace and joy !
[This point, we apprehend, is by no means duly considered.
It is thought by many to be a hard thing if there be any inter
mission of their spiritual comfort : but the wonder rather is,
that there is any intermission of their sorrow. Who that con
siders the desert of sin, who that views the imperfection of his
best services, has not reason to adore and magnify his God, for
the willingness he shews to revive the hearts of the contrite ?
Were God extreme to mark what is done amiss, the experience
in our text would be the lot of all without exception, even of
those who should find grace in the eternal world. But, blessed
be God ! this is far from being the case : there are many to
whom God vouchsafes the light of his countenance, and the
joys of his salvation. We desire, however, that such persons
should appreciate aright the blessings conferred upon them : and
that, instead of ever complaining of darkness or of trouble, they
should improve every manifestation of God s love to the further
ance of their confidence in him, and of their zeal in his service.]
1 Judg. ii. 4, 5. k Isai. xxxv. 10.
1 See Ps. xxxviii. 1, 2. and cii. 9, 10. m Job vii. 14, 15.
106 PSALMS, LXXXVIII. 1416. [647.
3. How astonishing was the compassion of our
Lord Jesus Christ, when he undertook to redeem a
ruined world !
[He well knew, that, as the surety and substitute of sinners,
he must bear all that the violated law would have inflicted upon
them. And, if to us, who are by nature alienated from God, it
is such a dreadful thing to endure the hidings of his face and
the terrors of his wrath, what must it be to that immaculate
Lamb of God, who from all eternity " lay in the bosom of his
Father," and "was daily his delight" ! " Yet behold, having under
taken for us, he suffered all that was due to us, " He the just,
for us the unjust! " From his youth up was he " a man of sorrows,
and acquainted with grief : " and, especially at the close of his
life, he drank to the very dregs the cup of bitterness that must
otherwise have been put into our hands. Truly "he was made
a curse for us :" and so grievously did he suffer under the united
assaults of men and devils, and from a sense also of his Father s
wrath, that he sweat great drops of blood, and, in the midst of
his severest agonies, had yet further to bewail the hidings of
his Father s face ; " My God, my God ! why hast thou forsaken
me ? " Let us learn to estimate as we ought this stupendous
mystery, of " God manifest in the flesh " to expiate by his own
sufferings the sins of his rebellious creatures. O let us con
template this mystery, till we are altogether lost in wonder,
love, and praise !]
4. How awful will be the state of all who die
without an interest in Christ !
[This which Heman so bitterly bewails as his portion in
this world, will, in an infinitely higher degree, be the portion of
all who shall perish in their sins. They will indeed be " cast
out from God s sight," as objects of his everlasting abhorrence.
Never to all eternity will they have one look from him, but will
behold "his face turned away" from them, and "his fierce
wrath" executed upon them. Verily, " whilst they suffer his
terrors, they will be distracted." Who can conceive the dis
traction of their minds at the overwhelming thought of eternity ?
Oh ! what " weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth" will
there be amongst that wretched assembly, whose agonies are so
insupportable, and whose prospects so interminable ! But thus
it must be, if we will not flee to that Saviour, who has laid
down his life for us. Shall we not then awake from our
slumbers ? Shall we not cry unto our God, now that his ear
is open to our petitions ? Shall we stay till we come into that
place of torment, and have an impassable gulf fixed between
him and us ? O let us " seek the Lord whilst he may be found,
n John i. 18. and Prov. viii. 30.
648. THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD s PEOPLE. 107
and call upon him whilst he is near : " then, though we should
not enjoy all that we may wish for here, we shall hereafter ; and
even, by our occasional sorrows here, be fitted for an uninter
rupted fruition of his glory to all eternity.]
DCXLVIII.
THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD s PEOPLE.
Ps. Ixxxix. 15, 16. Blessed is the people that know the joyful
sound: they shall walk, Lord, in the light of thy counte
nance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day : and in
thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
EVERY man by nature desires happiness: but
few know where it is to be found. The generality
imagine that it will be a sure attendant on earthly
prosperity ---- But the Psalmist points out to us
its only true source : " There be many that say, who
will shew us any good ? Lord, lift thou up the light
of thy countenance upon us a ." In like manner he
instructs us in the text ; " Blessed are the people
that know the joyful sound."
In these words the character and blessedness of
the Lord s people are fully declared. Let us consider,
I. Their character
" The joyful sound" must here import the Gospel-
fin the Gospel a Saviour is revealed, even such a Saviour
as our necessities require, a Saviour who has made a full atone
ment for our sins, and who promises " salvation to all who come
unto God by him." When this Saviour was proclaimed to the
shepherds, it was in these memorable terms ; " Behold, we
bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people :
for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord ! "
But " the joyful sound" refers to the sound of the trumpets
under the law, when the people were convoked to come up to
God in the solemn assembly b , or when the year of Jubilee was
proclaimed . On this latter occasion, in particular, it was in
deed a joyful sound : for then all persons who had sold their
houses and lands, yea, and their wives and children, and their
own selves too for bond-slaves, were restored to perfect liberty,
and to the full possession of their former inheritance
Suppose a person so circumstanced, what a joyful sound would
that of the trumpet be to him! --- Such then is the Gospel
a Ps. iv. 6. b Numb. x. 13, 10. c Lev. xxv. 813.
108 PSALMS, LXXXIX. 15, 16. [648.
to the weary and heavy-laden sinner, when he hears of a free
and full salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ ]
This " sound" the true Believer " knows"
[A speculative knowledge of the Gospel is possessed by
many who have no personal interest in it, and no desire after
its blessings: but the true Believer knows it practically : he
has felt its power ; he has tasted its sweetness : and he has been
brought to a reliance on it for the salvation of his soul. This
distinction must be carefully made by us. It is not of a liectd-
knowledge that my text speaks; but of such a knowledge as
enters into the heart, and engages all the powers of the soul
It is such a knowledge as God alone can impart
and all who possess that are truly " blessed."]
In our text we have a rich description of,
II. Their blessedness
They may not have much of this world : but they
have much of God : they enjoy,
1. A sweet sense of his love
[" They walk in the light of his countenance." This is a
privilege of which a worldly man can form no conception : but
it is understood, and experienced, by all who enter into the
spirit of the Gospel. They can go to God as a Father : they
know that he is reconciled towards them in the Son of his
love : and with a spirit of adoption they can draw nigh to him,
and pour out their hearts before him, and hear him speaking
peace unto their souls. In answer to their daily prayers he
draws nigh to them, and " lifts up the light of his countenance
upon them," and " fills them with joy and peace in believing."
Such is their daily " walk" with God, a foretaste of their hap
piness in the realms of bliss."]
2. An habitual confidence in his care
[They are subjected to a variety of circumstances like
other men : but they have a Friend to whom they can go on
every occasion, and from whom they can receive all such com
munications as they stand in need of. " The name of the Lord
is a strong tower, to which they run and are safe." His per
fections are all exercised in their behalf: and, being their God,
he is " a God unto them," doing for them whatsoever their
diversified necessities require. In Him " therefore, even in his
name, they rejoice all the day;" spreading before him their
every want, and committing to him their every desire. " They
know in whom they have believed," and cast all their care on
him who careth for them."]
3. An assured prospect of his glory
648.] THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD S PEOPLE. 109
[In the Gospel the Lord Jesus Christ reveals himself to
his people as a complete Saviour, who not only obtains a par
don for them, but has provided also a righteousness, wherein
they may stand before God without spot or blemish. To him
therefore they look in this view: and on him they rely, as
"The Lord their righteousness" " In this righteousness they are
exalted : " they are exalted in their own eyes, being no longer
condemned sinners, but saints accepted and justified from all
their sins. They are exalted in the eyes of God also ; for he
now " beholds no iniquity in them:" he views them as one
with his dear Son, partakers of his nature, and joint-heirs of
his glory. They are exalted also in the eyes of all the angelic
hosts, who now delight to minister unto them, and will ere long
give them the precedence in heaven, and take their station
behind them before the throne of God d ."
Say now, are not these happy ? Yes : and David not
only asserts it, but appeals to God himself for the truth of his
assertion : " They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy
countenance."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who have no knowledge of this joyful
sound
[How many amongst us are altogether ignorant of the
Gospel itself! and, of those who hear it and profess to receive
it, how many have no taste for that joy which it is intended to
impart ! - Will you then call yourselves the people of
God ; or imagine that salvation belongs to you ? Know, that
" all are not Israel, who are of Israel;" nor are all Christians
who bear that name. Whilst you are ignorant of the joyful
sound, you can have no part or lot in those blessings which the
Gospel is intended to convey.]
2. Those who know the Gospel, but find no
blessedness in it
[There are, I must acknowledge, many of this description.
But whence does this arise ? Is it owing to any insufficiency
in the Gospel to make them happy ? No : it proceeds in some
cases from a disordered constitution : in others, from imperfect
views of the Gospel : and in others, from not walking stead
fastly and consistently before God. But from whatever source
it arise, I would say, Remember what an injury you do to the
Gospel itself, and to the souls of men : the world around you
will impute your gloom to religion, and take occasion from it
to condemn the Gospel itself as a source of melancholy to all
who embrace it. O ! brethren, do not so dishonour the Lord
Jesus Christ : but view the Gospel in all its freeness and all its
d Rev. vii. 11.
110 PSALMS, LXXXIX. 19. [649.
fulness, and all its excellency ; and rest not till you have
attained those rich blessings, which every true Believer is
privileged to enjoy.]
3. Those who both know and enjoy the Gospel
[Happy indeed are ye, even though ye be in all other
respects the most destitute and distressed. Let then your gra
titude to God evince itself in a suitable life and conversation.
As for your joys, the world knows nothing about them ; and
will therefore impute them to enthusiasm and delusion. But
they can understand a holy life : that will approve itself to
them as a good and genuine fruit of the Gospel. Let them
then see, that this Gospel which makes you happy, makes you
holy also. Let them see that it brings into subjection every un
hallowed temper, every evil desire. Let them see that in every
station and relation of life it elevates you above others, ren
dering you more amiable, more consistent. In a word, " let
your whole conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of
Christ ; " and, whilst you are made partakers of a felicity which
the world knows not of, endeavour to make your light shine
before men, that they may be constrained to acknowledge the
excellence of your principles, and be led to seek a participation
of your bliss.]
DCXLIX.
THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST TO SAVE.
Ps Ixxxix. 19. Thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and
saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty.
HOW joyful must these tidings be, to whomsoever
they may have respect ! Suppose them to refer to an
oppressed nation ; the raising up to them a mighty
deliverer must be a rich, inestimable blessing : and
such were David and Solomon, who were raised up to
govern Israel, and to put all their enemies under their
feet. But a greater than David or Solomon is here.
The words spoken by God to Samuel did certainly,
in their primary sense, relate to David a ; as those
spoken afterwards to Nathan did to Solomon b . But
their ultimate reference was to Christ , who is the
true David d , and the Son of David 6 . On him was
a 1 Sam. xvi. 1. b 2 Sam. vii. 1216.
c Compare 2 Sam. vii. 14. with HeK-i. 5.
d Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. and Hos. iii. 5. e Matt. xxii. 42.
649.] THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST TO SAVE. Ill
laid all the help that the Israel of God required;
and God the Father declared beforehand, to his holy
prophets, the sufficiency of Christ to discharge the
office committed to him.
Two things are here obviously presented to us for
our consideration :
I. The office committed unto Christ
What this was, may be known from the necessities
of fallen man ; because it was to supply them that
he was sent into the world. It was then,
1. To make reconciliation for man
[This was a work which no man could accomplish for him
self; a work which all the angels in heaven were unequal to
perform. Satisfaction must be made for sin ; made too in the
nature that had sinned. The curse due to sin must be borne,
even the wrath of Almighty God. Who could afford us this help?
who could sustain this weight ? It would crush in an instant
the highest archangel. None could endure it, but God s co-equal
Son. He cheerfully undertaking to bear it for us, the Father
made him our substitute ; that, divine justice being satisfied, and
the law magnified by his obedience unto death, mercy might be
extended unto us, and reconciliation be made between God and
his offending creatures.]
2. To effect their complete salvation-
fit was not enough to die for them: they were wandering
afar off, and they must be searched out ; they were in rebellion,
and must be subdued : when brought home to their Father s
house, they are weak, and must be upheld; tempted, and must
be strengthened ; beset with enemies, and must be protected :
they must never be left to themselves one moment : they must
have every thing done for them, and in them : the whole care
of preserving them, from first to last, must be devolved on him
who undertakes for them : they must be " carried in the arms,"
" dandled on the knees," fed at the breast, and be watched over
exactly like new-born infants. Nothing less than this will
suffice for them. Though there be millions of them spread over
the face of the whole globe, they must all be attended to as much
as if there were only one. What a work was this to undertake !
Yet was this " the help which God laid upon" his dear Son.]
But weighty as this office is, we have no reason to
doubt,
II. His sufficiency to discharge it
To be convinced of this, we need only to consider,
112 PSALMS, LXXXIX. 19. [649.
1. His essential perfections
[He is said to be " mighty." But the angels are also called
mighty; yet are they not therefore able to execute such an office
as this. But Jesus is almighty : he is expressly called " The
mighty God f ," even " God over all blessed for ever g ." In him
therefore are all the perfections of the Deity. He is omnipre
sent, to behold the states of men ; omniscient, to discern the
things that will be most expedient for their relief; and omnipo
tent, to effect whatever shall be most conducive to their good.
Difficulties can be no difficulties with him. He who spake the
universe into existence, can be at no loss to accomplish, every
where, and at the same instant, whatsoever the necessities of
his creatures may require.]
2. His Mediatorial endowments
[As Mediator, he has received his qualifications from God
the Father : and those qualifications are abundantly sufficient
for the work assigned him. The Spirit has been given to him,
not by measure, as to others, but without measure 11 : " In him,
even in his human nature, dwelleth all the fulness of the God
head bodily 1 ." Hence "on him may be hanged every vessel,
even all the glory of his Father s house k ."
But, not to mention the infinite merit of his blood, and the
all-prevailing efficacy of his intercession (" through which he is
able to save men to the uttermost"), he has, as man, qualifi
cations which he could not have as God. He has, from his own
experience of temptation, a tender sympathy with his tempted
people, and a peculiar fitness and readiness to afford them all
needful succour 1 .]
ADDRESS
1. Those who feel not their need of Christ
[You cannot be persuaded that you are in a guilty, help
less, and undone state. But wherefore did God lay help upon
One that was so mighty ? Did he exert himself thus without
a cause ? If not, the greatness of the remedy should shew you
the extent and imminence of your danger. Be persuaded then
to put away your high thoughts of yourselves. Beg of God that
you may feel in what a helpless and hopeless state you are with
out Christ : and never imagine that your repentance is at all ge
nuine, till your sense of your misery corresponds, in some measure
at least, with the provision which God has made for your relief.]
2. Those who are discouraged on account of their
extreme weakness and sinfulness
[That you should be humbled on this account is right
f Isai. ix, 6. s Rom. ix. 5. h John iii. 34.
1 Col. ii. 9. * Isai. xxii. 2224. 1 Heb. ii. 18.
650. J GOD S COVENANT ENGAGEMENTS. 113
enough : but why should -you fear? Do you suppose, that when
God laid help for you upon his dear Son, he was not aware
how much would be necessary for your salvation ? or, has he
been disappointed in his Son, finding him, after all, unequal to
the task assigned him ? Be ashamed of your unbelieving fears.
Come not to Christ, saying, " Lord, if thou canst, or if thou
wilt;" but cast your burthen wholly upon him, and see whether
he be not able and willing to sustain you. He himself says to
you, " O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thy
help m ." This is your warrant to trust in him. " Trust in him
therefore with all your heart, and he will bring to pass" what
soever he sees to be needful for you. " Cast all your care upon
him ;" and you " shall be saved in him with an everlasting
salvation."]
m Hos. xiii. 9.
DCL.
GOD S COVENANT ENGAGEMENTS WITH CHRIST AND US.
Ps. Ixxxix. 28 35. My mercy will I keep for him for ever
more, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His seed
also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the
days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk
not in my judgments ; if they break my statutes, and keep
not my commandments , then will I visit their transgression
with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless,
my loving kindness 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. Once
have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David.
IN seasons of deep affliction, when, through unbe
lief, we are ready to think that God has forsaken and
forgotten us, it is well to look back to God s covenant
engagements, whereon, as on a rock, we may stand
firm amidst the tempest that surrounds us. It was
under such circumstances (probably about the time
of the Babylonish captivity) that this psalm was
penned. In it the stability of God s covenant is
fully declared. The fears and apprehensions of his
people, as arising from his apparent violation of it,
are next delineated : and it concludes with fervent
adorations of God, who, notwithstanding all the dic
tates of unbelief, is worthy to be blessed for evermore.
For the just use, as well as understanding, of the
passage before us, we shall,
VOL. VI. I
114 PSALMS, LXXXIX. 28-35. [650.
I. Explain it
[There can be no doubt but that the words, in their literal
meaning, refer to the covenant which God made with David
respecting the continuance of his posterity on his throne 3 ;
and which seemed to be violated, now that both king and
people were carried captive to Babylon ; but which, in fact,
should be accomplished in all its parts ; because whatever they
might endure for a season, the sceptre should not depart from
Judah till Shiloh should come.
But there is doubtless a reference to Christ, who is often
called David b . Some of the words originally addressed to
David, are expressly declared to refer to Christ chiefly, yea
exclusively |C . They must be understood therefore as containing
God s covenant with Christ.
In them we see, first, God s assurances respecting Christ
himself, that notwithstanding all the troubles he should expe
rience, he should be raised from the dead d , and have all the
kingdoms of the earth for his possession 6 .
Next, Christ is assured respecting his people, who are his
seed f , that though through infirmity and temptation they may
fall into sin, the Father will not utterly abandon them, or
finally withdraw his love from tliem^. He will not indeed
leave them to continue in sin (for that would be incompatible
with their salvation 11 ) but he will chastise them, till they repent
and turn from all their transgressions, and thus will he secure
them to Christ as his inheritance 1 .
The grounds of these assurances are, lastly, specified. These
are God s covenant, and his oath. Having entered into cove
nant with his Son, he cannot disannul it. Yet, if he were to
give up to final destruction any who were Christ s spiritual seed,
this covenant would be broken ; seeing that some who were
given to Christ would perish, and Christ, as far as relates to
them, would have died in vain. Moreover, in this, the oath,
which (for our consolation) he sware to his Son, would be
violated : but, having sworn by his holiness, which is the glory
of all his perfections, he never can, nor ever will recede. On
these grounds therefore the glory of Christ, and the salvation
of his people are irrevocably secured.]
Lest however this consolatory passage should be
abused, let us,
a 2 Sam. vii. 12 17. b Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. Hos. iii. 5.
c Compare 2 Sam. vii. 14. with Heb. i. 5.
d Compare Isai. Iv. 3. with Acts xiii. 34.
e Luke i. 32, 33. Rev. xi. 15.
f Isai. liii. 10. Ps. xxii. 30. 1 Pet. i. 23.
s Isai. liv. 7 10. Jer. xxxii. 40. h Heb. xii. 14.
1 John xvii. 11, 1 Pet. i. 57.
650.] GOD S COVENANT ENGAGEMENTS. 115
II. Improve it
It evidently TEACHES us,
1. To cleave unto Christ with full purpose of heart
[The covenant, whether made with David or with Abra
ham, was confirmed before of God in Christ k . Every blessing
of the covenant was made over to him as our head and repre
sentative, and must be received from him by faith 1 . To him
therefore must we look for pardon, stability, and everlasting
salvation. As to him the promises were inade m , so in him
alone are they yea, and Amen n . Let it then be our great
care to be found in him ; and then we may rest assured that
nothing shall ever separate us from him p .]
2. To endure with patience and thankfulness what
ever afflictions God may lay upon us
[Part of God s covenant is, to " correct us in measure q ."
And, however afflicted any may be, have they any cause to
say, that they are corrected beyond measure ? Can a living
man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins r ? Surely
it is far better to be chastened here, than to be condemned
with the world hereafter 8 . We may all see reason enough
for chastisement, if we will but mark our daily and hourly
transgressions. Let us therefore not so much as desire God
to spare us, provided he see that we need correction for the
welfare of our souls ; but rather let us kiss the rod *, and im
prove it u , and adore the hand that uses it for our good x .]
3. To dread sin as the greatest of all evils
[Though at first sight this passage may seem to weaken our
dread of sin, yet, in reality, it is calculated to impress us with a
holy fear of offending God. The covenant made with Christ
does indeed secure the salvation of his people : but does it
provide them impunity in sin? No on the contrary, it engages
God to punish sin, yea, to punish it effectually ; and never to
leave his people under its dominion y . Is there then room to
say, I shall be saved, though I commit sin ? No : for either
God will " drive it out with the rod of correction," or leave it
as an indisputable mark that we never belonged to him at all z .
Let us never then make Christ a minister of sin a ; but learn
from the very grace that saves us, to glorify him by a holy
conversation b .]
k Gal. iii. 17. ! Col. i. 19. John i. 16. m Gal. iii. 16.
n 2 Cor. i. 20. Phil. iii. 9. P Rom. viii. 38, 39.
q Jer. xxx. 11. r Lam. iii. 39. s 1 Cor. xi. 32.
4 Mic. vi. 9. u Isai. xxvii. 9. x Heb. xii. 10.
y Rom. vi. 14. z 1 John iii. 9, 10. a Gal. ii. 17.
b Tit. ii. 11, 12.
I 2
116 PSALMS, XC. 11, 12. [651,
DCLI.
GOD S ANGER A REASON FOR TURNING TO HIM.
Ps. xc. 11, 12. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even
according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. So teach us to number
our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
THIS psalm is entitled, " A prayer of Moses the
man of God." It seems to have been written by
Moses on account of the judgment denounced against
the whole nation of Israel, that they should die in
the wilderness a . It had been already executed to a
great extent, God having consumed multitudes of
them in his anger b : and the period of man s life was
then reduced to its present standard of seventy or
eighty years . From this awful demonstration of
God s displeasure, he is led to this reflection : " Who
knoweth the power of thine anger?" And then he
prays, that the whole nation might be induced by
the shortness and uncertainty of their lives to seek
without delay the favour of their offended God : " So
teach us to number our days, that we may apply our
hearts unto wisdom."
In accordance with our text let us also contemplate,
I. The inconceivable weight of God s anger
Of course, in speaking of God s anger we must
divest it of all those tumultuous feelings, which
agitate the minds of men ; and conceive of it as
manifested only in his dispensations towards the
objects of his displeasure.
Let us contemplate it then,
1. As it appears in this world
[The whole world bears the evidence of being under the dis
pleasure of an angry God. The creation itself, even the animal
and vegetable, as well as the rational parts of it, is greatly
changed since it came out of its Creator s hands. A curse has
been inflicted on it all, on account of sin. Storms, and tem
pests, and earthquakes, and pestilences, and diseases of every
kind, and death with its antecedent pains and its attendant
horrors, are all the sad fruits of sin, and the effects of God s
anger on account of sin. Death has obtained an universal
a ver. 3. b ver. 5 7. c ver. 10.
651.] GOD S ANGER A REASON FOR SEEKING HIM. 117
empire, and "reigns even over those who have never sinned after
the similitude of Adam s transgression," as well as over the
actual transgressors of God s law.
But the anger of God is yet more strikingly visible, in those
particular judgments which God has executed upon men from
time to time. Behold the plagues in Egypt, the destruction of
the Egyptian first-born, and of Pharaoh and all his host in the
Red Sea! behold the awful judgments inflicted on Korah,
Dathan, and Abiram, and on the myriads, who, by their lewd-
ness, their unbelief, and their murmu rings, drew down the
wrath of God upon them d ! behold fire and brimstone rained
down from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities of
the plain ! yea, and the whole world, with every living creature
except those contained in the ark, swept away by one universal
deluge! these serve as awful proofs of God s indignation against
sin, and his determination to punish it according to its deserts.
There are other proofs, less visible indeed, but not less real,
of God s anger, which may be found in the horrors of a guilty
conscience, or the distresses of a soul that is under the hidings
of his face. Hear what was Job s experience under a sense of
God s displeasure : " The arrows of the Almighty are within
me ; the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit : the terrors of
God do set themselves in array against me e ." To the same
effect the Psalmist also speaks, when describing the anguish of
his own mind : " Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand
presseth me sore. There is no soundness in my flesh because
of thine anger ; neither is there any rest in my bones because
of my sin. I am troubled ; I am bowed down greatly ; I go
mourning all the day. I am feeble and sore broken ; I have
roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart f ." The unhappy
end of Judas shews how insupportable is a sense of God s wrath,
when the consolations of hope are altogether withdrawn.
But, after all, there is nothing that will give us such an idea
of God s anger, as a view of the Lord Jesus Christ when
" Jehovah s sword awoke against him" to inflict the penalty that
was due to sin. Behold that immaculate Lamb of God sweating
great drops of blood from every pore of his body, through the
inconceivable agonies of his soul ! Hear him, in the depths of
dereliction, crying, " My God, my God! why hast thou forsaken
me ? " and see him, finally, giving up the ghost, and dying
under the load of his people s sins! Could we at all appreciate
this mystery, we should indeed say, " Who knoweth the power
of thine anger ? "
But let us contemplate it,]
2. As it appears in the world to come
d 1 Cor. x. 810. e Job vi. 4. f Ps. xxxviii. 2, 3, 6, 8.
118 PSALMS, XC. 11, 12. [651.
[Of this however we can form but little conception. The
terms which are used to depict the misery of the fallen angels,
and of those who from amongst the human race have died in their
sins, though exceeding terrible to the imagination, fall infinitely
short of the reality. But the very circumstance of millions of
once happy angels, as happy as any that are now before the
throne of God, being cast out of heaven for their pride ; and
hell itself being prepared by Almighty God for their reception,
that they may there endure his wrath and indignation to the
uttermost this very circumstance, I say, may serve to shew,
how deeply God abhors iniquity, and how fearfully he will
punish it. Of the place where they are confined " in chains
of darkness to the judgment of the great day," Tophet, as
described by the Prophet Isaiah, may be considered as a type
or emblem : " It is a place both deep and large : the pile
thereof is fire and much wood : and the breath of the Lord, like
a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it g ." And the state of the
unhappy sufferers there is thus described in the Revelation of
St. John: " They drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation :
and they are tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence
of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the
smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever : and
they have no rest day nor night h ." Yet, terrible as this
description is, it conveys no adequate idea either of the torment
itself, or even of those foretastes of it, which are sometimes
given to those for whom it is prepared. Well therefore may
it be asked, " Who knoweth the power of thine anger?" and
well is it added, " According to thy fear," that is, according to
the terror which the very apprehension of it excites, " so is
thy wrath:" for, in truth, it not only equals, but infinitely
exceeds, all the conceptions that can be formed of it.]
The whole scope both of the preceding and fol
lowing context leads us to consider,
II. The wisdom of seeking reconciliation with him
without delay
Notwithstanding his anger against sin, God is
willing to be reconciled to his offending people
[" He will not always chide; neither will he keep his anger
for ever." " Many times did he turn away his wrath from his
people in the wilderness ; and did not suffer his whole dis
pleasure to arise." He has even sent his own Son into the
world to effect reconciliation by the blood of his cross. He
could not consistently with his own honour pardon sin without
an atonement made for it : and, that a sufficient atonement
8 Isai, xxx. 33. h Rev. xiv. 10, 11.
651.] GOD S ANGER A REASON FOR SEEKING HIM. 119
might be made, he gave his Son to " bear our iniquities in his
own body on the tree," and to " be made sin for us, that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him." For the
fallen angels he made no such provision : but for us he did :
and he sends forth his servants into all the world, to proclaim
his offers of mercy, and to " beseech sinners in his name to be
reconciled to him " ]
To seek reconciliation with him then is our true
wisdom
[The world may account it folly, and may stigmatize all
serious piety as needless preciseness : but we hesitate not to
declare with David, that " the fear of the Lord is the very
beginning of wisdom ;" and that the prodigal s return to his
father s house was an evidence, not, as his ungodly companions
would say, of weakness and folly, but of his having attained a
soundness of mind and judgment : for it was " when he came to
himself he said, I will return, and go to my father." Who that
reflects upon the inconceivable weight of God s anger, and on
the misery of those who are exposed to it, would continue one
moment obnoxious to it, when God is offering him pardon,
and beseeching him to accept of all spiritual and eternal bless
ings ?
But add to this the shortness and uncertainty of human life.
Who that considers this, would delay to deprecate God s wrath,
and to avail himself of the present hour to secure the proffered
mercy ? O beg of God to impress your minds with a sense of
the shortness of time, and to " teach you so to number your
days, that you may without delay apply your hearts unto wis
dom." Obvious as this lesson is, you can never learn it, unless
you are taught of God. You will be ever calculating upon
months and years to come, when " you know not what a single
day may bring forth." You may even, like the Rich Fool, be
promising yourselves " years of ease and pleasure," when God
may have said, " This night shall thy soul be required of
thee k ." To turn unto God instantly is true wisdom : to put it
off to a more convenient season is folly and madness
" To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts V]
But, to this work you must " apply with your
heart/ your whole heart-
fit is not by seeking merely, but by "striving, to enter in
at the strait gate," that you are to obtain acceptance with your
God m . You must " apply your heart " unto wisdom : and
" whatsoever your hand findeth to do, you must do it with all
your might n "-
1 Ps. cxi. 10. k Luke xii. 19, 20. 1 Ps. cxix. 60. Heb. iii.7, 8.
ra Luke xiii. 24. " Eccl. ix. 10.
120 PSALMS, XC. 11, 12. [651.
ADDRESS
1 . Those who make light of God s wrath
[There are, alas ! too many who do this. " The wicked," as
David says, " through the pride of his countenance will not
seek after God : God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are
always grievous : thy judgments are far above out of his sight :
and as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them ;" and, with
atheistical impiety, " says in his heart, God will not do good ;
neither will he do evil p ." But consider, brethren, whether you
will think so lightly of God s judgments when you shall have
begun to feel the weight of them ? Think whether, on first
opening your eyes in the invisible world, and beholding the face
of your incensed God, you will not bewail your present supine-
ness, and curse the day when you listened to the dictates of
flesh and blood, instead of attending to the counsels of true
wisdom ? O ! think, " Who can stand before his indignation?
and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger q ? " " Who
can dwell with everlasting burnings r ? " I pray you to number
your days, not as the world does, but as God directs you : and
to consider every day as if it were to be your last. This, with
God s blessing, will stir you up to redeem the present time,
and will put energy into your exertions in " fleeing from the
wrath to come." Whatever be your age, my advice is still the
same : for " you know not whether your Lord will come in the
evening, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morn
ing." " Knowing the terrors of the Lord, I would persuade
you s ;" and " what I say unto one, I say unto all, Watch."]
2. Those who are in a state of reconciliation with
him
[Doubtless there are many amongst you, who can say with
the church of old, " Though thou wast angry with me, thine
anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me V To you then
I would say, " Who knoweth the power of God s love ? Accord
ing to your hope, even your most sanguine hope, so is his
mercy ; " yes, and infinitely above all that either men or angels
can conceive. Compare your state with that of those who are
now lifting up their eyes in the torments of hell ; and say
whether eternity itself will suffice, to express your obligations
to Him who has redeemed you by his blood, and to the Father
who has accepted that atonement in your behalf? O ! bless
without ceasing your reconciled God. Labour to count, if it
were possible, the riches of his grace ; and to explore " the
Ps. x. 4, 5. P Zeph. i. 12. q Nah. i. 6.
r Isai. xxxiii. 14. s 2 Cor. v. 11. * Isai. xii. 1.
652.] SATISFACTION IN GOD ALONE. 121
height and depth and length and breadth of his incomprehen
sible love." And let the stupendous mercy vouchsafed unto
you, quicken you to every possible expression of gratitude to
your adorable Benefactor.]
DCLII.
SATISFACTION IN GOD ALONE.
Ps. xc. 14. satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may
rejoice and be glad all our days !
WE are told, on most unquestionable authority,
that " godliness is profitable unto all things, having
the promise of the life that now is, and of that which
is to come a ." We are further assured, that " its
ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are
peace V This was the conviction of Moses, when he
penned this psalm. The vanity and bitterness of
sin had been deeply felt by all that generation whom
he had brought out of Egypt : and here, he declared
that there was no happiness but in God : he prays,
" O satisfy us early with thy mercy, that we may
rejoice and be glad all our days!" Now, Brethren,
longing as I do for the happiness of you all, both here
and in the eternal world, I will shew,
I. Where, and where alone, true satisfaction can be
found
The whole world are inquiring, " Who will shew
us any good?" And to that there is but one answer
to be given ; namely this : " Lord, lift thou up the
light of thy countenance upon us c !"
Satisfaction is not to be found in any earthly pursuit
[Pleasure, how diversified soever it may be, can never
satisfy a rational being. Solomon drank more deeply of that
cup than any other man ; and, after all, pronounced it to be
" vanity and vexation of spirit." The same may be said of
wealth and honour : they can never fill the desires and capa
cities of an immortal soul. As the eye is never satisfied with
seeing, nor the ear with hearing, so no man that attains the
greatest eminence can be sure that he has reached the highest
pinnacle of his ambition. Let him possess all that mortal man
can possess, and there will be some Naboth, whose vineyard
a 1 Tim. iv. 8. b Prov. iii. 17. c Ps. iv. G.
122 PSALMS, XC. 14. [652.
he covets ; or some Mordecai, who wounds him by refusing to
pay him the homage he demands ]
Nor is it to be found in any religious services which
are performed with a self-righteous view
[Doubtless a self-righteous man may be gratified for a
season with the notion that he has established a ground of con
fidence before God : but at times there will arise in his mind
such thoughts as these : " Have I done enough to secure for
me the forgiveness of my sins, and to purchase moreover the
blessedness of heaven ? " And, after all his labour, he will feel
some secret misgivings that all is not right. He has not a
standard whereby to measure his attainments, except indeed
the holy Law of God : and that altogether condemns him. In
this state of uncertainty he cannot contemplate death and
judgment without a degree of alarm, which casts a gloom over
his prospect of the eternal world, and to a certain degree em
bitters also his enjoyments in this present world.]
That which alone can afford solid satisfaction to the
soul, is, the having obtained " mercy" of the Lord
[Every man is conscious that he has sinned, and must
give an account of himself to the Judge of quick and dead.
But, if he have fled for refuge to Christ, and embraced the sal
vation offered him in the Gospel, he is ready to go into the
presence of his God. He knows " in whom he has believed d ; "
and has no doubt but that through the Redeemer s righteous
ness he shall find acceptance with God. He will be able to
say, " I know that when the earthly house of this tabernacle
shall be dissolved, I have an house not made with hands, eternal
in the heavens e ." In Christ he sees all that he can need : and,
being " in Christ," he is assured that " there is no condemnation
to him f " either now or at the bar of judgment. " Believing
in Christ, he has peace with God," and rejoices before him
" with joy unspeakable and glorified^."]
This point being ascertained, let us direct our atten
tion to,
II. The blessedness of those who seek it there
Mercy, once obtained from the Lord, is the richest
balm of life
1. It constitutes the chief felicity in youth
[Who is there that has sought the Lord in early life, and
did not experience the benefit of that blessed employment
beyond his most sanguine expectations ? Nay, I will ask, Who
ever spent one hour in penitential exercises, and in crying to
d 2 Tim. i. 12. e 2 Cor. v. 1. f Rom. viii. l. * 1 Pet. i. 8.
652.] SATISFACTION IN GOD ALONE. 123
the Lord for mercy, and did not find more satisfaction in that
hour than in all the pleasures he ever enjoyed? Who does not
look back to such a period, as the happiest hour of his life ?
I will gladly concede to every man the liberty of passing judg
ment on himself; and will venture to abide the verdict which
every man shall give. Into whatever state of carnal pleasures
such an one may have turned aside, I can have no doubt but
that, in seasons of reflection, he says, " Oh that it were with
me as in times past !" -
2. It renders us happy amidst all the most afflictive
circumstances of life
[Every man is, sooner or later, brought into trouble : for
" man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward." But a
sense of God s pardoning love upon his soul will more than
counterbalance all his afflictions. " Being justified by faith,
and having peace with God, he will glory in tribulations," of
whatever kind they be h . He will see his trials to be a rod in
his Father s hand 1 ; and he will acquiesce in the dispensation,
from the hope that " all things shall work together for his
good k ," and shall ultimately " work out for him a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory 1 ." - ]
3. It administers consolation to him, even on the
bed of death
[How blessed were the reflections of St. Paul when in
the daily expectation of a cruel death ! " I have fought a good
fight ; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith : hence
forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which
the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me in that day m ."
Such was Jacob s consolation in his dying hour: " I have waited
for thy salvation, O Lord n ." Yes, Brethren, a sense of God s
pardoning mercy upon the soul will take away the sting of
death, and make us rather to " desire that we may depart and
be with Christ ," in the full fruition of his glory. ]
ADDRESS
1. The young-
fit is never too "early" to seek, and to obtain, " mercy"
from God. We read of several who from their very infancy
were sanctified unto the Lord : and why should not you be
numbered amongst that highly-privileged class ? You have an
idea that the good things of this world, and the enjoyment of
all pleasurable amusements, will make you happy. But if you
will transfer this notion to spiritual things, and seek your
happiness in them, I pledge myself that ye shall be satisfied
. h Rom. v. 1, 3. * Mic. vi. 9. k Rom. viii. 28. l 2 Cor. iv. 17.
m 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. Gen. xlix. 18. Phil. i. 23.
124 PSALMS, XC. 14. [652.
to the full: for of all the ransomed of the Lord it is said,
" They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall
flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for
wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the
herd ; and their soul shall be as a watered garden ; and they
shall not sorrow any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice
in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will
turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make
them rejoice from their sorrow. And I will satiate the soul
of the priests with fatness ; and my people shall be satisfied
with my goodness, saith the Lord p ." Indeed, you have a
promise peculiar to yourselves : for God has said, " They that
seek me early, shall find me q ."]
2. The busy-
[I would not have any one neglect his proper occupation
in life. We are as much bound to be " diligent in business," as
we are to be " fervent in spirit :" in the one, as well as in the
other, we may " serve the Lord r ." But, in comparison, our
zeal in the service of God should swallow up that which we
exercise in reference to the world. Our Lord says, " Labour
not for the meat that perisheth, but for that which endureth
unto everlasting life 8 ." I will suppose that you succeed to the
utmost extent of your wishes in this world, what satisfaction
will it afford you in the eternal world, if you have not secured
" an inheritance amongst the saints in light?" There is no
occupation whatever that can justify a neglect of your eternal
interests. There may be other things desirable ; but this is
needful, yea, " the one thing needful ;" and therefore I say,
" Seekj#rs the kingdom of God and his righteousness," and
leave it to God to " add other things to you" in the measure
which in his unerring wisdom he shall see fit 1 .]
3. Those advanced in life
[Our text has a peculiar force as it relates to you. Much
of your time is gone : and what is done either by you or for
yrou, must be done quickly. There is, indeed, no time to be
ost. The work of the soul is not to be left to a dying hour.
Verily, that is but an unfavourable season for such a work ;
and the reality of it, when commenced at that season, is always
dubious. Be in earnest now. Delay not another hour. Cry
mightily to God, " O satisfy me early with thy mercy ! " " Blot
out my transgressions as a morning cloud :" wash them away
in my Redeemer s blood. " Bring me out of the horrible pit,
out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon the rock, and esta
blish my goings ; and put a new song into my mouth, even
praise unto my God u ." " Then will I bless thee while I live:
P Jer. xxxi. 12 14. 1 Prov. viii. 17. r Rom. xii. 11.
8 John vi. 27. t Matt. vi. 33. u Ps. xl. 2, 3.
I
653.] GOD S BEAUTY IMPARTED TO HIS PEOPLE. 125
I will lift up my hands in thy name : my soul shall be satisfied
as with marrow and fatness ; and my mouth shall praise thee
with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my bed, and
meditate upon thee in the night-watches V " Yea, when my
flesh and my heart fail, thou shalt be the strength of my heart,
and my portion for ever."]
x Ps. Ixiii. 4.
DCLIII.
THE BEAUTY OF JEHOVAH IMPARTED TO HIS PEOPLE.
Ps. xc. 17. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us !
IT is pleasing to think that in every age the Lord
has many " hidden ones:" even as in the days of
Elijah,, who thought himself the only worshipper of
Jehovah, whilst there were in reality " seven thousand
men who had not bowed their knee to the image of
Baal." It is not every one who dies apparently under
the displeasure of God, that will be visited with his
judgments in the world to come. Many " are judged
of the Lord now, in order that they may not be con
demned with the world hereafter a ." Amongst those
who died in the wilderness for their transgressions,
we know, infallibly, that some were received to mercy.
We have no more doubt of the salvation of Moses
and Aaron than we have of any saint from the
foundation of the world. And we think that there is
evidence in the psalm before us, that many repented
in the wilderness, and that though " they were de
livered, as it were, to Satan for the destruction of the
flesh, their spirit will be saved in the day of the Lord
Jesus V When they found that the sentence passed
against them could not be reversed, they humbled
themselves before God for their iniquities ; and in
consequence thereof they found favour in his sight,
passing their remaining days upon earth in some
measure of peace, and enjoying a hope, that, though
they were never to possess the earthly Canaan, they
should be admitted to the enjoyment of a heavenly
inheritance. Their supplications for mercy were such
a 1 Cor. xi. 32. b 1 Cor. v. 5,
126 PSALMS, XC. 17. [653.
as God never did, nor ever will, reject. " O satisfy
us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice and be
glad all our days ! Make us glad according to the days
wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein
we have seen evil. Let thy work appear unto thy ser
vants, and thy glory unto their children : and let the
beauty of the Lord our God be upon us :" that is, Let
us have such tokens of thy love, and such communi
cations of thy grace, as may carry us forward with com
fort, and prepare us for thy more immediate presence.
For the further elucidation of my text, I will en
deavour to shew,
I. Wherein the beauty of the Lord our God consists
But in attempting to speak on such a subject, I feel
that I shall only " darken counsel by words without
knowledge:" for " we cannot by searching find out
God, we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection."
Yet, as we are able, we must declare him unto you,
and set forth his perfections,
1. As existing in himself
[We need only open our eyes and survey the visible crea
tion, to be assured of his eternal power and godhead. In this
respect the most stupid heathens, in neglecting to worship him,
are without excuse. The magnitude and number of the hea
venly bodies, all moving so exactly in their respective courses,
and fulfilling the ends for which they were designed ; and the
variety and beauty of the things existing on this terraqueous
globe, all so adapted for their respective offices and uses, and
all subservient to one great design, the glory of their Creator ;
evince that his wisdom and goodness are equal to his power. I
am not aware that philosophers have any advantage over those
of less intelligence in things which are known only by revelation:
because those things can be known only by the teachings of
God s Spirit ; and the Holy Spirit can instruct one as easily as
another, and does often " reveal to babes what is hid from the
wise and prudent :" but in the things which are obvious to our
senses they have a great advantage, because by their proficiency
in different sciences they attain a comprehensive knowledge of
many things, of which the generality of persons have no con
ception ; and consequently, they can discern traces of divine
wisdom, and goodness, and power, which can never come under
the view of one that is illiterate and uninformed.
If from the works of creation we turn our eyes to the dis
pensations of Providence, we shall see all the same perfections
653. ] GOD S BEAUTY IMPARTED TO HIS PEOPLE. 127
illustrated and displayed to yet greater advantage ; because they
shew how entirely every created being, however unconscious, or
however adverse, fulfils his will, and executes his designs
But it is in the work of redemption that the perfections of
God must be chiefly viewed ; because in that are displayed his
justice, his mercy, and his grace : for the exercise of which
there is, in the works of creation and of providence, compara
tively but little scope.
But, to discover these, we must view them,]
As displayed in the person of his Son
[The Lord Jesus Christ is called " the image of the invi
sible God c ," because in him Jehovah, "who dwelleth in the light
which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen or
can see d ," is rendered visible to mortal eyes ; so that in him we
see " the brightness of his Father s glory, and the express image
of his person 6 ." We know that "in his face all the glory of
the Godhead shines ;" and that on that account the god of this
world is so anxious to blind our eyes, and to hide him from our
view f . See then in him, and in his cross, not some perfections
only, but all, even all the perfections of the Godhead shining in
their utmost splendour. Draw nigh to the garden of Gethsemane,
or to Mount Calvary, and there take a view of your adorable
Saviour. How awful does the justice of the Deity appear, when
not one sinner in the universe could be received to mercy, nor
one single transgression of God s law be pardoned, till an atone
ment should be offered for it, not by any creature, but by the
Creator himself, whose blood alone could expiate our guilt, and
whose righteousness alone could serve as a sufficient title for our
acceptance before God. And how bright does mercy appear,
in that, rather than man should perish after the example of the
fallen angels, God vouchsafed to give his only dear Son to die
for us, and to effect our reconciliation by the blood of his cross !
What wisdom too is displayed in this way of making the truth
of God, which denounced death as the penalty of sin, to consist
with the happiness and salvation of those who had committed
it! as the Psalmist says, " Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other &." To make
these perfections unite in the salvation of men, and to bring to
every perfection far higher glory than it could have had if it had
stood alone ; (for whilst each shines in its own proper glory, each
has a tenfold lustre reflected on it by the opposite perfection
with which it is made to harmonize ;) this required the utmost
possible effort both of wisdom and grace ; and to all eternity
will it form the chief subject of adoration and praise amongst
all the hosts of heaven. Here is God seen as " forgiving
c Col. i. 15. <i 1 Tim. vi. 16. e Heb. i. 3.
f 2 Cor. iv. 4. e Ps. Ixxxv. 10.
US PSALMS, XC. 17. [653.
iniquity, transgression, and sin, whilst he by no means clears
the guilty h ;" because their guilt has been expiated, and a
righteousness has been wrought out by the Lord Jesus Christ, so
that God is " a just God, and yet a Saviour 1 , and is no less
just than he is merciful, in every exercise of his pardoning love,
and in every blessing which he bestows on his redeemed people k .]
The petition offered respecting this, leads us to
inquire,
II. In what respects we may hope that " this beauty
shall be on us"-
Had the prayer been offered by Moses alone, like
that, " I beseech thee, shew me thy glory 1 ," we might
have supposed, that it was a peculiar favour, which
other saints had no right to expect. But the prayer
was uttered by multitudes, even by the great mass of
those who repented in the wilderness : and therefore
it may be poured forth by all true penitents amongst
ourselves, who may expect that " the beauty of the
Lord shall be upon them : "
1 . By an outward manifestation of it to our minds
[To the Corinthian Church was this honour vouchsafed :
for " God, who commanded light to shine out of darkness at
the first Creation, shined into their hearts, to give them the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ m ." Such manifestations therefore may we also expect.
The Lord Jesus Christ has expressly promised, that he will
manifest himself to us, as he does not unto the world : and with
such convincing evidence will he shew us his glory, that we shall
differ from those around us, as Paul at his conversion differed
from his attendants : they heard a voice as well as he ; but he
alone was favoured with the sight of the Lord Jesus Christ
himself" : so that the words which we hear or read may be
heard or read by thousands ; but to us only, that is, to those
only who are truly penitent and believing, will he " manifest
forth his glory," so as to constrain us to cry out, " How great
is his goodness! how great is his beauty !"
It is by the public ordinances chiefly that he will make these
revelations of himself to us : and hence it was that David so
exceedingly delighted in the house of God, saying, " One thing
have I desired of the Lord, which I will seek after, that I may
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold
h Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. Isai. xlv. 21. k 1 John i. 9.
1 Exod. xxxiii. 18. m 2 Cor. iv. 6.
n Acts ix. 7. 1 Cor. ix. 1. and xv, 8. Zech. ix. 17.
653.] GOD S BEAUTY IMPARTED TO HIS PEOPLE. 129
the fair beauty of the Lord p ." If only we come up to his house
with raised expectations, and a humble mind, he will reveal
himself to us, and lift up the light of his countenance upon us,
and shew us " his power and glory so as he is accustomed to
display them in his sanctuary* 1 ."]
2. By an inward communication of it to our souls
[" God originally made man after his own image 1 :" and
after the same image will he create us anew " in righteousness
and true holiness 8 ." It is for this very end that he so reveals
himself in his ordinances ; namely, that, by communing with
him there, our faces may be made to shine, as the face of Moses
did*; and that " by beholding his glory we may be changed
into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of our
God u ." In this sense the beauty of the Lord our God shall
be upon all his children, according as it is written, " He that
hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure x ."
No inferior standard will they aim at : they know their duty ;
and they know their privilege : and with no attainments will
they be satisfied, till they "are holy, as God is holy;" and
" perfect, even as their Father that is in heaven is perfect."
This indeed will not be imparted to any one at once : it is a
progressive work: persons must be babes, and young men,
before they are fathers : but from the time that they are truly
converted unto God, they will " grow in grace," and " make
their profiting to appear," till they have " attained to the full
measure of the stature of Christ y ." To all of you then I would
say, Offer up with devoutest earnestness to God the petition in
my text, " Let THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD our God be upon
us : " and add to it that prayer of Paul for the Ephesian con
verts, which in import corresponds exactly with it ; " Let me
so comprehend the love of Christ, as to be filled by it with all
THE FULNESS OF GOD."]
From the text thus explained, we may LEARN,
1 . What is the great antidote to the troubles of life ?
[Certainly the Israelites, when doomed to perish in the
wilderness, were in a very pitiable condition. But, if they
could only attain this great object, they declared that their
sorrows would all be turned into joy z . So whatever our
troubles be, their sting will be altogether taken away, if they
prevail to bring us to the footstool of our God, and to the
enjoyment of the light of his countenance. The trials which
God sends are for this very end; to purge away our dross, and
P Ps. xxvii. 4. <i Ps. Ixiii. 2. r Gen. i. 26, 27.
8 Eph. iv. 24. * Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30. u 2 Cor. iii. 18.
x 1 John iii. 3. y Eph. iv. 13. z Eph. iii. 18, 19,
VOL. VI. K
130 PSALMS, XC. 17. [653.
to purify us as gold, that we may be vessels of honour, meet
for our Master s use. Let us then not be so anxious to get rid of
our afflictions, as to obtain from God a sanctified use of them, in
brighter manifestations of him, and richer communications from
him, and a more entire conformity to him a . Let us but get even
a small measure of these benefits, and ft our consolations shall
abound far above all that our afflictions have abounded b " -
2. What we are to aim at, in our pursuit of holiness-
fit is not any one grace, or any particular set of graces,
that we should seek after, but an entire conformity to the image
of our God. Now his beauty, as we have seen, consists not in
any one perfection, but in an union of all perfections, however
opposite to each other. So must there be in us, not such graces
only as are suited to the natural temperament of our minds, but
an assemblage of all graces, however different from each other ;
every one being blended with, and tempered by, its opposite,
and all together brought, as occasion may require, into united
exercise. God is compared to " light ; " which is an union of
rays, exceedingly diverse from each other, and all in simul
taneous motion. Now as some may think that the brighter
coloured rays, as the red, the orange, the yellow, would make
a better light if divested of those which bear a more sombre
aspect, as the blue, the indigo, and the violet ; so many imagine,
that God would be more lovely, if justice were separated from
his attributes, and mercy were to shine unalloyed by that more
formidable perfection. But as neither can light part with any
of its rays, nor, God with any of his perfections, so neither
must the Christian dispense with any grace whatever : if he
rejoice, it must be with trembling : if he walk in faith, he must
be also in the fear of the Lord all the day long. If he be bold,
he must also be meek and lowly of heart, and resemble him,
who " was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so opened not he his mouth." This union
of opposite graces it is which constitutes the beauty of holiness :
as David, after the most exalted strains of adoration, says, " O
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness : fear before him all
the earth c ."
Let me earnestly entreat the professors of religion to be
attentive to this matter. Nothing is more common than for
persons of this description to value themselves on account
of some particular grace or set of graces, when they are offen
sive, and, I had almost said, odious in the eyes both of God
and man, for want of those graces which ought to temper, and
to moderate the actings of their mind. Distortion in the human
frame is not more disgusting than such distorted piety as this.
Even without any particular blemish in the human frame, it is
a ver. 15. ^ 2 Cor. i. 5. c Ps. xcvi. 7 9.
654. J THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD s PEOPLE. 131
not any one feature that constitutes beauty ; but a regular and
harmonious set of features : so it is not faith, or fear, or zeal,
or prudence, or any other separate grace, that will assimilate us
to the Deity, but every grace in its proper measure, and its
combined exercise ; or rather every grace borrowing from its
opposite its chief lustre, and all harmoniously exercised for the
glory of God.
Were this subject better understood, we should see, as in
Christ, so in all his followers also, the God and the man, the
lion and the lamb.]
DCLIV.
THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD s PEOPLE.
Ps. xci. 1 4*. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most
High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will
say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress : my God ;
in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the
snare of the fowler and from the noisome pestilence. He
shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust : his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
TO unfold the doctrines and duties of our holy
religion is a matter of indispensable necessity to every
one who would discharge the ministerial office with
acceptance. Yet it is not necessary that a minister
should always be laying the foundation of repentance
towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ :
there are times and seasons when he should " go on
unto perfection*," and exhibit Christianity in its
highest stages of practical efficiency. The psalm
before us will afford us ample scope for this. The
words which we have just read are somewhat discon
nected: but a slight alteration in the translation,
whilst it will not affect the sense of the passage, will
cast a light and beauty over it, and render it doubly
interesting to us all. Two prelates of our Church
agree in reading the passage thus : " He that dwelleth
in the secret place of the Most High, that abideth
under the shadow of the Almighty ; that saith of the
Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in
whom I will trust." Then the Psalmist, instead of
proceeding regularly with his speech, breaks off, and
a Heb. vi. i.
132 PSALMS, XCI. 14. [654.
in an apostrophe addresses the person whom he has
been describing ; " Surely he shall deliver thee*" &c.
&c. According to this rendering, we have a clear
exposition of the character and blessedness of every
true believer. Let us consider, then,
I. His character
He is not described either by his religious creed
or by his moral conduct. We are led to view him
rather in his secret walk with God : and in this view
his character is portrayed,
1. Figuratively-
fit will be remembered that God dwelt by a visible symbol
of his presence in the tabernacle ; and that the high-priest on
the great day of annual atonement went within the veil, and
abode there till he had sprinkled the blood of his sacrifices upon
the mercy-seat, and covered the mercy-seat with his incense.
Now, what he did corporeally once in the year, the true Chris
tian does spiritually every day in the year ; for through Christ
we all are " made kings and priests unto our God." Paint to
yourselves, then, the high-priest in his occasional access to God ;
and there you see the Christian going continually within the
veil, or rather habitually dwelling there, and " making God
himself his habitation ." And truly this is " a secret place,"
of which an unconverted man has no conception : it is " the
secret of God s pavilion, the secret of his tabernacle d ." But
we must divest ourselves of the notion of locality : for this place
is wherever God manifests his more immediate presence : and
therefore David beautifully calls it, "the secret of his presence*."
There the Believer dwells: and, O! who can conceive " the
fellowship which he there enjoys with God the Father and with
the Lord Jesus Christ f ;" whilst they, with condescending and
affectionate endearment, come to him, and abidingly feast with
hims. In truth, the communion between God and the soul is
such as no language can convey: it is nothing less than a mutual
in-dwelling, resembling that which subsists between the Father
and the Son; they being in God, and God in them; yea, and
being one with God, and God with them h -This is a
mercy which the Believer alone enjoys. But some little idea
of it may be formed from the favour conferred upon the camp
of Israel in the wilderness. The cloudy pillar led them in all
b Bishop Lowtli and Bishop Home. See Bishop Home on the place.
c ver. 9. d Ps. xxvii. 5. e Ps. xxxi. 20.
f 1 John i. 3. e John xiv. 21, 23. Rev. iii. 20.
h Compare John vi. 56, and 1 John iv. 15, 16. with John xvii.
2123.
654. ] THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD s PEOPLE. 133
their way, affording them shade by day from the heat of the
burning sun, and light throughout the night season. To no
other people under heaven was this ever vouchsafed. And so
it is with the camp of the true Israelites at this day : they, and
they only, behold the light of God s countenance in the night-
season of adversity ; and they alone are sheltered from every
thing that would oppress and overwhelm their souls ; as it is
written, " The Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of
Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by
day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night : for upon all
the glory shall be a defence 1 ."]
2. In plain terms
[The workings of his mind, under all the trials and diffi
culties which he has to encounter, are here set forth. He is con
vinced that no created arm can be sufficient for him. Hence
he directs his eyes towards the Creator himself, and saith of
him, " He is my refuge" from every trouble: " He is my
fortress" against every assailant: " He is my God," all whose
powers and perfections shall be employed for me. " In Him
will I trust," in Him only and exclusively ; in Him always,
under all circumstances ; in Him, with perfect confidence and
unshaken affiance. The man is not like the ungodly world,
who know not what to do, and are at their wit s end when
trouble comes : he is " in the secret place of the Most High;"
and, where others can see nothing, he beholds " chariots of
fire and horses of fire all around him k ," or, rather, he beholds
" God himself as a wall of fire round about him 1 ," and has the
very glory of God resting on him" 1 . Thus is the true Believer
distinguished from all others: " he beholds Him who is in
visible";" and walks as in his immediate presence, saying, " If
God be for me, who can be against me ? "
Shall this be thought an exaggerated description ? I do not
say that the Divine presence is equally realized by all, or by
any equally at all times : there are seasons when a Peter may
be "of little faith ;" and a Paul may need a special revelation
for his support, saying to him, " Be not afraid ; but speak, and
hold not thy peace ; for I am with thee ; and no man shall set
on thee to hurt thee p ." Nevertheless, in the general habit of
their mind, their language is like that of David; " I will love
thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, in whom I
will trust ; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my
high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be
praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies q ."]
1 Isai. iv. 5. k 2 Kings vi. 17. ! Zech. ii. 5.
m 1 Pet. iv. 14. n Heb. xi. 27. Matt. xiv. 31.
P Acts xviii. 9, 10. <i Ps. xviii. 1 3,
134 PSALMS, XCI. 14. [654.
With such views of the believer s character, you can
have no doubt of,
II. His blessedness-
Here let the abruptness of the address be borne in
mind. The Psalmist, instead of proceeding, as might
have been expected, to declare the blessings which a
person of this description should receive, addresses
himself to that person in these animated terms :
" Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the
fowler and from the noisome pestilence ; he shall
cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust : his truth shall be thy shield and buckler."
now, in these terms, he, in the very name of God
himself, and in the most assured manner, pledges to
him the protection,
1. Of God s power
[If war were raging in our country ; or pestilence, like that
which desolated Judea after David had numbered the people,
and which probably gave occasion to this psalm, were carrying
off multitudes all around us ; we should enter more fully into
the subject before us, and see more forcibly the exalted privi
leges of the true Believer. But we must remember that there
is a moral " pestilence" raging all around us, and sweeping
myriads into the pit of destruction. We should remember,
too, that there is a spiritual " fowler," who entangles, in his
net, millions, unwary as the silly bird, and " leads them captive
at his will r ." What is the example of men in every walk of
life, but one deadly contagion, from which it is almost im
possible to escape ? And what are those lusts and temptations
with which we are continually beset, but baits, whereby the
devil seeketh to ensnare us to our everlasting ruin ? And who
can preserve us from these snares, but God himself? Little
will human wisdom or power avail against such potent enemies.
Peter imagined himself secure enough from denying his Lord,
when he formed so steadfast a resolution respecting it : but, as
our Lord had forewarned him, " the cock did not crow twice,
till he had denied him thrice." And whomsoever Satan should
get into his sieve, he would prove us all to be chaff, if we
should be left without timely succour from on high 8 . But
" God will keep the feet of his saints 1 ," and not suffer them to
fall a prey to the destroyer. The care of a hen over her brood
is well known. When a bird of prey is hovering over them,
r 2 Tim. ii. 26. Tou diafioXov Trayt ^og
s Luke xxii. 31. * 1 Sam. ii. 9.
654.] THE BLESSEDNESS OF GOD s PEOPLE. 135
she calls them under her wings, and there preserves them in
perfect safety. The bird of prey, when searching for them, can
behold nothing but the dam. Thus will God preserve his
people from all their enemies : " He will cover them with his
feathers, and under his wings shall they trust :" yea, " their
lives shall be hid with Christ in God," beyond the reach of
harm : and because " Christ himself is their life, when he shall
appear, they also shall appear with him in glory u ." What was
done by God for Israel in the wilderness, shall be done by him
for every soul that puts its trust in him x
2. Of his faithfulness
[For every believer the very truth of God is pledged ;
and " life is promised" to him by a " God who cannot lie^."
It is not said that the believer shall not be tempted, or " be in
heaviness through manifold temptations : but that he shall not
be finally overcome, God does engage ; as the Apostle says :
" God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able ; but will with the temptation also make a
way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it z ." Here, I say,
the very faithfulness of God is pledged ; and we may be sure,
that " of all the good things which he has promised to his
people, not one shall ever fail*." No doubt they may through
weakness be overcome for a season, as the lives of the most
eminent saints but too clearly prove. But in such a case God
has told us how he will act towards them : "If his children
forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments ; if they break
my statutes, and keep not my commandments ; then will I
visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with
stripes. Nevertheless, my loving-kindness 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 : for once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie
unto David b ." Of course, we are not to understand this of
one who sins wilfully and habitually : for, whatever he may
profess, he is no child of God, but a downright hypocrite:
but of the weakest of real saints it is spoken ; and to him it
shall assuredly be fulfilled : for " it is not the will of our
Father that one of his little ones should perish ."]
For a just IMPROVEMENT of this passage,, let it be
remembered,
1. In what way alone we can have access to God
[We have spoken of the believer as " dwelling in God :"
but how came he into that sanctuary ? and where did he find
11 Col. in. 3, 4. x Deut. xxxii. 912. y Tit. i. 2.
z 1 Cor. x. 13. a Josh, xxiii. 14.
b Ps. Ixxxix. 30 35. Matt, xviii. 14.
136 PSALMS, XCI. 14. (654.
a door of entrance ? This is a point that should be well under
stood. There is but one way to the Father ; and that is by
Christ. Our blessed Lord himself tells us this, when he says, " I
am the way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh unto the
Father but by me." It must never be forgotten, that in our
selves we are altogether departed from God ; and that we can
be " brought nigh only by the blood of Jesus." It was by the
blood of his sacrifice alone, that the High Priest, of whom we
have before spoken, could come into the holy place of the Most
High d : and it is by the blood of Jesus alone that we can ven
ture into the holiest 6 , or presume to ask any thing at the hands
of God f . I beseech you, therefore, to bear this in remembrance,
and never to call God yours, until you have come to him in
his appointed way ]
2. What is that kind of confidence which we ought
to maintain
[It must not be a presumptuous confidence, that over
looks the use of means or supersedes the necessity of holy fear.
Satan could not be better served than by such confidence as
that. And hence it was, that, in tempting our blessed Lord,
he cited this very psalm, and urged a part of it as a warrant
for him to cast himself down from a pinnacle of the temple ;
saying, " If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down : for it
is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee : and
in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou
dash thy foot against a stone g ." Our Lord s reply to him
shews us our duty in relation to this matter ; " Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God." We are not needlessly to expose
ourselves to dangers, in the expectation that God will preserve
us : nor are we to neglect the use of means, as though God
were engaged to work miracles in our behalf. We must be
humble, watchful, diligent; as it is written, "Give all diligence
to make your calling and election sure." God has, indeed,
engaged to " give us both to will and to do : " but, whilst we
depend on him for his effectual aid, we must " work out our own
salvation with fear and trembling 11 ." In every step of our way to
Zion, we must cry, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe."]
3. What should be the frame of our minds after we
have come to him
[I have said, * We should fear ; for " blessed is the man
that feareth always." But this fear should temper, not weaken,
our confidence in God. Hear what the Prophet Isaiah says :
" Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on
thee ; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for
d Heb. ix. 7. e Heb. x. 19. f Heb. x. 2022.
g ver. 11, 12. with Matt, iv. 0. h Phil. ii. 12, 13.
655.] THE SECURITY OF THOSE WHO DWELL IN GOD. 137
ever; for with the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength 1 ." St.
Paul maintained to the uttermost the fear of which we have
been speaking ; for he " kept under his body, and brought it
into subjection ; lest that by any means, after he had preached
to others, he himself should be a cast-away k ." But his confi
dence in God was entire. He defied all the powers in the
universe to separate him from the love of God 1 And
you, also, may possess the same blessed hope, "knowing in
whom you have believed m ," and assure ? that none shall ever
pluck you out of the Saviour s hands n .]
* Isai. xxvi. 3, 4. k 1 Cor. ix. 27. l Rom. viii. 3339.
m 2 Tim. i. 12. * John x. 28.
DCLV.
THE SECURITY OF THOSE WHO DWELL IN GOD.
Ps. xci. 9, 10. Because tlwu hast made the Lord which is my
refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation, there shall no
evil befall tJiee.
IT is scarcely possible to conceive any terms more
strong, or any images more lively, than those in which
the Scripture represents the privileges of believers.
We need look no further than to the psalm before us
for a confirmation of this truth. Indeed, according
to the view given of this psalm by a learned prelate,
there is, in the first verses of it, an emphasis which
cannot be surpassed* 1 . And the w r hole may be con
sidered as the believer s charter, in which all his pri
vileges are contained, from his first acceptance with
God to the consummation of his happiness in glory.
We have in the words of our text a just description
of the believer :
I. His experience
The true Christian is one who has been " turned
from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan
unto God." Being once brought to God, he " makes
the Most High his habitation." He regards God, not
a Bishop Home reads the two first verses thus : " He that dwelleth
&c. who abideth under &c. who saith of the Lord," &c. Then at the
end of ver. 2, he supposes the Psalmist to break off abruptly, and,
instead of continuing his description, to address himself to the person
before described ; " Surely he shall deliver thee."
138 PSALMS, XCI. 9, 10. [655.
merely as reconciled to him, but as affording him
(what a dwelling-house affords to its possessor),
1. Free access
[A person goes familiarly to his house at all times, not
doubting but that he shall gain a ready admission into it. He
considers it as his own, and feels that it exists only for his
accommodation. It is thus that the believer goes to God as
his God : he has " access to him with boldness and confidence :"
he is certain that, when he calls, he shall receive an answer ;
and " when he knocks, the door will be opened to him." In
this precise view the Psalmist speaks of God ; "Be thou my
strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort V]
2. Necessary provision
[Every man, whatever be his situation in life, expects to
find in his own house the things suited to his necessities. He
does not seek his meals at the houses of his neighbours, but in
his own ; and he returns home at stated seasons to partake of
them. And whither does the believer go for daily supplies of
bread for his soul? It is in Christ Jesus that his fulness is
treasured up; and in him the believer expects to find the
" grace that is sufficient for him." God invites him to come
to him for the express purpose, that he may be filled and satis
fied with good things : " Wherefore do ye spend your money for
that which is not bread? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat
ye that which is good, and letyour soul delight itself in fatness ."]
3. Sure protection
[If storms descend, or dangers menace, we take refuge in
our house, and find it a place of safety. Thus " The name of
God also is a strong tower, into which the righteous runneth
and is safe d ." It is to himself that God invites us, when he
says, " Come my people, enter thou into thy chambers, shut the
door about thee, and hide thyself for a little moment, until the
indignation be overpast e ." And that this was a primary idea
in the rnind of the Psalmist, appears from the very words of the
text, wherein he calls God " his Refuge," and from the whole
scope of the psalm, from the beginning to the end. With this
also agrees the beautiful description given of Jesus by the
Prophet, as "an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from
the tempest f ."]
4. Sweet repose
[To his house a man retires from the noise and bustle of
the world ; and there he lays himself down to rest after the
fatigues of the day. Home, though inferior in many respects
to places of temporary residence, is to almost all persons the
b Ps. Ixxi. 3. c Isai. Iv. 2, d Prov. xviii. 10.
e Isai. xxvi. 20. f Isai. xxxii. 2.
655.1 THE SECURITY OF THOSE WHO DWELL IN GOD. 139
most agreeable, because they are most at ease. And such is
God to the believer. " In every place, God is to him as a
little sanctuary g ," where he finds himself at rest. He carries
his wants to God, and " casts all his care on him," and enjoys
that peace which passeth all understanding. In this sense he
says for his own encouragement, " Return unto thy Rest, O
my soul:" and attests for the glory of his God, " Lord thou
hast been our dwelling-place in all generations 11 ."]
In connexion with this experience of the believer,
let us consider,
II. His privilege
The expression in the text seems to exceed the
bounds of truth : but the more it is examined, the
more will it be found to be strictly true. The man
who makes God his habitation shall have no evil
befall him :
1. None here
[No casual evil shall befall him. There is no such thing
as chance ; every thing, even to the falling of a sparrow, is
ordered of the Lord. As for the children of God, " their
heavenly Father hath given his angels charge over them, to
keep them in all their ways * ; " and if any thing were to hap
pen to them, they (the angels) would contract a fearful respon
sibility for their neglect. We must not however imagine that
Believers are at liberty to rush into needless dangers; for our
Lord, when tempted by Satan to cast himself from a pinnacle
of the Temple in expectation that the angels would preserve
him from injury, replied, " Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy
God:" but nothing can happen to them except by the Divine
appointment: they are hid in the shadow of their Father s
hand, and " their very hairs are all numbered."
But it may be thought that penal evil may come to them.
This however we utterly deny. That they may be " visited
with the rod," we readily acknowledge : but there is a great dif
ference between the vindictive arm of an incensed judge, and
the gentle chastisements of an indulgent parent. The cup that
may at any time be put into their hands may be bitter; but it
has not in it one drop of wrath : it is altogether mixed by love ;
and not an ingredient can be found in it, which they themselves
shall not one day confess to have been salutary and beneficial.
In short, no real evil shall befall them. That they may have
troubles, is certain : that their troubles may be heavy and ac
cumulated, is also certain. But who accounts even the ampu
tation of a limb evil, if it be the only and infallible method of
8 Ezek. xi. 16. h Ps. xc. 1. ver. 11, 12.
I K) PSALMS, XCI. 9, 10. [655.
preserving life? Much less then are any sufferings to be
accounted evil, which the Believer can ever be called to sus
tain : for he shall never endure any, which shall not work for
good to him in this life, and be the means of increasing his
weight of glory in the nextV]
2. None hereafter
[It is in this life only that the Believer can meet with
even the semblance of evil : when he goes hence, he is instantly
placed beyond the reach of harm. No sin, no sorrow, no pain,
no temptation, no weariness, no want, can ever be felt by him
in the mansions of bliss. He will there enjoy for ever one
unclouded day ! and his happiness will be without alloy, with
out intermission, without end 1 ."]
To render this subject more instructive, we shall ADD
a word,
1. Of direction
[Christ, in reference to the sheepfold of his church, says,
" I am the door ; if any man enter in by me, he shall be saved,
and shall go in and out, and find pasture m . " The same figure
we may apply to the subject before us : " Christ is the door ;"
he is " the way to the Father;" and " no man cometh unto the
Father, but by him." To those who come to God in any other
way, he is not " a Refuge," or " Habitation," but " a consum
ing fire "." But if we believe in Christ, then " will he dwell in
us, and we shall dwell in him :" yea, " he will be our house of
defence, to save us for ever p ."]
2. Of warning
[Who, except the believer, can apply to himself the pro
mise in the text ? As for the unbelieving and disobedient, they
are in danger every hour : they know not but that God s wrath
may break forth against them the very next moment to their
destruction. Of this they are certain, (whether they will be
lieve it or not,) that in a little time his judgments shall overtake
them, and the greatest of all evils shall befall them, unless they
repent. O that they would be prevailed upon to flee for refuge
to the hope that is set before them ! O that they would now
seek to be " found in Christ ! " Then should the destroying
angel pass over them, and " they should dwell safely, and be
quiet from the fear of evil q ."]
3. Of encouragement
[The weakness of men s faith often robs them of the com
fort which it is their privilege to enjoy. Why should a believer
k Rom. viii. 28. and 2 Cor. iv. 17. ] Rev. xxi. 4.
m John x. 9. n Heb. xii. 29. John vi. 56.
P Ps. xxxi. 2. i Prov. i. 33.
656. J CHARACTER AND PRIVILEGES OF THE GODLY. 141
be afraid of thunder and lightning? Were he but sensible
what a Protector he has, he would feel assured that no evil
could come unto him. How varied are God s promises to
him in the psalm before us ! How diversified also are the
assurances given him by Eliphaz in the book of Job r ! Let
him only commit himself to God, and he has nothing to fear.
Let us then, beloved, have faith in God ; and let those words
of David be our song in this land of our pilgrimage ; " God is
our refuge, &c. ; therefore will we not fear, though the earth
be removed, and though the waters be carried into the midst
of the sea 8 : &c."]
r Job v. 19 24. s Ps. xlvi. 1 4.
DCLVI.
THE CHARACTER AND PRIVILEGES OF THE GODLY.
Ps. xci. 14 16. Because he hath set his love upon me, there
fore will I deliver him : I will set him on high, because he
hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will
answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver
him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and
shew him my salvation.
THE Scriptures are the charter of the Christian s
privileges. They contain the most minute and accu
rate description of his character, and set forth, in all
the variety of expression that language can afford,
the blessings he enjoys. The declarations concerning
him in this Psalm may certainly be interpreted as re
lating to the Messiah, hecause when a passage out of
it was applied to Christ, he did not deny its refer
ence to himself, but shewed with what limitations the
passage was to be understood a . That it refers also to
the church cannot admit of doubt. Throughout the
whole of it the character and blessedness of God s
people are delineated; but with peculiar force and
beauty in the concluding verses. In discoursing upon
them we shall consider,
I. The character of God s people
They "know the name" of God
[The name of God as proclaimed by himself, is recorded
in the Scriptures b ; and the Christian has a view of him as
a Compare vcr. 11, 12. with Matt. iv. 6, 7. b Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7.
142 PSALMS, XCL 1416. [656.
possessed of those very perfections which are there ascribed to
him. He particularly sees these perfections harmonizing, and
glorified, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ ; or, if he be
not perfectly clear in his views of these things, he at least is
sensible that the divine mercy flows only in one channel, and
can be imparted only through the atoning blood of Christ.]
They so know him as to "set their love upon him"-
[It is not a mere speculative knowledge that Christians
possess (in this the ungodly may far surpass them), but such a
practical knowledge as influences their heart and life. They
feel an interest in every perfection of the Deity. The justice
and holiness of God are as amiable in their eyes as his love and
mercy. From what they know of him they are constrained to
love him, yea, to " set their love upon him," with intenseness
of desire and fixedness of affection.]
They wait upon him in continual prayer
[Others may keep up an outward form of devotion, or
even be exceedingly earnest in prayer on some particular occa
sion; but they alone can maintain a real intercourse with the
Deity, who have been taught by the Holy Spirit both to know
and love him. When they have been thus enlightened and re
newed, they will feel the necessity, and taste the sweetness, of
secret prayer, and will account it their highest honour and hap
piness to have access unto their God at the throne of grace ;
nor will they ever be satisfied with the worship they offer, if
they do not " worship him in spirit and in truth."]
In perfect correspondence with their character will
be found,
IT. Their privileges-
There is nothing good which shall be withheld from
them in time or eternity. God will vouchsafe to them,
1. Answers to prayer
[They who offer their petitions only in a formal manner,
never expect an answer to them. They conceive that all tes
timonies from God respecting the acceptance of our prayers
are chimerical and enthusiastic in the extreme. But God is
at no loss to impart to his people a clear and lively sense of his
approbation. He most assuredly will answer them, though not
by tokens that may be heard or seen, yet by sensible communi
cations, and effectual interpositions. Are they laden with guilt ?
their burthen shall be removed, and they shall be filled with
peace and joy. Are they bowed down under trials and temp
tations ? they shall be strengthened by his grace, and be made
more than conquerors over all. And though they cannot infal
libly conclude from any feelings of their mind that God has
656. J CHARACTER AND PRIVILEGES OF THE GODLY. 143
answered their prayers, yet their feelings, in conjunction with
the effects produced by them, will enable them to ascertain it,
at least sufficiently for their own encouragement .]
2. Deliverances from trouble
[The people of God are exposed to troubles no less than
others. But they are supported under them by the presence
of their God. As the Son of man walked with the Hebrew
youths in the furnace, so will he with all his afflicted people ;
nor shall a hair of their head be singed. As a refiner he will
carefully watch over every vessel, moderating the heat that
would injure it, and bringing out the vessel as soon as his
purposes in submitting it to the fire have been fully answered.
This is twice declared in the text ; and in due season shall it
be experienced by every true believer.]
3. Present honour
[The saints are, for the most part, loaded with contempt
and ignominy. Yet the very persons who persecute them most,
have frequently, like Herod, an inward reverence for them in
their hearts. But, however they may be treated by the ungodly,
they are universally respected by the saints. The very angels
account it their honour and happiness to minister unto them.
They are lights in the world, and living witnesses for God to
all around them : and " God himself is not ashamed to be
called their God." They are already exalted to the rank and
dignity of God s children ; and are made " heirs of God and
joint-heirs with Christ."]
4. Everlasting glory
[How far length of days is to be expected as the reward
of piety under the Gospel dispensation, we cannot absolutely
determine. But the true Christian will be " satisfied with his
life," whether it be long or short. He does not wish for the
termination of it merely because he is dissatisfied with his
present state, but because he longs for his inheritance. He has
Pisgah views of the promised land even here : and as soon as
he has finished his appointed course, God will shew him his
full salvation; causing him to behold all its glory and enjoy all
its blessedness. Then shall be given to him a life which will
fully satisfy his most enlarged desires. God will say to him,
in the presence of the whole assembled universe, Come thou
servant, whom I have decreed to " set on high," see the king
dom that was prepared for thee from eternity; take possession
of it as thine own, and inherit it for ever d . ]
INFER
1. In how pitiable a state are the ignorant and un
godly world !
c Ps. cxxxviii. 3. d Matt. xxv. 34.
144 PSALMS, XCII. 4, 5. [657.
[Being ignorant of God, and destitute of any real love
to him, they have no part or lot in his salvation. They are
strangers to all those sublime pleasures, which are communicated
to God s peculiar people. The witness of the Spirit, and many
other unspeakably precious tokens of the divine favour, are with
held from them. If they be in trouble, they have no heavenly
consolations to support them. They may have the wealth of
this world, and the honour which cometh of men ; but they can
expect no salvation from God, nor any thing but shame and
everlasting contempt 6 . O that they were wise and would
consider these things!]
2. How plain and simple is the duty of God s people !
[The privileges before mentioned, are all bestowed on us
because we love and seek the Lord. Not that our services are
meritorious, and can claim a " reward of debt ;" but God has
appointed these as means, in the use of which we shall attain
the end. Would we then have more abundant tokens of God s
favour here, and secure a still richer inheritance hereafter ? Let
us study to " grow in the knowledge of him," and in a more
fervent and fixed love towards him. Let us wait upon him more
earnestly and with greater constancy in prayer. Thus shall his
blessings infinitely exceed our highest expectations, and be en
joyed by us when the fleeting vanities of time shall be no more.]
e Dan. xii. 2.
DCLVII.
GOD ADMIRED IN HIS WORKS.
Ps. xcii. 4, 5. Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy
work : I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord,
how great are thy works ! and thy thoughts are very deep.
TO man, in this vale of tears, God has opened
many sources of happiness ; many in his intercourse
with his fellow-man, but more and greater in commu
nion with his God. In truth, if it be not his own fault,
he may have in a measure the felicity of the Para
disiacal state restored to him : for though, through
the weakness of the flesh, " he is in heaviness through
manifold temptations," he has a God to go unto, a
God ever at hand, in whom it is his privilege always
to rejoice : " Rejoice in the Lord alway," says the
Apostle ; and " again," he adds, " Rejoice."
The frame of David s mind, in the psalm before us,
(for we can scarcely doubt but that the composition
657.] GOD ADMIRED IN HIS WORKS. 145
was his,) being that which we should cultivate, we
will consider,
I. The works which he contemplated
It is probable that the writer of this psalm had pri
marily in his view the wonders of creation ; because
the psalm was written for the Sabbath-day % which was
instituted to commemorate God s rest from his cre
ating work. Yet, in the body of the psalm, much is
spoken respecting the dispensations of God in his
providence : and David, whom I consider as the
author of it, had experienced the most wonderful
interpositions in his behalf; so that, amongst all the
children of men, there was not one who had more
cause than he to sing of " the loving-kindness and
the faithfulness of Jehovah ;" of his " loving-kindness,"
in selecting him to such high destinies ; and his
" faithfulness," in accomplishing to him his promises
in their full extent. But the language of my text ne
cessarily leads our minds to that greatest and most stu
pendous of all God s works, the work of Redemption
[This may be treated either in reference to Redemption
generally, as wrought out for us by the incarnation, and death,
and resurrection, and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ ; or
with a special reference to any one of these topics which may
be suited to a particular season. But, in whatever way it be
treated, the greatness of the work must be the point chiefly
insisted on.]
II. His experience in the contemplation of them
He was filled,
1. With triumphant joy-
fit is not possible to view these wonders of Redeeming
Love, and not feel the reasonableness of that command : " Re
joice in the Lord alway ; and again I say, Rejoice b ." Well
does the Psalmist say, " It is a good thing to give thanks unto
the Lord." It is indeed good, at all times* , and in every pos
sible way A . In this holy exercise should every faculty of our
souls be engaged 6 .]
2. With adoring gratitude
[This, after all, is the fittest expression of our joy. The
wonders of God s love are so stupendous, that all attempts to
; a See the title to the Psalm. b Phil. iv. 4. c ver. 2.
d ver. 3. e p St c iii. i.
VOL. VI. L
146 PSALMS, XCII. 1215. [658.
celebrate them aright must fail ; and silence, the profoundest
silence, on such a subject, if proceeding from an overwhelming
sense of it, may justly be accounted the sublimest eloquence.
The Psalmist s experience was of this kind f ; as were St. Paul s
also, when he exclaimed, " O the depth &!"]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are strangers to this frame
[Alas ! how little is this state of mind experienced by the
generality of Christians! arid in what humiliating terms is
their insensibility described in the words following my text ! I
would not speak offensively, or wound the feelings of any : but
I would ask you, whether David speaks too strongly, when he
characterizes such persons as " brutish and fools h ?" You well
know that the prophets often speak the same language 1 ; and
I pray you to repent of your insensibility, that these characters
may no longer attach to you.]
2. Those who aspire after it
[Let your thoughts soar to high and heavenly things;
and especially let them be occupied on the works of God, and
on his perfections as displayed in the great mystery of Re
demption. Surely you shall^not long meditate on these things
in vain. Your God will cause you to " triumph in Christ
Jesus." But never rest, till you have those overwhelming
views of Christ which characterize the worship of heaven.
The glorified saints and angels all fall upon their faces before
the throne : seek ye the same frame of mind with them ; and
soon you shall join with them in everlasting hallelujahs to
God and to the Lamb.]
f ver. 5. e Rom. xi. 33. h ver. 6.
1 Isai. i. 3. and Jer. viii. 7.
DCLVIII.
THE BELIEVER S SECURITY.
Ps. xcii. 12 15. The righteous shall flourish like the palm-
tree : he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be
planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts
of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age ;
they shall be fat and flourishing ; to shew that the Lord is
upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
WELL may we be filled with gratitude, whilst we
contemplate the wonders of creation and of provi
dence 3 : but deeper far are the wonders of redeeming
a ver. 1 5.
658.] THE BELIEVER S SECURITY. 147
love, - ecured as they are to the saints by the immu
table perfections of God. " A brutish man, indeed,
knows them not; nor does a fool understand them b :"
but those who " are anointed with that heavenly
unction which teacheth them all things " have an
insight into them, and can attest the truth of the
assertions of the Psalmist, whilst he declares,
I. The privileges of the righteous
" The righteous" are indeed highly favoured of the
Lord. To them, amidst innumerable other blessings,
are secured,
1. Stability
[" The palm-tree and the cedar" are trees of most majestic
growth ; the one retaining its foliage all the year, and the other
pre-eminent in respect of strength and durability. And like
these shall the righteous " flourish : " nothing shall despoil them
of their beauty, nothing shall subvert their souls - They
may indeed be assailed with many storms and tempests ; but
they shall not be cast down ; or, if cast down, shall not be de
stroy ed d Being once " planted in the house of the Lord,
they shall flourish in the courts of our God," never withering for
want of nourishment 6 , nor ever decaying by the lapse of years f .]
2. Fruitfulness
[The Gospel, wherever it comes, brings forth fruit g ; and
all who receive it aright become "fat and flourishing," " being
filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ to the glory and praise of God h . For every season in
the year they have appropriate fruit 1 : and even to "old age,"
when other trees decay, these retain their vigour and fertility.
There may, indeed, be a difference in the fruits produced by
them at the different periods of life ; that of youth being more
beauteous to the eye ; and that of age, more pleasant to the
taste, as savouring less of crudity, and as being more richly fla
voured through the influence of many ripening suns. " The
fruits of the Spirit," indeed, are seen in both k ; but in one, the
fruit of activity and zeal ; and in the other, a patient waiting for
the coming of their Lord 1 . To the latest hour of their exist
ence shall they bring forth fruit unto God m , and God shall be
" glorified in them"." Never shall their leaf wither or their
fruit fail, till they are transplanted to the Paradise above.]
b ver. 6. c i J hn ii. 20, 27.
d Job v. 19. Ps. xxxiv. 19. 2 Cor. iv. 8 10.
Ps. i. 3. and Jer. xvii. 8. f Isai. Ixv. 22. & Col. i. G.
b Phil. i. 11. i Ezek. xlvii. 12. k Gal. v. 22, 23.
1 1 Cor. i. 7. m Hos. xiv. 5 7. n Isai. Ixi. 3.
148 PSALMS, XCII. 1215. [658.
The confidence with which David announces to the
righteous their privileges, will lead us to consider,
II. Their security for the enjoyment of them
God has solemnly engaged to confer these bless
ings upon them
[From all eternity did he enter into covenant with his dear
Son, that "if HE would make his soul an offering for sin, he
should see a seed, who should prolong their days; and the
pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand ." The terms
being accepted by the Lord Jesus, a people were " given to
him ; " with an assurance that not one of them should ever be
lost p . Accordingly, we find innumerable promises made to
them, that " God will keep their feet q ," and carry on his work
in their hearts r , and " preserve them blameless unto his
heavenly kingdom 8 ."]
From respect to these engagements, he will as
suredly fulfil his word
[Not one jot or tittle of his word shall fail 1 . His children
may, indeed, by their transgressions, call forth some tokens of
his displeasure : yet, though he visit their transgression with
the rod, and their iniquity with stripes, his loving-kindness will
he not utterly take from them, nor surfer his faithfulness to fail.
His covenant will he not break, nor alter the thing that is gone
out of his lips ; for once he has sworn by his holiness, that he
will not lie unto David u . Having thus pledged his truth and
faithfulness in their behalf x , and engaged never to leave them
till he has accomplished in them and for them all that he has
promised y , he considers his own honour as involved in their
happiness 2 ; and would account himself " unrighteous," if he
left so much as one of them to perish a . But " he cannot lie b :"
and, therefore, all who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the
hope set before them, may have the most abundant consola
tion ," in an assured expectation that " he will perfect that
which concerneth them d ," and " keep them, by his own power,
unto everlasting salvation 6 ."]
Comforting as this Scripture is, it needs to be very
carefully guarded from abuse. Permit me, then,
to ADDRESS myself,
Isai. Hii. 10. P John xvii. 2, 6, 9, 10 12, 24.
q 1 Sam. ii. 9. r Phil. i. 6.
s 1 Cor. i. 8. 1 Thess. v. 23. * Isai. liv. 9, 10.
u Ps.lxxxix.30 35. x 1 Thess. v. 24. y Heh. xiii. 5, 6.
z Ezek. xxxix. 25. a Heb. vi. 10. b Tit. i. 2.
c Heb. vi. 17, 18. d Ps. cxxxviii. 8. e 1 Pet. i. 5.
658.] THE BELIEVER S SECURITY. 149
1. To those who are indulging in undue security
[Is there any one that will dare to say, I cannot fall ; or,
if I fall, I cannot but rise again : for, if God were to leave me
to perish, he would be unfaithful and unjust? I must reply
to such an one, Thou art on the very border and precipice of
hell. Who art thou, that thou shouldst not fall, when David,
and Solomon, and Peter fell? Or, who art thou, that thou
must be raised again, when Demas, as far as we know, fell for
ever ? Hast thou been up to heaven, and seen thy name writ
ten in the Book of Life ? Hast thou inspected that covenant
which was made between the Father and the Son, and seen
that thou wast among the number of those who were given to
Christ before the foundation of the world ? " The Lord knoweth
them that are his ; " but who besides him possesses that know
ledge? What knowest thou, except as far as causes can be
discerned by their effects ? Thou hast experienced what ap
pears to be a work of grace in thy soul. Be thankful : but be
not over confident : thousands have deceived themselves : and
thou mayest have done the same. Could it be infallibly ascer
tained that thou wast given to Christ before the foundation of
the world, and, in consequence of God s engagement with
him, wast effectually called to a state of union with him,
we will acknowledge that none should ever pluck thee out of
the Father s hands f : for "his gifts and calling are without
repentance g ." But, as this can never be ascertained but by a
special revelation from God, I must say to thee, and would say,
if thou wert the most eminent Christian upon earth, " Be not
high-minded, but fearV It is certain that multitudes of most
distinguished professors have apostatized from their faith : and
such may be thine end ; yea, and will, if thy confidence be so
daring and presumptuous : and, if this should be thine unhappy
fate, we shall not for one moment question the fidelity of G od ;
but shall say of you, as St. John did of the apostates in his day,
" They went out from us ; but they were not of us i for if they
had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us :
but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they
were not all of us V]
2. To those who have actually backslidden from
God-
[Are there none of this character amongst us ? Would
to God there were not \ But look back, I pray you, and see
whether it is still with you as it was in " the day of your
espousals k ." Have none of you " left your first love 1 ?" Time
was, perhaps, when the concerns of your souls were of such
f John x. 2729. e Rom. xi. 29. h Rom. xi. 20.
* 1 John ii. 19. k Jer. ii. 2. 1 Rev. ii. 4.
150 PSALMS, XCII. 1215. [658.
importance in your eyes, that you thought you could never do
enough to promote their eternal interests. The word of God
and prayer were then, as it were, your daily food : you walked
with God all the day long. To maintain communion with him
was your highest delight : you dreaded every thing that might
draw you from him : your bodies and souls were, like living
sacrifices, offered to him daily upon his altar. But how is it
with you now ? Perhaps at this time any formal service will
suffice to satisfy the conscience : the duties of the closet are
become irksome to you ; the world has regained an ascendant
over your minds ; and evil tempers, which once appeared sub
dued and mortified, display themselves on every occasion, to
the destruction of your own peace, and to the annoyance of all
around you. Ah ! think what dishonour you do to God, and
what cause of triumph you give to his enemies. Through
your misconduct, " the way of truth is evil spoken of," and
" the very name of God is blasphemed." But His word is
true, whether men stumble over it or not : and, whatever a
profane world may imagine, " He is a Rock ; and there is no
unrighteousness in him. " But delude not yourselves with
notions about electing love, or God s faithfulness to his pro
mises. The only promises in which ye have any part, are
those which are made to weeping penitents : " Repent ye,
then, without delay, and do your first works m :" else " you
shall be filled with your own ways n ," and reap for ever the
bitter fruit of your own devices .]
2. To those who are holding on in the good way
[You are living witnesses for God, that he is both mer
ciful and " upright." You know whence it is that you have
been preserved. You know that you would have fallen, even
as others, if he had not upheld you in his everlasting arms.
Give Him the glory, then ; and cast yourselves altogether upon
him. Beg of him to water your roots, and to make you
" fruitful in every good work." Entreat him, not only " not to
turn away from you, but to put his fear in your hearts, that
you may never depart from him P." So may you look forward
to all the occurrences of life with a joyful hope, that you shall
be preserved even to the end, and be " more than conquerors
through Him that loved you q . " The proper medium to be
observed, is that between presumptuous hope and servile fear.
A filial confidence is your high privilege : and you may go
forward with joy, knowing in whom you have believed, that
He is both able and willing to keep that which you have com
mitted to him r ," and that he will be eternally glorified in the
salvation of your souls.]
m . Rev. ii. 5. n Proy. xiv. 14. Prov. i. 31. and xxii. 8.
P Jer. xxxii. 40. 1 Rom. viii, 35 39. r 2 Tim. i. 12.
659.] COMFORT IN GOD. 151
DCLIX.
COMFORT IN GOD.
Ps. xciv. 1 9. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy
comforts delight my soul.
TO judge of the efficacy of Divine grace, we should
see it in actual exercise, and under circumstances
calculated to display its power. The writer of this
psalm, whoever he was, (for respecting the author
or the occasion of it we have no certain information,)
was sorely oppressed under the sanction and autho
rity of legal enactments. But he committed his cause
to God ; and warned his oppressors that they should
give an account of their conduct before another tri
bunal, where their atheistical impiety would receive
its just reward a . At the same time, he declared that
he had heartfelt consolations, of which it was not in
their power to deprive him : for that ff in the multi
tude of his thoughts, which their cruelty excited
within him, God s comforts delighted his soul."
In these words we see,
I. The fluctuations of mind to which the saints are
exposed
When men become saints, they are not raised
above the feelings of mortality : they still have the
common sensibilities of men, and consequently are
exposed to great fluctuations of mind :
1. In reference to their temporal concerns
[As members of society, they must be engaged in earthly
occupations of some kind ; and must depend, not on themselves
only, but on others also, for their prosperity in the world.
The misfortunes of others may involve them ; and, without
any fault of their own, they may be drawn into circumstances
of most painful embarrassment. In such a predicament, it
would ill become them to be careless and unconcerned. They
must of necessity have many thoughts, how to extricate them
selves from their trouble, and to maintain their good character
before men
In a domestic relation, too, the saint cannot be insensible to
the welfare of his wife and children : their health, their ho
nour, their happiness, must of necessity occupy a deep interest
a ver. 5 10, 20 23.
152 PSALMS, XCIV. 19. . [659.
in his mind, and be sources of much anxiety within him
Religion is not intended to destroy these feelings, but only to
regulate them, and to render them subservient to his spiritual
welfare ]
2. In reference to the concerns of their souls
[The very intent of piety is, to make every thing that relates
to eternity interesting to the soul. Now the saint, in this pre
sent state of warfare, cannot always preserve the same state of
sublime and spiritual affection : there will be seasons of compara
tive darkness and deadness, and seasons too of temptation, when
Satan has gained some advantage over him. Now, such ought
to be seasons of deeper humiliation to the soul : and, together
with contrition, there will often arise doubts and fears, which
will fill the soul with most distressing perplexity. David himself
sometimes had his fears, lest God should have cast him off for
ever b : and similar apprehensions are experienced by the Lord s
people, in every age and in every place
But in the example before us we see,
II. The consolations which God administers to them
in their troubles
Truly they have comforts which the world knows
not of: they have for their refreshment and delight,
1. The comforts of God s word
[The Scriptures are a " well of salvation, from whence
they draw water with joy." In them they behold the character
of God, exhibited as it were at full length, in all the dispensa
tions of his providence and grace. There they see how God
has dealt with his people in every age, ordering every thing
according to the counsels of his unerring wisdom, and overruling
every thing for their eternal good. There they behold him as
a refiner, regulating the furnace into which he puts his vessels ;
and watching the process, in order to bring them forth in due
season, fit for the master s use. There they see the " covenant
ordered in all things and sure ;" and there they find promises
without number, exactly suited to their state. These are as
marrow and fatness to their souls ; and, nourished by these,
they not only bear with patience, but glory and exult in, all
their trials Encouraged by these promises, they are
content to go into the furnace, assured that they shall come
forth, at last, purified as gold.]
2. The comforts of his Spirit
[Afflictions are seasons when God for the most part ma
nifests himself to the souls of his people. The Son of man
b Ps. Ixxvii. 7 10. c 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
660.] DEVOTION TO GOD ENFORCED. 153
then walks most visibly with them, when they are put into the
furnace for his sake. In the mount of difficulty and trial he
will be seen. In his people s extremity he vouchsafes to them
his richest communications, imparting to them his Holy Spirit,
as a Comforter, to witness their adoption into his family, and
to seal them unto the day of redemption. Yea, so abundantly
does he sometimes " shed abroad his love in their hearts," that
they are fearful of losing their trials, lest they should lose at
the same time their consolations also. Such were the comforts
administered to the Apostle Paul d ; and such shall be the por
tion of all who take the Lord for their God.]
SEE
1. How highly the saint is favoured above all other
people upon earth !
[What source of comfort can the worldling find, in his
trials? The whole creation is to him but "a broken cistern
that can hold no water." It is the saint alone that has a
never-failing source of joy and bliss
2. How desirable it is to acquaint ourselves with
God!
[It is in God, as reconciled to us in Christ Jesus, that this
blessedness is to be found. To those who seek him not in
Christ Jesus, God himself is only " a consuming fire :" but
to his believing people he is " a very present help," and " an
eternal great reward."]
d 2 Cor. i. 5.
DCLX.
DEVOTION TO GOD RECOMMENDED AND ENFORCED.
Ps. xcv. 6 11. O come, let us worship and bow down : let us
kneel before the Lord our Maker. For he is our God ; and
we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart, as in
the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilder
ness ; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my
work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation,
and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they
have not known my ways ; unto whom I sware in my wrath,
that they should not enter into my rest.
IN the former part of this psalm, the Jewish peo
ple, for whom it was composed, mutually exhorted
each other: in the latter part, God himself is the
speaker : and the manner in which this latter part is
154- PSALMS, XCV. G 11. [660.
cited in the Epistle to the Hebrews, shews, that the
whole psalm is as proper for the use of the Christian,
as it was of the Jewish, Church. The peculiar cir
cumstance of its consisting of a mutual exhortation
is there expressly noticed : and noticed with parti
cular approbation : " Exhort one another daily, while
it is called To-day a ." This hint the Compilers of our
Liturgy attended to, when they appointed this psalm
to be read constantly in the Morning Service, as in
troductory to the other psalms that should come in
rotation : and, as being so appointed, it deserves
from us a more than ordinary attention.
In discoursing upon it, we shall notice,
I. The exhortation
[The proper object of our worship is here described. As
addressed to the Jews, the terms here used would fix their
attention on Jehovah, as contra-distinguished from all false
gods : but, as addressed to Christians, they lead our minds to
the Lord Jesus Christ, who is " God with us," even " God over
all, blessed for evermore." HE is our Maker; for " by him
were all things created, both which are in heaven and in earth V
He is " the good Shepherd, who laid down his life for his sheep,"
and who watches over them, and preserves them day and night c .
HIM then we must worship with all humility of mind,
" bowing down, and kneeling before him." At his hands must
we seek for mercy, even through his all-atoning sacrifice
and from him, as our living Head, must we look for all neces
sary supplies of grace and peace
O come, let us thus approach him ! let us do it not merely
in the public services of our Church, but in our secret cham
bers ; and not occasionally only, but constantly ; having all our
dependence upon him, and all our expectations from him.]
That this exhortation may not be in vain, we en
treat you to consider,
II. The warning with which it is enforced
[The Jews who, in the wilderness, disobeyed the heavenly
call, were never suffered to enter into the land of Canaan. In
the judgments inflicted upon them, they are held forth as a
warning to us d . Like them, we have seen all the wonders of
God s love, in delivering us from a far sorer than Egyptian
* Heb. iii. 13. b John i. 3.
c John x. 11. Heb. xiii. 20. Ezek. xxxiv. 11 16.
* 1 Cor. x. 111.
660.] DEVOTION TO GOD ENFORCED. 155
bondage. Like them, we have had spiritual food administered
to us in rich abundance in the Gospel of Christ. And if, like
them, we harden our hearts, and rebel against our God, like
them, we must be excluded from the heavenly Canaan. They
by their obstinacy provoked God to exclude them with an oath :
O that we may never provoke him to " swear that we also shall
never enter into his rest ! " That we are in danger of bringing
this awful judgment on ourselves is evident from the intimation
given us by the Apostle Jude e , and yet more plainly from the
warnings which St. Paul founds on this very passage f
Let us then " hear the voice" of our good Shepherd, ere it be
too late. Let us "grieve him" no longer but let us
turn to him with our whole hearts Caleb and Joshua
were admitted into Canaan, because " they followed the Lord
fully:" let us follow him fully, and we shall certainly attain the
promised rest.]
After the example of St. Paul, we would with all
earnestness caution you against,
1. Unbelief-
[The Jews believed neither the promises nor the threaten-
ings of God, and therefore they perished. Let us beware lest
we fall after the same example of unbelief g . If we will not
believe that we stand in need of mercy to the extent that God
has declared, or that the service of God is so reasonable and
blessed as he has represented it to be, or that the judgments
of God shall infallibly come on all who refuse to serve him,
there is no hope : we must perish, notwithstanding all the offers
of mercy that are sent to us : for " the word preached cannot
profit us, if it be not mixed with faith in them that hear it h ."]
2. Hardness of heart
[As Israel hardened themselves against God when his
messages were sent them by Moses, so do many now harden
themselves against the word preached by the ministers of
Christ. They " puff at" all the judgments denounced against
them 1 . But " who ever hardened himself against God, and
prospered?" O! " will your hearts be stout in the day that HE
shall deal with you ? and will you thunder with a voice like his ? "
Be persuaded: humble yourselves before him, yea, " bow down
and kneel before him," and never cease to cry for mercy, till he
has turned away his anger, and spoken peace to your souls.]
3. Delay-
[" To-day," says the Psalmist : " To-day, while it is. called
To-day," says the Apostle Paul : and " To-day," would I say :
e ver. 5. f Heb. iii. 719. and iv. 1. e Heh. iv. 12.
h Heb. iv. 2. * Ps. x. 4, 5.
156 PSALMS, XCVI. 13. [661.
yes, Brethren, " to-day" " harden not your hearts;" for you
know not what a day may bring forth. Before another day,
you may be taken into the eternal world ; or, if not, you may
provoke God to swear in his wrath, that you shall never enter
into his rest ; and then your remaining days will answer no
other end, than to fill up the measure of your iniquities. But
surely you have grieved him long enough already; some of
you twenty, some thirty, some perhaps even " forty years."
Let there be an end of this rebellion against your Maker and
your Redeemer ; and let this, which is with him the day of
grace, be to you " the day of salvation."]
DCLXI.
THE DUTY OF MAKING CHRIST KNOWN TO THE HEATHEN.
Ps. xcvi. 1 3. sing unto the Lord a new song ; sing unto
the Lord all the earth. Sing unto the Lord ; bless his name :
shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory
among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
TO any one who looks even in the most superficial
manner into the Holy Scriptures, there must appear
a very wide difference between the experience of the
saints recorded there, and that which is found amongst
persons reputed saints in the present day. The Sa
viour himself is not so much the object of holy glory
ing, as he was amongst some, who looked forward to
him at the distance of a thousand years ; nor are the
same elevated affections towards him brought into
exercise, as were displayed by them. A man who
should now exclaim, as David did, " O sing unto the
Lord a new song ; sing unto the Lord, all the earth :
sing unto the Lord ; bless his name ; shew forth his
salvation from day to day I" he, I say, would be
accounted an enthusiast at least ; and it would be
well if he were not characterized by a yet harsher
term. But religion is, or ought to be, the same in
all ages ; except indeed that our views of Christ
should be more elevated, and our delight in him be
more ardent, in proportion as our means of knowing
him are more ample, and our motives to love him
more enlarged. The psalm before us undoubtedly
refers to him ; for it speaks expressly of the pub
lication of his Gospel to the Gentile world. It is
661. J DUTY OF MAKING CHRIST KNOWN. 157
indeed only a part of a psalm written originally by
David at the time of his bringing up the ark to
Mount Zion from the house of Obed-edom a : and
this part was selected afterwards for the constant
use of the Church, as being calculated to keep up in
the minds of men an expectation of the Messiah, and
to prepare their hearts for the reception of him.
In discoursing on that portion of it which we have
read, we shall,
I. Point out your duty to the Lord Jesus Christ
In speaking to persons who profess to derive all
their hopes of salvation from the Lord Jesus, me-
thinks it is scarcely necessary to say, that,
1. We should praise him ourselves
[We should not be content to acknowledge him in words;
we should feel towards him in deed, as our " All in all b ."
These feelings we should express in songs of praise : or if we be
silent as to our voice, we should at least " make melody to him
in our hearts;" " blessing" and adoring him from our inmost souls.
We should sing to him " a new song." It was so called by
David, because it was a song that was to be sung especially at
the introduction of the Christian dispensation, the events pre
dicted and shadowed forth being then fulfilled. But it is still
a new song to all who sing it ; because in their unconverted
state they have no disposition, no ability to sing it: "they can
not, in that sense, say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy
Ghost c ." Moreover, it will to all eternity continue new,- fresh
discoveries of his glory being ever manifested to the soul, and
fresh energies supplied for the celebration of his praise. Hence
in heaven itself the songs of all the glorified saints are thus
designated : " they sing unto the Lord a new song d . " Thus
"from day to day " our harps should be tuned afresh, and our
praises ascend to heaven with every breath we draw.]
2. We should make him known to others
[Who that had ever tasted of the blessings of salvation
would " eat his morsel alone ? " who would not wish all the
world to partake with him ? Yes surely, we should declare his
glory among the heathen, and his wonders among all people."
O what " wonders " of love and mercy have we to proclaim !
Who can reflect on the person of our "Emmanuel, who is God
with us," leaving the bosom of his Father, taking our nature,
bearing our sins, and effecting by his obedience unto death our
a 1 Chron. xvi. 736. b 1 John iii. 18.
c 1 Cor. xii. 3. <* R ev . v . 9. and xiv. 3.
158 PSALMS, XCVI. 13. [661.
reconciliation with God ; who, I say, can reflect on this, and
not desire to make it known to all the sinners of mankind ? In
a word, who can have beheld "the glory of God shining in the
face of Jesus Christ," and not desire to reflect the light of it on
all who are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death ? This
is undoubtedly our duty : we are not to put our light under a
bushel, but to set it on a candlestick, that all the world, if
possible, may see the light.]
This then being our duty to the Lord Jesus Christ,
we will proceed to,
II. Call you to the performance of it
Consider,
1. Your obligations to the Lord Jesus Christ
[How inconceivably great are these ! If we attempt to
estimate them, where shall we begin ? or, having begun, where
shall we end ? If you have not yet experienced his converting
grace, the very provision of a salvation for you, a salvation so
dearly bought, and so freely offered, demands from you every
tribute of love and gratitude that you can ever pay. But if
you have reason to think yourselves partakers of this salvation,
and are enabled with appropriating faith to say, " He has loved
me, and given himself for me" there should be no bounds to
your zeal and diligence in his service. Time, talents, property,
yea life itself, should be esteemed by you as of no value, any
farther than they may enable you to glorify his name. Enter
then minutely into the consideration of this subject, and say,
Whether, " if you hold your peace, the very stones will not cry
out against you ? "]
2. The necessities of the heathen world
[The whole Scriptures speak of the heathen world as
perishing for lack of knowledge : and though we will not pre
sume to say, that none of them shall be made partakers of
God s mercy for Christ s sake ; yet we are sure, that, as a
body, they are under a sentence of guilt and condemnation.
Can we then know the remedy which God has provided for
them, and not feel ourselves bound to reveal it to them, and to
labour, as far as possible, to extend to them its saving benefits ?
Can we reflect on the unhappy state of the Jews, and not pity
them ; blinded as they are by prejudice, and bent as they are
on their own destruction? Can we look on all the different
classes of the Gentile world, and see what penances they
endure to pacify the supposed wrath of their senseless idols, and
not feel a desire to proclaim to them the glad tidings of the
Gospel ? If it would be our duty to stretch out our hand to
one sinking in the waters, and to rescue him from destruction,
662.] WORSHIP IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 159
much more is it our duty to exert ourselves to the utmost of
our power for the preservation of a ruined world.]
ADDRESS-
1. Those who are lukewarm in the cause of Christ
[Many are so afraid of enthusiasm, that they banish from
their minds all that may subject them to such an imputation.
Hence, whilst they are correct and accurate in their principles,
they are grievously defective in the sublimer parts of practical
religion : they have a form of godliness, but no experience of
its power. But let such persons know that the Lord Jesus
Christ is more displeased with the lukewarmness of those who
profess themselves his friends, than he is with the neglect of
his avowed enemies e . If from our inmost souls we love him
not, he denounces a solemn curse against us f : and if we serve
him not with the talents entrusted to our care, he will require
them at our hands, and punish us severely for our abuse of them.s]
2. Those who are active in his service
[God forbid that we should ever speak a word to discou
rage activity in the service of our Lord. But it is certain that
many are diligent in doing what they suppose to be his will,
who yet are far from cultivating that spirit which he will approve.
Pride, ostentation, and a variety of other corrupt motives, may
stimulate men to exertion ; whilst humility and modesty, and
all the lovelier graces of the Spirit, are wanting in them. Look
to it then, that your love and zeal be duly tempered with reve
rence and godly fear. At the same time, take care that you do
not become weary in well-doing. Be on your guard that your
love to the Saviour languish not, and that your endeavours to
convert others to the knowledge of him be not relaxed. Try
amongst your friends and neighbours to interest them in his
salvation. Then extend your efforts to all, whether Jews or
Gentiles : and " count not even life itself dear to you," if that
you may but glorify him, and save the souls of your perishing
fellow-creatures.]
e Rev. iii. 15, 16. f 1 Cor. xvi. 22. s Matt. xxvi. 20.
DCLXII.
WORSHIP IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS.
Ps. xcvi. 9. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
THE calling of the Gentiles was a very favourite
subject with the sweet singer of Israel. It is almost
always blended with his sweetest strains. If at any
time his soul be inflamed with more than ordinary
160 PSALMS, XCVI. 9. [662.
devotion, it expands itself immediately to the remotest
corners of the earth, and anticipates the period when
the whole world shall enjoy the privileges which
were then confined within the narrow limits of the
Jewish nation ; yea rather, when the richer blessings
of Messiah s reign should be diffused with equal
liberality over the face of the whole earth. The
psalm before us had a special reference to the Mes
siah. It speaks of "a new song" that was to be
sung; a song unknown to Moses, who celebrated
only a temporal deliverance : and it was to be sung
by " the whole earth" because it was to be com
memorative of a spiritual and eternal redemption,
wrought out by the Messiah for the whole family of
man. Let us read a part of this sublime composition :
" O sing unto the Lord a new song ! sing unto the
Lord all the whole earth. Sing unto the Lord ; bless
his name ; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the Heathen, his wonders
among all people. Give unto the Lord, O ye kin
dreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and
strength. O worship the Lord in the beauty of holi
ness ! fear before him, all the earth. Say among the
Heathen that the Lord reigneth a ." That it is of the
Messiah s advent and reign that he here speaks, is
evident ; because he refers, not to any thing past,
but to events yet future : " Let the heavens rejoice,
and let the earth be glad ; let the sea roar, and the
fulness thereof: let the field be joyful, and all that
is therein : then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
before the Lord : for He cometh ; for he cometh to
judge (to rule) the earth : he shall judge the world
with righteousness, and the people with his truth b ."
This psalm, together with a part of the 105th, was
used by David, when he carried up the ark to Mount
Zion, to place it in the Tabernacle* : and well was it
adapted to that occasion ; because the ark was a very
eminent type of that adorable " WORD, who in due
time became flesh, and dwelt amongst us d ." Then,
a ver. 13, 7, 9, 10. * ver. 1113.
c 1 Chron. xvi. 7 33. d John i. 14.
662.] WORSHIP IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 161
even at the hour when we might have supposed that
the interests of his own subjects would have an
exclusive possession of his mind, did David contem
plate the welfare of the Gentiles, and call on them to
"worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness 6 ."
We shall consider these words as containing,
I. An invitation to the whole Gentile world
By "the beauty of holiness," I understand the
Sanctuary of the Lord
[As the tabernacle and all its furniture were of the most
costly materials and the most exquisite workmanship, so was
the temple and all that it contained ; and especially every thing
connected with the holy of holies. But though in this respect
it exceeded every thing upon earth in " beauty," there was a
far higher reason for its being called by this peculiar name : it
was the immediate residence of the Deity, who dwelt there in
a bright cloud, the Shechinah, the visible symbol of his presence.
The heaven of heavens was not more holy than that sacred
chamber, nor more beauteous : and therefore it might well be
called, not beautiful, but "beauty ;" not holy, but " holiness"
in the abstract, or more forcibly still, " The beauty of holiness,"
in comparison of which there was nothing beautiful or holy
upon the face of the whole earth.]
Thither David invites the whole Gentile world to
come, and " worship the Lord," the Creator, the
Governor, the Saviour of the world
[By the Law of Moses it was forbidden them to enter into
any part of the sanctuary. For them an outer court was pro
vided, beyond which they were forbidden, on pain of death, to
proceed. But, through the coining of the Messiah, " the parti
tion-wall was to be broken down:" and all, both Jews and Gentiles,
were to be incorporated into one body, and to be made parta
kers of the same privileges f . Even the vail of the temple itself
was to be rent in twain g , and " a new and living way be opened"
for every child of man h , to approach for himself the very mercy-
seat of the Most High, and to offer there his sacrifices of prayer
and praise, and his incense too of fervent intercession. To
this does David here invite the Gentile world. Not David
himself would have dared to enter into the sanctuary which was
then standing : into " the holy place of the tabernacle of the
Most High" it would have been at the peril of his life to enter :
but he foresaw, that that servile dispensation was in due time
e 1 Chron. xvi. 29. f Eph. ii. 1416.
g Matt, xxvii. 51. h Heb. x. 1922,
VOL. VI. M
162 PSALMS, XCVI. 9. [662.
to pass away ; and that God would then hold out to every man,
whether Jew or Gentile, whether bond or free, the golden
sceptre of his grace, with free permission to make known to him
his every request, even to the half, or to the whole, of his king
dom. To the Gentiles therefore he calls, to " turn from their
idols to serve the living God," and to " glorify God with their
bodies and their spirits, which are his."]
Let us next consider the words as,
II. A special call to us
" The beauty of holiness" is yet standing
[The tabernacle and the temple are indeed long since
swept away ; nor is there in existence a vessel that belonged
to either. But, if the symbol of God s presence is removed,
is God himself therefore gone ? No : he is here, in this very
place, as truly as ever he was in his sanctuary of old. He has
said, " Where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them." " Lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the world." And have we not also
a sacrifice wherewith we may approach him ? Yes, we have
a sacrifice of infinitely greater value than all the cattle on a
thousand hills. " The sacrifice of his dear Son is to him of a
sweet-smelling savour:" and the merit of that every one of us
may plead, and plead too with an infallible certainty of accept
ance. What was there in the temple of old which we do not
possess ? Not any thing ; not any thing which we do not
possess to infinitely greater advantage. The Jews had the
shadow ; we have the substance : and what we enjoy as far
excels in beauty and in holiness all that they possessed, as a
living body excels a reflection of it in a glass.]
And may I not add, that "the beauty of holiness"
is more especially visible in the ordinances of the
Established Church ?
[I mean not to speak disrespectfully of any other body
of Christians whatever, or to detract from their ordinances,
however administered : but I must say, and I say it from my
inmost soul, that, in my judgment, there is in the worship of
the Church of England a beauty and a holiness superior to
what is found in any other Church upon earth.
But, not to enter into invidious comparisons, or to diminish
the respect which others have for their own peculiar modes
of worship, let us confine our attention to the worship of that
Church whereof we are members. If the principles on which
our worship is founded are any tests of excellence, verily our
Church stands most conspicuous for all that is beautiful and
holy. The Scriptures themselves are the one standard which
she follows. Disdaining the trammels of human systems, she
662.] WORSHIP IN THE BEAUTY OF HOLINESS. 163
comprehends in her views all that the Scripture utters, without
attempting to wrest or pervert any truth which may bear an
aspect uncongenial with the dictates of unenlightened reason.
It is not possible for the creature to be more deeply humbled,
than her worshippers are when confessing their sins before God.
And so fervent are her petitions, that nothing can exceed them.
Nor is there a petition offered, which is not presented in the
name of Jesus Christ, so entire is the dependence which all her
children place in the merits and mediation of that adorable
Saviour. Her praises and thanksgivings are as ardent as any
that words can express. So that, if a whole congregation in
one of our churches entered fully into the spirit of our Liturgy,
it would be a brighter resemblance of heaven than was ever
yet seen upon the face of the globe.]
Let me, then, call you, as David does, to "wor
ship the Lord in the beauty of holiness "-
[" Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name :
bring an offering: come into his courts 1 :" and take care that
your worship be such as becomes his sanctuary. Let a holy
reverential awe fill your souls, whenever you draw nigh to
God. Let your confessions be humble ; your supplications,
fervent ; your thanksgivings, devout. Have a special view to
the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the whole of the service ;
and think not to offer any thing to God, or to receive any thing
from God, but through him, as your all-prevailing Friend and
Mediator. Whether you approach God in your closet, or in
the public assembly, watch over your spirit in relation to these
things, and presume not to offer unto God the sacrifice of fools.
Let not the consideration of your natural distance from God
discourage you. Remember, that the invitation is given to the
remotest Gentiles, who are bowing down to the works of their
own hands, which can never profit or deliver. To you, there
fore, whatever be your state, is the invitation sent : and we are
authorised, by God himself, to declare, that of those who come
to him in his Son s name, " not so much as one shall ever be
cast out."]
ADDRESS
1. Make a due improvement of your own privileges
[You cannot but see how highly David and his people
were privileged above the benighted Heathen : yet were their
blessings but a faint shadow of yours ; so much more distinct
is your knowledge of God, and so much nearer is your access to
him. Not any but the High Priest could enter into the Holy
of Holies ; and he only on one day in the year : but of you,
every individual may go to the very throne of the Divine Majesty,
and that too every day and every hour of your lives. You are
1 ver. 8.
M 2
164 PSALMS, XCVII. 2. [663.
" a kingdom of priests," and may take the blood of your great
sacrifice, and sprinkle it with acceptance on the Mercy-seat of
your God. O that you might learn to estimate aright your
high privilege, and improve it daily to the everlasting benefit
of your souls !]
2. Endeavour to extend them to the whole world
[We should not be content to serve our God alone : we
should wish him to be honoured and enjoyed by every child of
man : and to advance his glory in the world should be an object
of our most unwearied attention. Happily for us, there are
Societies that have embarked in this blessed work, and through
which every individual may contribute to the enlargement of
the Redeemer s kingdom k And view the field, how ex
tended it is ! " The field is the world." Arise, my Brethren,
to the work that is before you : and if you cannot effect all that
you could wish, let it at least be said of you by the heart-
searching God, " They have done what they could."]
k Here the particular Society, such as the SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING
CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, the BIBLE SOCIETY, or the PRAYER-BOOK
AND HOMILY SOCIETY, may be set forth, and its objects and opera
tions may be detailed.
DCLXIII.
GOD S WAYS DARK, BUT JUST.
Ps. xcvii. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him :
righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.
THE reign of Christ is here spoken of, as a ground
of joy to the whole world : " The Lord reigneth ;
let the earth rejoice : let the multitude of isles be
glad thereof." That CHRIST is the person to whom
the psalm refers, we are assured on infallible autho
rity ; for, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we are told
that the injunction, " Worship HIM, all ye gods !" was
given by the Father in reference to him : " When
He (the Father) bringeth in the First-begotten into
the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God
worship him a ." As to the particular advent of our
Lord, I conceive that, in the psalm before us, the
period alluded to is that in which our Lord came to
conduct the Hebrew nation through the wilderness
to the Promised Land. " He came down witb thun-
derings and lightnings, and a thick cloud," in exact
a Compare ver. 7. with Heb. i. 6.
663.] GOD S WAYS DARK, BUT JUST. 165
accordance with the description given of him in this
psalm b . At the precise period of his incarnation
there were no such signs ; though at his death and
resurrection, which may properly be included in that
period, there were similar demonstrations of his
Divine Majesty : and at his future advent we are
assured he will " come in power and great glory,"
such as that with which he was attended at the time
of his ascension to the right hand of God c . But it is
not to any one of these periods that I shall confine
my attention ; because the language of my text is
general, and may well be considered as referring to
all periods and to all events : for there is no one part
of the divine government to which it may not be well
applied, every act of it being involved in impenetra
ble obscurity, yet founded in wisdom, and goodness,
and truth, and equity.
In unfolding, then, the truth contained in my text,
I will endeavour to illustrate it,
I. In the dispensations of God s providence-
Survey the state of the whole world since the fall
of man
[See the state in which every child is born into the world ;
how " shapen in iniquity," how altogether unlike to man in his
original creation d ! - See, too, as they grow up to ma
turity and put forth their powers, what wickedness they commit,
and what misery they spread around them, none being a greater
enemy to man than man himself !
Behold the brute creation : these, though incapable of sin,
feel bitterly its penal consequences, and shew, beyond a possi
bility of doubt, that they inherit qualities which they did not
originally possess; being hostile to each other, and in many
instances the common enemies of man. The very earth itself
also partakes of the curse due to sin ; and all the elements are
armed against the human race, to inflict on them, as God shall
appoint, the destruction they have merited.
I ask, then, Are not " clouds and darkness round about that
God by whose ordinance these things exist? Can any one give
a satisfactory explanation of them all, or even of any one of
them? Yet we are sure that " righteousness and judgment
are the habitation (the basis) of them all." For whether we
b Compare ver. 2 5. with Exod. xix. 11, 16.
c Acts i. 11. with Luke xxi. 27. d Ps. li. 5. Eph. ii. 3.
166 PSALMS, XCVII. 2. [663.
understand his ways or not, " his work is perfect, and all his
ways are judgment : a God of truth, and without iniquity ;
just and right is he 6 ."]
Mark also his dealings with the individuals of
mankind
[What an amazing disparity do we find amongst the
children of men ; some endued with great mental powers,
whilst others, from their very birth, through a want of intellec
tual capacity, are in a state more helpless and degraded than
the beasts themselves ; some possessing all the comforts of
health, and others protracting a miserable existence, from
which, at any moment, death would be a merciful relief! some
destitute of the most common necessaries of life, whilst others
revel in every species of luxurious abundance ! To what can
we trace this vast diversity ; or, if we attempt to account for it
on the common principles of equity, what shall we say ? Surely
" clouds and darkness are round about it" all ; and faith is left
to supply the deficiencies of reason. We know that God can
not err, and that " all his ways are both mercy and truth."
His " way, indeed, is in the sea, and his footsteps are not
known f :" but " his righteousness is like the great mountains,
though his judgments are a great deep g ."]
Inscrutable depths also will be found,
II. In the revelation of his grace
Here the difficulties are greater still. Consider,
1. The revelation itself
[What a mystery is here ! the substitution of God s co
equal, co-eternal Son in the place of his own sinful and rebel
lious creatures ; " the Holy One and the Just, in the place of
the unholy and unjust h !" or rather, if I might venture to use
such an expression, I should almost say, The death of an in
carnate God, in the place and for the sake of incarnate devils !
You remember what our blessed Lord himself said, even to
those who called themselves the Lord s people : " Ye are of
your father the devil ; and the lusts of your father ye will do 1 ."
Yet for such did Jesus die, even for the chief of sinners. Tell
me, Are there not " clouds and darkness" here? Yet I hesi
tate not to say, that "righteousness" pervades it all; and
"judgment," such as shall finally approve itself to the whole
intelligent creation, is the basis of it. In fact, it is this which,
above all other things in the whole universe, displays the
righteousness of God, who, by exacting such a sacrifice, then
most of all shews himself just, when he justifies those who
believe in his dear Son k .]
e Deut. xxxii. 4. f Ps. Ixxvii. 19. s Ps. xxxvi. 6.
h 1 Pet. iii. 18. * John viii. 44. k Rom. iii. 25 26.
663.] GOD S WAYS DARK, BUT JUST. 167
2. The objects selected to enjoy its benefits
[The great mass of mankind, from the Deluge to the time
of Abraham, were left in darkness, insomuch that the know
ledge of the true God had nearly vanished from the earth.
And then was God pleased to fix on Abraham, an idolater in
the midst of an idolatrous family and nation, and to reveal his
covenant to him. To Isaac also, in preference to Ishmael his
elder child ; and to Jacob also, in preference to Esau, was it
given to be comprehended in this covenant ; yea, given whilst
both of them were yet in the womb, and consequently before
they had clone either good or evil. Let any one explain this,
or account for it in any other way than that suggested by our
Lord : " Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight."
The same sovereignty appears at this hour, in choosing the
poor, the weak, the vile, in preference, for the most part, to the
rich, the great, the moral: for it is found, in ten thousand
instances, that " publicans and harlots enter into the kingdom
before the specious and self-righteous Pharisees." The man
who sees no mystery here, only betrays his own ignorance and
stupidity. A man with ever so contracted a view of this sub
ject, must of necessity exclaim, " O the depth of the riches
both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how unsearchable
are his judgments, and his ways past finding out 1 ! "]
3. The trials to which the elect are subjected, in
their way to heaven
[One would suppose that God s chosen people should be
freed from the persecutions of men, the assaults of devils,
the temptations of sin, and from all which might endanger
their salvation : but God sees fit to give both to men and
devils a kind of licence to assault his people; as it is said, " Ye
wrestle not with flesh and blood, but with principalities and
powers and spiritual wickedness in high places" 1 ." One would
suppose that those whom he has redeemed with the blood of
his only dear Son should be free from these things : but, on the
contrary, he says, " If ye be without chastisement, whereof all
are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." One would
suppose at least, that from their conversion to God they should
be freed from the corruptions of their nature and the power of
the evil principle within them. But far different are his dealings
with them; and through much tribulation he brings almost every
one of them to glory. In all these things he is " both wise and
good:" and, however intricate or circuitous the way may be
whereby he leads his people to glory, it will be found at last to
have been " the right way 11 ;" the right way for their benefit, and
the right way _also for the honour of his own great name.]
1 Rom. xi. 33. m Eph. vi. 12. n Ps. cvii. 7.
168 PSALMS, XCVII. 2. [663.
Let us yet further contemplate the inscrutableness
of God s ways,
III. In the final issue of all things-
How tremendous will be the difference between
the states of different men !
[View heaven and all its glory, and hell with all its misery;
and consider that both the one and the other will be eternal :
and then consider how short the period of time is in which any
man is preparing for the one or the other of these states ; and
how small the distance between their real characters, if estimated
by the common standard of the world Above all, con
template the youth, who thought he had fulfilled the whole Law
from his earliest youth, cast out; and the dying thief, who spent
his whole life, even to his latest hour, in sin, exalted to glory !]
Is there nothing mysterious in this ?
[Truly, we must acknowledge that these things utterly pass
all human comprehension. We are sure that " the Judge of
all will do right," and that the day of judgment is especially
appointed " for the revelation of the righteous judgment of
God :" but we must wait till he shall be pleased to throw the
true light upon his own mysterious ways, and to take the veil
from our hearts, that we may be able to comprehend them.]
Surely from this subject we may LEARN,
1. Submission
[Your trials, I will suppose, are great. But are they
greater than your desert of punishment ? or do you
know all the gracious designs which God has to accomplish
by them? " Be still, then, and know that he is God:"
and, under the most grievous affliction that can come upon
you, learn to say, " It is the Lord ; let him do what seemeth
him good" ]
2. Gratitude
[Look back upon the ways of God ; and, however you may
have been disposed at the time to say, " All these things are
against me," say whether you have not found that he has brought
good out of evil, and given you reason to acknowledge, that his
judgments were mercies in disguise ? Were you left to your
selves, you would choose nothing but what should be pleasing
to flesh and blood : but God consults your best interests, and
deals with you, not according to your wishes, but according to
your necessities. Be thankful then to him, for having acted
towards you as a wise and loving parent, who has withheld
nothing that was good for you : and if at any time he have
Rom. ii. 5.
664.] THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 169
inflicted chastisement upon you, he " has done it for your profit,
that you might be partakers of his holiness," and be rendered
meet for his glory.]
3. Affiance
[You know not what is before you : but you know that
you are in God s hands, and that " not a hair can fall from
your head" but by his special appointment. Look then to
him, to order every thing for you : and if you understand not
his dealings with you, be content to say, What I know not
now, I shall know hereafter. Never for a moment doubt his
power or grace. He has promised to " make all things work
together for your good :" and therefore, under the darkest dis
pensation, assure yourselves that " He is doing all things well;"
and determine, through grace, to say with Job, " Though he
slay me, yet will I trust in him."]
DCLXIV.
THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
Ps. xcvii. 11. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness
for the upright in heart.
THIS psalm, whatever was the particular occasion
on which it was written, undoubtedly refers to the
kingdom of the Messiah, in which the whole creation
has abundant reason to rejoice 3 . To him it is ex
pressly applied in the Epistle to the Hebrews, even
to his incarnation : " When Jehovah bringeth in the
First-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all
the angels of God worship him b ." But it is not to
rejoice in him merely that the saints are called : they
are to love him, to serve him, to honour him, to
trust in him, and to expect at his hands the blessed
ness which he himself, in his exalted state, enjoys.
He suffered indeed before he entered into his glory ;
and so likewise must they : but, for their consolation
under their sufferings, let them know that joy is
treasured up for them : for " light is sown for the
righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart :"
and, if only they maintain their integrity, they shall
assuredly reap their reward.
In discoursing on these words, I shall open to you,
I. The character here described
a ver. 1. b Compare ver. 7. with Heb. i. 6.
170 PSALMS, XCVII. 11. [664.
Instead of entering into a general description of
" the righteous," I shall take that particular repre
sentation here given of them, " the upright in heart :"
for this is peculiar to the righteous, and to them alone ;
and at the same time there is not a righteous person
in the universe whom it does not accurately depict.
Now, uprightness of heart necessarily includes,
1. A mind open to the reception of truth
[The mind of a natural man is closed against divine truth :
he hates the light, and will not come to it : and if it be obtruded
upon him, he shuts his eyes against it, lest it should discover
to him his corruptions. But a man that is upright in heart will
come to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest. He
desires to know the whole mind of God ; and is as thankful for
the light which opens to him his sins, as for that which brings
to his view the Saviour of the world. He is conscious that there
is a film upon his eyes : but he begs of God to remove it : he
is sensible that, through the weakness of his vision, the very
light itself will blind him : and therefore he entreats of God to
send his Holy Spirit into his soul, to " open the eyes of his
understanding," and to " guide him into all truth." Whilst
"his eye was evil, he was in total darkness:" but having attained
" a single eye, his whole body is full of light ."]
2. A will determined to follow the truth as far as
it is discovered
[He complains of no doctrine as " an hard saying," nor of
any " commandment as grievous." When he goes to the Lord
for instruction, he says with Paul, " Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do ? " Only declare to me thy blessed will, and I am
ready, and determined, through grace, to execute it. As to
consequences, he will not regard them. What is duty ? will
be his only inquiry. He will expect to have his conduct dis
approved by an ignorant ungodly world ; but " he confers not
with flesh and blood." It is a settled principle in his mind,
" If I please men, I cannot be a servant of Jesus Christ d ." He
will give his whole soul to God, to " be poured into the mould
of the Gospel," and to be employed in " magnifying the Lord,
whether by life or death 6 ."]
3. A conscience faithfully inspecting the whole
conduct, and bringing it to the test of God s word
[Conscience in the natural man is partial. Indeed, in
multitudes who profess religion, it is far from being a faithful
monitor : it will deny in practice what it admits in principle,
Matt. vi. 22, 23. d Gal. i. 10. e Phil. i. 20.
664. J THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 171
and allow in ourselves what it condemns in others. But where
the heart is truly upright, conscience will act, not according to
any selfish views or principles, but with strict equity, according
to the unerring standard of the Gospel. This is essential to
real integrity : and, when God has " put truth in our inward
parts," and " renewed a right spirit within us," such will as
suredly be the effects : conscience will be a light within us : it
will be like a compass, that will guide us in the darkest night :
it will be God s vicegerent in the soul, acquitting or condemn
ing according to truth, even as God himself will do in the day
of judgment. It will summon the whole man to give account
of himself from day to day : it will cause all the actions, words,
and thoughts to pass in review before it : in short, it will suffer
no disposition, no habit, no inclination, to exist in the soul,
without comparing it with the written word, and having reason
to believe that it will be approved of the Lord.]
4. A life in habitual accordance with these prin
ciples
[After all, "the tree must be known by its fruit." We
can know nothing with certainty respecting the heart, but by
the life. God sees it as it is in itself: we can discover it only
by its acts. Behold then the upright man in his daily walk.
See him searching with all humility the word of truth, and
imploring direction from God, that he may understand it
aright. Behold him giving up himself, in body, soul, and spirit,
to the Lord from day to day ; and rising, above all earthly
considerations, to the contemplation and execution of God s
blessed will. Behold his searchings of heart also, and holy
fear lest any hidden abomination should lurk within him.
Hear him crying to God for his effectual aid: " Search me,
O Lord, and know my heart : try me, and know my thoughts :
and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the
way everlasting f ." Then compare with this, his temper, his
spirit, his conduct : and then you will see, though doubtless
with manifold imperfections, " an Israelite indeed, in whom
there is no guile."]
Here is real uprightness of heart. Let us next
contemplate,
II. The blessedness that awaits it
A person possessed of this character will have
much to bear
[We greatly mistake if we think that such a person will
be approved of all ; or that he will have no trials within his own
soul. No, indeed: he will, like Paul himself, have "fightings
f Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24.
172 PSALMS, XCVIL 11. [664.
without and fears within." Much as such a character is
admired in theory, it never is really exhibited before men
without exciting great offence. From the days of Abel to the
present moment, have " those who were born after the flesh
hated and persecuted those who were born after the Spirit :"
and for the most part has that been found true, that " the
greatest foes have been those of a man s own household." If
infallible wisdom, unbounded love, and sinless perfection could
have obtained an exemption from the common lot, our blessed
Lord would have passed without offence : but He, who was the
most perfect of the human race, was pursued with more bitter
acrimony than any other from the foundation of the world:
and if they so hated him, they will hate us also : "if they
called the Master of the house Beelzebub, much more will
they those of his household."
In his own soul, too, the saint feels much to humble and to
try him. He still has a carnal principle within him, and is
only renewed in part: " the flesh still lusteth against the
Spirit, so that he cannot do the things that he would." The
Apostle Paul himself " groaned within himself, being bur-
thened;" and, under a distressing sense of his in-dwelling
corruptions, cried, " O wretched man that I am ; who shall
deliver me from this body of sin and death?" It may be,
too, that he is assaulted with violent temptations, and that
the fiery darts of Satan are permitted to pierce his soul. At
such a season as this he may be ready to write bitter things
against himself, and to call in question all that he has ever
experienced of the grace of God.]
But, whatever be his trials, a happy issue of them
most assuredly awaits him
[" Light and gladness are sown for him ;" and, though he
may wait long for the harvest, " he shall surely reap, if he
faint not."
There is in the purposes of God a harvest of happiness
secured to him. The trials of Joseph appeared, for a season,
to defeat all the expectations which his dreams had excited ;
but they led, all of them in succession, to the accomplishment
of his predestined elevation. Our blessed Lord, if viewed in
the garden, on the cross, and in the grave, seemed to have
been utterly defeated ; but these were the forerunners of his
glory : his resurrection soon changed the scene ; his ascension
speedily followed ; and his sending of the Holy Spirit shewed,
that all which had been ordained respecting him was fulfilled,
and that he was invested with all power to save a ruined world.
Thus shall God s purposes be accomplished in the final salvation
of all his people. They may be tried, and sorely too, for a
season : but they may adopt the language of the Church of old,
664.] THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. 173
under her deepest afflictions, and say, " Rejoice not against me,
O mine enemy : when I fall, I shall arise ; when I sit in dark
ness, the Lord shall be a light unto me. I will bear the indig
nation 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 g ."
In the promises of God, also, is the same blessed issue secured.
" If we suffer with Christ, God engages that we shall also
reign with him," and " be glorified together." " The trial of
our faith, from whatever quarter it may come, is precious, yea,
more precious than gold itself ; because it will be to our praise
and honour and glory, as well as to the glory of our Lord
and Saviour, in the great day of his appearing 11 ." Hear
how fully our blessed Lord declared this to his weeping and
disconsolate disciples : " Verily, verily, I say unto you, That
ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice : and ye
shall be sorrowful ; but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow because her hour
is come ; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she
remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born
into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow : but I will
see you again ; and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no
man taketh from you ." So our " weeping may endure for a
night; but joy shall most assuredly come in the morningV
But even in the very experience of the upright is there a
pledge of future glory. His tears are the seed of joy : and,
" as surely as he goes on his way, bearing this precious seed-
basket, so surely shall he come again with joy, bringing his
sheaves with him." See this described, in its process, by St.
Paul : " We glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation
worketh patience ; and patience, experience ; and experience,
hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed." Here tribulation is the
seed ; patience the blade; experience the ear; hope the full corn
in the ear ; and the completion of that hope in heaven, the in
gathering of the harvest into the garner. In truth, " the light
and momentary afflictions of the righteous actually work out
for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
Thus is every upright soul rendered conformable to his
Divine Master : he first " drinks of the brook in the way, and
then, like him, has the happiness to lift up his head V]
ADDRESS
1. Seek real integrity
[This is universally held in high estimation : at least, men
universally profess so to regard it : and therefore, waving at
g Mic. vii. 8, 9. h 1 Pet. i. 7. * John xvi. 2022.
k Ps. xxx. 5. ! Ps. ex. 7.
174 PSALMS, XCVIIL 19. [665.
present all consideration of the peculiarities of religion, I say,
seek an honest and an upright heart. Let your minds be open
to the reception of truth, and your wills be determined to em
brace it. Let conscience act its part, and execute the office of
a faithful monitor within you ; and let your lives be regulated
altogether by its dictates. Let not prejudice or passion or interest
blind you : let not the whole world cause you to swerve from
the path of duty. Be bold for God ; and " serve him, without
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all your days."
In a word, " Quit yourselves like men," and " be faithful unto
death." Like Moses, be ready to suffer affliction with the
people of God ; and in due season you shall, like him, receive
an ample recompence of reward.]
2. Seek real happiness
[This also is an object of universal desire. But be sure
to seek it in the way in which alone it can be found. If you
"sow iniquity, you can reap nothing but vanity:" if you "sow
the wind, you must reap the whirlwind." God has determined,
that " whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap : he that
soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption : but he
who soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlast
ing m ." It is the harvest which repays the husbandman for all
his labours. Look ye to that: and know, that "the sufferings
of this present life, however great or numerous they may be,
are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be
revealed in us." As for appearances of integrity, be not satis
fied with them: they cannot but issue ill at the last. "Knowest
thou riot," says Zophar, "since man was placed upon the earth,
that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the
hypocrite but for a moment ? Though his excellency mount
up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet he
shall perish for ever, like his own dung ; and they that have
seen him shall say, Where is he n ?" " Seek, then, the honour
that cometh of God," and the happiness that will endure.
Then, when those who laughed now shall weep, you who wept
now shall laugh and sing for joy to all eternity .]
m Gal. vi. 7, 8. n Job xx. 4 7. Luke vi. 21, 25.
DCLXV.
CHRIST S ADVENT A GROUND OF JOY.
Ps. xcviii. 1 9. O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he
hath done marvellous things : his right hand and his holy arm
hath gotten him the victory. The Lord hath made known his
salvation : his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight
of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth
665.] CHRIST S ADVENT A GROUND OF JOY. 175
toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have
seen the salvation of our God. Make a joyful noise unto the
Lord, all the earth : make a loud noise, and rejoice and sing
praise. Sing unto the Lord with the harp ; with the harp
and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cor
net make a joyful noise before the Lord the King. Let the
sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that
dwell therein. Let the floods clap their hands : let the hills
be joyful together before the Lord : for he cometh to judge the
earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the
people with equity.
THE Psalms are generally read as the effusions of
a devout mind, whilst their reference to Christ is
almost entirely overlooked. This, which is now
under our consideration, like the 96th with which it
accords, confessedly relates to Christ : the very lan
guage of verse 3, is used by Mary, Zacharias, and
Simeon, in the divine hymns whereby they celebrated
his advent in the flesh a . It contains,
I. Some grounds and matter for our joy-
In the three first verses the Psalmist describes in
figurative expressions, and in the last verse he ex
pressly specifies, the proper ground of our joy.
The incarnation of Christ seems to be the subject
here referred to
[Christ is " the LORD" Jehovah, " the King" of kings,
and Lord of lords, who " is come to judge the earth," and to
exercise dominion, not, like the judges of Israel, over one
nation only, but over all the nations of the world. Nor under
his government will any partiality be shewn either to Jews or
Gentiles ; on the contrary, it is administered " with perfect
righteousness and equity :" his laws are equally binding on the
rich and poor : his invitations are equally extended to the most
abandoned sinner, and the most decent moralist : his benefits
are equally conferred on all, according to their attainments in
holiness; and his judgments will be inflicted with equal severity
on the proudest monarch and the meanest beggar. With him
is no respect of persons ; and whatever difference he may put
between one man and another in this life, he will manifest at
last, that though clouds and darkness were round about him,
righteousness and judgment were the basis of his throne.]
This is indeed a ground for the most exalted joy :
a Luke i. 54, 55, 72. and ii, 3032.
176 PSALMS, XCVIII. 19. [665.
1. It is the most "marvellous" occurrence that
ever the world beheld
[That God should be manifested in human flesh, in order
to redeem his enemies from destruction, and to purchase to
himself a church with his own blood! great indeed is this
mystery of godliness : it has heights and depths that can never
be explored.]
2. It is the one mean of "victory" over death and
hell-.
[Satan, the god of this world, the prince of the power of
the air, had usurped dominion over the whole race of man,
which he would have retained for ever, if God himself had not
interposed to rescue us from our sore bondage. But how should
even God himself effect this great deliverance? No way was
found, but for God himself to take our nature, and become our
substitute. What joy then should not the execution of this
plan excite in our hearts !]
3. It opens salvation to a ruined world
[By this was " made known" the way of " righteousness
and salvation" through a vicarious sacrifice: nor was it any
longer set forth in types, but " openly" in plain explicit declara
tions ; and that, not to the house of Israel only, but " in the
sight of the heathen." How should we benighted Gentiles
rejoice in this !]
4. It is the richest display of God s "mercy and
truth"
[It was in this incomprehensible mystery that " mercy and
truth" met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each
other. When the incarnation of Christ was first promised to
the world, it was a most stupendous act of mercy : after that,
the accomplishment of it was an exhibition of truth and faith
fulness: yea, it was virtually the substance of all the types,
the completion of all the prophecies, the consummation of all
the promises. Who must not rejoice in it ?]
After stating such grounds for joy, we may add
with confidence,
II. An exhortation to rejoice
The animated exhortation of the Psalmist imports
that,
1. We should feel an interest in this great event
[It is by no means sufficient to acknowledge Christ in a
mere speculative manner ; we should consider ourselves as the
subjects of his kingdom, and seek to participate the blessedness
of his people. Let us then inquire, not merely whether we
665.] CHRIST S ADVENT A GROUND OF JOY. 177
believe that Christ came into the world, but whether we
have been filled with wonder at his " marvellous" condescen
sion? Let us ask ourselves whether " his right hand and his
holy arm have gotten him the victory" over our rebellious
hearts? Whether " he have made known" to us the sufficiency
of " his righteousness," and the excellency of " his salvation?"
and whether " his mercy and truth" have been magnified in
the forgiveness of our sins, and in our renovation after his
divine image ? All our pretences to joy will be vile hypocrisy,
if we have not experienced, in some measure at least, these
triumphs of his love, these victories of his grace.]
2. We should express our gratitude for it
With frequency-
fit is not at one particular season only that we should call
these things to remembrance, but frequently, yea, continually;
since we every moment reap the benefits of Christ s adminis
tration. As the fire that burnt upon the altar was never
suffered to go out, so neither should the flames of love and
gratitude ever be extinguished in our hearts.]
With fervour
[With what energy does the Psalmist repeat and diversify
his exhortations to rejoice! Shall we then be contented to
offer to our Lord a few cold and languid acknowledgments ?
No : we should make melody in our hearts unto him; we should
even shout for joy. What if the world accuse us of enthusiasm ?
shall we relax the tone of Christian joy for them; or bring down
the injunctions of heaven to the standard of their religion?
Let the angels or glorified saints be blamed for carrying their
exultations to excess, would they regard it, and compliment
their accusers at the expense of duty? We plead not indeed
for any thing that is extravagant and foolish ; but if we can
obtain more of heaven in our hearts, and manifest it more in
our lives, let us not be afraid or ashamed to do it.]
With unanimity
[The Psalmist calls, not only upon all the human race, but
even upon the whole inanimate creation, to join in songs of
praise and thanksgiving. And how lamentable is it that there
should be found a creature upon earth, a rational and redeemed
creature, that is indisposed for this exercise! O let us all be
of one heart and mind : let us sing, rejoice, and give thanks :
let our harps no longer be hung upon the willows, or struck in
commendation of carnal joys; but let them be tuned in honour
of our incarnate God ; and let us celebrate upon them Messiah s
praise. Thus shall even now our joy be unspeakable and
glorified, a preparation for glory, an antepast of heaven.]
VOL. VI. N
178
PSALMS, C. 15. [666.
DCLXVI.
GENTILES CALLED TO GLORIFY GOD.
Ps. c. 1 5. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with
singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that
hath made us, and not we ourselves : we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanks
giving, and into his courts with praise : be thankful unto
him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy
is everlasting ; and his truth endureth to all generations.
IN discoursing upon short and insulated passages,
we have scope for discussion upon whatever topic
may come before us ; but, in taking a whole psalm
for our subject, we can do little more than mark the
spirit of it, together with its general import. In truth,
the psalm before us, which is entitled " A psalm of
praise," requires no particular discussion : it is merely
a call to the whole world to render unto God the ho
nour due unto his name. It is obviously addressed
to the Gentiles, as much as to the Jews ; and may
therefore, as St. Paul informs us, be considered, not
as an exhortation only, but as a prophecy, that, in due
season, the Gentiles, even to the remotest ends of the
earth, shall " see the salvation of God . a "
That we may present the contents of the psalm
before you in an orderly way, we would observe that
we have in it,
I. A call to delight ourselves in God
[We, as Gentiles, are particularly invited to engage in
this blessed work. Religion is not a source of melancholy,
but of sacred and exalted joy. At the commencement of the
year of Jubilee, the trumpets sounded throughout all the land
of Israel ; and the joy which they diffused no words are ade
quate to express. The man who, from whatever cause, had
parted with his possessions, and sold himself for a slave, was
restored to perfect liberty, and to the full enjoyment of his
paternal inheritance. What a surprising change to be wrought
in one moment ! and with what exquisite delight would it be
welcomed, by those who for days and months and years had
been waiting for it ! Such " a joyful noise should we make
unto the Lord," as persons liberated from the most cruel
a Rom. xv. 911.
666. ] GENTILES CALLED TO GLORIFY GOD. 179
bondage, and invested with all the blessings of an eternal
inheritance " From all other lords that have had do
minion over us," we should now turn to serve the Lord, even
that adorable Saviour who has made us free ; yea, we should
" serve him with a willing heart b ," " coming into his presence,"
and walking constantly before him, as his redeemed people.
Our sighs and tears should all be put away ; and we should
" sing unto the Lord a new song, as full of joy, for the mar
vellous things which he has done c ." I mean not to say, that
there should be no times for humiliation and contrition ; for
such seasons will be needed, even to our dying hour. But the
more abiding frame of our minds should be joy ; as it is said,
" Rejoice evermore: " " Rejoice in the Lord alway ; and again
I say, Rejoice."]
We may next observe,
II. The grounds of this duty stated
[The Lord whom we serve is no other than Jehovah, the
only true God. Yes, though in his human nature he has died
for us, in his divine nature he is the Most High over all, " God
blessed for ever." Prophets and Apostles bear ample testi
mony to this d : " Know it," therefore; and let it be treasured
up in your minds as a ground of unutterable joy - And,
whilst you contemplate his excellency, remember especially
your obligations to him : " It is He who hath made us, and not
we ourselves." As creatures merely, it is unnecessary to say
we have not made ourselves. It is in reference to our new
creation, as the people of God, that these words must be under
stood ; and in this sense they contain a most important truth.
We suppose that you are become the people of God, and the
sheep of his pasture. But who sought you out in your wan
derings ? Who brought you home to the fold of Christ ? Who
feeds you yet daily in green pastures ? Who protects you from
all your enemies ? Who is the one source of all that you en
joy ? Can it in any measure be ascribed to yourselves ? Have
you wrought it by any power of your own ? or have you me
rited that it should be wrought for you ? No : " He that hath
wrought you to this self-same thing is God : and he has done
it, not for your righteousness sake, but for the glory of his own
great name." It is " He who has made you to differ" from
those who are yet far off from him; and " you have nothing,
which you have not received" as a free gift from him 6 .
Say, then, whether you have not reason to rejoice, and to
" serve your God with joy fulness and gladness of heart f ."]
As we proceed in the psalm, we find,
b 1 Chron. xxviii. 9. c Ps. xcviii. 1.
d Isai. xlv. 21, 22. Rom. ix. 5. e 1 Cor. iv. 7.
f Deut. xxviii. 47.
o
180 PSALMS, C, 15. [666.
III. A further statement of our duty
[Whilst we are filled with joy, our God must have the
glory. We must wait upon him in his public ordinances, as
well as in our private chambers ; and must " enter into his
gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise : we
must be thankful unto him, and from our inmost souls must
bless his holy name." Indeed, if we duly contemplate his
character, and the wonderful things which, of his sovereign
goodness, he has wrought for us, we shall find our minds con
stantly attuned to this holy exercise : methinks, our every feel
ing will be gratitude, and our every word be praise. This is
the return which our God looks for at our hands : " Whoso
ofFereth me praise, glorifieth me." It is a better sacrifice than
all the cattle upon a thousand hills g ; and in the name of Jesus,
our great Redeemer, we should be offering it continually, to
the latest hour of our lives 11 . The inanimate and the brute
creation praise their God: but we should bless him 1 ."]
We find also,
IV. Additional grounds for the performance of it
[The perfections of our God will afford us matter for
praise to all eternity. His goodness who can contemplate it,
and not be filled with the profoundest admiration and gratitude?
It is seen, wherever we turn our eyes. But O ! how is it seen
in the gift of his only-begotten Son for a lost and perishing
world ! Well may we say, " Wliat manner of love is this,
wherewith the Father hath loved us ! " Think of it, my
Brethren : yea, dwell upon it day and night. It is not pos
sible to have your minds too frequently or too intensely occu
pied with this mysterious subject.
His mercy, too how inconceivable, both in its extent and
duration ! There is not a sinner in the universe to whom it
will not reach, provided it be sought in God s appointed way :
nor shall it be withdrawn from any to whom, for Christ s sake,
it has been once imparted. Not but that God will punish sin :
as he has said, " If his children forsake my Law, and walk not
in my judgments ; if they break my statutes, and keep not my
commandments; then will I visit their transgressions with the
rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving-
kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faith
fulness to fail : my covenant will I not break, nor alter the
thing that is gone out of my lips : for once have I sworn by my
holiness, that I will not lie unto David k ."
What His mercy has vouchsafed to promise, His truth will
g Ps. 1. 814, 23. h Heb. xiii. 15.
1 Ps. cxlv. 10. k Ps. Ixxxix. 3035.
667J MERCY AND JUDGMENT GROUNDS OF PRAISE. 181
assuredly fulfil : it shall endure, in its full extent, to all gene
rations ; nor shall " a jot or tittle of it ever fail."
And now I ask, Is there not ground for praise and thanks
giving ? Is it not rather a wonder that any who profess to be
his people, can find time for any other employment?]
SEE-, then, in this psalm,
1. What is the proper effect of religion upon the
soul
[Religion is supposed to generate gloom. But see it in
the Psalmist s own experience ; and see it in all whom he here
addresses. Is this gloom or melancholy? Is it not the very
reverse ? Doubtless, as far as we deviate from religion, we have
need to weep and mourn : but, in proportion as we conform to it,
and imbibe its spirit, it will fill us with unutterable joy. What
is it that the glorified saints are now doing in heaven? Are
they not beholding all the glory of their God and Saviour, and
singing his praise for all the wondrous works which he has
done ? This, then, is religion in perfection : and the privilege
of God s people now is, to be assimilated to them, in mind, in
spirit, in employment. Be aware of this, my beloved Brethren ;
and learn, not only to estimate religion aright, but to have it
reigning in your hearts, and exemplified in your lives.]
2. How to attain it in perfection-
fit is not from ruminating on your own character, so much
as from contemplating the character of your God and Saviour,
that you are to attain this heavenly joy. Doubtless you must
study well your own hearts ; else you will be strangers to humi
lity and contrition : but joy can flow only from the knowledge
of your God, in all the perfections of his nature, and in all the
wonders of his love. Behold then, with increasing earnestness,
" the glory of your Lord, and you shall be changed into the same
image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord."]
DCLXVII.
MERCY AND JUDGMENT GROUNDS OF PRAISE.
Ps. ci. 1 . J will sing of mercy and judgment : unto thee, O
Lord, will I sing.
THERE are many things in the Christian s expe
rience, the precise quality of which he would find it
difficult to determine, if they had not been recorded,
as experienced by others, of whose piety we can have
no doubt. To sing of mercy, and to be resigned to
judgment, would appear to most Christians a suitable
182 PSALMS, CI. 1. [667.
expression of their feelings under the different dis
pensations. But David, in a review of his past life,
and under circumstances as they existed at the time
when he wrote this psalm, declared both mercy and
judgment to be equally proper grounds for praise
and thanksgiving ; and the repetition of his determi
nation to praise God for them shewed that he spake
not inconsiderately, but the deliberate and determined
purpose of his mind.
That we may be led to adopt the same pious de
termination, I will endeavour to set before you,
I. The dealings of God with his people
We should naturally expect that God would act in
a way of mercy only to his friends, and of judgment
only to his enemies. But towards both the one and
the other he sees fit to dispense a mixed lot, reserving
the unmixed portion for the eternal world. The un
godly, whilst partakers of some judgments, certainly
enjoy many mercies : and the godly, whilst abound
ing in mercies, are exposed also to some judgments.
Some they feel in common with the world at large
[In their bodies, they are liable to pain, sickness, and death,
even as others. In their minds, too, they may be afflicted with
the loss of friends, with ill-treatment from enemies, with dis
tress in their families, with embarrassment in their worldly
circumstances. In these respects, one lot comes to all ; nor can
we discern God s love towards them by any thing of this out
ward nature a .]
To some also they are subjected, that are peculiar
to themselves
[The ungodly are not, in general, sensible of any particular
tokens of God s displeasure, as arising out of any variations of
their conduct towards him : but the saints, who know what it
is to have the light of his countenance lifted up upon them, are
very keenly sensible of his withdrawment from them, when, by
any secret neglects, they have provoked him to hide his face
from them : and such frowns from their heavenly Father are
inexpressibly painful to their soul b The temptations of
Satan, too, to which the ungodly are, for the most part, utter
strangers, are sometimes like fiery darts in the souls of the
righteous. None can tell what " wrestlings" many a devout
a Eccl. ix. 1, b Ps.lxxvii.7 9. and Ixxxviii. 14 16.
667.] MERCY AND JUDGMENT GROUNDS OF PRAISE. 183
soul has " with the principalities and powers of hell :" but verily,
those, whose lot it is to sustain them, find them a source of"
extreme pain at the time c . Holy Job d , and the Apostle Paul 6 ,
yea, and our blessed Lord himself, complained bitterly under
these trials f ; from which the vassals of Satan are exempt, and
to which they only who are his determined enemies are exposed.
Nor must I omit to mention the persecutions to which many
are called to submit for righteousness sake. Those recorded
in the llth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews are amply
sufficient to shew that they are not easy to be borne g , nor
altogether to be avoided, by any who will serve their God with
fidelity and zeal 11 . Of course, in respect of the measure of
these trials, there will be found a great difference amongst the
saints of God : but of some measure, all, in their season, are
called to participate.]
But, mixed as these dispensations are, we are
nevertheless prepared to contemplate,
II. The wisdom and goodness of God displayed in
them
Mercies may be sent to the ungodly in judgment ;
as when " God gave the Israelites their desires, but
sent leanness withal into their souls i ." So, in like
manner, to his own people he often sends judgment
in mercy. In truth, so are we constituted in our pre
sent imperfect state, that we could not bear either
mercies or judgments, if they came alone. Mercies,
if unmixed, would "exalt us above measure 11 ;" and
judgments, if unmixed, would sink us into despon
dency. A ship needs both sails and ballast, to carry
it forward in safety : and so the Christian needs a
diversity of dispensations, in order to accomplish in
him the purposes of God s grace. God sends them
to his people,
1. To form them to the divine image
[The divine image consists not in any one perfection, but
in an assemblage of every perfection that can possibly be ima
gined. So the perfection of a Christian consists not in one grace,
or even in one set of graces, but in a combination of all the
graces which are suited to a redeemed soul, and calculated to
advance the honour of our God. Now, all of these are formed
c Eph. vi. 12, 16. d Job vi. 24. e 2 Cor. xii. 8.
? Lukexxii. 44, 53. s Heb. xi. 36, 37. h 2 Tim. iii. 12.
1 Ps. cvi. 15. k 2 Cor. xii. 7. twice mentioned in that one verse.
184 PSALMS, CI. 1. [667.
by that variety of dispensations of which we have been speaking.
The workings of the soul under so many different circumstances
will tend to shew a man what he really is, and consequently to
humble him in the dust before God : whilst the dealings of God
with him will wonderfully display the character of God himself,
and lead forth the soul in the devoutest acknowledgments to
him for past mercies, and in the most implicit confidence in him
for future blessings. In a word, all the active and passive virtues
will be generated in the soul, and be called forth into united
and harmonious exercise ; so that by these dispensations the
Believer will be assimilated unto " God, who is light itself, and
in whom is no darkness at all 1 ."]
2. To stimulate them in their way to glory
[Mercies have a tendency to fill the soul with love to God,
and to make it pant for the full enjoyment of God in heaven.
Judgments also operate to the same end, by weaning the soul
from present things, and causing it to long for that rest which
remaineth for it in a better world. It was not peculiar to the
Apostle Paul to " desire to depart, and to be with Christ."
Every one who feels the vanity of earthly things, and has a
foretaste of the world to come, will be like-minded with him.
A weariness of life may be felt, and is often felt, by the most
ungodly of men. That, therefore, is not the experience which
I am speaking of : that results from a total ignorance of God s
mercies, and a dissatisfaction with their appointed lot. The
state of mind to which I refer, is well expressed by St. Paul,
when he says, " We that are in this tabernacle do groan, being
burthened : not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon,
that mortality may be swallowed up of life" 1 ." To the voice of
Christ, saying, " Behold, I come quickly," it responds with
joyful confidence; " Even so, come, Lord Jesus"!"]
Whilst they answer such ends as these, we cannot
but see,,
III. The light in which they should invariably be
viewed
The saints in every age have acknowledged the
goodness of God in them
[David, in my text, speaks of judgment, as well as mercy,
as the ground of his devoutest acknowledgments. And he
elsewhere not only declares that " it is good for him to have
been afflicted ," but traces his afflictions to the faithfulness of
God p ; evidently intimating, that he regarded them as compre
hended in the covenant of grace, and as promised, so far as
1 1 John i. 5. m 2 Cor. v. 4. n R ev . xxii. 20.
Ps. cxix. 71. P Ps. cxix. 75.
667.] MERCY AND JUDGMENT GROUNDS OF PRAISE. 185
they should be needful for him, by a faithful and unchanging
God. St. Paul even " took pleasure in them" in this view q :
and regarded them not only as light, but " as lightness itself"
from the consideration that they were " working out for him a
far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory r ." The same
experience also is ascribed to all the saints : for, of every true
Christian it is said, " We glory in tribulations also, knowing
that tribulation worketh patience ; and patience, experience ;
and experience, hope ; and hope maketh not ashamed 8 ."]
And we also should be prepared to join in their
anthems of praise
[Our views of eternity should swallow up all inferior con
siderations ; and that dispensation be most welcomed which most
conduces to our eternal interests. To flesh and blood, that which
is attended with present comfort appears best ; but it is not
really so. A wind that is somewhat cross will urge on a ship
more steadily, and carry it forward more rapidly, than one
which is quite direct ; because it will fill all the sails. So a
measure of adversity will operate more favourably on our
Christian course, than a state of unmixed prosperity. Taken
in connexion, the good and the evil mutually assist each other,
and "work together for good unto all them that love God, and
have been called by him according to his purpose V Our
blessed Lord himself "was made perfect through sufferings:"
and what was subservient to his benefit, cannot fail of being
conducive to ours also : and consequently, the acknowledgments
which we should make respecting them in the eternal world
should now at this time constitute an essential part of our
thanksgivings to God.]
Who does not SEE here
1. The value and importance of faith ?
[Sense beholds things as they appear. Faith beholds
them as they really are. Faith views them both in their source
and end: it traces every thing to God, as the all-wise and
infinitely gracious Disposer of all events. Faith comprehends
that saying, " Is there evil in the city and the Lord hath not
done it ? " It fully accedes, also, to that inspired declaration,
" Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every
son whom he receiveth." Hence, if our mercies were unmixed,
it would be far from regarding it as a token for good : it would
rather suggest, that we were bastards and not sons ; because
there is no son whom a wise father chasteneth not u . Learn
then, my Brethren, to " walk by faith and not by sight*." You
well know how greatly Jacob erred, when he said, " All these
q 2 Cor. xii. 10. r 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. The Greek.
s Rom. v. 35. * Rom. viii. 28. u Heb. xii. 68.
* 2 Cor. v. 7.
186 PSALMS, CI. 1. [667.
things are against me y ." In fact, the very events which he so
much deplored, were the means which God had ordained for the
preservation of himself and all his family. Job too, in the midst
of all his trials, little thought in what they would issue. But
" you have seen the end of them 2 -" and if you will wait to see
the Lord s end in every thing that wears a painful aspect in his
dispensations towards you, I may venture to assure you that
the time is coming when you shall add your testimony to that
of old, " He hath done all things well." Your way may be
circuitous and painful : but you will find, at the last, that " he
has led you in the right way."]
2. The blessedness of true Believers ?
[Where is the man under heaven, except the Believer,
who can adopt the language of the text, or carry it into effect?
Ungodly men may sing when all goes well with them : but
where is he that will sing in the midst of his afflictions, and
make his afflictions themselves a ground of joy ? Nowhere is
that man to be found, but in the Church of Christ; for it is to
his believing people only that " Godgiveth songs in the night."
On the other hand, there is not an individual in the Church of
Christ who is not privileged to experience this joy, and who does
not actually possess it in proportion as he has made a progress
in the divine life. Hear the prophet of old : " Although the fig-
tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines ; the
labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat;
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no
herd in the stalls ; yet I will rejoice in the Lord ; I will joy in
the God of my salvation a ." Take this for your pattern, Brethren.
You may be brought into trials, which may seem to menace
your very existence : but, however the storm may rage, your
Saviour is embarked in the vessel with you; yea, and is
also sitting at the helm. Only reflect on his conflicts, victo
ries, and triumphs ; and you will see the way that is marked
out for you : and as He fought and overcame, and is set down
upon his Father s throne, so shall you also overcome, and enjoy
the full recompence of your trials upon your Father s throne
for ever and ever. And say, whether there will be one incident
for which you will not bless your God in the eternal world ?
If not, then view every thing now as proceeding from his love,
and as leading to the full enjoyment of heaven : and sing now
both of mercy and judgment, as you will sing, when they shall
have come to their final termination, and all present scenes shall
be consummated in eternal bliss. I conclude, then, with that
direction of the Apostle which is so suited to the occasion, " In
every thing give thanks : for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning youV]
y Gen. xlii. 36. z Jam.v. 11. a Hab.iii. 17, 18. b iThess.v. 18.
668.] A WISE DEPORTMENT DELINEATED. 187
DCLXVIII.
A WISE DEPORTMENT DELINEATED.
Ps. ci. 2. I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O
when wilt thou come unto me ? I will walk within my house
with a perfect heart.
EXTENSIVE influence is a most invaluable ta
lent, which entails upon us an awful responsibility,
and should therefore be improved with all possible
care and diligence. The higher we are in the scale
of society, the more our obligations to exert our
selves for God are increased. But, if wisdom direct
not our measures, our most strenuous efforts will be
in vain. David was well convinced of this truth :
and, having seen in his own experience a wise ad
mixture of mercy and of judgment in the dealings
of God towards him, he determined, in his limited
sphere of action, to imitate the conduct of the
Governor of the Universe, and so to temper mercy
with justice in the whole of his administration, that
iniquity might be suppressed, and virtue cultivated,
not in his own palace only, but throughout all his
dominions. We might not uriprofitably enter into
an investigation of the principles which he laid down
for the regulation of his conduct, and mark the spe
cific course of action which he determined to pursue
towards his courtiers ; but we shall wave the consi
deration of those particulars, and notice rather the
general principle which he adopted, and which is
equally applicable to persons in every station of life ;
" I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way ; I
will walk within my house with a perfect heart."
A noble resolution this ! We will endeavour to
point out,
I. The great importance of it
The value of religion, generally, is acknowledged
by all ; but few are aware of the vast importance of
a wise, discreet, and prudent deportment : yet on
that essentially depend,
1 . The peace and comfort of our own souls
188 PSALMS, CI. 2. [668.
[An indiscreet conduct, even where the person s intentions
on the whole are good, will involve him in many difficulties, and
rob him of those supports and consolations which under other
circumstances he might enjoy. True it is, that the wisest
demeanour will not avail to root out prejudice, or to make
religion lovely in the eyes of carnal men : for the children of
darkness cannot but hate the light : and our blessed Lord him
self, in whose conduct not the slightest fault or error could be
found, was an object of universal hatred to the whole Jewish
nation. But it is no less true, that imprudence in religious
characters calls forth against them, and, in appearance, justifies,
the malignity of many, who, if their zeal had been better regu
lated, would never have raised their arm against it. Many
parents, masters, magistrates, who would never have interposed
their authority to obstruct a prudent exercise of religion, have
been induced to exert their power in consequence of the indis
cretion of those whom they were constrained to oppose. In
such cases their opposition can scarcely be called persecution ;
nor can the cross which the sufferers are called to bear, be
called " the cross of Christ :" it is their own cross, that they
have to bear, and their own folly, that they have to blame.
Enthusiasts do indeed persuade themselves that they are suffer
ing for righteousness sake : but having no satisfactory evidence
that such is indeed the true ground of their trials, they cannot
feel that humble acquiescence in the divine appointments,
which, if they had acted a wiser part, would have calmed their
spirits, and sweetened their afflictions a .]
2. The benefit of all around us
[Nothing can be more unreasonable than that men should
condemn religion for the faults of those who profess it : but
they will do so, and will take occasion from the misconduct of
religious people to defame and decry all vital godliness b .
It is of no consequence in their eyes, that the wise and pru
dent condemn the things that are complained of : no ; their
adversaries are not disposed to discriminate between the guilty
and the innocent : they involve all in the same obloquy : and
will bring the faults of former ages as grounds of accusation
against those who live in the present day c . Even the errors
that were acknowledged and lamented by the persons who in
early life committed them, are still adduced as characterizing
not only the persons who openly renounced them, but those
also who have never in any degree approximated towards
them d : and all this is done for the purpose of discrediting
a 1 Pet. ii. 19, 20. and iv. 15, 16. b 2 Pet. ii. 2.
c The errors of the Puritans are imputed to those who profess re
ligion in the present day.
d This is particularly to be noticed in reference to the early journals
668.] A WISE DEPORTMENT DELINEATED. 189
religion, and of justifying their own aversion to it. On the other
hand, great good is done by those who "walk circumspectly,"
and " shine forth as lights in the world 6 ." They "put to silence
the ignorance of foolish men f ," and " shame those who falsely
accuse their good conversation in Christ g ." What St. Peter says
of " wives winning by their good conversation their unbelieving
husbands h ," we doubt not is often verified in all other relations
of life ; those who behold the light that is set before them being
constrained to acknowledge, that " the righteous is more excel
lent than his neighbour i ." A certain awe is impressed on the
minds of the ungodly by the sight of " a man of God." "Herod
feared John," when he saw what a just and holy man he was k :
and it is particularly said of Saul, that, " when he saw that
David behaved himself very wisely, he feared him 1 . And if we
will walk " holily, justly, and unblameably before men," we
shall have a testimony in their consciences, " that God is with
us of a truth m ," and that the principles we profess are " worthy
of all acceptation n ."]
3. The honour of God and his Gospel
[The argument which St. Paul uses to enforce on servants
the maintenance of a dutiful behaviour towards their unbeliev
ing masters, is, " that the name of God and his doctrine be not
blasphemed ." How terrible is the thought that our indiscre
tions should ever produce such an effect as this ! On the other
hand, our blessed Lord bids us to " make our light shine before
men, that they who behold our good works may be stirred
up to glorify our heavenly Father p . " What a stimulus is
here ! what a motive to circumspection ! what an incentive tc
every thing that is great and holy ! Believer, can you reflect
one moment on the thought, that God can be glorified in you,
and not determine, like David, to " walk wisely before him in
a perfect way ? " If nothing but your own welfare and the
welfare of your fellow-creatures were at stake, you would watch
over your every action, your every disposition; but when you
consider, that the honour of God himself is in a measure
dependent upon you, methinks, you should be utterly pur
posed, that, if it be possible, " God himself shall not find any
thing amiss with you q ; and that, at all events, your conduct
of Messrs. Whitfield and Wesley ; which, though afterwards con
demned by the authors themselves, are to this hour made the sole
grounds of estimating their character ; and not their character only,
but the characters of thousands who were never guilty of any of their
extravagances.
* Phil. ii. 15, 16. * 1 Pet. ii. 15. e I Pet. iii. 16.
h 1 Pet. iii. 1. * Prov. xii. 26. k Mark vi. 20.
1 1 Sam. xviii. 15. m 1 Cor. xiv. 25. n 1 Tim. i. 15.
1 Tim. vi. 1. P Matt. v. 16. i Ps. xvii. 3.
190 PSALMS, CI. 2. [668.
shall be so blameless, " that they who are of the contrary part
may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you r ."]
Having shewn the importance of this resolution,
we will distinctly mark,
II. The way in which it must be carried into effect-
It is scarcely needful to say, that we must have
respect to every commandment of God, without par
tiality or reserve ; for where there is partiality there
is hypocrisy 8 ; and where there is hypocrisy, there is
neither " a perfect heart," nor " a perfect way," nor
indeed one spark of true " wisdom." This then must
be ever borne in mind, that without an unreserved
endeavour to fulfil the whole will of God, the forming
of such a resolution must be altogether nugatory
and delusive. But supposing the resolution to be
sincerely formed, then the question will arise, How
must a person demean himself so as really to effect
his wish ? We answer, he must conduct himself,
1. With meekness and modesty
[Nothing is more disgusting than forwardness in a reli
gious character. It is offensive in any ; but most of all in one
who professes to feel himself a poor, blind, ignorant, guilty
creature, " less than the least of all saints," yea, rather, " the
very chief of sinners." How unseemly is it to see such an one
full of conceit, obtrusive, talkative, loving pre-eminence, and
" thinking himself to be something, when he is nothing 1 !" Yet
how many such professors are there, wherever the Gospel is
preached ! On the other hand, how lovely is the character of
one that is gentle, modest, unassuming, arrogating nothing to
himself, and willing on all occasions to " take the lowest place !"
Such a person, whilst he himself " is beautified with salvation 11 ,"
reflects an honour on the Gospel, and " adorns the doctrine of
God our Saviour x ." Such a disposition is lovely even in the
sight of God himself, and is esteemed by him as " an ornament
of great price y ." It should seem that this was a distinguishing
feature in our Lord s character, since the Apostle particularly
beseeches us " by the meekness and gentleness of Christ 2 :"
and the more we have of the mind of Christ in this respect,
the more " wisely shall we walk both towards them that are
without a " the pale of the Church, and those that are within.
The want of this disposition renders our way far more difficult,
r Tit. ii. 8. s Jam. iii. 17. t Gal. vi. 3.
u Ps. cxlix. 4. x Tit. ii. 10. y 1 Pet. iii. 4.
z 2 Cor. x. 1. a Col. iv. 5.
668.] A WISE DEPORTMENT DELINEATED. 191
whilst it incapacitates us for encountering the difficulties which
it puts in our way. This then we conceive to be our first
object, to obtain a humble and subdued spirit, which, whilst it
offends none who differ from us, qualifies us to bear with
patience, and to turn to good account, whatever evils the un
reasonableness of wicked men may inflict upon us. By means
of it we shall " out of the eater bring forth meat, and out of
the strong bring forth sweet ;" or, in other words, we shall
make " all things work together for our good."]
2. With kindness and charity
[There is really in many religious professors almost the
same acrimony against the ungodly world, as there is in the
ungodly world against them. But how unbecoming is this !
for, if there be a difference between us and others, who is it
that has made us to differ b ? And, if we see others yet lying
in their natural enmity against God, what does their state call
for, but pity and compassion ? Besides, love is the very end,
yea the sum and substance, of all religion . If we have not
love, we may give all our goods to feed the poor, and our body
to be burned, and yet be no better than " sounding brass, and
tinkling cymbals 11 ." If this principle preside not in our hearts,
we shall do nothing well 6 . This will lead us to consult the
best interests of all around us : to study how we may most
influence them for their good ; and to bend to circumstances,
in order to abate their prejudice, and gain the easier access to
their minds. It was from this principle that St. Paul " became
all things to all men f ." If he might but " gain the more," he
was ready to deny himself the most innocent enjoyments, and
to comply with any requisitions, which would consist with
fidelity to his God. How conciliatory will be the conduct of
one who acts under this principle ! With what " meekness will
he give to an inquirer a reason of the hope that is in him s ;
and convey instruction to a blind and obstinate opposer 11 !
How cautiously will he " cut off occasion from those who seek
occasion against him 1 !" How watchfully will he "abstain
even from the appearance of evil k ," and prevent, if possible,
his good from being evil spoken of 1 . In a word, where love is
in the heart, and " the law of kindness is in the lips," the
enemies of religion will be " put to silence, and the mouths of
gainsayers be stopped."]
3. With prudence and foresight
[Solomon observes, " I Wisdom dwell with Prudence 1 "."
But many seem to think that they have nothing to do with
b 1 Cor. iv. 7. c 1 Tim. i. 5. d 1 Cor. xi ii. 1.
e 1 Cor.xvi. 14. f 1 Cor. ix. 1922. s I Pet. iii. 15.
h 2 Tim. ii. 25. * 2 Cor. xi. 12. k i xhess. v. 22.
1 Rom. xiv. 16. m Prov. viii. 12.
192 PSALMS, CI. 2. [668.
prudence : they have only to follow their own notions of duty,
and to leave all consequences to God. Hence they go forward
in their own way, and in their own spirit; never once con
sidering, what may be the effect of their conduct on the minds
of others : and, though they may do some good, they do more
injury than they can well conceive. But if we would behave
ourselves wisely in a perfect way, we must consider the probable
consequences of our actions", and endeavour to accomplish
our ends by the most inoffensive means. When Paul went to
Jerusalem, where God s design of calling the Gentiles into his
Church, and of abrogating the Mosaic ritual, was but imper
fectly understood, he took the precaution of conferring privately
with the leading members of that Church in the first instance ,
in order to explain his views to them, and through them to
remove the prejudices of the people at large. This was wise ;
and the wisdom of it appeared in the effects which followed.
Similar precautions should be used by us in all our commerce
with the world at large, or with the Church in particular : we
should " give no unnecessary offence either to the Jew, or to
the Greek, or to the Church of God." We should consider
w r hat every one can bear ; and should suit ourselves to his
capacity or condition. Our blessed Lord himself set us this
example, speaking every thing in a way of parables, according
as his auditors were able to receive it P. St. Paul also admi
nistered " milk or strong meat" to his converts, according as
the measure of their proficiency required q . And we also are
taught to act under the influence of the same principle, towards
all whom we may have occasion to address; " not casting our
pearls before swine," " nor pouring new wine into old bottles,"
but accommodating our instructions to the necessities and dis
positions of all who hear us. In a word, " I would," as St. Paul
says, " have you wise concerning that which is good, and
simple concerning evilV]
4. With disinterestedness and simplicity
[There is a carnal wisdom, which operates in a way of craft
and cunning: but this is directly opposed to " the wisdom that
is from above," which consists in simplicity and godly sincerity.
" It is this, and this alone, that proceeds from the grace of God,
and under the influence of which we are to have our conversa
tion in the world 8 ." If there be any selfish objects proposed,
any sinister motives indulged, any artifices practised by us, we
are far from true wisdom : true wisdom disclaims every thing
that is disingenuous. Its eye is single, its object pure, its ope
ration lucid, uniform, irreprehensible. It will bear the light:
it will shine the brightest, where it is brought most to view. If
n Eccl. viii. 5. Gal. ii. 2. P Mark iv. 33.
4 1 Cor. iii. 2. r Rom. xvi. 19. s 2 Cor. i. 12.
068.] A WISE DEPORTMENT DELINEATED. 193
it make us " wise as serpents, it will keep us harmless as doves*."
Every measure of deceit must be banished; all falsehood, either
in word or deed, abhorred ; and truth and equity must stand
confessed in the whole of our dealings. This is true wisdom ;
and, " whosoever walks according to this rule, peace shall be
upon him, and mercy, even upon all the Israel of God u ."]
We conclude with one or two DIRECTIONS for the
attainment and increase of this wisdom :
1. Let a conformity to its dictates be your con
stant aim
[" The wisdom of the prudent is, to understand his way x ."
If we walk at random, and without a due consideration of our
ways, we never shall attain any true wisdom. We must be
aware that folly is bound up in our hearts, and that we are
constantly liable to err. We must take our rule of action from
the unerring words of truth. We must measure our senti
ments and actions by that rule. We must in particular set the
Lord Jesus Christ before us, and endeavour to drink into his
spirit, and to walk in his steps. This must be our constant
habit. Whether our actions be more or less important, they
must all be referred to this standard, and be regulated by this
principle. Then we shall gradually have our minds enlightened :
we shall see with increasing evidence our former deviations
from the right path. We shall see, how erroneously we judged
on many occasions ; and how unwisely we acted, whilst yet we
thought that we were acting right. Thus our judgment will
be matured; our consciences be preserved tender; and our ways
be conformed to the perfect will of God. " Who then is wise
and endued with knowledge amongst you? let him shew out of
a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom y ."]
2. Pray earnestly to God to inspire you with it
[It is " the Lord alone that giveth wisdom 2 :" and to him
David directed his supplications, in the words of our text, " O
when wilt thou come unto me?" David felt his insufficiency
for that great work which lay before him, and he panted after
an increase of grace to fit him for it. Thus should we pant after
the influences of the Holy Spirit, to " open the eyes of our
understanding," and to " guide us into all truth." Without
the aid of the Holy Spirit we cannot hope to fill up our several
stations in life with true wisdom. David, as a monarch, felt
his need of divine aid to execute the resolution he had formed.
Solomon desired this aid beyond either riches or honour : and
God, in answer to his prayer, " gave him a wise and under-
t Matt. x. 16. u Gal. vi. 16. x Prov. xiv. 8.
y Jam. iii. 13. z Prov. ii. 6.
VOL. VI. O
194 PSALMS, CI. 3. [669.
standing heart," above all the children of men. As ministers
of God s word, we need the same : for St. Paul says, in refer
ence to the ministry, " who is sufficient for these things ?"
The same must be said by us in every station and relation of
life. We all have our own peculiar duties to perform ; and
wisdom consists in executing them aright. Let this never be
forgotten, that our chief wisdom consists in ascertaining with
precision, and performing with punctuality, the duties of our
own particular situation. It is not by going out of our own
proper line, but by filling our own particular station well, that
we shall approve ourselves truly wise. Let parents and chil
dren, masters and servants, magistrates and subjects, bear this
in mind : " let none lean to their own understanding a ," but all
with one heart address to God this necessary petition, " O give
me understanding in the way of godliness 1 *!"]
a Prov. iii. 5. b See the text in the Prayer-book Translation.
DCLXIX.
INTEGRITY.
Ps. ci. 3. / hate the work of them that turn aside : it shall
not cleave to me.
TO improve our influence for God, is our bounden
duty, whatever be the station to which he has been
pleased to call us. Magistrates, in particular, may
render most extensive service to the community, by
exerting their power in the promotion of virtue.
David felt his responsibility in this respect : and,
either on his beginning to reign in Hebron after the
death of Saul, or on his coming to the full possession
of the kingdom at a subsequent period, he wrote this
psalm, declarative of his determination to discoun
tenance evil, and encourage good, to the utmost extent
of his power, both amongst his courtiers, and amongst
his more immediate attendants in his household.
Let us consider,
I. The work which he here so determinately repro
bates -
The two points to which he seems to refer are,
1. A want of integrity in morals
[A dereliction of principle has often been indulged under the
idea of expediency ; and the utmost subtlety of argument has
been employed in vindication of it. But integrity, undeviating
669.] INTEGRITY. 195
integrity, should possess the Christian s mind. There are
many things which will consist with what is called a sense of
honour, which can never be admitted into the conduct of a
real saint. The laws of honour have their origin from man:
and as they derive their authority from man, so they have respect
only to the judgment of man in the observance of them. These
therefore may bend to times and circumstances. But the
Law of God is inflexible ; and our adherence to it must be
uniform under all circumstances. It must regulate the ends
which we propose, the means we use in the prosecution of them,
and the manner in which we proceed throughout the whole of
our deportment. In every thing we must endeavour to approve
ourselves to God, and to act as in his immediate presence.
Any departure from the strict line of duty, in whatever cir
cumstances we be placed, must be avoided : and our whole
conduct towards mankind, in whatever relation to us they stand,
must be such as we, in a change of circumstances, should think
it right for them to observe towards us. God requires that
"truth should be in our inward parts a ;" and every act, every
word, every purpose and desire of our hearts, ought to be in
strict accordance with it.]
2. A want of constancy in religion
[Many there are, who, having begun well, leave off to
behave themselves wisely, and " turn aside from the holy com
mandment delivered to themV Various are the sources of
this declension. Sometimes it begins in a neglect of religious
duties, or in the mere formal performance of them. Some
times it originates in the secret indulgence of some hidden lust.
Sometimes " the care of this world, the deceitfulness of riches,"
and the desire of other things which have no direct reference to
religion, choke the seed that has been sown in our hearts, and
prevent it from bringing forth any fruit unto perfection c . But
whatever it be that turns us from God, it should be discounte
nanced in others, and avoided in ourselves. It may have a
specious aspect : much may be said for it to extenuate, if not
altogether to justify, the practice of it: but if its operation be to
turn us aside from God, and from the pursuit of heavenly things,
it becomes an evil work, which it behoves us to renounce.
We must, however, be careful not to impute to any line of
duty the evils which arise from our own want of care in the
prosecution of it There is not any thing which we may not
make an occasion of sin. A person may say, I have intellectual
pursuits, which occupy my mind with such intensity, that I
cannot fix it afterwards upon heavenly things : or, I have a
manual labour, which indisposes me for heavenly contempla
tion. In such cases, the duty of these persons is, not to renounce
a Ps. li. 6. b 2 Pet. ii. 21. c Matt. xiii. 22.
196 PSALMS, CI. 3. [669.
the labours to which, in the course of providence, they have
been called, but to implore of God such a measure of spiritual
strength as may enable them to combine the duties which they
have been wont to separate : nor can we doubt, but that, if
they be upright in heart, they shall have imparted to them grace
sufficient for the conscientious discharge of all their duties.
The point for them especially to attend to, is, that they guard
against every inordinate desire : for it is from their inward
desires, rather than their outward duties, that they are in any
danger of being drawn from God.]
The conduct of the Psalmist, in relation to such
" work/ shews,
II. The disposition which we also should manifest
towards it
1. We should abhor it in principle
[There should be in us an attraction towards God, resem
bling that of the needle to the pole. A needle may, by force,
be turned from its proper direction : but it will never cease from
a tremulous motion, till it has returned again to its proper rest.
So it may be with us. We know not what deviations a sudden
impulse of temptation may cause for a moment : but the very
instant we perceive that we have departed, even in thought,
from the perfect line of duty, we should give neither sleep to
our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids, till we have returned with
penitential sorrow to our God. The direction given to us by
God is, " Abhor that which is evil ; cleave to that which is
good d ." And, whether in relation to morals or religion, this
must be the constant habit of our minds. We must be
" Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile 6 ."
2. We should avoid it in practice
[We never can be too observant of our own ways. As, at
sea, the mariner is often drawn from his course by currents of
which he was not aware, and only finds his deviation from his
appointed course by the observations which he makes ; so it is
possible for a Christian to be drawn aside by a corrupt bias, till
he has carefully compared his ways with the unerring standard
of the word of God. Hence the need of attending to that divine
counsel, " Prove all things ; and hold fast that which is good f ."
It is not without extreme care that we shall be able to " keep
a conscience void of offence towards both God and man." We
are passing through a polluted world ; and it is very difficult to
" keep our garments altogether undefiled g ." But if we come
in contact with evil, we must take care that it does "not cleave
d Rom. xii. 9. e John i. 47.
f J Thess. v. 21. s Rev. iii. 4.
670.] THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 197
unto us." It must be the one labour of our lives to be " sincere,
and without offence, until the day of Christ 11 ."]
ADDRESS
1 . Mark well the beginnings of declension
[" Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith," says
the Apostle: "prove your ownselvesV Let the first symp
toms of spiritual declension be carefully noted by you, and be
made an occasion of augmented diligence in your heavenly course.
Many evils will you avoid by such watchfulness. Happy would
it have been for David, if he had marked the first risings of
desire, which the sight of Bathsheba excited in his soul. And
happy will it be for us, if we determine, through grace, to abstain,
not from evil only, but from the first motions of it, yea, and even
" the very appearance of it," whether in heart or life k .]
2. Avoid the means and occasions of it
[Our Lord teaches us to pray, that we may " not be led
into temptation." In truth, if we willingly subject ourselves
to temptation, we cannot expect to be kept. We must " take
heed to our ways," and shun the scenes of vice and folly ; and
avoid the company, and conversation, and books, and sights,
that would ensnare us, if we would be preserved " holy and
unblameable and unreprovable in the world." If we " come
out from among the ungodly, and touch not the unclean thing,
then will God be a Father unto us, and we shall be his sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty 1 ."]
h Phil. i. 10. i 2 Cor. xiii. 5.
k 1 Thess. v. 22. 1 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.
DCLXX.
THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS.
Ps. cii. 13 15. Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion :
for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come : for thy
servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust
thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and
all the kings of the earth thy glory.
AMIDST all the personal afflictions with which a
Child of God can be encompassed,, he will be filled
with consolation,, if he hear glad tidings concerning
Zion. The interests of God and the welfare of man
kind are nearer to his heart than any of the concerns
of time and sense. Hence Paul, when complaining
that he " suffered trouble, as an evil-doer, even unto
bonds," consoled himself with this, that " the word of
1H8 PSALMS, CIT. 1315. [670.
God was not bound a :" yea, his very bonds themselves
were an occasion of joy to his soul, when he saw that
they were overruled for the establishment of Be
lievers, and the augmentation of the Church of God b .
Thus, in the psalm before us, the writer, whether
speaking in his own person, or personating the
Church of God, was in a most disconsolate con
dition ; - - but the thought of God s speedy
interposition for his Church and people comforted
him. He saw Jerusalem lying in ruins ; but he felt
assured that the time was near at hand, when it
should be rebuilt, and God s glory be manifested in it
as in the days of old. To the Gospel Church also
he had a further reference in his own mind : for
though the restoration of the Jews from Babylon
attracted some attention from the neighbouring
states, it was far from being attended with those
effects which are here foretold as following from
their yet future restoration to their own land, and
their final union with the Church of Christ d .
In considering this event, we shall notice,
I. The time fixed for it-
God most assuredly has mercy in store for Zion
[The Jews shall not always continue in their present de
graded state : they shall be gathered from every quarter of the
globe, and be brought back again to their own land. We must
almost cease to assign any determinate meaning to words, if we
explain in a figurative sense only the numberless declarations
of God on this subject 6 - As to their restoration to the
Divine favour, it is impossible for any one who believes the
Scriptures to doubt of it. Though God is angry with them,
he has not cast them off for ever. There is yet among them
" a remnant according to the election of grace," who shall be
again engrafted on their own olive-tree, and enjoy all the riches
of the Gospel salvation f ]
For the conferring of " these favours," there is a
time fixed in the Divine counsels
a 2 Tim. ii. 9. * Phil. i. 1218. c ver . 311.
d That the writer looks forward to that period, will appear by com
paring ver. 25 27. with Heb. i. 10 12.
e Ezek. xxviii. 25, 26. and xxxvii. 1 28.
f Rom. xi. 5, 25, 26.
670.] THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 199
[" Known unto God are all things from the foundation of
the world:" and every thing that is " done, is done according
to his determinate counsel and fore-knowledge g ." The deli
verance of the Jews from Egypt was foretold to Abraham four
hundred and thirty years before it took place ; and it was
accomplished on the self-same day that had been then fixed h .
In like manner, their deliverance from Babylon was fixed ; nor
were they detained one hour there beyond the seventy years
that had been assigned for their captivity 1 . Thus is the period
fixed for their present dispersion. It is to terminate one
thousand two hundred and sixty years after the establishment
of the Papal tyranny and of the Mahometan delusion. Other
thirty years are added to that time for completing of that glo
rious work, and forty-five more for the full introduction of the
Millennium, when all the kingdoms of the world shall become
the kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ k . Re
specting the exact time from whence these several periods must
be dated, Commentators are not agreed ; nor is it our intention
to enter into that part of the question : we only mention these
things to shew, that " God has reserved the times and the sea
sons in his own power," and that the time for the future resto
ration of the Jews is as determinately fixed in the Divine
counsels, as any other event that ever occurred.]
We think too that we may already see,
II. The signs of its approach-
When our blessed Lord came to establish his king
dom upon earth, there were many signs whereby a
candid observer might ascertain that he was really
come 1 . An expectation of him had prevailed both
among Jews and Gentiles" 1 ; his forerunner, John
the Baptist, had come to prepare his way": and his
own miracles had evinced, that he was indeed the
person whom he professed to be . Thus the Psalmist
intimates that there are signs, whereby the future
manifestations of his love and mercy to his people
Israel shall be discerned, previous to their full ac
complishment : " The time to favour her, yea, the
set time, is come ; for thy servants take pleasure in
her stones, and favour the dust thereof." We say
f Acts ii. 23. and iv. 28. h Exod. xii. 41.
* Jer. xxv. 12. and xxix. 10.
k Dan. vii. 25. and xii. 7, 11, 12. with Rev. xi. 3, 15. and xii.
6, 14. and xiii. 5. ] Matt. xvi. 3.
m Luke ii. 25, 38. n Matt. xvii. 913. John v. 36.
200 PSALMS, CII. 1315. [670.
then that the approach of that blessed period is now
evidently marked by,
1. The concern that is now felt for the Jewish
people
[How many centuries have passed without any efforts
made for their conversion to the faith of Christ ! They have
been regarded by the Christian world as utterly unworthy of
notice : or rather, have been treated by them with all manner
of indignity, oppression, and cruelty. But now Christians begin
to feel how basely they have acted towards them; and are
combining their efforts to rend the veil from their hearts : and
by all possible means to lead them to the knowledge of that
Messiah, whom their fathers crucified p
2. The expectation which the Jews have of their
approaching deliverance
[The Jews even of our own country, and still more upon
the Continent, have a persuasion that their Messiah is speedily
to appear, and to vindicate them from the oppression which
they have so long experienced 11 . And though they do not
at present know what kinds of blessings they are destined to
enjoy, (for they look no further than to a temporal deliverance,)
yet the circumstance of their " looking for redemption" as fast
approaching, may justly be regarded as a sign of its actual
approach.]
3. The work that has already been effected among
them
[Many have been converted to the faith of Christ : and
though, as in the first ages of Christianity, many have disho
noured, or renounced, their holy profession, yet many have
held fast their faith amidst the heaviest trials, and have adorned
the Gospel by a holy conversation. We cannot, it is true,
boast of thousands converted at once : nor were the efforts of
John, and of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, very successful for
a season : even after all the labours and miracles of our Lord,
his disciples amounted only to five hundred ; the greatest part
of those who were convinced by him for a season having gone
back from him : but the seed sown by him grew up on the day
of Pentecost, and brought forth fruit an hundred-fold : in like
manner we have only fruit sufficient at present to encourage
our continued exertions; but we hope that Pentecostal fruits
P The attention paid to the study of prophecy in this day is re
markable.
<i Persons conversant with India have assured us, that both Maho
metans and Hindoos have an expectation also that a great change is
about to take place in the religions which they profess.
670. ] THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 201
will yet be found, and that too at no distant period. At all
events we have evidence enough to shew, that God is with us
in our labours of love, and to assure us, that we shall not labour
in vain, or run in vain. The very circumstance of so many
heralds being stirred up to prepare their way, is a strong ground
of hope that ere long " the valleys shall be exalted, and the
mountains and hills be made low, and the crooked be made
straight, and the rough places plain ; and that the glory of the
Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together 1 ."]
Nor are we left in uncertainty about,
III. The effects of its arrival
To the Jews themselves the effects will be glorious
[Such prosperity, both temporal and spiritual, will they
enjoy, as was but faintly typified in the days of Solomon
" The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the
light of the sun seven-fold, as the light of seven days, in the
day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and
healeth the stroke of their wound s "-
To the Gentiles also it will be the commencement
of inconceivable and universal happiness
[This is particularly marked in our text; " So the heathen
shall fear the name of the Lord :" yes, the restoration and con
version of the Jews will be "as life from the dead " to the
whole Gentile world *. Their deliverances from Egypt and from
Babylon attracted the attention of the nations which were round
about them ; but this deliverance will fill with surprise and asto
nishment all the nations upon earth : for the Jews are scattered
through every country under heaven : and in every country
there will be a simultaneous motion of the Jews towards their
own land, and a turning to that Saviour, whom now they hate.
This will carry conviction to the minds of all, that Jesus is the
true Messiah, the only, and all-sufficient Saviour of the whole
world. Then will all the great ones of the earth, the highest
kings, no less than their meanest subjects, behold the glory of
God in the face of our adorable Saviour ; and all, both Jews
and Gentiles, become one fold under one Shepherd u
However incredible this may appear, it shall assuredly be
effected in due season ; for the Lord hath promised ; and not
a jot or tittle of his word shall fail.]
ADDRESS
1. Have compassion upon Zion
r Isai. xl, 3 5. s Isai. xxx. 26. * Rom. xi. 12, 15.
See Isai. Ix. 18, 1014. Ps. Ixxii. 811, 1019. Zech.
ii. 10 12. and viii. 20 23. and xiv. 9.
202 PSALMS, CIL 1315. [670.
[See how deplorable is the present state of God s ancient
people : compare it with the former periods of their history
when they were so signally honoured with the presence of their
God in the wilderness, and at Sinai, and in the days of David
and Solomon Shall not the contrast fill you with pity
and compassion ? Methinks you can scarcely have the feelings
of men, much less of Christians, if you do not weep over their
forlorn and destitute condition. See how Nehemiah felt the
desolations of Zion in his day x ! and is there not yet
greater occasion for you to do so now ? See how Daniel set
himself to implore mercy for his brethren, encouraged by the
near approach of the time destined for their deliverance y
- And let the prospect we have of an infinitely greater
deliverance for them, stimulate you to similar exertions in their
behalf. Let nothing be wanting on your part that can con
tribute to their good. Your time, your money, your influence
will be well employed in so glorious a cause : and be assured
that in endeavouring to " water others, you shall be watered
yourselves."]
2. Seek to experience the good work in your own
souls
[We would not so draw your attention to the vineyard of
others, as to divert it from your own. If it be desirable for the
Jews to " fear the name of the Lord, and to behold his glory,"
it is surely no less desirable for you also. Brethren, this charity
must begin at home. It will be a fearful thing to " preach to
others, and to become cast away ourselves." Begin then, every
one of you, to seek the favour of God to your own souls. Truly
it is lamentable to see in what a state our Christian Zion is :
and how many amongst us differ little from the Jews, except in
name and profession. And in this we are far more guilty than
they, because, whilst they are misled through the blindness that
is come upon them, we sin against light and knowledge, and,
Judas-like, betray the Saviour whom we profess to love. Let
us hope, however, that the time for God to favour us is come ;
(O that it may be come, and that our eyes may see it !) and that
the tabernacle of David which is fallen down, shall be speedily
reared amongst us, to the glory of God, and to the salvation
of many souls. Much as we desire your aid for the Jewish
nation, our first desire is, that you yourselves may be saved.
In this we are sanctioned by the apostle Paul, who, whilst he
pitied the Gentile world, desired to be accursed from Christ if
it might but be instrumental to the saving of his brethren the
Jews. To you then, Brethren, we say, first give your own selves
to the Lord, and afterwards to us, by the will of God z ]
x Neh. ii. 2, 3. y Dan. ix. 2, 3. z 2 Cor. viii. 5.
071.] ETERNITY AND IMMUTABILITY OF CHRIST. 203
DCLXXI.
THE ETERNITY AND IMMUTABILITY OF CHRIST.
Ps. cii. 2528. Of old hast tliou laid the foundation of the
earth ; and the heavens are the ivork of thy hands : they
shall perish, but thou shalt endure ; yea, all of them shall
wax old like a garment: as a vesture shalt thou change
them, and they shall be changed : but thou art the same, and
thy years shall have no end. The children of thy servants
shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
AMONGST all the Psalms, there is none more
full of mourning and lamentation than this : but whe
ther the Psalmist speaks in his own person, or in the
person of the Church which was in the most desolate
condition, is not certain. But though written at the
return of the Jews from the Babylonish Captivity,
and referring primarily to the restoration of the
Jewish Church and polity, it evidently has respect
to the Messiah and the establishment of his Church
on the face of the whole earth : since it is said, that
" the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and
all the kings of the earth his glory a ." Indeed the
words of our text are expressly applied to Christ in
the Epistle to the Hebrews, and are adduced to
shew the infinite superiority of Christ above all the
hosts of heaven b . With this infallible guide to direct
us, we proceed to point out,
I. The perfections of Christ
The description here given of our Lord Jesus Christ
proves beyond all doubt his proper Deity. Observe,
1. His eternity
[He it was who made the universe : the highest angels
derived their existence from his all-creating hand c . " All things
were created, not only by him, but for hhn d :" which could not
be, if he himself were a creature. Suppose him ever so high
above all other creatures, if he himself was a creature, he could
not have created all things, seeing he himself must have been
created by another. But he was the eternal God : " he was
with God, and was God : and without him was not any thing
made tliatwas made e ." Yes, that adorable Saviour, who at the
a ver. 15. b Heb. i. 1012. c Col. i. 16.
d Col. i. 17. e John i. 13.
204 PSALMS, CIL 2528. [67 L
appointed season assumed our flesh at Bethlehem, was the eter
nal God; " his goings forth were of old, from everlasting f ."]
2. His immutability
[The material creation is formed only as a theatre for the
display of the Creator s glory: and, when it shall have answered
its destined end, it will be destroyed by fire g : the Creator will
dissolve it with as much ease as a man " folds up a garment"
for which he has no farther use. But the Lord Jesus Christ will
exist for ever. As he is the eternal, so is he the immutable
Jehovah: " He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever 11 ."]
Not to dwell on a point which requires neither
confirmation nor discussion : we proceed to mark
more distinctly,
II. The aspect of those perfections on the welfare of
the Church-
In the verse before the text, the Psalmist may be
speaking personally of himself, just as Hezekiah did
when apprehensive of speedy dissolution 1 : but in
the close of the psalm he indisputably speaks of the
Church, and, represents as depending upon Christ,
1. The stability of the Church at large
[The seed here mentioned are the Church of God, the com
pany of the faithful in every age k . It might be supposed that
these, surrounded as they are by enemies on every side, must
be utterly destroyed : and, in fact, the Church has at times
been reduced so low, as scarcely to have, except in name, any
existence upon earth. But our Lord has founded it upon a
rock ; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Other
things, however stable in appearance, shall vanish away : but
this shall stand for ever and ever 1 . The different individuals
are successively removed by death: but children shall be born
to God through the instrumentality of his Gospel, and the
Church " continue" to the end of time.]
2. The final salvation of every true Believer-
fit is a miracle, considering what difficulties the Believer
has to encounter, and how unable he is of himself to do even
the least thing that is good, that any one should finally attain
the promised inheritance. But Jesus lives, and therefore all who
trust in him shall live also. In his word he is as immutable as
f Mic. v. 2. The same truth is generally supposed to be declared
in Prov. viii. 22 31.
g 2 Pet. iii. 10, 12. h Heb. xiii. 8. * Isai. xxxviii. 10 14.
k Ps. Ixix. 36. ! Isai. li. 6.
672. J DUTY OF PRAISING GOD FOR HIS MERCIES. 205
in his essence : and " of that word not one jot or tittle shall ever
fail." " Never will he leave them; never, never will he forsake
them." " He is able to keep them from falling;" and, " Of
those whom the Father has given him will he lose none."]
IMPROVEMENT
Is there amongst you any tempted soul ?
[Methinks some may be in the state of the Psalmist,
" eating ashes like bread, and mingling their drink with tears"
- But let not any one be so bowed down with afflictions,
as to say, " There is no hope." Whilst your Redeemer lives,
you have a sure refuge : and, whatever trials you may have to
sustain, " his grace shall be sufficient for you" ]
To those who are maintaining their steadfastness
in the Gospel
[We would say, Remember to whom you are indebted for
your stability: " He that hath wrought you to this self-same
thing is God." O think, what had been your state times without
number, if your Almighty Saviour had not interposed to rescue
you from the jaws of that roaring lion that seeketh to devour
you and let all your confidence be in him alone ]
DCLXXII.
DUTY OF PRAISING GOD FOR HIS MERCIES.
Ps. ciii. 1 5. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is
within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits: wJio for give th all thine ini
quities; who healeth all thy diseases: who redeemeth thy life
from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness
and tender mercies : who satisfieth thy mouth with good things,
so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle s.
IT is a favourite opinion of some divines, that we
are bound to love God for his own perfections, with
out having any respect to the benefits which we
receive from him. But this appears to us to be an
unscriptural refinement. That God deserves all pos
sible love from his creatures on account of his own
perfections, can admit of no doubt : and we can easily
conceive, that persons may be so occupied with an
admiration of his perfections, as not to have in their
minds any distinct reference to the benefits they have
received from him : but that any creature can place
himself in the situation of a being who has no obli-
206 PSALMS, GUI. 15. [672.
gallons to God for past mercies, and no expectation
of future blessings from him, we very much doubt :
nor are we aware that God any where requires us so
to divest ourselves of all the feelings of humanity,
for the sake of engaging more entirely in the con
templation of his perfections. Nor indeed can we
consent to the idea, that gratitude is so low a virtue a .
On the contrary, it seems to be the principle that
animates all the hosts of the redeemed in heaven ;
who are incessantly occupied in singing praises to
Him who loved them, and washed them from their
sins in his own blood. By this also all the most
eminent saints on earth have been distinguished. In
proof of this, we need go no further than to the
psalm before us, wherein the man after God s own
heart adores and magnifies his Benefactor, for some
particular mercies recently vouchsafed unto him. To
instil this principle into your minds, and to lead you
to a measure of that devotion with which the sweet
singer of Israel was inspired, we shall,
I. State the grounds we have to praise God-
To enumerate all the benefits we have received
from God, would be impossible. We must content
ourselves with adverting to them in the peculiar view
in which they are set before us in the text. We
would call you then to consider,
1. The freeness and undeservedness of them
[It is this which gives a zest to every blessing we enjoy :
in this view, the very food we eat, and the air we breathe,
demand our most grateful acknowledgments. The Psalmist
begins with speaking of himself as a guilty and corrupt creature,
who, unless pardoned and renewed by the grace of God, must
have been an everlasting monument of his righteous displeasure.
The same thought also should be uppermost in our minds. We
should contrast our state with that of the fallen angels, who
never had a Saviour vouchsafed unto them ; and with that of
the unbelieving world, who, in consequence of rejecting the
Saviour, have perished in their sins. What claim had we, any
more than the fallen angels ? and, if we had been dealt with
according to our deserts, where would have been the difference
between us and those who are gone beyond the reach of mercy ?
a Dent, xxviii. 47.
672.] DUTY OF PRAISING GOD FOR HIS MERCIES. 207
Let us but contemplate this, and the smallest mercy we enjoy
will appear exceeding great ; yea, any thing short of hell will
be esteemed a mercy b .]
2. The richness and variety
[The psalm primarily relates to David s recovery from some
heavy disorder : and the terms wherein he expresses his grati
tude are precisely such as are used by other persons on similar
occasions . On this account, in our review of God s mercies,
it will be proper first to notice the blessings of his providence.
How often have we been visited with some bodily disorder,
which, for aught we know, has been sent as a preventive or
punishment of sin! (We certainly have reason to think, that
at this time, as well as in former ages, God punishes the sins of
his people in this world, that they may not be condemned in
the world to come d .) And how often have we been raised from
a state of weakness and danger, to renewed life and vigour!
At all events, we have been beset \vith dangers, and yet not
permitted to fall a sacrifice to them ; and been encompassed with
wants, which have been liberally supplied. Can we view all
these mercies with indifference ? do they not demand from us
a tribute of praise ?
But the expressions in the text lead us to contemplate also
the blessings of God s grace. And can we adopt the words in
this view ? O how great and wonderful are they, if we appre
ciate them aright ! To be forgiven one sin is a mercy of incon
ceivable magnitude ; but to be forgiven all, all that we have
ever committed, this is a mercy which neither the tongues of
men nor of angels can ever adequately declare. Think too of the
corruptions which with most inveterate malignity infect our
souls : to have these healed ! to have them all healed : We
no longer wonder at the ardour of the Psalmist s devotion ; we
wonder only at our own stupidity. Contemplate moreover the
efforts which Satan, that roaring lion, is ever making to destroy
us ; consider his wiles, his deceits, his fiery darts : what a stu
pendous mercy is it that we have not been given up as a prey
unto his teeth ! Look around at the mercies of all kinds with
which we are encircled : and mark the provision of ordinances,
and promises, yea, of the body and blood of God s only dear
Son, with which our souls are nourished and renewed ; so that
our drooping spirits, like the eagle when renewed in its plumage,
are enabled to soar to the highest heavens with confidence and
joy. Can we find in these things no grounds of praise? Must
not our hearts be harder than adamant itself, if they do not
melt at the contemplation of such mercies as these ?]
b See how this consideration enhanced the favours which God
vouchsafed to David, Ps. viii. 1. and St. Paul, Eph. iii. 8.
c Isai. xxxviii. 17. d Compare 1 Cor. xi. 30, 32. with Jam. v. 15
208 PSALMS, CIIL 15. [672.
3. The constancy and continuance
[See how triumphantly the Psalmist dwells on this 6 ; and
let us compare our experience with his. Has not God made
us also the objects of his providential care, by day and by
night, from the earliest period of our existence to this present
moment ? Has he not also renewed to us every day and hour
the blessings of his grace, " watering us as his garden," and
" encompassing us with his favour as with a shield ? " Surely
we may say that " goodness and mercy have followed us all our
days ; " there has not been one single moment when our Divine
keeper has ever slumbered or slept ; he has kept us, " even as
the apple of his eye;" "lest any should hurt us, he has kept
us day and night."
Say now, what are the feelings which such mercies should
generate in our souls ; and what are the returns which we ought
to make to our heavenly Benefactor?]
Not doubting but that all of you must acknowledge
your obligation to praise God, we will, as God shall
enable us,
II. Stir you up to the performance of this duty-
It is the office of your minister to stir up your pure
minds " by way of remembrance," yea, " to put you
in remembrance of these things, though ye know
them, and be established in the present truth." We
therefore call upon you to praise God,
1. Individually
[This is not the duty of ministers only, but of all, what
ever be their age, situation, or condition in life : every one is
unspeakably indebted to God ; and therefore every one should
say for himself, " Bless the Lord, O my soul ! "
If any object, that they have never yet been made partakers
of the blessings of Divine grace, we answer, That you have not
on this account the less reason to bless God ; for the very
" long-suffering of God should be accounted by you as salva
tion ; " and if you compare your state (as yet on mercy s ground)
with that of those who have been cut off in their sins, you will
see that all the thanks which you can possibly render unto God,
are infinitely less than what he deserves at your hands.
Moreover, if you have received no signal deliverances from
sickness or danger, you have the more reason to adore your
God, who has preserved you so long in the uninterrupted enjoy
ment of health and peace.]
2. Fervently
e Forgiveth, healed, redeeme//?, crowne//?, satisfied.
673.] THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 209
[Praise is not a service of the lip and knee, but of the
warmest affections of the soul. The " soul, and all that is
within you" should be exercised in this blessed work. As you
are to " love God with all your heart, and mind, and soul, and
strength," so also you are to bless him with all your faculties
and powers. You must not however mistake vociferation, and
talkativeness, and bodily fervour, for devotion; your expres
sions of gratitude, even when most elevated and joyous, must
resemble those which are used among the heavenly hosts ; who
" veil their faces and their feet," or " cast their crowns at the
feet" of their adorable Redeemer. Not to bless him in this
manner, is constructively and really to "forget the benefits"
you have received from him: yea, an utter forgetfulness of them
were less criminal than such an ungrateful remembrance.]
3. Incessantly
[" Bless, bless, bless the Lord ! " says the Psalmist to his
soul ; shewing thereby that he would have that to be the con
tinual exercise of his mind. Thus should we also labour to
have our minds in a constant readiness for this glorious work.
We need not indeed be always engaged in the act of praise ;
for we have many other acts in which a great part of our time
must be occupied : but the frame of our minds should always
be disposed for this duty, so as to be ready for it whensoever
occasion may call for the performance of it. That we shall feel
backwardness to it at times, must be expected : the Psalmist
intimates as much, by so repeatedly urging his reluctant soul
to this duty. But let us follow his example, and urge our souls,
however reluctant, to this blessed work. Let us say with him,
" Bless the Lord, O my soul; bless him, bless his holy name!"
or like Deborah, " Awake, awake, Deborah ; awake, awake ;
utter a song ! "
Thus to bless God is our privilege on earth : thus to bless
him is an antepast of heaven.]
DCLXXIII.
THE GOODNESS OF GOD.
Ps. ciii. 8 13. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to
anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide ;
neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt
with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our
iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great
is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east
is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions
from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord
pitieth them that fear him.
VOL. vi. p
210 PSALMS, CIII. 813. [673.
WE cannot form a juster conception of the Deity
than from the history of the Israelites. In the mix
ture of mercy and judgment which is there recorded,
we see every one of his perfections displayed in most
lively characters 1 . His dealings with us indeed are
less discernible : but, the more they are scrutinized,
the more will they appear to be regulated according
to the counsels of unerring wisdom and unbounded
goodness. The words before us will naturally lead
us to a contemplation of this subject : and we shall
have abundant evidence of their truth, while we con
sider his goodness,
I. Generally, as it is in himself
The " mercy and grace" of our God are chiefly
discovered by,
1 . His patience in bearing with us
[Had God been such an one as ourselves, he would long
since have broke forth in anger against the whole world, and
consumed them in his heavy displeasure. But, notwithstanding
the multitude of their provocations, he has been long-suffering
towards thein b , and has waited to be gracious unto them c .
He has borne with many vessels of wrath, that have been daily
fitting themselves for destruction d : and has kept mercy for
thousands 6 , who have been continually occupied in casting it
away. The description which Nehemiah gives of the divine
patience as manifested in his day f , is no less realized towards
the whole world at this very hour.]
2. His mercy in pardoning us
[God, in infinite compassion, laid our iniquities upon his
only dear Son g , and exacted of him our debt h , in order that
he might exercise mercy towards us consistently with the
demands of truth and justice 1 . And, having provided such a
remedy, he delights in extending its benefits even to the vilest
of the human race k . Thousands that are now glorified in heaven,
and thousands too that are yet compassed with infirmities on
earth, can attest, that with him is plenteous redemption 1 , and
that he is rich in mercy unto all that call upon him.]
a ver. 7. h 2 Pet. iii. 9. c Isai. xxx. 18.
d Rom. ix. 22. e Exod. xxxiv. G, 7. f Neh. ix. 16 21.
& Isai. liii. 6. h Isai. liii. 7. Lowth s Translation.
1 Rom.iii.25, 26. k Mic. vii. 18. J Ps. cxxx. 7, 8.
m Rom. x. 12, 13.
673.] THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 211
Not to dwell on general views of his goodness, let
us consider it,
II. Particularly as it manifests itself towards us
It is here more minutely delineated :
1. In reference to his patience
[God will " chide" his people for their sins; nor would he
act worthy of himself, if he did not manifest his displeasure
against the violations of his holy law". But we must all confess
that he punishes neither soon nor long nor according to our
deserts. Not soon ; for then he would be " always chiding,"
seeing that we give continual occasion for his displeasure to
arise. But he is not extreme to mark what is done amiss ,
well knowing that if he should contend with us for every fault,
we could not answer him one of a thousand p . Nor will he visit
us long : if he hide his face, it is but for a little moment q , and
if he wound us, it is, for the most part, but a very short time
before he binds us up again and heals us r . He will not be
always wroth, lest our spirits should faint, and fail by reason of
his displeasure 8 . Nor does he at any time " deal with us
according to our iniquities" Where must every one of us have
been if he had entered into judgment with us according to the
strict tenour of his law * ? Whatever trials we may have been
called to endure, they have been infinitely less than our
iniquities have deserved u .]
2. In reference to his mercy
[This has been boundless in its extent. Who can measure
the vast expanse of heaven x ? Yet such is the mercy of our
God, having heights that cannot be explored, and depths that
cannot be fathomed 7 . It reaches, not only to all persons, but
to the utmost extent of their necessities or desires. It is also
tender in its exercise. Can any thing on earth afford us a
stronger image of tenderness, than a parent striving to soothe
the anguish of his agonizing infant ? Yet such is the anxiety
which God himself feels to heal our wounded spirits, and
comfort us under all our conflicts 2 . It is, moreover, lasting
in its effects. Let a straight line be drawn from east to west ;
and the further it is drawn, the further shall the ends be
removed from each other. Thus it is with respect to our sins
which he has pardoned : they are put away from us to the
remotest distance, never to meet upon our souls again, never
to be remembered against us to all eternity a .]
n Heb. xii. 6, 7. Ps. cxxx. 3. P Job ix. 3.
i Isai. liv. 7, 8. r Hos. vi. 1,2. fe Isai. Ivii. 16.
i Compare Gal. iii. 10. with Ps. cxliii. 2. u Job xi. 6.
x Jer. xxxi. 37. > Eph. iii. IS, 19.
z Hos. xi. 8. Jer. xxxi. 20. a ver. 17. Mic. vii. 19.
p 2
212 PSALMS, CIII. 1518. [674.
INFER
1. How base is it to sin against such a God!
[Sin, of whatever kind, is really directed against him b .
And shall it appear a light matter to us to offend such a God?
See this argument urged by Ezra c ; and let every temptation
be repelled with this indignant expression, How shall I do this
great wickedness, and sin against God d ?]
2. How ought we to fear and love our God !
[It is twice observed in the text, that God s mercy is dis
played " to them that fear him:" and it is manifested on pur
pose that he may be feared e . Let us therefore not despise the
riches of his goodness f , but improve them for the confirming
of our fear g , and the quickening of our love h .]
b Ps. li. 4. c Ezra ix. 13, 14. Heb. viii. 12.
d Gen. xxxix. 9. e Ps. cxxx. 4. f Rom. ii. 4.
s Hos. iii. 5. h Ps. cxvi. 12. and cxlv. 8, 9, 21.
DCLXXIV.
PERPETUITY OF GOD S MERCY.
Ps. ciii. 15 18. As for man, his days are as grass,- as a flower
of the field, so he flourisheth: for the wind passeth over it,
and it is gone ; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children s
children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that
remember his commandments to do them.
THE consideration of the shortness and uncer
tainty of human life is at all times seasonable, and
more especially on such an occasion as this; when
&c. a - If indeed we had no hope beyond the
grave, such a subject would be most gloomy and
appalling : but when connected, as in the passage
before us, with the unbounded mercy of our God, it
is full of consolation to all who are looking forward
to the eternal world. But we must have a good hope
that we shall be partakers of God s mercy, or else not
even the glorious description which is here given of
it will divest death of its sting, or reconcile us to the
thought of approaching dissolution. Let us then
from these words consider,
a The occasion may be stated as for a Funeral, or on New Year s
Day.
674.] PERPETUITY OF GOD S MERCY. 213
I. The character of God s people-
In general terms they are represented as " fearing
God." This of itself would be sufficient to distinguish
them from all other people, more especially as it
marks " the spirit of their minds." A humble sense
of his presence, a dread of doing any thing contrary
to his will, and a filial desire to please him,, universally
distinguish his children : but still they are more clearly
discerned by the characters assigned to them in our
text :
1. They " keep God s covenant"
[This is the covenant which was made with Abraham 15 ;
and of which Christ is the surety: he has undertaken to ac
complish every thing for his believing people ; to expiate their
sins by his blood, and to renew their souls by his grace
" It is ordered in all things and sure c " -This the Be
liever sees to be exactly suited to his necessities, in that it pro
vides every thing for him, and only requires that he receive
thankfully what is thus offered to him freely. This therefore
he embraces : " He lays hold on it" as all his hope: and he
relies upon it with his whole heart ]
2. They " do his commandments "-
[They are not negligent of good works, though they do not
rely upon them for their justification before God : " they love
God s law," which is written in their hearts : and they treasure
up in their minds his precepts, no less than his promises. To do
the will of God, to do it universally without exception, and con
stantly without intermission, is the one desire of their hearts.
They would gladly, if it were possible, " stand perfect and com
plete in all the will of God," being " holy, as God is holy," and
" perfect, even as their Father which is in heaven is perfect."]
Such are the objects of God s love : but how shall
we express,
II. The extent of his mercy towards them
The mercy of God is the great subject of this
psalm. In the foregoing verses it is set forth in a
way of comparison; (equalling the boundless extent of
heaven;) but in the words before us it is declared
in a way of contrast with the transitoriness of man s
existence upon earth.
Man s existence here is only as the flower of the
field-
b Gal. iii. 16, 17. c 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
PSALMS, CIII. 1518. [674.
[It was " but yesterday" that we grew up ; and to-morrow
" our place will no more be found." If suffered to continue for
a while, we are only ripening for the scythe ; but a burning
sun, or blasting wind, may cut short our existence in an hour d .
And when once the flower of the grass is withered, all remem
brance of it is gone : and so it is with us : we look gay and
nourish for a little moment : and then pass away, and give
place to other generations.]
But " the mercy of God towards his people is
from everlasting to everlasting "-
[As to its origin, it existed from all eternity. It is not ex
cited in the bosom of our God by any thing that he sees in man :
neither the misery of our fallen state, nor any goodness which we
may be supposed to manifest, move him to exercise a disposition
that was not antecedently conceived in his own mind. Both
his determination to exercise mercy, and the objects towards
whom it should be exercised, were from all eternity fixed in his
own bosom 6 . His people are chosen by him, not because they
are holy, or ivill be holy, but that they " may be holy, and with
out blame before him in love f ." " He loved them with an ever
lasting love, and therefore with loving-kindness hath he drawn
them*."
In its duration also it is everlasting. " If he have begun a
good work in them, we may be confident that he will carry it
on h ." As, on the one hand, he will not depart from them, so,
on the other hand, " he will put his fear in their hearts, that
they may not depart from him 1 ." If at any time they trans
gress against him, he will chastise them with the rod, till he has
brought them back to himself: but " his loving-kindness will he
not utterly take from them k :" for "his gifts and callings are
without repentance 1 ." In every age will he prove faithful to
his promises, even " to all posterities for evermore."
This doctrine is thought by many to encourage a presump
tuous confidence, and a consequent neglect of holiness. But,
if we only bear in mind the statement before given of the cha
racter of God s people, and our unequivocal declaration, that
no person who does not answer to that character can have any
scriptural hope of mercy, we shall see, that there is no occasion
for jealousy on that head. The holiness of man is secured by
the irreversible decree of Heaven, That the end shall be com
bined with the means ; and that every one whom God has or
dained unto life, shall be " made meet for the inheritance of the
saints in light." We need not be afraid to give unto God all
d Jam. i. 10, 11. e Eph. iii. 11. 2 Tim. i. 9.
f Eph. i. 46. s Jer. xxxi. 3. h Phil. i. G.
1 Jer. xxxii. 40. k Ps. Ixxxix. 30 36. ] Rom. xi. 29.
675 J THE DUTY OF PRAISING GOD. 215
the glory of our salvation, and to ascribe all to the operation
of his sovereign grace, since, whatever may he said of God s
decrees, it is an infallible truth, that " without holiness no man
shall see the Lord."]
Let us LEARN from hence,
1. In what light we should view our present state
of existence
[We should learn from nature, and from every thing we see
around us. Let all, and the young especially, look, not at the
grass merely, but at the flower of the grass, and learn from that,
how transient their life is m And let none, like the fool
in the Gospel, promise themselves years, when, for ought they
know, this very night their souls may be required of them.]
2. In what way we should improve it
[What have we to do, but to attain the character of God s
people, and to secure the mercy which he will exercise towards
them ? In comparison of this, all earthly pursuits are
vanity; since, transient as our life is, we may yet find the ob
jects of our fondest regard still more transient"."]
m Isai. xl. 6 8. This would be proper to insist on, if it were the
funeral of a young person.
n If this were a Funeral Sermon for an eminently pious person, his
views and conduct might with propriety be stated here.
DCLXXV.
THE DUTY OF PRAISING GOD.
Ps. civ. 33, 34. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live : I
will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My
meditation of him shall be sweet : I will be glad in the Lord.
IT is well that we have in the Holy Scriptures a
record of the experience of former saints : for, on the
one hand, we should be inclined to rest in low attain
ments, if we did not know to what heights others had
attained ; and, on the other hand, we should be con
demned for aiming at such exalted frames as were
possessed by them, if we had not the sanction of
their high authority. However, whether the world
be pleased or displeased, this, God helping me, shall
be my resolution ; and I recommend it to every one
of you as your own : " I will sing unto the Lord as
long as I live ; I will praise my God while I have
my being!"
216 PSALMS, CIV. 33, 34. [675.
From the words before us, we may learn,
I. What was the frame of David s mind
1. It was a frame most becoming
[Such was the frame of man when he came out of his
Creator s hands : and such to this hour would it have continued,
if he had not sinned. " Praise is comely for the upright a ;"
and " it becometh well the just to be thankful." Such a state,
as far as their nature will admit of it, befits every creature that
God has formed. All the hosts of heaven, and all the inha
bitants of the earth, every creature in the universe, rational
and irrational, animate and inanimate, are distinctly called upon
by the Psalmist, to present unto God, according to their capa
city, their tribute of praise b And, if such a state becomes
them as creatures, that are merely formed by God s hand, and
supported by his care, what should be our state, as redeemed
by the blood of his only-begotten Son ? Well may it be said,
" Let them give thanks, whom the Lord hath redeemed."]
2. It was a most delightful frame
[We cannot conceive of David but as exquisitely happy,
when he penned these memorable words. Indeed he tells us
elsewhere, how rich a source of happiness he found it to his soul:
" My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness ; and my
mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips c ." It is, in truth, the
felicity of heaven itself, where " they rest not day nor night,
singing salvation to God and the Lamb for ever and ever."]
3. It was a frame which it is our bounden duty also
to attain
[The commands of God to this effect are clear and positive :
" Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice d ."
" Rejoice evermore 6 ." Provision was made for the exercise of
this grace under the Jewish dispensation : feasts were appointed
expressly for it ; and every member of each family was to rejoice
before the Lord, the old and the young, the master and the
servant, and even the stranger that happened to be sojourning
among them f . And ought not we, who live under the more
liberal dispensation of the Gospel, to rejoice? Methinks there
should be no end of our joy: the resolution of David in the
text should be ours ; and we should be carrying it into effect
all the day long. Nor should untoward circumstances of any
kind rob us of our joy ; but we should say, with the Church of
old, " Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall
fruit be in the vines ; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the
a Ps. cxlvii. 1. b Ps. cxlviii. 1 13. Cite it at full length.
c Ps. Ixiii. 5. d phil. i v . 4. e 1 Thess. v. 16.
f Deut. xvi. 13 15.
675.] THE DUTY OF PRAISING GOD. 217
fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall be cut off from the
fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls ; yet will I rejoice
in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation g ."]
Nor need we despair of resembling David ; since
he points out, in our text,
II. The way in which it may be attained
As he attained it, so should we,
1. By meditation
[His " meditations on God were sweet," though in the
psalm before us, they related only to the creation and provi
dence of God. But the minuteness with which he describes all
these things clearly shews what delight he found in surveying
every particular which might illustrate his subject. What
delight, then, should we feel in contemplating all the wonders
of redemption ! Of these there is no end. In meditating on
these, we should soon be constrained to say, " How precious
are thy thoughts to me, O God ! how great is the sum of them !
If I should count them, they are more in number than the
sand: when I awake, I am still with theeV Let us, then,
address ourselves to this holy employment. Let us say, with
David, " I will remember the works of the Lord ; surely I will
remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy
work, and talk of thy doings 1 ."]
2. By resolving to rest in nothing short of it
[We do well to say, I will fear the Lord ; and well to say,
I will serve him. But these are far below our duty. We
should aspire after higher attainments than these : we should
say, with David, " I will be glad in the Lord:" I will never
be satisfied, till I have such views of his excellency, and such
a sense of his love, that I can rejoice in him, yea, till I can re
joice in him all the day. Men attain not this, because they do
not aim at it. They are contented with lower acquirements ;
and hence they know but little of delight in God. O beloved
Brethren! I would have " your hearts to be lifted up in the
ways of the Lord." Why should any of you be strangers to
this holy frame ? Why should you not " sing in the ways of the
Lord," as others have done before you ? I know, indeed, that
you cannot of yourselves create these heavenly joys : but I know
what God has said; " They shall praise the Lord that seek
him :" and if you set yourselves in earnest to enjoy him, you
shall receive from him " the Spirit of adoption," whereby you
shall be able to call him Father ; and have " the witness of the
Spirit," whereby you shall know that you are his children.
g Hab. iii. 17, 18. h Ps, cxxxix. 17, 18. } Ps. Ixxvii. 11, 12.
218 PSALMS, CVI. 4, 5. [676.
Thus walking in the light of his countenance here, you shall
have an earnest and a foretaste of your heavenly bliss.]
APPLICATION
[I beseech you, Brethren, live not so far below your pri
vileges as Christians in general are wont to live. How much
happier might you be, if you lived near to God in the con
templation of his excellencies, and in the delightful exercise of
prayer and praise ! This should be the very bent of your mind
from day to day, and it should continue to be so to the latest hour
of your life. True, indeed, this cannot be expected, unless you
embrace him and cleave unto him as your God. First learn to
say to him, " O God, thou art my God ! " and then you will find
no difficulty in adding, " Early will I seek thee k ." Then will
praise be, as it were, the natural language of your heart, and
the constant employment of your lives 1 . Then in death, also,
will your soul be joyful in your God : and " an abundant
entrance will be ministered unto you into the realms of bliss,"
where, to all eternity, you shall know no other feeling than that
of joy, no other language than that of praise.]
k Ps. Ixiii. 1. i Ps. cxlv. 1, 2. and cxlvi. 1, 2.
DCLXXVI.
THE CHRISTIAN S DESIRE.
Ps. cvi. 4, 5. Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou
bearest unto thy people : O visit me with thy salvation ; 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 in
heritance !
THE Psalms, though in many parts historical, doc
trinal, and preceptive, may yet be considered as dif
fering materially from the rest of the inspired volume,
inasmuch as, while other books of Scripture inculcate
religion, these exemplify its operations on the heart.
The words before us express the fervent desires of
David s heart ; and give occasion for observing, that,
I. The lot of God s people is truly desirable-
God " bears a peculiar favour" towards them
[He esteems them as " his chosen," " his people," " his
inheritance a ;" and shews the same tender regard towards them
as he did towards Israel of old ; guiding, protecting, and even
bearing them as on eagles wings b . Hence that congratulation
a 1 Pet. ii. 9. i> Deut. xxxii. 9 13. Isai. Ixiii. 9.
676. ] THE CHRISTIAN S DESIRE. 219
given them by Moses, a congratulation applicable to them in
every age and place .]
He gives them to enjoy the truest " good"-
[The enemies of God often possess the greatest share of
this world s goods d : but his own people have that which is
really good 6 , and which shall endure when all sublunary things
are come to an end f . He " visits them with salvation," which
comprehends every solid good, whether for soul or body, whe
ther for time or eternity.]
He fills them with "gladness" and holy "glorying"
[They are not indeed always joyful, because they have
much, both within and without, which may well occasionally
produce sorrow g : but they have seasons of joy, and sometimes
are enabled to rejoice with joy unspeakable 11 . Even in the
midst of tribulations they can often glory 1 , and shew to all
around them, that they have supports and consolations which
the world can neither give nor take away k . But what glad
ness and glorying will they have, when all grounds of sorrow
shall be finally removed l !]
Surely such a state is the most excellent on earth :
and therefore,
II. To desire a participation of it, is a laudable am
bition
The fervent petitions in the text were, doubtless,
acceptable to God
[Every man naturally desires his own happiness : nor is
this species of self-love ever wrong, except when it leads us to
seek the end by improper means. When " salvation" is the
object of our wishes, we cannot covet it too earnestly : God
himself has taught us to pray for it, and to urge our petitions
with an importunity that will take no denial. And the
answers which he gave to David n and others in the days of old,
sufficiently evince, that he is a prayer-hearing God , and that
" he delighteth in the prayer of the upright?."]
Nor can we please God more than by pleading with
him after David s example
[There is nothing so great, but we may freely ask it at
the hands of God. Nor is there any thing so peculiar to the
c Deut. xxxiii. 29. d Ps. xvii. 14. and Ixxiii. 7.
e Isai. Iv. 2. f Prov. viii. 18. e I Pet. i. 6.
h 1 Pet. i. 8. * Rom. v. 3. k Ps. xciv. 19.
I Isai. xxxv. 10. and Ix. 19, 20.
m Luke xviii. 1. Ps. Ixxxi. 10. Isai. xlv. 11.
II Ps. xxxiv. 6. and cxxxviii. 3. Ps. Ixv. 2.
v Prov. xv. 8.
220 PSALMS, CVI. 1012. [677.
saints, but we may ask it as sinners, and be certain of obtaining
it, provided we ask in humility and faith. Salvation especially,
with all its attendant joys and blessings, he is ready to give
unto all that call upon him. Let us then beg of him to impart
it to us. And let us particularly bear in mind, that we must
first be " visited with his salvation," before we can " see the
good of his chosen, and glory with his inheritance." It is
through the knowledge of Him, as our Saviour and Redeemer,
that we are to be made partakers of all other blessings. In vain
do we hope to have fellowship with his people in their felicity,
unless we first have fellowship with him in his salvation q .]
ADDRESS
1. To those who are grasping after this world
[All persons are apt to think that this world can make them
happy : but David and Solomon, who enjoyed all that the world
could give them, found all to be vanity and vexation of spirit.
Let not us then follow the beaten track, but rather aspire after
a good that never cloys, an inheritance that never fades 1 .]
2. To those who are sincerely, though faintly, pur
suing the path assigned them
[We need not fear a disappointment on account of any
uiYworthiness in ourselves. Let us beg of God to " remember
us," and he will remember us. Let us seek " his favour" in
Christ Jesus, and he will be ever ready to grant it. Only let
us prosecute this end steadily, and without wavering : so shall
we attain the object of our desires, and glory with God s in
heritance" for ever and ever.]
<i 1 John i. 3. r 1 Pet. i. 4.
DCLXXVII.
THE EFFECTS WHICH NATIONAL MERCIES SHOULD PRODUCE
ON US.
Ps. cvi. 10 12. He saved them from the hand of him that
hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
And the waters covered their enemies : there was not one of
them left. Then believed they his words; they sang his praises.
GRATITUDE for mercies received is a duty uni
versally approved. Every one sees the propriety of
acknowledging personal obligations ; nor is it less
incumbent on us to be thankful for blessings conferred
on us in our national capacity. The words before us
record the conduct of the Israelites when a signal
deliverance had been vouchsafed to them : may we
677.] EFFECTS PRODUCED BY NATIONAL MERCIES. 221
be as devoutly, and more abidingly impressed, while
we consider,
I. The mercy vouchsafed unto them
They had been in a state of extreme danger and
distress
[After their departure from Egypt they encamped by the
Red Sea ; there they were hemmed in by impassable moun
tains and morasses. Pharaoh, greatly incensed, followed them
with all his hosts, nor doubted but that he should speedily
destroy them all. They, to all appearance, had no means either
of escape or self-defence, and in this situation expected nothing
but instant ruin.]
But God vouchsafed them a most astonishing deli
verance
[He prevented the nearer approach of Pharaoh by inter
posing a thick cloud between the Israelites and the Egyptians.
He made a path across the sea, the waters standing as a wall
on either side : he led his people through it as on dry land.
Giving up Pharoah to judicial blindness and obduracy, he
suffered him, at the head of his army, to follow the hosts of
Israel ; but, when the Israelites were passed over, he let loose
the waves upon their pursuers : thus in an instant were the
Egyptian armies overwhelmed, and Israel saw their enemies
dead upon the sea-shore. How wonderful was this interposition
of the Deity, and how great the obligation conferred by it !]
Nor were they at the time insensible of the kind
ness manifested to them :
II. The effects produced by it
They had shewed themselves an ungrateful and
unbelieving people-
But now, for a season, they were greatly changed:
1. They believed God s word
[They had had reason enough before to believe the pro
mises made to them : Moses had confirmed his word by many
stupendous miracles ; but they no sooner came into difficulty
than they renewed their murmurs. Now, however, they were
forced to confess the power and faithfulness of God, nor did
they suppose that they should ever yield to unbelief again.]
2. They sang his praise
[The salvation afforded them was inexpressibly great, and
the hand of God in it was too visible to be overlooked : how
ever therefore they might pity the individuals who perished,
they could not but rejoice in their own safety, nor could they
PSALMS, CVL 2123. [678.
refrain from praising him who had wrought their deliverance ;
the most obdurate could not but feel; the most insensible
could not but admire. Happy would it have been for them if
they had always continued in this mind ; but though, through
frailty, they soon relinquished this heavenly temper, the effect,
while it lasted, was good and suitable.]
IMPROVEMENT
1. Let us endeavour to get our minds duly im
pressed with the temporal deliverances vouchsafed to
us as a nation
[We must be blind indeed if we see not the hand of God
in the repeated victories which we have lately gained : though
they have not been either so miraculous or so complete as that
recorded in the text, they demand our most grateful acknow
ledgments. Had they been as numerous and decisive in favour
of our enemies as they have been on our part, we should before
this time have seen this land the theatre of war. Let us then
praise and adore our God for his interposition on our behalf;
nor let us soon forget the wonders he has wrought for us ; let
us rather turn to him in an humble dependence on his mercy ;
Let us plead the promises he has made to all penitent and
believing people ; and let us, in faith and penitence, expect the
accomplishment of his word.]
2. Let us take occasion also to bless him for the
spiritual deliverance wrought for us as individuals
[Our danger from the broken law was far greater than
from human foes : there was no possible method of escape, if
God had not interposed for us ; but he has opened a way for
us through the death of his own Son, and utterly vanquished
all the enemies of our salvation. Let every heart and every
tongue unite in his praise ; nor let the remembrance of his
mercy be ever effaced from our minds, but let his word, whereby
he encourages sinners, be our hope ; then shall every fresh vic
tory be a pledge of future triumphs, and the final destruction
of our enemies be the subject of eternal praise.]
DCLXXVIII.
THE EVIL AND DANGER OF INGRATITUDE.
Ps. cvi. 21 23. They format God their Saviour, which had done
great things in Egypt ; wondrous ivorks in the land of Ham,
and terrible things by the Red Sea. Therefore he said that
he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before
him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should
destroy them.
678.] THE EVIL AND DANGER OF INGRATITUDE. 223
THERE is scarcely any sin more strongly repro
bated in the Scripture than ingratitude. In the
catalogue which the Apostle gives us of the crimes
committed by the heathen world, unthankfulness to
God is particularly specified as one of the most
heinous and inexcusable 21 . And the judgments de
nounced against one of the most eminent saints for a
single instance of it, indisputably prove, how hateful
it must be in the sight of God b . In improving the
instance recorded in the text, we shall,
I. Consider the history referred to
[The history to which our text alludes is so well known,
as not to need many words either to record or explain it.
There were mercies vouchsafed to the Israelites in Egypt, such
as never had been experienced before from the foundation of
the world But they presently forgat their almighty
Deliverer, and worshipped a golden calf in his stead. This
justly excited the indignation of God, and determined him to
destroy them. But Moses, having already fasted forty days and
nights, fell down before God, and, during forty more days and
nights, neither ate nor drank, but interceded on behalf of this
rebellious people. God in answer to his intercession averted the
stroke, and forbore to punish them according to their deserts .]
II. Apply it to existing circumstances
[We need not recall to your minds what great things God
has lately done for us also in Egypt d . Except in the history
of the Jewish nation, there is scarcely any victory recorded in
the annals of the world that was more glorious or complete
than that vouchsafed to us. Yet how have we requited the
Lord? At first, like the Jews, we were willing to give God
the glory, and to sing his praise : but has not the impression
worn off? and have we not shamefully " forgotten our Bene
factor ? " Well might God s anger wax hot against us,
to consume us for such ingratitude - Nor can we ascribe
it to any thing but the intercessions of God s people that his
wrath has not burst forth against us, as against Korah and his
company, to destroy us utterly.]
III. Deduce from it some suitable observations
OBSERVE,
1. The duty of secret intercession
[We are commanded to pray for all men, and especially
a Rom. i. 21. b 2 Chron. xxxii. 25. c Exod. xxxii. 8 14.
d This was the first fast-day after Lord Nelson s victory near the
Nile, 1800.
224 PSALMS, CVI. 2123. [678.
for kings and all that are in authority. Yea, even in Babylon,
were the Jews taught to pray for the peace and prosperity of
their very oppressors: how much more then should we inter
cede for our native country, where we enjoy every liberty that
we can desire ! Let it not be said, that our governors do not
deserve our prayers; for the injunction to pray for kings was
delivered in the reign of Nero, than whom a more wicked
prince could not exist. Let us then make a conscience of this
duty ; for if we know not to intercede for others, we have no
reason to think that we have ever yet seen aright the value of
our own souls.]
2. The benefit of public fasts
[The honour God has put upon public fasts is well known
to all; and his answers to united supplications have been
as signal as the hand of God could make them. The victory
given to Jehoshaphat e , the respite to Nine veh f , and the deli
verance to Peter the very day before his intended destruction g ,
sufficiently evince, that God will hear the united prayers of his
people. Indeed, if one man, Moses, so prevailed for the saving
of a whole nation, what deliverance should not nations receive,
if they would all unite in prayer ! If a few individuals alone
mourn for the land, they shall have at least some tokens of
peculiar favour to themselves, though they should not succeed
in averting God s anger from the nation at large h . But if there
be not some to stand in the breach, it cannot fail but that we
must be overwhelmed 1 .]
3. The guilt and danger of neglecting Christ
[Great as were the mercies vouchsafed to the Jews in
Egypt, they are not to be compared with the redemption which
we have experienced through Christ : as our bondage was infi
nitely more grievous, so the means used to effect our deliver
ance, infinitely enhance the value of the deliverance itself; we
are bought with blood, and that blood was the blood of our
incarnate God -What destruction then must not we
expect if we should forget "God our Saviour k ? " Nor
is it the intercession of others that shall ever prevail to avert it
from us ; we must pray, every one of us for himself : not but
that mutual intercession may in this respect be productive of
great benefits. Let us then " bear his great goodness in re
membrance," and let it be our song in time, as it shall be
through all eternity.]
e 2 Chron. xx. 12, 15. f Jonah iii. 10. s Acts xii. 58.
* Ezek. ix. 4, 6. Zeph. iii. 18.
1 Ezek. xxii. 31, 32. Amos. vi. 1, 6. k Heb. ii. 3.
679.] THE ZEAL OF PHINEHAS COMMENDED. 225
DCLXXIX.
THE ZEAL OF PHINEHAS COMMENDED.
Ps. cvi. 30. Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment ;
and so the plague was stayed*.
TO enter profitably into this subject, it will be
necessary that I state, in few words, the history to
which my text refers.
Balaam had been invited by Balak, King of Moab,
to come and curse Israel, whose approach he dreaded,
and whom he hoped by these means to subdue.
Balaam, " coveting the wages of unrighteousness/
thought to enrich himself by executing the wishes of
the king of Moab ; but was overruled by God to
bless the very people whom he was hired to curse.
Accordingly he was dismissed without the expected
reward. But, with a view of obtaining the promised
recompence, he struck out another way in which
Balak might ultimately gain his end. He knew, that, if
Israel could be ensnared to cast off their allegiance to
God, they might lose his protection, and thus fall an
easy prey to their enemies. He advised therefore,
that Balak should facilitate an intercourse between
the Moabitish women and Israel ; and thus draw the
people of Israel into an illicit connexion with them.
And this once established, the Israelites would, in all
probability, be led to attend the Moabitish women to
their sacred feasts ; and thus, by conforming to their
habits, they would, in a short time, be seduced to a
participation with them in their idolatrous rites.
In this advice Balaam had but too well succeeded ;
and almost the whole of Israel were thus drawn into
the sins of fornication and idolatry : to punish which,
Jehovah had inflicted on them a plague, whereby
no less than three and twenty thousand Israelites
were slain. To avert the anger of the Most High,
Moses issued an order, that the judges of Israel
should " slay all those who had joined themselves to
Baal-Peor, the god of Moab, and hang them up
a Numb. xxv. 13. "He was zealous for his God, and made an
atonement for the children of Israel," would be a good text for this
sermon.
VOL. VI. Q
PSALMS, CVI. 30. [679.
before the Lord against the sun." In this way one
thousand more were slain. Yet behold, whilst ven
geance was thus executing upon the offenders,, a
prince of one of the tribes brought a Midianitish
princess, in the very sight of Moses and of the whole
congregation, to his tent, defying, as it were, the
indignation both of God and man, and setting at
nought all regard even to common decency : and it
was on this occasion that Phinehas, the grandson of
Aaron the high-priest, rose up from his place, and
followed them to their tent, and with his javelin
pierced both of them through their bodies in the very
act of sin : and thus, making, as it were, an atone
ment to the Divine justice, he prevailed with the
Deity to stop the plague.
Now this act of his being very highly commended
in the Scriptures, and being replete with instruction
proper to this occasion b , I shall point out,
I. The importance of zeal in a general view.
II. The excellence of it as displayed in the history
before us.
I. Zeal in itself may be either good or bad according
to the object to which it is directed. Hence the
Apostle limits his commendation of it by this parti
cular consideration ; " It is good to be zealously
affected always in a good thing." If exercised in a
bad cause, it only precipitates a person to the com
mission of greater evil : but, when put forth in the
prosecution of a good object, it facilitates the attain
ment of the end proposed. Without zeal, nothing that
is at all difficult can be accomplished. From what
ever our indifference arise, it can never succeed in any
arduous undertaking. If we be indolent in study, we
can never make any great proficiency either in art or
science. There may be, it is true, a brightness of
genius which shall enable a person to shine amongst
his fellows without much labour : but he will be
b An Assize Sermon, at Cambridge, March 12, 1831, just after
riotous combinations against agricultural machinery, together with
most destructive incendiarism, which had prevailed in many parts of
the country, were put down by a special commission at Winchester.
679. J THE ZEAL OF PHINEHAS COMMENDED. 227
altogether superficial in his knowledge, and will soon
betray his want of diligence by the slenderness of his
attainments. The same will be found true in every
department of life. It is " the diligent hand alone
that maketh rich." It is not always found indeed
that labour, however great, is crowned with success:
but where eminence in any arduous pursuit is attained,
we may be sure that great zeal has been exercised in
the prosecution of it. Who ever enlightened the
world with discoveries in philosophy, without having
first devoted much time to study, and laboured hard
for the furnishing and enriching of his own mind ?
Even success in attainments of a lower order is not
gained without much previous exertion in that par
ticular line in which the effort is made. In the
Grecian games, for instance, a long course of self-
denying labour was necessary to enable any man to
rise above his competitors, and to secure the distinc
tion at which he aimed. So in every thing, if a man
would either benefit others, or distinguish himself, he
must put forth zeal in the prosecution of the end
which he has in view. Had Phinehas not felt more
deeply than others the dishonour done to God, and
stirred himself more resolutely to avenge his cause,
he had neither turned away God s wrath from Israel,
nor obtained for himself the commendation given
him. It was his zeal for God that put him forth
beyond all others, and that has rendered him an
example to mankind to the remotest ages of the world.
This zeal of his forms the chief subject of our
present discourse, and therefore we shall point out,
II. The excellence of it as displayed in the history
before us.
To view his conduct aright, we must consider him
as performing a magisterial act of piety towards man,
and a ministerial act of piety towards God; in both
which points of view it is highly commended to us
by God himself.
See it as a magisterial act of justice towards man.
Magistrates are appointed by Almighty God as his
vicegerents in the government of the world. They
PSALMS, CVI. 30. [679.
are set over their fellow-creatures for the preservation
of order, to give protection to the peaceable, and
to punish those who, by any evil deeds, would inter
rupt the welfare of the community. They are to
exercise authority for him ; being his ministers for
good to the people over whom they are placed ; nor
are they to bear the sword in vain, but to be " re
vengers in his name to execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil c ."
Now it is obvious that when iniquity abounds, and
is sanctioned and upheld, not only by the multitude,
but by persons of distinction and pow r er, it is no easy
matter for a magistrate to discharge his duty aright.
On the one hand, he is afraid of appearing singular,
and of having his interposition ascribed to unworthy
motives ; and, on the other hand, he is apprehensive
that he shall fail in his efforts to withstand the evils
which he deplores. He sees others, perhaps, as
willing as himself to lament the reigning corruption,
but not willing to incur the odium of standing forth
as reformers, and of exerting their power for the
correction of it. He knows how much more ready
all will be to blame his zeal, than to commend it :
and therefore he is disposed rather to wait till he can
find others to co-operate with him, than by extra
ordinary and unaided efforts to put to shame those
who draw back from their duty, and are destitute of
that zeal which he feels it incumbent on him to
employ.
This was the state of Phinehas. He was but a
young man, and therefore might be condemned as
officious, and unbecomingly obtrusive. The offenders
too were persons of the highest rank in the nations
to which they belonged : and the elder rulers, who,
together with him, were witnesses of this horrible
impiety, were all either intimidated or stupified; so
that not one of them felt disposed to avenge the
cause of Israel and of God on these flagrant trans
gressors. But he would not wait for others. He
would discharge his duty at all events ; and whatever
c Rom. xiii. 1 4.
679.] THE ZEAL OF PHINEIIAS COMMENDED.
others might either say or do, he would approve
himself to God as an active magistrate, and a con
scientious servant of the Most High. That he
did not go forth as one who was not authorized to
execute the laws, is evident from the commendation
given to him both by God and man : and therefore
he stands as a pattern for all magistrates to discharge
their official duties manfully, without favour and
without fear.
What a blessing such magistrates are to any land,
may be seen in the benefits which, by that one act,
Phinehas obtained for the whole nation of Israel.
On his executing of judgment, the plague was stayed.
Four and twenty thousand, in the whole, had perished
in one day; and, had he delayed to discharge his
duty in this matter till his brethren in office should
join him, no one can tell how many thousands more
would have fallen a sacrifice to the wrath of God.
But by this act of his he " made atonement for the
children of Israel," and " averted God s wrath from
them." He arrested also the progress of iniquity;
and obtained for himself the highest honours, even
"the covenant of an everlasting priesthood:" and
" this act of his was counted to him for righteousness
unto all generations for evermore d ."
We are not to suppose that this act formed his
justifying righteousness before God; for not all the
obedience of the best of men could ever avail for
that : but it proved to all future generations that he
was a righteous man, and that no consideration under
heaven could deter him from a faithful discharge of
his duties, whether to God or man.
Now such a blessing are conscientious magistrates
in every age and in every land : and they who boldly
maintain the authority of the laws, however they
may be traduced and calumniated for a season, are,
indeed, the most honourable members of society,
and, sooner or later, will receive the approbation of
every considerate man. The obligations we owe to
such are, at this moment, seen and felt through the
d ver. 31.
230 PSALMS, CVI. 30. [679.
land, in the suppression of outrage, and in the dimi
nution of the terrors diffused through the whole
country by reckless and desperate incendiaries. And
I cannot but hope that the firmness manifested both
by the civil and legal powers IN OUR SISTER ISLE%
will be attended with a similar blessing from the Most
High. It is right, it is necessary, that law should rule:
an.d, if it cannot be upheld, but by the exercise of
severity towards those who would trample it under
their feet, it is right that those who set it at nought
should be made victims of their own folly and wicked
ness. I say again, the law must rule ; and neither
the many nor the great are to set it aside. And if in
the suppression of evil somewhat of laxity prevailed
amongst us for a season, that time is past, and shall
not readily, I hope, return again. The whole people
of the land, though but too easily wrought upon by
factious demagogues, are yet in their cooler moments
united firmly in this one sentiment, that, if not even
the King himself can rule but according to law, neither
factious demagogues, nor an excited populace, are to
be suffered to rule contrary to law. This is acknow
ledged now through all the grades of society; and, I
trust, will ever be maintained amongst us by those
whose office it is, whether as magistrates or jurors, to
administer justice, and to uphold and execute the laws.
But I observed that this action of Phinehas may
also be considered as a ministerial act of piety to
wards God.
In this light it is placed by God himself: " Phinehas
the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath
turned my wrath away from the children of Israel,
while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I
consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant
of peace : and he shall have it, and his seed after him,
even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, be
cause he was zealous for his God, and made an atone-
e The agitator O Connell checked by Lord Anglesea and Mr.
Stanley, and made to plead guilty. Jan. 1831.
679.] THE ZEAL OF PHINEHAS COMMENDED. 231
ment for the children of Israeli" He was the
presumptive heir to the high-priesthood: and with
his own hand he here offered an atonement to his
offended God, for whose honour he was deeply in
terested, and whose wrath he laboured to avert. In
this so far as his zeal for God s honour was concerned,
he is a pattern for ministers in all future ages. As
to the act itself, that was peculiar to the situation and
circumstances in which he stood : nor is any man
now authorized to follow his example. Not the first
man on earth is at liberty to take the law into his
own hand, and to execute its sentence in the sum
mary way that he did. Every thing now must be
transacted through a legal process, and by officers
specially appointed to that end. But the same zeal
as animated the soul of Phinehas, should glow in the
bosom of every minister of Christ. The aboundings
of iniquity should occasion " great heaviness and
continual sorrow of heart" in all who serve in
God s sanctuary; yea, " rivers of tears should run
down their eyes night and day" because of the dis
honour which is done to God by a thoughtless and
rebellious world.
But to exercise a becoming zeal for God is no easy
matter ; and any person standing forth, as Phinehas,
to stem the torrent of wickedness which flows around
him, will be exposed to much obloquy as a bold
fanatical enthusiast. In every age such ministers
have "been for signs and for wonders" in the Church
of God. At the time of the deluge we hear of but
one person, Noah, who dared to enter his protest
against the impiety of the world around him. In
Elijah s time, though there were seven thousand who
were not addicted to the reigning sin, there was but
one who openly declaimed against it. And so it is
now. There are doubtless many thousands of persons
in the land, both of ministers and people, who with
stand in secret the corruptions of the world ; but yet
any man, who, like Phinehas, should stand up with
becoming zeal to arrest the progress of iniquity,
Numb. xxv. 1113.
32 PSALMS, CVI. 30. [679.
would be accounted " a troubler of our Israel," and
be condemned for his needless, his insufferable, pre-
ciseness. But whence is this ? It is owing to the
lukewarmness of the generality, and not to any undue
energy in those who serve the Lord. Of all people
under heaven, a minister of Christ is most bound to
exert himself in the cause of his Divine Master.
Ministers are intended to be " lights in a dark world ; "
yea, they are " the salt of the earth," which, by its
influence, is destined to keep the whole world from
corruption. Nor ought any consideration either of
hope or of fear to sway them in the least. They
should be unmoved by seductions of any kind, and
should be ready to lay down their own lives for the
honour of God, and the welfare of their fellow-
creatures. Yes, this is the sacrifice which they
should be ready to make : for so says the holy Apostle :
" If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of
your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all: do ye also
joy and rejoice with me g ." Here the Apostle con
siders his converts as an offering to God : and, as
libations were poured forth upon the offerings, he
accounted his heart s blood as a proper libation to be
poured forth for them; and the shedding of it an
occasion for most unqualified joy.
For the averting of God s wrath, it is true, we can
offer no atonement. But we can speak of an atone
ment which has been offered, even that once offered
by our blessed Lord upon the cross ; and that is a
sufficient " propitiation for the sins of the whole
world." But how shall I speak of that ? If we
admire the zeal of Phinehas, who offered to God an
atonement by the sacrifice of the offenders, what shall
I say of our great High-Priest, who has made an
atonement by the sacrifice of himself, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God ? Here was
zeal indeed, and " a love that passeth knowledge."
But by this it is that God is pacified towards us.
There is, alas ! a moral plague prevailing throughout
our whole camp, and slaying its tens of thousands in
s Phil. ii. 17, 18.
679.1 TIIE ZEAL OF PHINEHAS COMMENDED.
a day. Bat by means of this atonement we are em
powered both to arrest its progress, and to take away
its guilt.
And need I say, that such ministers are a blessing
in the land ? Truly they are a blessing, and shall be
accounted so as long as the world shall stand. What
if, like Phinehas,they overstep the bounds observed by
their more lukewarm fellows ? They shall, like him, be
honoured both by God and man ; whilst the memory
of less faithful ministers shall pass away into oblivion,
like a morning cloud. Their zeal shall be counted to
them for righteousness to the latest ages : not for
their justifying righteousness, as I have before ob
served; for in Christ alone can that righteousness
be found, and from him it must be received by faith
alone : but, as an evidence of their piety, it shall be
counted to them, and be a ground of praise and
thanksgiving to God amongst all who shall be called
to imitate their bright example.
What then do I look for on this occasion ? I call
for zeal, even for the zeal of Phinehas, in all the
magistrates, and in all the ministers, of our land.
In Phinehas these offices were united ; as in some
instances they are amongst ourselves ; though I think,
for the most part, unhappily and unwisely. A
minister, instead of affecting a double occupation,
should rather say, with our blessed Lord, " Who
made me a ruler and a judge over you?" And sure
I am, that, if a minister will give himself entirely to
his own proper work, he will find enough to occupy
all his time and all his thoughts. The offices of the
magistracy and the ministry are perfectly distinct.
Magistrates have to uphold and enforce the laws of
man ; ministers have to propagate the glorious gospel
of the blessed God. The office of the magistrate
has respect to the temporal welfare of mankind ; the
office of a minister is to promote, in every possible
way, their spiritual and eternal interests. Still, how
ever, there should be in both a cordial and energetic
co-operation for the honour of God, and for the good
of man. A minister often needs the support of
234 PSALMS, CVL 30. [679.
magisterial authority, and should find it promptly
exerted for him when occasion requires. On the
other hand, the magistrate, whose office is rather for
the suppression of evil than the inculcation of good,
needs the aid of ministers, for the effecting of an
entire change in the sentiments and habits of the
community. Let each, therefore, be found in the
faithful discharge of their respective duties ; so may
we hope that God s wrath shall be averted from our
guilty land, and that his covenant blessings shall be
poured forth upon us through eternal ages.
I cannot close my subject without briefly observing,
that we all have within the camp of our own hearts
many corruptions, which have provoked the displea
sure of the Most High, and which need to be sought
out, and prosecuted, and slain. O that there were in
all of us a holy zeal in reference to them, and that
we would sacrifice them to God with an unsparing
hand ! It is said of " all that truly belong to Christ,
that they have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lusts." Can we appeal to God that this is our
character ? Do our lives bear witness to us, that
whilst the great mass of the community care for
nothing beyond the pleasures, the riches, the honours,
of the world, and those who should stand forth as
champions for God, are lukewarm and timid in his
sacred cause, we dare to be singular, and firm and
zealous in the discharge of our respective duties, and,
above all, in the devotion of our souls to God ?
Truly we should all, if I may so express myself,
begin at home. God has at this moment a contro
versy with the whole nation. And, though magis
trates and ministers may do much to correct the
abuses which prevail in external matters, that will be
of little avail to pacify our offended God. God looks
at the heart. That must be humbled for our past
iniquities, and purged from the allowed indulgence of
any sin. Yea, that must be consecrated to God, with
all its faculties and all its powers : it must first be
cleansed in the blood of Christ, and then be sancti
fied by his Spirit. Then shall the chastising hand of
680.] PRAISE TO GOD FOR HIS MERCIES. 235
God be removed from us, in our individual capacity
at least, if not collectively as a nation : and, at all
events, his eternal judgments shall be averted from
us, and all the blessings of his covenant be our ever
lasting portion. This is the plague which, after all,
we are most interested in removing, even " the plague
of our own hearts ;" and this once removed by faith
in the Lord Jesus, and by the influences of his Spirit,
we shall have the righteousness of Christ imputed to
us, and stand accepted of our God for ever and ever.
DCLXXX.
PRAISE TO GOD FOR HIS MERCIES.
Ps. cvi. 48. Messed be the Lord God of Israel from everlast
ing to everlasting ! and let all the people say, Amen. Praise
ye the Lord !
WE find in the world almost an universal preju
dice against religion, as a source of melancholy.
And more especially if the wickedness of man be
portrayed in very deep colours, it is supposed that
we shall drive all our hearers to despair. But where
shall we find the sins of Israel more awfully depicted,
than in the psalm before us ? Yet, how is it closed ?
with weepings and with wailings ? No : but with as
devout an ascription of praise as is to be found in all
the inspired volume. The truth is, that nothing
so elevates the soul as a contrasted view of God s
mercies and our own vileness : and no man will
build so high a superstructure of praise, as he who
digs deepest into the corruptions of his own heart,
and lays his foundation broadest on God s sovereign
grace in Christ Jesus. Behold, then, I pray you,
I. The ebullition of heart here manifested !
What is it that the Psalmist has been contem
plating ?
[He give us, in the psalm, an epitome of the conduct of all
Israel, from the time of their coming out of Egypt to the time
of David 3 . He mentions their provoking of God at the Red
Sea, their lusting after sensual gratifications, their mutinying
a See 1 Chron. xvi. 35, 36.
236 PSALMS, CVI. 48. [680.
against his vicegerents, their worshipping of the molten calf,
their contempt of the Promised Land, their joining with the
Moabites and Midianites in the worship of Baal-peor, their
quarrelling with Moses at Kadesh ; and, finally, their incor
porating themselves with the Canaanites, and imitating their
idolatrous and cruel customs.
But together with all this, he shews how graciously God had
dealt with them : for though he had inflicted many and sore
judgments upon them, he had not yet finally forsaken them ;
but, for his own name sake, and for the sake of the covenant
which he had made with them, he still continued to them his
tender mercies.]
And was not all this a ground for praise and
thanksgiving ?
[Methinks it was not possible for any one who duly con
sidered the subjects here brought before him, to feel otherwise
than as the Psalmist himself felt on the occasion. For, had
God taken them in this manner from the midst of another
nation, and multiplied his mercies to them to such an extent,
and for so many hundreds of years, in the midst of all their
rebellions ; and shall they not " bless him ?" Had he so shewn
himself both " the God of Israel" and " a God to Israel;" and
shall they not adore him? Shall they not desire that all should
be alike impressed with a sense of these mercies, and that God
should be alike glorified in all and by all ? Methinks, when it
was said, " Let all the people say, Amen," there was not one
dissentient or silent voice in the midst of them. Indeed, we
are expressly told that " they did all say, Amen; and praised
the Lord b ." And, if there had been one who refused to unite
in this tribute of praise, he might well have been separated
from the congregation, as a curse to the Church, and as un
worthy to be numbered amongst the Lord s people.]
From hence, then, we may clearly see,
II. The corresponding feeling which it should gene
rate in us
We have experienced an infinitely greater redemp
tion than they
[Theirs was from temporal bondage, which, at all events,
must have been ere long terminated by death : ours is from the
chains of sin and Satan, death and hell - Theirs was by
power only : ours is by price as well as power, even by the
inestimable price of our Redeemer s blood c - ]
And, notwithstanding this, we have been as rebel
lious as ever they were
b See the preceding reference. c 1 Pet. i. 18, 19.
680.] PRAISE TO GOD FOR HIS MERCIES. 237
[Were our sins noted in a book, as theirs are, we should be
found to have been as perverse and obstinate as they. In truth,
their history is a mirror, wherein the countenance of the whole
Christian world shines as clearly as the sun at noon-day. They
are the very prototype, to which we are perfectly conformed ;
yes, and with incomparably greater guilt than they, inasmuch as
our obligations to God are infinitely greater than theirs ]
Yet is God more merciful to us than ever he was
to them
[True, he has at times visited us with judgments : but he
has never cast us off, or " shut up his loving-kindness in dis
pleasure." On the contrary, he still follows us with offers of
mercy through his beloved Son, and importunes us to accept of
reconciliation with him through the blood that was shed for
us upon the cross ]
What, then, should be our sense of gratitude to
wards him !
[If the Israelites were called to bless him as " the God of
Israel," how much more should we bless him as " the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and our God and Father in
him ! If they were called to bless him in a review of his con
duct towards them, how much more may we, in reference to
his conduct towards us ! If every one of the people was to
utter his " Amen " at the giving of thanks to God, what shall
be said of us, if there be one amongst us who shall shew
reluctance to unite in this holy exercise? Methinks " the very
stones would cry out against him." To every one of you, then,
I say with confidence, bear your part with us : and when we
say, " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to
everlasting," let every one of you, without exception, " say,
Amen, Amen, Amen!" yes, with one heart and one voice, I
say to all, without exception, " Praise ye the Lord."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are not yet liberated from their
bondage
[Such there were in the days of Saul and of David, who
were in captivity among the heathen. And how would it be
possible for them to unite with their brethren in Jerusalem in
these songs of praise ? " How could they sing the Lord s song
in a strange land?" Hence they pray, " Save us, O Lord our
God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks
unto thy name, and to triumph in thy praise d !" The same
prayer I recommend to you. I know you cannot rise to this
devout and holy frame whilst you are under bondage to guilt
d ver. 47.
238 PSALMS, CVII. 13. [681.
and fear and evil habits : it is impossible you should. But, if
once you obtain reconciliation with God, and, " by a spirit of
adoption, are enabled to call him Father," then will your mouth
be opened to sing his praise ; and you will desire that every
child of man should join with you in that blest employment.]
2. Those who have been brought into " the liberty
of the children of God"-
[To you this song of praise is nothing more than the
prevailing expression of your feelings before God. To bless
and magnify your God, is the joy of your soul : and you are
ready to obey the call, when God s ministers invite you to unite
in that holy exercise. Behold, then, I now say, " Blessed be
the Lord God of Israel ! and let every one of you say, Amen."
Say it, then ; say it cordially ; say it devoutly. We are told,
that when the Christians of the primitive Churches said Amen,
so general and so earnest was the utterance given to that
word, that the sound was like thunder. I will not pretend to
say what their circumstances might call for ; nor will I sit in
judgment upon those of whom I know so little. But at this
day, I confess, I should prefer a more quiet expression of our
feelings and our desires. I am not fond of vociferation in
prayer ; nor do I like a noisy piety. I prefer what is intimated
in that delicate expression of the Psalmist : " Praise is silent
before thee, O Lord e ." But let God hear " your breathing
and your cry f :" and doubt not but that He will accept it at
your hands ; and, by the efforts which you make to praise him
now, will he prepare you to join in everlasting " Hallelujahs"
in the realms above.]
e Ps. Ixv. 1. The Hebrew, as mentioned in the margin.
f Lam. iii. 56.
DCLXXXI.
PRAISE TO GOD FOR REDEMPTION.
Ps. cvii. 1 3. O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good;
for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the
Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the
enemy ; and gathered them out of the lands, from the east,
and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
THE intent of this psalm appears to be, not merely
to display the providence of God as interposing in all
the concerns of men, but especially the goodness of
God in vouchsafing to hear the prayers of men, and
to grant them deliverance in answer to their suppli-
681.} PRAISE TO GOD FOR REDEMPTION. 239
cations. This is illustrated under a variety of in
teresting images. His interpositions are described
in behalf of travellers lost, but conducted home in
safety ; of prisoners rescued from merited captivity ;
of persons sick and dying, restored to health ; of
mariners preserved, and brought to their desired
haven. But we must not confine our attention to
temporal deliverances only ; for it is manifest in the
very commencement of the psalm that respect is had
to the goodness and mercy of God in their most
extended operations, and especially in the great work
of redemption : for it is " from the east and from the
west, from the north and from the south," that he
has already gathered his redeemed people % and that
he will yet gather them into the kingdom of his Mes
siah b , even " Shiloh, unto whom shall the gathering of
the people be c ." In considering the different images,
we might notice both the temporal and spiritual
deliverances which they severally refer to : but at
present we shall wave all reference to them, and
notice only the great work of redemption, as set
forth in the words before us ; wherein we see,
I. The duty of all to give thanks to God-
Consider,
1. The grounds of it
[Wherever we turn our eyes, we cannot but see that " the
Lord is good."" Survey the heavenly bodies, and contemplate
the benefits derived from them : view the earth with its in
numerable productions for the good of man : examine your
corporeal frame, and think how every part performs its office
for the benefit of the whole : above all, reflect on the powers
and faculties of our immortal souls, and mark how by them we
are elevated above all the rest of the creation, and fitted for an
infinitely higher state of existence in the presence of our God:
and then say whether we have not reason to proclaim the
goodness of our God
But the " mercy" of our God is yet, if possible, a more
stupendous object of admiration ; because goodness manifested
itself to us in innocence ; whereas mercy is exercised towards
us under an inconceivable load of guilt. Think how it was
displayed to man at first, in promising him a Saviour : think
a Matt. viii. 11. b Isai. xliii. 5, 6. andlvi. 8. c Gen. xlix. 10.
210 PSALMS, CV1I. 13. [681.
how it wrought in due time, in sending that Saviour into the
world, even the eternal Son of God, and in laying all our ini
quities on him. Think how it has shewn itself to every individual
amongst us, in bearing with all our iniquities, and in following
us with offers of a free and full salvation. Think how it has
lasted towards the children of men, and how it shall last towards
all who embrace its gracious offers. Surely if .our minds were
affected as they ought to be with this wonderful subject, we
should never cease to praise and adore our God
2. The duty itself
[" O give thanks unto the Lord" for these things, all of
you, old and young, rich and poor, one with another ! If there
be one amongst us that has not participated in these benefits,
we will be content that he shall be silent : but the very circum
stance that we are still on mercy s ground is abundant evidence
that we have reason to join in one universal song of praise and
thanksgiving. Think of the fallen angels, who never had a
Saviour provided for them : think of the millions of the human
race who never heard of the Saviour that has been provided
for them, or that, having heard of him, have been left to perish
in a neglect of his salvation : think of these things, and then,
if you can, deny your obligations to the goodness and mercy
of your God ]
But let us more especially consider,
II. The peculiar obligations of the redeemed to doso
" Let the redeemed of the Lord say so :" yes, if
ye " whom he has delivered out of the hand of the
enemy, and gathered to himself," are silent, " the
very stones will cry out against you." Think,
1. From whence you have been gathered
[The remotest ends of the earth are not so far from each
other, as ye were from God and in this state ye were
led captive by the devil at his will ]
2. By what means ye were redeemed
[It was by the precious blood of God s only dear Son d
- It was also by the effectual working of his power : for
he, as a good Shepherd, sought you out, and apprehended you,
and brought you home on his shoulders rejoicing 6 ]
3. To what ye are brought
[As the Lord s redeemed people, ye are brought into a
state of peace with God : ye have the privilege of constant
communion with him: ye may expect at his hands every
d Eph. ii. 13. e Ezek. xxxiv. 12. Luke xv. ,3.
681.] PRAISE TO GOD FOR REDEMPTION. 24*1
blessing which your souls can desire : and ye shall finally possess
all the glory and felicity of heaven.
Think now what, in the view of these things, should be the
state of your minds. If those who have never yet experienced
one of these benefits, have yet abundant reason to celebrate
the goodness and mercy of their God, have not ye much more ?
O " let the redeemed of the Lord say so :" let them sing his
praises day and night : let them adore him with their whole
hearts ]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are yet insensible of God s goodness
[Alas ! how great a portion of every assembly are com
prehended under this description ! Well, know ye then
that we require no other proof of your perishing condition.
Tell us not from what sins ye are free : we will grant all that
ye are pleased to say : but we declare you to be blind, ignorant,
base, ungrateful creatures : ye have no hearts to adore your
God ; and therefore if ye die in your present state, ye can never
enter into the kingdom of heaven, where the one employment
of the blest inhabitants is to sing the praises of redeeming love.
If ever ye be truly converted unto God, this new song will be put
into your mouths, and be sung by you day and night f ]
2. Those who love the blessed work
[Some there are, and may God increase their number an
hundredfold! who delight to bless and praise their God
Go on then, dearly Beloved, and abound more and more.
Though your songs are as yet but faint, they are truly pleasing
in the ears of your reconciled God and Father. This song in
particular is grateful to him. Mark what notice he took of it
when sung by Solomon s So will he come down and fill
your souls with his glory Mark also what honour he put
upon it when sung by Jehoshaphat h So will he defeat all
the confederacies, whether of earth or hell, that may be formed
against you Sing on then with increasing gratitude,
even to the end ; and soon shall the golden harp be put into
your hands, and you shall join with that heavenly choir in that
more perfect song in which they all unite, even in singing,
" Salvation to God and to the Lamb for ever and ever."]
f Ps. xl. 13. with Jer. xxxiii. 11. s 2 Chron. v. 13.
h 2 Chron. xx. 21. 22.
VOL. vi. R
242 PSALMS, CVII. 8, 9. [682.
DCLXXXII.
THE DUTY AND GROUNDS OF PRAISE.
Ps. cvii. 8, 9. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of
men ! for he satisfieth the longing soul, andjilleth the hungry
soul with goodness.
AMONG the various graces which characterize the
true Christian, that of gratitude to God is very con
spicuous. Others indeed will confess their obligations
to the Supreme Being ; but none are duly sensible
of them, till they have been renewed by the Holy
Spirit. When once we have " tasted that the Lord is
gracious," and been impressed with a sense of re
deeming love, we shall view the goodness of God in
all his dispensations ; and, not only glorify him our
selves, but earnestly desire that all should render him
the honour due unto his name. This disposition was
eminently displayed in David, when he penned the
Psalm before us. No less than four times does he
repeat the fervent wish, that men would praise the
Lord : and at each time does he suggest the most
ample grounds for the performance of that duty.
From his words we shall take occasion to consider,
I. The duty here recommended
Wherever a superior being is acknowledged, there
a tribute of prayer and praise is considered as due to
him. The light of revelation confirms this general
sentiment ; and expressly inculcates thanksgiving to
God as an universal duty. The manner in which the
Psalmist urges us to praise our heavenly Benefactor,
deserves peculiar attention : it speaks more forcibly
than the strongest injunction could have done ; and
intimates that praise is,
1. An indispensable duty
[Praise is the external expression, whereby a soul, filled
with admiration and gratitude, gives vent to its feelings towards
its heavenly Benefactor. It is an exercise of which the glori
fied saints and angels are never weary a ; and in which we enjoy
a foretaste of heaven itself b - Words can scarcely convey
a Rev. iv. 8, 9. b 1 Pet. i. 8. yapa
682.] THE DUTY AND GROUNDS OF PRAISE. 243
a more sublime idea of this employment, than those by which
David describes its effects upon the soul c - - In this view
he strongly recommends it to us, and we may also recommend
it to each other, as "good, pleasant, and comely A " It is a
duty which we owe to God. There is not any precept in the
Bible more plain than those which relate to this subject e
There is not any duty, the neglect of which is represented in a
more heinous light f On the other hand, there is not
any religious act of which more honourable mention is made
than this g Nor any to which, if accompanied by a suit
able deportment, more exalted privileges are annexed 11
Hence it is, that thirteen times in the space of six short verses,
David renews his exhortations to every living creature to praise
the Lord 1 .]
2. A much neglected duty
[Whatever blessings men enjoy, they rest in the gift, and
forget the Giver. In fact, we scarcely know the value of our
blessings till we are bereaved of them. The generality of men,
instead of acknowledging with gratitude God s kindness towards
them, and requiting him according to the benefits he has
vouchsafed to them, take occasion from his mercies to sin the
more against him Not even the godly themselves abound
in this holy employment as we might expect. Many, alas !
live at so great a distance from God, that they can scarcely
ever rise above a petition for mercy, or, at most, a sense of
thankfulness that he has not utterly cast them off. They can
not soar to a contemplation of the divine perfections, or of the
excellency of Christ, or of the blessedness of those mansions
that are prepared for them. They have so much of the world
in their hearts, and so little faith, that they cannot realize
their principles, or glorify God in any measure as they ought.
Instead of cultivating the devout spirit of David k , they rest
satisfied in a lukewarm state, saying, " It is high ; I cannot
attain unto it 1 ." Yes ; though there are some who delight
themselves in God ; yet, in reference to the greater part even of
real Christians we must say with sorrow and regret, " O that
men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and according to
his excellent greatness 111 !"]
To stir up ourselves to a due performance of this
duty, let us consider,
II. The grounds proposed for the performance of it
c Ps. Ixiii. 5. d Ps. cxlvii. 1. e 1 Thess. v. 18. Eph. v. 20,
f It is the strongest mark of an ungodly sta e, Rom. i. 21 ; and
a certain ground of eternal condemnation, Deut. xxviii. 45, 47.
g It glorifies God, Ps. 1. 23. h Ps. 1. 23. * Ps. cl.
k Ps. Ixiii. 3, 4. and cxix. 164. 1 Ps. cxxxix. 6. Ps. cl. 2.
214 PSALMS, CVII. 8, 9. [682.
There is nothing that may not in some view or
other be made a ground of praise and thanksgiving.
In the text we are led to notice,
1. Those which are general
[The goodness of God, as manifested in the wonderful dis
pensations of his providence, is that which first offers itself to
our consideration. How bountifully does he supply the return
ing wants of his creatures even while they are continuing in
rebellion against him ! How marvellously has he preserved us
in life from our earliest infancy to this day ; and kept in tune,
as it were, in the midst of continual shocks and dangers, an
instrument of ten thousand strings ! With what kindness has
he restrained the evil dispositions of men, which, if suffered to
rage without control, would produce a very hell upon earth"!
As for the godly, they would soon be extirpated from the face
of the earth, if the sons of Belial were permitted to execute all
that is in their hearts. And who amongst us would not have
perpetrated many more evils than he has, if God had not im
posed an invisible restraint upon him, and diverted him from
his purpose ?
But on this occasion p we must particularly call to mind the
wonders God has wrought for us, in preserving us from domestic
tumults and foreign invasions; and in making us victorious, when
our allies have been all subdued, or have even combined against
us with the common enemy for our destruction. In a more espe
cial manner should we admire the goodness of God in so suddenly
disposing the hearts of our enemies to peace, and in bringing
the calamities both of war and scarcity to a happy termination.
The riches of his grace are also deserving of the deepest
attention. Surely it is not possible to overlook the wonderful
work of redemption which God has wrought for sinful man.
What shall I say of the gift of his only-begotten Son to die for
us ? What of the gift of his Holy Spirit to instruct
and sanctify us ? What of all the promises of grace
and mercy and peace to the believing soul ? And what
of that eternal inheritance he has prepared for us in heaven ?
Truly he dealt not so with the fallen angels: but to " the
children of men" he has communicated richer blessings than
words can declare, or that any finite imagination can conceive.
n In proof of this we need only look back to the slaughters and
massacres, the rapes and ravages, and all the other horrors of the
French Revolution.
See the instances of Abimelech, Gen. xx. 6 ; of Laban, Gen.
xx.xi.-24; of David, 1 Sam. xxv. 3234.
P The peace in October, 1801. In lieu of this, any particular mer
cies, which the season suggests, may be specified.
682.] TIIE DUTY AND GROUNDS OF PRAISE. 245
And should we not praise him for these ? If we are silent on
subjects like these, verily our mouths will be shut in the day
that our ingratitude shall be punished by our indignant God.]
2. Those which are more particularly specified as
vouchsafed to " the longing and hungry soul"-
[Under the image of a weary traveller rescued from the
deepest distress, and brought beyond all expectation to the
rest he had desired, the Psalmist represents a soul hungering
and thirsting after righteousness, and raised from a state of
despondency to the full enjoyment of its God. Thousands
there are who are reduced to great perplexity in the pursuit of
heaven. They feel their guilty and perishing condition ; but
how to extricate themselves from the wilderness of this world,
and to find their way to the city of habitation, they know not.
Having tried in vain those self-righteous methods of escape
which their own reason has suggested, they cry at last to God,
and implore his guidance. He, ever ready to hear the prayer
of the poor destitute, " reveals his dear Son in their hearts : "
he shews them that in Christ is their hope, in Christ is their
refuge, in Christ is their security. Being thus led to Christ, their
" longing souls are satisfied, their hungry souls are filled with
goodness " - Who can conceive what satisfaction a soul
feels, when Christ is thus revealed to it as " the way, the truth,
and the life ? " And I wish you particularly to notice how God
marks with approbation not our attainments only, but our very
desires. " Longing and hunger" are the very lowest operations
and effects of grace in the soul: yet does God delight in them,
and magnify his mercy towards those in whom even these
slight beginnings of what is good are seen.
And is not this a ground of praise ? If any who have ex
perienced such mercies " should hold their peace," methinks
Sodom and Gomorrha will rise up in judgment against them.
The more we contemplate redeeming love, the more will a sacred
ardour glow within our bosoms to bless and praise the Lord q .]
ADDRESS
1 . Those who never praise God at all
[What enemies are such persons both to their present and
future happiness! How much richer enjoyment would they
now have of all God s mercies, if they could discern his hand
in them, and taste his love ! And how much happier would they
be in the eternal world ! for, can it be supposed that God will
bestow heaven indiscriminately on the evil and unthankful to
gether with the good and thankful ? Can it be thought that a
man who was more insensible of favours than an ox or an ass r ,
shall instantly on his dismission from the body begin to adore
<i ver. 43. r Isai. i. 3.
246 PSALMS, CVII. 43. [683.
his God, and to join in those celestial anthems for which he had
not the smallest taste ? No : we must begin on earth the work
we are to carry on in heaven : nor can we hope to participate
the felicity of the saints, if we have not first cultivated their
disposition, and found delight in their employment.]
2. Those who desire and endeavour to praise him
[While some find their hearts enlarged in praising God,
we trust there are many who say, O that I could praise the
Lord for his goodness! But whence is it that, with a desire to
enjoy God, so many spend their days in sighing and mourning
instead of in joy and rejoicing? Perhaps they pore over their
own corruptions without contemplating the divine attributes :
they look at themselves more than at Christ : they consider
their own wants ; but overlook the Lord s promises : they anti
cipate future difficulties, without adverting to past deliverances :
in short, they cannot praise God as they would wish, because
they are forgetful of those benefits which are the occasions and
grounds of praise. Let all such persons then be aware of their
error. Let them begin this day the important, the delightful,
the long-neglected work. Let them unite in praising God for
his mercies, whether public or personal, whether temporal or
eternal.
To all would we say, in the energetic language of the
Psalmist, " O sing praises unto the Lord, sing praises; sing
praises unto the Lord, sing praises ; sing ye praises with under
standing 8 ." " Let young men and maidens, old men and
children, praise the name of the Lord ; for his name alone is
excellent, his glory is above the earth and heavens 1 ."]
8 Ps. xlvii. 6, 7. * Ps. cxlviii. 12, 13.
DCLXXXIII.
GOD S LOVE SEEN IN ALL HIS DISPENSATIONS.
Ps. cvii. 43. Whoso is wise and will observe these things, even
they shall understand the loving -kindness of the Lord.
TO know God, and Jesus Christ whom he has
sent, is the highest privilege and perfection of man.
This attainment, infinitely beyond all others, consti
tutes true wisdom. But to acquire this knowledge,
it is necessary that we study well, not the book of
Revelation only, but the records also of God s pro
vidential dealings with mankind. The Word and
works of God mutually reflect light on each other ;
and the more extensive and accurate our observation
is of those things which occur from day to day, the
683.] GOD S LOVE SEEN IN ALL HIS DISPENSATIONS. 247
more just will be our apprehension of God s nature
and perfections. True indeed it is, that, as far as
theory is concerned, we may learn every thing from
the Scripture alone : for in the world and in the
Church we can find only a repetition of those things
which are recorded in the Sacred Volume : but a
practical sense of God s love is greatly furthered by
the constant exhibition of it which may be seen in
his dealings with us ; so that we may well say with
the Psalmist, " Whoso is wise and will observe these
things, even they shall understand the loving-kind
ness of the Lord."
We propose to shew,
I. What those things are which are here presented
to our notice-
To enter fully into them, we should distinctly con
sider the different representations which are here
given of God s merciful interposition in behalf of
bewildered travellers, incarcerated prisoners, dying
invalids, and mariners reduced to the lowest ebb of
despondency. But instead of minutely prosecuting
those different inquiries a , we will draw your atten
tion to the two principal points which pervade the
whole ; namely,
1. The timely succour which he affords to the
distressed
[The instances mentioned in the psalm are only a few out
of the numberless interpositions which God vouchsafes to men
in distress : but whatever be the trouble from which we are
delivered, it is of infinite importance that we see the hand of
God both in the trouble itself and in the deliverance from it.
There is neither good nor evil in a city, but it must be traced
to God as its author. Whether men or devils be the agents,
it matters not ; they can do nothing without a special licence
from God himself: and hence, when men had plundered Job
of all his possessions, and Satan had destroyed all his children,
he equally ascribed the different events to God ; " The Lord
gave, and the Lord hajth taken away." Thus must we do : we
a If this subject were used as a Thanksgiving after a Storm, or
after a Recovery from Sickness, the particular circumstances should
here be noticed, with an especial reference to that part of the psalm
that is proper to the occasion,
248 PSALMS, CVII. 43. [683.
must ascribe nothing to chance, and nothing to the creature,
except as an instrument in the hands of God. If the folly or
malignity of man injure us, or the wisdom or benevolence of
man repair the injury, we must look through the second causes,
and fix our eyes on God, as the first great Cause of all. If we
see not God in the dispensations, of course we shall learn
nothing of God from them : but if we behold his agency in
them, then will our eyes be opened to see his wisdom and
goodness also.]
2. His condescending attention to their prayers-
fin all the instances specified in this psalm, God s inter
positions are mentioned as answers to prayer : " They cried
unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of
their distresses." Many, alas! of the prayers which are offered
in seasons of difficulty and distress have respect to nothing more
than the particular occasion, and are accompanied with no real
desire after God : yet even these prayers God often condescends
to hear, just as he did the prayers in which Ahab deprecated
the judgments denounced against him. But when the prayers
proceed from a penitent and contrite heart, and are offered up
in the prevailing name of Jesus Christ, God will hear them at
all times and under all circumstances. We do not say that the
precise thing which may be asked shall certainly be granted ;
because God may see that, on the whole, that would not prove
a blessing to the person who asks it : but no prayer that is
offered up in faith shall go forth in vain: it shall surely be
answered, if not in the way expected or desired, at least in a
way that shall ultimately prove most conducive to the good of
him that offers it.]
These things being matters of daily occurrence, we
shall proceed to mark,
II. The benefit arising from an attentive consideration
of them
From these we shall be led to notice, not merely
the agency of God in all the concerns of man, but
especially, and above all, his "loving-kindness" also.
This will be seen,
1. In the darkest dispensations of his providence
[God s dearest children are not more exempt from trials
than others : on the contrary, they are often most subjected to
them. But in this the loving-kindness of God is especially
manifest : for by their trials he leads them to more fervent
prayer ; that prayer brings to them more signal interpositions ;
and those interpositions fill them with joy, far overbalancing all
the troubles they have endured. Let any child of God look
683. 3 GOD S LOVE SEEN IN ALL HIS DISPENSATIONS. 249
back to his former life, and say, whether the events which once
he regarded as the heaviest calamities, have not been overruled
for his greatest good ? Yes : it is not David only, but every
child of God, that must say, " It is good for me that I have
been afflicted." We may indeed, like Jacob, say for a time, "All
these things are against me :" but when we have seen " the end "
and issue of the dispensation, we shall confess that " the Lord
has been pitiful to us, and of tender mercy b ." If we view an
insulated and individual occurrence, we may be perplexed
respecting it ; but if we view it in connexion with all that has
preceded and followed it, we shall be able to set our seal to
the truth of that promise, "All things shall work together for
good to them that love God." Whatever then be the affliction
under which we are suffering, let us never for a moment lose
sight of that truth, " Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth,
and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."]
2. In the most painful operations of his grace
[The different circumstances adduced for the illustration
of God s providence may not unfitly be regarded as images to
shadow forth also the operations of his grace. Truly in them
we may see the wants and miseries, the helplessness and terrors,
of an awakened soul. Who that knows any thing of his own
state has not seen himself a wanderer from the ways of God,
and perishing for lack of knowledge ? Who has not groaned,
and bitterly too, under the chains of sin by which he has been
tied and bound ? Who has not felt his inability to help him
self, as much as if he had been dying of an incurable disorder?
And who has not seen himself sinking, as it were, into the
bottomless abyss, and been almost " at his wit s end," because
he saw not how his soul could be saved ? We do not mean
to intimate, that all converted persons have felt these things
in an equal degree : but all have felt them sufficiently to see
the suitableness of these images to their own experience.
What then shall we say ? Does God, in suffering them to be
so exercised, mark his displeasure against them ? No : it is
love, and love alone, that he manifests. Multitudes of others
he leaves to follow their own evil ways without fear, and with
out remorse : but those whom he loves he awakens from their
security : he sends his Holy Spirit to convince them of sin ; he
stirs them up to fervent prayer ; and then, in answer to their
prayers, he speaks peace to their souls. " Those troubles were
not at the time joyous, but grievous ; nevertheless, afterwards
they yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them that
are exercised thereby."]
ADVICE
1. View the hand of God in every thing
b Jam. v. 11.
250 PSALMS, CX. 17. [684.
[Things may be called great or small by comparison ; but,
in fact, there is nothing small, when considered in relation to
the possible events which may spring from it. The opening of
the book precisely in the place where the services of Mordecai
to Ahasuerus were recorded, was as much a work of God as
any other that is contained in the Sacred Volume c : and the
circumstances connected with it were of incalculable importance
to the whole Jewish nation. Let nothing then be accounted
small : but receive every thing as from God, and endeavour to
improve every thing for him : and then shall every thing enrich
you with wisdom, and inflame your souls with gratitude and love.]
2. Take occasion from every thing to spread your
wants before him in prayer
[The great, the universal remedy, to which we should have
recourse, is Prayer. Prayer will turn every thing to gold.
Whether our trials be of a temporal or spiritual nature, they
cannot fail of proving blessings if only they drive us to a throne
of grace. The direction of God himself is, that " in every thing
we should make our requests known to him:" and, on our
doing so, we are assured, that " the peace of God which passeth
all understanding shall keep our hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus d ." " If we call upon him in the time of trouble,
he will hear us," and turn all our complaints into praise and
thanksgiving.]
3. Give him the glory of all the deliverances you
receive
[On all the different occasions mentioned in the psalm, it
is said, " O that men would therefore praise the Lord for his
goodness!" This is the tribute which all of us are called
to pay ; and the very end which God proposes to himself, both
in our trials and deliverances, is, to make us sensible of his
goodness, and to draw forth from us the tribute of a grateful
heart. " Whoso offereth him praise, glorifieth him." See to it
then that your daily mercies call forth suitable returns of love
and gratitude : and thus will you be preparing gradually for
that blessed day, when all the mysterious designs of God, which
now you could not penetrate, shall be unravelled, and all your
sorrows terminate in endless joy.]
c Esth. vi. 13. d Phil. iv. 6, 7.
DCLXXXIV.
THE PERSON AND OFFICES OF CHRIST.
Ps. cx. 1 7. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my
right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The
Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion : rule
684.] THE PERSON AND OFFICES OF CHRIST. 251
thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be
willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness
from the womb of the morning : thou hast the dew of thy
youth. The Lord hath stvorn, and will not repent, Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. The
Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day
of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen : he shall
fill the places with the dead bodies ; he shall wound the heads
over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the
way : therefore shall he lift up the head.
IN some of the Psalms, David speaks of himself
only ; in others, of himself and of the Messiah too ;
but in this, of the Messiah exclusively : not a word
is applicable to any one else. The Jews have taken
great pains to explain it away : but their attempts
are, and ever must be, in vain.
In the first verse, David relates the Father s ad
dress to his Son, when " the council of peace was
held between them :" and the whole of the remainder
is addressed by the Psalmist to the Messiah himself.
It altogether elucidates in a very striking manner
the character of Christ.
In it are set forth,
I. His person-
It is of great importance that we have just views
of the Divinity of Christ
[On that depends the sufficiency of the atonement which
he has offered for the sins of men. If he be only a creature,
how can we be assured that the shedding of his blood has any
more virtue and efficacy than the blood of bulls and goats ?
What proportion is there between the transitory sufferings of
one creature, and the accumulated sins of all the children of
men ? How can we conceive that there should be such a value
in the blood of any created being, as to purchase for a ruined
world a deliverance from everlasting misery, and a possession
of everlasting happiness and glory ? But if our Redeemer be
God as well as man, then we see at once, that, inasmuch as he
is an infinitely glorious Being, there is an infinite merit in his
obedience unto death, sufficient to justify the demands of law
and justice for the sins of all mankind. On any other suppo
sition than that Christ is God, there would be no force at all in
that question of the Apostle, " He that spared not his own Son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
252 PSALMS, CX. 17. [684.
freely give us all things a ?" What argument would it be to say,
" He that gave us a creature, how shall he not also give us
HIMSELF, and all the glory of heaven ? " But if Christ be God,
equal with the Father, then is the argument clear, obvious, and
unanswerable.]
In the psalm before us the divinity of Christ is
plainly asserted
[Our blessed Lord himself appeals to it, in order to con
found and silence his malignant adversaries. Both Pharisees
and Sadducees had endeavoured to ensnare him by difficult and
perplexing questions : and, when he had answered, he put this
question to them; " What think ye of Christ? Whose son is
he ? " and when they said, " The Son of David," he asked them,
" How then doth David in Spirit call him LORD, saying, The
Lord said unto my LORD, &c.? If David then call him LORD,
how is he his son?" And then we are told, " No man was able
to answer him a wordV Had they been willing to acknow
ledge Christ as their Messiah, they needed not to have been at
any loss for an answer ; for they knew him to be a son of David ;
and he had repeatedly declared himself to be God, insomuch that
they had again and again taken up stones to stone him for blas
phemy. But this passage proved beyond all doubt that the
Messiah was to be " the root, as well as the offspring of David;"
the LORD of David, as well as David s son.
And here it is worthy of notice, that we see in this appeal
what was the interpretation which the Jews of that day put upon
the psalm before us. They all understood it as relating to the
Messiah : and all the attempts of modern Jews to put any other
construction upon it are futile in the extreme.
But by comparing the parallel passage in St. Mark, we see
what the Jews of that day thought of the doctrine of the Tri
nity . Our Lord speaks of the Holy Ghost as inspiring David,
(which none but Jehovah could do,) to declare what Jehovah
the Father had said to Jehovah the Son. If the doctrine of the
Trinity had not been received among them, would they have
been silent, and not known what to answer him ? And would
they from this time have been deterred by it from asking him
any more questions?
Be it known then, that Christ is very God, and very man: he
is that " Word, who was in the beginning with God, and was
God d ;" " God manifest in the flesh 6 ." He is, as the prophet
calls him, " the Mighty God f ," or, as St. Paul calls him, " the
Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ g ," " God over all
blessed for everV]
a Rom. viii. 32. b Matt. xxii. 4146. c Mark xii. 3537.
d John. i. 1, 14. e i Tim. iii. 16. f Isai. ix. 6.
s Tit. ii. 13. h Rom. ix. 5.
684.] THE PERSON AND OFFICES OF CHRIST.
The Psalmist now addressing himself to the Mes
siah, proclaims to him the success that should attend
him in the execution of,
II. His offices
The second and third verses may undoubtedly be
applied to his regal office, because they speak of his
" ruling in the midst of his enemies :" but, if we con
sider how his victories are gained, namely, by his
word and Spirit, and that it is by the illumination of
men s minds that he subdues their hearts, we shall
see that this part of the psalm may properly be
understood as relating to his prophetic character.
Accordingly we behold him here represented as,
1. A Prophet
[The word is " the rod of his strength," by which he works
all the wonders of his grace. In itself it is as weak and ineffi
cient as the rod of Moses, whereby he wrought all his miracles
in Egypt ; but, as applied by the Spirit of God to the souls of
men, it is " quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword," and " is mighty to the pulling down of all the strong
holds" of sin and Satan : "it is the power of God unto salvation
to all them that believe 1 ." It " came forth from Zion, even the
word of the Lord from Jerusalem k ," when it was published by
the holy Apostles ; who delivered it, as they were commanded,
to Jerusalem first, and then to other parts of the world. And
there is this remarkable difference between the victories gained
by it, and those gained by any carnal weapon : by the latter,
men are brought to a reluctant submission ; by the former,
they are " made willing," truly and cordially willing, to take
Christ s yoke upon them. Whenever the Lord s time, the
" day of his power," is come, they, like the rams of Nebaioth,
present themselves as voluntary sacrifices at God s altar, and
give up themselves unreservedly to the Lord 1 .
Nor is deliverance from death and hell the only object of
their pursuit : they feel, that they can be happy only in the
way of holiness; and therefore "in the beauties of holiness"
they come unto him : their dispositions and habits are all
changed : they abstain from sin, because they hate it ; and
obey the law, because they love it : and, could they obtain the
desire of their hearts, they would be " holy as God is holy,"
and " perfect, even as their Father in heaven is perfect."
1 Rom. i. 16. k i sa i. ij. 3.
1 Compare that beautiful passage Isai. Ix. 4 8. with Rom. xii. 1.
and 2 Cor. viii. 5.
254 PSALMS, CX. 17. \J584.
The numbers that shall thus be converted to the Lord exceed
all calculation or conception. As the drops of " dew" issuing
from " the womb of the morning," so will be the progeny that
shall be born to him, innumerable : there may be but " an
handful of corn cast on the top of the mountains ; but yet shall
the fruit be as the woods of Lebanon, and as the piles of grass
upon the earth m ." Thus powerfully did his word and Spirit
operate in the early "youth" of the Church; and thus shall
they operate to the very end of time : and it is worthy of par
ticular observation, that the very first verse of this psalm, with
the explanation given of it by the Apostle, was that which
pierced the hearts of our Lord s murderers, and subdued three
thousand of them at once to the obedience of faith".
David now proceeds to speak of Christ as,]
2. A Priest-
[As Christ was to offer a sacrifice for the sins of his people,
he must of necessity be a priest. But from the Levitical priest
hood, which was confined to the tribe of Levi, he was of neces
sity excluded, because he was of the tribe of Judah. There
was however a priesthood of another order, the order of Mel-
chizedec ; and to that he was solemnly consecrated with an
oath. What that priesthood was, we should never have known,
if it had not been explained to us in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
In the Mosaic history, Melchizedec is briefly mentioned, with
out any account of his predecessors or successors in his office :
and this was particularly overruled by God, in order that he
might be a type of Christ, whose priesthood was from ever
lasting (in the divine counsels,) and everlastingly to continue in
himself alone. Now at the time that the Levitical priesthood
was in all its glory, David foretold, that it should be super
seded, (and the whole Mosaic economy with it,) by a priesthood
of a higher order ; a priesthood, which Abraham himself, and
all his posterity in him, acknowledged, and which, on account
of the solemnity of its appointment, and the perpetuity of its
duration, was of a far higher order p .
Is it inquired, What sacrifice he had to offer ? we answer,
His own body, which " through the eternal Spirit he offered
without spot to God." And, having offered that sacrifice once
for all, he now intercedes for us within the veil ; and will come
again at the end of the world to bless his redeemed people,
and to make them partakers of everlasting blessedness.
But it is foretold yet further, that he was also to be,]
3. A
m Ps. Ixxii. 16. n Acts ii. 3437.
Gen. xiv. 18 20. P Read Heb. vii. 1 28.
<i Some, to reconcile ver. 5. with ver. 1. suppose that in ver. 5.
David ceases to address the Messiah, and directs his speech to the
G84.J THE PERSON AND OFFICES OF CHRIST. 255
[Melchizedec, though a priest, was a king also, and one
that was most eminently fitted to typify the Saviour, being
"king of righteousness and peace r ." Thus was Christ not
a priest only, but "a priest upon his throne 8 ." Being now
exalted to the right hand of God, he " sitteth there, till all
his enemies become his footstool." " To him every knee shall
bow, and every tongue shall swear " allegiance : or, if any con
tinue to withstand his overtures of mercy, he will smite them
to the ground ; yea, though they be the greatest monarchs upon
earth : " He will strike through kings in the day of his wrath."
There is " a day of wrath," as well as a day of mercy ; and
terrible indeed will be " the wrath of the Lamb." As a mighty
conqueror desolates the countries which he overruns, and fills
them with the bodies of the slain, so will Jesus in that awful
day. If he rule not men by their free consent, as their Lord,
he will judge them as rebels, and "wound the heads of all " to
the remotest corners of the earth : he will say, " Bring hither
those that were mine enemies, who would not that I should
reign over them, and slay them before me."
Previous to his own victories, he was himself, according to
human estimate, to be overcome. But his humiliation was to
pave the way for his exaltation : "by death he was to overcome
him that had the power of death, and to deliver from death "
his ransomed people. This was the way pointed out in the
very first proclamation of mercy to fallen man : " The Seed of
the woman was to bruise the serpent s head ; but the serpent
was first to bruise his heelV Accordingly he did " drink of the
brook in the way :" he suffered infinitely more than words can
express, or the mind of man can conceive; and then "he lifted
up the head," and was " exalted far above all principalities and
powers," whether of heaven or hell; and he " shall surely reign
till all his enemies be put under his feet."]
We cannot IMPROVE this subject better than by asking,
1. What think ye of Christ ?
[This is the very question which our Lord himself asked
in reference to this psalm. Yet it is not a mere theoretical
opinion that we ask for, but the practical persuasion of your
hearts. Do you view him with reverence and love as your
incarnate God ? - - Do you look to him as your Prophet,
to teach and guide you into all truth ? Do you look to
him as your great High Priest, trusting in his all-atoning sacri
fice, and imploring an interest in his prevailing intercession ?
Father. But this introduces needless perplexity into the subject. If
we understand " The Lord at thy right hand," as meaning, The Lord
who is thy strength and thy support, (which is certainly its most ob
vious meaning,) the whole speech is uninterrupted and clear.
r Heb. vii. 2. s Zech. vi. 13. t Gen. iii. 15.
25f> PSALMS, CXI. 2. [685.
Do you farther look to him as your King, desiring
him to bring, not your actions only, but " your every thought,
into captivity " to his sacred will ? - - This is the test
whereby you are to try the state of your souls before God ;
for according to your experience of these things will be your
sentence in the day of judgment - ]
2. What measure have ye of resemblance to him ?
[God has ordained that all his people should "be con
formed to the image of his Son u ," in sufferings, in holiness, and
in glory. Like him, they must " drink of the brook in the
way, and afterwards lift up the head." " The Captain of our
Salvation was made perfect through sufferings ;" and "all the
sons who shall be brought to glory " must be made perfect in
the same way x : " through much tribulation they must enter
into the kingdom of heaven." The " mortifying of our mem
bers upon earth," with " the cutting off a right hand, and
plucking out a right eye," are strong and significant expres
sions, shewing clearly, that a life of godliness requires much
painful labour and self-denial. Besides, there is much perse
cution also to be endured from an ungodly world; for " all that
will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Nor
are the conflicts that are to be sustained with all the powers of
darkness of small consideration in the Christian s warfare. Let
me ask then, Are ye following Christ in this way ? Are ye
" crucifying the flesh with the affections and lusts ? " Are ye
" following him boldly without the camp, bearing his reproach ?"
Are ye " fighting manfully the good fight of faith," and "wrest
ling, not only with flesh and blood, but with all the princi
palities and powers of hell? " Be assured that " the kingdom
of heaven cannot be taken without violence : the violent must
take it by force." The work and offices of Christ will be of no
avail in our behalf, if we do not " take up our cross daily and
follow him." Awake then, all of you, to the duties that are
assigned you ; and be content to suffer with him, that ye may
be also glorified together."]
u Rom. viii. 29. x Heb. ii. 10.
DCLXXXV.
THE GREAT WORK OF REDEMPTION.
Ps. cxi. 2. The works of the Lord are great , sought out of all
them that have pleasure therein.
THIS psalm is one of those appointed by our
Church for Easter Day : for which it is sufficiently
appropriate, in that it celebrates that redemption of
685.] THE GREAT WORK OF REDEMPTION. 257
God s people from Egypt, which was typical of the
redemption wrought out for us by Christ upon the
cross, and perfected by his resurrection from the
dead. The structure of it is very peculiar. Every
sentence begins with the different letters of the He
brew alphabet in their order ; the eight first verses
consisting each of two sentences, and the two last
of three sentences. This artificial mode of writing
it seems to have been with a view to its being more
easily remembered. The first word of it, " Halle
lujah," was, in fact, no part of the psalm itself, but
only the title of it ; and it shews us with what dis
position of mind the subject should be contemplated,
and with what feelings it was recorded. O that our
souls might rise to the occasion, whilst we consider,
I. The greatness of God s works !
Great indeed they were, even the deliverances
accomplished for Israel in Egypt. Who can read of
all the plagues with which that land was visited ; or
of the destruction of Pharaoh and all his host in the
Red Sea ; or of the wonders wrought for Israel in
the wilderness ; or of their final establishment in the
land of Canaan ; and not exclaim, " Great and mar
vellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty ! " But,
however much we may be disposed, in imitation of
David in this psalm, to admire the perfections of God
as illustrated in that stupendous work, we are called
to the consideration of infinitely greater works, of
which the deliverance from Egypt was but a type
and shadow. Yes : in the redemption of the world
we do indeed behold the perfections of our God shining
forth, as it were, in meridian splendour. That was a
work beyond all parallel and all conception great,
1. In wisdom and power
[When Moses saw what God had wrought for the people
of Israel at the Red Sea, he sang, " Who is like unto thee, O
Lord, among the gods? Who is like unto thee, glorious in
holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders a ?" But St. Paul
speaks of our blessed Lord as concentrating in himself all that
is great and glorious, and as being, as it were in the abstract,
a Exod. xv. 11.
vc L. vi. s
258 PSALMS, CXI. 2. [685.
" The wisdom of God, and the power of God b ." O what un
searchable depths of wisdom were contained in that mystery,
the substitution of God s only dear Son in the place of sinners;
whereby the sins of the whole world are expiated, and the
kingdom of heaven opened to millions, who, without such a
Saviour, must have inherited the blackness of darkness for
ever ! Nor was the power that effected our redemption
less manifest, in forming the human nature of our Lord in the
womb of a pure Virgin, free from all the taint of our original
corruption ; and enabling that body, so wonderfully formed, to
bear the curse due to our iniquities, and to work out a right
eousness adequate to the wants, and sufficient for the necessi
ties, of a ruined world. View the triumphs of Jesus in the
wilderness, and in the garden, and on the cross ; in all of which
" he spoiled the principalities and powers of hell : " view them
also in his resurrection, and ascension, and in the operations of
the Holy Spirit, whom he sent from heaven to complete the
wonders of his grace : view these things, and say, whether " his
work be not indeed honourable and glorious ," the very summit
of wisdom, and the perfection of power.]
2. Ill goodness and mercy
[So conspicuous were these perfections in the deliverance
of Israel from Egypt, that David could behold, as it were,
nothing else. In a psalm where he specifies a great variety of
particulars relating to it, he repeats no less than twenty-six
times in as many verses, " His mercy endureth for ever d ."
But what shall we say of his goodness and mercy to us in
Christ Jesus ? Eternity will be too short to enumerate the
instances wherein these perfections are displayed, and to make
such acknowledgments as this exhibition of them calls for at
our hands. The manna from heaven, and the water from the
rock, were but faint images of what we receive in and from the
Lord Jesus Christ. O what supplies of grace, what rich com
munications of his blessed Spirit, does he impart to us from
day to day ! - And what forbearance does he exercise
towards us ! - Well indeed may we say with David, that
" goodness and mercy have followed us all our days."]
3. In righteousness and truth-
fin the whole dispensation, whether towards the Lord
Jesus Christ himself, as our representative, or towards us whom
he has redeemed, there has not been one single act which was
not an act of justice, and an accomplishment of some pre
existing declaration. Were our iniquities laid on the Lord
Jesus, and punished in him ? Was he, after having expiated
those sins, exalted to glory, and seated on the right hand of the
b 1 Cor. i. 24. c ver. 3. d Ps. cxxxvi.
685.] THE GREAT WORK OF REDEMPTION. 59
Majesty on high ? All, as David speaks, " was verity and
judgment 6 ." In like manner, if we are pardoned, and raised
to a participation of his glory, " mercy and truth meet toge
ther, and righteousness and peace kiss each other f ." Every
threatening denounced against sin has been executed in the
person of Christ ; and every thing promised to Christ, or to us,
is fulfilled, when for Christ s sake we are restored to God s
favour, and made heirs of his inheritance ]
Agreeable to this character of God s works is,
II. The respect paid to them by every true Christian.
The Christian is fitly represented as one " who has
pleasure in these works "-
[The generality of mankind have, alas ! no pleasure in
these works, but rather put away the remembrance of them
with abhorrence - But not so the Christian: he regards
them with far different sensations. He indeed is not insensible
to pleasures of other kinds, provided they be such as may be
enjoyed with a good conscience towards God. He may, as a
scholar and philosopher, feel delight in intellectual pursuits;
and he may, as a member of society, find pleasure in the inter
course of friendship, or the enjoyment of domestic comforts.
But, though he lose not his taste for such pleasures, his delight
in them is altogether subordinated to higher and more spiritual
enjoyments. Whatever he once accounted gain, is now esteemed
by him comparatively as dross and dung ff - The wonders
of redeeming love are on earth, as they will be in heaven, his
constant solace, and his song.]
By him they " are sought out" with care and dili
gence
[With a view to a more enlarged knowledge of these works,
he reads the Holy Scriptures, searching into them as for hid
treasures He attends carefully on the ministry of the
word, that he may both obtain a further insight into the Gospel,
and have a richer experience of it in his soul By con
stant meditation also, and by fervent prayer, he dives deeper
and deeper into the great mysteries of godliness ; musing, as it
were, day and night, and crying mightily to God, " Open thou
mine eyes, that 1 may behold wondrous things out of thy law! "
Never does he imagine that he has yet attained. The more
enlarged his views become, the more he sees, that he knows
nothing yet as he ought to know : and he looks forward with
proportionable earnestness to the eternal world, where the veil
shall be taken from before his eyes, and he " will see as he is
seen," and " know even as he is known."]
e ver. 7. f Ps. Ixxxv. 10. * Phil. iii. 7, 8.
260 PSALMS, CXI. 10. [686.
ADDRESS
1. Seek yet more and more this most desirable of
all knowledge
[See with what persevering diligence the philosopher pro
secutes the attainment of science And will not ye, for
the acquiring of knowledge wherein eternal life consists, and
" which the angels themselves desire to look into?" ]
2. Endeavour more and more to make a suitable
improvement of it
[" Hallelujah" stands as the introduction to the contem
plations of David. Let all your contemplations lead to, and
terminate in, a similar acclamation. Such will be the result
of all the knowledge which we shall possess in heaven
and such should be our improvement of all that we attain on
earth
DCLXXXVI.
THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
Ps. cxi. 10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom :
a good understanding have all they that do his command
ments : His praise endureth for ever.
OF all attainments that are made by man, wisdom
is confessedly the highest : and well does it deserve
the highest place in our esteem, because it elevates
and ennobles him in whom it is found. This is true
even of human wisdom : how much more, then, of
that which is divine ! But where shall divine wisdom
be found ? or who can ever estimate it aright, when
found ? These are questions propounded by holy
Job ; and they deserve our most attentive considera
tion. " Where," says he, " shall wisdom be found ?
and where is the place of understanding ? Man
knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in
the land of the living. The depth saith, It is not in
me : and the sea saith, It is not in me. It cannot be
gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for
the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold
of Ophir, with the precious onyx and the sapphire.
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it : and the
exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls : for
686.] THE FEAR OF THE LORD. 261
the price of wisdom is above rubies. The topaz of
Ethiopia shall not equal it ; neither shall it be valued
with pure gold a ." Having stated all this, he again
asks the question, " Whence then cometh wisdom ?
and where is the place of understanding ?" He then
answers, that it is hid from the eyes of all living :
that God alone understandeth it : and that he hath
declared where and what it is : " Unto man he said,
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom ; and to
depart from evil is understanding*." Now, rich and
determinate as this passage is, it does not equal the
declaration of David, who says, " The fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom : a good understand
ing have all they that do his commandments : his
praise endureth for ever." Here he not only iden
tifies the fear of the Lord with wisdom, but carries on
the comparison from the beginning to the end, from
the first formation of them in the soul to their final
completion in glory.
To enter fully into his meaning, we shall consider
the fear of the Lord,
I. As existing in the soul
" Man is born like a wild ass s colt," and is as
destitute of true wisdom as he. " The fear of the
Lord is the very beginning of wisdom ;" and then
only does wisdom exist in the soul, when the fear of
the Lord is implanted in it. But,
What do we understand by the fear of the Lord ?
[This needs not to be stated at any length, because a very
few words will suffice to explain it. The fear of the Lord is
here put for true religion ; even for such religion as manifests
itself by a deep humiliation before God, a simple affiance in the
Lord Jesus Christ, and an unreserved obedience to his will.
This is well understood amongst you, and therefore needs not
to be insisted on. You all know that it does not consist in a
mere assent to Christianity as true, or a profession of it as the
only true system : you are fully aware that there is compre
hended in it a real surrender of ourselves to God as his redeemed
people.]
This, when existing in the soul, is true wisdom
[There is no true wisdom where this fear is not ; for
a Job xxviii. 1219. * Job xxviii. 20, 21, 24, 27, 28.
PSALMS, CXI. 10. [686.
without this fear, a man views nothing aright, and does nothing
aright. Earthly things have in his eyes an importance which
does not properly belong to them and heavenly things
are in no respect appreciated according to their real worth
But when " God has put his fear into our hearts,"
our misconceptions are removed, and our mistakes rectified.
Sin is no longer that light and venial evil which we before
supposed it to be ; nor is salvation judged to be of so small
consequence, that we can any longer neglect it. The salva
tion of the soul becomes from that moment the one thing
needful; and all the concerns of time are swallowed up in
those of eternity This may be accounted folly : yea,
it is so accounted by an ignorant and ungodly world : but God
declares it to be wisdom ; and such it will prove itself to be in
the issue ]
But trace it,
II. As operating in the life
In all its bearings, and in all its operations, the
fear of the Lord approves itself to be true wisdom.
Mark it as operating,
1 . In the different ages and relations of life
[Of whatever age a person be, whether young or old, the
fear of the Lord will dictate to him such a deportment as befits
him. And in every relation of life it will exalt his character.
Husband or wife, parent or child, master or servant, magistrate
or subject, all will know their place ; all will fulfil their duties ;
all will execute their respective offices with care. In nothing
will the operation of this principle more clearly appear, than in
stimulating every one to discharge with diligence and propriety
the duties of his own peculiar calling
2. In the different circumstances in which it may
be placed
[Are we in prosperity ? this will keep us humble, and
watchful against the temptations to which prosperity will ex
pose us. Are we in adversity of any kind ? this will support
us from fainting and murmuring, on the one hand ; and from a
contemptuous apathy on the other. It will cause us to acknow
ledge a divine agency in every thing that occurs : and to make
such an improvement of it, as that God may be glorified in all.
Of course, I must not be understood to say that the fear of the
Lord will enlarge a man s intellectual powers, any more than it will
increase his bodily stature ; at least, not to such a degree as to
divest a man of his natural weakness. A man who is of slender
capacity will continue so ; and he will be liable to misappre
hensions as arising out of that circumstance. A person of a
weak mind will betray that weakness in any thing that may
686.] THE FEAR OF THE LORD. 263
engage his attention : and, if it betray itself in his religious
deportment, it will be very unjust to ascribe that to religion
which proceeds only from his own imbecility, and would equally
shew itself in any other occupation or pursuit. But this I will
say, that this divine principle will go far to direct him, where his
judgment, not so regulated, would err : and that, consequently,
he will on the whole excel in wisdom those whose capacity and
attainments are in other respects on a level with his own. I
will further say, that, in proportion as he advances in true piety,
his profiting in wisdom also will appear unto all.]
Let us view this principle yet further,
III. As completed in a better world
The applause which ungodly men gain from their
blind companions is of very short continuance. But
that which piety secures will endure for ever.
The man who fears the Lord is not without ap
plause in this world
[What if he be derided by some ? it is only by those who
know not what true wisdom is : and who, if they acted in refe
rence to earthly things as they do in relation to their heavenly
concerns, would themselves be regarded by all mankind as fools
and idiots. By every man whose good opinion is worth having,
the godly man is loved and honoured yea, and God
himself also honours him with the richest manifestations of his
presence and love
And how is he honoured in the eternal world !
[Thither the angels of God bear him on their wings, exult
ing in the office assigned to them of ministering unto him.
And no sooner is he arrived at the portals of heaven, than he
is welcomed by God himself, who, in the presence of all the
heavenly host, addresses him, " Well done, good and faithful
servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Behold the crown
prepared for him! the throne also made ready for his reception !
Behold the kingdom awarded to him as his inheritance, of which
he takes possession as an " heir of God, and joint-heir with
Christ ! " Yes, truly, this is his praise ; and will be so when they
who here despised him shall " awake to shame and everlasting-
contempt." " This praise, too, endureth for ever." Whilst
his once contemptuous enemies are " weeping and wailing and
gnashing their teeth" in hell, he will be in the full enjoyment of
glory and honour and immortality, in the bosom of his God.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who despise religion
[Whence is it that ye despise it? Your contempt of it is
altogether founded on your own ignorance and wickedness.
264 PSALMS, CXI. 10. [686
" Satan has blinded your eyes," and hardened your hearts, and
is " leading you captive at his will." And how long, think you,
will you retain your present opinions ? If God Almighty ever
have mercy on your soul, your eyes will be opened to see your
folly and impiety : but, if this mercy never be vouchsafed to you,
not a minute will intervene between your departure hence and
a total change of your views. You will then be perfectly like-
minded with those whom you now despise : but who can express
the regret which you will then feel at the review of your con
duct? But then your regrets will be in vain : your day of grace
will have for ever passed away ; and you will for ever reap the
bitter fruits of your wickedness
2. Those who are afraid of confessing Christ by
reason of the contempt which they shall thereby
encounter
[It was not thus that your Saviour dealt with you. He
knew to what shame and ignominy he should be exposed for
you; and yet, " for the joy of saving your souls, he endured
the cross and despised the shame, and is now set down at the
right hand of the throne of God." The same blessed issue is
reserved for you also, if you approve yourselves faithful unto
him: " If you deny him, he will deny you:" but, if you sub
mit willingly to u suffer with him, you shall also be glorified
together ." Regard not, then, the scoffs of an ungodly world;
but " rejoice rather that you are counted worthy to endure
them." But, after all, what is it that you are afraid of? an
unkind look ? an opprobrious name ? or the finger of scorn ?
Truly you have but little pretence to wisdom, if by such things
as these you can be deterred from confessing Him who lived
and died for you.]
3. Those who by reason of indiscretion " give oc
casion to the adversary to speak reproachfully "-
[It is greatly to be lamented that all who profess godliness
do not act so wisely as they ought. There are many who, by
the extravagance of their notions, or the absurdity of their
deportment, cause religion itself to be reproached, and " the
way of truth to be evil spoken of." But I must declare to all
such professors, that they incur a fearful responsibility before
God; and that for every one who falls over the stumbling-blocks
which are thus laid in his way, they must give account in the
day of judgment. See to it then, Brethren, that ye " walk in
wisdom towards those that are without;" and that instead of
giving occasion of offence by any unwise conduct on your part,
ye " put to silence the ignorance of foolish men by your well
doing." Never forget that wisdom is identified with religion. It
c Rom. viii. 17. and 2 Tim. ii. 12.
687.] GREATNESS AND CONDESCENSION OF GOD. 2G5
admits of nothing that is foolish or extravagant in any respect.
Prudence, sobriety, soundness of judgment, and true discretion,
are inseparable from it : and if we would adorn our profession,
or be accepted of our God, we must " walk wisely before him
in a perfect way d ."]
a Ps. ci. 2.
DCLXXXVII.
GREATNESS AND CONDESCENSION OF GOD.
Ps. cxiii. 5 8. Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwell-
eth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that
are in heaven and in the earth ! He raiseth up the poor out of
the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill ; that he
may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.
VERILY, God is to be praised : " from the rising
of the sun unto the going down of the same, his
name" should be glorious : " He is above all bless
ing and praise." Whether we consider what he is
in himself, or what he is to us, we cannot but ex
claim, "Who is like unto the Lord ?" If men be not
filled with admiring and adoring thoughts of him, it
is because they know him not, neither contemplate
him : but we can scarcely fail of being in some mea
sure suitably impressed with his excellency, if we
consider those perfections of his which are set before
us in our text :
I. His greatness
[But how shall we convey any idea of this? If we speak of
created things, however great, we can give some kind of state
ment, which, though very inadequate, will convey a slight notion
at least of the subject. However great the disparity between a
monarch and a worm, or between the globe and a grain of sand,
there is something whereon we may ground a comparison be
tween them, and something to which we may affix tolerably
definite ideas. But between the Creator and the creature there
is no point of contact. If we attempt to declare his immensity,
and say, that in all the boundless regions of space God is every
where, and as entirely present in every different spot as if he
were no where in the universe besides, what are we the nearer to
any just apprehension of him ? Our intellect is not capable of
conceiving of him aright. Were a peasant told respecting the
motions and distances and mutual dependence of the heavenly
bodies, how much of it would he understand? It would be far
2(>6 PSALMS, CX1II. 58. [687.
above his comprehension : he could not embrace any part of
the system. So, if we presume to speak of the greatness and
incomprehensibility of Jehovah, we only " darken counsel by
words without knowledge:" " it is a knowledge too wonderful
for us ; we cannot attain unto it." The sentiments of Zophar
on this subject are well worthy of our attention : " Canst thou
by searching find out God ? canst thou find out the Almighty
to perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do?
deeper than hell ; what canst thou know? The measure thereof
is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea a ." And
Elihu, another of Job s friends, exactly to the same purpose
says, " Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out b ."
Sometimes indeed God is pleased to give us some little glimpse
of his majesty; light enough, if we may so speak, to make our
darkness visible. Thus by the Prophet Isaiah he asks, " Who
hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted
out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the
earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and
the hills in a balance ? Behold, the nations are as a drop of a
bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance ; lie
taketh up the isles as a very little thing. All nations before him
are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing,
and vanity." He then adds, " To whom then will ye liken
God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him c ?" The
Psalmist also, with exquisite beauty, thus sets forth the glory of
his majesty: " O Lord my God, thou art very great: thou art
clothed with honour and majesty: who coverest thyself with
light as with a garment ; who stretchest out the heavens like a
curtain ; who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters ;
who maketh the clouds his chariot; who walketh upon the wings
of the wind ; who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers
a flame of fire d ." But, after all, what idea does this description
give us of Him, who " filleth all things," " whom the heaven of
heavens cannot contain?" We are altogether at a loss on so
mysterious a subject; which therefore we close with that decla
ration of the Psalmist, " His greatness is unsearchable 6 ."]
But though we can add nothing to what is said in
the words before our text, " The Lord is high above
all nations, and his glory above the heavens/ yet we
see in this what will serve to illustrate the depth of,
II. His condescension
[" He humbleth himself to behold the things that are in
heaven:" yes, if he deign to cast an eye upon the highest
angels and archangels, it is an act of infinite condescension :
a Job xi. 7 9. b Job xxxvii. 23. c Isai. xl. 12, 15, 17, 18.
d Ps. civ. 14. e Ps. cxlv. 3.
687.] GREATNESS AND CONDESCENSION OF GOD. 2G7
for, intelligent as they are in comparison of us, " he charge th
them with folly;" and pure as heaven itself is in comparison of
earth, it is " not clean in his sight f ." But he will stoop even
to look down on earth, yea and on the meanest and vilest of
its inhabitants, provided they do but humble themselves before
him. The poor and needy, even in their lowest state, ever have
been, and ever shall be, objects of his peculiar regard. Men
may be low in station, in character, and in spirit; but he will
notice them notwithstanding. The description given us of
Lazarus, represents a condition more deplorable than usually
falls to the lot of man yet was he set forth as an object
of the tenderest compassion to Almighty God. The dying thief
may well be adduced as amongst the most degraded of the
human race yet did the Saviour honour him with an
express and audible assurance, that he should that very day be
with him in Paradise. " To the man that is poor and of a con
trite spirit " God has promised in a more especial manner to
" look, in order to revive and comfort his drooping spirit."
Only let a person lie in the dust before God, and sit, like Job,
upon the dunghill, from a consciousness of his own extreme
unworthiness, and God will fly instantly to his relief: " he will
raise the poor out of the dust, and lift up the needy out of the
dunghill : " nor is there any dignity, however high, to which he
will not exalt him : " he will set him among the princes, even
with the princes of his people:" yes, he will cause him to " sit
down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of
heaven," and to reign with them in glory for ever and ever.
Perhaps the primary import of our text may be found in the
elevation of such men as Saul and David from the lowest
offices to the throne of Israel : but in the psalm, as well as in
the Song of Hannah, from whence it is taken *, we must
undoubtedly look for a higher meaning, even the elevation of
an immortal soul from the lowest state of sin and misery to all
the glory and felicity of heaven. Would we have a just con
ception of the change which by the tender mercy of our God
shall be wrought on the poor mid contrite, we may behold our
blessed Lord raised from the grave, to which with unparalleled
ignominy he had been committed, and exalted to the right
hand of God, above all the principalities and powers both of
earth and heaven. Thus will the poor and contrite soul be
raised from guilt to peace, from sin to holiness, from the very
gates of hell even to the throne of God.]
Does our God so condescend to you ? then let me
CALL ON YOU,
1. To adore him
f Job iv. 18. and xv. 15. e 1 Sam. ii. 8.
268 PSALMS, CXIII. 58. [687.
[Frequently does this expression occur in the Holy Scrip
tures, " O Lord, who is like unto thee ?" And continually
should the thought be in our minds. It is impossible to know
any thing of the condescension and grace of God, and not be
lost in wonder and in praise. We say not that livelier emotions
of joy are wrong; but they are always to be suspected, if they
be not blended with a considerable measure of self-lothing and
self-abhorrence. Profound adoration seems to be the proper
posture of a redeemed soul. O ye poor, whose station is so
low that the greater part of your fellow-creatures would scarcely
deign to notice you, think what love God has shewn towards
you, if he has made you rich in faith and heirs of his kingdom 1
And ye whose character has been so degraded as to
have almost resembled that of the Corinthians, think what reason
you have to adore your God, if it can be said of you, as of them,
" But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God 1 ."
Above all, ye drooping and desponding souls, who once were
ready to say, " There is no hope," what thanks can ye give for
those rich assurances and consolations which now form a very
foretaste of heaven in your souls ? And in all these changes,
consider chiefly the means which have been used to effect them.
It is not by a mere act of mercy that God has wrought these
things for you, but by taking on himself your miseries, that ye
may be partakers of his glory. To view the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ aright, you must bear in mind, that " though he
was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through
his poverty might be rich k ." Yes: " He was made sin for you,
that you might be made the righteousness of God in him 1 ."
O bless him, praise him, magnify him, and adore him, arid let
all that is within you bless his holy name.]
2. To trust in him
[The greatest discouragements of the saints arise from a
view of their own unworthiness. But God, if I may so speak,
loves to see you in the dust and on the dunghill. The lower
you are abased before him, the more he delights to exalt you.
He even derives to himself a glory from the very depths to
which he condescends for you. Add not then to all your other
sins, that most hateful one of limiting his mercy. If your " sins
have ever so much abounded, his grace will much more abound,"
if only ye seek it in Christ Jesus, your Mediator and Redeemer.
If you attempt to measure God s love and mercy by any created
standard, you must of necessity dishonour him exceedingly : for
there is nothing finite that will admit of a comparison with him
who is infinite. As for his mercy, he most of all is grieved to
h Jam. ii. 5. ! 1 Cor. vi. 911.
k 2 Cor. viii. 9. ] 2 Cor. v. 21.
688. J TRUST IN GOD RECOMMENDED. 269
have that disparaged, because it is the attribute in which he
chiefly delights. Whatever then be your sins, or sorrows, or
wants, or fears, cast them all on him, and know that you shall
never be disappointed : for " as his majesty is, so also is his
mercy."]
3. To glorify him
[We have no fear, but that if once you are led to trust in
him aright, your most anxious inquiry will be, " What shall I
render unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto
me ?" Methinks you will of yourselves be panting after oppor
tunities to testify to him your love and gratitude" 1 . You will
see, that to surrender up yourselves wholly to him is your
" reasonable service"." Knowing that " you are not your own,
but are bought with a price, you will long to glorify God with
your body and your spirit, which are his ." We call you then
to this blessed duty, to " live no more unto yourselves, but
unto Him who died for you and rose again." He has made
you most blessed among men ; for " who is like unto thee, O
Israel, O people saved by the Lord p ?" O let it be seen then,
that he has made you also the most holy of all the people upon
earth. He has set you among the princes now, that you may
have fellowship with all the holy Prophets and Apostles of old :
and by walking in their steps, you will soon arrive at those
blissful mansions, where you shall share with them in their
inheritance, and be yourselves " kings and priests unto God
and our Father for ever and ever."]
m Jer. x. 6, 7. " Rom. xii. 1.
1 Cor. vi. 20. P Deut. xxxiii. 29.
DCLXXXVIII.
TRUST IN GOD RECOMMENDED.
Ps. cxv. 9 13. Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their
help and their shield. house of Aaron, trust in the Lord :
he is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord,
trust in the Lord : he is their help and their shield. The
Lord hath been mindful of us : he will bless us : he will
bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
GREAT as is the stupidity of fallen man, one would
not have imagined that it should ever enter into his
mind to worship the works of his own hands. To
come before those which cannot see ; and address
ourselves to those that cannot answer ; and offer sa
crifices to those who can smell no sweet savour from
270 PSALMS, CXV. 913. [688.
them ; and to rely on those which have no operative
or locomotive powers ; all this seems to be a degree
of infatuation beyond what one would conceive a
creature possessed of reason should labour under.
But so it is. There are millions of such persons,
who are, in fact, as senseless as the objects they wor
ship. But there is one who is able either to save or
to destroy, even Jehovah, " who dwelleth in the hea
vens, and doth whatsoever pleaseth him a ." And to
-him I will now call your most devout attention, in
the words of my text : " O Israel," &c. &c.
In these words we behold,
I. Our duty
This is specified again and again : " Trust in the
Lord." Now this is,
1. A comprehensive duty
[Our necessities are numberless : our trust in Him, there
fore, for the supply of them must extend to our every want,
temporal, spiritual, eternal.
We must trust in his word; which, as it is in reality the
only proper ground of confidence, must also be the measure of
it. We have no authority to trust in God for any thing which
he has not promised : and we are bound to trust in him for
every thing that he has promised. To do the former is pre
sumption : to decline the latter is unbelief.
We must trust, also, in his Providence: for every thing is
ordered by him, even to " the falling of a sparrow upon the
ground : " and we are incapable of ordering any thing for our
selves ; " it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps V
We must trust also in his grace : for " we cannot do any
good thing without him c ." It is from him that we must ob
tain " power either to do, or even to will," what is acceptable in
his sight d : and in every stage of our existence must we depend
on him for " more grace 6 ," and receive from him " the grace
that shall be sufficient for us f ."
Thus must we look up to him as the source of all good 8 ,
whether for the body or the soul, for time or for eternity.]
2. An universal duty
[Every person, in every condition, is equally dependent on
God, and must equally look to him for a supply of his necessities.
"O Israel, trust thou in the Lord!" Though thou hast
been admitted into covenant with God, and art numbered by
a ver. 3 8. b Jer. x. 23. c John xv. 5. d Phil. ii. 13.
e Jam, iv. 6. f 2 Cor. xii. 9. e Jam. i. 17.
688.] TRUST IN GOD RECOMMENDED. 271
him amongst his peculiar people, thou hast not on that account
any more sufficiency in thyself than others. Thou art still,
and wilt be to thy dying hour, as helpless as a little child, and
must be borne by him as an infant in its mother s arms.
" O House of Aaron, trust thou in the Lord !" Thou, who
art exercising the office of the priesthood, hast peculiar need of
help from above, in order to discharge it to the satisfaction of
thy God. Thy difficulties are great ; thy duties arduous : and
thou hast no more strength in thyself than other men. Even
the Apostle Paul exclaimed, " Who is sufficient for these
things 11 ? " Thou hast to give an account of the souls of others,
as well as of thine own : and methinks, a double portion of
help from above is necessary for thee, in order that thou mayest
prevail at last to " save thyself and them that hear thee."
" Ye also that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord !" As there
were proselytes amongst the Jews who were not considered on
the high footing of native Israelites, so are there many at this
time who are not publicly known and recognised as God s
peculiar people, who yet do truly "fear him:" and shall these
be overlooked? No: ye are privileged to trust in the Lord,
as much as others; and may expect from him ah! needful
blessings, as much as others : for " God is no respecter of
persons ; but, in every nation, he that feareth God, and worketh
righteousness shall be accepted of him 1 ."]
Such being the duty enjoined on all, let us consider,
II. Our encouragement to perform it
This is twofold, arising,
1. From what God has already done for us
[" He has been mindful of us," of all of us, without ex
ception. To whom of those who ever trusted in him, has he
not been both " a help and a shield?" Whom has he not
protected from innumerable dangers, and assisted in times of
difficulty ? Can any one doubt but that he would have
long since perished from the assaults of sin and Satan, if God
had not been with him, to preserve and uphold him? -
But it is not in time only that God has been mindful of us:
from all eternity has his eye been fixed upon us, and his infi
nite wisdom been occupied in our behalf. Long before we
were in existence, or the foundations of the earth were laid,
did he make provision for our happiness. He foresaw that we
should fall : and he entered into covenant with his own Son to
redeem us. He engaged also his Holy Spirit, to execute within
us all the purposes of his love
h 2 Cor. ii, 10. * Acts x. 34, 35.
272 PSALMS, CXV. 913. [688.
Say, Is not this a sufficient ground for trusting in him ?
What greater encouragement can we have ? ]
2. From what he is engaged to do for us
[" He will bless us." We need not fear it : for it is a
work in which he greatly delights.
" He will bless the House of Israel." They are " his pecu
liar people," " his household," " his sons and daughters k :"
Will he forget them ? " They are graven upon the palms of
his hands:" and sooner may "a mother forget her sucking
child, than he forget" to minister to them whatsoever they may
stand in need of 1 . His word is pledged to them : and " sooner
shall heaven and earth pass away, than one jot or tittle of his
word shall fail m ."
" He will bless the House of Aaron" too, and give to them
such communications of grace and peace as the world have no
conception of, " clothing them with salvation, and making them
to shout aloud for joy n ." The priest, when offering incense,
may give us some idea of what the Lord imparts to his faithful
servants, whilst occupied in his service. His incense no other
person was privileged to smell unto, nor he himself on any
other occasion than that: but then, whilst honouring God with
it, he was richly regaled with its odours. Such is the privi
lege of all God s faithful servants, in the midst of their labo
rious duties. Their face often shines with radiance from God
upon the holy mount ; though, by reason of the veil they wear,
it is not discerned in their intercourse with the world.
tf He will indeed bless all who fear the Lord, both small and
great." They may be overlooked by men ; but they are known
to God ; and his eye is over them for good. It matters not
whether they be great or small. The great are not so great,
but that they need his blessing : nor are the small so insigni
ficant, that they shall be deemed unworthy of his notice. If
they be as beggars on a dunghill, even there will he visit them ;
and from thence will he take them, "to set them among the
princes, and to make them inherit a throne of glory ."
To all of them, without exception, will he give occasion for
that devout acknowledgment, " Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ ! "]
ADDRESS
1. Those who are ignorant of God
[This is the state of all who are not living in the habitual
performance of the duty here enjoined : for, " if they knew God s
name, they would put their trust in him p ." Let me then ask of
k 2 Cor. vi. 18. ] Isai. xlix. 15, 16. m Isai. liv. 9, 10.
n Ps. cxxxii. 16. 1 Sam. ii. 8. P Ps. ix. 10.
689.] THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE. 273
you, Who will be your help, and your shield? Who in this
world ? and Who, when you shall be standing at the judgment-
seat of Christ, and the sword of vengeance is lifted up for your
destruction ? O seek to know God, especially as he is
revealed to us in Christ Jesus ! And tremble now for
fear of his judgments; and flee for refuge to the hope that is
set before you. So shall you even yet escape his wrath, and
receive at his hands all the blessings of salvation.]
2. Those who are putting their trust in him
[Whom amongst you all has he ever disappointed of his
hope ? Are you not all witnesses for him, that he is faithful
to his word, and that " of all the good things that he has pro
mised you, not so much as one has ever failed^?" He has
been ever "mindful of you, and blessed you:" be ye, then,
" mindful" of him, and "bless" him. Bear in remembrance
your obligations to him : and go to him " in every time of need,
both for mercy to pardon, and for grace to help r ." And bless
him from your inmost souls, as David, specifying your respective
characters, exhorts you : " Let Israel now say, that his mercy
endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his
mercy endureth for ever. Let them now, that fear the Lord,
say, that his mercy endureth for ever 8 ." Let this song be begun
by you on earth, and you shall sing it to all eternity in heaven.]
<i Josh, xxiii. 14. r Heb. iv. 16. s Ps. cxviii. 2 4.
DCLXXXIX.
THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE.
Ps. cxvi. 1 7. / love the Lord, because he hath heard my
voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his
ear unto me, therefore ivill I call upon him as long as I live.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat
hold upon me : I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I
upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver
my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous ; yea, our
God is merciful! The Lord preserveth the simple: I was
brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O
my soul ; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
THE abruptness of this psalm shews, that it was
the fruit of much previous meditation : the writer of
it had been " musing in his heart, till at last the fire
kindled, and he spake with his tongue." It begins,
" I love :" and, though our translators had not sup
plied the deficiency, there would have remained no
doubt on the mind of the reader, who it was that
VOL. VI. T
274 PSALMS, CXVI. 17. [689.
was the object of the Psalmist s regard. The fact is,
that nothing so endears the Deity to the souls of men
as answers to prayer ; nor does any thing so encou
rage sinners to address him with unwearied impor
tunity. The two first verses of the psalm are a kind
of summary of the whole ; setting forth in few words
what he afterwards expatiates upon more at length :
but though we shall, on this account, pass them over
in our discussion, we shall not be unmindful of the
resolution contained in them, but shall conclude our
subject with commending it to your most serious
attention.
The points which now call for our notice are,
I. The troubles he had endured
[We know not for certain what these were ; but we are
sure, that the psalm was written after the ark had been brought
up to Mount Zion, and the worship of God had been perma
nently settled at Jerusalem a : and therefore we apprehend, that
is was written on occasion of David s deliverance from some
overwhelming distress both of body and mind, resembling that
specified in the sixth psalm b . The terms used in our text
might indeed be interpreted of death only ; because the word
" hell " often means nothing more than the grave : but we rather
think that terrors of conscience, on account of his sin committed
in the matter of Uriah, had given a ten-fold poignancy to the
fear of death, and that his experience was similar to that de
scribed in the 2oth Psalm, where he says, "The troubles of my
heart are enlarged ; O bring thou me out of my distresses ! Look
upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins c !"
But whatever was the precise occasion of David s sorrows, it
is manifest, that, sooner or later, we must all be brought into
a situation wherein his language will be exactly suitable to us.
" The sorrows of death" will shortly "encompass us," and
" the pains of hell," if we have not previously obtained a sense
of reconciliation with God, will " get hold upon us ; " and, in
the contemplation of an approaching eternity, "we shall find
trouble and sorrow," such as in our present state of carelessness
and security we have no conception of. O that we could but
bring our hearers to realize that awful hour, when we shall look
back upon our mis-spent hours with unavailing regret,*and look
forward to our great account with fear and trembling, wishing,
if it were possible, that we might have a fresh term of probation
allowed us, or that the hills and mountains might cover us from
a ver. 18, 19. b Ps. vi. 2, 3. c Ps. xxv. 17, 18.
689.] THANKSGIVING FOR DELIVERANCE. 275
the face of our offended God ! Let all, even though, like David,
they be monarchs upon their thrones, know, that the time must
shortly arrive, when the things of time and sense will appear
in all their real insignificance ; and nothing will be deemed of
any importance but the eternal welfare of the soul.]
Whatever his troubles had been, we have no doubt
respecting,
II. The means he had used for his relief from them
David had had recourse to prayer ; " Then called
I on the name of the Lord ; O Lord, I beseech thee,
deliver my soul ! "
This is the proper remedy for all our troubles
[" Is any afflicted ? let him pray;" says an inspired apostle.
And God himself says, "Call upon me in the time of trouble;
and I will hear thee ; and thou shalt glorify me." Indeed, where
else can we go with any hope of relief? If it be the death of
the body that we dread, man can do nothing for us, any farther
than it shall please God to employ him as an instrument for
our good. If it be the death of the soul which we fear, who
but God can help us ? Who can interpose between a sinner
and his Judge ? If we betake ourselves to a throne of grace,
and " pray unto our God with strong crying and tears," we shall
find that He " is able to save us from death:" but created
powers are physicians of no value ]
We must however, in our prayers, resemble David
[Behold what humility and fervour were manifested in this
petition ; " O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul ! " Prayer
does not consist in fluent or eloquent expressions, but in ardent
desires of the soul : and it may as well be uttered in sighs and
groans, as in the most energetic words that language can afford.
" God knoweth the mind of the Spirit," by whose inspiration all
acceptable supplications are suggested. Never was there a
petition more pleasing to God than that of the publican, " God
be merciful to me a sinner ! " nor did any prove more effectual
for immediate relief than that recorded in our text. Truly this
is a comfortable consideration to the broken-hearted penitent :
the greatness of his sorrows perhaps prevents the enlargement
of his heart in prayer : but God estimates his prayers, not by
their fluency, but by their sincerity ; and that which is offered
in indistinct and unutterable groans, is as intelligible and as
acceptable to him, as if every request were offered in the most
measured terms. Prayer thus offered, shall never go forth in vain.]
This appears from,
III. The success of those means
276 PSALMS, CXVI. 17. [689.
Most encouraging is the testimony which the Psalm
ist bears to the condescension and goodness of God
[Not a word intervenes between his petition for mercy and
his acknowledgment of mercy received: " Gracious is the Lord,
and righteous ; yea, our God is merciful." Here the Psalmist
marks the union of justice and mercy in the dispensations of
God s grace towards him : and that union is invariable, when
ever we plead before him that great sacrifice which was made
for the sins of the whole world, and which has fully satisfied
the justice of our God. Moreover, he represents this mercy
as the common lot of all, who in simplicity and godly sincerity
implore it at God s hands ; " The Lord preserveth the simple,"
and will never suffer one of them to perish. But then he brings
it back again to his own experience, and acknowledges with
1-eartfelt gratitude that God had received his prayer, and made
him a most distinguished monument of his mercy.]
Such is the testimony which every contrite and
believing suppliant shall be able to bear
[Yes ; justice is on the Believer s side, as well as mercy.
Whoever comes to God in the name of Christ, may plead, that
all his debts have been discharged by his great Surety, and
that all the glory of heaven has been purchased for him by his
Redeemer s blood. Through this infinitely meritorious atone
ment God is reconciled to man, and " the righteousness of
Jehovah, no less than his mercy, is declared in the remission of
sins d :" so that, " if we humbly confess our sins, God will be
faithful and just in forgiving our sins, and in cleansing us from
all unrighteousness 6 ." Let " the simple "-hearted penitent re
joice in this assurance ; and let everyone labour from his own
experience to say, " I was brought low, and he helped me."~\
In the close of our text we see,
IV. The improvement which he made of his whole
experience-
He determined henceforth to make God " the
rest" of his soul
[Truly there is no rest for the soul in any other. We may
renew our attempts to seek it in this lower world, but we shall
find none, except in the ark of God. Indeed the great use of
troubles is to bring us to a conviction of this truth : and, what
ever we may have suffered from " the sorrows of death," or
<s the pains of hell," we may bless and adore our God for the
dispensation, if it dispose us at last to seek all our happiness
in him ]
(I Rom. iii. 25, 26. e 1 John i. 9.
690.] GRATEFUL RECOLLECTIONS. 277
To the same " Rest" must we also continually
" return"
[As the needle of a compass which has sustained some
violent concussion will continue its tremulous motion till it
returns to the pole again, so must our souls do, if at any time
through the violence of temptation they be diverted for a season
from their God. Not a moment s rest should we even wish to
have, till we find it in him alone. In all his perfections w r e
have " chambers into which we may enter," and in which
we may enjoy security from every impending danger. His
omniscience will prevent surprise : his omnipotence will defeat
our most potent adversaries: his love will comfort us under
our most painful circumstances : and his faithfulness will
preserve us even to the end. Let our troubles then drive us
to him, and our experience of past mercies determine us to
" cleave unto him with full purpose of heart."]
ADDRESS
[We now revert to the resolution announced by the
Psalmist at the very beginning of the psalm : " Because the
Lord hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon
him as long as I live." This shews how justly he appreciated
the Divine goodness ; that he regarded it as an inexhaustible
fountain, from whence the whole creation may incessantly
" draw water with joy." The very command which God him
self has given us, attests the same, and proves, that it is no
less our privilege than our duty to " pray without ceasing," to
" pray, and not faint." O Brethren, let every answer to prayer
bring you back again more speedily to the throne of grace ; and
every communication of blessings to your souls make you more
importunate for further blessings, till " your cup runneth over,"
and you are " filled with all the fulness of God."]
DCXC.
GRATEFUL RECOLLECTIONS.
Ps. cxvi. 8, 9. Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine
eyes from tears, and my feet from falling : I will walk
before the Lord in the land of the living.
IT is justly said by David, in another psalm,
" The works of the Lord are great, sought out of
all them that have pleasure therein a :" and great
indeed they will appear, to all who endeavour to
trace them even in the narrow sphere of their own
experience. David, it is true, had a greater variety
a Ps. cxi. 2.
278 PSALMS, CXVI. 8, 9. [690.
of extraordinary incidents to enumerate, and of mer
cies to be thankful for, than almost any other person
whatever ; but still there is no such difference be
tween his experience and that of other men, but that
his complaints may be poured out by them, and his
thanksgivings be adopted by them. In the psalm be
fore us he seems to have been delivered from some
heavy afflictions ; and to have been raised from the
depths of sorrow to an extraordinary elevation of
peace and joy. He had been encompassed with the
sorrows of death, and the pains of hell had got hold
upon him ; but God, in answer to his prayers, had
graciously delivered him from all his troubles.
In the words which we have just read, we see,
I. His review of past mercies-
God, it seems, had delivered,
1. His " soul from death "-
[In its primary sense, we apprehend, these words refer to
the death of the body. Saul had sought to the utmost of his
power to destroy him : but God had on many occasions signally
interposed for his protection, and had preserved him to the pre
sent hour. And have not we also reason to adore our God for
the interpositions of his providence in our behalf? Though we
have not been in similar circumstances with David, we have been
exposed to many dangers, both seen and unseen ; and have
therefore just occasion to adopt before God the same expressions
of reverential gratitude.
But we must doubtless include under these terms a deliverance
from eternal death alsoV David was assured that God had
" forgiven all his sins c ," not excepting those committed in the
matter of Uriah d : well therefore might he magnify the grace
which had been exercised towards him. And have not we also
reason to magnify our God for having rescued our souls from
perdition ? True ; many of us, it is to be feared, are yet in an
unpardoned state : nevertheless, even they have cause to bless
God that they have not long since been consigned over to ever
lasting and irremediable misery. Millions of the human race
have been cut off in their sins, though they had not, it may be,
attained one half of the measure of iniquity that lies upon our
souls : and yet they have been taken, and we left. O let us
admire and adore this inscrutable mystery, and let us give unto
God the glory due unto his name !
b Compare Ps. Ixxxvi. 13. and Isai. xxxviii. 17. c Ps. ciii. 3.
d 2 Sam. xii. 13.
690.] GRATEFUL RECOLLECTIONS. 279
But it may be that our souls are in a pardoned state ; and
that God has " taken a live coal from off the altar, and applied
it to our lips, saying, Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin
is purged 6 ." If so, what acknowledgments should we make?
Verily there can be no circumstances whatever in which such
persons should not bless God from their very inmost souls f .]
2. His eyes from tears
[David often found occasion to weep, either on his own
account or on account of others g . Indeed his whole life was
tempestuous and full of trouble. What the particular affliction
was from which he had now been delivered, we do not exactly
know. If it was sickness and death, his tears must have pro
ceeded, as Hezekiah s did, from an apprehension of the dis
traction and misery that were likely to ensue to the whole state
by his removal from it at that time h . But whatever it was,
his mind was now at ease in relation to it.
And are we at this time free from any great affliction?
Surely we have reason to be thankful for it : for, how number
less are the sources of grief from whence our whole souls may
speedily be overwhelmed ! In our own persons we are exposed
to diseases and accidents every moment. In our relative con
nexions too, how many occasions of sorrow are ever ready to
arise ! the misconduct of one, the unkindness of another, the
misfortunes of a third, the death of one that was to us as our
own souls, alas ! alas ! it is a vale of tears that we are passing
through, moaning or bemoaned every hour. Our very pleasures
not unfrequently become occasions of the bitterest pains. If
then we have been kept for any time in a good measure of
peaceful serenity, we may well account it a rich blessing, for
which we are bound to adore and magnify our God. It is not
from the dust that either our trials or our comforts spring : and, if
God have dealt to us an abundance of earthly comfort, whilst so
many thousands of our fellow-creatures are racked with pain,
or bowed down with sorrows, we ought to acknowledge him as
the author and giver of these distinguished privileges.]
3. His feet from falling
[On more than one occasion, David s " feet had well nigh
slipped." When urged to kill Saul, and when hastening to
avenge himself on Nabal, he was on the brink of a dangerous
precipice, from whence however it pleased God to deliver him.
e Isai. vi. 6, 7.
f 1 Pet. i. 3, 4. N. B. This is the very commencement of an
Epistle written to " Strangers who were scattered all the world over
by cruel persecutions."
s Ps. xlii. 3. 2 Sam. xiii. 36. and xv. 30. and xviii. 33.
h Isai. xxxviii. 9 14.
280 PSALMS, CXVI. 8, 9. [690.
And what a miracle of mercy is it, if our feet are kept ! Con
sider with what innumerable snares and temptations we are
beset on every side, and what corruptions reign in our own
hearts, ready to precipitate us into any evil : consider the
deceitfulness of sin too, what pleasing and even innocent forms
it will assume : consider also the malice and subtlety of our
great adversary, who is going about continually as a roaring
lion seeking to devour us : consider more particularly how many
persons of eminence in the religious world have fallen ; a David,
a Solomon, a Peter ; O have not we reason to adore our God,
if our feet have been kept from falling ; more especially when
we reflect, how near we have been to many grievous falls, when
nothing but God s infinite mercy has held us up !
Let us look back then on these mercies vouchsafed unto us,
and, from the review, let us follow David in,]
II. His determination arising from it
By "the land of the living" we understand this
present world 1 , where alone there is any opportunity
of making suitable returns to God. " The living, the
living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day," says
Hezekiah k . As long as he should live, David deter
mined, with God s help, to walk before God,
1. In a constant attendance on his ordinances
[This is particularly intended in the words of our text :
twice is the idea expressly stated in the following verses l . And
where should a person go to make his acknowledgments to God,
but to His house, where the free-will offerings and thank-offer
ings of old were wont to be brought ? A grateful heart will pant
after these public opportunities of glorifying God, even " as
the hart panteth after the water-brooks 111 ;" and to be deprived
of access to them will be a source of pain and grief". David
envied the very swallows their liberty of access to the house of
God, when he was kept at a distance from it . Let us shew
our gratitude in the same way. And let not our attendance on
his courts, after a recovery from sickness, be a mere prelude to
our return to all the gaieties and follies of the world ; but let
our delight be in the worship of our God on earth, as an earnest
and foretaste of our enjoyment of him in a better world.]
2. Under an abiding sense of his presence
[To " set the Lord always before us " is the sure way to
honour him. Whether we think of him or not, "he is always
about our bed and about our paths, and spieth out all our
1 Ps. xxvii. 13. Isai. liiu 8. k Isai. xxxviii. 19.
1 ver. 12, 14, 17, 18, 19. ra Ps. xlii. 1, 2.
n Ps. xlii. 3, 4. o Ps. Ixxxiv. 1 4.
690.] GRATEFUL RECOLLECTIONS. 281
ways." Wherever we are, therefore, there should be that
inscription, which Hagar saw, " Thou God seest me." O how
circumspect would our conduct then be ! How continually
would that question recur to our minds, " What will my God
approve ? " That this is the frame of mind which every child
of God will cultivate, is beautifully represented by St. Paul
in his address to servants : he tells them how the servant
of God does act towards his heavenly Master, and proposes it
as a pattern for them towards their earthly masters p
Let us " not be mere eye-servants, as men-pleasers," but exert
ourselves at all times to please our God, as servants do under
the immediate eye of their master.]
3. In a cheerful obedience to his commands
[This is to walk before God in deed and in truth q : and to
produce this, is the very end of all God s mercies towards us.
Surely, if we are in any measure sensible of our obligations
to God, we shall not account any of " his commandments
grievous." We shall not wish so much as one of them to
be relaxed, but shall attend to all of them without partiality
and without hypocrisy. Happy would it be for us if more
of this gratitude were found amongst us. Happy would
it be if the love which God has shewn to us in Christ Jesus
constrained us to live altogether unto God ; so that we could
make the same appeal to him that Hezekiah did, "Remember
now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in
truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is
good in thy sight r ." This is the surest test of our integrity, and
the most acceptable expression of our gratitude to God.]
In our REFLECTIONS on this subject, we cannot but
view in it abundant matter,
1. For our humiliation
[How many mercies have we received, yet never stood
amazed at the goodness of our God ! Were it only this, that
our souls are not consigned over to everlasting death, we should
have cause to bless our God day and night. Only reflect a
moment, how dreadful it would have been to be cut off in our
sins, and to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where
there is nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of
teeth ! And yet who amongst us has not richly deserved it ?
who has not been in constant danger of it from day to day ?
Our sins have been more in number than the hairs of our head;
yet not a thousandth part so great as they would have been,
if we had been left to carry into act all the evil dispositions of
our hearts. Truly if we have not run into the same enormities
as others, it is God, and God alone, who has made the difference
P Eph. vi. 5 8. <i 1 Kings ii. 3, 4. r Isai. xxxviii. 3.
282 PSALMS, CXVI. 1214. [691.
between us. What shall we say then to the insensibility
which we have manifested under all these stupendous mercies?
Are we not ashamed ? Have we not reason to be ashamed, yea,
and to abase ourselves before God in dust and ashes ? O let
us remember that ingratitude is a sin of the most crimson dye s :
and that, if we will not notice as we ought the operations of
God s hands, his loving-kindness will ere long be shut up in
everlasting displeasure*.]
2. For our encouragement
[To the evil and to the unthankful have all these mercies
been vouchsafed : What then shall not be done for us, if we
will seek after God in sincerity and truth ? Surely these present
blessings shall be only as the drop before the shower ; they
shall be a prelude to that blessedness, " where there shall be
no more death nor sorrow, nor sin, but where all tears shall be
wiped away from our eyes for ever u ." God offers himself to
every one of us, as a Covenant God : he says to each of us,
as he did to Abraham of old, " I am God Almighty : walk
before me, and be thou perfect x ." In Christ Jesus he is
already reconciled to us ; and he only requires that we come
to him through Christ, embracing his proffered mercies, and
yielding up ourselves to him as those that are alive from the
dead. O that he may so draw us, that we may run after him ;
and so subdue us to the obedience of faith, that we may become
a peculiar people, zealous of good works !
8 Rom. i. 21. t Ps. xxviii. 5. u Rev. xxi. 4. x Gen. xvii. 1.
DCXCI.
HOW TO REQUITE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCIES.
Ps. cxvi. 12 14. What shall I render unto the Lord for all
his benefits toward me ! I will take the cup of salvation,
and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows
unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.
THE influence of faith on our eternal salvation is
obvious to all who have any just views of the Gospel :
but its operation on the mind in this present life, and
its efficacy to produce peace and holiness, are by no
means generally understood. In this view however
the psalm before us is peculiarly instructive. David,
when his faith failed him, overlooked all the mercies
that he had received at the Lord s hands, and rashly
concluded, that all which had been declared to him
respecting the purpose of God to establish him on the
691.] HOW TO REQUITE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCIES. 283
throne of Israel, was false : " I said in my haste, all
men are liars." But, when his faith was strengthened,
he no longer gave way to such querulous expressions
and desponding fears : on the contrary, he then was
full of peace and joy ; and with the liveliest emo
tions of love and gratitude, exclaimed, " What shall
I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards
me ?" That we may be brought to this happy state
of mind, and may be led to abound in praise and
thanksgiving, let us contemplate,
I. The benefits which our God has conferred upon us
On such an inexhaustible subject as this, we can do
no more than suggest a few leading thoughts, which
may be more largely prosecuted in our secret retirement.
To contemplate them in all their fulness will be the
blissful employment of eternity. Let us notice those,
1 . Of creation
[How distinguished is our condition above all other crea
tures upon the face of the earth ! In bodily powers, it is true,
we are exceeded by many ; who have not only far greater
strength and agility than we, but their senses also, of sight, and
hearing, and taste, and smelling, and of feeling also, far more
exquisite than ours. But the endowment of reason elevates
us far above them all, and puts them all, in some degree at
least, in subjection under our feet. In them indeed is instinct,
and that too in such perfection as almost to border on the pro
vince of reason ; but in us is a capacity to comprehend things
of spiritual and eternal import, and an ability to know, to love,
to enjoy, to glorify our God. Say whether these be not mer
cies which call for the devoutest gratitude at our hands ?
Nor is it a small matter that we have been brought into the
world at such a time, when the light of God s truth is so clearly
seen, and in such a place as Britain, where it shines forth, as
it were, in meridian splendour. We might have been born of
Mahometan or Heathen parents ; or even in our own country
have been so situated, as to hear but little of Christ and his
salvation. Surely we should not overlook these great benefits,
nor forget what a mercy it is to live in this present day, when
there exists such an ardent zeal for the propagation of the
Gospel, and such unprecedented efforts are made for its diffusion
throughout the world.]
2. Of Providence
[Innumerable are the deliverances which we have all re
ceived from dangers seen and unseen. Millions have been
284 PSALMS, CXVI. 1214. [691.
taken out of the world before they had attained our age ; and
it is to God s gracious care alone we owe it, that we have yet
" space given us for repentance," and time aiforded us for
securing the things belonging to our peace. And how different
might be our condition from what it is ! We might be so des
titute of every comfort, and so oppressed with pain and anguish,
that our very existence, instead of being a blessing, might be a
burthen and a curse. We all, it is true, have trials of some
kind or other; but we all have our consolations also ; and those
who have most afflictions, have in themselves an evidence, how
greatly we are all indebted to our God for that measure of
consolation which is given to -mitigate our sorrows, and how
infinitely short of our deserts is any trouble which is allotted
us in this world.]
3. Of Redemption
[But how shall we speak of this ? Who can " comprehend
the height and depth of God s love" displayed in it ? That God
should so pity us as to give his only-begotten Son to die for us!
that he should lay our iniquities on him, as our Surety, and
thus make a way for the display of all his own glorious perfec
tions in the salvation of man! What shall we say to this? It
is " a love that passe th knowledge." Every part of it is de
scribed as far exceeding all finite comprehension. The " riches"
of grace contained in it, are "unsearchable:" the "peace"
flowing from it, " passeth understanding:" the "joy "imparted
by it, is " unspeakable and full of glory." The whole mystery
of redemption, as contrived, as executed, as applied, and as
experienced in the souls of men, is so great, that we cannot
contemplate it a moment, without exclaiming, "O the depth
of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How
unsearchable are his j udgments, and his ways past finding out a ! "]
Having thus briefly touched upon the mercies of
our God, let us proceed to mark,
II. The sense we should have of them
It is not any slight acknowledgment that becomes
us : we should contemplate them,
1. With overwhelming gratitude
[This is implied in the Psalmist s expression, " What shall
I render unto the Lord?" It is not a calm inquiry, but the
language of a heart oppressed, as it were, with a load of obli-
fation. A man who can speak calmly on such a subject, nay,
had almost said, a man who can speak at all upon it, feels it
a Rom. xi. 33.
691. J HOW TO REQUITE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCIES. 285
not as he ought ; it is too big for utterance : as, in a mind
overwhelmed with conscious unworthiness, " the Spirit of God
maketh intercession with groans which cannot be uttered," so
methinks, if we had a just apprehension of the benefits con
ferred upon us, our sense of them would be expressed rather in
a way of silent adoration, than of verbal acknowledgment. We
do not mean by this, that men should not sing praises to their
God, and tell of all his wondrous works ; for it is our bounden
duty to celebrate them to the utmost of our power b :
but, in our present state of darkness and ignorance, it is rarely
given to men so fully to behold all the wonders of God s love,
as to have their organs of vision blinded by the overwhelming
splendour of the light : we " see at present only in part : " we
" behold things only, as in a mirror, darkly:" as " Moses put
a veil upon his face" to hide from the admiring Israelites that
glory which they were " unable steadfastly to behold," so God
has, in mercy, veiled even his goodness from us, because we are
incapable of supporting the ineffable effulgence of his glory.
Of what we do see, we must say, with Job, " Lo, these are
parts of his ways ; but how little a portion is heard of him! but
the thunder of his power " (we may add too, the riches of his
goodness) " who can understand ?"]
2. With practical self-devotion
[However overwhelmed our minds may be, there must be
in us a determination of heart to render to the Lord all the
service of which he has made us capable. Our gratitude to him
must be, " not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in
truth." His love must have a constraining influence on our
souls : it must " constrain us no longer to live unto ourselves,
but unto Him who died for us, and rose again d ." Every
blessing we enjoy must lead us to Him, who of his great mercy
and bounty has bestowed it on us : and the consideration of
redeeming love especially must animate us to a total surrender
of ourselves, in body, soul, and spirit, to the service of our God e .
As, under the Law, the slaughtered victims were wholly burnt
by fire upon the altar, so, under the Gospel, must we offer our
selves up wholly to the Lord " as living sacrifices." This is nothing
more than our reasonable service f : "We are not our own;
we are bought with a price : and therefore we should glorify
God in our body and in our spirit, which are his g ."]
But let us somewhat more distinctly consider,
III. The way in which we should requite them
The example of the pious Jews is very instructive
b Isai. xii. 1416. c Job xxvi. 14. d 2 Cor. v. 14, 15.
e 1 Thess. v. 23. f Rom. xii. 1. si Cor. vi. 20.
286 PSALMS, CXVI. 1214. [691.
[The Jews were encouraged under their troubles to betake
themselves to God, and to make vows unto the Most High : and
these vows they were required strictly to perform. On paying
their vows to their heavenly Benefactor, they presented certain
sacrifices, of which they and their families were permitted to
partake, in remembrance of God s mercies towards them, and
as an expression of their gratitude to him h . On these occasions,
it was common for the master of the family to close the feast by
taking a cup of wine, and drinking of it, first himself, and after
wards all his family in succession ; and then to close the whole
with a hymn. To this custom it should seem that David refers
in other psalms 1 , as well as in the passage before us : and our
blessed Lord adopted it as a suitable method of commemorating
the wonders of his dying love k . He took a cup, and blessed it,
and gave it to his disciples, that they, and all his followers, to
the very end of time, might drink it in remembrance of his
blood shed for the remission of their sins 1 .]
After this example we should pay our vows, and
" receive the cup of salvation/ or, as that used by
the Jews was called, " the cup of deliverances "-
[Is it asked, What sacrifice are we to offer ? I answer,
The sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving m . " The calves of our
lips " are far more acceptable to God than all the burnt-offerings
that ever were offered". And surely the sacramental cup, of
which every Believer should frequently partake, may at once
remind us of all the mercies we have ever received, and be taken
by us as a memorial of God s unbounded love to us, and of our
unfeigned surrender of ourselves to him. In these expressions
of our love and gratitude we should have all the powers of our
souls called forth: " all that is within us should bless the name
of our God:" and the entire devotion of ourselves to his service
should bear witness to our sincerity before him. Never are we
to be restrained by fear or shame : no; we must pay our vows
" in the presence of all his people." If we are ashamed of Christ,
what can we expect, but that he will be ashamed of us ? But,
" if we confess him before men, then will he also confess us in
the presence of his Father and his holy angels." Here then is
the service which we are to render unto God in return for all
his benefits : we are to confess him, to magnify him, to adore
him, to give up ourselves to him as his redeemed people, to live
altogether by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving all out
of his fulness, and improving all for the honour of his name.
h Lev. vii. 12. Deut. xii. 6, 7, 17, 18.
1 Ps. Ixvi. 1316. andcvii. 22. * Matt. xxvi. 27.
1 1 Cor. xi. 25. m Heb. xiii. 15.
n Ps. 1. 13, 14. with Hos. xiv. 2.
691.] HOW TO REQUITE THE LORD FOR HIS MERCIES. 287
So entirely should we be the Lord s, that " whether we eat, or
drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to his glory ."]
ADDRESS
1. Those who have never yet instituted this inquiry
[Alas ! how many have never made any other use of God s
mercies, but to render them means of self-destruction, and
instruments of dishonouring their God ! Has he given them
abundance ? they have employed it in riot and excess. Has
he vouchsafed to them health and strength ? they have turned
these blessings into an occasion of more unbridled licentious
ness. Has he bestowed intellectual powers upon them ? they
have perverted these to justify their evil ways, and to dispute
the authority of God. The very Gospel itself they have abused
as sanctioning their presumptuous hopes, and as affording reason
for dissipating all fear of God s displeasure. Ah, Brethren!
what will be the end of these things? " Do ye thus requite
the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise ? " How will ye answer
it at the last day? When your Judge shall put the question,
" What could I have done more for my vineyard than I did ?
what excuse will ye offer for bringing forth only wild grapes p ? "
Do but think of these things, ere it be too late. But if ye will
not lay these things to heart, then know assuredly, that, if ye will
not render unto the Lord according to his works of mercy, he
will render unto you according to your aggravated iniquities.]
2. Those who profess to feel their obligations to
their God
[Examine, I beseech you, the returns which you have
made : do they not " fill you with shame and confusion of
face ? " Are ye not perfectly astonished at your own ingrati
tude ? O ! see what need there is to walk humbly before God.
But yet, do not despond. Your " God is able to make all
grace abound towards you :" and, if you call upon him, " he
will give you more grace," even grace sufficient for you, so that
you shall be able to " render to him, in some measure at least,
according to the benefits he has conferred upon you." You
see how he wrought in David, and in his holy Apostles : and
is his arm shortened, that it cannot reach to you ? Arise, and
bless your God ; walk joyfully before him ; " let your hearts
be lifted up in his ways : " come, and take the cup of salvation ;
and, as one great family, hand it round, each, as it were, to the
other, that all of you may be encouraged, and all be comforted,
and all be strengthened. " Now" even now, take the blessed
cup into your hands ; and drink of it " in the presence of all
1 Cor. x. 31. P Isai. v. 1 4.
288 PSALMS, CXVI. 15. . [692.
his people;" yea, drink, and live for ever. And inquire with
yourselves, inquire of each other, yea, inquire of God himself,
what you can do for him ; and let your capacity for his service
be the only measure of your exertion.]
DCXCII.
THE DEATH OF SAINTS PRECIOUS.
Ps. cxvi. 15. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of
his saints.
THE meaning of these words will be best marked
from the occasion on which we suppose them to have
been uttered. The psalm appears to have been writ
ten after Absalom s rebellion. Most imminent were
the dangers from which David had been delivered.
For this mercy he renders thanks : and acknowledges,
to the praise of his heavenly Protector, that, whilst
his own son had sought his life, and instigated mul
titudes to seek his destruction, God had interposed
for his deliverance, and had inflicted merited judg
ments on his enemies. So precious had God accounted
his death, that he would make those to pay dearly
who had laboured to effect it : or, as it is said in
another psalm, " God had redeemed his soul from
deceit and violence, and precious had his blood been
in his sight a ."
From the words which I have read, I shall take
occasion to shew,
I. In what light God regards the death of the saints
We are not to understand that the death of his
saints is pleasing to God, but rather, that he places a
high value on them, and that he will suffer none to
accomplish their death with impunity. So precious
is their death, that,
1. He watches over them to prevent it
[Incessant is his care over his Church ; as he has said,
" I the Lord do keep it : I will water it every moment : lest
any hurt it, I will keep it night and dayV He assures us that
" no weapon that is formed against his people shall prosper ."
So that, as has been often said, " God s servants are immortal,
a Ps. Ixxii. 14. b Isai. xxvii. 4. c Isai. liv. 17.
692.] THE DEATH OF SAINTS PRECIOUS. 289
till their work is done." Not that they are at liberty to tempt
the Lord by rushing needlessly into danger : but, if called by
God to perform any duty, they have nothing to fear. David s
deliverances were numberless, as were those also of the Apostle
Paul. Our Lord himself, too, was encompassed for years by
those who sought his life : but none could prevail against him,
till " his hour was come." Weak as his people are, even " as
lambs in the midst of wolves," none can effect their ruin, " none
can ever pluck them out of his hands." " There is an appointed
time" for every one of them; and, as they must wait, so must
their enemies also wait, till that time is come.]
2. He will come forth to avenge it
[God does suffer his people to be assaulted, and to be put
to death : but he will call their enemies to a severe account for
all that they do against the meanest of his saints. Tt is said,
" He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye d ." We
well know the force of this figure, if but a mote get into our
eye : and we may therefore understand from thence how God
feels when any of his people are assaulted. He has told us, that
" it were better for any man that a millstone were hanged round
his neck, and that he were cast into the depths of the sea, than
that he should offend one of God s little ones." We see, in the
history of David, how Ahithophel suffered for his treachery,
and Absalom for his rebellion : and sooner or later shall every
man who, either in a way of direct assault or of silent contempt,
offends the people of the Lord, surely " give account thereof in
the day of judgment 6 ."]
3. He will never suffer it, till he has accomplished
his good work within them
[To every one of his people has God assigned his proper
work : to some, as to the dying thief, little more is given than
an opportunity of confessing Christ : to others, as to Paul and
John, are long and arduous labours allotted : but the times of
all are in God s hands ; and he will enable every one of them,
to say, " Father, I have glorified thee on earth ; I have finished
the work which thou gavest me to do f ." To his blood
thirsty enemies our Saviour said, " I must walk to-day and to
morrow ; and the third day I shall be perfected :" and even to
the most potent amongst them we may say, " Thou couldst have
no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above."
Men may think they have accomplished their purposes ; as when
Peter was kept in prison till the very night preceding his in
tended execution ; or as when Paul had been stoned, and left for
dead. But " there is no counsel or might against the Lord."
He will make " the wrath of man to praise him ; and the
d Zech. ii. 8. e 1 Pet. iv. 4, 5. f John xvii. 4,
VOL. VI. U
290 PSALMS, CXVI. 15. [692.
remainder of it," which would counteract his purposes, " he
will restrain."]
Such being God s estimate of his people s death,
we may see,
II. In what light we also should regard it
However we may congratulate souls on their re
moval to a better world, we cannot but regard their
death,
1. As an event to be deplored
[The world little think how much they are indebted to
the saints. It is for their sakes that the world itself is kept in
existence. If their number were complete, and their graces
arrived at the measure ordained for them, we have reason to
think that an end would be put to the present state of things,
as we know there will be at the day of judgment. The useful
ness of some who are in very conspicuous stations is seen and
acknowledged : but it is not easy to conceive how much good
may be done by the meanest saint, through the prayers which
he offers up from time to time. The prayer of Moses repeat
edly saved the whole Jewish nation, when for their iniquities
God had determined to sweep them all away. And Abraham
prevailed, to the full extent of his petitions, in behalf of Sodom
and all the cities of the plain. And who can tell what blessings
the prayers of God s people have brought on our guilty land, or
what blessings may be obtained through the most humble indi
vidual amongst them ? As a public loss, therefore, I think the
removal of any saint may be deplored. As it respects him per
sonally, we may indeed, from a variety of circumstances, be
led to rejoice in it ; because he rests from his labours, and may
therefore be accounted blessed : but as far as the work of God
on earth and the benefit of mankind are concerned, his death
may be regarded as a ground of general regret.]
2. As a dispensation to be carefully improved
[In the death of a saint, God himself calls upon us to
inquire, whether we, if we had been taken, should have been
found ready. He bids us to " work whilst it is day, since the
night is coming when no man can work." He leads us to con
sider the blessedness of dying in the Lord ; and bids us to " be
followers of those who, through faith and patience, now inherit
the promises g " ]
ADDRESS
1 . Those who make light of death
Here the particular experience of a departed saint may be stated
as instructive, and his dying advice be specified.
693.] THE GENTILES CALLED TO PRAISE GOD. 291
[It is surprising how little effect the death of any saint
produces on the minds of survivors ; and how speedily any
impression wears away. The conversation of mourners assem
bled to attend a funeral gives us a melancholy picture of the
human mind, and of the extreme indifference with which the
concerns of eternity are regarded by us. But, Brethren, will
death appear so light a matter when we shall have entered into
the eternal world ? or is there one of us who will not wish
that he had laboured far more to prepare for his great account ?
I pray you, trifle not with your souls ; but know assuredly,
that one soul is of more value than the whole world.]
2. Those who estimate death according to its real
importance
[You well know the true value of life. Its great use is,
to prepare for death. Let every hour be pressed into the ser
vice of your God. Let every thing be valued according to its
bearing on eternity. Above all, let the Saviour be dear to you.
It is He who has taken away the sting of death, and authorised
you to number it amongst your richest treasures. Through his
atoning blood you may look forward to death and judgment
with far other eyes than they can be viewed by the ungodly
world. You may regard death as the commencement of life,
and the very gate of heaven. Only take care, therefore, that
in your experience it be " Christ to live," and then you shall
assuredly and that it will " be gain to die."]
DCXCIII.
THE GENTILES CALLED TO PRAISE GOD.
Ps. cxvii. praise the Lord, all ye nations : praise him, all
ye people. For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and
the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.
THIS is the shortest of all the Psalms : but it is
by no means the least interesting : the energy with
which it is expressed abundantly marks the impor
tance of the truths contained in it, and the feelings
with which it should be read by us. The same
sentiments are doubtless contained in many other
psalms : but to a mind that is rightly disposed, they
are ever new : they need no embellishment to adorn
them, no eloquence to set them forth : if any man can
hear or reflect upon them without emotion, the fault
is in himself alone. Let us consider the psalm,
I. In a general view
u 2
PSALMS, CXVIL [693.
Here is a call to the whole world to praise and
adore their God. Those perfections which they are
more especially called to celebrate, are,
1. The greatness of his mercy
[Reflect on his sparing mercy. Consider the state of the
whole world, which has so cast off their allegiance to God, that
" he is not in all their thoughts"- Consider the incon
ceivable mass of iniquity that has been accumulating now nearly
six thousand years and yet we are spared ! Once indeed
God destroyed the world ; but only once. On some few occa
sions God has marked his indignation against sin ; but on very
few : an Achan, an Uzzah, an Ananias, have been set up as
witnesses for God, that he hateth iniquity : but these only serve
the more strikingly to illustrate the astonishing forbearance of
our God Let every one of us look back upon his own
personal transgressions, and then say, whether he himself is not
an astonishing monument of God s forbearance.
But if we so admire the sparing mercy of our God, what shall
we say of his redeeming mercy? What words can we ever find
sufficient to express the wonders of God s love, in substituting
his own Son, his co-equal, co-eternal Son, in our place, and
laying the iniquities of a ruined world on HIM ? Here we are
altogether lost in wonder. The idea of redemption is so vast,
that we cannot grasp it. We assent to it ; we believe it ; we
trust in it : but it so far exceeds all our comprehension, that it
appears rather like " a cunningly-devised fable," than a reality.
We see a little of the suitableness and sufficiency of this salva
tion; but it is only " as in a glass darkly;" it is only enigmati
cally a that we view it at all ; spelling it out, as it were, from a
few scattered hints, and guessing at what we cannot comprehend.
The freeness with which it is offered also, no less surpasses
knowledge. By the way in which God himself follows us with
offers, and entreaties, it should seem almost as if his happiness,
rather than ours, depended on our acceptance of it. The con
tinuance of these offers, made as they are from year to year to
people who only pour contempt upon them, and trample on
that adorable Saviour who shed his blood for them, O ! what
an emphasis does this give to that expression in our text,
" His merciful kindness is great towards us!"
Should not the whole universe adore our God for THIS ?]
2. The inviolability of his truth
[Were his truth considered in reference to his threaten-
ings, it would be an awful subject indeed: but we are called to
notice it at present only in connexion with his promises. All
the mercy which God was pleased to vouchsafe to man, he has
a See 1 Cor. xiii. 12. the Greek.
693.] THE GENTILES CALLED TO PRAISE GOD. 293
made over to us by an everlasting covenant, which was con
firmed with an oath, and ratified with the blood of his only dear
Son. There is not any thing which fallen man can want, for
body or for soul, for time or for eternity, which has not been
made the subject of a distinct promise. And who ever heard
of one single promise failing him who trusted in it? Who ever
heard of one sinner rejected, who came to God in the way
prescribed ? To the Jewish nation many specific promises were
made : Did any one of them fail ? Did not Joshua, after the
final settlement of the Jews in Canaan, bear testimony for God
in this respect, in the presence of the whole assembled nation,
and appeal to them for the truth of his assertions b ? And have
not all of you, who have ever rested in, and pleaded, God s
gracious promises, been constrained to bear a similar testimony
in his behalf?
Let the whole world then adore and magnify the Lord on
this ground ; and never be weary of acknowledging, that " his
mercy endureth for ever ."]
Let us now proceed to consider the psalm,
II. With a more immediate reference to the Gentile
world
The psalm is in reality a prophecy ; and so impor
tant a prophecy, that St. Paul expressly quotes one
part of it d , and gives, as it were, an explanation of
the remainder 6 .
It declares the calling of the Gentiles-
fin this sense it has been interpreted, even by some of the
Jews themselves : and we are sure that this is its true import,
because an inspired Apostle has put this construction upon it.
And are not we ourselves evidences of its truth? Are not we
Gentiles ? and has not God s mercy reached unto us ? Are not
his promises also fulfilled to us ? The promise to Abraham was,
that " in him, and in his seed, should all the nations of the earth
be blessed :" and this promise was made to him whilst he was
yet uncircumcised, in order that the interest which we uncir-
cumcised Gentiles had in it might be more fully manifest f .
Behold then, ive are living witnesses both of God s mercy and
truth ! His promises are fulfilled to us, yea, and are yet daily
fulfilling before our eyes. The blessings of salvation are poured
down upon us in rich abundance. The Church is daily enlarging
on every side of us. Both at home and abroad is the Gospel
b Josh, xxiii. 14.
c See Ps. cxxxvi. where it is repeated twenty-six times in as
many verses. d Rom. xv. 11.
e Rom. xv. 8, 9. where God s truth and mercy are both specified,
as illustrated and confirmed by Christ. f Rom. iv. 11.
294, PSALMS, CXVII. [693.
running and glorified, to an extent that has never been seen
since the Apostolic age. And the time for its universal diffusion
through the whole earth is manifestly drawing nigh. "We have
seen enough with our eyes to assure us, that the fuller accom
plishment of God s promises may be expected in due season :
and that, at the appointed hour, " all the kingdoms of the
world shall become the kingdom of our God, and of his Christ."]
In this view, all the Gentile world are called upon
to bless and praise their God
[Ye, who are here assembled, arise and praise your God.
Consider what mercy has been shewn to you : consider what
truth has been displayed towards you. Arise, I say ; yea,
again and again would I repeat it, Arise and praise your God !
And, ye remotest nations of the earth, O that our voice could
reach to you ! O that ye knew your obligations to your God,
and the blessings that are in reserve for you ! The Saviour was
called, " The Desire of all nations :" and such indeed he ought
to be. Well ! if ye know him not, and consequently rejoice
not in him, we will rejoice for you : for he is coming to you :
the messengers of the Lord of Hosts are going forth into every
quarter of the globe ; and the word that reveals him to you
is translating, in purpose and intention at least, into all the
languages of the earth ; and we anticipate with joy the time,
when all the heathen shall serve him, and " all flesh shall see
the salvation of God."]
ADDRESS
1. Are there any amongst you who have no dis
position to praise the Lord ?
[Alas ! there are too many, who have no delight in this
blessed work, and have never spent one hour in it in all their
lives ! Ah ! wretched and ingrate ! What think ye of your
selves ? Are ye not blind, when ye cannot see the perfections
of your God ? Are ye not base, when ye can receive such
mercies at God s hands, and never acknowledge them? Are
ye not brutish, yea, worse than brutish? for " the ox and ass
know their owner ; but ye know not," nor acknowledge, your
Creator, your Benefactor, your Redeemer. See how far you
are from a truly Christian state ! Tell me not of your moral
qualities ; ye are base ungrateful creatures : and, if a fellow-
creature were to treat you as you treat your God, you would
abhor him utterly. O repent, and embrace the mercy that is
yet offered you ! or else you will find that He, who is true to
his promises, will be true to his threatenings also.]
2. Are there amongst you some who desire to
praise the Lord ?
[We believe it ; we rejoice in it : we pray to God to
694.] CONFIDENCE FROM CHRIST^ EXALTATION. 295
increase their number a hundredfold. But do ye not find that
your thanks and praises are infinitely short of what the occa
sion for them demands ? Yes, methinks there is nothing so
humiliating to a Christian as the services which he attempts to
render to his God. However, still go on to serve him as ye
can, when ye cannot serve him as ye tvould. And, to quicken
your zeal, contemplate much and deeply the greatness of God s
mercy to you, and the inviolability of his truth. God has de
signed that such contemplations should be a rich source of
comfort to yourselves, as they will be also of love and gratitude
to him. And, whilst your own souls are filled with these divine
affections, endeavour to diffuse the sacred flame, that all around
you, and, if possible, all the nations of the world, may be
stirred up to render unto God the praises due unto his name.]
DCXCIV.
THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST A GROUND OF CONFIDENCE.
Ps. cxviii. 27, 28. God is the Lord which hath shewed us light :
bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Thou art my God, and I will praise thee ; thou art my God,
I will exalt thee.
HOWEVER plainly this psalm refers to David,
we are sure that a greater than David is here. The
words as applied to David, convey an exceedingly
grand and important meaning. He had met with
many obstacles in his advancement to the throne of
Israel. Oftentimes had his life been sought by Saul :
and since the death of Saul there were many formid
able conspiracies against him. No sooner was he
made king over Israel, than the Philistines sought,
and that repeatedly, to destroy him a ; and it was only
through the special intervention of God himself that
he was able to prevail against them. It appears that
many other of the surrounding nations also conspired
against him b ; but through the same Almighty power
Jie was enabled to subdue them. At last, after more
than seven years opposition from all the tribes of
Israel , he was firmly fixed upon the throne, and
" the stone which had been so long rejected of the
builders, was made the head of the corner d ." This
a 2 Sam. v. 17, 18, 22.
b ver. 10 12. Four times does he repeat, and, in the last, with a
very expressive simile, " They compassed me about."
c 2 Sam. v. 4, 5. d ver. 22.
296 PSALMS, CXVIII. 27,28. [694.
event reflected great " light "upon all God s purposes
respecting him. Darkness had hung over him for a
long period ; but it was now dispelled ; and he saw
clearly these two important truths, That God s coun
sel, by whomsoever opposed, shall stand; and, that they
who trust in the Lord, however tried they may be, shall
never be confounded.
But,, as we said, a greater than David is here. It
was generally acknowledged amongst the Jews them
selves that David was a type of the Messiah, and that
this psalm had an especial reference to Him who was
in due time to sit upon the throne of David. Hence
the acclamations which were used by the people on
the occasion of David s installation, were used by the
Jews in reference to Christ 6 : and he vindicated their
conduct in this particular f : and afterwards appealed
to this very psalm in confirmation of his predictions
respecting his rejection by them, and his subsequent
elevation to the throne of David g . In like manner,
after the death and resurrection of Christ, St. Peter,
" when he was filled with the Holy Ghost/ expressly
applied to Christ this very passage, and affirmed in
the presence of all the Rulers and Elders of Israel
that it was accomplished in the exaltation of that
Jesus whom they had crucified 11 .
Now in this event, the exaltation of Christ to the
throne of glory, God has indeed " shewed us light :"
and it will be a profitable subject for our meditation
at this time, if we consider,
I. The light which God has shewn us
Previous to the resurrection of Christ, all was dark
ness : the disciples themselves doubted whether they
had not been deceived in their expectations respecting
him. But from that event, and his consequent as
cension to the right hand of God, we learn infallibly,
1. The efficacy of his atonement
[Had he not risen, we might have conceived of him as a
great Prophet indeed, but as nothing more than a prophet, who,
like multitudes who had preceded him, sealed his doctrines with
e Matt. xxi. 9. f Matt. xxi. 16.
g Matt. xxi. 42. h Acts iv. 8, 11.
694.] CONFIDENCE FROM CHRIST S EXALTATION. 297
his own blood. But he had spoken of his death as a ransom to
be paid for the souls of men : and how could we have known
that that ransom was accepted, if his resurrection, which he
himself taught his disciples to look forward to as the proof and
evidence of his acceptance, had not been effected? But when
we see that he did rise from the dead, and did ascend to heaven
in the presence of his disciples, and did send down the Holy
Spirit according to his word to bear testimony concerning him,
there is no room left for doubt : we are perfectly sure that his
offering was accepted of the Father, and that by his obedience
unto death he has wrought out eternal redemption for us *.]
2. The sufficiency of his grace
[Even when our blessed Lord was on earth, the whole
creation, animate and inanimate, terrestrial and infernal, were
obedient to his will : how much more therefore, now that he is
exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high, and has all
fulness treasured up in him for the benefit of his people, must
he be able to " do all things which we call upon him for ! " If
he says, as he did to St. Paul, " My grace is sufficient for thee,"
we may safely adopt St. Paul s language, and say, " I can do
all things through Christ who strengtheneth me." If all enemies
are put under his feet, they shall assuredly be put under ours also :
even " Satan himself shall be bruised under our feet shortly."]
3. The excellency of his salvation
[Behold what has taken place with respect to him ! He is
exalted to the throne of God, and possessed of all the glory
which he had with the Father before the worlds were made. The
same glory is reserved for us also k , and a participation of that
very throne which his Father has given to him l . Believer,
contemplate all the glory and felicity of your exalted Head ; and
then see what is prepared for all his members: "your body shall
be like unto his glorious body ;" your soul shall be transformed
into his perfect image ; and all the glory which his Father has
given him, shall be your inalienable and everlasting inheritance" 1 .]
What a glorious light is this! Let it lead us to
contemplate,
II. The returns which it calls for at our hands
Surely such discoveries as are here made to us
should call forth our devoutest affections : they
should lead us,
1. To surrender up ourselves entirely to God
i Rom. i. 4. and viii. 34. k Luke xxii. 29.
1 Rev. iii. 21. m John xvii. 22. 1 Pet. i. 4.
298 PSALMS, CXVIII. 27, 28. [694.
[The sacrifices which David and Solomon offered unto God
were almost without number n : but the sacrifice of a broken and
contrite spirit, or of a devout and grateful heart, outweighs them
all . Whether the sacrifices were ever " bound to the horns of
the altar," we are not informed : but sure enough our hearts
need to be bound ; for they are ever ready to " start aside as a
broken bow," and " to backslide from God as a backsliding
heifer : " and we should labour incessantly to say with David,
" O God, my heart is fixed, my heart is fixed ; I will sing and
give praise." The example of Abraham may assist us in this
particular. The offering of his son was a dark dispensation :
but, when God arrested the arm of Abraham, and forbad him
to inflict the fatal wound, a light beamed in upon his soul ; he
saw a risen Saviour presented to him under the image of his
restored son : and instantly "he took the ram which was caught
in the thicket, and offered him up for a burnt-offering in the
stead of his son p ." Let the sight of a risen Saviour operate in
like manner upon us ; let us take the offering which all of us
have at hand, and which we know will be pleasing to the Lord,
even " the offering of a free heart," and let us present it a
living sacrifice to God, as our reasonable and most delightful
service q .]
2. To rejoice and glory in God as our portion for
ever
[Like Paul, we may say of Christ, " He has loved me, and
given himself for me." Indeed, without this appropriation of
God and his blessings to our own souls, we can never attain to a
joyful and thankful spirit: but it is the privilege of every believer
to say of Christ, " He is my friend, He is my beloved." God
approves of this language, by whomsoever used, provided only
it be used in sincerity and truth ; " Thou art my God, and I
will praise thee ; thou art my God, I will exalt thee." If under
the Old Testament, believers could say, " My beloved is mine,
and I am his," much more may we regard him as "the strength
of our heart, and our portion for ever."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who are yet in darkness
[Long was the night with which David was enclosed, in
somuch that he sometimes feared he should " one day perish by
the hands of Saul :" yet at last the day dawned upon him, and
" God shewed him light." Dark also were the dispensations to
wards our blessed Lord, till in his resurrection and ascension the
n 1 Chron. xxix. 21. 1 Kings viii. 62, 63.
Ps. 1. 13, 14. and li. 16, 17. P Gen. xxii. 13.
1 Rom. xii. 1. with Heb. xiii. 15.
695.] PRACTICAL RELIGION ENFORCED. 299
true light was made to shine. Let not any of us then indulge
desponding fears : let us know assuredly, that " the counsel of
God shall stand," and that " they who trust in him shall never
be confounded." Indeed even " in our darkness the Lord will
be a light unto us ;" and soon "our light shall rise in obscurity,
and our darkness be as the noon-day."
2. To those who have been " brought out of dark
ness into God s marvellous light "-
[Happy, happy ye, who behold a risen Saviour, and see
the fulness which ye have in him ! Ye may be sweetly assured,
that, as he is able, so also he is engaged, to " save your souls to
the uttermost, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for
you." But let this light have its proper influence upon your
minds. " Walk as children of the light" and of the day: yea,
" walk in the light, as he is in the light." If you do indeed
" behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," " it is
God the Lord who hath shewn it to you;"" and " ye, as his
peculiar people, are called to shew forth his praises 1 "." Do this
then in the way before prescribed : give up yourselves wholly
unto him ; and take him as your only, your everlasting, portion.]
r 1 Pet. ii. 9.
DCXCV.
PRACTICAL RELIGION ENFORCED.
Ps. cxix. 4 6. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts
diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy sta
tutes ! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect
unto all thy commandments.
IT is impossible to read the psalm before us and
not see that true religion is altogether of a practical
nature. Doubtless, in the first instance, the Inspired
Volume reveals to us a way of reconciliation with our
offended God, through the blood and righteousness
of the Lord Jesus Christ : but its ultimate object is,
to bring our hearts into a conformity to the mind and
will of God. In the words before us we see all that
is most interesting to the child of God :
I. His indispensable duties-
God commands us, not only to return to him in a
way of penitence, but to walk before him in a way of
holy obedience.
This he requires throughout the Holy Scriptures
300 PSALMS, CXIX. 46. [695.
[He requires it by Moses a , and the prophets b ; by Christ
also c , and his holy Apostles d . Indeed, to bring us to holiness
of heart and life was the very end for which he gave his only-
begotten Son 6 , and for which Christ himself died f . And every
command is enforced with an authority which it is at our peril
to disregard g .]
He requires, too, that in this duty we exert our
selves with " diligence "-
[This is again and again insisted on h , both in relation to
the keeping of the heart 1 , and to the whole of our deportment
through life k . We are particularly called to " set our heart"
to this work 1 , that we may understand it in all its parts, and
perform it in its utmost extent. In a word, " This is the will
of God, even our sanctification m ."]
How the true saint stands affected towards his
duties, may here be seen in,
II. His impassioned desire
The perfection of a Christian is seen far more in
his desires than in his actual attainments.
He feels and mourns over his manifold defects-
fit might be supposed, that the more holy any man were,
the more self-complacent he would be : but the very reverse of
this is the truth : for, the more holy any man is, the clearer
and more enlarged are his views of God s holy law, and, con
sequently, the deeper his sense of his short-comings and defects".
Hence he complains with St. Paul, " O wretched man that I
am! who shall deliver me ?"]
He desires the gift of God s Holy Spirit, to remedy
these defects
[He knows, by sad experience how liable he is to be
deceived, even whilst he is endeavouring to do the will of God.
" His heart is deceitful P," and easily betrayed into error, by its
prejudices, its passions, its interests. And sin itself also is
deceitful, putting on, in ten thousand instances, the garb of
holiness, and the semblance of duty q . And Satan is a subtle
adversary, that has at command ten thousand wiles and devices,
whereby to ensnare him r . What, then, shall the Christian do?
He can look only to God, for the gift of his Holy Spirit to
guide him aright and to direct his steps 8 . Hence, from his
a Deut. v. 29. b Jer. vii. 22, 23. c Matt, xxviii. 20.
d 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. e 1 John iii. 8. f Tit. ii. 4.
g Jam. ii. 1012. h Deut. xi. 13,18,22. * Prov. iv. 23.
k 2Pet.i. 10. andiii. 14. J Deut, xxxii. 46. m 1 Thess. iv. 3.
n Rom. vii. 9. Rom. vii. 24. P Jer. xvii. 9.
q Heb. iii. 13. r 2 Cor. xi. 3. s Prov. iii. 6.
695.] PRACTICAL RELIGION ENFORCED. 301
inmost soul, he prays, " Hold thou me up, O Lord*!" yea,
" Direct my heart into the love of God, and into the patient
waiting for Christ s future advent u !"]
But, in the midst of all his troubles,, we may behold,
III. His assured encouragement
Were he left to himself, he well knows he must
perish. But " his hope is in the Lord his God."
That which is required of him, is, to be upright
before God
[God " requireth truth in the inward parts x ." However
defective we be in our attainments, there must be no insincerity
in our desires. We must " account all God s commandments
concerning all things to be right, and must hate every false
way y ." In our regard to them, there must be " no partiality,
no hypocrisy 2 :" the smallest commandment must not be con
sidered as light a , nor the greatest be deemed "grievousV
" Lord, what wilt thou have me to do c ?" must be his daily
prayer; and to fulfil every command of God, the constant
habit of his mind.]
With this one acquisition, he has nothing to fear
[" God will uphold the upright man d ." Satan may tempt
him ; his own in-dwelling corruptions may assault him ; and
he may at times be so harassed, as to be almost at his wit s
end 6 ;" but " God will keep him, by his own power, through
faith, unto everlasting salvation f ." The weaker the Christian
feels himself, the more " will God perfect his own strength in
his weakness g ;" nor shall "the hope that has been formed in
him ever make him ashamed 11 :" no : " he shall be saved in the
Lord with an everlasting salvation ; and shall not be ashamed
or confounded, world without end 1 ."]
Be ye then, Brethren, CHRISTIANS INDEED
[Get just views of your duty, both towards God and man
And be like-minded with God in relation to it, desir
ing nothing but to be, and do, all that God himself requires
And know where all your help and hope is; not in
yourselves, but in the Lord your God, who alone can " guide
you by his counsel, so as ultimately to bring you to his glory k "
And " may the God of peace, who brought again from
t Ps. xvii. 5. u 2 Thess. iii. 5. x Ps. li. 6.
y ver. 128. z Jam. iii. 17. a Matt. v. 19.
b 1 John v. 3. c Acts ix. 6. d Ps. xxxvii. 17.
e Ps. Ixxvii. 7 9. f 1 Pet. i. 5. g 2 Cor. xii. 9.
h Rom. v. 5. * Isai. xlv. 17. k Ps. Ixxiii. 24.
302 PSALMS, CXIX. 9. [696.
the dead our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good work,
to do his will ; working in you that which is well-pleasing in
his sight, through Jesus Christ ! to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen 1 ."]
1 Heb. xiii. 20, 21.
DCXCVI.
GOD S WORD THE MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION.
Ps. cxix. 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way ?
By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
THERE is much despondency in the human mind,
especially in reference to the great work of sanctifi-
cation. There are many who wish to become holy ;
but they know not how : they would mortify sin ;
but they cannot : they would serve God in newness
of life ; but to attempt it, appears to them a hopeless
task. The people of the world, if exhorted to give
themselves up to God, do not hesitate to affirm that,
in the existing state of things, it is impossible : and
many who have begun to do this in their own strength,
and found its insufficiency for so great a work, have
given up in despair, and returned to their former
state of carelessness and indifference. But, whilst we
acknowledge the impossibility of serving God aright
by any strength of our own, we must deny that it is
altogether impracticable to fulfil his will. On the
contrary, if any man ask, " Wherewithal shall a young
man cleanse his way ?" we are prepared to answer,
that it may be done, " by taking heed thereto, ac
cording to God s word."
We have here,
I. A difficulty proposed
" How shall a young man cleanse his way ?"
If this question were asked in reference only to
outward defilements, it would not be without its diffi
culties
[Consider to what temptations a young man is exposed.
Those which arise from within, are exceeding great
And they are continually strengthened by those occurring from
without. Every thing he sees around him has a tendency to
696.] GOD S WORD THE MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION. 303"
foster and to gratify some bad passion ; whilst the examples on
every side countenance and encourage the indulgence of it.
To render evil the less formidable, every one agrees to strip it
of its proper names, and to affix to it some gentle appellation
that shall conceal its odiousness, and cast a veil over its defor
mity. Nay, as if it were not sufficient to cloke its malignity,
many become its panders and its advocates, and endeavour to
laugh out of the world all that squeamishness that betrays a
fear of evil, and an aversion to the commission of it. Is it any
wonder if young men, so circumstanced, fall into sin ? or is it
easy for them to keep their garments clean in such an ensnaring
and polluting world as this ? - ]
But if the question be asked in reference to the
sanctity which God requires, the difficulty will appear
great indeed-
fit is not a Pharisaic righteousness, a cleansing of the
outside of the cup and platter, that God requires, but real
holiness, both of heart and life. We must seek to be " cleansed
from secret faults," as well as from those which are more
open ; and never account our end fully accomplished, till we
are " pure as the Lord Jesus Christ is pure," and " perfect as
our Father which is in heaven is perfect." But how shall a
young man so cleanse his way? How shall he " mortify the
whole body of sin," keeping in subjection so many unruly
appetites, correcting so many unhallowed dispositions, and
putting forth into constant exercise so many heavenly graces
as are comprehended in real piety? Indeed, we may ask,
How shall young persons of either sex so walk before God ?
In respect of outward decorum, females, from the restraints
of education, have a great advantage : perhaps, in reference to
vital godliness also, they may be considered as more favoured
than the other sex, because they have more opportunity for
serious reflection. But real piety is uncongenial with our
fallen nature ; and to attain it is no easy task to any, of either
sex, or of whatever age or quality or condition. The very
names by which the divine life is described in Scripture suffi
ciently shew that it is neither attained nor exercised without
great difficulty. A " race," a " wrestling for the mastery," a
" warring of a good warfare," all require much exertion ; and
not for a moment only, but till the victory is accomplished.
It must be confessed, therefore, that a young man s course is
very difficult ; that " strait is the gate, and narrow is the
way," in which he has to walk ; and that if ever he gain " the
kingdom of heaven, he must take it by violence."]
Happy is it for us, however, that we have, on
divine authority,
304 PSALMS, CXIX. 9. [696.
II. The difficulty solved-
To the question asked, " How shall he cleanse his
way?" the answer is given, even " by taking heed
thereto according to thy word." The Holy Scriptures
afford, to every human being,
1. A sure directory
[There may doubtless be particular cases, even to our
dying hour, in which it may be difficult to discover the precise
line of duty. But, for the most part, the way of righteousness
is clearly defined ; and it is our own blindness only that makes
it appear intricate or doubtful. There is no corruption of the
heart which is not there condemned, nor any holy affection
which is not there delineated. There every thing is described
in its proper colours : piety is exalted as the perfection of our
nature ; and sin is declared to be " an abomination in the
sight of God." The example of our blessed Lord also is there
portrayed with the utmost exactness ; so that, whatever doubt
might obscure a precept, the true light is reflected on it, and a
perfect standard is exhibited before us. It cannot be through
ignorance, therefore, that any shall err, if only they will make
use of the light afforded them in God s blessed word.]
2. Sufficient encouragement
[There is not a precept in the whole inspired volume
which is not made also the subject of a promise. God has
engaged to " give us a new heart, and to renew within us a
right spirit, and to cleanse us from our filthiness and from all
our idols :" so that, however inveterate any lust may be, here
is provision against it; and however arduous any duty be,
here is sufficient strength promised for the performance of it.
How effectual the word is, when duly improved, may be seen
in the general description given of it by the Psalmist: " The
law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul : the testimony
of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of
the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart : the commandment of
the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the
Lord is clean, enduring for ever : the judgments of the Lord
are true and righteous altogether. Moreover, by them is thy
servant warned; and in keeping of them there is great reward a ."
Here, whether in respect of direction or efficacy, its sufficiency
for our necessities is fully declared. But yet more satisfactory
is the declaration of St. Peter, when he affirms, that by " the
exceeding great and precious promises of Scripture we may be
made partakers of the divine nature, and be enabled to escape
the corruption that is in the world through lustV By the
a Ps. xix. 711. b 2 Pet. i. 4.
696.] GOD S WORD THE MEANS OF SANCTIFICATION. 305
word, therefore, we may cleanse our way ; not externally only,
but really, truly, spiritually, and to the full extent of our
necessities : so that the difficulty in our text is completely
solved; and to the inquiry there made, we are prepared to
answer, " Having these promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God ."]
ADDRESS
1. Let the Scriptures of Truth be studied by you
[Do not form your standard by the opinions of men, or
labour to cleanse your way by superstitious observances that
have been devised by man ; but look to the word of God as the
proper rule of your conduct, and seek for holiness in the way
that is there prescribed. Be careless in your way, and your
ruin will ensue d But let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly " in all wisdom ;" and you shall find it the power of
God to the salvation of your souls.]
2. Devote to piety your early youth
[" Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,"
says Solomon. YOU must not stay till you are advanced in life
before you " cleanse your way," but engage in that work while
yet you are " young." In the appointment of the sacrifices
which were offered under the Law, the lambs were to be but a
year old : and in the first-fruits presented unto God for a meat
offering, special care was to be taken that " green ears" should
be offered, " beaten out indeed of full ears," but still green,
and needing to be " dried with fire" before they could be ground
to flour 6 . Does not this shew what use is to be made of our
early youth ? Methinks, it speaks powerfully: and I pray God
that this day the greenest ears amongst you may be conse
crated to the Lord, and receive from him some blessed tokens
of his favourable acceptance. Let the youngest, who are as
new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word ; and they
shall grow there by f :" and let the "young men have the
word of God abiding in them; and they shall overcome the
wicked oneC ]
3. Live in the daily habit of self-examination
[Inward and unperceived uncleanness will come upon you,
if you be not always on your guard. A mariner may be drawn
from his course by currents, as well as driven by winds : and
therefore from day to day, he consults his compass and his
chart, to see whether there have been any deviation from his
destined path. The same precautions must be used by you.
c 2 Cor. vii. 1. < l Eccl. xi. 9. e Lev. ii. 1416.
f 1 Pet. ii. 2. s 1 John ii. 14.
VOL. VI. X
306 PSALMS, CXIX. 18. [697.
You must not only " examine yourselves, whether ye be in the
faith," but what progress you are making in the faith. Do this,
beloved, daily, and with all diligence ; so shall ye " be blame
less and harmless, the sons of God, in the midst of a crooked
and perverse nation, shining among them as lights in the world,
and holding forth in your walk and conversation the word of
life h :" and be assured, that in so ordering your conversation
aright, " you shall at last behold the salvation of God."]
h Phil. ii. 15, 16.
DCXCVII.
HOW TO ATTAIN DIVINE KNOWLEDGE.
Ps. cxix. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous
things out of thy law !
THE necessity of Divine teaching, in order to a
spiritual acquaintance with the truth of God,, is by
many denied ; and all expectation of the Holy Spirit s
influence for that end is derided as enthusiasm. But,
however the profane ungodly world may scoff at the
idea,, it is " by the Spirit of God alone that we can
know the things which are freely given to us of
God a :" and the wisest of men, as much as the most
ignorant, has reason to adopt the petition in our
text, " Open thou mine eyes, that 1 may behold
wondrous things out of thy law ! "
From these words we shall take occasion to shew,
I. What wondrous things are contained in God s law
If we understand the law here spoken of, as im
porting the Law of Moses, it certainly is full of won
ders : the moral law, being a perfect transcript of
the mind of God ; and the ceremonial law, being a
shadow of all those good things which are revealed
to us in the Gospel. But we apprehend that David
is speaking rather of the Gospel, even of that " law
which is come forth from Zion, and that word which
has proceeded from Jerusalem." No one of the pro
phets, scarcely excepting even Isaiah himself, had
clearer or richer views of Christ than David ; and
as he speaks of Christ in almost all his psalms, we
may justly suppose, that in this place he refers to the
wonders that are contained in the Gospel of Christ.
a 1 Cor. ii. 12.
697.] HOW T0 ATTAIN DIVINE KNOWLEDGE. 307
Consider the Gospel generally
[In it is revealed salvation, salvation purchased by the
blood and righteousness of God s only-begotten Son. What a
mystery is this! The God of heaven and earth assuming our
nature, that in that nature he may expiate the guilt of a
ruined world ! We are accustomed to hear of this, and there
fore listen to it without emotion : but what should we think of it,
if it now reached our ears for the first time ? Truly " great is
this mystery of godliness ! " We, through unbelief and indif
ference, think little of it : but " the angels," though infinitely
less interested in it than we, " desire day and night to look
into it," and to comprehend, if it were possible, the heights
and depths of love that are contained in it b .]
Consider it more particularly
[Mark well the character of this salvation; itsfreeness, its
fulness, its suitableness ! It is as free as the light we see, or
the air we breathe. It has come to us unsolicited, unsought :
and it is given to us " without money and without price ." The
whole world are invited to come to Christ as to an overflowing
fountain, and to " take of the water of life freely d ." So full
is it, that it neither wants, nor is capable of, any addition.
Nothing is left to be supplied by man : he gives nothing, but
receives all. " All is treasured up for us in Christ 6 ," " who of
God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifi-
cation, and complete redemption f ." If only we are content to
receive out of his fulness, we shall never lack any thing that is
necessary either for our present or eternal happiness g . And
this is exactly such a salvation as is suitable to fallen man. If
we were required to add any thing to what Christ has done and
suffered for us, in order to render it sufficient for our salvation,
what could we add? What have we of our own, but sin? The
more any one knows of himself, the more he would despair, if
any thing were required of him, as a price whereby to purchase
an interest in Christ. Doubtless we must repent, and believe,
and obey the Gospel, before we can be saved : but repentance,
faith, and obedience, though necessary as means to an end,
merit nothing at the hands of God ; nor have we of ourselves
any sufficiency for those things: even those graces are wrought
in us by the Spirit of God, who " gives us both to will and to
do of his own good pleasure." Salvation, from first to last, is
altogether of grace; and therefore it is equally suitable to all;
to the thief when dying on the cross, as to Nicodemus, or
Nathanael, whose whole life and conduct had been so exem
plary, and who lived to adorn the doctrine they professed.
b 1 Pet, i. 12. c Isai. Iv. 1. d Rev. xxii. 17.
e Col. i. 19. f 1 Cor. i. 30. e John i. 16. Gal. ii. 20.
308 PSALMS, CXIX. 18. [697.
Contemplate these things, and say whether they contain not
" wonders" that surpass the comprehension, both of men and
angels ? ]
From the text however we may learn,
II. How we are to attain the knowledge of them
Doubtless we must " search the Scriptures," and
that with all diligence 11 . But, if we search them in
dependence on our own wisdom, we shall never suc
ceed. We must look up to God for the teachings of
his good Spirit, even as David did, and pray, " Open
thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things
out of thy law."
This is the way prescribed by God
[God regards all men as blind 1 , and incapable of compre
hending spiritual things, till he himself has opened their eyes,
and given them a spiritual discernment k - - Hence he
counsels all to come to the Lord Jesus Christ " for eye-salve,
that they may see 1 ;" and to look to him as the only Author of
true wisdom" 1 . He represents it as the Holy Spirit s office to
take of the things that are Christ s, and to shew them unto
us n ;" and to bring home to the minds of men a clear percep
tion of those various truths which are most of all interesting to
their souls. He considers all men as equally under the neces
sity of submitting to the teachings of his Spirit . The efforts of
those who lean to their own understanding, he derides p , and will
communicate to " babes the things which he conceals from the
wise and prudent q ." True it is, that God uses both the written
and preached word as the means of conveying instruction : but
the due reception of that instruction he ascribes to the opera
tion of his own almighty power r . Even the disciples whom
Jesus himself had instructed for three or four years, were not
able rightly to apprehend his word, till " he opened their under
standings to understand the Scriptures 8 :" and, when Peter
confessed his Lord to be the Christ, he was expressly told, that
" flesh and blood had not revealed it" to him, but God him
self*. Be it known then to all, that every child of man, whether
learned or unlearned, must " hear and learn of the Father,"
who is " the Father of lights, and from whom cometh every
good and perfect gift 11 ."]
This is the way pursued by the saints in all ages
h John v. 39. * Rev. iii. 17. k 1 Cor.ii. 14. Eph.iv. 18.
1 Rev. iii. 18. Jam. i. 5. Johnxvi. 8, 11, 13, 14.
John vi. 45. P 1 Cor. i. 19, 20. q Matt. xi. 25.
r ICor. iii. 5 7. s Luke xxiv. 45. l Matt. xvi. 17.
u Jam. i. 17.
697. J HOW T0 ATTAIN DIVINE KNOWLEDGE. 309
[Who more instructed than David? yet he was not
ashamed to seek from God a spiritual illumination. The
saints at Ephesus were inferior to no Church whatever, in a
comprehension of divine truth: yet did St. Paul pray for them,
that they might yet further " be enlightened by the Spirit of
wisdom and revelation, through whose gracious influences alone
they could grow either in knowledge or in grace x . If we look
to those of later times, we find this truth acknowledged by all,
excepting those infidels who " deny the Lord that bought
them." The Reformers of our Church have most unequivocally
sanctioned the use of these means, and encouraged us to look up
to God for " the inspiration of his Spirit," " that we may both
perceive and know what things we ought to do, and also have
grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same y ." Let us not be
contented with any efforts of our own, or any instructions from
man ; but let us " cry after knowledge, and lift up our voice
for understanding, knowing that it is the Lord alone who giveth
wisdom, and that out of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding 2 ."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who are studying the Holy Scriptures
[It is surprising what pains many take to acquire a critical
knowledge of the Bible, whilst yet they remain contentedly
ignorant of those deep things which none but God can teach.
But let me entreat you to seek above all things to behold the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, even that glory which
He only who commanded light to shine out of darkness can
make known unto you a ]
2. To those who, though incapable of entering
critically into the letter of the Scriptures, have yet,
through grace, a knowledge of the spiritual truths
contained in them
[Blessed be God, there are some amongst us, of whom,
though unskilled in human knowledge, it may be said, " To
you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven."
"They were once blind; but now they see:" "They were
once darkness ; but are now light in the Lord." Be thankful
to him who has so highly favoured and distinguished you b ; and
endeavour to walk worthy of him who has vouchsafed unto you
this invaluable blessing . If ye be " light in the Lord, then
walk as children of the light" and of the day d .]
*Eph. i. 17, 18.
y See Collects for First Sunday after Epiphany ; and for Whitsunday.
z Prov. ii. 16. a 2 Cor. iv. 6. b 1 Cor. i. 27, 28.
c 1 Pet. ii. 9. <l Eph. v. 8.
310 PSALMS, CXIX. 20. [698.
DCXCVIII.
DAVID S DESIRE AFTER GOD s WORD.
Ps. cxix. 20. My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath
unto thy judgments at all times.
IN general, there is no other connexion between
the different verses of this psalm, than the accidental
one of their beginning with the same letter of the
Hebrew alphabet : yet possibly the collocation of
them may occasionally have been determined by their
bearing upon some particular point. The whole
psalm is an eulogy upon the word of God, and a
declaration of the love which David bare towards it.
And, whilst we apprehend that every distinct sen
tence was put down as it occurred to the Psalmist s
mind, without any particular dependence on its con
text, we suppose that, in the arrangement of some
parts, there may have been a design in placing some
observations so as to confirm or enforce others which
had preceded them. In the 18th verse, David had
said, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold won
drous things out of thy Law :" and in the two follow
ing verses, as they stand, he may be considered as
enforcing that petition ; first, by the consideration of
the shortness of his continuance here ; and, then, by
the exceeding greatness of his wish to obtain the de
sired blessing : " I am a stranger in the earth : hide
not thy commandments from me. My soul breaketh
for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all
times." Now, this expression being so exceeding
strong, I will take occasion from it to point out,
I. The intensity of his desire after the word of God-
Often does he say that he has " longed" for God s
word a ; but here he says, " My soul breaketh for the
longing that it hath." To enter into the force of this
expression, let us compare his desire after God s
word with the desire felt by others in cases of ex
treme emergency.
a ver. 40, 131, 174.
698.] DAVID S DESIRE AFTER GOD S WORD. 311
Let us compare it with the desire of,
1. A hunted deer
[Let us conceive of a deer that has for many hours been
fleeing from its pursuers, till its strength is altogether ex
hausted, and it is ready to faint with fatigue. Let us suppose
that its fears are raised to the uttermost, by the rapid advance
of its enemies, ready to seize and tear it in pieces. How in
tense must be its thirst ! How gladly would it pause a few
moments at a water-brook, to revive its parched frame, and to
renovate its strength for further flight ! Of this we may form
some conception : and it may serve in a measure to convey to
us an idea of David s thirst after the judgments of his God.
" O God," says he, " thou art my God ; early will I seek thee:
my soul thirsteth for thee ; my flesh longeth for thee in a dry
and thirsty land, where no water is V " My soul longeth,
yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord : my heart and my
flesh cry out for the living God c ." "As the hart panteth after
the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My
soul thirsteth for God, for the living God. When shall I come
and appear before God ? My tears have been my meat day and
night ; while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God d " ?]
2. An endangered mariner
[Mariners for the most part are men of great intrepidity :
but when ready to be overwhelmed in the tempestuous ocean,
they sink like other men. " When God commandeth, and
raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves of the sea,
the mariners mount up to the heaven; they go down again to the
depths ; their soul is melted because of the trouble. They reel
to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their
wit s end e ." Such is the description given of them by God
himself. But let us take an instance upon record. When
Paul was " sailing by Crete, there arose a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon ; " and the ship becoming unmanageable,
" they let her drive;" and " fearing they should fall into the
quicksands, they strake sail, and so were driven." " Being
exceedingly tossed with the tempest, they lightened the ship,
casting out with their own hands the very tackling" which they
had stowed up for the management of the ship. In this perilous
condition they continued a whole fortnight, not having taken
during all that time so much as one regular meal. St. Paul,
in the immediate prospect of having the ship dashed to pieces,
and no hope remaining to any of them of safety unless on broken
pieces of the ship, said to them, c This is the fourteenth day
that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken
nothing : wherefore I pray you to take some meat ; for this is
b Ps.lxiii. 1. c Ps.lxxxiv.2. d Ps.xlii. 1 3. e Ps.cvii.25 27.
312 PSALMS, CXIX. 20. [698.
for your health;" he administered to them some bread, and
then " cast into the sea the very wheat" with which the ship
was provisioned ; and soon " the ship ran aground, and was
broken in pieces by the violence of the waves f ." How must
all this crew have longed for safety ! How must their " soul
have broken for the longing which they had" to escape from
their peril ! Yet not even this exceeded the desire which David
had for the word of God.]
3. A deserted soul
[This will come nearer to the point. The feelings of a
hunted deer or an endangered mariner are merely natural :
but those of a deserted soul are spiritual, and therefore more
suited to illustrate those which David speaks of in our text.
See the state of a deserted soul in Job : " O that my grief
were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances
together ! for now it would be heavier than the sand of the
sea ; therefore my w r ords are swallowed up. For the arrows
of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh
up my spirit : the terrors of God do set themselves in array
against meC Or take the case recorded in the 88th Psalm:
" Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the
deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted
me with all thy waves. Mine eye mourneth by reason of
affliction. Lord, I have called daily upon thee ; I have
stretched out my hands unto thee. Lord, why casteth thou
off my soul? Why hidest thou thy face from me? I am
afflicted, and ready to die from my youth up : while I suffer
thy terrors, I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me ;
thy terrors have cut me off h ." Here we see what is meant by
the soul breaking for the longing that it hath after God. And
there is in this psalm another verse, which, to one who has ever
felt what it is to have an overwhelming desire after God, will
convey the true import of my text: " I opened my mouth and
panted : for I longed for thy commandments 1 ."
Nor was this a sudden emotion on some extraordinary occa
sion : no ; it was the constant habit of David s mind : it was
what he felt " at all times ." " My soul breaketh for the long
ing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times ^
I am aware that this may appear extravagant.
But we must remember that this expression was not
f Acts xxvii. 14 41. & Job vi. 2 4.
h Ps. Ixxxviii. 6, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16.
1 ver. 131. This is sadly weakened by Commentators, who inter
pret it as referring to a person running or oppressed with heat. The
sigh of one overwhelmed with a desire after God, expresses the very
thing.
698.] DAVID S DESIRE AFTER GOD s WORD. 313
a poetic fiction, but an argument solemnly addressed
to the heart-searching God. And that it was not
stronger than the occasion called for, will appear
whilst I shew you,
II. The reason of his so longing for God s blessed
word
The reasons that might be assigned are number
less. But I will confine myself to three. He so
longed for God s word, because,
1. In it he found God himself
[In the works of creation somewhat of God may be dis
cerned ; but it is in his word alone that all his perfections are
displayed, and all his eternal counsels are made known. In
this respect, " God has magnified his word above all his name,"
and al the means whereby he has made himself known to
men k . There he met Jehovah, as Adam met him, amidst the
trees of the garden in Paradise. There " he walked with God,
and conversed with him as a friend." There he had such
" fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ,"
and such " communion with the Holy Ghost," as he could never
find in any other field, nor ever attain but by meditation on
the word of God. Can we, then, wonder that he so longed for
that word, and that his very soul brake for the longing that he
had for it ? The wonder rather is, that there should be a per
son upon earth who could have access to that sacred volume,
and not so value it
2. From it he obtained all that his necessities re
quired
[Did he desire the forgiveness of all his sins ? There he
found " a fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness," a
fountain capable of washing him from all the guilt he had
contracted in the matter of Bathsheba and Uriah. In reference
to those very transactions, and to the efficacy of the atoning
blood of Christ, he cries, " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall
be clean ; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow 1 ." Did
he need direction in difficulty, support in trouble, and strength
for an unreserved obedience ? There he found it all, and from
thence derived it in the very hour of need, to the full extent of
his necessities. Such were the refreshments which he found
there, that corn and wine and oil, and all the delicacies of the
universe, could but faintly shadow forth : and thence he derived
such treasures as were absolutely unsearchable. Can we won
der, then, that the word of God was, in his estimation, sweeter
k Ps. cxxxviii. 2. 1 Ps. li. 7.
314 PSALMS, CXIX. 20. [698.
than honey and the honey-comb, and infinitely more precious
than the finest gold m ?]
3. By it he gained a foretaste of heaven itself
[The word was to him as Jacob s ladder, by which he held
intercourse with heaven itself. By it he ascended to Mount
Pisgah, and surveyed the Promised Land in all its length and
breadth. In it he beheld his Saviour, as it were, transfigured
before his eyes, yea, and seated on his throne of glory, sur
rounded by myriads of saints and angels ; yea, and beheld the
very throne reserved for himself, and the crown of glory prepared
for him, and the golden harp already tuned for him to bear his
part amongst the heavenly choir.
I forbear to speak more on this subject ; because, if what I
have already spoken do not justify the language of my text,
nothing that I can add can be of any weight. Only let any
person read this psalm, in which no less than one hundred and
seventy-six times the excellency of the sacred volume is set
forth in every variety of expression that David could invent ;
and he will see, that the language of my text was no other
than what every child of man should both feel and utter.]
But from all this, who does not SEE
1 . That religion is not a mere form, but a reality ?
[Religion, if it be genuine, occupies, not the head, but
the heart and soul, every faculty of which it controls and
regulates. Religion is in the soul, what the soul is in the
body - O that we all felt it so! But indeed, Brethren,
so it is ; and so it must be, if ever we would enjoy the benefits
it is intended to convey
2. That we all have very abundant occasion for
shame in a review both of our past and present state ?
[We are not, like the unhappy papists, debarred from
God s blessed word. The very least and meanest amongst us
has free access to it, and may read it for himself; yea, and
derive still greater advantage from it than ever David himself
reaped ; by reason of the rich additions which have been made
to it since his day, and the fuller discovery it gives us of God s
mind and will. Yet how many of us read it not at all, or only
in a formal cursory manner, without any such feeling as that
which is expressed in my text ! My dear Brethren, we suffer
loss, exceeding great loss, by our negligence in this respect.
Did we but read the word, and meditate on it day and night,
and pray over it, and converse with God by it, what might we
not obtain, and what might we not enjoy ? Well I leave it,
with " commending you to God and to the word of his grace,
m Ps. xix. 10.
699.] CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. 315
which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified"." Certain I am that "it
is profitable for all that your souls can desire ;" and that if you
improve it aright, it shall render you perfect, thoroughly fur
nished unto all good works ," and shall " make you wise unto
salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus p ."]
n Acts xx. 32. 2 Tim. iii. 17. P 2 Tim. iii. 15.
DCXCIX.
CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE.
Ps. cxix. 30 32. I have chosen the way of truth : thy judg
ments have I laid before me. I have stuck unto thy testi
monies : O Lord, put me not to shame ! I will run the way
of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.
EVERY thing which has an aspect of egotism is
for the most part to be avoided ; or, at all events, it
should be entered upon with extreme care, and be
relinquished as soon as the occasion for it has ceased.
Yet, whilst this rule is proper for private Christians,
we have reason to be thankful that the Inspired
Writers were under no necessity of submitting to it ;
but that, on the contrary, they were constrained, by
the powerful motions of the Holy Spirit, to record
the secret workings of their hearts, and to develop
the principles by which they were actuated in the
divine life. What a treasure has in this view been
committed to us in the Psalms of David ! In him we
see what is the experience of God s saints in every
age. In the very words which we have just read we
may behold a Christian s mind :
I. His retrospective testimony
We may take the words as declaring,
1. His deliberate choice
[Whatever was his state in former life, he is now become
a new creature : his former sins and errors he has utterly re
nounced ; and has determinately embraced the truth of God,
even that truth which God has revealed in the Gospel of his
Son. He knows that, as a sinner, he is justly obnoxious to
God s heavy displeasure ; and that there is no hope for him,
but in that Saviour who died for him upon the cross
Hence, with the fullest conviction of his mind and the most
316 PSALMS, CXIX. 3032. [699.
deliberate purpose of his soul, has he " fled for refuge to Christ,
and laid hold on him as his only hope."]
2. The means by which he seeks to effect his end
[The written word of God is regarded by him as the only
ground of his faith, and the only rule of his practice. The
promises contained in it he treasures up in his mind, for the
encouragement of his soul ; and the precepts, as a sure direc
tory. The Sacred Volume is to him what the chart and compass
are to the mariner : nor will he ever pass a day without con
sulting it, to ascertain the state of his soul, and the course that
he shall pursue.]
3. The exertions made by him in the prosecution
of his purpose
[No sooner did he turn to God in earnest, than he found
allurements, on the one hand, to draw him from the Lord ; and
menaces, on the other hand, to drive him from his God. But
his conscience bears him witness, that " he has stuck unto God s
testimonies," and " cleaved unto the Lord with full purpose of
heart." True, the conflict yet continues, yea, and requires the
utmost exertions of his soul : but still he is steadfast and im-
moveable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord : assured
that, at last, his labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."]
Conformable with his past experience is also,
II. His prospective determination-
He feels, indeed, that God alone can uphold him
[This is strongly expressed in that prayer, " O Lord, put
me not to shame ! " In vain would be all his own efforts, if he
were not aided from on high. Soon would he fall, and make
shipwreck of his faith, and " be put utterly to shame," if God
should withdraw from him for one single moment. He feels
himself like an infant in its mother s arms, and cries to God
continually, " Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe." He
laments that in his own heart he is narrow and contracted, and
incapable of either devising or executing such plans as may
advance his spiritual welfare in the way that he could wish.
He seems to himself like a ship that is becalmed ; and which,
for want of winds to carry him forward, is in danger of being-
diverted from his path by currents which he is unable to with
stand. Hence he prays to God for such communications of
his Holy Spirit as shall fill his sails, and bear him onward to
his destined port. And,]
In dependence on God, he determines to redouble
his exertions till he has attained the great object of
his desires
()99.1 CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE. 317
[He is not contented to " walk" in the ways of God : no;
he would " run ;" he would " run, and not be weary; he would
march onward, and not faint." He considers himself as engaged
in a race : and he sees his course clearly marked in the com
mandments of his God. Hence he determines, that " when
God shall enlarge his heart, he will run with all his might, and
never stop till the prize shall be accorded to him. Whatever
advance he may have made, " he forgets what is behind, and
reaches forward to that which is before, and presses on for the
prize of his high calling" with increased zeal. He determines
that nothing shall abate his ardour, or for a moment divert him
from his path. Thus he runs the race that is set before him ;
and determines, through grace, " so to run it, that he may
obtain the prize."]
Let me now ADD a few words,
1. Of congratulation, to those who can adopt this
language
[I do hope that some amongst you are like-minded with
David in these particulars ; and that, if you have not attained
his eminence in the divine life, you are yet truly and habitually
following his steps. Shall I not, then, say to you, as Moses
did to Israel of old, " Happy art thou, O Israel ! who is like
unto thee, O people saved by the Lord a ?" Truly, in compa
rison of you, the greatest, wisest, noblest of mankind are in a
poor and low condition. In you the end of your creation has
been answered ; yea, and the end of your redemption too.
In you God delights ; yea, he regards you as his peculiar
treasure. On you the very angels before the throne account
it an honour to wait, as your ministering servants : and for you
are prepared crowns and kingdoms that shall never fade away.
Was Mary commended by our Lord for having chosen the good
part ? and was she assured that it should never be taken away
from her? The same commendation is yours, and the same
assurance is yours also. I do, then, from my soul congratulate
you, however pitiable in other respects your condition may be ;
and, in the name of my Divine Master, I say for your en
couragement, " Be not weary in well-doing ; for in due season
you shall reap, if you faint not."]
2. Of reproof, to those who are yet strangers to
this heavenly experience
[What have you been doing all your days, that you have
never yet made this choice ? Are the ways of the world equal
in any respect to the way of truth ? Are they as reasonable
in themselves? Are they as conducive to the best interests of
man ? or will they prove so happy in their issue ? Compare
a Deut. xxxiii. 29.
318 PSALMS, CXIX. 34. [700.
the things which tempt you from the testimonies of the Lord,
with the loss which they will occasion, and the evils which they
will entail upon you. You may now, perhaps, justify the pre
ference which you give to sin : but say whether you will not
one day be ashamed of it ? Say whether, in that hour when
you shall be bidden to depart from your Saviour s presence,
and to take your portion for ever in a lake of fire, you will not
be ashamed of the choice which you have now so unwisely made,
and of the hopes which you now so presumptuously cherish?
Peradventure you now laugh at the idea of an enlargement
of heart, and deride the course to which it leads : but will you
do so in that day? Will you not rather lament that you
followed the course of this world, instead of prosecuting the
ways which lead to heaven? I would say then to you, " Seek
now the Lord whilst he may be found, and call upon him whilst
he is near." There is no repentance in the grave, nor any
reversing of the sentence that shall soon be passed upon you.
Begin, then, the course which David ran, and prosecute it with
the ardour that filled his soul. So shall you possess with him
the joy that is set before you, and inherit to all eternity the
rest that remaineth for the people of God.]
DCC.
WISDOM OF TRUE PIETY.
Ps. cxix. 34. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy
law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
A SPIRITUAL discernment essentially differs
from the mere exercise of our intellectual powers.
A man may have the richest stores of human know
ledge, and the most discriminating faculty in various
branches of science, and yet be under the dominion,
the allowed dominion, of his own lusts and passions.
But spiritual knowledge is always accompanied with
gracious dispositions : and for the sake of its prac
tical effects alone is it to be desired. This appears
from what St. Paul says respecting the intercessions
which he continually offered before God in the behalf
of his Colossian converts : " We do not cease/ says
he, "to pray for you, and to desire that ye may be
filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding ; that ye may walk worthy of
the Lord unto all pleasing*" In a foregoing part of
a Col. i. 9, 10.
700.] WISDOM OF TRUE PIETY. 319
this psalm it might seem, as if knowledge alone had
been the end for which David desired a spiritual illu
mination : " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of thy law." But we see in our
text, that he had far other ends in view : he longed
for knowledge, only that he might have his soul the
more enlarged by it to run the way of God s com
mandments : " Give me understanding, and I shall keep
thy law ; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart."
From these words we will take occasion to shew,
I. How true wisdom will operate
The provisional engagement which David entered
into was no other than what must necessarily result
from an answer to his petition. If God give to any
of us a spiritual understanding, we shall immediately
begin,
1. To keep his law
[Whatever God has revealed will be a law unto us. Has
he bidden us repent ? We shall humble ourselves before him
in dust and ashes - Has he enjoined us to believe in his
dear Son? We shall receive him into our hearts, and embrace
him as all our salvation and all our desire - Has he com
manded us to obey his precepts ? We shall endeavour to search
out his will, and to conform ourselves to it in all things
Whatever temptations may assault us, we shall not suffer them
to turn us aside from the path of duty. Whatever opposition
we may have to encounter, we shall hold on our way, deter
mined to keep God s law, yea, to " keep it to the end h ." This
alone is true wisdom ; yea, this is the first beginning of wis
dom in the soul d .]
2. To observe it with our whole hearts
[There are two things which a spiritual understanding will
most assuredly teach us, namely, the beauty and excellency of
God s law, and the folly of rendering to it a merely partial
obedience.
To an unenlightened mind many of God s commands appear
absurd : and men are ready to say of them, " This is a hard
saying; who can hear it?" But, in the view of one who is
taught of God, "there is no commandment grievous:" the
scope of every thing which God has spoken, is, to produce the
present and eternal happiness of his creatures : the language of
every injunction is, Be holy, be happy To attempt to
lower any command to the standard of man s opinion, or of our
b ver. 112. c Job xxviii. 28. d Ps. cxi. 10.
320 PSALMS, CXTX. 34. [700.
own wishes, is seen to be the most horrible infatuation : for, if
we can deceive man, we cannot deceive God : " TO HIM all
things are naked and open." As he knows the extent of his
own commands, so he knows the precise measure of obedience
which we pay to them: " He weighs," not our actions only,
but " our spirits" also.
Hence a partial obedience is the same kind of folly as if a
man should request permission to take a poisoned cup, because
it was sweet ; or as if he should shut his eyes, and say, that no
man can see him. Convinced of this, he begs of God to " put
truth in his inward parts," and desires to be " an Israelite
indeed, in whom is no guile."]
As from a root which is acknowledged to be good
we may anticipate a corresponding produce, so from
fruit that is excellent we may infer with certainty
the goodness of the root. In proof of this we will
proceed to shew,
II. Wherein its operation will approve itself to every
reflecting mind
The observing of God s law with our whole hearts
necessarily evinces the existence of true wisdom in
the soul ; because,
1. It is consonant with right reason
[What is disobedience, but a preferring of the creature to
God, the body to the soul, and time to eternity ? And will
any one say that this is reasonable, or that it has even a shadow
of reason in it? Reason requires the very reverse of this : and
the yielding up of our soul and body to God, as a living sacri
fice, is expressly called " a reasonable service 6 ." If we consider
ourselves only as the work of God s hands, this kind of service
is reasonable : but, if we consider ourselves as redeemed by the
blood of God s only dear Son, it is infinitely more reasonable :
for, " having been bought with a price, we are not our own, but
are bound to glorify God with our bodies and our spirits, which
are God s."]
2. It is conducive to our best interests
[We will concede, for argument sake, all that the slaves
of pleasure can say in its behalf; yea, we will concede ten times
more than its most infatuated votary ever ventured to assert :
but, having done this, we will ask, What good will it all do you
in a dying hour, and at the bar of judgment? "Godliness,"
we are told, " is profitable unto all things, having the promise
of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." But of
ungodliness no such thing can be asserted. Granting, that the
e Rom. xii. 1.
WISDOM OF TRUE PIETY.
700.]
ungodliness may be of the least offensive kind : yea, that it shall
be so specious, as to assume the appearance, and to gain from
many the applause, of piety ; still we ask, ^hat will it avail in
the day that God shall judge the world? But it is not true,
that the pleasures of sin are so great or so satisfactory. On the
contrary, there is no comparison between the peace that flows
from piety, and the gratifications that result from any criminal
indulgence. " The work of righteousness is peace ;" but " the
way of transgressors is hard." And, as to the eternal world,
there can be no doubt Inasmuch then as piety is most
consonant with right reason, and most conducive to our best
interests, it approves itself, beyond a possibility of doubt, the
genuine offspring of true wisdom.]
ADDRESS
1. Those who live in the allowed violation of any
one commandment
[The world may count you wise : yea, " if you are doing
well unto yourselves, (that is, are advancing your own temporal
interests,) all men will speak well of you f ." But what does God
say of you ? " They have forsaken the word of the Lord ; and
what wisdom is in them g ?" Ah ! what indeed? To the rich
man, whose heart was elated with his temporal prospects, God
said, " Thou fool : " and no better character will he assign to
you. Think only with what an eye the heart-searching God
beholds you ; or what the angels think of your conduct ; or
what you yourselves will think of it in a little time ; and you
will be at no loss to form a right estimate of it. If you would
be truly wise in God s estimation, your obedience to him must
be uniform and unreserved 11 .]
2. Those who profess to be endued with true
wisdom
[If " God have given us an understanding," then we must
evidence it by the purity of our hearts and lives. But many
there are, who can talk very fluently and speciously about reli
gion, who yet are very far from being wise in the sight of God.
Hear the judgment of God himself on this subject: " Who is
a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? let him
shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of
wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts
(and these are no uncommon inmates with the professors of
religion), glory not, and lie not against the truth." (Let proud,
conceited, and contentious professors hear this ; They are
" liars against the truth.") This wisdom descendeth not from
above ; but is earthly, sensual, devilish. " But the wisdom
that is from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to
f Ps. xlix. 18. Jer. viii. 9. h Matt. vii. 24 27. Dent. iv. 6.
VOL. VI. Y
PSALMS, CXTX. 37. [701.
be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality,
and without hypocrisy 1 ." Here is the test of true wisdom ;
here is the evidence of a sound understanding. The man that
is destitute of these gracious tempers, is in darkness even until
now : but the man who from love to Christ is enabled to live in
the habitual exercise of them, has surely an understanding
heart, and is made wise unto salvation.]
1 Jam. iii. 1317.
DCCI.
THE VANITIES OF THIS WORLD AN OBSTACLE TO SPIRITUAL
PROGRESS.
Ps. cxix. 37. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity ;
and quicken thou me in thy way.
THE depths of the human heart are never more
plainly disclosed, than when a man comes into the
presence of his Maker. Then he opens all his wants,
and supplicates relief for all his necessities. The
godly man at a throne of grace knows no dissimu
lation, no concealment, no false humility. What he
speaks, (if he be in a right state) he feels. Let us
then draw nigh, and listen to the breathings of holy
David. He felt the ensnaring influence of worldly
things, and the lamentable tendency of fallen man to
relax his efforts in the service of his God : hence he
poured out his soul in this humble supplication ;
" Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity ; and
quicken thou me in thy way."
That we may all be stirred up to implore similar
blessings at the hands of God, we propose to shew,
I. The fascinating power of earthly vanities
By the word "vanity," we understand all those
things which are apt to engross the affections of car
nal men. The Apostle classes them all under " the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of
life :" and they all justly deserve the name assigned
them in the text, because they are sure to disappoint
the desires and expectations of all, who look to them
for any solid or permanent satisfaction.
These things altogether captivate and enslave the
minds of the generality
701.] HINDRANCE OF WORLDLY VANITIES. 323
[The natural man seeks nothing above them. His mind is
not occupied with any thing above them. He " is in the flesh; "
he " walks according to the flesh," " fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind." His " affections are altogether set
upon things below, and not on things above." His thoughts,
his conversation, his labours from day to day, all arise from,
and terminate in, the things of time and sense: and from
these things alone spring all his hopes and fears, his joys and
sorrows ]
These things also have great power over those
who profess godliness
[So our Lord has told us in the parable of the Sower.
The thorny-ground hearers have made, in appearance at least,
a great proficiency in religion. They have far surpassed the
stony-ground hearers, who yet have heard the word with joy,
and given many cheering and hopeful promises of a future
harvest. They have been long established, and brought forth
much which both the} and others have deemed estimable fruit :
but yet, " through the cares of this world, and the deceitful-
ness of riches, and the lust of other things, the seed that has
grown up in them is choked, and they bring forth no fruit to
perfection."
Even persons truly and deeply pious are in great danger
from them; else why did our blessed Lord caution even his own
immediate disciples in those memorable words, " Take heed to
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with
surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that
day come upon you unawares a ." There is yet an earthly and
sensual spirit dwelling in the best of us, and working power
fully to counteract the better dictates of our new man b : and he
knows little of his own heart, who does not see and bewail his
own proneness to look back again after the flesh-pots of Egypt.]
But whilst we point out thus the danger of earthly
vanities, we would point out also,,
II. The way to escape their baneful influence
We should set a guard upon all our senses
[The senses are inlets to all manner of evil. Alas! alas!
how often has the mind been contaminated by what it has
either seen or heard ! If it were no more than what we have
read in books, or heard in conversation, that was calculated to
encourage a worldly spirit, we should all feel abundant reason
to lament, that we have not been sufficiently on our guard
against the admission of bad impressions on the mind. But
the vilest lusts have found an entrance into the heart by these
a Luke xxi. 34. *> Gal. v. 17.
324 PSALMS, CXiX. 37. [701.
avenues. Some have found to their cost, that one sinful idea,
which they have either seen in a book or picture, or heard in
conversation, has abode with them through life, when they have
greatly desired to forget it ; whilst hundreds of sermons which
they would have been glad to have remembered, have passed
from their minds like the early cloud. Behold David, the man
after God s own heart; what reason had he to curse the day
that he ever looked upon Bathsheba ! - What reason too
had Solomon s fool to lament that ever he listened to the voice
of the enchanting adulteress ! It is not without reason that
Solomon advises us not to look upon the wine when sparkling
in the glass d . We must resist the very first entrance of sin
into the soul ; for it will operate like fire on a house of wood.
Alas! " how great a matter does a little fire kindle 6 !" Its
progress is very rapid : and who shall stop the conflagration,
when once it is begun ? " When lust hath conceived, it bringeth
forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death f ."
We exhort all then, like Solomon, to make a covenant with
their eyes, and with their ears also, yea, and with the very
imaginations of their heart; that neither their corporealnor intel
lectual eyes become ministers of sin, or traitors to their souls.]
We should cry earnestly to God for his effectual
grace
[God does and will preserve his people from evil, if they
cry unto him. We should therefore call upon him both for his
preventing and his quickening grace : we should pray, as David,
" Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken
thou me in thy way."
There are many ways in which God will turn away our eyes
" from beholding vanity." He will, if we are really seeking it
at his hands, keep temptation from us. And how much we are
all indebted to him for this, we shall never know, till we come
to the bar of judgment, and have all his mercies unfolded to our
view. Thousands of our fellow-creatures, who were once as
respectable in every point of view as ourselves, have in an hour
of temptation so fallen, as to destroy all their own honour and
happiness through life. And why have not we done the
same ? Are we sure that we, if subjected to the same tempta
tions as they, should not have done the same ? Oh ! if we
are wise, we shall cry day and night, " Lead us not into
temptation." But there are many other ways in which God
can, and does, impart the same blessing. Perhaps he lays some
affliction upon our loins, and visits us with some personal or
domestic calamity. We are apt on such occasions to complain of
the affliction ; whereas, if we saw from what evils, the visitation
c Prov. vii. 623. d Prov. xxiii. 31, 32.
e Jam. iii. 5. f Jam. i. 15.
701.] HINDRANCE OF WORLDLY VANITIES. 325
was sent to deliver us, we should be adoring God for it as
the richest of all mercies. Let our distress be either in body
or mind, who will not bless God for it, if it be the means of
weakening the influence of worldly objects on his soul, and of
keeping his eyes from beholding vanity ?
But, in addition to this, we should cry to him also for his
quickening grace. However active we may be in the pursuit of
earthly things, we all are too sluggish in our heavenly course.
Nine times in this psalm does David cry, " Quicken me!" and
ninety times nine do we need to renew the petition every day
of our lives. Beg of God then to shew you more and more
clearly the excellency of " his way" (even of that salvation
which Christ has wrought out for us ), and the blessed
ness of the end to which it leads. This will quicken us more
than any thing else. Let us see the excellency of a life of
faith ; and that will make us despise the things of sense. Let
us also get Pisgah views of the land of Canaan ; and we shall
value nothing that can be offered us in this dreary wilderness.
Look at Christ as the way, and Christ as the end ; and you will
soon " cast away the besetting sins that impede you," and
" run with alacrity the race that is set before you g ."]
ADDRESS
1. Young people
[Greatly do you need to offer the petition in our text.
O! bear in mind what is the true character of earthly things:
they are "vanity" altogether -Bear in mind your
danger from them : they will ensnare, and, if the snare be not
broken, destroy, your souls - Bear in mind your need of
divine grace to counteract their influence. It is God only that
can preserve you : and, if not preserved by him, you will fall
and perish
2. Those who make a profession of godliness
[Think not that you are above temptation. Satan tempted
even our blessed Lord himself, by " shewing him all the king
doms of the world, and the glory of them." And you will he
tempt in like manner. Nor imagine that you may not fall :
for Demas was as eminent as any of you, and yet fell at last,
through love of this present world h . In every Church the sad
effect of worldly and carnal lusts is seen. You yourselves see
it in others. O, beware lest it be seen in you also. It is your
duty, and your happiness, to "be crucified unto the world,
and to have the world crucified unto you 1 ." You may use this
world, if God have given it to you ; but you must " so use it,
as not to abuse it; k " and so flee from all occasions of evil, that
you may be "found of God at last without spot, and blameless 1 ."]
Heb. xii. 1,2. h 2 Tim. iv. 10. with Col. iv. 14. and Phil. 24.
1 Gal. vi. 14. k 1 Cor. vii. 2931. J 2 Pet. iii. 14.
326 PSALMS, CXIX. 45. [702.
DCCII.
TRUE LIBERTY.
Ps. cxix. 45. / will walk at liberty ; for I seek thy precepts.
JUSTLY as civil liberty is appreciated amongst
us, there are but few who have just conceptions of
that liberty which has respect to morality and reli
gion. Every one knows that unrestrained liberty is
licentiousness : but every one does not know, that a
perfect obedience to God s Holy Word is the most
perfect liberty that man can enjoy. This, however,
is plainly intimated in the passage before us ; from
whence I shall take occasion to shew,
I. That the ungodly are strangers to true liberty
They will boast of liberty, and " promise it to all
who will conform to their ways ; but they are alto
gether in a state of bondage a :"
1. To the world
[The tastes of men differ, according to their age and to
the sphere in which they move : but all of every age and every
rank are subject to the laws of custom, which they dare not to
infringe. Even the religion of men must be conformed to this
standard ; and God s commandments must be reduced to the
scale which men have established for the regulation of their
own lives. If one be told what God requires, he immediately
bethinks himself, l What will this person say, or that person
do, if I comply with requisitions so foreign to the habits of
those around me ? Will they not deride my singularity, and
set themselves to oppose my insufferable preciseness? To
justify their conduct, men put the Scriptures altogether aside,
as an antiquated volume, the dictates of which are superseded
by the wiser and more practicable maxims of fashion and
" philosophy, falsely so called." Yes : of all unconverted men
it is declared, that they " walk according to the course of this
world b ," and " gaze strangely at any who presume to choose
for themselves a holier path ."]
2. To the flesh-
[There are different degrees in which men yield to the
impulse of their corrupt appetites : but every man has " a law
in his members warring against the law of his mind, and
bringing him into captivity to the law of sin which is in his
a 2 Pet. ii. 19. b Eph. ii. 2. c 1 Pet. iv. 4.
702.] TRUE LIBERTY. 327
members d ." In fact, there is not any one so ignorant, but
that even his unenlightened reason prescribes to him a better
path than he pursues. Let us look around, and see what are
the dispositions and habits of all around us. Are not all
" fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind 6 ," without
affecting any thing higher than the gratification of their own
corrupt appetites ? We are told, that " they who are after
the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh f :" and we know,
from infallible authority, that to whomsoever we yield ourselves
servants to obey, his servants we are to whom we obey g ."
In truth, even to our dying hour will our conflicts with this
tyrannical master continue ; for even St. Paul himself com
plained, " O wretched man that I am ! Who shall deliver me
from the body of this death 11 ?"]
3. To the Devil
[Well is Satan called " the god of this world : for he
worketh in all the children of disobedience 1 ." Ever since he
prevailed over our first parents in Paradise, he has subjected
the whole race of man to his dominion, " taking them in his
snares, and leading them captive at his willV That men deny
the agency, and even the existence of this great adversary, is
only a proof to what an extent they are " blinded by him 1 ,"
and how effectually he has lulled them to sleep in his very
arms" 1 . Doubtless it is very humiliating to think of ourselves
as his vassals : but this is the true state of every unconverted
man ; and even the saints themselves are not delivered from
his influence, but through the mighty power of Jehovah him
self, given in answer to fervent and believing prayer".]
But the Psalmist s mention of liberty leads us more
particularly to shew,
II. What sweet enjoyments they have of it who love
and serve their God-
David accounted the service of his God to be per
fect freedom. And so, indeed, it is : for the man
whom "the truth of the Gospel has made free ,"
and who "looks to God s precepts " as his only rule
of conduct, he, I say, walks,
1. According to the dictates of his own judgment
[He has an insight into the mind and will of God, and
clearly discerns that there is not, in all the Holy Scriptures,
d Rom. vii. 23. e Eph. ii. 3. f Rom. viii. 5.
s Rom. vi. 16. h Rom. vii. 24. * Eph. ii. 2.
k 2 Tim. ii. 26. 2 Cor. iv. 4. m Luke xi. 21.
n Eph. vi. 12 18. Jam. iv. 7. Rom. xvi. 20. John viii. 32.
328 PSALMS, CXIX. 45. [702.
a command which does not conduce to the happiness of all
who obey it. His own mind and conscience go along with the
word of God, and set their seal to the truth and excellency of
every thing contained in it. " Not one commandment appears
to him to be grievous P:" the whole law of God is esteemed
by him as " holy, and just, and good q ." To " love God with
all his heart and soul and strength, and his neighbour as him
self," does not appear to him any hardship imposed upon him,
but the perfection of his nature and completion of his felicity :
so that he would on no account have one atom of this law can
celled, or mitigated in the least degree. His own judgment
tells him that it is no less his privilege, than it is his duty, to
be " holy, as God is holy ;" and " perfect, as his Father who
is in heaven is perfect."]
2. Agreeably to the inclination of his own will
[He is neither drawn nor driven against his own will.
He is, indeed, " made willing in the day of God s power 1 ;" but
" he is drawn with the cords of a man, and with the bands of
love 8 ." He does not, indeed, all that he w r ould ; yea, in too
many respects he does what he would not t :" but this very
thing shews that it is rather strength than inclination that he
wants u . Could he have but the desire of his heart, he would
leave no sin unmortified, no duty unfulfilled. He is in the
situation of one who is running a race, or " fighting a fight :"
had he but his will accomplished, his every antagonist would
be vanquished in a moment, and " death itself, his last enemy,
be swallowed up in victory."]
3. In an unbiassed exercise of his own affections
[He has a real delight in God. He does not observe the
duties of prayer and praise through the fear of hell, but from
a real pleasure which he feels in drawing nigh to God, whom
it is his privilege to call by the endearing name of Father, and
in communion with whom he would gladly walk all the day
long. Conceive of Adam before his fall ; and there you have
an image of those who, through the tender mercy of God, are
restored. True, they still have " the flesh lusting against the
Spirit, as well as the Spirit lusting against the flesh ; so that
they neither do, nor can do, all that they would x :" but their
taste is the very same with that of angels ; and the felicity of
angels is begun in them : for their life, so far as they have really
attained, is both a preparation for heaven, and a foretaste also
of heaven, in their souls.]
P 1 John v. 3. i Rom. vii. 12. andPs. cxix. 128.
r Ps. ex. 3. s Hos. xi. 4. * Rom. vii. 15.
u Rom. vii. 1C 20. x Gal. v.17.
703.] COMFORT UNDER PERSECUTION. 329
Let me then, in CONCLUSION, commend this liberty
to your acceptance
[Think not, my Brethren, that the Gospel is a mere sys
tem of restraints : no, it is a "perfect law of liberty 7 :" and
" all who are made free by Christ, are become free indeed 2 ."
O that religion were but understood in this view ! No captive
would more delight to shake off his chains, than sinners would
to emancipate themselves from the sore bondage in which they
are held. Know then, Brethren, that I am authorised, in the
name of Jesus Christ, to " preach deliverance to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bruised a ." The
jubilee trumpet now sounds in your ears, and proclaims to you
a restoration to all that you have ever lost and forfeited. Did
not the poor slave, think you, when called to resume his liberty
and his inheritance, account the trumpet a joyful sound? Let
the Gospel, then, be such a sound to you : and, instead of re
garding God s service as a hard bondage, adopt the language of
the Psalmist : " I will walk at liberty ; for I seek thy precepts."
" Take upon you the yoke of Christ, and I pledge myself that
you shall find it light and easy ; and you shall obtain everlast
ing rest unto your souls V]
y James i. 25. z John viii. 36. a Luke iv. 18, 19.
b Matt. xi. 28, 29.
DCCIII.
COMFORT UNDER PERSECUTION.
Ps. cxix. 51, 52. The proud have had me greatly in derision ;
yet have I not declined from thy Law. I remembered thy
judgments of old, O Lord ; and have comforted myself.
THERE is not, throughout the whole Scriptures,
any woe so little feared, so little thought of, so little
credited, as that which was denounced by our blessed
Lord, " Woe unto you, when all men shall speak
well of you a ! " But, in truth, there is no denunciation
more certain to be executed than that : for there is
nothing that can more infallibly prove us to be the
enemies of God, than the approbation and love of an
ungodly world. If it be asked, Whence this should
be ? I answer, that " the things which are highly
esteemed amongst men are an abomination in the
sight of God ; and that the things which are pleasing
to God are no less an abomination in the sight of
a Luke vi. 2C.
330 PSALMS, CXIX. 51, 52. [703.
men : and consequently, that, whichever of the two
we serve, we must of necessity lose the favour of the
other. This is what our blessed Lord has told us :
" Ye cannot serve God and mammon ; " ye cannot ad
here to either without despising and renouncing the
other b . And the truth of this has been exemplified
in all the saints, from the time of Abel to the present
moment. What David speaks respecting his own
experience of it, will lead me to consider,
I. The trials he endured
He was held greatly in derision by his ungodly
subjects
[If any one could have escaped contempt, we should have
supposed that David would be the happy man. His rank in
society, as the king of Israel ; his extraordinary prowess in
arms ; the services he had rendered to his country ; and the
marvellous sublimity of his piety, must, we should have thought,
have rendered him an object of universal love and admiration.
But, amongst his proud and envious subjects, this last quality
neutralized, as it were, all his merits, and reduced him to an
object of hatred and contempt. The highest people in his
kingdom delighted to speak against him c ; whilst the lowest
readily joined in their opprobrious treatment of him d . The fat
bulls of Bashan on the one hand, and the dogs on the other,
compassed him about 6 , and treated him with every species of
indignity. Even his own wife, who should have been ready
to stem the torrent of abuse that was cast upon him, herself
joined in it with peculiar malignity f ; and the very best actions
of his life were made the chief subjects of their profane raillery g .
And let not this be thought a light affliction. Truly it is pain
ful to flesh and blood to bear such contemptuous treatment:
so, at least, the Apostle represents it in the Epistle to the
Hebrews 11 ; and so David himself found it to be : " Have mercy
upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us ! " says he : " for we are
exceedingly filled with contempt : our soul is exceedingly filled
with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the con
tempt of the proud 1 / ]
And can we hope to escape a similar trial ?
[Look at the saints from the beginning, and find one that
ever escaped it ? How contemptuously did the scoffers of the
antediluvian world ridicule the conduct of Noah, all the time
b Matt. vi. 24. c ver. 23. d Ps. Ixix. 12.
e Ps. xxii. 12, 16. f 2 Sam. vi. 20.
s 2 Sam. vi. 16. and Ps. Ixix. 1012. h Heb. x. 32, 33.
1 Ps. cxxiii. 3, 4.
703.] COMFORT UNDER PERSECUTION. 331
that he was preparing the ark k ! What an object of derision,
too, was Isaac, on account of his confidence in God 1 ! Behold
Lot also in Sodom m , and Elisha" and Jeremiah in Israel: or
rather, look at our blessed Lord himself, and all his holy
Apostles ; what was there too contemptuous for the ungodly
to say either of him p or them q ? How, then, can any
one hope to escape in the present day? Is " the carnal mind
less at enmity with God" now, than in former ages? That
the laws of the land protect the godly to a certain degree, is
true ; but from the shafts of calumny and contempt, no laws,
whether divine or human, can protect us : and this species of
persecution, at least, shall every one experience, who will come
out from the world, and boldly declare himself to be on the side
of Christ r . " If they called the Master of the house Beelzebub,
much more will they those of his household 8 ."]
For our direction, then, let us contemplate,
II. The graces he exercised
Whilst he bore his trials with patience, he suffered
none of them to divert him from the path of duty
[David s mind was too firmly fixed on God to be moved
by the scoffs and raillery of a profane world. What he did, he
did from principle. He regarded God s Law as a rule from
which no trial whatever should induce him to depart. Not only
would he not turn back from the path of duty ; he would not
turn aside from it, no, not for a moment. The more contemp
tuously he was treated by men, the more diligently he sought
communion with his God, in the study of his blessed word 4 ,
and in the exercise of fervent prayer u . Hence, when he and
his people were treated with the utmost possible scorn and
derision, he could appeal to God in the following triumphant
language : " All this is come upon us ; yet have we not for
gotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant : our
heart is not turned back ; neither have our steps declined from
thy ways*."]
And such, also, is the firmness which we should
manifest
[It should be with us " a small matter to be judged of
man s judgment y ." We should have but one object, and that
is, to approve ourselves to God ; and, having " the testimony
of our consciences that we have pleased him," we should not
k 2 Pet. iii. 36. Gen. xxi. 6. with Gal. iv. 29.
m 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8. n 2 Kings ii. 23. Jer. xx. 7.
P Matt.xxvii.39 44. 1 1 Cor. iv. 13. r John xv. 19.
s Matt. x. 25. t ver . 23, 24. u Ps. Ixix. 13.
x Ps. xliv. 1318. with Ixix. 20. y 1 Cor. iv. 3.
332 PSALMS, CXIX. 51, 52. [703.
lay to heart the displeasure of others, however contemptuously
or virulently it may be displayed. Onward we should go in
our destined path, not turning either to the right hand or to
the left. If the whole world should deride us, we should not
be induced either to do any thing which will offend our God,
or to forbear any thing which will honour him. That they
" hate our light," and are offended at it, is no reason at all why
we should " put it under a bushel:" whoever they may be,
whether friends or foes, our reply to them should be, " I will
yet be more vile than thus 2 ."]
Nor will this be very difficult, when once we have
tasted of,
III. The consolations he enjoyed
In the recollection of " God s judgments of old, he
comforted himself "-
[The term "judgments" has in the Scriptures a great
variety of meanings. In the psalm before us it seems to im
port the declarations and decisions of Jehovah. Now God, in
his word, has abundantly declared that such treatment is to
be expected, and that it is, to those who suffer it, a token for
good: " The just upright man is laughed to scorn. He that is
ready to slip \vith his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought
of him that is at ease 3 ." A lamp burning bright in a dark place
is an object of high regard ; but when it is so burnt down that
the flame is quivering on the wick, and almost extinct, it is
regarded rather as an object of disgust. And such is the light
in which even the best of worldly men are viewed, when once
God is pleased to convert them to himself: they are no longer
welcomed as friends to exhilarate and enliven their companions,
but are lothed rather, as the bane of social happiness. In God s
estimation, however, they are proportionably exalted ; and are
taught to consider " the reproach of Christ as greater riches than
all the treasures of Egypt h ." In the view of these things, the
Psalmist " comforted himself ;" saying, " Let thy tender mercies
come unto me, that I may live : for thy Law is my delight.
Let the proud be ashamed ; for they dealt perversely with me
without a cause : but I will meditate in thy precepts c ."]
The same sources of comfort are ever open unto
us also
[Our blessed Lord speaks of this treatment as the certain
portion of all his people: "Ye shall be hated of all men, for
my name s sake d ." And does he represent this as a matter
for grief and sorrow ? Far from it : he tells us rather to
z 2 Sam. vi. 22. a Job xii. 4, 5. b Heb. xi. 20.
c ver. 77, 78. d Matt. x. 22.
704.1 SPEEDY CONVERSION RECOMMENDED. 333
" rejoice and leap for joy, because great will be our reward in
heaven 6 ." Besides, in these afflictions we are made "partakers
of Christ s sufferings ; " and by means of them " the Spirit of
glory and of God is made more visibly and more abundantly
to rest upon us : " and though, " on the part of our enemies,
God is evil spoken of and dishonoured, on our part he is glori
fied f :" and, to crown the whole, we are assured, that, " if we
suffer thus with Christ, we shall also in due time be glorified
together g ." And are not these declarations abundantly suffi
cient to comfort us, under all that we can be called to suffer for
Christ s sake ? No doubt they are : and, therefore, if we parti
cipate with David in his trials and his graces, we shall, both in
this life and the next, be partakers also of his consolations.]
LEARN, then, from this subject,
1. What expectations to form
[You must not dream of honour from man ; but be con
tented with the honour that cometh of God h -You
must expect to go through " honour and dishonour, through
evil report as well as good report 1 ."]
2. What conduct to pursue
[Be not cast down when these trials come upon you ; but
submit to them, as sent of God for your good ; and " rejoice
that you are counted worthy to endure them for the Lord s
sake k " ]
3. What recompence to look for
[Be not anxious about the approbation of men, if only
you may but approve yourselves to God. In a little time you
will stand at his judgment-seat ; and then you shall receive a
testimony from him, and " your righteousness shall appear as
the noon-day." If " the Lord Jesus do but confess you before
his Father and his holy angels," it will be no grief to you that
you have suffered for confessing him 1 . A crown of righteousness
and glory will be an ample recompence for all the hatred and
contempt that an ungodly world could pour upon you.]
e Matt. v. 1012. f 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14. e Rom. viii. 17.
h John v. 44. * 2 Cor. vi. 8. k Acts v. 41.
i Matt. x. 32.
DCCIV.
SERIOUS AND SPEEDY CONVERSION TO GOD RECOMMENDED.
Ps. cxix. 59, 60. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet
unto thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep
thy commandments.
334 PSALMS, CXIX. 59, 60. [704.
AT what period of David s life these words were
written, we are not informed : if in his early youth,
they relate to his first conversion to God ; but if in
his middle or more advanced life, they declare the
daily habit of his soul. Under any circumstances they
are very instructive. To young people they shew, that
it is never too early to begin a life of entire devoted-
ness to God. To those engaged in business of any
kind, they manifest, that, whilst in the world, they
should not be of the world, but in the midst of all
their cares they should preserve their minds spiritual
and heavenly. To the great and noble, yea, to
princes and kings, they hold forth a solemn admoni
tion to imitate the Jewish monarch, and to be as
eminent in piety, as they are elevated above others
in state and dignity. This all may learn from them,
that if ever we would find acceptance with God in the
great day, we must turn to him,
I. With care and diligence
Inconsideration is the source of almost all the evil
that exists
[Men will not give themselves the trouble to look back
upon their past conduct. They take for granted that all has
been right, or at least not materially wrong ; and that they
have done nothing that calls for any particular humiliation
before God. Of this the prophet Jeremiah complains a ; as
does our Lord also of the Jews in his day b . Nor will men take
much pains to ascertain the path of duty in reference to what is
future : they love rather to act from the impulse of the moment ;
nor have they any apprehensions that they shall offend God by
any thing that they may do. " They do what is right in their
own eyes," without inquiring whether it be right in God s sight,
or not; or whether HE remembers it, or not c .]
But we should compare our actions carefully with
the word of God
[The sacred volume is the only adequate standard of truth
and virtue. If we satisfy ourselves with the opinions of men
and the customs of the world, we shall be sure to err. We
should take " God s testimonies," and try our ways by them.
In particular, we should notice what God has testified to us in
his gospel ; and see whether in our spirit and conduct we are
a Jer. viii. 6. b John iii. 19, 20. c Hos. vii. 2.
704.] SPEEDY CONVERSION RECOMMENDED. 335
such as he requires us to be. In this lies the vast difference
between the standard of the world and that of God : the world
regards nothing but our outward conduct, and that chiefly in
reference to the welfare of society ; whereas God has respect
to all our dispositions towards him and his Christ, and to all
our motives and principles of action towards men. We should
take the scripture then as our touchstone ; and see how far the
whole habit of our minds accords with what is required of us
there, and what we see exemplified in the primitive saints
- Yea, we should set Christ himself before us, and try
ourselves by the standard of his perfection ]
And, having ascertained what God s word requires,
we should rectify our lives according to it
[We must " turn," not our thoughts only, but " our feet"
also, unto his testimonies. Having found out our past errors,
we should humble ourselves for them, and determine, through
grace, to run into them no more : and having discovered " the
good old way," we should strive, through grace, to " walk in
it." As for obstacles of any kind, we should not regard them.
We should have it settled in our minds, that " the high-way of
holiness " is the only road that will lead to heaven ; and we
should resolve, that, however narrow and unfrequented it may
be, we will walk in it, even though earth and hell should con
spire to obstruct our progress d This is the advice given
us by the voice of inspiration e : and to follow it is the duty,
the interest, the happiness, of every human being f .]
In this however there should be no delay : we
should all address ourselves to this work,
II. With promptitude and decision-
Next to utter thoughtlessness is the evil of pro
crastination
[There are none so blind as not to know that they have
some occasion for repentance, or so hardened as to have formed
a determined resolution that they will never repent. All have
a faint purpose in their minds, that at some future period they
will repent : but then they put it off at present, in expectation
of some " more convenient season." The young think that they
have time enough before them, and that any great attention to
religion is unsuited to their age. The busy are so engaged in
their several concerns, that they think they may well be excused
attending to religion, till a time of greater leisure. Every one
finds some excuse for himself, and puts off the evil day, in hopes
that some period will arrive when he shall be better disposed to
the great work of turning unto God ]
d Matt. vii. 13, 14. e Lam.iii.40. f Eccl.xii. 13. Luke x. 42.
336 PSALMS, CXIX. 59, 60. [704.
But it is folly and madness to defer this important
work
\_It must be done; or else we inevitably and eternally
perish No man can call an hour his own. " We know
not what a day, an hour, a moment, may bring forth :" whilst
we are looking for days and years to come, God may say, " Thou
fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee." The diffi
culty of the work increases daily. The force of habit is exceed
ing great : and the longer we fulfil the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, the more difficult it will be to mortify and subdue
them We are in danger also of provoking God to with
draw from us all the assistances of his Spirit. We may " grieve
the Holy Spirit," yea, may " quench" also his sacred motions.
God has said, " My Spirit shall not alway strive with man :"
and if once he say respecting us, " Let them alone," our doom
is sealed as surely as if we were already gone beyond redemp
tion. And how awful is the state of those who are taken unpre
pared! What "weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth"
will they experience, cursing their own folly, and vainly wishing
it were possible for them to have another opportunity afforded
them for working out their salvation * !
Say then whether any man should defer one hour this neces
sary work ! surely we should " make haste, and not delay, to
keep God s commandments 11 ."]
That in this great work you may not miscarry, we
would subjoin some useful ADVICE
Cry mightily to God - , and seek of him,
1. Impartiality in judging
[Self-love always prompts us to form a favourable estimate
of our own conduct. If we search at all, we search rather for
excuses than for sins ; for grounds of self-approbation, rather
than of self-reproach. But what folly is this ! God will form
his estimate aright, whether we do or not ; and by his own
estimate he will judge us in the last day. Professors of religion,
no less than others, are warped by self-love ; and thousands
there are whose spirit and conduct are directly at variance with
the Gospel, whilst yet they boast of themselves as lights in a
dark world O search your hearts, as the Jews searched
their houses for leaven, or as you would search a room for jewels
which you had lost. You would not hastily shut your eyes, and
say, There is no jewel here ; but you would be examining every
corner, to find as many as possibly you could ; not content to
leave so much as one undiscovered. If such impartiality were
once exercised by us in detecting our sins, we should not be
far from the kingdom of God.]
e Eccl. ix. 10. h SeeHeb. iii. 714.
705.] THE GOODNESS OF GOD. 337
2. Fidelity in acting
[Were a traveller, after long and laborious search, to find
the true way to the place whither he was journeying, he would
retrace his steps, and proceed in the path which led to the place
of his destination. It might be less pleasant than his former
path ; but still he would walk in it. Say not then that a life
of entire devotedness to God is difficult, or that the ways of
Christ and his Apostles would make you singular, or require
sacrifices on your part. Be it so : but still you must go forward :
you must " not confer with flesh and blood :" you must give
yourselves up, in body, soul, and spirit, to the Lord. You must
strive to " walk altogether as Christ walked," and to " stand
perfect and complete in all the will of God."]
3. Firmness in persevering-
fit is comparatively easy to begin well : the difficulty lies in
persevering. The fear of death, or some strong impression
on our minds, will operate for a time ; but, if there be not a
root of grace in us, we shall soon turn back to our evil ways.
And, if we do that, we make our state really worse than it was
before we thought of our ways at all 1 . O " be not weary in
well doing." Make up your mind to encounter difficulties, and
to endure hardships : and know that the end will richly repay
for all the difficulties of the way.]
1 2 Pet. ii. 21.
DCCV.
THE GOODNESS OF GOD.
Ps. cxix. 68. Thou art good, and doest good: teach me thy
statutes.
THE perfections of God, if considered only in a
speculative view, must excite our admiration ; but, if
contemplated in reference to our state and conduct,
they will be to us a source of unspeakable comfort,
and a spring of incessant activity. What emotions a
knowledge of the Divine goodness will produce in the
soul, we see in the words before us ; in discoursing
upon which we shall notice,
I. The goodness of God-
In conformity with the text, we shall call your
attention to,
1. His essential goodness
VOL. vi. z
338 PSALMS, CXIX. 68. [705.
[This is not an indiscriminate regard to all, whether they
be good or evil ; for such a regard would not consist with jus
tice, or holiness, or truth: but it is a general benevolence
towards the whole creation, operating incessantly for the good
of the whole. The manner in which it discovers itself is as
various as the states of men : but, however diversified its ope
rations may be, it is the same principle in God. It is the sum
of all his perfections : towards the undeserving it is grace ; and
to the ill-deserving, mercy : to the indigent it is bounty ; to the
distressed, pity and compassion : towards the impenitent it is
forbearance ; and to the obstinate and incorrigible it is justice.
This is the view which God himself gives us of his goodness a ;
and, in this view, it resides in him necessarily, in him only, and
in him continually.]
2. His communicative goodness
[This he manifests to the world at large. When first he
created the world, he formed every thing " very good." And
if we look around us, we shall be constrained to say, " The earth
is full of his goodness."
Towards man in particular, his goodness is more abundantly
displayed. Towards the ungodly he has shewn it, by giving
his only dear Son to die for them, and his good Spirit to in
struct them : yea, he has set apart an order of men also to
entreat them in his name to accept the proffered salvation.
Towards the godly he has abounded yet still more in the ex
ceeding riches of his grace : for, in addition to all that he has
done for the ungodly, he has made his word effectual for their
conversion ; and he watches over them with paternal care, sup
plying all their wants, and protecting them in all their dangers ;
and, to complete the whole, he will crown them finally with
his glory b .]
Such a view of God as this cannot but lead us to
adopt,
II. The petition grounded upon it
The petition itself is such as all ought to offer for
themselves
[By " the statutes" of God we understand both the truths
he has revealed, and the precepts he has enjoined. Of these
we are by nature ignorant ; nor can we by mere human exer
tions ever acquire a right understanding of them c . We must
be taught of God : our eyes must be opened by his Spirit :
a Moses prays for a sight of God s glory ; God promises to shew
him his goodness ; and then represents it as consisting in an united
exercise of all Iris perfections. Exod. xxxiii. 18, 19. and xxxiv. 6.7.
b Ps. ciii. 15. c 1 Cor. ii. 14.
706 J THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION. 339
then only shall we keep his statutes, when God himself shall
" write them on the fleshy tables of our hearts."]
But the petition has peculiar force as grounded on a
discovery of God s goodness ; for, in that, as in
a glass, we SEE,
1. Our duties
[The law of God primarily declares our duty towards him :
but none ever attain a just knowledge of that duty from the
law alone : they cannot see the necessity of loving God with
all their hearts, till they have some idea of the obligations they
lie under to him for the stupendous work of redemption. But
let the love of God in Christ Jesus be once clearly revealed to
the soul, and the excellency of the law will instantly appear ;
and obedience to it will be considered as perfect freedom.]
2. Our defects
[We are naturally averse to acknowledge our vileness and
wickedness. But a sight of the Divine goodness softens the
mind, and renders it ingenuous. Hence the more we are ac
quainted with God, the more we know of ourselves ; and the
more we have experienced of his love, the more we f( abhor
ourselves for our ingratitude to him, and our want of conformity
to his image d ."]
3. Our encouragements
[Wherever we look, we have no encouragement but in
God. Indeed, if only we be acquainted with his goodness, we
want no other encouragement : for, what will not He do, who
is so good in himself? and what will He refuse us, who has
done so much for us already 6 ? Such considerations as these
are sufficient to counterbalance every difficulty that the world,
or the flesh, or the devil can place in our way. Having this
God for our God, we can want nothing for time or for eternity.]
d Job xlii. 5, 6. Ezek. xvi. 63. e Rom. viii. 32.
DCCVI.
THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION.
Ps. cxix. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that
I might learn thy statutes.
DAVID had " been afflicted from his youth up "
and we think it highly probable that to that
very circumstance he was indebted, under God, for
those extraordinary attainments in devotion and holi
ness, which have rendered him a pattern for the
340 PSALMS, CXIX. 71. [706.
saints in all future ages. By means of his trials he
was constrained to take refuge in his God : and by
constant communion with God, he obtained a deep
insight into his revealed will, and a rich experience
of his superabounding grace. This seems at least to
have been his own view of the case, long after his
afflictions had ceased : for to his familiarity with
affliction he ascribes his enlarged acquaintance with
the statutes of his God : " It is good for me that I
have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes."
In confirmation of his testimony, we shall shew,
I. The benefit of affliction, as leading to knowledge
Affliction, in itself considered, is an evil : but, if
viewed in connexion with the benefits resulting from
it, it may justly be esteemed " a good." Thousands
there are who have reason to bless God for it, as in
strumental to the bringing of them to the knowledge
of a Saviour, whom, without such trials, they would
have continued to neglect. Indeed it is eminently
and extensively useful in this view :
1. It opens our ears to instruction
[People who are at ease, however eager they may be after
human knowledge, have no desire after that which is spiritual
and divine. If it be tendered to them, they reject it: if it be
pressed upon them, they cast it behind their backs with indig
nation and scorn. To one who would instruct them in arts or
sciences, they would feel thankful : but to one who would lead
them to the knowledge of the true God, they make no return,
but that of contempt and hatred a .
But when heavy affliction is come upon them, they are
softened : they will listen to advice ; they will even be thankful
for it : they will read the Scriptures, or some other religious
book : and will pay considerable attention to those subjects
which hitherto have provoked only their derision.
With this view, and for the production of this very effect,
God frequently vouchsafes to send it b : and those who are
brought by it to this measure of thoughtfulness about their
souls, have reason rather to be thankful for it as a benefit,
than to complain of it as a judgment.]
2. It makes us sensible of our need of better things
than this world can give
a John iii. 19. Matt vii. 26. b Job xxxvi. 810.
706. ~] THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION. 341
[In the midst of carnal enjoyments a man wishes for
nothing more : but when trials of various kinds oppress his
mind, his taste for earthly gratifications is weakened : their in
sufficiency to remove, or even to alleviate, trouble is felt ; and
they no longer afford him that kind of satisfaction which they
once did. Amusements, and company, have lost their relish :
his mind is indisposed for them: they are become to him
insipid, undesirable, irksome, odious. Something more sub
stantial is now wanted : something on which his soul may rest,
as conducive to its present and eternal welfare. This was the
effect produced upon the Prodigal. Whilst he could revel in
luxury and pleasure, he cared for nothing ; but when his money
was expended, and he was a prey to want, and could find no
help, no pity, from man, then he began to reflect on the abun
dance that there was in his Father s house, and to desire a
participation of it, though in the lowest and most menial office
there. And had he not reason to be thankful for the trials
which produced so blessed an effect ? In like manner then we
also should acknowledge as a blessing every trial that is sent
us for the accomplishment of so good an end.]
3. It drives us to God in prayer
[Those who never called upon God in the time of their
prosperity, are often stirred up to seek him in a season of ad
versity. " In their affliction," says God, " they will seek me
early :" and to the same effect the Prophet testifies, " Lord,
in trouble have they visited thee ; they poured forth a prayer
when thy chastening was upon them d ." In the 107th Psalm
this effect of troubles is marked in every instance : " Then cried
they unto the Lord in their trouble 6 :" and in every instance
this was the prelude to their deliverance. Who then that ex
periences this effect from his trials has not reason to be
thankful for them ? Let it only be said of us, " Behold, he
prayeth ;" and we shall have no cause for complaint, though
we should have been struck blind, like Saul, and had our
blindness continued to the latest hour of our lives f .]
4. It brings us to a saving knowledge of the Lord
Jesus
[Of itself, affliction cannot effect this ; but when accom
panied by Divine grace, it often does. Indeed where a willing
ness to receive instruction, and a desire after spiritual blessings
are excited in the soul, and issue in fervent prayer to God,
there we may reasonably hope that all spiritual blessings will
flow into the soul. God will not suffer any to seek his face in
vain. Even though, like Manasseh, we may have brought down
c Hos. v. 15, d Isai. xxvi. 16. e vcr. 6, 13, 19, 28.
f Acts ix. 3, 4, 8.
PSALMS, CXIX. 71. [706.
God s wrath upon us by the most heinous iniquities, yet if we
humble ourselves under his chastisements, and implore mercy
at his hands, we shall, like him, be heard, and be made stupen
dous monuments of his power and grace s . Did he ever regret
the sufferings by which he was thus brought to enjoy peace with
God? Neither shall we, whatever trials may be made subser
vient to this blessed end.]
But will the end really compensate for the means
used to effect it ? Yes : and to prove that it will, we
shall proceed to shew,
II. The blessedness of knowledge, though gained by
affliction-
Such knowledge as we are speaking of, the know
ledge of God in Christ Jesus, is indeed inestimable.
Let us view it,
1. As compared with the price paid for it-
fit is said by Solomon, " Buy the truth, and sell it not."
Now as we have before spoken of affliction as the means of
bringing us to the knowledge of the truth, we may, in popular
language, call it, The price paid for knowledge. Whatever
then the affliction be, we do not hesitate to say that it is richly
recompensed by the fruit which it produces.
Suppose the affliction to be of a temporal nature: we have
been bereaved of our dearest friends and relatives ; we have
suffered the loss of all our property, and been reduced to very
embarrassed circumstances ; our health also has been destroyed,
so that we are sinking under an accumulation of woes. Suppose
our case as distressing as that of Job himself: still, if it have
been sanctified to our eternal good, we can call it by no other
name than, A blessing in disguise. * Did Job, when brought to
a deeper view of his own depravity, and to a richer discovery
of the Divine perfections, regret the sufferings which had been
overruled for that end ? Did he not rather abhor himself for
having judged too hastily respecting the designs of God ; and
cordially approve of those dispensations, which in his haste he
had been ready to condemn ? Thus shall we also do, when
once we have " seen the end of the Lord h ." We may in our
haste exclaim, " All these things are against me :" but at last
we shall testify of all God s most afflictive dispensations, as
Joseph did, that " God meant them for good 1 ."
But suppose the trials to be of a spiritual nature. These
are yet far more afflictive : "A wounded spirit who can bear ? "
How grievously David was oppressed by them, we are informed
g 2 Chron. xxxiii. 11 13 h Jam. v. 11. Gen. 1. 20.
706.] THE BENEFIT OF AFFLICTION. 343
in many of his psalms k But yet his testimony in our
text was the real dictate of his heart. And we may ask of
others, Were the wounds which brought you to the heavenly
Physician too severe ? Do you not number them amongst your
richest mercies? Has not every loss been more than com
pensated in the acquisition of salvation ; and every pang more
than recompensed in the peace and joy to which, through the
knowledge of Christ, you have attained ? It was a matter of
just computation with the Apostle, that " the sufferings of this
present life (whatever they may be) are not worthy to be com
pared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."]
2. As estimated according to its own intrinsic
worth
[But who can ever rightly appreciate its worth? St. Paul
" counted all things to be but dross and dung in comparison
of it 1 ." We must be able to estimate all the miseries of hell,
and all the glories of heaven, before we can form any estimate
of its value ; and, if we could ascertain the full importance of
those, we should still be as far as ever from having a complete
conception of the worth of spiritual knowledge ; unless we could
estimate also all the glory that will accrue to the ever blessed
Trinity from the contrivance and execution of this stupendous
plan, and the application of this salvation to a ruined world.]
ADDRESS
1. To those that are at ease
[How faint, for the most part, are your desires after
spiritual knowledge ! Whether you hear, or read, or pray,
what formality pervades it all ! But, if God have indeed
designs of love towards you, you will be taught by the rod,
what you will not learn without: " He will cause you to pass
under the rod, in order that he may bring you into the bond
of the covenant." And if lesser trials will not accomplish the
purposes of his grace, he will visit you with heavier : " from
chastening you with rods he will scourge you with scorpions."
Yet think not that a season of affliction is in itself favourable
for the pursuit of spiritual knowledge : it is far otherwise :
pains of body, and distress of mind, have a tendency to impede,
rather than assist, the exercises of the mind. Ask those who
are in deep affliction, Whether they find it easy to collect their
thoughts, and fix them with energy on the concerns of their
souls ; and they will bear one uniform testimony, that health
is the time to seek the Lord. Be persuaded then, now whilst
you are at ease, to study " God s statutes," and especially those
which declare to us the way of salvation ordained for sinful
k See Ps. xxxviii. 1 8. and Ixxvii. 3 9. and Ixxxviii. 6, 7.
and cii. 110. 1 Phil. iii. 8.
PSALMS, CXIX. 76. [707.
man. Know that there is no other knowledge of any import
ance whatever in comparison of this; and that, if even the
most grievous sufferings should be welcomed as accessary to
the attainment of it, much more must it deserve all the time
and attention that can be bestowed upon it. You never need
fear that you will hereafter have occasion to complain, that its
fruits did not repay you for the cultivation of it.]
2. To those that are under any great affliction
[The rod under which you suffer, has a voice, to which you
should listen with all possible attention" 1 . It is sent to you in
love and inercy. God designs to teach you, by means of it,
many things which you would not so well learn without it. It
may be that you are already instructed in the Gospel of Christ ;
but yet there is much of which you are ignorant ; and many
things which you do know, need to be known by you in a very
different manner. Even our blessed Lord himself, " though
he was a Son, learned obedience by the things which he suf
fered," yea, and " was made perfect through sufferings." Be
content to have God s work carried on and perfected in you
in the same way : and be more anxious to obtain the benefit
which your affliction is sent to impart, than to get rid of the
affliction itself. If your tribulation work in you patience and
experience and hope, learn to glory in it, and to number it
amongst your richest blessings. And do not wait till the
affliction is removed, to acknowledge God s goodness to you in
sending it ; but now, whilst you are under the affliction, get it
so improved and sanctified to the good of your soul, that you
may be able to say, " It is good for me, O Lord, that I am
afflicted; for by means of it I do learn thy statutes:" I see,
" it is in very faithfulness that thou afflictest me ; " and, if only
thou " make me a partaker of thy holiness, send me what thou
wilt, and when thou wilt : be the cup never so bitter to my
taste, I will say, " Not my will, but thine be done."]
m Mic. vi. 9.
DCCVII.
THE LOVING-KINDNESS OF GOD.
Ps. cxix. 76. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for
my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
THE peculiar construction of this psalm forbids
us to look for much connexion between its several
parts. It is composed of short detached sentences,
committed to writing at different times as they oc
curred to the mind of the Royal penman, and after-
707 J THE LOVING-KINDNESS OF GOD.
wards reduced to a certain kind of order; eight of
them beginning with the same letter through all the
successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. If however
we take the words of our text as connected with the
preceding verse, we must understand it as a prayer
that a sense of God s loving-kindness might be given
him to comfort him under his afflictions. This sense
we shall not exclude ; though we shall not entirely
limit it to this : for, if we take the words by themselves,
they contain some peculiarly important hints, which
we are desirous to impress upon your minds.
In elucidating them, we propose to shew,
I. What the Scriptures speak respecting the loving-
kindness of God
They are full of this glorious subject: they declare,
1. That it is the one source of all the benefits we
enjoy
[Survey the lustre and use of the heavenly bodies, the rich
fecundity of the earth, the structure of the human body, or the
faculties of the soul ; Whence do they proceed ? Who is their
author; and by what motive was he actuated in bestowing them
upon us ? Can they be traced to any other source than the
kindness of our God? Behold the gift, the stupendous gift of
God s only dear Son, and of salvation by him! Can this be
traced to any other source*
2. That it is our chief support under all trials
[We will grant something to philosophy ; and acknowledge
that it can fortify the mind in some degree : but it is not to be
compared with religion in point of efficacy. That may silence
murmurs, and produce a reluctant submission; but this will turn
trials into an occasion of joy and glorying b .]
3. That a comfortable sense of it is the privilege of
all the Lord s people
[God promises " his Holy Spirit unto all them that ask
him." That Spirit shall be in them " a spirit of adoption," a
witness, an earnest, a seal, a Comforter. From the days of
Abel to the present hour, God has delighted to rejoice the souls
of his servants by the testimonies of his love.]
But, if the loving-kindness of God be thus mani
fested to his people, it may be asked,
a See John iii. 16. Tit. iii. 4, 5. Eph. ii. 7.
b Rom. v. 1 3. Acts v. 41. and xvi. 25.
346 PSALMS, CXIX. 76. [707.
II. Why David prayed that it might be for his comfort ?
He did so,
1. Because, without a sense of it, his trials would
have been insupportable
[David was exposed to many and severe trials : and, if he
had not been favoured with peculiar supports, he would have
sunk under them. This he often mentions c : and St. Paul also
acknowledges his obligation to God for similar supports 3 .
When such manifestations were withdrawn, even Jesus himself
almost fainted e : but when they were vouchsafed, the weakest
females were made triumphant over all the malice of their
persecutors f .]
2. Because, though all are partakers of it, all do
not find it to their comfort
[How many have the blessings of health and wealth, who
taste nothing of God s loving-kindness in them, but make them
the occasions of more flagrant opposition to his will ! How
many have been restored to health, who by their subsequent
misconduct have turned that mercy into a real curse ! Above
all, how many have made Christ himself a stumbling-block
instead of a Saviour, and " the gospel a savour of death," when
it might have been to them " a savour of life ! " Thus would
all men do, if they were left to themselves : even Hezekiah s
miraculous recovery, and St. Paul s visit to the third heavens,
would have issued only in their deeper condemnation, if God
had not given grace to the one, and " a thorn in the flesh" to
the other, to counteract the propensities of their fallen nature.
Well then might David make this a matter of prayer to God,
when none but God could impart to him this benefit.]
3. Because, if it be not to our comfort, it will be,
in a most awful manner, to our discomfort
[It is no light matter to abuse the merciful kindness of
God. The day is coming, when every mercy we have received,
must be accounted for ; and when " it will be more tolerable
for Sodom and Gomorrha than for those " who have slighted a
preached gospel. Every mercy therefore should be received
with a holy fear and jealousy, lest it should prove only an
occasion of more aggravated guilt, and heavier condemnation.]
APPLICATION
[Let us more frequently reflect on the loving-kindness of
God g Let us meditate on it especially in seasons of trouble 11
And let us endeavour to requite it by devoting ourselves unre
servedly to his service * ]
c 1 Sam. xxx. 6. and Ps. cxvi. 3 5. d 2 Cor. i. 3 5.
e Matt, xxvii. 46. f Heb. xi. 35. s Ps. xxvi. 3. and Ixiii. 3.
h Ps. cxliii. 78. * Ps. cxvi. 12. and Isai. Ixiii. 7.
708.] DAVID S BOASTING EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED. 347
DCCVIII.
DAVID S BOASTING EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED.
Ps. cxix. 97 100. how love I thy Law! It is my medita
tion all the day. Thou, through thy commandments, hast
made me wiser than mine enemies : for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy
testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the
ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
NOTHING is more hateful than boasting. To
boast of our superiority to others, as the Pharisees
did, saying, " I thank thee, O Lord, that I am not as
other men," is to betray an entire want of Christian
humility, and an utter ignorance of our own state.
But of all boasting, that which arises from a conceit
of our own wisdom is perhaps the most odious and
the most contemptible. " Be not wise in your own
conceit 3 ," is a caution repeatedly given us in the Holy
Scriptures ; and an inattention to it will assuredly
expose us to God s heavy displeasure b . Yet there
are occasions whereon we may, in appearance, trans
gress this duty, and yet be blameless. St. Paul was
on some occasions necessitated to assert his claim to
public authority, and his right to dictate to the Church
of God: and though he apologised for his conduct in
this respect, and called himself " a fool " for giving
way to it, he yet felt it his duty, on the whole, to
maintain the truth against those who opposed it, and
to demand from others that deference which his
Apostolic character authorised him to expect . In
the passage before us, I must confess, David had no
such call to exalt himself above others. But he wrote
for the benefit of the Church of God in all ages : and
therefore, whilst conveying general truths, " he trans
ferred them to himself," in order that he might speak
to better effect d . His object was to shew, that every
one who took the word of God for his guide would be
so elevated by it above the most exalted of merely
human characters, that he might justly arrogate to
himself a wisdom superior to them all ; since an
a Prov. iii. 7. Rom. xii. 16. b Isai. v. 21.
c 2 Cor. x. 711. andxi. 16 18. and xii. 11. d See 1 Cor. iv. 6.
348 PSALMS, CXIX. 97100. [708.
unconverted character, whoever he might be, had no
higher wisdom than that which was human ; whilst
the man who was taught by the word and Spirit of
God, possessed a wisdom that was truly divine. In
this view, then, I propose to vindicate the language of
my text ; and to shew, that David, in obeying the word
of God, was " wiser than his enemies" with all their
subtlety; and " wiser than his teachers," notwith
standing all their learning; and (f wiser than the
ancients" in despite of all their experience. Of every
one who is obedient to God s word this may be said :
I. In that he answers more fully the ends for which
the Holy Scripture was given
[For what was the Scripture given, but to be a light to
our feet and a lantern to our paths? -This being the
case, what shall we say of the man who, neglects to study the
Inspired Volume ? What should we say of a mariner, who,
in navigating a sea that was full of rocks and quicksands, should
neglect to consult his chart and his compass, or should proceed
in his voyage with the same kind of confidence, in opposition
to their dictates, as he would if he were following the course
which they prescribed ? Let him in other respects be ever so
wise, no one would hesitate to commend the circumspect sailor
as wiser than he. Then in this view, may the divinely-instructed
follower of Christ account himself wiser than others, whether
friends or enemies, if, when they enjoy the advantage of this
infallible guide, they refuse to consult its dictates, or to follow
its directions. If no one would hesitate to pronounce this
judgment in a case where only the bodily life was concerned,
much less would any one doubt where the interest at stake is
nothing less than that of the immortal soul
II. In that he manifests a more becoming regard to
the wonders revealed in it
[Let any one contemplate the wonders of redemption
and say, whether he can be wise who neglects to
search into them, and to improve them for the good of his soul?
But the man who receives " the testimony of Christ," and labours
to have it " confirmed in his own soul," is wise ; and, when
comparing himself with those who despise the Gospel, whatever
superiority they may possess in other respects, may, without
any undue arrogance, account himself wiser than they. " The
very angels in heaven are desiring to look into these unsearch
able mysteries ;" and, " if we disregard them, what wisdom can
be in us 6 ?"]
e Jer. viii. 9.
708.1 DAVID S BOASTING EXPLAINED AND VINDICATED. 349
III. In that he consults supremely those interests,
which the Scriptures declare to be alone worthy
of his attention
[What can the whole world offer to a man, that is worthy
to be put in competition with his soul ? The concerns of the
soul are declared by our blessed Lord to be " the one thing
needful." Let the most learned man upon the face of the earth
neglect these concerns, and the most unlettered man make them
the great objects of his undivided attention ; shall we hesitate
to say which of the two is the wiser man? He who is wise
for time only, is a fool : but he who is wise for eternity, is
truly wise. " The fear of the Lord is the very beginning of
wisdom ;" and he who possesses it not, has not ever yet passed
the threshold of Wisdom s porch : but " a good understanding
have all they who cultivate the fear of the Lord; and the praise
of their conduct shall endure for ever."]
Let me, in CONCLUSION, give you,
1. A word of caution
[Take not occasion, from these words of David, to think
lightly of self-complacency and self-applause. David was no
boaster : on the contrary, no one was ever lower in his own
estimation than he : and you will find humility the most pro
minent feature of all the Scripture saints. " Less than the
least of all saints" was the character which Paul assumed ; and,
" if he gloried at any time, it was of his infirmities alone," that
his Lord and Saviour might be the more glorified in him f : so
likewise I would recommend to you to " take the lowest place,"
and, instead of exalting yourselves above others, to "prefer
others in honour before yourselves, "and "to esteem others better
than yourselves g :" " for not he that commendeth himself shall
be approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth V]
2. A word of advice
["Love the word of God." Verily, it is deserving of all
your love and you should " esteem it more than your
necessary food." Next, " meditate upon it all the day." Many
read the Scriptures without profit, because they do not rumi
nate upon them, and digest them in their souls. Let some
short portion of God s word be selected for your meditation
every day ; and you cannot fail to profit by it, especially if your
meditations be turned into prayer. Lastly, take it as the only
rule of your life. This is essential to the Christian character.
A speculative knowledge, however extensive and accurate, will
avail you nothing : it is the practical and experimental know
ledge alone that can benefit the soul. The very use of the
f 2 Cor. xii. 9. s Rom. xii. 10. Phil. ii. 3. h 2 Cor. x. 18.
350 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [709.
Scriptures is, to " perfect the man of God, and thoroughly to
furnish him unto all good works." This it is which will make
you truly wise, or, rather, that will prove you to be so : for then
will the Scripture " have had its perfect work," and you will be
" wise unto salvation through faith that is in Christ Jesus."]
DCCIX.
THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL.
Ps. cxix. 128. I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things
to be right ; and I hate every false way.
RELIGION is the same in every age. The doc
trines of it, though they have been more fully and
clearly revealed under the Christian dispensation,
have never varied in substance ; nor has the prac
tice of it ever changed, except in the observance
of rites and ceremonies. To love God with all our
heart and mind and soul and strength, and our
neighbour as ourselves, was the essence of true reli
gion in the days of Abraham and of Moses ; and so
it is at this day. Doubtless there can be no true reli
gion where the Gospel is set at nought and despised :
but the Gospel may be highly approved as a system,
whilst the heart is far from being right with God. It
is not by their profession of any principles that we
are to judge of men s states, but by the practical
effects of those principles on their hearts and lives.
Our blessed Lord has established this as the only
true criterion, the only adequate test ; " By their
fruits ye shall know them."
Now the genuine fruit of piety is as clearly exhi
bited in the words before us, as in any part of the
Inspired Volume : and the passage is peculiarly wor
thy of notice, because in the writer of it were combined
the fullest conviction of the understanding, together
with the strongest affections of the heart : in his judg
ment, " he esteemed God s precepts to be right ;" and
in his heart, "he hated" every thing that was op
posed to them.
May God of his infinite mercy inspire us with the
same heavenly sentiments, whilst we consider these
709.] THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 351
two things, The Christian character as here deli
neated, and The light which it reflects upon the Gospel
of Christ!
I. The Christian character as here delineated
In the text is drawn a broad line of distinction
between the child of God,, and every other person
under heaven.
Christians are either nominal or real. Each class
has gradations, from the highest to the lowest ; but
between the two classes there is an immense gulph,
that separates them as far as the east is from the
west. To ascertain to which of the two we belong,
is of infinite importance ; but self-love blinds our
eyes, and renders the discovery of it extremely diffi
cult. This Scripture however holds up, as it were, a
mirror before us ; and, if we will look steadfastly
into it, we may discern with great precision what
manner of persons we are.
The difference between the two classes is this :
the nominal Christian, however eminent he may in
appearance be, is partial in his regard for God s pre
cepts 3 : but the true Christian approves and loves
them all without exception b .
The nominal Christian, we say, is partial in his
regard for God s precepts. He may esteem those
which countenance his own particular party. The Pa
pist, for instance, and the Protestant, will severally
glory in those passages of Holy Writ which seem to
justify their adherence to their respective modes of
worship, and to afford them ground for believing that
theirs is the more Scriptural and Apostolic Church.
The various classes of Protestants also will manifest
an ardent zeal for the support of their respective te
nets, and be almost ready to anathematize each other,
as not giving sufficient weight to those particular pas
sages, on which they severally found their respective
differences. They not only esteem their own grounds
of faith " to be right," but they " hate " the senti
ments opposed to them " as erroneous and false."
a Mai. ii. 9. b Ps. cxix. 6.
352 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [709.
The nominal Christian may also love those precepts
which do not materially condemn him. The man who
is sober, chaste, honest, just, temperate, benevolent,
may take a real pleasure in such passages of Scripture
as inculcate the virtues in which he supposes himself
to have excelled ; and may feel an indignation against
the ways, by which those precepts are grossly violated.
He may yet further delight in such precepts as,
according to his interpretation of them, afford him
ground for rejecting the Gospel. No passages in all
the word of God are more delightful to him than
such as these : t( Be not righteous overmuch ;" and
" What doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but
to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly
with thy God?" He has no fear lest he should not
be righteous enough; nor is he very anxious to in
quire what is implied in walking humbly with God : it
is sufficient for him that these passages are, in his
eyes, opposed to what he calls enthusiasm ; setting
aside the necessity of faith in the Lord Jesus, and of
a life of entire devotedness to his service : and his
hatred of all passages that bear an opposite aspect, is
in exact proportion to his zeal for these.
But, whilst such parts of Scripture are approved
by him, does he love all that the Inspired Volume
contains ? Does he love those precepts which are
most sublime and spiritual ? No ; it is no pleasure to
him to hear of " setting his affections on things above,"
or of having " his conversation in heaven :" nor does
it afford him any gratification to be told, that the
measure of holiness which he must aspire after, is
that which was exhibited in the Lord Jesus, whose
example he is to follow in the whole of his spirit and
temper, his conversation and conduct, "walking in
all things as he walked."
Nor does he particularly affect those precepts
which require much self-denial. "To crucify the flesh
with the affections and lusts," and to root out from
his soul every evil, though it be dear to him " as a
right eye," or necessary to him as " a right hand,"
and to have a compliance with these precepts as his
709.1 THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 353
only alternative between that and the taking his
portion in " hell-fire," is no pleasing sound in his
ears, notwithstanding it proceeds from the meek and
lowly Jesus c .
Least of all is he gratified with precepts that strike
at his besetting sin. The proud man does not delight
to hear the workings of pride delineated ; nor the
covetous man the evils of covetousness depicted ; nor
the gay and dissipated the folly of their ways exposed ;
nor the self-righteous man the delusive nature of his
hopes declared. No, they are all ready to deride the
statements that condemn their ways, just as the Pha
risees derided our Lord, when he had unveiled their
covetous and hypocritical devices ; " The Pharisees
were covetous (it is said), and they derided him."
The hearts of these people rise against all such doc
trines ; and with no little bitterness they exclaim, " In
so saying, thou reproachest us d ."
The true Christian, on the contrary, approves and
loves all the commands of God ; both those which are
evangelical, and those which are moral.
He loves those which are evangelical. It is no grief
to him to be told, that he must renounce all depend
ence on his own righteousness, and rely entirely on
the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is
rather with the most heartfelt delight that he hears
those gracious commands, " Look unto me, and be
ye saved ;" " Come unto me, and I will give you
rest ;" " Believe on me, and have everlasting life."
" He esteems these precepts to be right ;" he feels
them to be exactly suited to his necessities : he
knows, and is assured, that his own righteousness is
only as " filthy rags ;" and that in any other garment
than the robe of Christ s righteousness, it is impos
sible for him to stand in the presence of a holy God.
He sees also that this mode of justification before
God is the only one which can consist with the ho
nour of God s justice, and with the demands of his
law. Hence whatever opposes this way of salvation,
" he hates ;" yea, he shudders at the very thought of
c Mark ix. 4218. d Luke xi. 45.
VOL. VI. A A
354 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [709.
claiming any thing on the ground of his own worthi
ness, saying, " God forbid that I should glory, save in
the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." He thankfully
traces all his mercies to the covenant made from all
eternity between the Father and the Son ; and to
that covenant he looks, as "ordered in all things,
and sure ;" and from his inmost soul he says of it,
" This is all my salvation, and all my desire."
Moreover, as the duty of coming to Christ, so the
duty of "living altogether by faith in Christ," the
duty of abiding in him as branches of the living vine,
of receiving from his fulness continual supplies of
grace and strength, and of " growing up into him in
all things, as our living Head;" the duty, I say, of
making him " our wisdom, our righteousness, our
sanctification, our redemption, * our ALL, and of glory
ing in HIM, and in him alone; all this is heard by the
true Christian with ineffable delight : he would that
Christ should have all the glory : he sees it to be
" right," that He who came down from heaven, and
died upon the cross to save him, and ascended up on
high, and has all fulness treasured up in him for the
use of his Church and people, and who dwells in
them " as their very life ;" I say, he sees it " right,"
that this adorable Saviour should "be exalted, and
extolled, and be very high ;" yea, that he should be
on earth, as he is in heaven, the one object of our
adoration, and the continual theme of our praise.
And, whilst a blind and ignorant world are ready to
blame his zeal for the Redeemer s glory as carried to
excess, his constant grief is, that he cannot love him
more, and serve him better.
Nor is the true Christian less delighted with the
moral precepts, not one of which would he desire to
have relaxed or moderated in the smallest degree.
Instead of wishing them to be lowered to the stand
ard of his attainments, or regarding them as grievous
on account of their purity, he loves them for their
purity 6 , and would esteem it his highest privilege to
be conformed to them. He is well persuaded, that
e Ps. cxix. 140.
709.] THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 355
they are all " holy, and just, and good :" and he
loves them as perfective of his nature, and conducive to
his happiness.
He loves them, I say, as perfective of his nature.
For what is holiness, but a conformity to the Divine
image, as sin is to the image of the devil ? It was by
transgression that man lost that resemblance to the
Deity which was stamped upon him at his first crea
tion ; and it is by the new-creating influence of the
Spirit quickening him to a course of holy obedience,
that this resemblance is gradually restored. Con
scious of this, he pants after holiness, desiring to " be
changed into his Redeemer s image from glory to
glory by the Spirit of the Lord."
Nor does he love them less as conducive to his hap
piness: for sin and misery are inseparable, as holiness
also and true happiness are. What is the language
of every precept in the Decalogue ? It is this : Be
holy, and be happy. Of this he is convinced ; and
he finds, by daily experience, that " in keeping God s
commandments there is great reward," and that
" Wisdom s ways are indeed ways of pleasantness
and peace."
At the same time, " he hates every false way ;"
every deviation from the perfect rule of righteousness
is painful to him : he " hates it ;" and hates himself
on account of it. As a touch, which would scarcely
be felt in any other part of the body, will .occasion
the severest anguish to the eye, so those thoughts or
feelings which would be altogether unnoticed by
other men, inflict a wound on his conscience, and
cause him to go mournfully before the Lord of Hosts.
Ask him on such an occasion, What it is that has
caused him thus to mourn and weep ? Is it that his
God has required so much ? No : but that he himself
has attained so little. He wants to " be sanctified
wholly to the Lord, in body, soul, and spirit ;" and,
could he accomplish the desire of his heart, he would
" stand perfect and complete in all the will of God."
This is the object of his highest ambition ; and, when
he finds, that, notwithstanding all his efforts, he still
A A 2
3,56 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [709.
falls short of it, he groans inwardly, and says with
the Apostle, " O wretched man that I am ! who shall
deliver me from this body of sin and death ?"
Behold, then, the Christian s character as here
delineated. To a superficial observer he may not
appear to differ much from others ; but to those who
have had opportunities of discovering the real desires
of his soul, he is a perfect contrast with the whole
ungodly world. The very best of nominal Chris
tians are content with low attainments, and plead for
indulgences in those things which are agreeable to
their corrupt nature. The more sublime and spiritual
precepts they soften down to the standard of their
own practice ; and rather applaud themselves for
their excellencies, than lothe themselves for their
defects. The true Christian, on the contrary, will
admit of no standard but that of absolute perfection :
and, whereinsoever he falls short of it, as he does
in his very best services, he lothes and " abhors him
self in dust and ashes ;" nor has he any hope of ac
ceptance with God, but in the view of that atonement
which was once offered for him on the cross, and of
that blood which the Lord Jesus Christ once shed on
Calvary to cleanse him from his sins. We mean not
to say, that these defects are subversive of all the
Christian s peace ; for, if that were the case, who
could possess any peace at all ? The Christian, not
withstanding his imperfections, has " comfort in the
testimony of a good conscience," and in an assurance,
that his God will " not be extreme to mark what is
done amiss ;" but he does not on this account allow
himself in any sin whatever. The use he makes of his
own corruptions is, to cleave the more steadfastly
to Christ as his only hope, and to watch and pray
the more diligently, that he may be preserved from
evil, and be enabled by Divine grace to endure unto
the end.
Now this description of the Christian s character
leads me to shew,
II. The light it reflects on the Gospel of Christ
709.] THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 357
Three things it suggests to us ; namely,
An answer to those who misrepresent the Gospel
A reproof to those who would abuse the Gospel and
A direction to those who would adorn the Gospel.
First, we may derive from hence an answer to those
who misrepresent the Gospel. It has in all ages been a
favourite argument against the Gospel, that it super
sedes the necessity of good works, and opens the
flood-gates of licentiousness. It was urged repeatedly
against St. Paul himself; who on that account set
himself to answer it with all imaginable care : " Shall
we continue in sin that grace may abound?" And
again, " Shall we sin because we are not under the
law, but under grace ?" To both these questions
he answers with holy indignation, "God forbid!"
And, when his enemies went so far as to affirm., that
he gave men a licence to sin, saying, " Let us do evil
that good may come ;" he scorned to return any
other answer than this, " Their damnation is just."
And it were greatly to be wished, that those who
now so confidently repeat these accusations against
the followers of St. Paul, would reflect on the guilt
they incur, and the danger to which, by such calum
nies, they expose themselves. To this present hour
the same objections are made to all those statements
which resemble Paul s. If we deny to good works
the office of justifying the soul, we are represented as
denying the necessity of them altogether. Though
these objections have been refuted a thousand times,
and should be refuted ten thousand times more, the
enemies of the Gospel will still repeat them with as
much confidence as ever. Let them, however, look
into our text, and see what David s principles were.
Of all the Old Testament saints, there was not one
who more determinately sought to be justified by
the righteousness of Christ without any works of his
own, than he. Hear what is said of him by St. Paul,
in confirmation of the very sentiments which Paul
himself maintained ; " To him that worketh not, but
believeth in him ihatjiisttfieth the ungodly, his faith is
358 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [709.
counted for righteousness : EVEN AS DAVID describeth
the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they
whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are
covered ; blessed is the man to whom the Lord will
not impute sin f ." Here we have a full exposition of
David s views respecting the Gospel. And how did
these views operate on his soul ? Did the idea of
being justified by a righteousness not his own, a
righteousness without works, a righteousness imputed
to him, and apprehended solely by faith, did this, I
say, make him regardless of good works ? No : look
at the text, thou Objector, and be convinced : look
at the text, thou Calumniator, and blush.
Search, next, the writings of St. Paul, and see
whether there was any difference in this respect be
tween him and David ? Was there in theory ? No :
for St. Paul affirms, that " the grace of God which
bringeth salvation teaches us, that, denying ungod
liness and worldly lusts, we should live righteously,
soberly, and godly, in this present world." Was
there in practice ? No : neither David nor any other
Saint ever made higher attainments in holiness than
St. Paul : " he was not a whit behind the very
chiefest Apostles."
Perhaps it will be said that the professed followers
of St. Paul differ from him in this respect ; and that,
whilst in speculation they adopt his doctrine, in prac
tice they deny its sanctifying efficacy. That there are
Antinomians in the world, we confess : there were
in the days of Christ and his Apostles ; some who
called Christ, "Lord! Lord! whilst yet they did no*
the things which he commanded ;" and some, who
"professed to know God, but in works denied him."
And it must be expected, that, corrupt as human na
ture is, such characters will be found in every age.
But is such conduct the necessary result of these
principles ? Was it so in the Apostles days ? or is it
so at this day ? If justification by faith alone be
necessarily productive of laxness in morals, whence
f Rom. iv. 58.
709.] THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 859
comes it that a higher tone of morality is universally
expected from those who maintain that doctrine, than
from others ? Whence is it that the smallest evils in
such persons are more severely marked, than the
most licentious courses of the ungodly world ? We
appeal to all who hear us, Whether, if a professor,
and especially a preacher, of this doctrine were to
demean himself in all things for one single day in the
way that the generality of his own age and station
live all the year round, the mouths of all who beheld
him would not be opened against him as a hypocrite g ?
Whence should this be, if those who maintain the
doctrine of justification by faith alone, represented it
as liberating men from their obligation to good works ?
And how comes it, that the very persons who are com
plained of for the licentious tendency of their principles,
should at the same time be universally condemned
for the over-righteous sanctity of their lives ?
To all, then, who misrepresent the Gospel, we
would give this reply : Look at David, and see what
the effect of the Gospel had on him : look at Paul,
and contemplate its effects on him : look at the uni
form declarations of Scripture, and see what was the
life of all the primitive Believers : nay, look only at
the expectations which you yourselves have formed :
for, if you see a professor of the Gospel act unworthy
of his profession, you deem him inconsistent ; which
g It having been observed to the author, that the words " age and
station" might be mistaken for age and order, and thus be supposed
to aim at the Clergy, he judges it right to guard against any sucli
misconception of his meaning. The scope of his observation is this :
A Professor, and especially a Preacher, of the doctrines here referred
to, is expected to be more strict in his conduct than others who deny
those doctrines. And, whether he be young or old, or of the higher
or lower orders of society, if he were to manifest the same worldly
spirit, to avow the same worldly sentiments, to shew the same indif
ference to religion, and to indulge in the same latitude of conversation
altogether, as the generality of others who are of the same age and
rank of life do, he would be accounted most glaringly and grossly in
consistent. Some, notwithstanding their aversion to these doctrines,
are more guarded in their spirit and conversation ; but the generality
are not : and therefore the author purposely limited his observations
to " the generality*"
360 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [709.
is a proof, that both the obligation to holiness is
acknowledged on his part, and the performance of it
is expected on yours ; and consequently, that the
Gospel is, by your mutual consent, " a doctrine ac
cording to godliness."
From the passage before us, we may in the next
place, offer a reproof to those who would abuse the
Gospel. We have already acknowledged, and with
deep grief we confess it, that there are some persons
professedly of Antinomian principles, who are so
occupied with contemplating what Christ has wrought
out for them, that they cannot bestow a thought on
what he has engaged to work in them. To speak of
holiness, or any point of duty, they account low, and
legal : yea, they think that Christ has by his own
obedience to the law superseded the necessity of ho
liness in us ; and that the whole work of salvation is
so finished by him, that there remains nothing to be
done by us, nothing of repentance for sin, nothing of
obedience to God s commands, but solely to maintain
confidence in the provisions of God s everlasting Co
venant, and to rejoice in God as our God and portion.
Shocking as these sentiments are, they have been
professed of late to a great extent ; and many have
been deceived by them : but, to show how unscrip-
tural they are, we need only refer to the character of
David, as drawn in the words of our text : Does he
discard the law as a rule of life ? Does he pour con
tempt upon the precepts of God as unworthy of his
notice ? No : throughout all his Psalms he speaks
of them as objects of his supreme delight : " O how
I love thy law ! all the day long is my study in it."
" I love thy precepts above gold ; they are sweeter
to me than honey and the honey-comb." To the
same effect St. Paul also speaks : " I consent unto
the law that it is good :" and again, " I delight in the
law of God after the inward man ! " He does, it is
true, speak of himself as " dead to the law ;" and of
the law as dead with respect to him ; and from thence,
that the marriage bonds, by which the law and we
were formerly united, are for ever dissolved. But
709.] THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 361
what use does he teach us to make of this liberty ?
Does he speak of it as freeing us from all moral
restraints ? No ; but as a reason for our giving up
ourselves henceforth in a marriage union to Christ as
our second husband, that we may bring forth fruit
unto God h . Now then, we would ask, Were David
and Paul right ? If so, what must we think of the
sentiments of these deluded people ? Are they more
spiritual than David ? or have they a deeper insight
into the Gospel than Paul ? The very circumstance
of their discarding all the exhortations of St. Paul,
and casting behind them all his practical instructions,
demonstrates, that they are, for the present at least,
" given up to a delusion, to believe a lie." Some of
them, we trust, do not practically live according to
these principles ; and, where this is the case, we
hope that God, in his mercy, will sooner or later give
them to see their errors : but, if they practically carry
into effect their principles, they will have reason to
curse the day that ever they were born.
To the younger part of our audience we will beg
permission to suggest a few hints on this important
subject.
You, when you go into the world, will be in danger
of being ensnared by people of this stamp. There is
something very imposing in the idea of glorifying the
Lord Jesus Christ, and of making him " all in all."
The devout mind is delighted with this thought ; and
is easily induced to regard with jealousy any thing
that may be supposed to interfere with it. But be
not wise above that which is written ; and let nothing
tempt you to imagine, that you can honour Christ
by setting aside any of his commandments. It is by
your love to his commandments that you are to
approve yourselves his disciples ; and however de
lighted you may be with the visions of Mount Tabor,
you must never forget that you have work also to do
in the plain 1 . We are far from wishing any one to
be working from self-righteous principles, or in a
legal spirit : nor would we utter a word that should
h Rom. vii. 1 4. with Gal. ii. 19. Luke ix. 33, 37.
362 PSALMS, CXIX. 128. [799.
discourage the fullest confidence in God. It is our
privilege, doubtless, to trace all our mercies up to his
everlasting love, and to view them all as secured to
us by covenant and by oath k : but then it is no less
our privilege to fulfil God s will, and to resemble the
holy angels, of whom it is said, that " they do his
commandments, hearkening to the voice of his word."
Beware then lest ye ever be led off from this ground.
Rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the propitiation
for your sins, as your all-prevailing Advocate, and as
your living Head : but, whilst you believe in him, and
love him, and rejoice in him, let your faith, and love,
and joy, stimulate you to a holy and unreserved obe
dience. If he has " set your heart at liberty," let the
effect be to " make you run with more enlargement
the way of his commandments."
Lastly, we may derive from our text a direction to
those who would adorn the Gospel. " Esteem all God s
precepts to be right, and hate every false way." If
God has enjoined any thing, do not ask whether the
world approves of it ; nor, if he have forbidden any
thing, inquire of the world, whether you shall abstain
from it. The world are as inadequate judges of
Christian morality, as they are of Christian prin
ciples : both the one and the other are " foolishness
to the natural man." Of all the sublimer precepts,
whether evangelical or moral, they are ready to say,
" This is a hard saying, who can hear it ?" But let
no true Christian " consult with flesh and blood."
Let him rather say with David, " Away from me ye
wicked : I will keep the commandments of my God."
Does God call you to " live no longer to yourselves,
but unto him?" or, Does the Lord Jesus Christ bid
you " follow him without the camp, bearing his re
proach ;" and readily to " lay down your lives for his
sake ?" Let " not these commandments be grievous
in your eyes ;" but rather " rejoice if you are counted
worthy to suffer for his sake." If at any time you be
urged to turn aside from the path of duty, do not let
the maxims or habits of the world bias you one
* II eb. vi. 17, 18.
709.] THE TRUE TEST OF RELIGION IN THE SOUL. 363
moment : you are " not to follow a multitude to do
evil :" if a thing be right, you should love it and
cleave to it, though the whole world should be against
you ; just as Noah, Daniel, and Elijah did : and, if a
thing be evil, you must not do it, though the loss of
all things, yea even of life itself, should await you for
your integrity. It were better far to go into a fiery
furnace for your steadfastness, than to save your
selves by an undue compliance.
Doubtless this holy walk and conversation will
involve you in the charge of singularity ; but whose
fault is it, if this conduct makes you singular ? Is it
yours ? Is it not rather theirs, who will not yield
obedience to the precepts of their God ? We mean
not by this to justify any who would affect a needless
singularity : far from it : it is only where the world
are wrong, that we would recommend any to separate
from them. But wheresoever they are wrong, there
you must " quit yourselves like men," and shew them
by your example a more perfect way. In important
matters, the whole universe should not shake your
resolution. Where duty evidently calls, you must
be firm, and " faithful unto death." It is confessedly
"a strait and narrow way" in which you are called
to walk ; and, whilst walking in it, you must of ne
cessity, like Noah, " condemn those" who are walking
in "the broad road that leadeth to destruction 1 ;"
and consequently, like him, you must incur the scorn
and hatred of an ungodly world. But it is better far
to brave the hatred of the ungodly, than to participate
in the lot that shortly awaits them.
To all, then, who would " adorn the doctrine of our
Saviour," we beg leave to offer this plain and
salutary DIRECTION
" Let your light shine before men ;" and let it
shine so bright, as to " put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men," and to " make those ashamed, who
falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ."
Labour habitually to do this in every thing that
i Heb. xi. 7.
364 PSALMS, CXIX. 132, 133. [710.
relates either to God or man. Let your enemies, if
possible, "have no evil thing to say of you ;" nothing
to lay hold of; nothing that shall give occasion for
that malignant triumph, " There ! there ! so would we
have it." Be jealous for the honour of Christ and
his Gospel. Remember that the world, who are blind
enough to each other s faults, will be eagle-eyed in
discerning yours : while they will make allowances
enough for each other, they will make no allowances
for you : and whilst they impute each other s frailties
to the weakness of human nature, they will impute
yours to the principles you profess. Be careful then
to " cut off occasion from those who seek occasion
against you." Watch over your whole temper, and
spirit, and conduct ; that " your conversation may
be altogether such as becometh the Gospel of
Christ :" and " let your light be like that of the sun,
shining more and more unto the perfect day." In a
word, " be steadfast, immoveable, always abounding
in the work of the Lord ; knowing assuredly, that
your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord."
DCCX.
THE CHRISTIAN S CHIEF DESIRES.
Ps. xcix. 132, 133. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto
me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order
my steps in thy word : and let not any iniquity have domi
nion over me.
TO many, the Psalms are less interesting than
most other parts of Scripture, as having in them a
less variety of incident whereon to engraft instruction,
as also a less measure of plainness in the instruction
they convey. But, whatever may be wanting in
them in these respects, it is more than compensated
by the piety of sentiment and ardour of devotion
which pervade them all. If other parts of Scripture
add more to our stock of knowledge, this produces a
more elevated tone of feeling, and, if deeply studied,
tends in a pre-eminent degree to bring the soul into
communion with its God, and to prepare it for the
710.] THE CHRISTIAN S CHIEF DESIRES. 365
enjoyment of the heavenly world. Let us but get the
spirit of the Psalmist in the prayer before us, and
we shall have no reason to complain that we were
not amused with curious speculations, or edified with
matters of deep research.
Our business on the present occasion will be quite
simple, namely,
I. To explain the petitions here offered
Two things the Psalmist here implores of God ;
1 . The manifestations of his mercy
[Mercy is that which every child of Adam needs : he needs
it too, not merely for some particular violations of God s law,
but for every action of his life : there is iniquity even in his
holiest things : his very tears need to be washed, and his re
pentances to be repented of. Hence he must, from the very
beginning to the end of life, and in reference to every moment
that he has lived, implore mercy at the hands of the heart-
searching God
In this request he sets, as it were, before his eyes all the
instances of mercy which God has shewn to his most favoured
people from the foundation of the world. We may indeed
understand his words as a general kind of plea taken from the
wonted goodness of God to others : and then this petition will
accord with that offered in another psalm, " Remember me with
the favour which thou bearest unto thy chosen ; O visit me
with thy salvation a ! " But there seems here a more specific
reference to some particular exhibitions of God s mercy in the
days of old; multitudes of which must of necessity present
themselves to his mind, whenever his attention was directed
towards them. What mercy had God shewn to Adam, in
promising a Saviour to him, instead of inflicting on him the
judgments he had so deeply merited ! What mercy to Abel
also, in giving him such manifest tokens of his favour ! To
Enoch also, in affording him such constant access to him, and
in translating him to glory, without ever suffering him to taste
the bitterness of death ! In like manner his mercy to Noah, in
delivering him from the deluge which overwhelmed the whole
world beside ; and to Abraham also, whom he admitted to all
the familiarity of a most endeared friend. These, and many
other instances, we may suppose to have been in his mind,
when he proposed them to God as patterns of the mercy which
he himself desired to partake of.
This is the true way in which every child of God should
pray. From all that God has done for his saints in former
a Ps. cvi. 4, 5.
366 PSALMS, CXIX. 132, 133. [710.
times he should take encouragement, and should enlarge his
expectations to the utmost extent that the sacred records
authorize. God is the same gracious and almighty Being in
every age : and what he has done for one he may do for another :
and though he may not vouchsafe to us precisely the same
interpositions as he did to others, he will, as far as our par
ticular occasions may call for them : and we are enemies to
ourselves, if we do not open our mouths wide, and ask all that
our situation and circumstances can require.]
2. The communications of his grace
[He desired to be delivered, not from guilt only, but from
the power and dominion of sin also. This desire was without
reserve: he wished not to retain "any iniquity," however
pleasant or profitable, or even justifiable it might be in the
eyes of an ungodly world. In this he approved himself sincere
and upright : and in this, every true Christian will resemble
him
But in order to this, he begged to be guided altogether by
the oracles of truth. The word of God is the only standard of
right and wrong : if we follow any other directory, we shall
err: if we adhere to that, we cannot but fulfil the will of God.
This is the constant declaration of God himself b ; and it accords
with the experience of his people in every age c . Happy would
it be for us, if we would study the Scriptures with this par
ticular view. We are not disposed to undervalue speculative
knowledge : but that which is practical is infinitely to be pre
ferred. The Scriptures are given us as a "light to our paths"
in general, and as "a lantern" in every particular case when we
know not where to place "our feet." Let us truly seek to be in
every thing governed by them ; and then, though we be mere
fools, as it were, in other things, we shall never greatly err d .]
From this general view of the petitions, we proceed,
1 1 . To shew the instruction to be derived from them
Though not written with a didactic view, they
convey much instruction, in reference both,
1. To Christian principles
[The uniono>i the two petitions may not improperly suggest
to us, that a desire after pardon must invariably be joined with
a desire of sanctification also. Were a desire of pardon all that
is required to form the Christian character, a Christian would
differ but little from those who are gone beyond redemption.
Sin must be hateful to us, even as it is to God himself, who
cannot look upon it without the utmost abhorrence
Nor is the order in which they stand devoid of good and
b ver. 9. c ver : 11. d Ps. xix. 7. Isai. xxxv. 8.
710.] THE CHRISTIAN S CHIEF DESIRES. 367
useful instruction. Mercy is to be sought in the first place.
To look for sanctification first, and make that a ground whereon
to hope for mercy, would subvert the whole Gospel of Christ. We
mean not to say, that we should build such an observation as
this on the mere circumstance of the petitions occurring in that
particular order; for that circumstance would by no means
justify any such conclusion : but from that circumstance we
may fitly take occasion to make such an observation which is
sanctioned and confirmed by every part of the inspired writings.
And we cannot too strongly impress it on the minds of all, that
in constructing the spiritual edifice, we must ever be careful to
distinguish between the foundation and the superstructure, and
to assign to each its appropriate place and office ]
2. To Christian practice
[Here the just improvement of the petitions is clear and
obvious : they teach us to be humble Christians, practical
Christians, consistent Christians.
We should be humble Christians. The manner in which the
petition for mercy is expressed conveys an idea of deep humility.
It is as if he had said, " Lord, I am unworthy that thou shouldst
look upon so base, so vile a creature as I am: well might my
sins provoke thee to hide thy face from me for ever: but
O ! look upon me, according to the multitude of thy tender
mercies." Thus it is that we should ever seek for mercy. It is
impossible for us ever to lie too low before our God. To the
latest hour of our lives we should preserve the spirit of the
publican, who, whilst he sought for mercy, " dared not so much
as to lift up his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast,
saying, God be merciful to me a sinner ! "
We should also be practical Christians. To think that we
can be interested in the mercy of God whilst we are continuing
in sin, is a horrible, a fatal delusion. Let not any one entertain
such an idea for one moment. Christ s work is finished indeed
as it respects himself, but not as it respects us : there is a work
to be wrought in us, as well as that which has been wrought
for us : and whatever we may imagine about the secret purposes
of God, this is revealed as an immutable decree, that " without
holiness no man shall see the Lord"
To crown the whole, we must be consistent Christians. To
harbour any sin, of whatever kind it be, will prove us hypocrites.
" If we regard iniquity in our hearts, God will never hear us,"
never accept us. The right hand or right eye must be sacri
ficed, as well as those sins which may be more easily put away
O let us seek to be " Israelites indeed, in whom there
is no guile," and to be " sincere and without offence until the
day of Christ!"]
368 PSALMS, CXDL 136. [71 1.
DCCXI.
REASONS FOR WEEPING OVER SINNERS.
Ps. cxix. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because
they keep not thy law.
THE generality, if exhorted to labour for the sal
vation of others, are ready to reply, " Am I my
brother s keeper a ?" But they who have truly the fear
of God in their hearts will be anxious for the welfare
of their fellow-creatures. This concern has at all
times distinguished the saints of God b : and it was
eminently conspicuous in David. Repeatedly in this
psalm does he declare his feelings on this subject ;
and with peculiar energy in the words before us.
We propose to shew on what account we ought to
weep for sinners
I. On account of the blessings they lose-
There are many present blessings which men lose
by not keeping God s law
[There is a " peace that passeth understanding," and a
"joy unspeakable," that attends the believing in Christ, and
the devoting of ourselves to his service. The having all one s
lusts in subjection must contribute not a little to serenity of
mind ; but the enjoying of God s favour, and the light of his
countenance, is a source of the richest happiness that mortals
can possess on earth d ."
But what peace is there to the wicked 6 ? What can he know
of the love of God shed abroad in his heart ? What comfort
can he have in the prospect of death and judgment ?]
But the eternal blessings which they lose, exceed
our highest conceptions
[The obedient believer has " an inheritance incorruptible,
and undefiled, and never-fading f ." There is a crown of right
eousness, and a throne of glory, reserved for him in heaven g :
and he shall spend eternity itself in the immediate vision and
fruition of his God.
But can we say this respecting the impenitent and unbe
lieving ? No : there is no admission for him into those bright
abodes: "the unrighteous cannot inherit that kingdom 11 ;"
a Gen. iv. 9. b Jer. ix. 1. c ver. 158. and 53.
d ver. 165. Prov. iii. 17. Isai. xxxii. 17. e Isai. Ivii. 20, 21.
f 1 Pet. i. 4. 2 Tim. iv. 8. }l 1 Cor. vi. 9.
711. J REASONS FOR WEEPING OVER SINNERS. 369
"the unclean cannot enter there 1 ." There shall be "a dif
ference between those who serve God, and those who serve him
not k : " and the wish that ungodly men feel to be found at last
in the place of those whom they now despise, is a proof that
they have in their own minds some apprehension of the sen
tence that awaits them in another world 1 .]
And are not these things matters of just lamentation ?
[It is much to be regretted that men will " feed on ashes m , "
and seek to " fill their belly with the east wind 11 ," when they
might " eat the bread of life," and " delight their souls with
marrow and fatness ." And still more must we pity him, who,
when there is a rest prepared, and a supper spread for him in
heaven, has provoked God to swear, that he shall never enter
into that rest p , nor ever partake of that supper q .]
But there is yet greater reason to weep,
II. On account of the miseries they bring upon them
selves
Not to mention the misery of a guilty conscience,
which in many instances is so great as to render life
itself a burthen-
How inexpressibly dreadful are the judgments which
the wicked will endure in hell !
[However men may labour to disprove it, hell must be the
portion of all that forget God r . And who can form any ade
quate conception of the torments that shall be there endured?
To spend an eternity in such a furnace as that which Nebu
chadnezzar kindled for the destruction of the Hebrew youths,
would be beyond measure dreadful : but what must it be to lie
down in that lake of fire which the breath of the Almighty
hath kindled 8 ?]
And can we view sinners hastening to that place of
torment, and not weep over them ?
[Our blessed Lord wept over Jerusalem on account of the
temporal calamities that should come upon it : and shall not
we weep over the eternal miseries which men are bringing on
themselves ? Must not our hearts be harder than adamant, if
they do not melt into tears at such a sight ? Can we weep at
the recital of a story we know to be fictitious, and not mourn
over such awful realities ?]
There is, however, yet greater reason to weep,
1 Rev. xxi. 27. k Mai. iii. 18. ! Numb, xxiii. 10.
m Isai. xliv. 20 n Job xv. 2. Isai. Iv. 2.
P Heh. iii. 18. 1 E/uke xiv. 24. r Ps. ix. 17.
8 Isai. xxx. 33.
VOL. VI. B B
370 PSALMS, CXIX. 136. [711.
III. On account of the aggravated guilt under which
they perish
Devils and heathens will have more to urge on
their own behalf, than they who perish under the
light of the Gospel
[The devils may say, Had the Son of God taken our na
ture, and died for our redemption, we would gladly have availed
ourselves of such a provision for our safety ; we never would
have despised one that had been sent from heaven to redeem
us. The heathens may say, Though there was a Saviour given,
yet we were never privileged to hear his gospel : had his mercy
been ever offered to us, we should " long ago have repented in
dust and ashes*." But what will ungodly Christians say before
God ? Will they say. They had not a Saviour ? or, That his
Gospel was not proclaimed to them ? No : you know there is
a Saviour, who bought you with his blood, and who has offered
you, times without number, a full and free salvation. Your
mouths therefore must be for ever shut u .]
What additional reason does this give for weeping
over the ungodly !
[Every offer of salvation greatly aggravates the guilt of
those who reject it : and every increase of guilt will be followed
by a proportionable increase of misery. How lamentable
then is it, when that very gospel, which should have been a
savour of life unto life, is made, through the obstinacy of man,
a savour of death unto death x ! How truly lamentable when
Christ himself becomes an occasion of greater damnation to the
very people whom he died to save ! Alas ! that men should
ever so despise their own mercies ! O that " rivers of tears
might run down our eyes ! "]
INFER
1 . How little true love is there in the world !
[However strong and numerous the instances of men s car
nal attachment be, there are few indeed who manifest any regard
for the souls of their fellow-creatures. Instead of weeping for
others, the generality would laugh at those who wept for them
selves. But, if we have not this mark in our forehead, we are
destined to feel the stroke of God s avenging rod y .]
2. How earnest ought ministers to be in dealing
with the souls of men !
[If all ought to weep for the ungodly, much more should
ministers, who are sent to call them to repentance, " warn them
1 Matt. xi. 21. u Matt. xxii. 12.
* 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16. > E/.ck. ix. 46.
712J DAVID S DESIRE TO SERVE GOD. 371
night and day with tears 2 ." Forgive then the earnestness, we
should rather say, the want of earnestness, of him who labours
among you ; and pray, that he may so " declare the whole
counsel of God," as to be pure from the blood of all men."]
3. How earnest ought men to be in seeking the
salvation of their own souls !
[If it be the duty of others to weep for us, how much
more should we weep for ourselves ! Let us then lay to heart the
state of our souls, and sow in tears that we may reap in joy a ."]
z Acts xx. 31. a Ps. cxxvi. 5.
DCCXII.
DAVID S DESIRE TO SERVE GOD.
Ps. cxix. 145 148. / cried with my whole heart; Hear me,
Lord : I will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee ; save
me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. I prevented the dawning
of the morning, and cried : I hoped in thy word. Mine eyes
prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
IN reading the Psalms of David, we are of neces
sity led to contemplate the constant spirituality of his
mind, and the extraordinary fervour of his devotions :
but we are apt to overlook, or to notice only super
ficially, one of the most lovely features in his cha
racter, namely, his ardent desire to fulfil the whole
will of God. If we were to read the psalm before us
in this particular view, we should be surprised, that
we had not been more forcibly struck with this
sentiment before. He begins the psalm by declaring
those persons pre-eminently blessed, who are most
distinguished by their obedience to the laws of God a .
In this way alone had he any hope of avoiding shame
and disappointment in the last day b ; and therefore
he prayed with all imaginable earnestness, that he
might be kept from ever deviating from the path of
duty c , and be enabled to " run the way of God s
commandments with an enlarged heart d ." The words
which we have just read do not, on a superficial view,
convey this idea very strongly to our minds : but on
a closer inspection of them, we shall see, that a desire
to serve and honour God was the primary object in
a ver. 1,2. b ver. G. c ver. 10, 19, 20. d ver. 82.
B P, 2
372 PSALMS, CXIX. 145148. [712.
his petitions, and that even salvation itself was chiefly
sought by him on account of the sanctifying and
transforming efficacy with which it would be accom
panied. Bearing this in mind, we will notice,
I. The object of his desires
There is no reason to suppose that David alludes to
any particular distress or difficulty in these petitions :
he seems rather to refer to the whole work of grace
and salvation, which he wished to have forwarded in
his soul : and he does not merely engage to make a
practical improvement of the grace that shall be given
him, but rather expresses the satisfaction he felt in
looking forward to its effects. Had he merely prayed
to God for the salvation of his soul, we should not
have disapproved his petitions ; because it is proper
and necessary for every man to seek above all things
the salvation of his soul. But the having such respect
to holiness, and the desiring of salvation itself chiefly
in reference to that, is a higher style of piety ; as we
propose more distinctly under this head to shew.
1. It argues a nobler disposition
[A desire after salvation does not of necessity imply any
real love to God. A slave may wish to escape the lash of his
master, and yet have no delight in his service : and we also may
seek deliverance from condemnation, without any ingenuous
feelings towards God. Simon Magus desired the intercessions
of Peter and John in his behalf ; but he was actuated by no
better motive than a fear of the judgments denounced against
him c . But when a person desires to attain the Divine image,
and makes the glorifying of God, by a holy conversation., the
main object of his pursuit, he shews a nobility of mind, and an
enlargement of heart, which none but God can bestow. A
man by the mere force of natural selfishness may long for par
don; but no man without supernatural grace, can pant after
real holiness.]
2. It shews juster views of the nature and source
of true happiness
[If a man were pardoned, he could not be happy, if he
were not holy : for sin would ever eat as a canker, and destroy
his peace Even heaven itself would be no heaven to
one who was not possessed of heavenly dispositions : for what
e Acts viii. 24.
712.J DAVID S DESIRE TO SERVE GOD. 373
communion could he have with the glorified saints and angels,
all of whom are holy as God is holy, and perfect as God is
perfect? The angels are represented as ever "fulfilling God s
will, and hearkening to the voice of his word," with an ardent
desire to follow the very first intimations of the Divine plea
sure. The saints also " rest not day nor night, singing" with
all their powers the praises of their most adorable Redeemer.
But how would such an occupation suit those who have no
preparation of heart for it ? But a disposition to execute the
will of God will make a person happy in every situation. If
he be bereft of all outward comforts, he will " enjoy the testi
mony of a good conscience : " so that the person who desires
holiness in the first place, proves that his judgment is well in
formed ; and that he justly appreciates that important saying,
" The work of righteousness is peace, and the effect of right
eousness is quietness and assurance for ever."]
3. It most corresponds with the ends which the
Governor of the universe proposes to himself in all
his dispensations
[God, in creating all things, formed them for his own
glory ; as it is said, " For thy glory they are, and were created."
In all the works of his providence also he has designed to bind
men to himself in a way of uniform and unreserved obedience.
This was especially his end in all that he did for the Israelites
in the wilderness; he did it, " that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws 1 ." In the great work of redemption he
had the same blessed object in view, namely, " that we might
serve him without fear, in righteousness and holiness before
him all the days of our life g ." " This people have I formed for
myself, that they may shew forth my praise." Now in desiring
salvation for holiness sake, and in praying for deliverance from
all the bonds of sin, in order to " run with more enlarged hearts
the way of God s commands," we forward the everlasting coun
sels of the Deity, and prove ourselves, in the most important
of all concerns, like-minded with God.]
The worthiness of his object was justly marked by,
II. The ardour of his pursuit
This blessed object he sought,
1 . In fervent and continual prayer
[Observe his own account: " I cried, I cried, I cried ;" I
cried " with my heart," with " my whole heart." What can we
conceive more expressive than such language as this ? Yet we
are sure he did not exaggerate, or state any thing that was not
strictly true. Moreover, so ardent was his mind in these holy
f Ps. cv. 45. g Luke i. 74, 75.
374 PSALMS, CXIX. 145148. [712.
exercises, and so great his delight in them, that he " prevented
the dawning of the morning," and rose often while it was yet
dark, in order to pour out his soul before God.
Now this shews us how the renovation and salvation of the
soul should be sought by every child of man. It should occupy
our whole mind ; it should engage our whole soul. To seek it
in a lukewarm and listless way, is to shew that we have no just
value for our souls, and no real delight in God. Examine, we
beseech you, beloved Brethren, how it is with you in this
respect for ye may as surely know by this the state of
your souls before God, as if ye were to look into the very book
of God s remembrance - You must distinguish also care
fully between the exertions that are made in your own strength,
and the efforts which are made in prayer to obtain help from
God. It is from these that you must judge of your self-
knowledge, and humility, and dependence upon God : for in
proportion only as you feel your own weakness, and his readi
ness to aid you, will your application to him be such as David s
was ]
2. In a believing dependence on God s word
[The word of God meditated on, and applied to the soul by
faith, is the great support and encouragement of all who desire
mercy at God s hands : and David " prevented the night-watches "
in order to read it, and meditate upon it, and pray over it. Thus
it should be with us also. O then let me ask, Is the blessed
word of God the one rule of your desires, and the one ground
of your expectations ? and in this view is it your meditation day
and night ? Here again you may obtain an insight into
the state of your souls, and learn to estimate with precision your
spiritual attainments. You may, as biblical students, be ex
tremely diligent, consuming the midnight oil, and labouring all
the day, without being at all nearer to God than those who never
look into the sacred records. The question is, Whether you
lay hold of it as a word of promise from God to you, and whether
you plead it day and night before God in prayer ?
This will prove you Christians indeed ; more especially if the
promises of grace for your sanctification be as dear to you as the
promises of mercy for your pardon and acceptance. This is
the habit of mind which God approves, and which will assuredly
issue in everlasting salvation ]
APPLICATION
1. How have your minds hitherto been exercised
in relation to eternal things ?
[Have you thus redeemed time, even from your sleep, for
the purpose of forwarding with all possible earnestness the
welfare of your souls ?
713.] BLESSEDNESS IN LOVING GOD s LAW. 375
2. What are your views and purposes respecting
them in future ?
[Are you procrastinating, and wasting your time in indolent
habits or worthless pursuits ? O ! awake from your
slumbers : up, and be doing : and the Lord be with you !]
DCCXIII.
BLESSEDNESS OF THOSE WHO LOVE GOD s LAW.
Ps. cxix. 165. Great peace have they ivhich love thy law : and
nothing shall offend them.
THE force of principle is exceeding great, even
where the principle itself is erroneous and vicious, but
much more where it is founded upon the unerring
word of God. It produces in our conduct, prompti
tude, uniformity, decision : and, whilst it stimulates
to action, it supports the mind in case of failure and
disappointment. Now of all principles, that of love
to God and to his revealed will is the strongest. We
see in the saints of every age what wonders it is able
to effect - - In the words before us, David informs
us what peace it will bring into the soul amidst the
heaviest trials, and what stability amidst the greatest
difficulties. But for the more full elucidation of his
words, we will consider,
I. The character here described
" The law of God" generally throughout the Psalms
means the whole revealed will of God. It is not to
be confined to the moral, or the ceremonial law; it
comprehends the Gospel also : it is " the law which
should go forth out of Zion, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem ; " even, as St. Paul calls it, " the law
of faith."
To " love" this law is a strong expression, import
ing much more than a mere obedience to it : for we
may conceive persons to obey it through fear ; whereas
those who love it, see an excellency in it, and cor
dially approve of it in all its parts. They love it,
1. As a mirror of truth-
fin this view it is spoken of by an inspired Apostle a ; and
it is justly so represented, because it reflects with perfect fidelity
a Jam. i. 23 25.
376 PSALMS, CXIX. 165. [713.
every feature of the human heart. It never natters, never dis
torts ; but shews, to every one who will look into it, precisely
what character he bears in the sight of the heart-searching God.
An insincere person does not like it ; he turns away from it : he
will not come to it, because it presents to his view his own
deformities. But the true Christian loves it on this very ac
count. He desires to know the worst of himself. He sees that
it will be to no purpose for him to deceive his own soul : he
is assured that God will not form his estimate according to the
partial views which he himself may take : and therefore he
desires to see himself just as God sees him. True it is, that he
never looks into this glass without finding deeper and deeper
cause for humiliation but still he loves it ; yea, he loves
it on this very account ; even as David did, when he said,
" Thy word is very pure ; therefore thy servant loveth it."]
2. As a revelation of mercy-
fin this view it is particularly delightful to him. The plan
of salvation which it unfolds is so grand, so wonderful, so suit
able in all its parts, and so sufficient for all his necessities, that
he can never sufficiently admire it - It is his meditation,
and his song, all the day. The Scripture represents the Gospel
as " a feast of fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wines
on the lees well refined:" and such indeed he finds it to his
soul. In comparison of it, and of the knowledge of it, he " counts
all things in the universe but dross and dung " ]
3. As a rule of life
[From the moment of his having found the way of salvation
by a crucified Redeemer, the one desire of his soul has been
to " live to Him who died for us and rose again." " What
wilt thou have me to do ? " has been his constant inquiry at the
throne of grace : and he delights exceedingly in this word as a
sure directory under every situation and circumstance of life.
From day to day he reads it with this particular view, that he
may know " how to walk and to please God." He perceives
that men are always endeavouring to lower the requisitions of
this law : but he strives rather to have his attainments raised
to that perfect standard. Not one of all its commandments is
regarded by him as grievous. Nothing is grievous, but his own
want of conformity to them. Could he have his heart s desire,
it would be to " walk in all things as Christ walked," and to
" stand perfect and complete in all the will of God" - ]
In proportion as this character exists in any, is,
II. The blessedness of those in whom it is found
This, as might well be expected, is exceeding
great. We notice it in two respects ;
BLESSEDNESS IN LOVING GOD s LAW. 377
713.]
1. The happiness of their minds
[" Peace," in the Scripture use of the term, is not a mere
absence of trouble, but an actual state of very sublime enjoy
ment. The person " who loves God s law" in the way before
described, has, as the very first-fruits of his faith in Christ, a
sense of reconciliation tvith God: " being justified by faith, he
has peace with God : God has said to him, both by his word
and Spirit, " Peace, be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven
thee." Combined with this, he has the testimony of a good
conscience. Though he sees nothing in himself but what
furnishes him with grounds for humiliation and self-abasement,
he cannot be insensible of the change that has been wrought
in him : he dares not deny the work of God in his soul. He
has the witness of the Holy Spirit, and the testimony of his
own spirit, concurring to assure him, that " old things have
passed away within him, and all things become new :" and
though he cannot attain that measure of perfection that he
aspires after, he is conscious that, if he could, he would be
" pure as God is pure," and " perfect as God is perfect." His
daily and hourly employment brings in an abundance of peace
to his soul. He is engaged in doing what he believes to be
the will of God ; and he finds by sweet experience the truth
of that saying, " The work of righteousness is peace, and the
effect of righteousness is quietness and assurance for everV
Nor has he less comfort in looking forward to the eternal state.
He is not left to be a prey to fears and apprehensions about
his future destiny. He knows in whom he has believed, and
that his God and Saviour is able to keep him unto that great
and awful day. He sees also, that he has in Christ a right and
title to the heavenly inheritance ; and that, " when the earthly
house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved, he has a house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens." Hence, instead of
dreading the approach of death, he looks forward to it as the
consummation of all his wishes, and the completion of all his
happiness ; and " desires to depart, that he may be with Christ."
Such is the peace which it is the privilege of all w r ho love the
Gospel to enjoy, and which Christ himself has left them as a
most invaluable legacy, saying, " Peace I leave with you ; my
peace I give unto you :" and verily it is " a peace which passeth
all understanding."]
2. The stability of their goings
[Those who have not this divine principle within them, are
liable to be tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, and
to be " moved from their steadfastness" by every temptation.
But not so the true Christian, in whose heart the law of God
b Isai. xxxii. 17. See also Ps. xix. 11. and Prov. iii. 17.
378 PSALMS, CXIX. 165. [713.
is engraven. He, though still assaulted with manifold tempta
tions, is enabled to withstand them all. At the very moment
of the assault, he says, with Joseph, " How shall I do this
wickedness, and sin against God ? " And throughout the whole
course of his life he experiences, on the whole, the truth of
that promise, " God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be
tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it c ."
If he be tried with the most formidable persecutions, he does
not, like the stony-ground hearers, presently desist from follow
ing the Lord, but takes up his cross manfully, and makes up
his mind to suffer the loss even of life itself, rather than dis
honour and deny his Lord. Be his trials ever so numerous, he
says concerning them, " None of these things move me, neither
count I my life dear unto me :" " I am ready, not to be bound
only, but also to die, for the Lord s sake." Perhaps one of the
greatest stumbling-blocks which lie in the way of the sincere,
is the fall of many who once appeared to run well. These, in
their fall, sweep away, as it were with their tail, many, very
many, of the stars of heaven d . But those who truly love God s
law are fixed as the sun in the firmament 6 . They know that
the truth and excellence of religion does not depend on those
who profess it: and therefore, whatever be the conduct of
others, he determines, through God s assistance, to hold it fast
even to the end. Thus does he surmount the obstacles which
sin and Satan place in his way; and is finally " made more than
a conqueror through Him that loved him."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who possess not this character-
fit is indeed a great thing to love God s law. Let not any
imagine, that a general approbation of it is that which will either
satisfy God, or bring peace into the soul. We love it not aright,
if we do not love it universally, in every thing that it requires,
and supremely, above all that the world can give or take away.
Nor let any one who does not thus love it, expect peace to his
soul ; for God has said that there is no peace unto him f : nor
can he have stability, seeing that he is in darkness even until
now g . You must inquire for the good old way, and walk there
in, if ever you would taste this inestimable blessing 11 ]
2. To those who, whilst they profess to have
attained this character, enjoy not the blessings con
nected with it
[God s word is true ; nor shall any who trust in it be
c 1 Cor. x. 13. d Rev. xii. 4. e Ps. Ixxii. 5.
f Isai. Ivii. 20, 21. s 1 John ii. 10, 11. h Jer. vi. 16.
714.1 SECURITY OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN GOD. 379
disappointed of their hope. Hear his sayings i and, if you
experience not the accomplishment of them in your own souls,
know that the fault is in yourselves alone. As sure as ever the
character is yours, so most assuredly shall the blessedness also
be. " He will keep his saints " in peace and holiness, even to
the end k .]
1 Ps. xxiii. 1, 2. Jer. xxxi. 9. k Isai. xxvi. 3. 1 Sam. ii. 9.
DCCXIV.
SECURITY OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN GOD.
Ps. cxxi. 1 8. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from
whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord,
which made heaven and earth. He ivill not suffer thy foot to
be moved: he that keepeth thee tvillnot slumber. Behold, he
that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The
Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy shade upon thy right
hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by
night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil : he shall
preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and
thy coming in, from this time forth, and even for evermore.
A LIFE of faith is generally acknowledged to be
that which becomes the Christian : but how much
is implied in a life of faith is very little considered.
The Divine government is too often supposed to
extend to great things only: and the idea of referring
to God all the little occurrences of every day, is
thought by many to be derogatory to his supreme
Majesty. But God is to be seen as much in the fall
of a sparrow, as in the fall of the greatest empire :
and our dependence upon him should extend to
every thing without exception. Should we attempt
to draw a line between the events to which his atten
tion may be supposed to be directed, and those which
may be left, as the expression is, to chance, we
should find ourselves utterly at a loss, and, in fact,
should soon prove ourselves to be downright Atheists.
The Scriptures admit of no such distinction : they
ascribe every thing to God : even the events which
in some respect owe their origin to Satan, in other
points of view are traced up to God himself as their
author a : and one very important use of the Psalms
a 1 Chron. xxi. 1. with 2 Sam. xxiv. 1.
380 PSALMS, CXXI. 18. [714.
is, to shew us, how much the habit of referring every
thing to God characterizes, composes, and elevates
the Christian mind.
In the psalm before us we see this truth exempli
fied in the experience of David : in illustrating which,
we shall notice,
I. The resolution he formed
The first verse of the psalm is somewhat differently
rendered in the margin of our Bibles : " Shall I lift
up mine eyes unto the hills ? Whence should my
help come ?" This, whilst it affixes an important sense
to the passage, gives it peculiar force and beauty. It
represents the Psalmist as expressing his conviction
of the utter insufficiency of all earthly powers to
assist him, and his determination to confide in God
alone. And in this view the passage exactly accords
with that declaration of the Church in the prophet
Jeremiah, " Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from
the hills, and from the multitude of mountains : truly
in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel V
But as it stands in our translation, it is a reso
lution of David to look unto Jehovah, who dwelleth
on Mount Zion, or rather in the highest heavens, and
to trust in him as the one only source of all good.
Now this was,
1. A wise resolution
[When our Lord said to his disciples, " Will ye also go
away ?" Peter replied in the name of all, " Lord, to whom shall
we go ? Thou hast the words of eternal life." In like manner
we must ask, To whom can we go for help, except to the Lord
our God ? No creature can afford us any effectual aid. The
creation itself subsists only through the continued agency of
Him who first called it into existence, and in all its parts needs
the same superintending care that we ourselves do. Whither
soever we turn our eyes for help, every creature uniformly
replies, "It is not in me ; neither in me." To look therefore to
Jehovah, is our truest, our only, wisdom.]
2. A pious resolution
[A man duly sensible of his dependence on God, abhors
the idea of trusting in an arm of flesh. He would not so
b Jer. iii. 23.
714.] SECURITY OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN GOD. 381
dishonour God ; he would not so invade his unalienable prero
gative. He loves the very thought of being a pensioner on the
Divine bounty. The habit of committing every concern to God,
and of receiving every blessing from God, is truly delightful to
him. Hence he says with the church of old, "Ashur shall not
save us ; neither will we ride upon horses ; neither will we say
any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods : for in
thee the fatherless findeth mercy c ." This is the dictate of true
piety : and, whilst it ensures to men a constant communication
of all necessary good, it renders every blessing ten-fold more
sweet, as coming to them through the special intervention of
their heavenly Father.]
3. A necessary resolution
[This state of mind is equally necessary for every child of
man. The greatest monarch is as dependent upon God as the
lowest person in the universe. No man has any power to secure
himself for one single moment: "he is crushed before the
moth," if God give it a commission to destroy him. Pharaoh
himself was as open to the assault of all the different plagues,
and as incapable of removing any one of them, as any of his
subjects were. What peace then can any man enjoy, who has
no other than a created arm to rest upon ? If we would have
any solid comfort in our minds, we must realize a sense of
God s superintending care, and rest in him for a supply of
every blessing that we stand in need of.]
Having declared his resolution, the Psalmist in
forms us of,
II. The encouragement given him to persevere in it-
It is worthy of observation, that, after the two first
verses of the psalm, David ceases to speak, and is
himself addressed by another, who overheard his
resolution. And who is it that thus replies to him ?
It is no other than God himself; who immediately
replies, in order to shew to the whole universe how
pleasing and acceptable to him such a resolution is.
Nor are such transitions unusual in the Scriptures :
but they deserve especial notice, wherever they occur.
We may see a precisely similar passage in the book
of the prophet Jeremiah ; where the Lord, having
overheard the confessions of his repenting people,
instantly takes up the subject, and for their encou
ragement addresses them in these gracious terms ;
c Hos. xiv. 3.
382 PSALMS, CXXI. 18. [714.
" If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return
unto me ; and I will put thine abominations out of
my sight; and thou shalt not remove d ." The decla
rations which God here made to David, are equally
applicable to all, who, like him, are resolved to live in a
state of dependence upon God. Let us consider them,
1. In relation to temporal things
[All the different expressions which are here used, have an
evident reference to what was wrought for Israel during the forty
years of their sojourning in the wilderness. The roughness of
their untrodden path would often occasion " their feet to slip:"
the heat of the sun by day, and the influence of the moon, toge
ther with the noxious damps, by night, would greatly molest
them in their journey : and their danger from savage beasts or
venomous reptiles would tend to keep them in continual alarm.
But God promises that no evil shall hurt those who trust in him.
He will be to them an ever-watchful helper. Men, be they
ever so numerous, may be off their guard : but the Keeper of
Israel never will : he never slumbereth nor sleepeth : no enemy
can escape his notice ; no device be hidden from his view : and
his express engagement to his people is, that " no weapon that
is formed against them shall prosper 6 ."
He will be to them also an ever-present helper. The idea of
his being " our shade upon our right hand" is exceeding beau
tiful : for none but those in hot climates can fully conceive the
benefit of a shade to protect them from the intense heat of the
sun, which not unfrequ en tly strikes persons dead upon the spot.
But the expression of being our shade upon our right hand pro
bably alludes to the situation of the cloud which attended the
Israelites through the wilderness, not only to guide them in their
journey, but to shade them by day, and to give them light and
warmth also by night. And, as the journey of the Israelites
was chiefly in a north-east direction, the cloud which afforded
them this shade would be on their right hand during the whole
of the day. But not to lay any stress on this, the import of the
expression obviously is, that, wherever we are open to the
assaults of an enemy, God will be ever present to afford us his
protection ; and that whether we be going out or coming in, we
may be assured of his continued and effectual care.
He will yet further be an all-sufficient helper. Neither sun
nor moon, (which may represent the greatest of created powers,)
nor indeed any other being shall hurt us; for " He will preserve
us from all evil," and that, not for a season only, but " from
this time forth, and even for evermore." To the same effect this
d Jer, iii. 25. and iv. 1. e Isai. liv. 17.
714.] SECURITY OF THOSE WHO TRUST IN GOD. 383
truth is largely declared in the book of Job, in reference to every
species of calamity, that it shall not befall any one who trusts
in God, or, if it befall him, it shall be overruled for his more
abundant good f . We must doubtless take the promise in this
latitude ; else it would be contrary to fact and experience : but
understood with this limitation, it is, and ever shall be, accom
plished in every child of God g .]
2. In relation to the concerns of the soul-
fit is expressly asserted here, that God will " preserve our
souls" We may be assured therefore, that whatever he does
for the body that perishes, shall much more be done for our im
mortal part. Yes, " he will keep the feet of his saints," nor
shall all the powers, whether of earth or hell, be able to cast
them down. " Never will he leave us ; never, never forsake us."
Our enemies, it is true, will fight against us to the uttermost :
but he will suffer none of them ever to " pluck us out of his
hand." To this extent St. Paul avows his confidence in God h :
and every believer may justly assure himself, that " nothing in
heaven, earth, or hell, shall ever separate him from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who have no fears
[Whence proceeds this ? If from confidence in the power
and veracity of God, it is well : you are then entitled to cast off
all fear ; for they who fear Him, have nothing else to fear. But
if your want of fear arises, as it too generally does, from an ig
norance of your danger, or a confidence in yourselves, you have
no reason for self-congratulation : since the greater your fan
cied security is, the more imminent and awful is your danger.
Would you be afraid if you were surrounded by armed hosts
that were seeking to destroy you ? and will you not be afraid,
when Satan himself, that roaring lion, is going about day and
night seeking the everlasting destruction of your souls ? To
continue ignorant of your danger is the readiest way to ensure
your everlasting ruin. What if some alarm be occasioned by
a sight of your danger? Is it not better to dread the pursuer
of blood, than to fall into his hands ? Wih 1 not your security
when you have gained the city of refuge, compensate for the
terror that drove you thither ? Know then, that if you are yet
strangers to a salutary fear, you have yet to learn the true im
port of a scriptural and saving hope.]
2. To those who are too much under the influence
of fear
f Jobv. 19 23. s Iscai. xxvii. 3.
h Rom. viii. 3530. with 2 Tim. ii. 18.
384 PSALMS, CXXIV. 18. [715.
[You should never forget what an Almighty Friend you
have. How many times in this psalm are you reminded, that
the LORD, even the Almighty God, is your helper and deliverer!
Were he less powerful, or less vigilant, or less worthy of credit,
you might well fear. But what ground can he have for fear,
who has God himself for his refuge ? O ! learn to say with
David, " The Lord is my strength and my salvation ; whom
then shall I fear ? The Lord is the strength of my life ; of whom
shall I be afraid?" I ask not from whence your dangers or
your fears arise : for, if they were a thousand times greater and
better founded than they are, this one answer were sufficient to
remove them all, "If God be for you, who can be against
you ? " Only rely on God, and you are safe. See how ten
derly he chides your unbelieving fears l . If under any circum
stances you are tempted to indulge an unbelieving fear, check
yourselves instantly, as David did ; and say with him, " Why
art thou cast down, O my soul, and 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 k ."]
1 Isai. xl. 2731. k Ps. xlii. 11.
DCCXV.
THANKSGIVING FOR GREAT DELIVERANCE.
Ps. cxxiv. 1 8. If it had not been the Lord who was on our
side, now may Israel say ; If it had not been the Lord who
was on our side, ivhen men rose up against us : then they had
swallowed us up quick, when their tvrath was kindled against
us : then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone
over our soul : then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Blessed be the Lord, ivho hath not given us as a prey to their
teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the
fowlers : the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help
is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earths
THE Psalmist, after some great deliverance either
from foreign enemies or civil insurrection, records,
for the instruction and encouragement of the Church
in all ages, the goodness of God towards him. The
precise occasion on which it was penned, is not
known. Instead therefore of dwelling on historical
events, which, as applied to the psalm, must be at
a This Psalm is with peculiar propriety read on the fifth of No
vember. This small sketch is inserted merely as a sketch, to shew
in how small a space a sermon may be contained. The Discourse
that follows it was the one used on the occasion.
716.] GOD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR MERCIES. 385
best conjectural, we shall take occasion from the
psalm to set before you, in reference to the solem
nities of this day,
I. Matter for devout acknowledgment
[To illustrate this, two things are to be considered ;
1 . Our danger ; which, like that alluded to in the psalm
itself, has been imminent b irresistible* tremen
dous d
2. Our deliverance ; which, like that which is here cele
brated, has been sudden e and effectual f ]
II. Our duty arising from it
[This is comprised in two things ;
1. Gratitude. The language of all our hearts should be,
"Blessed be the Lords"
2. Affiance. We should in all future difficulties hope and
trust in God as our almighty Protector 11 ]
APPLICATION
[However thankful we may be for our national mercies,
we must not forget, that there is yet more abundant cause for
joy on account of our deliverance from sin and Satan, death
and hell, through the mediation and intercession of the Lord
Jesus Christ - Let the greatness of our danger, and the
perfection of our deliverance, be the subject of our daily con
templations, that we may trust in Jesus with our whole hearts,
and praise him with our whole souls
b The number of our enemies (like a flood, ver. 4, 5.) their inve
teracy against us (ver. 3.) and the combination of circumstances at
the time of the mutiny in the fleet, well illustrate this.
c What if God had not been so decidedly for us (mark the repeti
tion, ver. 1, 2.) in some of our naval engagements ? If only half of
our victories had terminated as much in favour of the enemy, how
different would have been our state, especially when all Europe was
combined against us !
d Torn in pieces (ver. 6.) and swallowed up (ver. 3 5.)
e Review the changes in the North ; and our escape is indeed like
that of a bird that gets out after having been already caught in the
fowler s net, ver. 7.
f Peace is established ; and the snare itself (the principles which
occasioned the war) is broken, ver. 7. Written Oct. 1801.
e ver. 6. h ver. 8.
DCCXVI.
GOD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR MERCIES.
Ps. cxxiv. 1 8. If it had not been the Lord who 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
VOL. vi. c c
386 PSALMS, CXXIV. 18. [716.
swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against
us : then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone
over our soul: then the proud waters had gone over our soul.
Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their
teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the
fowlers : the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help
is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
ON what occasion this psalm was written, we are
not informed : but in the title it is ascribed to David :
and no period in his history suits it better than the
time of Absalom s rebellion, when, but for God s in
terposition, in defeating the counsel of Ahithophel,
the banished monarch and his adherents must all
have perished.
But as there is no period fixed, it will be needless
to enter into a consideration of any circumstances as
connected with the psalm, since all that we should
say could rest on no better foundation than conjecture.
Of course, if we apply the psalm to the circumstances
of our own nation at the present time a , we shall not
be understood as intimating that there was any such
reference intended by the Psalmist, but merely as
accommodating the general expressions of it to our
own particular case : and truly we must say, that if
they had originally been penned for the occasion, they
could not be more suited to it than they are.
Two things then we would lead you to consider :
I. The great deliverances which we are now met to
celebrate
During this long and bloody war, several occasions
have arisen wherein we have experienced the most
signal deliverance. We will call your attention to a
few : we have been saved, almost by miracle, from,
1. The revolutionary principles-
fin our own nation, as well as on the continent, there was
a general outcry about liberty and equality ; and multitudes in
every rank of life united their efforts to overthrow the Con
stitution of this country, and to establish a democracy in the
land. Even pious people in vast numbers were carried away
by the delusive idea of ameliorating the condition of the lower
* Oct. 1814.
716.] GOD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR MERCIES. 387
classes of society, and lent their aid to others who aimed at
nothing less than the utter subversion of the Government. But
through the energy of our king, and of those who administered
his government, God in his infinite mercy preserved us : and we
have lived to see the day when almost all who were so deluded
have seen their error, and been led to regard the constitution
of this country as the most perfect of any upon earth.]
2. The mutiny of the fleet
[Time was, when the dissatisfaction so industriously che
rished and diffused by traitors within our own bosom, and
spread, by means of corresponding committees, over the whole
land, had reached even that class of men who in all former ages
had been the boast and glory of their country, the sailors in
our fleet. Many of these broke forth into open mutiny, and
threatened to carry our ships, which were the bulwark of the
nation, to the ports of our enemies. Such a blow as that
would have destroyed us utterly : but the same kind Providence
which had watched over us on so many other occasions, inter
posed to rescue us from the impending calamity, and to restore
amongst our fleet that union and energy which have rendered
it triumphant in every quarter of the globe.]
3. The threatened invasion
[What immense preparations were made by our enemies
to invade us, and what little preparation there was on our part
to oppose them, cannot have escaped from our remembrance.
True it is, that we were powerful by sea ; and that considera
tion it was which kept the enemy in check : but had not their
forces been called off to other encounters, there can be no doubt
but that they would have attempted to invade us ; and, if they
had succeeded in landing only two thirds of the forces which
they might have brought against us, there can be no doubt but
that they would have seized and plundered the metropolis, and
spread desolation and misery over the whole country. We all
know what destruction they threatened us with b ; and, could
they have once overrun our country, they would have reduced
us to such a state of subjection as Israel experienced, when the
Philistines suffered them not even to retain a workman in their
land, who should be able to fabricate arms for their defence. Not
a dock, or a naval architect, would have been left in our land.]
4. The overthrow of the Russian empire
[Already had the whole of Europe been combined against
us, and we were constrained to array ourselves against their
united force. But the insatiable ambition of our great enemy
raised up opposition at last from amongst his own allies, and
gave us an opportunity of engaging him in a foreign land,
b " Delenda est Carthago ! " was their universal cry.
c c2
388 PSALMS, CXXIV. 18. [716.
instead of having to contend with him on our own soil. Still
however we must have fallen before him, had not his insup
portable despotism goaded to resistance the Russian monarch.
But at one time, even that event also appeared to have prepared
for us a more complete destruction. But God suffered the
proud oppressor madly to protract his stay amongst the ruins of
Moscow, till a retreat became extremely difficult. Hence arose
defeat : the severity of the climate, and the extraordinary
energy of the Russian armies, soon dissipated the forces of our
enemy ; and enabled many who had been compelled to fight
under his banners, to turn their arms against him, and to seek
the recovery of their former independence. Yet, after all, if
the last great battle had not been decided in favour of the allied
armies, our enemy might still have retrieved his former losses, and
again forged chains for the whole civilized world. But the time
was come for God to have mercy on us; and he has had mercy
beyond all that could possibly have been expected : he has
trodden down the oppressor, as the mire in the streets ; and has
restored peace amongst all the contending nations, even such a
peace as the world never saw before ; a peace cemented by
universal harmony and love.]
Let us then, instead of contemplating our mercies
only, proceed to consider,
II. The duty of acknowledging God in them
In the psalm before us, all the success is ascribed
to God alone : God s gracious agency is acknowledged
to have been the sole cause of Israel s preservation ;
for this his name is humbly and gratefully adored d ;
and he is declared to be henceforth the only hope of
his people 6 . In like manner should we acknowledge
him in all the mercies which we now celebrate: for,
1. They do all in reality proceed from him
[We are by no means disposed to withhold our tribute of
praise from those who have been the instruments of our deli
verance. Those who have been at the helm of our affairs have
certainly laid their plans with consummate wisdom ; and our
forces both by sea and land have carried them into execution
with extraordinary energy. But still, without the Divine
blessing their united efforts, however great, would have failed.
It is God alone who inspired them either with wisdom or
courage ; and he alone who gave success to their endeavours.
We are assured that even the ploughman and the thresher de
rive all their skill from him f ; how much more then the gover
nors of nations, and the conductors of fleets and armies ! The
c ver. 1,2. d ver. 6. e ver. 8. f Isai. xxviii. 26 29.
716.] GOD TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN OUR MERCIES. 389
victories of Cyrus were, as much as any could be, the result of
human energy ; because God was not known either to him or
to his people : but God tells us, that HE, even HE alone, gave
him success g . In like manner it is HE, and HE alone, who has
conducted us in safety through all our troubles, and brought
them at last to such a happy issue. That we should see and
acknowledge this, is of infinite importance ; because God is
" a jealous God, who will not give his glory to another," or
endure that we should " sacrifice to our own drag, and burn
incense to our own net." Hear with what earnestness he
cautioned the Jews against this great impiety h ; and let us
learn with all possible care to avoid it : let us bear in mind
that it is God alone " who maketh wars to cease, and breaketh
the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder, and burneth the
chariot in the fire * ; " and that, as there is not evil, so neither is
there good, in the city, which is not the work of his hands . k ]
2. The acknowledging of him in them gives us the
truest enjoyment of them
[Others may indulge in carnal mirth ; but their joy will
expire " as the crackling of thorns under a pot ;" and no solid
benefit will accrue to their souls. But if we view God in our
mercies, they will lead our affections heavenwards ; they will
tend to abase us in the dust for our own unworthiness, and to
magnify in our estimation the goodness of God, who has done
such great things for us. Compare these feelings with those
which the ungodly experience on such occasions ; how pure,
how elevating, how abiding ! We may see the conduct of the
ungodly strikingly exemplified by the Amalekites after they
had invaded and plundered Ziklag : " they were spread abroad
upon all the earth, eating, and drinking, and dancing, because
of the great spoil that they had taken V On the other hand,
we may behold in Israel the conduct of the godly, singing
praises unto God, and glorifying him for all the wonders he had
wrought for them at the Red Sea ; " Who is like unto thee,
O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness,
fearful in praises, doing wonders m ?" Can we doubt which of
the two had the richer enjoyment of their prosperity ? Let us
then imitate the pious Israelites : yea, let us contemplate, like
David, every occurrence whereby God has manifested his care
over us ; and let us, in reference to every one of them, say,
" His mercy endure th for ever; his mercy endureth for ever 11 ."]
3. A view of him in these his providential mercies
will encourage us to apply to him for the blessings of
his grace
g Isai. xlv. 17. h Deut. viii. 1117. l Ps. xlvi. 9, 10.
k Amos. iii. 6. * 1 Sam. xxx. 16.
m SeeExod. xv. 1 11. " See Ps. cxxxvi.
PSALMS, CXXIV. 18. [716.
[Great as the dangers were from which Israel had been
delivered by the interpositions of their God, they were not a
whit greater than those to which we are exposed every day and
hour. Truly we have a sea of difficulties ready to overwhelm
us : we have a roaring lion seeking to devour us ; and a subtle
enemy ready to take us in his snares. And who, but God, can
deliver us ? Who can hope to escape from so great perils, if
God himself be not on his side? Truly, " our help is in the
name of the Lord who made heaven and earth," and in his
name alone. Where is there one of us, who, when he considers
the number and power of his spiritual enemies, has not reason
to say, " Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given me as a prey
to their teeth?" Sure we are, that there is not a believer
amongst us, who does not view himself as " a brand plucked
out of the burning," and marvel at the grace that has been
magnified towards him in the redemption of his soul.
Now then let those who have not yet experienced this mercy,
consider how gracious God has been to our guilty land, and
what an amazing deliverance he has vouchsafed to us : and let
them say within themselves, " Will God be less gracious to my
soul?" Has he not assured me, that "he willeth not the death
of any sinner ;" that " he will cast out none who come to him
in the name of Jesus ;" and that, if I make my requests known
to him, he will fill me with " a peace that passeth all under
standing ?" O let us put this matter to a trial; let us see whether
or not he is " rich in mercy unto all that call upon him."
Beloved Brethren, the time is short : there are yet but a few
more months or years, perhaps but a few more days or hours,
before the day of salvation will be closed. We would earnestly
wish, that, at the moment of your departure hence, you should
be able to look back on all the dangers you have escaped, and
with triumphant exultation adopt the language of the psalm
before us. Certainly, as many of us as shall be saved at last,
will instantly, on their entrance into the eternal world, begin
the song of the redeemed, and sing, " Salvation to God and to
the Lamb for ever and ever!" Now then seek to have the Lord
on your side : beg him to strengthen you against all the evils
of your own hearts ; to rescue you from the impending storms of
a tumultuous world; and to deliver you from all the deceit and
violence of your great adversary. So shall you have peace with
God in your own conscience ; and in due season enter into that
rest, where neither sin nor sorrow shall ever assault you more. ]
The author was not aware that he had written on this subject
before. But as the former Skeleton consists of only a single page,
and this goes over such different ground, particularly in shewing how
to improve national mercies, he has thought it not improper to print
this also.
717.] TRUST IN THE LORD. 391
DCCXVII.
TRUST IN THE LORD.
Ps. cxxv. 1, 2. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount
Zion, which cannot be removed, but abidethfor ever. As the
mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round
about his people, from henceforth even for ever.
IN forming our estimate of men, we are apt to look
at their actions only; and even our own characters,
also, we try by that standard. But it is the habit of
the mind that chiefly marks the man ; and by that we
shall be estimated at the tribunal of our God. Doubt
less actions are important, as indicative of principles
from whence they flow ; and by them, we, who can
only see the external fruits, are constrained to judge
of the quality of the root from whence they proceed.
But the heart-searching God looks at the root itself;
and approves or disapproves of men according to the
real quality and habit of their minds.
In reading the words before us, we might estimate
at a low rate the character here designated, did we
not analyze the terms by which that character is
described. But, if we take sufficient pains to explore
the import of the words, and the true nature of the
grace which they delineate, we shall see that the
person " who trusts in the Lord" is a very exalted
character, and that the blessedness here accorded to
him is precisely such as becomes a holy God to confer
upon him.
Let us consider,
I. The character here described
" Trust in the Lord" does not import a mere general
acknowledgment of God as the Governor of the uni
verse : it implies incomparably more, even a deep con
viction of his special providence, and of his incessant
attention to every the minutest concern of his own
peculiar people. It implies, I say, this conviction,
1. In our views
[Let it be considered what trust is. It of necessity im
ports some engagement on the part of him in whom that trust
392 PSALMS, CXXV. 1, 2. [717.
is reposed. Consequently, a general notion of God s ordering
all things according to the counsel of his own will, however
deep that conviction be, will not amount to the grace that is
here described. The devils possess that conviction, in its
utmost possible extent ; but they cannot trust in God, because
they have no promise given them, nor any ground whatever to
hope that he will ever interpose in their favour. The person
who trusts in the Lord must see him as a Covenant-God in
Christ Jesus, engaged to accomplish for his chosen people all
that their necessities can require ]
2. In our habits
[With such views of the Deity must be united a total
renunciation of every other hope, and a committing of all
our concerns to him, for body and for soul, for time and for
eternity. There must be a going forth of the soul to him in
prayer ; a spreading of our wants before him ; and a declared
affiance in his great and precious promises. Viewing him as
both a God of providence and of grace, we must fully expect
his attention to our every request, to order every thing for
our good, and to save us in Christ Jesus w r ith an everlasting
salvation. Our expectations must be co-extensive with his
engagements : and, as he has engaged to " be a God unto us,"
we must expect from him all that unerring wisdom, unbounded
power, unsearchable love, and unchanging faithfulness, can
effect This is, in fact, what the Apostle elsewhere
calls " the life of faith in the Son of God;" and nothing short
of this will answer the character in my text. But, wherever
this is, there shall also be,]
II. The privileges connected with it-
There shall be,
1. Stability-
[Mount Zion was a place of so much strength, that, from
the days of Joshua to the time of David, the Israelites could
never take it. They occupied Jerusalem : but Mount Zion
was too strong for them; insomuch that the Jebusites who
inhabited it laughed them to scorn, vaunting, that if there
were none left but blind and lame to defend the fortress, the
Jews should never be able to prevail against it a . But far more
impregnable is the fortress in which they dwell who trust in
the Lord : " The name of the Lord is a strong tower : the
righteous runneth to it, and is safe 1 ." They may be assaulted
both by men and devils ; but they are assured, that " God will
keep them by his own power, through faith, unto everlasting-
salvation c ." They are in the Saviour s hands; and he has
pledged himself that " none shall ever pluck them out of his
a 2 Sam. v. 08. b Prov. xviii. 10. c 1 Pet. i. 5.
717.] TRUST IN THE LORD. 393
hands d ." In themselves they remain weak as ever, as both
David and Peter have clearly shewn ; but in Christ they are
strong : and in the Covenant which is made with them in Christ,
and " which is ordered in all things and sure," it is engaged,
on the part of God, that they shall never be moved, and that
" the gates of hell shall never prevail against them 6 ."]
2. Protection
[The hills that were round about Jerusalem protected it
on every side ; so that the Romans, it was confessed, would
not have been able to subdue it, if the garrison themselves had
not madly assisted them by their mutual contentions. But
far more effectually does the Lord protect his people, being
to them " a wall of fire round about them f ;" a wall which will
not only ward off the assaults of their enemies, but will itself
destroy their assailants. In fact, " he keeps them even as the
apple of his eye^ :" and " sooner shall the ordinances of heaven
and earth pass away, and the foundations of the world be
searched out," than any one of them shall be left to perish h . To
assure them of this, " he has confirmed his covenant with an
oath, that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible
for God to lie, they might have strong consolation 1 ," an d live
"assured that nothing shall ever separate them from his loveV]
To all of you, then, I SAY,
1. Get just views of your God and Saviour
[Be not satisfied with a general acknowledgment of him ;
but study his nature as revealed in the inspired volume, and
acquaint yourselves with his dispensations as exhibited in the
sacred records. See him delivering his people Israel out of
Egypt, and supporting them in the wilderness, and establish
ing them in the land of Canaan ; and then rest assured, that
he is the same God, alike powerful, alike gracious, and alike
faithful to all his engagements ]
2. Let your expectations from him be to the utmost
extent of your necessities
[There should be no limit to them, provided only they do
not contravene the Lord s will, and tend to the subversion
of his glory. " However wide you open your mouth, he will
fill it ;" and however " large your desires be, he will fulfil
them 1 ." Listen not, under any circumstances, to flesh and
blood, like Asa, who in his sickness sought to the physicians :
but even though sense should stand in direct opposition to faith,
as in Abraham s call to sacrifice his son Isaac, " be strong in
d John x. 28, 29. e Matt. xvi. 18. f Zech. ii. 5.
e Deut. xxxii. 10. h Jer.xxxi.35 37. and Isai. liv. 9, 10.
j Heb. vi. 17, 18. * Rom. viii. 3439. * Ps. cxlv. 19.
394 PSALMS, CXXV. 4, 5. [718.
faith, giving glory to your God m ." Your divine Master, who
has engaged himself for you, would have you to "be without
carefulness." His command is, " Be careful for nothing; but
in every thing by prayer and supplication 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"." Only " cast your care thus on him," and you
will soon know, by sweet experience, the force of that appeal
which David made to the all-seeing God; " O Lord God of
Hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee !"]
m Rom. iv. 20. n Phil. iv. 6, 7. Ps. Ixxxiv. 12.
DCCXVIII.
THE UPRIGHT AND APOSTATES CONTRASTED.
Ps. cxxv. 4, 5. Do good, Lord, unto those that be good, and
to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn
aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth
with the workers of iniquity : but peace shall be upon Israel.
AT the commencement of this psalm, the inspired
writer speaks of the Lord s people as secured both
by the providence and grace of God. And it is fur
ther promised, in the verse before my text, that their
trials shall not prevail beyond their strength a . But
no exemption from trouble is promised them. It is
taken for granted, that " the rod of the wicked shall
fall upon them, though it shall not rest upon them."
The wrath of man, like water turned upon a mill,
shall come on them with no more force than shall be
sufficient for accomplishing God s gracious purposes
on their souls : the rest, however menacing its power
may be, shall be made to pass off by an opened
sluice b . Nevertheless, the trouble shall be sufficient
to try every man, and to prove the truth and measure
of his integrity; the man who fairly meets and stands
the trial, being approved, whilst he who sinks under
it, or shuns it, shall be deemed altogether unworthy
of the Divine favour. Hence the Psalmist pours out
his fervent intercession in behalf of the upright, and
at the same time warns every man of the danger of
declension from the ways of God. The two points
for our consideration are,
a Compare ver. 3. with 1 Cor. x. 11-. b Ps. Ixxvi. 10.
718.] THE UPRIGHT AND APOSTATES CONTRASTED. 395
I. His encouragement to the upright
His prayer shews what every believing soul may
expect at the hands of God
[No one, without constant supplies of grace and strength,
would be able to endure the trials with which he will be visited
in the path of duty. A man s uprightness may embolden him
to ask for divine assistance ; but it can never support him
without it. The greatest and best of men are weak, even as
others, if for a moment they be left to themselves. Hezekiah
was in some respects as eminent for piety as any of the kings
of Israel : but, when " God left him to try him," he fell d .
Even Abraham and Isaac shewed themselves weak in the
day of trial ; each of them denying his wife, and Abraham
repeatedly, through fear of the consequences which an ac
knowledgment of the truth might bring upon them. The
Psalmist therefore prays, " Do good unto them, O Lord;"
supply every one of them with that measure of strength which
their necessities may require ; and uphold them under all the
circumstances to which they may be reduced ! - ]
In fact, the prayer contains nothing which God him
self has not made the subject of a direct promise
[With all his believing people God has made an ever
lasting covenant, that " He will not turn away from them to
do them good ;" yea, " that he will rejoice over them to do
them good," and assuredly interest himself in their behalf,
" with his whole heart, and with his whole soul e ." God con
siders his own glory as engaged for his people : and sooner
shall heaven and earth pass away, than one who is truly
upright in heart be ever left by him to perish f . The good
he designs them may not be of the precise nature that they
desire or expect; (as Paul had not " the thorn in his flesh"
removed, but grace given him to sustain it :) but, that which
is really best shall be vouchsafed unto them ; and it shall be
imparted to them in the time, and manner, and measure, that
unerring wisdom sees to be best for them 8 .]
With his tender concern for the upright, we see
combined,
II. His warning to the unstable
As for open apostates, no one can doubt their fate ;
" their last end will be worse than their beginning 11 ."
But there are many who secretly decline from God s
c 2 Kings xviii. 5. d 2 Chron. xxxii. 31.
e Jer. xxxii. 40, 41. f Ps. Ixxxiv. 11.
8 Their extremity shall be God s opportunity. Seelsai.lviii. 10, 11 .
h 2 Pet. ii. 20, 21.
396 PSALMS, CXXV. 4, 5. [718.
holy ways, who yet think that, because they turn not
back to open profaneness, they shall " escape the
judgment of God." Now,
These are the persons warned
[" The man who puts his hand to the plough, is not to
look back," lest the furrows which he makes disgrace the field .
So " those who turn aside unto their crooked paths" are
Eersons who, by crooked policy and undue compliances, are
ibouring to avert the evils which a bold and steadfast conduct
would bring upon them Such was the conduct of
Peter, when, for the sake of pacifying the Judaizing teachers,
he constrained the Gentiles to conform to the Mosaic ritual :
and had not the reproof which Paul administered to him, in
the presence of the whole Galatian Church, produced the de
sired change, this temporizing Apostle would have destroyed
his own soul, and the souls of all his followers. In matters
of minor importance we may yield, for the sake of peace, as
Paul himself did when he became a Nazarite : but in matters
which will in any degree impeach our fidelity to God, " we
must not give place, no, not for an hour." To benefit others,
we may yield : to screen ourselves, we must not yield. Not
life itself must be held dear, when an adherence to duty calls
for the sacrifice of it.]
Those only who are " upright" will have peace at
the last
[Those who dissemble with God, and are diverted from
the paths of righteousness by that " fear of man which
bringeth a snare," have no real peace in this life k : for there
can be no peace where there is not " the testimony of a good
conscience." Much less can there be peace in a dying hour,
and in the near prospect of giving up our account to God.
But, if we suppose a man to have deceived himself so far as to
have prevented any remonstrances from his own conscience,
still, the very instant that he shall be summoned into the pre
sence of his God, his delusions will be all dispelled, and he
will see himself even as God sees him. Where will his peace
then be ? Alas ! it will be fled for ever : for in that day none
but the true Israel will be approved of their God. All the
rest, how specious soever may have been their conduct, " will
be led forth with the workers of iniquity," and take their
portion with the most abandoned of the human race. In fact,
the portion of hypocrites is declared to be pre-eminently bitter 1 ,
because of the light they have resisted, and the dissimulation
they have practised. Let the unstable then know this, and
avail themselves of the warning thus given them.]
* Lukeix. 62. k Isai. lix. 8. J Matt. xxiv. 51.
719.] DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL BONDAGE. 397
Then let every one SEE, and be convinced of,
1. The importance of uprightness
[None but the upright in heart can expect any " good"
at the hands of God. " As for such as turn aside unto their
crooked ways," " their own wickedness shall correct them,
and their backslidings reprove them m ." Then only can we
be approved of our God, when our heart is right with God.
For " the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath ;" and will surely
perish, under an accumulated weight of misery.]
2. The necessity of decision-
fit should never admit of one moment s doubt, whom we
shall serve. Nothing must be suffered to stand in competition
with God s revealed will. Sufferings are to be only as the
dust upon the balance. So, also, must gains be counted but
loss by us, if we would approve ourselves to God. Let us,
then, ever be ready to answer our opponents, as the Apostles
did : " Whether it be right to hearken unto you more than
unto God, judge ye:" for we cannot but obey him at all events,
and execute his will, though every man on earth, and every
wicked spirit in hell, should combine against us. We will,
God helping us, be faithful unto death : for then, and then only,
can we have any scriptural hope of obtaining eternal life.]
m Jer. ii. 19.
DCCXIX.
DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL BONDAGE ACKNOWLEDGED.
Ps. cxxvi. 1 4. When the Lord turned again the captivity of
Zion, we were like them that dream. Then ivas our mouth
filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing : then said
they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for
them. The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we
are glad. Turn again our captivity, Lord, as the streams
in the south.
THE great body of the Psalms was composed by
David : but some were written many hundred years
before his time, as the 90th was by Moses ; and
others many hundred years after him,, as that before
us, which was evidently written after the Babylonish
captivity. It relates in the first instance to the
delivery of Israel from their sore bondage, and their
restoration to their long desolated country: but
it is well applicable to that redemption which is
398 PSALMS, CXXVI. 14. [719.
vouchsafed to the souls of men, and which was sha
dowed forth by that great event.
Let us consider from the passage,
I. The deliverance here celebrated
Grievous beyond expression was Israel s captivity.
They were treated with the utmost cruelty by their
Babylonish oppressors a : and their sufferings were
greatly heightened by the derision with which their
pious lamentations were regarded b . But in propor
tion to the greatness of their afflictions was their joy
at the unexpected deliverance vouchsafed to them.
Observe,
1. The feelings excited by it
[Among the captives themselves the joy was so great, that
they scarcely knew whether it were a reality or a dream. They
were like Peter, when delivered from prison by an angel on
the very night previous to his intended execution : " He went
out and followed the angel ; and wist not that it was true
which was done by the angel ; but thought he saw a vision ."
All their lamentations were instantly turned to joy: "their
mouth was filled with laughter, and their tongue with singing."
The sight of such an unprecedented event fdled all the sur
rounding nations with astonishment, and constrained them to
acknowledge that it was the work, not of man, but of God :
" Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done
great things for them." The Israelites themselves readily con
curred in this sentiment ; and, on hearing the congratulations
offered them, thankfully replied, " The LORD hath done great
things for us, whereof we are glad."]
2. The supplications it drew forth
[Though permission was given them to return to their own
land, and every thing was provided for their sustenance by the
way, and their assistance at the end of their journey, the Jews
saw that there was a great and discouraging work before them :
but, as nothing was impossible to Jehovah, they entreated him
to perfect what he had begun, and " to turn again their capti
vity as the streams in the south." In the southern or hilly
country of Judea there were, as in all mountainous countries,
frequent and sudden inundations ; which however as rapidly
subsided, soon after the rains had ceased ; so that, where, but
a few hours before, the country bore the aspect of universal
desolation, it speedily assumed the most lovely and nourishing
a Ps. cxxxvii. 8, 9. b Ps. cxxxvii. 3, 4. c Acts xii. 9.
DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL BONDAGE. 399
appearance, the valleys smiling on every side with renovated and
augmented verdure. Thus the Jews desired, that the ravages
made in their now desolated country might be soon repaired,
and that, through the influence of their almighty Guardian, their
efforts might be crowned with speedy and complete success.]
We forbear to dwell upon the event itself, that we
may enter somewhat minutely into,
II. The more glorious deliverance that was typified
by it
The event before us is undoubtedly to be regarded
as shadowing forth that infinitely greater deliverance
which is wrought for us by the Lord Jesus Christ d .
And the correspondence between the two is particu
larly striking. Observe,
1. The deliverance itself
[Grievous as was the captivity of the Jews in Babylon, it
was nothing in comparison of that sorer bondage to which we
are subjected by the power of sin and the wiles of Satan. All
indeed have not the same work assigned them; but all are
walking after the imagination of their own hearts, " being taken
in the snare of the devil, and led captive by him at his will."
The promised Deliverer however has arrived ; has entered
into the conflict with our great adversary, and utterly subdued
him. Jesus, foretold by name hundreds of years before his
advent in the flesh, has accomplished the work for which he was
raised up: and, having now " ascended up on high and led
captivity captive," he has sent his heralds to " proclaim
liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them
that are bound." This is the very first use he makes of his
newly-acquired power. Nor is it an empty proclamation,
without any facilities afforded for carrying his gracious purposes
into effect : he gives us back for the use and honour of Jeho
vah all those vessels of which we had been despoiled, and which,
though originally formed for the service of God alone, have,
through the influence of our great adversary, been prostituted
and debased to the vilest uses : yes, all our faculties and powers
are now restored by him to their proper office ; and the all-
sufficient aid of his Spirit is promised to us throughout all our
dreary pilgrimage. Our almighty Deliverer has gone further
still, and issued his commands to all throughout his vast empire,
to succour us in our work, and to impart to us whatsoever we
may stand in need of e : the very angels in heaven are enjoined
to attend us in all our way, to encamp round about us, to hold
d Compare Isai. xl. 3 5. with Luke iii. 3 6. or Isai. lii. 7.
with Rom. x. 15. e Ezra i. 111.
400 PSALMS, CXXVI. 14. [710.
us up lest at any time we dash our foot against a stone, and to
minister to us in all that our necessities may require.
All this too is offered to us as a free act of mercy on the
part of our great Deliverer. It was one of the most extraor
dinary parts of the Jews deliverance from Babylon, that Cyrus
should liberate them without any remuneration : but how does
it exalt beyond all estimate the value of our redemption, that
it is offered to us freely, " without money and without price! "]
2. The effects produced by it
[When first a soul that has been sinking under a load of
sin and guilt is made to hear the tidings of a free and full deli
verance, they seem to him " as an idle tale :" he can scarcely
believe it possible that such mercy should be vouchsafed to him,
and that one who has been all his days a willing captive should
be delivered : and, when the joys of this salvation burst upon
his soul, he appears to himself to be, as it were, in a dream ;
so far does the deliverance exceed all that he could previously
have conceived. Then his mouth, which was but lately filled
with lamentations and complaints, is " filled with laughter, and
his tongue with singing 1 ""- -Nor is the surprise confined
to him alone : his friends and neighbours behold with astonish
ment the change that has taken place in him : they now see
the whole course of his life changed : they behold the chains
with which he was tied and bound, now loosed ; the sins that
once had dominion over him, now mortified ; and the griefs,
which they interpreted as symptoms or forerunners of derange
ment, now turned to joy, and " thanksgiving and the voice of
melody." So great is the change in their eyes, that though
they love it not, they are constrained to admire it, and to ac
knowledge the hand of God in it ; "The Lord hath done great
things for them : " and, though they may deride it in public,
they envy in their hearts the lot which they affect to despise.
As for those who experience the happy change, they thankfully
adore their heavenly Benefactor ; " The Lord hath done great
things for us, whereof we are glad ! " - They take their
harps that have been so long suspended on the willows, and sing
with inexpressible delight the songs of Zion.
But the more they have experienced, the more they desire
to possess all the fulness of the blessings prepared for them.
Gladly would they, if it were possible, have all the remains of
sin purged out from their hearts, and all conflicts with it for ever
terminated. They pant for the full attainment of the Divine
image ; and cry with fervour to their God, " Turn again our
captivity, O Lord, as the streams in the south !" Still however,
not discouraged by the length of their journey, or the difficul
ties to be surmounted, or the toils which they must undergo,
f Isai. xxxv. 10.
719.J DELIVERANCE FROM SPIRITUAL BONDAGE. 401
before they shall attain the full object of their desires, they set
out in humble dependence on their God, assured of final and
complete success. They are willing to " sow in tears, confident
that in due time they shall reap in joy."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who have experienced some measure
of this deliverance
[You have heard the parallel drawn between the deliver
ance of the Jews from Babylon, and that of which you are the
happy subjects. It remains for you to carry it yet further, and
to realize it in its utmost extent. Of all the multitudes who
set out on their journey towards Zion, there was not one who
was not sensible of the cruel bondage from which he had been
delivered ; not one who did not feel his obligations to Cyrus as
his great deliverer ; not one, who did not see that his provision
by the way, and his succours at the close of his journey, were
the fruits of that same grace that first proclaimed the deliver
ance : moreover, all of them without exception would feel a
consciousness that they were not yet arrived at the place which
their souls longed after ; but that they were daily proceeding
towards it : they felt no inclination to rest satisfied with any
thing they met with in the wilderness ; but looked forward to
the enjoyment of God s ordinances in Jerusalem as the consum
mation of their bliss. Now then let it be so with you. Never
for a moment lose the remembrance of your former captivity,
or of your obligations to the Lord Jesus Christ, who " by his
own death has destroyed death, and him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil; and hath delivered those who through
fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage." Never
for a moment forget that you are on a journey towards Zion,
and that all your fresh springs are in that adorable Saviour, who
has redeemed you by his blood. Never for a moment cease to
press forward in your heavenly way ; but, forgetting what is be
hind, reach forward, like coursers, to the destined goal. Let all
your hopes, and all your happiness be in heaven. In a word,
be exactly in the state and habit of your minds, what the liberated
captives were in their journey towards Zion. Then will you
have attained the perfection of Christian pilgrims, and will in
due time possess in all its fulness your destined inheritance.]
2. To those who are yet the bond-slaves of sin and
Satan
[This is the state of every man by nature. It is to little
purpose to say, that we are not addicted to any gross iniquity ;
for " the whole world lieth in wickedness," or, " in the wicked
one :" and if the Captain of our Salvation have not rescued us
from the hands of " the strongman armed," our very peace is a
VOL. VI. D D
402 PSALMS, CXXVI. 5. [720.
sufficient evidence of our bondage. If you are yet strangers to
the experience above described, you are yet in bondage to the
great enemy of Zion
But we are authorized to declare that this adversary is cast
down ; that our Cyrus has prevailed over him ; and that liberty
is now given to every captive in Babylon to return to Zion.
Behold, as a herald of our adorable Saviour, I now announce
to you these glad tidings. O ! be ye not like too many of that
ill-fated nation, who preferred their ease to toils, their bondage
to liberty, their dwellings in Babylon to their inheritance in
Jerusalem.
Put yourselves under the guidance of the true Zerubbabel,
before whom " the mountains shall become a plain." If you
meet with difficulties, know that HE has issued his proclama
tion to all his creatures, to aiford you all necessary aid : and if,
instead of aiding, they endeavour to obstruct you, he has engaged
that all things shall work together for your good. Come out
then from Babylon, every one of you ; and let this be the one
harmonious proposal of you all, " Come, let us go up to Zion,
unto the Lord our God." Fear not but that the object, when
attained, will richly recompense all the difficulties of your way.
Even in this world your "joys shall be unspeakable and glori
fied :" but who can conceive the joy that awaits you in the Zion
above ? How will your mouth then be filled with laughter,
and your tongue with singing! How will you then, in concert
with all the heavenly hosts, exclaim, " The Lord hath done great
things for us, whereof we are glad ! " Be content then to " go
on your way weeping, bearing precious seed, knowing assuredly
that at last you shall come again with rejoicing, bearing your
sheaves with you."]
DCCXX.
SOWING IN TEARS.
Ps. cxxvi. 5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
THIS seems to be a general truth founded on the
experience of those who returned from the Babylonish
captivity, and the correspondent experience of all
who return from the bondage of sin and Satan. The
Israelites, like Peter liberated from his prison, were
so astonished at their deliverance, that it seemed to
them more like a dream than a reality. The very
heathens themselves wondered at it, and ascribed it
to the influence of Jehovah, as also the Israelites did
with joy and gratitude, taking occasion from it to
implore the speedy and perfect restoration of all their
720.1 SOWING IN TEARS. 403
tribes a . Such also are the wonder and joy occasioned
by the conversion of a soul to God ; and such are the
desires which instantly vent themselves in fervent
petitions for complete deliverance. But as among
the captive Jews,, so in the enslaved soul, a season of
sorrow precedes the time of emancipation. Never
theless it shall be found universally true, that they
who sow in tears shall reap in joy.
Let us inquire,
I. What we are to understand by sowing in tears ?
" The sorrow of the world worketh death ; " and
therefore cannot be that to which the promise is
made. To sow in tears implies,
1. A painful recollection of past sins
[We all are sinners from our earliest youth : and every
sin we have ever committed, is as fresh in the remembrance of
the Deity as if it had been committed this very hour. Nor
should we think the less of our sins because they have been
long passed : on the contrary, we should view them with all
the shame and sorrow that they excited in our bosoms the very
instant that our consciences first accused us. Like God s
people of old, we should be bowed down greatly in the recol
lection of them b , and earnestly entreat, with David, that God
would not call us into judgment for them c .]
2. A penitent concern for present infirmities
[The very best of men has much within him to mourn
over. It is but in part that any of us are renewed. Many are
the corruptions that yet work within us ; and the very imper
fection of our prayers and praises is enough to make us go
mourning all the day long. St. Paul found so much conflict
in his soul by reason of his indwelling corruptions that he ex
claimed, "O wretched man that I am d !" and groaned earnestly
for death as the season when he should be freed from all the
imperfections of his nature, and serve, as well as enjoy, God
with unabated ardour e . Thus should we also " go softly before
God in the bitterness of our souls f ," and lothe ourselves before
him in dust and ashes g .]
a Ver. 1 4. The rain which descended in torrents on the
southern or hilly country of Judea, often filled the vallies with rapid
streams, which quickly passing away as soon as the rain ceased, the
rivers were suddenly transformed into verdant fields. Thus sudden
and perfect the Israelites desired their restoration to be.
b Ps. xxxviii. 3 8. Jer. xxxi. 19. and iii. 25. Ezek. xvi. 63.
c Ps. xxv. 7. d Rom. vii. 14 24. e 2 Cor. v. 4.
f Isai. xxxviii. 15. & Job xl. 4. and xlii. 6.
D D 2
404 PSALMS, CXXVI. 5. [720.
3. An overwhelming sense of God s goodness
[Nothing is more characteristic of true piety than this.
Every day and hour we have reason to adore the divine good
ness. What patience does God exercise towards us under all
our backslidings ! What readiness does he manifest to return
to our souls the very instant we return to him, yea, often reveal
ing himself to us, and shedding abroad his love in our hearts,
when we had no reason to expect any thing but some heavy
token of his displeasure ! The psalmist, impressed with such
views of God, exclaims, " O 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 h !"
But the most striking example of this frame of mind is afforded
us by the poor woman, who, to express her love and gratitude,
kissed the feet of her Saviour, and washed them with floods of
tears \ Would to God that such were the state of our minds,
and that we might ever be found, as to our souls at least, in
that posture !]
Omitting many other grounds of weeping, we pro
ceed to inquire,
II. What encouragement we have to weep?
To those who sow their corn, there is but one
harvest : but to those who sow in tears there are two :
1. We shall reap in this world
[God will not despise the broken and contrite heart k : on
the contrary, " he will hear the voice of our weeping : " tears,
when flowing from a contrite soul, have an eloquence which he
cannot resist. He will speak peace to the soul : he will blot
out its transgressions as a morning cloud l . He will cause the
light of his countenance to shine upon it ; and will give unto
it a spirit of adoption, whereby it shall cry with confidence,
Abba, Father m ! And will not such a harvest recompense a
hundred years of weeping ? Look but at the state of the Pro
digal, and see him, after his short seed-time of weeping, wel
comed to his father s house, and feasting with him on the fatted
calf; was he not well repaid? had he any reason to regret his
tears of penitence ? Thus then shall it be with us in this world,
provided we be content to sow in tears : " Weeping may endure
for a night, but joy shall come in the morning"."]
2. We shall reap also in the world to come
[All that the penitent soul enjoys in this world is but an
earnest of what it shall hereafter possess. There is " a full
h Ps. xxxi. 19. i Luke vii. 38. k Ps. li. 17.
1 Luke vii. 47, 48, 50. 1 John i. 9. m Jer. xxxi. 9, 20.
n Ps. xxx. 5.
721 J THE SPIRITUAL HARVEST. 4-05
reward ," " an everlasting life p ," which shall be reaped as the
fruit of what we now sow. The tears we shed are all treasured
up with care in the vial of our heavenly Father : every sigh,
and every groan, shall be remembered before him ; and shall
add to that abundant and eternal weight of glory which we shall
then receive. And who can estimate those " sheaves which we
shall then bring with us ?" How will all our sorrows vanish in
an instant, and be turned into unutterable joy q ! Let us then
look forward to that time, and " not be weary in well doing;
for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."]
ADDRESS
1. To those who have never known any seed-time
like this
[Is there not occasion enough for you to weep ? Think
how you have neglected your God and Father ; how you have
trampled on the blood of Christ your Saviour : and how you
have resisted the motions of the Holy Spirit in your hearts !
Think too, how you have made the very consideration of God s
mercy and forbearance an occasion of more boldness in trans
gressing against him ! This, independent of any gross acts of
sin, is sufficient to make your head a fountain of tears to run
down day and night for your iniquities. " Be afflicted, then,
and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourn
ing, and your joy into heaviness ; humble yourselves in the
sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up V]
2. To those who are daily sowing in tears
[Possibly, some may be discouraged, because they do not
reap so soon as they expected. But, if this be the case, let
them examine whether they do indeed " sorrow after a godly
sort :" and, if they have the testimony of a good conscience in
this respect, let them wait patiently, as the husbandman 8 , for
" doubtless they shall come again with rejoicing:" joy and glad
ness are sown for them, and shall spring up in due season *. Let
them be contented to "go on their way " weeping, even though
the way be ever so long ; for tears are a seed * precious " unto
God, and they shall bring a glorious harvest at the last.]
2 John, ver. 8. P Gal. vi. 8. <i Isai. xxx. 10.
r Jam. iv. 9, 10. s Jam. v. 7. * Ps. xcvii. 11.
DCCXXI.
THE SPIRITUAL HARVEST.
Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He
that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves
with him.
406 PSALMS, CXXVI. 5, 6. [721.
SO much of sorrow is entailed on fallen man, that
his path through life is not improperly called, a vale
of tears. But it is not to the ungodly only that this
portion is allotted : the man who is regenerate still
finds much occasion to weep ; and if he have reasons
for joy peculiar to himself, so also has he for grief.
The Israelites,, when restored from their captivity in
Babylon, felt, as well they might, that the mercies
vouchsafed to them were exceeding great. The very
heathen that surrounded them were constrained to
acknowledge this. But, when they came to their
own land, and saw the desolations that were spread
on every side, and reflected on the time and labour
that must be employed in rebuilding their city and
temple, on the opposition they were likely to meet with
in their work, and on their utter incapacity to restore
either the city or temple to their former grandeur,
they might well weep. They were, however, encou
raged with the divine assurance, that God would be
with them in their labours, and prosper their endea
vours ; and that, if they were content to " sow in
tears, they should reap in joy;" yea, that every one
of them who should " go forth, weeping, and bearing
precious seed, should doubtless come again with re
joicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
But we must not confine ourselves to the immediate
occasion on which these words were written. They
refer to every one that is engaged in raising a spiritual
temple to the Lord : and they assure to him a happy
issue to his exertions.
To elucidate the subject, we shall consider,
I. The events here connected
Between seed-time and harvest there is in the minds
of all a necessary connexion ; and as in the natural
world the action of sowing has always a reference to
that of reaping, so it has also in the spiritual world.
The seed which the Christian sows is " tears "-
[What other can he sow, when he looks back upon the
transgressions of his former life ? How he, from the first mo
ment that he began to act, lived in rebellion against his God !
721.] THE SPIRITUAL HARVEST. 407
In no respect has he been subject to the law of God, or regu
lated himself according to the divine commands. From open
and flagrant sins he may be free : but he has lived as without
God in the world, making his own will the one rule of his
conduct, and his own pleasure the only end of his existence
Does not such a life as this call for deep humiliation,
and require to be mourned over with floods of tears ?
Nor is this contrition less called for by his sins of daily in
cursion. Let any man compare the frame of his mind with
that which his circumstances, and God s dealings with him,
demand : how faint his gratitude for mercies received ! how
superficial his sorrow for sins committed ! how cold his devo
tions at the throne of grace ! how feeble his efforts to glorify
his God ! Verily, in the retrospect of every succeeding day,
he may well sit down and weep bitterly, yea, and mourn before
God in dust and ashes.
In truth, this is, in a measure, the habit of the Christian s
mind ; he is bowed down under a sense of his own manifold
infirmities ; and he walks softly before God, under a conscious
ness of his own extreme unworthiness. If David could say, in
reference to the sins of others, " Rivers of water run down
mine eyes, because men keep not thy law," how much more
may every man say it, in reference to his own sins ! In the
days to which we are looking forward, when the remnant of
Israel shall return to the Lord their God, it is precisely in
this way that they will come up to Zion : " They shall come
with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them : I will
cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way,
wherein they shall not stumble : for I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my first-born a ."]
From this seed, however, shall spring a harvest of
"joy"-
[In the natural world we expect to reap the very seed
which we have sown : but it is not so in the spiritual world.
If we sow tears, shall we reap tears ? No, never, never, never.
Far different shall be the fruit arising from that seed ! even
joy, yea, " joy unspeakable and glorified." Look at the very
remnant of whom we have just spoken ; and see the issue of
their humiliation: " They shall come," says the prophet, " and
sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the
goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil,
and for the young of the flock and of the herd : and their
souls shall be as a watered garden ; and they shall not sorrow
any more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance,
both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourn
ing into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice
3 Jer. xxxi. 9.
408 PSALMS, CXXVI. 5, 6. [721.
from their sorrow V It must be observed, that the first-fruits
of this harvest are enjoyed even now : for the very scope of
the Gospel is not only to " proclaim liberty to the captives ;
but to give unto them that mourn in Zion, to give them," I say,
" beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of
praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they may be called trees
of righteousness, the planting of the Lord ; and that He may
be glorified ." But, after all, this is only a foretaste of that
which they shall hereafter enjoy, a cluster from Eshcol, an
earnest of their future inheritance. The time is coming when
they shall reap the full harvest in the fruition of their God,
in whose " presence there is fulness of joy, and at whose right
hand there are pleasures for evermore d ."]
The connexion between these two periods being
marked, I proceed to shew,,
II. The certainty and blessedness of this connexion
And,
1. The certainty of it-
fin the natural world the connexion is not sure : every
care may have been exercised in preparing the ground, and
the best seed may have been sown in it ; and yet, through blast
ing or mildew, or some other unforeseen calamity, the hopes of
the husbandman may be disappointed. But in the spiritual
world this can never occur. There may be many events which
seem unpropitious, and threaten the total destruction of the life
of God in the soul: but God will overrule them all for the final
accomplishment of his own gracious purposes, agreeably to his
own express engagement, that " All things shall work together
for good to them that love God, to them that are the called
according to his purpose 6 ." The untoward circumstances may
continue for a considerable length of time ; but God engages,
that " though their weeping may endure for a night, joy shall
assuredly come to them in the morning f ." Extremely beautiful
is that promise in the Prophet Hosea: " Then shall we know,
if we follow on to know the Lord. His goings forth are pre
pared as the morning^" The benighted traveller may be ready
to imagine that the morning, as it were, will never arrive. But
the sun, though as remote as possible from us, will return, and
is actually making a progress towards us ; and has its radiance
ready prepared to pour it forth, for the benefit of the earth, at
the appointed hour. So, in the darkest seasons of desertion is
God prepared, to lift up the light of his reconciled countenance
upon us, and to refresh our souls with his enlightening and in
vigorating beams.]
b Jer. xxxi. 12, 13. c Isai. Ixi. 1 3. d Ps. xvi. 11.
c Rom. viii. 28. f Ps. xxx. 5. e Hos. vi. 3.
721.] THE SPIRITUAL HARVEST. 409
2. The blessedness of it
[The joy of the harvestman may be fitly used to charac
terize the Christian s consolations here h : but it will convey no
idea of his felicity hereafter ; for all that here he sought and
tasted shall there be enjoyed in its utmost fulness : and if the
feast of which the prodigal was made to partake, on returning
to his Father s house, was so blessed, what must the banquet
be which is prepared for us above ! Verily, in comparison of
that, the sublimest happiness of man on earth is no more than
as a twinkling star to the meridian sun. To attempt to speak
of the heavenly glory, is only to " darken counsel by words
without knowledge :" for, what conception have we of the im
mediate vision of our God in the full effulgence of his glory ?
or what idea can we form of that throne and that kingdom
which we shall possess above ? Suffice it to say, that all which
the blood of Christ could purchase, and all that the love of God
can bestow, is the portion reserved for us in the realms of bliss.]
BEHOLD, then,
1. How desirable is true repentance
[I grant that repentance, considered without relation to
its consequences, is not a pleasing exercise of mind : nor would
a husbandman find any pleasure in casting his seed into the
ground, if he had no prospect of a future recompence. But
both the husbandman and the penitent sow in hope. Each of
them knows, that without sowing he can never reap; and each
of them expects, that if he " sow in hope, he shall be partaker
of his hope." Hence the employment is that which each of
them affects. But there is this difference between the two :
the husbandman is confined to a few weeks for the discharge of
his duty, whereas the penitent prosecutes his labours to the very
end of life ; seeing that there is no day or hour which does not
give him fresh occasion for penitential sorrow. He is to go forth
bearing " a seed-basket 1 ;" and exactly as the sower, bearing the
seed-basket, scatters the seed as universally as he can over the
whole field, so does the penitent, every step he takes in the field
of life. And whereas one may sow too early and too much, the
other knows that he never can too soon begin the blessed work ;
and that the more profusely he sows, the more abundantly he
shall reap: God having ordained, in reference to this as well as to
every other duty, that " he who soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly, and he who soweth bountifully shall reap also bounti
fully 11 ." To all then I say, " Be afflicted, and mourn and weep:
let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into
heaviness : humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God,
h Isai. ix. 3. l So it is rendered in the margin of our Bible.
k 2 Cor. ix. 0.
410 PSALMS, CXXVI. 5, 6. [721.
and he shall lift you up 1 ." I say, To all, without exception,
would I give this advice ; for it is by a conformity to it, under
the Gospel dispensation, that every child of God shall be
known : "In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the
children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah
together, going, and weeping : they shall go, and seek the Lord
their God. They shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces
thitherward; saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the
Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten" 1 ."]
2. How reconciled we should be to trials
[To the Christian there may be many storms and tempests,
or a long-protracted season of distress, which may threaten the
destruction of all his prospects : but as, in relation to the wheat,
the frost is even desirable to destroy the vermin, so are diversities
of seasons beneficial to the spiritual seed : as St. Peter has said;
" The trial of our faith, which is much more precious than of
gold, which, though it stand the trial of fire, will perish at last,
will be to praise and honour and glory at the appearing of our
Lord Jesus Christ"." It is remarkable that our blessed Lord,
speaking of himself as the true vine, and of his people as the
branches, says of " every branch that beareth fruit, the hus
bandman purge th it, that it may bring forth more fruit ." It
might be hoped, that, since it was already fruitful, it might
escape the wounds inflicted by the pruning-knife : but that is
not consistent with the will of the great Husbandman, who
consults its ultimate benefit in proportion to the prospect which
it affords of progressive fruitfulness. So are God s dearest
people often most severely tried ; and they whose sheaves shall
hereafter be found most abundant, are often made to apprehend
an entire failure of all their prospects. Consider, thou tempted
Believer, how profitable thy trials have been to thee ; how they
have tended to humble thy pride, to weaken thine attachment
to earthly things, to make thee feel thy need of God s continual
help, and to quicken thee in thy way to the heavenly Zion : and
learn to say, " It is good for me that I have been afflicted ; and
it is in love and faithfulness that thou hast afflicted me."]
3. How sweet to the Christian should be the
thoughts of death
[Death is as the waggons that are about to carry home
the produce of the field, or as those which were sent to bear
the afflicted Jacob to his beloved Joseph. The sight of these
made Jacob forget all his troubles, and become indifferent to
all that he possessed in this world : " He regarded not his stuff ,
because all the good of the land of Egypt was his p ." So then,
1 Jam. iv. 9, 10. m Jer. 1. 4, 5. n 1 Pet. i. 7.
John xv. 2. P Gen. xlv. 19, 20.
722.] GOD S MERCY AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAYER. 411
Brethren, let it be with you. Behold the waggons sent to bear
you home, whither you shall " go rejoicing, bearing your
sheaves with you." Yes, the tears that you have shed have
been treasured up by God in his vial q ; and they shall be re
compensed into your bosom a hundred and a thousand fold.
Hear the declaration of God himself to this effect : " Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord : even so saith the Spirit :
for they rest from their labours, and their works do follow them 1 ."
Only view death aright, and you will account it amongst your
most valued treasures : you will even " be looking for, and
hasting unto, the coming of the day of Christ." If it " be
unto you Christ to live," doubt not a moment but that " to die
will be gain 8 ." For this is the irreversible decree of God, that
" \vhatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap: he that
soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that
soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting 1 ."]
<i Ps. Ivi. 8. r Rev. xiv. 13. s Phil. i. 21. * Gal. vi. 7, 8.
DCCXXII.
GOD S MERCY AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAYER.
Ps. cxxx. 1 4. Out of the depths have / cried unto tliee, O
Lord. Lord, hear my voice : let thine ears be attentive to the
voice of my supplications. If thou, Lord, shouldest mark
iniquities, O Lord, ivho shall stand ? But there is forgive
ness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
IN seasons of affliction, it is a great comfort to see
how others in similar circumstances, have found
relief. It is in this view that biography is peculiarly
interesting ; and Scripture biography more especially,
because it is more authentic in itself, and a surer
ground for wise and profitable observations. The
Psalms are a rich repository of such instruction.
David was a man of deep experience. His afflictions,
both temporal and spiritual, were very abundant :
and, as they are faithfully related to us, so do we
see under them the workings of his mind. In the
passage just read we see,
I. The means he used for deliverance from his dis
tresses
His trials were greatly diversified, and very severe
[Unless it were recorded on divine authority, we should
scarcely conceive it possible that a man of David s character
should be an object of such inveterate and envenomed malice
412 PSALMS, CXXX. 14. [722.
as he was in the eyes of Saul : and, after the returns which he
made to Saul, we should scarcely think that human malignity
could ever arrive at such a height, or rage with such unre
lenting fury, as it did in that envious and jealous monarch.
Of his troubles under persecution David speaks under the same
metaphor as that which is used in our text : " Save me, O
Lord! for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in
deep mire, where there is no standing : I am come into deep
waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my
crying : my throat is dried : mine eyes fail, while I wait for my
God. They that hate me without a cause are more than the
hairs of my head : they that would destroy me, being mine
enemies wrongfully, are mighty a ."
It seems, however, that on the present occasion he refers to
his spiritual troubles, because it is of his iniquities that he
chiefly complains, and of forgiveness that he expresses his chief
desire. It might be supposed that so holy a man as he should
have no complaints of this kind to make : but the truth is, that
the more holy any man is, the more enlarged will be his views
of the spirituality of God s Law, and the more painful his
sense of his short-comings and defects : and it should seem that
David was permitted to sustain great anguish of mind on this
account, that so he might be the better fitted to instruct and
comfort God s tempted people to the very end of time. Hear
his complaints under a sense of God s displeasure: " Thou hast
laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps : thy wrath
lieth hard upon me ; and thou hast afflicted me with all thy
waves b ." Sometimes he was so overwhelmed, that he thought
himself altogether an outcast from God, and doubted whether
he should ever find mercy at his hands : " Will the Lord cast
off for ever ? and will he be favourable no more ? Is his mercy
clean gone for ever ? doth his promise fail for evermore ? Hath
God forgotten to be gracious ? hath he in anger shut up his
tender mercies ?"]
Under all his trials he had recourse to God in
prayer
[" Out of the depths he cried unto the Lord." He well
knew that none but God could support him under all his
temporal afflictions, and that there was no other comforter
amidst the troubles of his soul. Hence, on all occasions, he
betook himself to God in prayer. Under trials from man he
says, " I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised:
so shall I be saved from mine enemies d ." And under the
frowns of Almighty God he still sought refuge in the arms
of him whose displeasure he feared: "The sorrows of death
a Ps. Ixix, 1 4. b Ps. Ixxxviii. 6, 7.
c Ps. Ixxvii. 7 9. (1 Ps. xviii. 3 6.
722. J GOD S MERCY AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO PRAYER. 413
compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me : I found
trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the
Lord ; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul e ! " Thus did
Jeremiah also, under his extremities : " They have cut off my
life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon me. Waters flowed
over mine head ; then I said, I am cut off. I called upon thy
name, O Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my
voice ; hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry f !" Thus
it is that we also, under all our troubles, should approach our
God. Nor should we be discouraged because we cannot find
enlargement in prayer : our feelings may be too deep for
utterance ; and our desires may find vent only in sighs, and
groans, and tears : but, if only we be sincere, God will hear
our very " breathing and our cry."]
From the account which David gives us of his
prayers, we learn,
II. The views of God, from whence he derived his
chief encouragement-
He dared not to plead for any thing on the footing
of justice
[He was sensible that he in no respect came up to the
perfect demands of God s Law ; and that, if God should " mark
his iniquities," it would be impossible for him to " stand ; " since
there was not an act, or word, or thought in his whole life that
could endure so severe a scrutiny. Such is the view which all
holy men have of their own infirmities : they know that God
" charges even his angels with folly g ," and that " the very
heavens are not clean in his sight : " how much less can man
be pure, who by nature comes from a corrupt source; and, by
practice, drinks iniquity like water h ? Job was the most perfect
man of his day : yet he says, " If I should say I am perfect, my
own tongue would prove me perverse 1 ." And every living man
must deprecate the being dealt with according to the demands of
strict justice, saying, " Enter not into judgment with thy ser
vant, O Lord ; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified V]
His only hope was founded on the mercy of his
God-
[Mercy is an essential perfection of the Divine nature, and,
consequently, inseparable from God. But the expression,
" There is forgiveness with thee," intimates, that it is treasured
up, as it were, in the Divine bosom, ready to be bestowed on
every weeping penitent. We are told, that " it has pleased the
Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell ;" and that " out
8 Ps. cxvi. 3, 4. f Lam. iii. 5356. s Job iv. 18.
h Job xv. 1416. * Job ix. 2, 3, 20. k Ps. cxliii. 2.
414 PSALMS, CXXX. 14. [722.
of his fulness we are all to receive," according to our respective
necessities. This was David s encouragement. Had he not
known this, he would have sat down in utter despair. It is a
consciousness of this that emboldens a penitent to draw nigh
to God, and to ask for mercy at his hands. A soul that is gone
beyond the reach of mercy, hates God with a perfect hatred,
and " never repents to give him glory 1 :" but the soul that hopes
in his mercy, feels towards him a filial fear and reverence ; and
this holy fear is ever augmented in proportion to the hope that
is cherished in the soul. Hence, when God says respecting
his people, " I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby
they have sinned against me ; and I will pardon all their iniqui
ties, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have trans
gressed against me ;" he adds, " And it shall be to me a name
of joy, a praise, and an honour before all the nations of the
earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them. And
they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the
prosperity, that I procure unto it m ."]
In this view of David s experience we may SEE,
1. Our dependence on God
[To whom can we go in a time of trouble? Who can
afford us even the smallest help, especially under a sense of sin,
and under a dread of God s displeasure ? We may possess all
that the world can give, but it will not for a moment soothe
the agonies of a guilty conscience. Of all things under the
sun, in this view, it must be said, " Miserable comforters are
ye all ! " Our help is in God alone. " He is the only fountain
of life : and in his light alone can we see light"."]
2. Our obligations to him
[When we see so holy a man as David brought into
"depths" where he feels as one ready to perish, what thanks
can we render unto God, that we are enabled to pass through
life in peaceful tranquillity, and with a cheerful hope of eternal
life ! None but those who have experienced the hidings of
God s face, and the terrors of his wrath, can have any concep
tion what it is to be reduced to such a state. Does David say,
" Fearfulness hath taken hold upon me, and an horrible dread
hath overwhelmed me?" Why, then, is not that the condition
of our souls ? Who does not deserve it ? Who might not well
be left to sustain it throughout his whole life ? If we were saved
from perdition at last, it would be a mercy, for which we should
have cause to bless God to all eternity. But to enjoy peace
here, and the light of God s countenance, verily this is a blessing
for which we can never be sufficiently thankful.
But there is yet a richer blessing vouchsafed unto us ; and
1 Rev. xvi. 9, 11. m Jer. xxxiii. 8, 9. n Ps. xxxvi, 9.
723. ] WAITING UPON GOD. 415
that is, that in all our trials, of whatever kind, we have God him
self for our refuge. Who need to be afraid of depths, when he
has a God to go unto, a God able and willing to deliver him ?
Look at the heathen, who know not God ; or at those who,
though in a Christian land, are unacquainted with the great
mystery of redemption. They are in a pitiable condition in
deed: but the believing penitent, though in darkness, has reason
to rejoice ; because his " heaviness will endure but for a night,
and joy will come to him in the morning." He may descend
with Jonah to the very precincts of hell; but in due season he
shall be brought forth to light and liberty and joy.]
3. Our true wisdom
[The resolution of David, in the words following our text,
should be ours. Whether in trouble or at ease, let us wait on
the Lord, and " hold us fast by God." The man who has been
watching through the night looks with eager desire to the break
of day, when he shall be relieved from his toil. But with far
greater earnestness, and with sweeter assurance too, should we
wait on God, confident that he will appear* for us in the hour
of need, and grant us that rest which our necessities require.
Let us then live in this habit ; and then, " though the fig-tree
should not blossom, nor the fields yield their meat, nor any herd
be found in the stalls, we may rejoice in the Lord, and joy in
the God of our Salvation ."]
Hab. hi. 17, 18.
DCCXXIII.
WAITING UPON GOD.
Ps. cxxx. 5, 6. / 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.
MANY of God s people are at times reduced to
great straits, either through the violence of perse
cution or the force of temptation : and, under such
circumstances, what refuge have they, but in God ?
It is in vain for them to look to the creature : and it
sometimes appears to them to no purpose to wait
even upon God, because the desired relief is so long
delayed. David, under delays of this kind, was some
times discouraged : but, whatever were the depths
into which he had fallen on the present occasion, it is
manifest that he cast himself upon the mercy of his
416 PSALMS, CXXX. 5, 6. [723.
God, and determined to " hold fast by God," and to
maintain his confidence in him even to the end. I will,
I. Unfold to you the experience of David-
He declares it to us in few words : " he waited
upon God." And the comparison by which he illus
trates the frame of his mind, will serve us as a clew,
whereby to find the full import of his words. He
may possibly refer to watchmen in general, who,
during a long and tedious night, wait for the morning,
when they shall be released from their fatigues, and
retire to their rest. But I rather think that he refers
to the Priests and Levites, whom he had appointed to
watch nightly in the Tabernacle a , and who, if they were
not filled with a spirit of devotion, by which they might
enjoy communion with their God, would long ear
nestly for the morning, when they might terminate
their irksome task. But more than they did David
long for the return of God to his soul ; waiting for him,
1. With earnest desire
[No temporal distress will bear any comparison with that
which is spiritual. The troubles of an awakened or tempted
soul are very heavy ; and the depths into which it is plunged,
by an apprehension of God s wrath, are very terrible. No
wonder that David " panted after the Lord, as the hart after
the water-brooks b :" no wonder that, when God s answers to
his prayers were delayed, he cried, " How long, O Lord ! how
long c ?" Nor is such importunity disapproved of God : on the
contrary, he would have us " cry day and night to him d , "
and give him no rest, till he arise, and come to "our relief 6 .]
2. With patient hope
[Though earnest in prayer, he was willing to tarry the
Lord s leisure ; and would not attempt to 
