Use. The use of this is to check our carnal and preposterous care for the outward man, to the neglect of the inward. How much are we for the outward man, that it may be well fed and well clothed, well at ease for the present life ! There is all our care ; but not so careful to get the soul furnished with grace, and strengthened and renewed by continued influences from Christ. Certainly if men did look after soul-strength, they would be more careful to wait upon God for his blessing. You may know the disproportion of your care for outward things and for the inward man by these questions.
1. How much do you prize God's day, the means of grace, oppor- tunities of worsliip, that are for the inward man ? The Sabbath-day is a feast-day for souls. Xow, Avlien men are weary of it. it is the most burdensome day of all the week round: Amos viii. 5, 'When will the Sabbath be gone, that we may set forth wheat ? ' It is a sign
VeR, 28.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 271
they are carnal, when men count that day the only lost clay : as Seneca saith of the Jews, they lost the full seventh of their lives, speaking of the Sabbath-day. So carnal men think it is a lost day to them, they look upon the Sabbath as a melancholy interruption of their affairs and business. The apostle James saith of those that are begotten by God, chap. i. 9, that they are 'swift to hear.' Certainly they that have an inward man to maintain, another life than an outward and animal life, must have the supply and will look after the comforts of it.
2. Consider how diiferently we are concerned with bodily and soul concernments. If the body be but a little diseased, if wo want an appetite to a meal, or a little sleep in the night, Ave complain oi; it presently ; we inquire what is the cause, and look for a remedy. But what a wonderful disproportion is there as to the soul ! It is a strange expression that, 3 John 2, ' I wish that thy body prosper as thy soul prospers.' Alas ! we may say of the most, Oh, that their souls did prosper as their bodies, as they flourish in the conveniencies of the out- ward man !
3. AVhat care have you for the inward man, to adorn the soul, to beautify it with grace, that it may be of price and esteem with God, or to fortify it with grace ? Now, when all our strength and travail is laid out for that which doth not conduce to the inward life, Isaiah Iv. 2, and w^e lay out our money for that which is not bread, it is a sign we are wholly carnal. We read in ecclesiastical story of one that wept when he saw a wanton woman decking herself with a great deal of care to please her lovers ; saith he, Have I been so careful to deck my soul for Christ Jesus ?
4. Do you take in spiritual refreshments, even when aflQictions abound? 2 Cor. i. 5, 'As the sufferings of Christ abound in ns, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ;' then you are affected as the children of God, whose heart and care runs out mainly for the in- ward man. This in general.
Doct. 2. Secondly, more especially observe he goes to God for strength. Let me show —
1. What is this spiritual strength.
2. How it is given out.
3. How God is concerned in it. David goes to God, ' Lord, strengthen me.'
First, What spiritual strength is. It is God's perfecting of his work. Strength supposeth life, therefore in general it is God's renewed influence ; when he hath planted habits of grace, he comes and strengthens. There is gratia 2:)rceveniens, operans, et co-oj)era7is — there is preventing grace, working grace, and co- working grace. Preventing grace is when God converts us, when the Lord turns us to himself, and cloth plant grace in the soul at first. Working grace is when God strengthens the habit. Co-working grace, when God stirs up the act, and helps us in the exercise of the grace we have. First he plants grace into the heart, then there is a constant influence, as the two olive-trees in Zechariah were always dropping into the lamps ; and then by excitation and co-operation he stirs it up. Saith Austin, Unless God gives us the faculties, and unless he gives us the will, we can do nothing ; and unless he concurs with the exercise of these
272 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XXIX.
faculties, still we cannot work in the spiritual life as we ought to do ; and therefore first God infuseth grace, and then strengthens grace ; first he worketh in us, then by us. First we are objects of his work, then instruments, to show wherein the strength of the soul lies.
1. There are planted in the soul habits of grace. There are not only high operations of grace, but permanent and fixed habits, the seed of God that remaineth within us, 1 John iii. 9, which cannot be the indwelling of the Spirit ; for this seed of God is some created thing : Ps, li. 10, * Create in me a clean heart, 0 God ;' and it is some- thing that grows : 2 Peter iii. 6, ' Grow in grace.' And therefore it is evident there are habits of grace planted in the soul, a good stock that we have from God at first, called ' the good treasure of the heart/ Mat. xii. These habits of grace are called ' armour of God,' ' the shield of faith,' ' the helmet of salvation.' This is the strength of the soul.