8 SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LIII.
pleasant than all the lust, sport, and honours, and pleasures of the world. Here is the foundation laid of everlasting joy, a sufficient answer to the terrors of the law, and the accusations of a guilty con- science, which is the greatest misery can befall mankind. In short, that the matter of God's commands deserves our delight and esteem is evident: —
[1.] Because those that are unwilling to submit to them count them good and acceptable laws. When their particular practice and sinful customs have made them incompetent judges of what is fittest for themselves in their health and strength, yet their conscience judgetli it a more excellent and honourable thing in others if they can deny the pleasures of the flesh, and overcome the temptations of the world, and deny themselves the comforts of the present life, out of the hopes of that which is to come. Such are accounted a more excellent and better sort of men : Prov. xii. 26, ' The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour ;' he hath more of God and of a man than others, as he hath a freer use of reason, and a greater command of his own- lusts and passions. There is a reverence of such darted into the con- sciences of wicked men : Mark vi. 20, ' Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and observed him.'
[2.] Because of the sentiments which men have of a holy, sober, godly life, when they come to die, and the disallowance of a dissolute carnal life : Job xxvii. 8, ' What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?' Ps. xxxvii. 37, ' Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright ; for the end of that man is peace.' When men are entering upon the confines of eternity, they are wiser ; the fumes of lust are then blown over, their joys or fears are then testimonies to God's law : 1 Cor. xv. 56, ' The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.' It is not from the fancy or melancholy of the dying person, nor his distemper, that his fears are awakened, but his reason. If it did only proceed from his distemper, men would be rather troubled for leaving worldly comforts than for sin. No; it is the apprehension of God's justice by reason of sin, who will proceed according to his law, which the guilty person hath so often and so much violated and broken. They are not the ravings of a fever, nor the fruits of natural weakness and credulity. No*, these troubles are justified by the law of God or the highest reason.
[3.] By supposing the contrary of all which God hath commanded concerning the embracing of virtue, shunning of vice. If God should free us from these laws, leave us to our own choice, command us the contrary, forbid us all respect to himself, commanding us to worship false gods, transform and misrepresent his glory by images, and fall down before stocks and stones, blaspheme his name continually, and despise all those glorious attributes which do so clearly shine forth in the creation ; if he had commanded us to be impious to our parents, to fill the world with murders, adulteries, robberies, to pursue others with slanders and false- witnessings, to covet and take Avhat is another man's, wife, ox, or ass, — the heart of man cannot allow such a conceit ; nay, the fiercest beasts would abhor it, if they were capable of receiv- ing such an impression. Now, surely a law so reasonable, so evident, so conducing to the honouring of God, government of ourselves, and
VeR. 47.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 9
commerce with others, should be very welcome and acceptable to a gracious heart.
2. The state and frame of a renewed heart ; they are fitted and suited to these commandments, and do obey them not only because enjoined, but because inclined. Nothing is pleasant to men but what is suitable to their nature ; so that may be delightful to one which is loathsome to another ; as the food and converse of a beast is loathsome to a man ; one man's pleasure is another's pain. There is a great deal of difference between a carnal and a spiritual mind, the heart sanctified and unsanctified : Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27, ' I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh ; and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments to do them.' When the heart is fitted and suited by principles of grace, the work is not tedious, but delightful. Things are easy and difficult according to the poise and inclination of the soul. So Heb. viii. 10, ' I will write my laws upon their hearts, and jDut them into their minds.' The law without suiteth with an inclination within ; and when things meet which are suitable to one another, there is a delight : Ps. xl. 8, ' Thy law is in my heart ; I delight to do thy will, 0 God.' There is an inclination, not neces- sary, as in natural agents ; but voluntary, as in rational agents. There is an inclination in natural agents, as in light bodies to move upwards, heavy bodies to move downwards ; in rational agents, when a man is bent by his love and choice. This latter David speaketh of, Ps. cxix. 36, ' Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.^ The heart of man standeth between two objects — the laws of God and carnal vanities. In our natural estate we are wholly bent to please the fle-sh ; in our renewed estate there is a new bent put upon the heart. Isow the old bent is not wholly gone, though overmastered and over- powered : the false bias of corruption will still incline us to the delights of sense ; but the new bias to the way everlasting, to spirit- ual eternal happiness : as that prevaileth, we love and delight in the commandments of God.