2. On the other side, some think they have it not when indeed they
332 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XXXV.
have it. Why ? Because they are not carried out in the work of God, as sometimes they seem to have been, with that liveliness and comfort. Let me tell you, there are necessary aids of grace, and there are more liberal aids of grace, over and above the necessary. If you have the necessary aids of grace, you are to acknowledge God hath enlarged your hearts, though you have not the larger measure, strength, and activity in God's service, which, upon the days of his magnificence and spiritual bounty, he is wont to dispense to his people. God doth not always continue these dis})ensations. Sometimes we find that Chris- tians outgo themselves, and are enlarged beyond the ordinary pitch. Let me represent it by a similitude. We are not to esteem a river by its swelling and running over the banks after a mighty, long, and con- tinued rain, but by its constant course ; nor are we to judge of a town by the great concourse at a fair or market, the town is not every day so filled. So neither are we to judge of God's assistance by those high tides of comfort or strength of gracious impulses which, in the days of spiritual bounty, he is wont to give. If you are enabled to walk hum- bly with God, though you have not such heights of affection, you should be thankful.
So.much for the first thing the text offers, the blessing asked, viz., an enlartred heart.
SERMON XXXV.
I loill run the way of thy commandments, ichen thou shall enlarge my heart. — Ver. 32.
The second thing that is offered here is the necessary precedency of this work on God's part before there can be any serious bent and motion of heart towards God on our part. ' When thou shalt enlarge my heart.' When is causal, because thou shalt enlarge it. God only can enlarge the heart. We are sluggish, and loath to stir a foot in the ways of obedience, therefore God must enlarge. From first to last God doth all in the work of grace ; he gives the habit and act. He plants graces in the heart, knowledge, faith, love, and delight ; and then excites and quickens them to act. The habit of grace is called ' the seed of God,' 1 John iii. 9 ; there it begins. Before we can fly we must get wings, we must have grace before we can run the way of God's command- ments ; and then quickening of the habits, the exciting of the soul to action ; the deed as well as the will, Phil. ii. 13 ; it is from God, the first inclination and actual accomplishment ; he giveth to will, that is, the first inclination : 1 Kings viii. 58, ' That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways,' &c. And then the deed, the outward expression of our obedience, it is still from God : Acts iv. 29, the apostle goes to God for that, ' Grant unto thy servants that, with all boldness, they may speak thy word ;' and so Col. iv. 3, he begs, prays to God to open a door of utterance for them. There is a door shut until God opens it. We cannot utter and express ourselves in a way of obedience without God's concurrence.
VeR. 32.J SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 333
Use. Whenever j-ou would undertake for God, get God first to un- dertake for you, as Hezekiali doth : Isa. xxxviii. 14, * 0 Lord, I am oppressed ; undertake for me.' Let every earnest prayer be accom- panied with a serious purpose, and let every serious purpose be accom- panied with earnest prayer : Cant. i. 4, ' Draw me and we will run after thee/ So here, ' Lord, I will run the ways of thy commandments.' Ay, but as to the event, we must suspend it : 'If thou wilt enlarge my heart.' This is the method we should use : first engage God by 2)rayer, then engage our hearts by promise. Though we cannot lay wagers upon our own strength, yet Ave may resolve in God's strength, and ought to engage ourselves to duty: Jer. xxx. 21, 'Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord ? ' We must promise what is due, but not presume as if we could carry our purpose without God. As to the event, they speak conditionally, ' When thou shalt enlarge my heart.' The children of God have no other confidence of their own affections but as God will put forth his power. They know they have a deceitful and corrupt heart ; and to stand to their resolutions immutably, faithfully, needs more strength than their own. They resolve as to work, but as to event, they suspend that ; they know their resolution will not be brought to anything unless God continue his grace and flxvour. The chil- dren of God, as they would own Christ as Lord, and commanding the work, so they promise obedience ; that is their duty ; and as they would own him a Saviour in helping them through the work, so they promise conditionally in his strength. As they are swayed by his sovereignty in his command, so they depend upon his all-sufficiency in his promise.