Use 1. Look after renewing grace ; see whether there be a principle of life in you or no, whether you be his workmanship in Christ Jesus. Better never be his creature if not a new creature ; a dog is in a better condition. You can do nothing in the spiritual life until there be a prin- ciple ; in vain to expect new operation before a new creation be passed upon you. The stream cannot be maintained without the spring.
2. Let us pray for strength upon all occasions, and beg the renew- ings of God's efficacious grace, that we may avoid sin, and be ready to every good work. Alas ! there are many discouragements from without, and sundry baits which tickle the flesh, and would seduce us from our duty. Unless the Lord stand by us, and protect and strengthen us within, deadness will soon creep upon us, and our heart run out of order. Look after new influences of grace ; this will make you ready to every good work ; not only the remote preparation, but the furniture of the faculties and abilities: ' Lo I come to do thy will; ' and this will make you fruitful, otherwise you will be as dry trees in God's garden ; and this will make you lively and constant, not off and on, but fixed with God.
3. If all depends upon God, then let us not by any negligence of ours, or by presumptuous sins, provoke God to withdraw his assisting grace from us. This is the apostle's meaning when he saith, Phil. ii. 12, 13, ' Work out your salvation with fear and trembling,' &c. Oh ?
VeR. 35.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 367
take heed ; go about the business of religion with holy caution and jealousy over yourselves, and fear the Lord's displeasure, for all de- pends upon him. Dependence among men begets observance ; where men have their meat, drink, clothing, they will be careful to please there. So ' work out your salvation, &c., for it is God that worketh in you,' &c. You have all from God ; the business of the spiritual life will be interrupted and be at a stand if God withhold his grace. Every sin weakens that you have already, and provokes God to withhold his hand that he will not give more. That which is the greatest ground of comfort and confidence is always the greatest ground of fear and trembling. It is a ground of great comfort and confidence in the spiritual life that he will help us in every action of ours ; and it is a ground also of the greatest fear and trembling, that we should be care- ful not to offend him upon whom all depends.
The second point : —
Doct. 2. That they which delight in God's commandments will beg his gracious assistance, and are most likely to speed in their requests.
I make it to be both the reason of asking and the reason of granting.
First, The reason of asking.
1. AVhat is this ' delight in God ? ' What is necessary to it ?
2. What are the fruits and effects of it ? First, What is necessary to it ?
1. A new nature, for what we do naturally we do with complacency and delight. That which is forced and done against the grain and bent of our hearts can never be delightful, and therefore there needs a principle of grace within: Ps. cxii. 1, 'Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.' Where there is true grace and the fear of God, there we will delight greatly. So Kom. vii. 22, ' I delight in the law of God after the inward man.' Where there is an inner man, a frame of grace in the heart, that will bring delight. See the character of a blessed man : Ps. i. 2, ' His delight is in the law of the Lord.' Quite contrary to the hypocrite. He may act from compulsions and urgings of conscience, from legal bondage : it may be a sin-offering, but it is not a thank- offering ; he cannot do it with that delight and complacency that God hath required. Job. xxvii. 10 it is said, ' Will he always call upon God ? will he delight himself in the Almighty ? ' In his pang, in his distress, when his conscience pincheth him sore, he will be calling upon God. Ay ! but hath he any delight in God ? He wants sincere grace. Some time he may come with his flocks and herds to seek the Lord : Hosea v. 6, ' And cry, Arise, Lord save us,' Jer. ii. 27. Some unwilling services he may perform upon foreign reasons, from con- straint, from his affliction and anguish of soul ; but these things are never done with delight ; there needs then a principle of grace.
2. Peace of conscience, or a sense of our reconciliation with God, is very necessary to this delight in the ways of God: Rom. v. 11, ' We joy in God as those that have received the atonement.' Christ hath made the atonement. Now, when we receive the atonement, that is, are possessed of it, and look upon ourselves as involved in the recon- ciliation Christ hath made for us, then we joy in God. The joy of a good conscience is necessary to this delight in the ways of God.