S4 SEEMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. X.
But why is the J'oung man only specified ?
I answer — All men are concerned in this work. Old men are not left to themselves, nor wholly given over as hopeless; but youth need it most, being inclined to liberty and carnal pleasures, and most apt to be led aside from the right way by the motions of the flesh : and being headstrong in their jxassions, and self-willed, need to have their fervours abated by the cool and chill doctrines of repentance and con- version to God. And, therefore, though others be not excluded, the young man is expressly mentioned : unbroken colts need the stronger bits. The word is of use to all, but especially to youth, to bridle them, and reduce them to reason.
[2.] The answer — ' By taking heed thereto according to thy word.' The word, as a remedy against natural uncleanness, is considerable two ways — as a rule, and as an mstrument.
(1.) As the only rule of that holiness which God will accept. All other ways are but bypaths, as good meaning, or the suggestions of a blind conscience, custom, example of others, our own desires, laws of men, superstitious observances, and apocryphal holiness. Nothing is holi- ness in God's account, how specious soever it be, unless it be according •to the word. What doth the word do about all these as the rule ? It showeth the only way of reconciliation with God, or being cleansed from the guilt of sin, and the only Way of solid and true sanctification and subjection to God, which is our cleansing from the filthiness of sin. All religions aim at this — Ut anima sit subjecta Deo, et 2:>eccata ^ in se. No true peace without the word, nor no true holiness. The first is proved Jer. vi. 16, ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' The second is proved John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth.' So that a young man that is, like Hercules in hivio, to choose his path to true happiness, will never attain to true peace and sound satisfaction of conscience, nor to true grace or a hearty subjection to God, but by consulting with the word. No other rule and direction will serve the turn. (1.) It is the only rule to teach us how to obtain true peace of con- science. The whole world is become obnoxious to God, and held under the awe of divine justice. This bondage is natural, and the great inquiry is how his anger shall be appeased : Micah vi. 6, 7, ' Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God ? Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old ? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil ? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?' Now here is no tolerable satisfaction offered, no plaster for the wounds of conscience, no way to compromise and take up the controversy between us and God ; but l^y the propitiation which the gospel holdeth forth all this is effected. The Gentiles were at a loss, the Jews rested in the sacrifices, which yet ' could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience,' Heb, ix. 9 ; therefore they fled to barbarous and sinfully cruel customs, offering their first-born, &c. There was no course to recover men from their entanglements and
^ Qu. ' pacata' ? — Ed.
VeR. 9.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. > 85
perplexities of soul, how to pacify God for sin, but they were still left in fi floating uncertainty, till God revealed himself as reconciling the world to himself in Christ. Now, no doctrine doth propound the way of reconciliation with God, and redemption from those fears of his angry justice which are so natural to us, with such rational advantages, and claimeth such a just title to human belief, as the doctrine of the gospel. Oh ! then, if the young man would cleanse his conscience, and quiet and calm his own spirit, he must of necessity take up with the word as his sure direction in the case. Look abroad, where will you find rest for your souls in this business of atonement and reconcilia- tion with God ? What strange horrible fruits and effects have men's contrivances on this account produced ? What have they not invented, what have they not done, what not suffered upon this account ? and yet continued in dread and bondage all their days. Now, what a glorious soul-appeasing light doth the doctrine of satisfaction and atonement by the blood of Christ the Son of God cause to break in upon the hearts of men ! The testimony of blood in the conscience is one of the witnesses the believer hath in himself : 1 John v. 8, ' And there are three that bear witness on earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood ;' and ver. 10, ' He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.' (2.) It is the only rule of true holiness. Never was it stated and brought to such a pitch as it is in the scriptures, nor enforced by such arguments as are found there ; it requireth such a holiness as standeth in conformity to God, and is determined by his will. Now it is but reason that he that is the Supreme Being should be the rule of all the rest. It is a holiness of another rate than the blind heart could find out ; not an external devotion, nor a civil course, but such as transformeth the heart and subdueth it to the will of God, Eom. ii. 15. If a man would attain to the highest exact- ness that a rational creature is capable of, not to moral virtue only, but a true genuine respect to God and man, he must regard and love the law of God that is pure. A man that would be holy had need of an exact rule, for to be sure his practice will come short of his rule ; and therefore, if the rule itself be short, there will no due provi- sion be made for respects to God or man. But now this is a rule that reacheth not only to the way, but the thoughts ; that converteth the soul : Ps. xix. 7, ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul' Take the fairest draughts of that moral perfection which yet is of human recommendation, and you will find it defective and maimed in some parts, either as to God or men. It is inferioris JiemispJiccrii, as not reaching to the full subjection of the soul to God. There is some dead fly in their box of ointment, either for manner or end.