Use 1. Here is an invitation to men to acquaint themselves more with the way of God's testimonies, that they may find this rejoicing above all riches. It is hard to pleasant natures to abjure accustomed delights ; and carnal men picture religion with a sour austere foce : We shall never see cheerful day more if we are strict in religion. Oh ! consider, your delight is not abrogated, but perfected ; you shall find a rejoicing more intimate than in all pleasures. Cyprian saith he could hardly get over this prejudice, in his e})i.slle to Donatus. Austin, thirty years old, parted with his carnal delights, and found another sweetness — quam suave mild suhito factum est! It is your disease maketh you carnal ; when freed from the fervours of lust, these things will have no relish with you. If it seem laborious at first, it will be more joyful than all riches. The root is bitter, but the fruit sweet. At first it is bitter to nature, which loveth carnal liberty, to render itself captive to the word ; but after a little pains, and when the heart is once subdued to God, it will be sweet and comfortable. Ask of the
136 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XVI.
Spies that have been in this good land if it be not a land flowing with milk and honey. David tells you, ' In the way of thy testimonies.' This way would be more trodden if men would believe this ; if you will not believe, make trial ; if Christ's yoke seem burdensome, it is to a galled neck. Use 2. Trial.
1. Have we a delight in obedience to God's precepts ? Ps. cxii. 1, they that fear God, delight greatly in his commandments. It is not enough to serve God, but we must serve him delightfully ; for he is a good master, and his work hath wages in the mouth of it. It is a sign you are acquainted with the word of God, when the obedience which it requireth is not a burden but a delight to you. Alas ! with many it is otherwise. How tedious do their hours run in God's ser- vice ! no time seemeth long but that which is spent in divine worship. Do you count the clock at a feast ? and are you so provident of time when about your sports ? Are you afraid that the lean kine will de- vour the fat, when you are about your worldly business ? What cause th your rejoicing ? the increase of wealth, or grace ?
2. Is this the supreme delight of the soul ? It is seen not so much by the sensible expression, as by the serious constitution of the soul, and the solid effects of it.
[1.] Doth it draw you off from worldly vanities to the study of the word ? What are your conceptions of it ? What do you count your riches ? To grow in grace, or to thrive in the world ? To grow rich towards God, or to heap up treasures to yourselves ? Is it your great- est care to maintain a carnal happiness ?
[2.] Doth it support you in troubles and worldly losses ? and bear you out in temporal adversities ? You cannot be merry unless you have riches and wealth and worldly accommodations ; then, soul, eat, drink, and be merry !
[3.] Doth it sweeten duties ? The way of God's commandments is your way home. A beast will go home cheerfully. You are going home to rest. -Let the joy of the Lord be your strength. Certainly you will think no labour too great to get thither, whither the word directs you. As one life exceedeth another, so there is more sensible- ness in it. A beast is more sensible of wrong and hurt and of pleasure than a plant ; and as the life of a man exceedeth the life of a beast, so is he more capable of joy and grief ; and as the life of grace ex- ceedeth the life of a mere man, so its joys are greater, its griefs greater. There are no hardships to Avhich we are exposed for religion, but the reward attending it will make us to overcome.
SERMON XVI.
I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ivays. —
^ Ver. 15.
All along David had showed what he had done ; now, what he will do. Ver. 10, ' I have sought ;' ' ver. 11, ' I have hid ; ' ver. 13, ' I
VeR. 15.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 137
have declared ; ' ver. 14, ' I have rejoiced.' Now, in the two following verses, he doth engage himself to set his mark towards God for time to come : ' I will meditate in thy precepts,' &c. "We should not rest upon anything already done and past, but continue the same diligence unto the end. Here is David's hearty resolution and purpose to go on for time to come. Many will say, Thus I have done when I was young, or had more leisure and rest ; in that I have meditated and con- ferred. You must continue still iu a holy course. To begin to build and leave unfinished is an argument of folly. There is always the same reason for going on that there was for beginning, both for neces- sity, profit, and sweetness. AVe have no license to slack and give over till all be finished: Phil. ii. 12, '"Work out your own salvation;' otherwise all you do is in vain, yet not in vain : Gal. iii. 4, in vain as to final reward, yet not in vain as to increase of punishment. You lose your cost, your watchings, striving, prayings ; but you will gain a more heavy punishment, so that it had been better you had never be- gun : 2 Peter ii. 20, 21, ' For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning ; for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.' You bring an ill report upon God ; your sense of the worth of heavenly things must needs be greater for your making trial ; and therefore your punishment for neglect the greater. Into the vineyard they came at several hours, but all tarried till the close of the day. Some called sooner, some later, but all held out till the end : Heb. vi. 10, 11, you have ministered and must minister ; you have prayed and must pray ; you have heard the word with gladness, and must hear still. Many in youth are zealous, but when their first heats are spent, grow worldly, careless, and ready to sound a retreat from God. The fire of the altar ■was never to go out ; so should the life, and warmth, and vigour of our affections to the word of God be ever jDreserved. God is the same still, and so is the word ; and therefore we should ever be the same in our respects to it. The devil in policy lets men alone for a while, to mani- fest some respect to the ways of God, that they may after do religion a mischief. They are fall of zeal, strict, holy, diligent in attendance upon ordinances. He never troubleth them, but is at truce with them all this while, till they get some name for the profession of godliness, and then he knoweth their fall will be the more scandalous and ignomi- nious, not only to themselves, but to their profession. They are forward and hot men a while, till they have run themselves out of breath, and then by a notable defection shame themselves, and harden others.