2. Now I come to the reasons why God's pilgrims find matter of rejoicing in his word during the time of I heir exile and absence from God, and all the inconveniences that attend it.
72 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX.
1.] Some on the word's part.
2.] Some on the part of him that rejoiceth.
1.] On the word's part, God's pilgrims can rejoice in it.
(1.) There they have the discovery and promise of eternal life. It telleth them of their country. A firm deed and conveyance is a com- fort to us before we have possession : 2 Peter i. 4, ' To us are given exceeding great and precious promises, that being made partakers of the divine nature, we may escape the corruptions that are in the world through lust.' In the word there are promises neither of small things, of things of a little moment, nor of things that we have nothing to do with, but of great moment and weight, and given to us. The promises make the things promised certain to those to whom they do belong, though they be not yet actually in their possession ; and therefore the children of God are delighted in them, and so far as that their hearts are drawn off from worldly things. They that adhere to them, and prize the comfort which they offer, have something in them above natural men, or the ordinary sort of those that live in the world.
(2.) There they have sure direction how they may attain this blessedness which the promises speak of, and that is a great comfort in the midst of the darkness and uncertainty of the present life. The word of God is said to be 'a light that shineth to us in a dark place,' 2 Peter i. 19. The love of the world will mislead us, our own reason will often leave us comfortless, the examples of the best are defective, but the word of God will give comfortable direction to all that follow the direction of it, under all their crosses, confusions and difficulties : Ps. cxix. 105, ' Thy word is a light unto my feet, and a lantern to my paths.' Light is comfortable ; it is no small satisfaction that I am in God's way, and have his word for my warrant.
(3.) It propoundeth the examples of their countrymen, and_ sets forth their heroical acts, and encourageth us to imitate their fortitude and self-denial : Heb. vi. 12, 'Be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises ; ' many things are to be done and sufiered before we attain the end. Now, it is a great comfort to trace the footsteps of the saints all along in the way in which we go : Heb. xii, 1, ' Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.' If God did call us to walk in an untrodden path, it might be cumbersome and solitary. Now it is very obliging and encouraging to consider in what way they have been brought to heaven before us.
(4.) It hath many seasonable cordials against fainting by the way. Alasl when we are in deep pressures, our hearts are apt to sink; but the word assure th us that we shall have all things necessary for us, that our heavenly Father seeth what is best for us, and that if we faithfully wait upon him, our affiictions and rubs in the way shall be a means to bring us to our journey's end : 2 Cor. iv. 17, ' Our light affliction, that is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory ; ' and that for the present our trials are not inconsistent with his love.
[2.] On the believer's part there ai-e reasons of this comfort and rejoicing.
Ver. 54.] SEuaiONS upon p.salm cxix. 73
(1.) There needetli a spiritual frame of heart, for a carnal man's rejoicings and relishes are suitable to the constitution of his mind: Rom. viii. 5, 'They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after tlie spirit, the things of the spirit.' It is an infallible rule to the world's end. Every one cannot say, ' Thy statutes are my songs.' No ; they must have other solaces ; and a man's temper is more discerned by his solaces than by anything else. They that have not purged their taste from the dregs of sense, the trash of the flesh-pots of Egypt vrill ever be pleasing to them in the lieavenly pilgrimage ; and being inveigled with the baits of the flesh, the promises are like withered flowers to them, or as dry chips ; it is tlie spiritual heart that is refreshed with spiritual songs.
(2.) Tliis word must be received by faith, for it is faith that enliveneth our notions of things, and maketh them work with us : Heb. xi. 1 3, ' These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off', and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth.' Our aftections follow persuasion : 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom having not seen we love ; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakalDle and full of glory ; ' Eom. xv. 13, ' Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.'