These things are supposed in remembrance.
3. It expresseth a reviving of these thoughts, or an erection of the mind to think upon what we know and believe. Man, that hath an ingestive, hath also an egestive faculty, and can lay out as well as lay up, bring forth truths out of the mind when it is useful for us, and whet and inculcate them upon the heart ; he may call to mind or ponder upon them.
4. Let us see the kinds of this remembrance.
[1.] I must repeat that distinction ; it may be done notionally and speculatively, or else affectively and practically. Notionally, when men have a few barren notions, or dry sapless opinions or speculations about the nature of God ; always men's remembrance is as their knowledge is, and faith is. Now there is ixop^wai^ rrj'f ryvaaeco'^, a form of knowledge, Rom. ii. 10, and ' dead faith/ James ii, 20. Affectively and practically we remember God when there are such lively and powerful impressions of his name u23on our hearts as produce reverence, love, and obedience. It is not enough to grant the doctrine, own the opinions that are sound and orthodox concerning God, but we must have a reverential and superlative esteem of him. All men confess a God with their mouth, and think they believe in him ; but ' the fool hath said in his heart. There is no God,' Ps. xiv. 1. What testimony do their hearts and actions give ? A man's course of life and conversation is like an eye-witness ; his profession is as a testimony by report. Now one eye-witness deserves more credit than many by hearsay. FIus valet wius oculatus testis, cite. How would you walk if you believed there w^ere no God ? Could you be more neglectful of God, and careless and mindless of heavenly things, than you are ? Now your transgressions speak louder than your profes- sions in the eye of an understanding believer : Ps. xxxvi. 1, ' The transgression of the wicked saith within his heart that there is no fear of God before his eyes.' Practice belies profession : Titus i. 16, ' They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him,' Cold and dead opinions are easily taken up, and men talk by rote one after another, yea, and study to defend them, and yet count God an idol. Denial in works is the strongest way of denial, for actions are more weighty and deliberate than speeches.
[2.] There is a threefold remembrance of God for practical uses.
(1.) There is a constant remembrance. We should carry the thoughts
VeR. 55.] SERMOXS UPON PSALM CXIX. 79
of God along with us to all our businesses and affiiirs, and ever walk as in his eye and presence : Prov. xxiii. 17, ' Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long;' not only in prayer, but at all times, in all our other occasions. Some graces, like the lungs, are always in use ; so Ps. xvi. 8, ' I have set the Lord always before me.' He that liveth always in the sight of God cannot be so secure and senseless as others are. A drowsy inattentive mind is easily deceived into sin, but he that doth often remember God, his conscience is kept waking ; for he is all eye, and seeth all things ; all hand, and toucheth all things ; all foot, and walketh everywhere ; all ear, and heareth all things. Sic agamus cum hominihus tanquam Deus v ideal ; sic loquamur cum Deo tanquam homines aucUant. The latter clause was the least that a heathen could think of ; but surely, if there be any weight in the former part of the direction, the latter is needless. Thus we should never forget God.
(2.) Occasional, when God is brought to mind either by some special occasion offered, or by some notable discovery of himself in his word or works. Occasion offered ; as when Ahasuerus could not sleep, Esther vi. 1, it was the providence of God he should read in the chronicles, and so come to the knowledge of Mordecai. So it befalleth God's children ; they cannot sleep sometimes, and so occasion is offered in the silence and solitude of the night to invite them to holy thoughts of God, which may be of great use and comfort : Job xxxvii. 7, ' He sealeth up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work.' In deep snow or rain their work is hindered, that they, sitting at home, may have time to consider of God and his providence. Sometimes it falleth out so that we know not what to do with our thoughts, and it will look strangely in the review if we should prostitute them to vanity rather than give them to God, like the act of a spiteful man, that will rather destroy and waste a com- modity than let another have it. Or when some notable discovery of God is in his ordinances and providences, word, or works ; we should always season our hearts with the thoughts of God, we should see him in every creature, and observe him in his daily providences. The name of God is upon all things that he hath made, but especially any notable providence that falleth out, which is an especial demonstration of his wisdom, justice, and power: Ps. cxi. 4, 'He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered.' So in his ordinances, when God maketh any nearer approach to us by way of conviction, counsel, or comfort : 1 Cor. xiv. 25, 'And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth,' Many times our minds in reading or hearing are illustrated with a heavenly light, or our hearts touched with some delightful relish, and the word cometh in with more than ordinary authority and power upon the heart ; these are especial occasions which we must take to consider God and the great affairs of our souls.