Veil 4.] sermons upon psalm cxix. 39
In the words take notice of two things —
1. The fundamental ground and reason of our obedience, which is God's command or will declared in his word.
2. The manner of this obedience. God will not be put off with any- thing, but served with the greatest diligence and exactness, ' to keep thy precepts diligently.' The Septiiagint renders it, ' That thy com- mands should be kept exceeding much.'
In the first part take notice —
1. Of the lawgiver, thou.
2. His authority interposed, or positive m]\\nci\on, ha,st commanded us. It is not left to our arbitrament whether we will take up the course which leads to true hajjpiness, yea or nay.
3. The thing commanded, to kecj) thy precepts.
Boat. To gain the heart to a full obedience, it is good to consider the authority of God in his word.
There are many courses we must use to draw the heart to an obe- dience of God. We may urge —
1. The reasonableness of obedience ; so that if we are left at our liberty, we should take up the ways of God rather than any other: Eom. vii. 12, ' The commnadment is holy, just, and good.' All that God hath required, it carrieth a great suitableness to the reasonable nature, so that if a man were well in his wits, and were to choose a law, he would of his own accord prefer the laws of God before liberty and any other service. Certainly there is an excellency in them which is in part discerned by carnal men ; they admire those that practise the duties which God hath required, though they are loth to submit to them themselves. It is no heavy burden to live chastely, humbly, soberly, and to maintain a communion and correspondence with God ; and whosoever doth so hath much the sweeter life of him that liveth sinfully. We may urge —
2. The profitableness of obedience, and how much it conduceth to our good : Deut. x. 13, ' The statutes which I command thee for thy good.' Our labour in the work of obedience is not lost or misspent. A godly course is refreshed with many sweet experiences for the pre- sent, and will bring in a full reward for the future.
3. The next motive is that of the text, to urge the command of God. It is a course enjoined and imposed upon us by our sovereign law- giver. It is not in our choice, as if it were an indifferent thing whether we will walk in the laws of God or not, but of absolute necessity, unless we renounce the authority of God. This is the argument in the text, therefore let us see how it is laid down here.
[1.] Take notice of the lawgiver, thou. It is not our equal, or one that will be baffled, but the great God, upon whom thou dependest every moment. Men are easily carried away to please those that have power over them, even sometimes to tlie wrong of God and con- science : Hosea v. 11, ' Ephraim walked willingly after the command- ment;' meaning Jeroboam's law for the worshipping the calves in Dan and Bethel. When we depend upon men we consent to their commands, and study a compliance, though contrary to our own inclinations. And is not God's authority to be regarded ? Surely he iiaththe i^reatest ri<i:ht to command us. for he made us — there is none
40 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. V.
hatli such dominion 'and lordsliip over us as God hath; and our dependence upon him is more than can be upon any created being, for ' in him we Uve, and move, and have our being ; ' and therefore, tlioit hast commanded, this should be a powerful argument. And mark, none can enforce his command with such threatenings and rewards as he can. Not with such threats : Mat. x. 28, ' Fear not him that can kill the body, and after that hath no more,' &c. Men can threaten us Avith strapados, dungeons, halters, and other instruments of persecution ; but God, with a pit without a bottom, with a worm that never dies, with a fire that shall never be quenched, with torments without end, and without ease. Then for rewards. As Saul said, ' Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards, and make you captains of fifties, of hundreds, .and of thousands?' The world takes liim to have most right to command that can bid most for our obedience. Who can promise more than God, who is a plentiful ' rewarder of them that diligently seek him ' ? Heb. xi. 6. Who hath told us of a kingdom prepared for us ; of a body glorious like unto Christ's body ; of a soul enlarged to the greatest capacities of a crea- ture ; and yet filled up with God, and satisfied with the fruition of himself. This is the person spoken of in the text, to whom the Psalmist saith, ' Thou hast commanded us.' And surely if we would willingly walk after any commandment, we should after the command- ment of the great God.
[2.] The second circumstance is, hast commanded; he hath inter- posed his authority. Besides the particular precept and rule of duty, there are general commands or significations of God's authority to bind all the rest, ' Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts.' If the word of God, or rule of obedience, were only given us as a direction, we should regard it as coming from the wisdom of God. But now it is an injunction as coming from the authority of God ; therefore in his name we may charge you, as you will answer it another day, that these precepts be dear and precious to you. Unless you mean to renounce the sovereign majesty of God, and put him besides the throne, and break out into open rebellion against him, you must do what he hath commanded : 1 Tim. i. .9, ' Charge them that be rich in the world,' &c., not only advise but charge them. And Titus ii. 15, ' These things ex- hort, and rebuke with all authority.' God will have the creatures know that he expects this duty and homage from them.