3. By these judgments of old you see the exact correspondency be- tween his word and works. Where his voice is heard, but his hand not seen, his word is coldly entertained ; but by his providence he establisheth the authority of his law. The word spoken by angels was X6709 ^e/3aio<i, * a steadfast word,' Heb. ii. 2. A word may be said to be steadfast either in respect of the unalterable will of the lawgiver, or in respect of execution, or witli respect to the party to whom it is given, who firmly and certainly believeth it. The one maketh way for the other. God is resolved to govern the world by thi^ rule, there- fore he doth authorise it, own it by the dispensations of his providence ; accordingly the world learneth to reverence it : Hosea vii. 12, ' I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.' God's word against sin and sinners will at last take effect, and end in sad chastisements ;
52 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LVIII.
and they that would not believe their danger are made to feel it. Now his promises will have their effect as well as his threatenings : Micali ii. 7, ' Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly ? ' The word of God doth not only speak good, hut do good. The word's saying of good, is indeed doing of good. The performance is so cer- tain, that when it is said it may be accounted done. We are apt to despise the word of God as an empty sound. No ; it produceth notable effects in the world. The sentences that are there, whether of mercy or judgment, are decrees given forth by the great judge of the world ; whereupon execution is to follow, as is foretold. Now, when we see it done, and can compare the Lord's word and work together, it is a mighty support to our faith, whether it be in our or in former ages. For you see the word is not a vain scarecrow in its threatenings, nor do we build castles in the air, when we do depend upon its promises : the judgments of his mouth will be the judgments of his hand, and providence is a real comment upon and proof of the truth of his word.
4. God's judgments of old, or his wonderful works, were never in- tended only for the benefit of that age in which they were done, but the benefit of all those who should hear of them by any credible means whatsoever. Surely God never intended they should be buried in dark oblivion, but that after-ages may be the better for the remem- brance of them. Witness these scriptures : Ps. cxlv. 4, ' One genera- tion shall praise thy works unto another, and remember thy mighty acts ;' Joel i. 3, ' Tell your children of it, and let your children tell tlieir children, and their children another generation.' So Ps. Ixxviii. 3-7, ' That which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their children ; showing the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his wonderful works which he hath done : for he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children, that the generation to come might know them, even the children to come, which should be born ; who should arise and (declare to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of the Lord, but keep his command- ments, and might not be as their fathers,' &c. From all which places and many more I observe —
[1.] That we should tell generations to come what we have found of God in our time, and that we should use all ways and means to transmit the knowledge of God's notable and wondrous providences for his people to posterity.
[2.] That this report of God's former works is a special means of edification, for therefore God would have them recorded and told for the special benefit of the ages following.
[3.] And more particularly that this is a great means and help of faith. For in one of the places it is said ' that they may set their faith and hope in God ; ' and from all we may conclude that, by remember- ing God's judgments of old, we may be much comforted ; as in re- membering God's works Avhen the church was first reformed in Luther's time, the delivering of England from the Si^anish invasion, gunpowder-treason, <fcc., for the confirming our faith and confidence in God. All God's judgments that were done in the days of our fore-
VeR. 52.J -SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. 53
fathers, and in all generations, if they come to onr knowledge by a true report, or record, are of use to warn us and comfort us ; yea, the bring- ing Israel out of Egypt and Babylon, or any notable work done since the beginning of the world till now.
Use. The use is to press us to take this course as one remedy to comfort us in our distresses. In distresses of conscience the blood of Christ is the only cure ; but in temptations arising from the scorn and insul- tation of enemies, remember what God hath done for his people of old, and let his providence support our faith : Ps. xxiii. 4, ' Thy rod and thy staff comfort me.' Pedum pastorale — for the protection and guid- ing of the sheep and driving away the wolf, the rod and staff are the instruments of the shepherd. More particularly consider —