VeR. 27.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 263
sweetness the practice of it diffuse tli tlirough the soul, it is unspeak- able and glorious, 1 Peter i. 8. So Phil. iv. 7, ' The ])eace of God that passes understanding shall guard your hearts,' &c. When a man hath settling and composure of spirit in the midst of tempests and storms, the heart is guarded against all fears and sorrows. When "we consider what God hath done for our souls, every grace is a wonder : to depend upon what we see not ; to be safe in the midst of a storm ; to die, yet live ; to be poor, yet make many rich ; to have nothing, yet possess all things ; these operations of grace are all wonders.
Use 1. It informeth us that a man must be carried above his own sense, reason, and light, to understand such wonderful things. It is the apostle's argument : 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10, ' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit ; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.' AH things are seen by a suitable light, spiritual things are spiritually discerned, divine things by a divine light — Non loquendum de Deo sine lumine. If beasts would judge of human affairs, they must liave the reason of men ; if men of divine things, they must have divine illumination. There is a cognation between the faculty and the object.
2. It informeth us what reason we have to respect the word of God. Many curious wits despise it as a mean knowledge in comparison of Aristotle, Plato, &c. All the doctrines of it are a continued mystery ; there is nothing vulgar and of small moment there. If there be some rudiments, something common with other writings, there are greater things than these, even the deep things of God. Never was there such a revelation made to the world as this. You despise that which angels wonder at : Eph. iii. 10, 'And to make all men see what is the fellow- ship of tlie mystery, which, from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things in Jesus Christ : to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' And 1 Peter i. 12, ' Which things the angels desire to look into.' David saith, 'Thy testimonies are wonderful, therefore doth my soul keep them.' Oh, let this book of God be moi-e dear to us ! Oh, what trifles are all worldly riches to the unsearchable riches of the Lord's grace ! Oh, how stupid are they that are not taken with such great things as these !
3. Examine your profiling. It is one degree of profit to see so much in the word of God as to admire at it. Admire God's transcendent goodness in the pardon of sins. God giveth us such admirable precepts, assisting us in the perforuhance of them, accepting our imperfect obed- ience ; this giveth wonderful comfort in all our afflictions.
Thirdly, Observe, he that is sensible of the wondrous things that are in God's word will be talking of them.
1. It will be so.
2. It should be so.
1. It will be so. When the heart is deeply affected, the tongue cannot hold, but will run out in expressions of it; for ' out of the abund- ance of the heart the mouth s})eaketh.' When cheered and revived in their afflictions, they are transported with the thought, with the ex- cellencv of God : Ps. Ixvi. 15, ' Come, and I will tell you what God
264 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR, XXVIII.
hath done for my soul.' The woman, when she had found the lost groat, calleth her neighbours to rejoice with her. He that hath but a cold knowledge, will not be so full of good discourse.
2. It should be so, in a threefold respect — for the honour of God, the edification of others, and for our own profit.
[1.] For the honour of Grod, to whom we are so much indebted, to bring him into request with those about us. Experience deserveth praise ; when you have found the Messiah, call one another to him : John i, 41-45,^ ' Andrew calleth Peter, and saith unto him, AVe have found the Messias ; and Philip calleth Nathanael and saith unto him. We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph.'
[2.] For the edification of others : Luke xxii. 32, 'And thou being converted, strengthen thy brethren.' True grace is communicative as fire, &c.
[3.] For our own profit. He that useth his knowledge shall have more ; whereas, on the contrary, full breasts, if not sucked, become dry. In the dividing, the loaves increased. AH gifts, but much more spiritual, which are the best, are improved by exercise.
Well, then, get a sense and experience of God's truth, and then speak of it to others. That which we have seen we are best able to report of. God giveth us exjieriences to this end, that we may be able to speak of it to others. None can speak with such confidence as those that have felt what they speak. Christ saith those that come to him shall not only have a spring of comfort themselves, but flow forth to others : John vii. 38, ' He that bclieveth on me, as the scrip- ture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.'