12 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. I.
his constant exercise, ' to avoid all offence both towards God and man,' Acts xxiv. 16, and is cautious and watchful lest he should be defiled ; when he is humbled more for his pollutions ; when he is always purg- ing his heart, and doth endeavour, and that with success, to walk in the way of God, — here is the undefiledness in a gospel sense : Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, 'The Lord will be a sun and a shield,' &c. To whom? 'To those that walk uprightly.' This is possible enough; here is no ground of despair. This is that will lead us to blessedness, wdien we are troubled for our failings, and there is a diligent exercise in the purification of our hearts.
2. A constant obedience. "Wicked men have their good moods and devout pangs in the way to heaven, but they are not lasting. They will go with God a step or two. But it is said, ' He that ivcdheth in the law of the Lord.' A wicked man prays himself weary of prayer, and professeth himself weary of holiness. A man is judged by the tenor of his life ; not by one action, but as he holdeth on his way to heaven. Job xxvii. 10. Many run well for a while, but are soon out of breath. Enoch walked with God three hundred and sixty-five years.
3. A uniform and an entire obedience : Exod. xx. 1, ' God spake all these words.' He commandeth one thing as well as another, and conscience takes hold of all. To single out what pleaseth us is to make ourselves gods.
A servant doth not choose his work, but the master. A child of God is uniform in one place as well as another, at home and abroad, in all the passages of his life, in prosperity and adversity, ' whether he abound, or whether he be abased,' Phil. iv. He is not like Ephraim, as 'a cake not turned;' but there is a uniformit)-. Doth he make con- science of piety and worship, and will he not make conscience of honesty and just dealing with men ? Will he make conscience of his actions, and will he not of his words ? He doth not give up him- self to idle speech and vain discourse. A hypocrite is best when he is taken in pieces, but a sincere man is best when he is taken altogether. A Christian is always like himself. It is notable in the story of the creation that God views every day's work, and God ' saw that it was good;' he viewed it altogether, 'and God saw all things that he had made, and behold it was very good.' AVhen he did consider the whole correspondence of his works, how they answered one another, then God was delighted in it. So a Christian is most delighted in the review of his course and walkino; accordinfi: to the commandment.
Thirdly, What respect hath this to true blessedness ? It is the way to it: 'Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.' This will appear in two respects — (1.) It is the beginning of blessedness. Likeness to God is the foundation of glory. Conformity to him will be carried on ' from glory to glory,' 2 Cor. iii. 18. And as conformity unto, so communion with, God in the beauties of holi- ness is the beginning of happiness: "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy like- ness,' Ps. xvii. 15. (2.) Sincere and constant obedience is the evidence of our right to future blessedness. A man hath somewhat to show for it. Mat. v. 8. It is an inclusive evidence : ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God ; ' and it is an exclusive evidence : Heb.
VeR. 1.] SEllMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 13
xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.' Well, then, when this is our way and course, we may expect happiness hereafter. The 7ises are —
1. To show you that carnal men live as if they sought misery rather than happiness : Prov. viii. 36, ' He that sins against me wrongs his own soul ; all that hate me love death.' If a man were travelling to York, who would say his aim was to come to London ? Do these men pursue happiness that walk in such defilement ? It is the way of God's law that leads to true blessedness.
2. To press you to walk according to this rule, if you would be blessed. To this end let me press you to take the law of God for your rule, the Spirit of God for your guide, the promises for your encourage- ment, and the glory of God for your end.
[1.] Take the law of God for your rule. Study the mind of God, and know the way to heaven, and keep exactly in it. It is an argu- ment of sincerity when a man is careful to practise all that he knows, and to be inquisitive to know more, even the whole will of God, and when the heart is held under awe of God's word. If a commandment stand in the way, it is more to a gracious heart than if a thousand bears and lions were in the way — more than if an angel stood in the way with a flaming sword : Prov. xiii. 13, 'He that feareth the com- mandment shall be rewarded.' Would you have blessings from God ? — fear the commandment. It is not he that fears wrath, punishment, inconveniences, troubles of the world, molestations of the flesh ; no, but he that dares not make bold with a commandment. As Jer. xxxv. 6, Go, bring a temptation, set pots of wine before the Eechabites. Oh, they durst not drink of them. Why ? ' Jonadab the son of Kechab, our father, commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine.' Thus a child of God doth reason when the devil comes and sets a temptation before him, and being zealous for God, dares not comply with the lusts and humours of men, though they should promise him peace, happiness, and plenty. A wicked man makes no bones of a command- ment ; but a godly man, when he is in a right posture of spirit, and the awe of God is upon him, dare not knowingly and wittingly go aside and depart from God.