1. Not only with the tongue, but with the heart: Ps. ciii. 1, ' Praise the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.' Mark, not only with my tongue, ' with my glory,' as he calls it, but with my soul. Formal speeches are but an empty prattle, Avhich God regards not : Ps. xlvii. 7, ' Sing ye praises with under- standing.' It is fit the noblest faculty should be employed ,in the noblest work. This is the noblest work, to praise God ; therefore all that is within us must be summoned. Church adversaries took up a customary form : Zech. xi. 5, ' Blessed be the Lord, for I am rich.' And in Nehemiah it is said, ' Your brethren that hated me said, Let God be glorious.' In instruments of music, the deeper the belly of the instrument, the sweeter the melody ; so praise, the more it comes from the heart, the more acceptable to God.
2. This uprightness implies the life as well as the heart. Honour given to God in words is many times retracted and disproved by the dishonour we do to him in our conversations. This is the carrying Christ on the top of the pinnacle, as the devil did, with an intent he might throw down himself again. So we seem to advance and carry him high in praises, that we may throw him down in our lives : Titus i. 16, ' They profess tliat they know God, but in works they deny him.' Empty compliments God accepteth not, as long as there is blasphemy in their lives. Our lives must glorify him : Mat. v. 16, ' Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'
Use. It reproves us that we are no more hearty and serious in the praises of God. In our necessities, when we want, then we can howl upon our bed. Our necessity doth put a shrill accent upon our groans, and sharpen our affections in prayer ; but in praise, how cold and dull are we ! Surely we should be as warm in the one as in the other. Then it may press you to live praises, and show forth the praises of him in your conversation, 1 Peter ii. 7. Hezekiah had been sick, God recovered him, he penned a psalm of thanksgiving, Isa. xxxviii. 9. Yet it is said, ' He rendered not according to what he received,' &c., 2 Chron. xxxii., because his heart was proud and lifted up. If you do not walk more humbly and closely with God, it is not praise with uprightness of heart ; it must issue and break out in our actions and course of our conversation.
SEKMON IX.
/ 'Will keep thy statutes. 0 forsake me not utterly. — Ver. 8.
This verse, being the last of this portion, is the result of his meditation concerning the utility and necessity of keeping the law of God. Here take notice —
1. Of his resolution, / will keep thy statutes.
2. His prayer, 0 forsake me not utterly.
VeR, 8.] SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. 71
It is his purpose to keep the law ; yet beccause he is conscious to himself of many infirmilies, he prays against desertion. In the prayer there is a litotes, more is intended than is expressed. 0 forsake me not. He means, strengthen me in this work. And if thou shouldest desert me, yet but for a while, Lord, not for ever ; if in part, not in whole. Four points we may observe from hence —
1. That it is a great advantage to come to a resolution in a course of godliness.
2. Those that resolve upon a course of obedience had need to fly to God's help.
3. Though we fly to God's help, yet sometimes God may withdraw, and seem to forsake us.
4. Tiiough God seem to forsake us, and really doth so in part, yet we should pray that it may not be a total and utter desertion.
The notion of statutes I have opened, and also what it is to keep them in mind, heart, and life. That which we are now to take notice of is David's resolution. Hence observe —
Doct. 1. That it is a great advantage to come to a resolution in a course of godliness.
Negatively, let me speak to this point.
1. This is not to be understood as if our resolutions had any strength in themselves to bear us out. Peter is a sad instance how little our confidence and purposes will come to : and therefore David here, when he was most upright in his own resolution, is most diffident of his own strength ; ' 0 forsake me not : ' implying, if God should forsake him, all would come to nothing. God must enable us to do what we resolve.
2. Nor is it to be understood that it is in a man's power to resolve ; this would put grace under the dominion of our will ; it is by jM-event- ing grace that we are brought to a serious purpose : Phil. ii. 13, ' He givelh to will and to do.' Man's will is the toughest sinew in the whole creation. The very purpose and bent of the heart is the fruit of regeneration. Free-will hath its pangs, its velleities, which are like a little morning-dew, that is soon dried up : Hosea vi. 4, ' Our right- eousness is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it goetli away.' But the will and resolution that we are to understand here is the fruit of grace.