Use 1. It reproveth those that make one duty excuse another. Two sorts there are, — some that go from sins to duties, and others from duties to sins, that antedate or postdate indulgences. (1.) Those that antedate, that hope to make amends for their evil course by their duties, as when men allow themselves in a present carnal practice, upon the purpose of an after-repentance. It is as if men should dis- temper the body by excess, and then hope to amend all by giving themselves a vomit ; or contract a sickness voluntarily, because they will take pliysic. Certainly men would not sin so freely, if they were not borne up by promises of future reformation. (2.) That post- date. They go from duties to sins: Ezek. xxxiii. 13, 'When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.' If he shall commit a sin upon that confidence of his own righteousness. Josiah's breach with God, was after the preparing of the temple, 2 Cliron. xxxv. 20 ; even God's children take the more carnal liberty because of their duties.
Use 2. Is trial. Have we this sincere respect to all the command- ments ? This may be known —
1. By a constant desire, resolution, and endeavour to be informed of God's will : Eom. xii. 2, 'And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God.' And
58 SRnMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SePv. YII.
Eph. V. 17, ' Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.' A man that desiretli to follow God full)^ would fain know the whole latitude and breadth of his dut}'. A child of God is inquisitive. He that desireth to keep all, doth also desire to know all. It is his business to study the mind of God in all things ; gross negligence showeth we are afraid of understanding our duty.
2. By often searching and trying his own heart, that he may jBnd where the matter sticketh: Lam. iii. 40, 'Let us search and try our ways, that we may turn unto the Lord.' Complete reformation is grounded on a serious search. A chief cause of our going wrong is because we do not bring our hearts and ways together.
3. Desire God to show it if there be anything in the heart allowed contrary to the word : Job xxxiv. 32, ' That which I see not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.' And Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24, ' Search me, 0 God, and know my heart ; try me, and know my thoughts ; and see if there be any wicked thing in me ; and lead me in the way everlasting.' He would not hold on in any evil course. There is no sin so 'dear and near to him which he is not w'illing to see and judge in himself.
4. When they tail through human infirmity or imprudence, they seek to renew their peace with God : 1 John ii. 1, 'My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not ; and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.' They sue out their discharge in Christ's name. If a man were imclean under the law, he was to wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water before evening, and not rest in his uncleanness. Now if we still abide in our iilthiness, and do not fly to our advocate, and sue out
• our pardon in Christ's name, it argueth that we have not a respect to the commandment.
5. They diligently use all holy means which are appointed by God for growth in faith"and obedience : 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Let us cleanse our- selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God,' and coming up to a greater conformitj-.
6. A care of their bosom-sin, to get that weakened : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was also upright before him ; and I kept myself from mine iniquity.' Such as are most incident to us by temper of nature, course of life, or posture of interests ; the riglit hand must be cut off, the right eye plucked out, Mat. v. 29, 30. If thou seekest to cross that sin that is most pleasing to thine own heart, seekest to dry up that unclean issue that runneth upon thee ; by that and the other signs may we deter- mine wliether we have a sincere respect to all God's commandments.
Secondly. The next circumstance in the text is the fruit and benefit. They that' have an entire respect to God's laws shall not be ashamed.
There is a tw^ofold shame : the shame of a guilty conscience, and the shame of a tender conscience.
The one is the merit and fruit of sin ; the other is an act of grace. This here spoken of is to be understood not of a holy self-loathing, but a confounding shame.