[2.] Take the Spirit of God for your guide. We can never walk in God's way without the conduct of God's Spirit. We must not only have a way, but a voice to direct us when we are wandering : Isa. XXX. 21, ' And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying. This is the way, walk in it.' Sheep have a shepherd as well as a fold, and children that learn to write must have a teacher as well as a copy ; and so it is not enough to have a rule, but we must have a guide, a monitor, to put us in mind of our duty. The Israelites had a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. The gospel church is not destitute of a guide : Ps. xxxvii. 24, ' Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterwards receive me to glory.' The Spirit of God is the guide and director to warn us of our duty'
[3.] The promises for your encouragement. If you look elsewhere, and live by sense, and not by faith, you shall have discouragements enough. How shall a man carry himself through the temptations of the world with honour to God ? 2 Pet. i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto
14 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. I.
US exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruptions that are in the world through lust.' When we have promises to bear us up, this will carry us clear through temptations, and make us act gener- ously, nobly, and keep close to him.
[4.] Fix the glory of God for your aim ; else it is but a carnal course. The spuitual life is a living to God, Gal. ii. 20, when he is made the end of every action. You have a journey to take, and whether you sleep or wake, your journey is still a-going. As in a ship, whether men sit, lie, or walk, whether they eat or sleep, the ship holds on its course, and makes towards its port ; so you all are going into another world, either to heaven or hell, the broad or the narrow way. And then do but consider how comfortable it will be at your jour- ney's end, in a dying hour, to have been undefiled in the way ; then wicked men that are defiled in their way will wish they had kept more close and exact with God. Even those that now wonder at the niceness and zeal of others, when they see that they must in earnest into another world, oh, then that they had been more exact and watch- ful, and stuck closer to the rule in their practice, discourses, com- pliances ! Men will have other notions then of holiness than they had before. Oh, then they v\-ill wish that they had been more circum- spect. Christ commended the unjust steward for remembering that in time he should be put out of his stewardship. Tou will all fail within a little while ; then your poor, shiftless, naked souls must launch out into another world, and immediately come to God. How comfortable will it be then to have walked closely according to the line of obedience !
Doct. 3. That a close walker not only shall be blessed, but is blessed, in hand as well as in hope.
How is he blessed \
1. He is freed from wrath. He hath his discharge, and the blessed- ness of a pardoned man : John v. 24, * He that believeth on Clirist hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, for he hath passed from death to life.' He is out of danger of perishing, which is a great mercy.
2. He is taken into favour and respect with God : John xv. 14, 'Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.' There is a real friendship made up between us and Christ, not only in point of harmony and agreement of mind, but mutual delight and fellowship with each other.
3. He is under the special care and conduct of God's providence, that he may not miscarry : 1 Cor. iii. 23, ' All things are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's.' All the conditions of his life are overruled for good ; his blessings are sanctified, and his miseries un- stinged : Eom. viii. 28, ' And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called accordmg to his purpose.'
4. He hath a sure covenant-right to everlasting glory : 1 John iii. 1, ' Behold, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be,' &c. Is a title nothing before we come to enjoy the estate ? We count a worldly heir happy, as well as a possessor ; and are not God's heirs happy ?
YeR. 2.] SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. 15
5. He hath sweet exjieriences of God's goodness towards him here in this world : Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied wlien I awake with thy likeness.' The joy of the presence and sense of the Lord's love will counter- balance all worldly joys.