160 SERMONS uroN PSALM cxix. [Ser. XYIII.
is too hard to be resisted or endured : Job vii. 15, ' My soul choosetli strangling and death rather than my life.' In all these cases it is but a shameful retreat from the conflict and burden of the present life, from carnal irksomeness under the calamity, or a distrust of God's help. There may be murder in a rash wish, if it proceed from a vexed heart. These are but froward thoughts, not a sanctified resolu- tion. Secondly, Such desires of death and dissolution as are lawful, and must be cherished, come from a good ground, from a heart cruci- fied and deadened to the world, and set on things above : Col. iii. 1, ' If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Clnist sitteth on the right hand of God.' From a competent assurance of grace : Eom. viii. 23, ' Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.' From some blessed experience of heavenly comforts, having tasted the fruits, clusters of Canaan, they desire to be there. So Simeon : Luke ii. 29, ' Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation ; ' the ej'es of his faith, as well as the eyes of his body. Now, Lord, I do but wait, as a merchantman richly Uiden desireth to be at his port. A great love to Christ excites desires to be with him : Phil. i. 23, ' I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ, which is far better;' Phil. iii. 19, 20, ' For our conversa- tion is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' They long to see and be where he is ; heart and head sliould be together. Weariness of sin, and a great zeal for God's glory, are powerful incentives in the saints : Eom. vii. 23, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' They would be in heaven, that they may sin no more.
[3.] You must look to the end ; not have a blind notion of heaven, and look for a Turkish paradise full of ease and plenty ; a carnal heaven, as the Jews looked for a carnal Messiah ; but for a state of perfect union and communion with the blessed and holy God.
[4.] The manner must be regarded ; it must be done with sub- mission, Phil. i. 24 ; otherwise we encroach upon God's right, and would deprive him of a servant without his leave. A Christian will die and live as the Lord willeth ; if it be the Lord's pleasure, a be- liever is satisfied with long life: Ps. xci. 16, ' With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation ; ' he will ' wait till the change come,' when God shall give him a discharge by his own imme- diate hand, or by enemies. God knoweth how to choose the fittest time, otherwise we know not what we ask.
Secondly, Now let me speak of the scope of our lives. David simply doth not desire life, but in order to service. The point is —
That if we desire long life, we should desire it to glorify God by obedience to his word.
Let me give you some instances, then reasons.
1. Instances: Ps. cxviii. 17, ' I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.' This was David's hope in the prolongation of life, that he should have farther opportunity to honour God ; and this argument he urgeth to God when he prayeth for life : Ps. vi. 5, ' For in death there is no remembrance of thee ; in the grave who
VeR. 17.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 161
shall give thee thanks ? ' It would be better for him to be with God ; but then the life is worth the having, when the extolling of Christ is the main scope at which we aim. So Paul : Phil. i. 20, ' According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death,' &c. Paul was in some hesitation which he should choose, life or death ; and he determineth of both as Grod might be magnified by either of them, and so was at a point of indifference. If God sliould give him his option or wish, he would give the case back again to God, to determine as it might be most for his service and glory. He was not swayed by any low and base motives of contentment in the w^orld, or any low and creature enjoyments ; these are contemptible things to come into the balance with everlasting glory. It was only his service in the gospel, and the public good of the church, that made the case doubtful.
Beas. 1. This is the perfection of our lives, and that which maketh it to be life indeed. Communion with God is the vitality of it, without which we are rather dead than alive. Life natural we have in common with the beasts and plants ; but in keeping the word, we live the life of God : E2)h. iv. 18, * Having the miderstanding darkened, being- alienated from the life of God.' To natural men it is a gloomy thing ; but to believers this is the life of life, and that which is the joy of their hearts. To increase in stature, and to grow bulky, that is the life of plants ; the greatest and biggest of the kind are most perfect. To live and enjoy pleasures without remorse, that is the perfection and life of beasts, that have no conscience, that shall not be called to an account. To gratify present interests, and to be able to turn and wind worldly affairs, that is the life of carnal men, that have no sense of eternity. But the perfection of the life of man as a reasonable creature is to measure our actions by God's word, and to refer them to his glory.