[2.] They indulge and give way to the present malady, hug the dis- temper, and do not consider the evil of it ; as ' Rachel refused to be comforted,' Jer. xxxi. 15.
[3.] They do not chide themselves, ask the soul the reason, cite it before the tribunal of conscience, which is one way to allay passions : Ps. xlii. 5, ' Why art thou so disquieted, 0 my soul ? ' They look to the grievance, not to the comfort, as that which is of use; they aggravate the grievance and lessen the love of God : ' Are the consolations of God so small with thee?' Job xv. 11. It is spoken to them who have high thoughts of their troubles, low thoughts of God's comforts.
[4.] Uncertainty in religion. Principles must be fixed before they can be improved, and we can feel their influence and power. But people will be making essays, and try this and try that. God's grounds of comfort are immutably fixed ; God will not change his gospel laws for thy sake : and therefore, unless we would have a mountebank's cure, we must stand to them : Jer. vi. 16, ' Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls,' When we have tried all, we must come home at length to these things; and our uncertainty in religion will be none of the meanest causes of our troubles.
[5.] They look to means and their natural operation, and neglect God ; and God only will be known to be the God of all comtort : 2 Cor. i. 3, 4, ' Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, who com- forteth us in all our tribulation.'
Use 3, To exhort us —
1. To prize and esteem the scriptures, and consult with them often: there you have the knowledge of God, who is best worth our knowing ; and the way how we may come to enjoy him, wherein our happiness lieth. It is a petty wisdom to be able to gather riches, manage your business in the world. Ordinary learning is a good ornament, but this
38 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LYI.
is the excellent, deep, and profound learning, to know how to be saved. What is it I press you to know ? — the course of the heavens, to num- ber the orbs and the stars in them, to measure their circumference and reckon their motions, and not to know him that sits in the circle of them, nor know how to inhabit and dwell there? Oh, how should this commend the word of God to us, where eternal life is discovered, and the Avay how to get it ! Other writings and discourses may tickle the fancy with pleasing eloquence, but that delight is vanishing, lilce a musician's voice. Other writings may represent some petty and momen- tary advantage ; but time will put an end to that, so that within a little while the advantage of all the books in the world will be gone ; but the scriptures, that tell us of eternal life and death, their effects will abide for ever : Ps. cxix. 96, ' I have seen an end of all perfections, but thy commandments are exceeding broad.' When heaven and earth pass away, this will not pass ; that is, the effects will abide in heaven and hell. Know ye not that your souls were created for eternity, and that they will eternally survive all these present things ? and shall your thoughts, projects, and designs be confined within the narrow bounds of time ? Oh, no ! Let your affections be to that book that will teach you to live well for ever, in comparison of which all earthly felicity is lighter than vanity.
2. Be diligent in the hearing, reading, meditating on those things that are contained there. The earth is the fruitful mother of all herbs and plants, but yet it must be tilled, ploughed, harrowed, and dressed, or else it bringeth forth little fruit. The scripture containeth all the grounds of hope, comfort, and happiness, the only remedy of sin and misery, our rule to walk by till our blessedness be perfected ; but we have little benefit by it unless it be improved by diligent meditation : Ps. i. 2, ' His deliglit is in the law of the Lord, and in that law doth he meditate day and night.' This must be your chief delight, and you must be versed therein upon all occasions : Ps. cxix. 97, ' Oh, how love I thy law ! it is my meditation all the day.' When we love it and prize it, it will be so, for our thoughts cannot be kept off from what we love and delight in.
3. Reader, hear, meditate with a spirit of application, and an aim of profit : Job v. 27, ' Hear it, and know thou it for thy good ; ' as the rule of your actions and the charter of your hopes ; ' Eom. viii. 31, ' What shall we then say to these things ? ' That you may grow better and wdser, and may have more advantages in your heavenly progress, take home yom- portion of the bread of life, and turn it into the seed of your life. It is not enough to seek truth in the scriptures, but you must seek life in the scriptures. It is not an object only to satisfy your understandings Avith the contemplation of truth, but your hearts with the enjoyment of life ; and therefore you must not only bring your judgment to find the light of truth, but your affections to embrace the goodness of life ofiered. Think not ye have found all, when you have found truth and learned it. No ; except you find life there, you have missed the best treasure. You must bring your understandings and afiections to them, and not depart till both return full.