[1.] The extension of parts; with the understanding, will, and affec- tions. Some seek God with a pi^ce of their hearts, to explain it either in the work of faith or love. In the work of faith ; as Acts viii. 87, ' If thou believest with all thine heart.' There is a believing with a piece, and a believing with all the heart. There is an inactive know-
Yi:r. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALBI CXIX. 27
ledge, a naked assent, which may he real, yet it is not a true faith ; the devil may have this : Luke iv. 34, the devil makes an orthodox con- fession there, ' Thou art Jesus, the Son of the living God.' This is only a conviction upon the understanding, without any bent upon the heart. It is not enough to own Christ to be the true Messiah, but we must embrace him, put our whole trust in him. There may be an assent joined with some sense and conscience, and some vanishing sweetness and taste by the reasonableness of salvation by Christ, Heb. vi. 4 ; but this is not believing with all the heart ; it is but a taste, a lighter work upon the aifections, and therefore bringeth in little experi- ence. Tiiere may be some assent, such as may engage to profession and partial reformation, but the whole heart is not subdued to God. Then do we believe with the whole heart, when the heart is warmed with the things we know and assent to ; when there is a full and free consent to take Christ upon God's terms, to all the uses and purposes for Avhicli God hath appointed him : 1 Chron. xxviii. 9, •' Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heai't, and with a willing mind;' when there is an effective and an affective know- ledge ; when we can not only discourse of God and Christ, and are inclined to believe ; but when tliese truths soak into the heart to frame it to the obedience of his will. When the Lord had spoken of practical obedience, ' Was not this to know me, saith the Lord ? ' Jer. xxii. 16. And this is to believe. So for love : Dent. vi. 5, ' Thou slialt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.' Every faculty must ex2)ress love to God. Many will be content to give God a part. God hath their consciences, but the world their affections. Their heart is divided, and the evidence of it is plainly this : In their troubles and extremities they will seek after God, but this is not their constant work and delight. We are welcome to God when we are compelled to come into his presence. God will not sa}', as men, You come in your necessity. But we must then be sincere in our addresses, and rest in him as our portion and all-sufficient good.
[2.] For intension of degrees. To seek God with the whole heart, is to seek him with the highest elevation of our hearts. The whole heart must be carried out to God, and to other things for God's sake. As harbingers, when they go to take up room for a prince, they take up the whole house, none else must have place there ; so God, he will have the whole heart.
Again, it may be considered as to the exaction of the law, and as a rule of the gospel.
(1.) As an exaction of the law ; and so Christ urged it to the young man that was of a pharisaical institution, to abate his pride and con- fidence : Mat. xxii. 37, ' Thou shalt love the Lord tliy God with all thy heart, and with all tliy soul, and with all thy mind.' Certainly these words there have a legal importance and signification ; for in an- other Evangelist, Luke x. 28, it is added, * Do and live,' which is the t'.'nor of the law. And Christ's intent was to abate the Pharisees' pride, by propounding the rigour of the first covenant. The law requireth complete love without the least defect ; according to the terms of it, a grain wanting would make the whole unacceptable ; as a hard land- lord, when all the rent is not brought to the full, he accepteth none.
28 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. III.
It is good to consider it under tins sense, that we may seek God in Christ to quicken us, that we may value our deliverance by him from this burden, which neither we nor our fothers were able to bear ; a straggling thought, a wandering glance, the least outrunning of the heart, had rendered us accursed for ever.
(2.) It may be considered as a rule of the gospel, which requireth our utmost endeavours, our bewailing infirmities and defects, but accepts of sincerity. There will be a double principle in us to the last, but there should not be a double heart. So that this expression of seeking the Lord with the whole heart is reconcilable enough with the weaknesses of the present state. For instance : 1 Kings xiv. 8, ' My servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me Avith all his heart, and did that only which was right in mine eyes.' David had many failings, and some that left an indelible brand upon him, in the matter of Uriah, yet because of his sincerity, and habitual purpose, God saith, ' He hath kept all my commandments.' So in Josiah : 2 Kings xxiii. 25, * Like to him there was no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might.' Yet he also had his imperfections ; against the warn- ing of the Lord he goes out with a wicked king, and dies in battle. So Asa : 2 Chron. xv. 17, ' The high places were not taken away ' — it was a failing in that holy king — yet it is said, ' The heart of Asa was perfect all his days.' Well, then, when the whole heart is engaged in this work, when we do not only study to know God, but make it our work to enjoy him, to rest in him as our all-sufficient portion, though there will be many defects, yet then are we said to seek him with the whole heart.