2. The reasons why God will be sought with the whole heart are — [1.] He that gives but part to God doth indeed give nothing. The devil keeps an interest as long as one lust remains unmortified, and one corner of the soul is kept for him. As Pharaoh stood bucking, — he would ftiin have some pawn of their return ; either leave your children behind ; no, no, they must go and see the sacrifices, and be trained up in the way of the Lord ; then he would have their flocks and herds left behind ; he knew that would draw their hearts back again, — so Satan must have either this lust or that ; he knows by keeping part all will fall to his share in the end. A bird that is tied in a string seems to have more liberty than a bird in a cage ; it flutters up and down, though it be held fast: so many seem to flutter up and down and do many things, as Herod ; but his Herodias drew him back again into the fowler's net. Thus because of a sinner's danger.
[2.] Because of God's right. By creation he made the whole, there- fore requires the whole ; ' the Father of spirits ' must have the whole spirit. We were not mangled in our creation ; God, that made the whole, must have the whole. He ]-)reserves the whole. Christ hath bought the whole : 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' And God promiseth to glorify the whole. "Christians, it would be uncomfortable to us if God should only lake a part to heaven. All that you have is to be glorified in the day of Christ ; all that you are and have must be given to him — whole spirit, soul, and body. Let us not deprive him of any part.
VeR. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 29
Use. Well, do we serve God and seek after God with the whole heart ? The natural mother had rather jiart with the whole than see the child divided, 1 Kings iii. 26. God had rather part with the whole than take a piece. Either he will have the whole of your love, or leave the whole to Satan. The Lord complains, Hosea x. 2, ' Their heart is divided.' Men have some affections for God many times, but they have affections for their lusts too, the world hath a great share and portion of their heart.
Quest. But when, in a gospel sense, may we be said to seek God with the whole heart ? Take it in these short propositions.
1. When the settled purpose of our souls is to cleave to God, to love and serve him with an entire obedience, both in the inward and out- ward man, when this is the full determination and consent of our hearts.
2. When we do what we can by all good means to maintain this purpose ; for otherwise it is but a fruit of conviction, a freewill pang : Acts xxiv. 16, ' Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a con- science void of offence towards God, and towards all men.'
3. When we search out our defects, and are ever bewailing them with kindly remorse : Kom. vii. 2J?, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from this body of death?'
4. When we run by faith to Christ Jesus, and sue out our pardon and peace in Christ's name, until we come to be complete in him : Col. i. 10, ' That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.'
SEEMON IV.
Theij also do no iniquity: they iccdh in his icays. — Ver. 3.
Still the Psalmist continues the description of a blessed man. In the two first verses, holiness (which is the way to and evidence of blessed- ness) is considered with respect to the subject and the object of it, the life and the heart of man. The life of man, ' Blessed are the undefiled in the way.' The heart of man, they ' seek him with the whole heart.'
Now, holiness is considered, in the parts of it, negatively and positively. The two parts of holiness are an eschewing of sin and studying to please God. You have both in this verse, ' They also do no iniquity : they walk in His ways.'
First, You have the blessed man described negatively, they do no iniquity. Upon hearing the words, presently there occurs a doubt, how then can any man be blessed ? for ' there is not a man that liveth and sinneth not,' Eccles. vii. 20 ; and James iii. 2, ' In many things we offend all.' To deny it, is a flat lie against the truth, and against our own experience. ' If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,' 1 John i. 8. The expression may be abused on the one side, to establish the impeccability and per- fection of the saints. On the other side, it may be abused by persons of a weak and tender conscience, to the hindrance of their comfort