2. To determine and resolve, practicum dictamen. The taste of the soul is for God, that bindeth our duty upon us, when there is a decree issued forth in the soul, that after we know our duty there may be a resolvedness of mind never to swerve from it. First the distin- guishing work proceedeth ; there is a clear and distinct approbation of God ; then tlie determining followeth ; this is the TrpSOeaa Kaphia<i^ Acts xi. 23, ' The purpose of heart ;' 2 Tim. iii. 10, ' Thou hast known fully my doctrine, manner of life,' irpodeaiv, purpose. The form of this decree and resolution you have in Ps. Ixxiii. 28, ' But it is good for me to draw near to God.' This in the soul hath the authority of a principle. He that meaneth to be a thorough Christian must set the bent and bias and purpose of his heart strongly upon it : Ps. xxxix. 1, ' I said, I will take heed to my ways.' So Ps. xxxii. 5, ' I said, I will confess mine iniquities.' These purposes have a jjowerful com- mand upon the whole soul, to set it a-working whatever they purpose with this strong decree, how backward soever the heart be otherwise ; they will excite and quicken us, and admit of no contradiction. It is our judgments lead us and guide and })oise us. A man may have knowledge and learning, and play the fool if his judgment be not biassed : a man never taketh any course but his judgment telle th him it is best, and best for him all things considered. It is not men's knowledge leadeth them, but their judgments say to their wills, This is not for me ; the other conduceth most to my profit, honour, or delight : but when the judgment is in some measure set towards God, then the man is for God.
VeK. 66.] SERMONS LTON PSALM CXIX. 205
3. To direct as well as to decree ; so good judgment and knowledge servetli for the right guiding of ourselves and all our affairs. Many are wise in generals that err in particulars, and have a knowledge of I^rinciples, but their affairs are under no conduct. Particulars are nearer to practice, and very learned men are deceived in particulai\s : Horn. ii. 20-22, ' An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law : thou there- fore which teachest anotlier, teachest thou not thyself ? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal ? thou that sayest ii man should not commit adulter}^, dost thou commit adultery ? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege ?' Therefore, besides the general rule, the knowledge of God's will, it is necessary to have the gift of discretion, when particulars are clothed with circumstances. There is an infinite variety of circumstances which require a deal of prudence to determine them. A man may easily discourse on general truths concerning God, ourselves, the state of the church, the privi- leges of Christianity ; but to direct them to particular cases, to govern our own hearts, and order our own ways, that is a harder thing : Hosea xiv. 9, ' Whoso is wise and prudent,' &c. ; Prov. viii. 12, ' I, wisdom, dwell with prudence.' To direct is harder than to determine or distinguish. It is easier to distinguish of good and evil in the general, to lay down conclusions upon the evidence of the goodness of the ways of God ; but to reduce our knowledge to practice in all cases, that is the great work of judgment, that we may know what becometh the time, the place, the company where we are, and may have that ordering of our conversation aright, Ps. 1. 23 ; to know how to carry ourselves in all relations, business, civil, sacred, light, serious ; that we neither offend in excess nor defect ; that we judge what is due to the Creator, and what is to be allowed to the creature ; what is good, ■ what is better, what is best of all ; that we know how to pay reve- rence to superiors, how most profitably to converse with equals, what compassion to inferiors, how to do good to them ; how to behave our- selves as husbands, wives, fiithers, children. Wisdom maketh us profitable in our relations : 1 Peter iii. 7, ' Let husbands dwell Avith wives according to knowledge.' There is much prudence and wisdom required to know how to converse profitably and Christianly witli all that we have to do with. In short, how to love our friends in God, and our enemies for God ; how to converse secretly with God, and to walk openly before men ; how to cherish the flesh that it may not be unserviceable, yet how to mortify it that it may not wax wanton against the spirit ; how to do all things in the fear of God, in meats, drinks, apparel, recreations ; when and how to pray, what time for our callings, what for worship ; when to sj^eak, when to hold our peace ; when to praise, and when to reprove ; how to give, and how to take ; when to scatter, when to keep back or withhold; and to order all things aright requireth a sound judgment, that we carry ourselves with that gravity and seriousness, that exactness and tenderness, that we may keep up the majesty of religion, and all the world may know that he is wise by whose counsel we are guided. But alas ! where this sound judgment and discretion is wanting, we shall soon ofi'end and transgress the laws of piety, charity, justice, sobriety. Piety and god-