2. Let us come to the use and end of these things, the use of the law of God's mouth, and the use of wealth. The use of wealth is to support and maintain the present life and the bodily state during our pilgrimage and passage through the world ; but the use of the word is to guide and direct us in the way to the blessedness of the world to come. The world supplieth our bodily necessities ; ' But the law of God is perfect, converting the soul,' Ps. xix. 7. It discovereth a man's soul-misery and remedy, as it directeth to Christ, and enforceth our obedience to God, and prescribeth a universal adherence to him and dependence on him. Our souls are fallen off from God by sin into a most doleful state, and have no other way of recovery than is prescribed in this blessed word of God. There are three uses of the word of God, and they do all commend and endear it to our re- spects : —
[1.] It is the great means to sanctify and convey a divine principle and nature in us ; it is not only the rule, but the seed of the new life : 1 Peter i. 23, ' He hath begotten us, not by corruptible, but incor- ruptible seed,' &c. ; James i. 18, ' He hath begotten us by the word of truth ; ' 2 Peter i. 4, ' To us are given great and precious promises, that we might be made partakers of the divine nature ; ' John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth.' All this is said of the word : it is the means to sanctify us, the immortal seed, the beginning of the new life, the divine nature to make us live after a godlike manner ; therefore it is ' better than thousands of gold and silver.' A child of God fiudeth a greater treasure in one chapter of the Bible than worldly men in all their lands and honours and large
266 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXXX.
revenues. A poor Christian meeteth with more true gain in a sermon than others can in their trades while they live. Grod begetteth him at first by the word of truth, and giveth him there the supply of the Spirit ; therefore ' be swift to hear,' much in reading, and meditation day and night. Oh ! there is the true treasure, the pearl of price ; there their souls become acquainted with God.
[2.] It directeth us and keepeth us from being carried away with every deceit of sin: Ps. cxix. 105, ' Thy word is a light unto my path, and a lamp unto my feet' Here are directions for all cases : here is a general direction, it is a light to our path ; and showeth us what to do in particular actions, it is a lamp to our feet. So ver. 133, ' Order my steps in thy woi-d, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.' It is the word prevents the reign of any one sin. To have a sure rule to walk by in the midst of so many snares and temptations is a greater favour than to enjoy the greatest affluence of worldly felicity.
[3.] It supporteth us in all our afflictions and extremities. All the wealth in the world composed and put together cannot yield us that true contentment and satisfaction which the word of God doth to the obedient soul. Wealth cannot allay a grieved mind nor appease a wounded conscience. The word directeth us wliere we may find rest for our souls: Jer. vi. 16, 'Go ask for the good old way, and you shall find rest for your souls.' We lose ourselves in a maze of uncertainties till we come to the word of God : Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and ye shall find rest for your souls.' Here is ease for the great wound and maim of nature. The great maim of nature is sin. Now where shall we have a plaster for this sore, but only in the word of God? So for particular afflictions: Rom. XV. 4, ' That ye, through the patience and comfort of the scrip- tures, might have hope,' Comfort is the strengthening of the mind, or the fortifying the mind when it is vexed and weakened with doubts, fears, and sorrows : ' I had fainted in my affliction unless thy word had quickened me,' Ps. cxix. 50. The comforts of the world appear and vanish in a moment, cannot firmly stay and revive the heart ; every blast of temptation scattereth them. Philosophy and natural reason cannot give us true ground of comfort : that was it they aimed at, how to fortify the soul and keep it quiet notwithstanding troubles in the flesh ; but as they never understood the true ground of misery, which is sin, so neither the true ground of comfort, which is Christ. That which man offereth cannot come with such power and authority upon the conscience as that which God offereth, and bare reason cannot have such an efficacy as divine testimony and the law of God's mouth. This moonlight rotteth before it ripeneth fruits ; but the word ac- quaipteth us with Christ, who is the foundation of comfort ; with the Spirit, who is the efficient cause of comfort ; with the promise of heaven, which is the true matter of comfort ; with faith, the great instrument to receive it.