The second note is, they icalk in his loays. This is the positive part ; not only avoiding of sin, but practice of holiness, is implied. Observe —
Doct. 2. It is not enough only to avoid evil, but we must do good.
' They do no iniquity ; ' then ' they walk in his ways.' Why ?
1. The law of God is positive as well as negative. In every com- mand there are precepts and prohibitions, that we might own God, as well as renounce the devil ; and maintain communion with him, as well as avoid our own misery: Amos v. 15, 'Hate the evil, and love the good ;' Kom. xii. 9, * Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.'
2. The mercies of God they are positive as well as privative. Our obedience should correspond with God's mercies. Now, God doth not only deliver us from hell, but he hath called us to glory. John iii. 16, The end of Christ's coming is, that we should ' not perish' (there is the jjrivative part), but ' come to everlasting life ' (there is the posi- tive). In the covenant God hath undertaken to be ' a sun and a shield,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 11 ; not only a sun, which is the fountain of life and vegetation and blessing, but a shield to defend us from danger in the world ; therefore our obedience should be positive as well as privative.
Use. It reproves those that rest in negatives. As it was said of the emperor, he was rather not vicious than virtuous. Many men, all their religion runs upon nots: Luke xviii. 11, 'I am not as this publican.' That ground is naught, though it brings not forth brisrs and thorns, if it yields not good increase. Not only the unruly servant is cast into hell, that beat his fellow-servant, that ate and drank with the drunken, but the idle servant, that wrapped up his talent in a napkin.
38 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. V.
Meroz is cursed, not for opposing and figliting, but for not helping, Judges V. 23. Dives did not take away food from Lazarus, but he did not give him of his crumbs. Many will say, I set up no other gods; ay ! but dost tliou love, reverence, and obey the true God ? In the second commandment, I abhor idols ; but dost thou delight in ordi- nances ? I do not swear and rend the name of God by cursed oaths ; ay ! but dost thou glorify God and honour him ? I do not profane the Sabbath ; but dost thou sanctify it ? Thou dost not plough and dance ; but thou art idle, toyest away the Sabbath. Thou dost not wrong thy parents ; but dost thou reverence them ? Thou dost not murder ; but dost thou do good to thy neighbour ? Thou art no adulterer ; but dost thou study temperance and a holy sobriety in all things ? Thou art no slanderer ; but art thou tender of thy neigh- bour's honour and credit as of thy own ? Usually men cut off half their bill, as the unjust steward, when he owed a hundred, bade him set down fifty. We do not think of sins of omission. If we are not drunkards, adulterers, and profane persons, we do not think what it is to omit respects to God, and want of reverence to his holy majesty ; to delight in liim and his ways.
In the next place, take notice of the notion, by which the precepts of God are expressed ; here they are called ivays, ' that walk in his ways ;' how is that ? — not as he hath given us an example, to be holy as he is hoh^ just as he is just ; but his ways are his precepts. Why are they his ways ? Because they are ajjpointed by God, and pre- scribed by him. Which shows the evil of defection and going astray from him. It is a despising God's wisdom and authority. The great and wise God hath found out a way for the creature to walk in, that he may attain true happiness ; and we must still be running out into bypaths ; yea, it is a despising of his goodness : ' He hatii showed thee, 0 man, what is good;' how to walk step by step. Then they are God's ways, as they lead to the enjoyment of him. From thence we may learn that many that wish to be where he is, shall never come there, because they do not walk in the way that leads to him. A man can never come to a place, that will not go in the way that will bring him thither: so they will never come to the enjoyment of God in a blessed estate, that will not take the Lord's way to blessedness, that follow not the course God hath prescribed to them in his word.
SERMON V.
Tliou hast commanded us to keep tliy precepts diligenthj. — Ver. 4.
The Psalmist having laid down the description of the blessed man by the frame of his heart, and the course of his life, and the integrity of his obedience, he comes now to another argument whereby to enforce the entire observation of God's law. The argument in the text is taken from God's authority enjoining this course, and he propounds it by way of address and appeal to God for the greater emphasis and force, ' Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.'