If men would be constant, the next thing they must do is to ]wac- tise that religion they choose, and live under the power of it. Holi- ness is a great means of constancy : 1 Tim. iii. 9, ' Holding the mys- tery of faith in a pure conscience.' As precious liquors are best kept in clean vessels, so is the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. Men may be stubborn in their opinions out of natural courage, and the en- gagement of credit and interests ; but this is of little worth without practical godliness : their orthodoxy and rightness in opinion will not bring them to heaven, nor shall they be saved because they are of such a sect or party. But then all must be closed up by persevering in our resolutions ; otherwise all our former zeal will be lost. ' I have chosen the way of truth ; thy judgments have I laid before me ;' and then now, ' I have stuck unto thy testimonies : 0 Lord, }iut me not to shame :' 2 John 8, ' Look to yourselves, that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought.^ All that a man hath done and suf- fered, watching, striving, ])roying, they come to nothing unless we stick to it and persevere. Under the law a Nazarite was to begin his days of separation again, if he had defiled himself ; if he had separated himself for a year, and kept his vow within two days of the year, he was to begin all anew, Num. vi. 12; and the interpretation of that type I cannot give you better than in the prophet's words : Ezek. xviii. 24, ' AVhen the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, all his righteousness that he hath done shall not be remembered.' When they turn head against their former pro-
VeR. 31.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 315
fcssiou, it comes to nothing. Thus you see what a perfect dependence there is between this verse and the former. In the words there is —
1. A profession, I have stuck unto thy testimonies.
2. A prayer, 0 Lord, jnit me not to shame. , First, For the profession, ' I liavc stuck to tliy testimonies.' Saith
Chrysostom, lie doth not say, I have followed tliy testimonies, but stuck or cleaved ; stuck so fast that nothing could remove him, no diffi- culties, trials, shakings ; he was still firm.
Doct. Those that have chosen the way of God, and begun to con- form their practice thereunto, ought with all constancy to persevere therein.
First, We have the same reasons to continue that we had to begin at first. There is the same loveliness in God's ways ; Christ is as sweet as ever ; heaven is as good as ever. If there be any difference, there is more reason to continue than there was to begin. "Why? Because we have more experience of the sweetness of Christ, You knew him heretofore only by report and hearsay ; but now, Avlien you have walked in the way of holiness, then you know him by experience; and if you have tasted, 1 Peter ii.2, then certainly you should not fall off afterwards. Upon trial Christ is sweeter ; and the longer you have kept to conscience, heaven is nearer ; and would a man miscarry and be discouraged when he is ready to put into the haven ? Eom. xiii. 11, ' Your salvation is nearer than when you first believed.' The nearer we are to the enjoyment of any good, the more impatient in the want of it ; as natural motion we find swifter in the end, because it is nearer to the centre ; but violent motion is swiftest at first ; as when a stone is thrown upward, it is swifter at first, but when the impression of the external force is more spent, then the motion is weaker. It argues that you are not seriously thorough with God, if you should break with him after some profession of his name ; now your motion should be more earnest, more strong towards him. I speak this, because we are t^o a])t to ' cast off our first faith,' 1 Tim. v. 12 ; and to ' lose our first love,' Eev. ii. 4 ; and to grow remiss and lazy, and neglect our first works, 2 Chron. xvii. 3. Jehoshaphat is said to ' walk in the first ways of his father David.' We see many at the first are carried on with a great deal of afi'ection and zeal ; and there are many promising begin- nings of a very flourishing spring ; but yet they are no sure prognosti- cations of a joyful harvest. Why, consider with yourselves, We have the same reasons to continue as to begin, yea, much more, as heaven is nearer. In a marriage relation true affection increaseth, but adul- terous love is only hot while it is new. If our hearts be upright with God, we will increase with zeal for his glory and love to his testi- monies.
Secondly, The danger and mischievous eftects of apostasy, and falling oft', that is another reason why we should stick to his testi- monies.
1. It is moYe dishonourable to God than a simple refusal ; for you biing an ill report upon him, as if he were not a good master. A wicked man that refuseth grace doth not so much dishonour God, be- cause his refusal is supposed to be the fruit of his prejudice ; but now