2. Those that would strongly believe the promises, but weakly believe that part of the word that requireth their duty from them, all for privileges, seldom reflect upon their own qualification : it is a good temper when both go together : Ps. cxix. 166, ' I have hoped for thy salvation, and have done thy commandments ; ' so Ps. cxlvii. 11, ' The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy .'^ But when asunder, all is naught. God's promises cannot com- fort us if we be not of the number of them to whom they do belong ; not only consider what God is, but what we are, and what is required of us — our qualification as well as his goodness, our duty as well as his mercy.
Ver. 6G.] sermons upon psalm cxix. 221
Use 2. To believe the commandments with a lively faith. We shouhl be tender of disobeying God's law. The law may be considered as a covenant of works, or as a rule of life. As a covenant of works, so it is satisfied by Christ for those that have an interest in him, and serveth to quicken us to get this interest in him. As it is a rule of life, so in the new covenant we give up ourselves to God to walk according to the tenor of it ; as Israel by a voluntary submission : Exod. xix. 8, ' All that the Lord hath spoken, we will do.' So in the church of the New Testament we engage ourselves by a voluntary submission to walk according to the will of God, and confirm it by the sacraments, baptism, and the Lord's supper. Well, then, we are still to regard it as a binding rule, looking for grace to perform it. It is not only a rule given us for advice and direction, but for a strong obligation to urge and enforce us to our duty. So Ps. xl. 8, ' Thy law is in my heart ; I delight to do thy will, 0 God."
Use 3. Do we believe the commandments ? Then —
1. We will not please ourselves with a naked trust in the promises, while we neglect our duty to God. That which God hath joined together no man must put asunder. The prophet saith, Hosea x. 11, ' Ephraim is an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn ;' compared with Deut. xxv. 4, ' Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.' We are addicted to our own ease, prize com- forts, but loathe duty. Oh, make more conscience of obedience !
2. Their faith will be lively and operative, cause to keep God's charge and observe his commandments ; otherwise it is but an opinion and a dead faith : James ii. 20, ' Wilt thou know, 0 vain man, that faith without works is dead?' Many may discourse of the necessity of duty that have little sense of it ; as the children in the furnace, the fire had no power over them, neither was one hair of their heads singed, nor their coats changed ; not a lust mortified, no good by their strict notions.
3. They must be obeyed as God's commands, abstaining from evil because God forbiddeth it, practising that which is good because God commandeth it. Notitia voluntatis : 1 Thes. iv. 3, * This is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from forni- cation ;' 1 Thes. v. 8, 9, ' But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet, the hope of salvation : for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ ;' 1 Peter ii. 15, ' For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.' Certainly no private respect, desire of our own plea- sure and profit, should hinder us ; but we must res|)ect one commantl as well as another, otherwise our obedience is partial. A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia ; if we believe the commandments, we must believe all. Where a disposition is allowed to break any one of God's laws, the heart is not right. God's sovereignty, once acknowledged, is alike potent to restrain every inclination to acts displeasing to God and contrary to our duty, one as well as another.
Secondly, The text may be considered relatively, with I'espect to the matter in hand ; and so it may be conceived as a reason of asking, or as a reason of granting.
222 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. LXXYI.
1. As a reason of asking.
[1.] It givetli a character of tliem that believe ; they that believe God's commandments will desire to know them more, to be more accurate in knowing their duty, and the weight and consequence of it ; — they are willing to practise all that it requireth, and so are willing to ' prove what is the acceptable will of the Lord :' Eph. v. 17, ' Where- fore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is ;' they would not do anything doubtingly : Kom. iv. 23, ' He that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith ; for whatsoever is not of faith is sin ;' nor according to the wills of men : Gal. i. 10, ' For do I now persuade men, or God ? or do I seek to please men ? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.' They would avoid all appearance of evil : 1 Thes. v. 22, Occasions to evil; Eom. xiii. 14, 'Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' They know the weight and consequence of these things.