[2.] They are renewed. Till a man be holy he cannot rejoice in spiritual things; the fool's heart is always in the house of mirth, Eccles. vii, 4. For masks, and plays, and merry meetings, feasts and banquets, and vain company, and idle games and pastimes, these are the life and joy of their souls. A fool will make a foolish choice, as children prefer their rattles and toys before a solid benefit : Eom. viii. 5, ' For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit ; ' the desire showeth what is delightful and comfortable, but now the renewed heart, it is their all to be in favour with God. They have not the spirit of the world, 1 Cor. ii. 3 ; many have affections for anything but God.
Use 1. The use is — (1.) Eeproof to those that care not for this sense of God's mercy. David could not think himself alive till he was recon- ciled to God. Profane men are not much troubled with this care ; though God be angry they can seek their delight elsewhere ; they can rejoice in the creature apart from God ; so they may have outward things they are at ease, and can sing lullabies to their souls, as that wretch in the parable, Luke xii. 19, 'Eat, drink, and be merry.' If they be in trouble, they seek to put away their troubles by carnal means. Let these consider, first, God can make the stoutest-hearted sinner who standeth aloof from him to see he is undone without him. It is no hard thing to put a sinner in the stocks of conscience, so that one favourable look would be valued more than all the world. Secondly, It may be, when punishment hath opened their eyes, God may hide his face and withhold the blessing from them when they seek it with bitter tears : Prov. i, 28, ' They shall call upon me, but I will not answer ; they shall seek me early, but shall not find me.' (2.) To shame the people of God that have such cold and careless thoughts about that which true believers count as dear as their lives. 1. This slightness cometh from carnal complacency, or inordinate delight in the creature, or letting out ourselves to Avorldly delights. Now this is vile ingratitude, when God's gifts, and those of the worser sort, draw us from himself. Will you be of a Gadarene spirit, or as one of the vain fellows, as ]\Iichal told David scoffingly ?
VeR. 77.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 317
2. Consider how dangerous this is to our temporal and eternal felicity. Temporal felicity : The creature is blasted when our life is bound up with it ; the world is eclipsed that the favour of God may be more prized, and the loss of the creature should more awaken us to seek after God. We most prize the evidences of God's favour and reconciliation with him when we are in trouble, and God taketh away our worldly comforts, that the consolations of his Spirit may not seem as small things. Many have smarted for carnal complacency. Eternal felicity : When any carnal thing is valued more than God, it puts our eternal comforts upon a hazard ; it is a selling the birthright for a mess of pottage, Heb. xii. 15. Well, then, let us be weaned from the world, for wliile we take too much delight in the creature God is the less esteemed.
Use 2. Instruction, to teach us how to carry ourselves with respect to this privilege, a sense of the love of God shed abroad in our hearts in the fruits and effects thereof
1. Let us make it our chiefest care to get and preserve the fresh sense of God's love upon our hearts, grudging at no labour : 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give diligence to make your calling and election sure/ &c. No cost : Mat. xiii. 46, ' When he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it ;' Phil. iii. 8, 9, denying lusts and interests.
2. Not to hazard it on cheap terms. God forbid that I should sell my inheritance ! Will you sell away Christ and heaven for such cheap rates, hazard your souls for carnal satisfaction ?
3. Let us be sensible of the want of it as the greatest misery, Mat. ix. 15.
4. Eejoice in it above all things, Ps. iv. 6, 7. Be glad if this be ■promoted, though by sharp afflictions.
Doct. 2. All such as would have the comfortable effects and sense of God's mercy must delight in his law.
1. Delight in the law implieth obedience, for it is not a delight that a,riseth from speculation, or the contem])lation of the truth revealed therein. ' I delight to do thy will, 0 my God ; yea, thy law is within my heart,' Ps. xl. 8 ; and Ps. cxii. 1, ' Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments ;' not in the knowledge of their duty, but in the practice of it. It is in the law as the rule of duty, and all tendeth to practice. They that delight in the speculation grudge at the practice. One that is observant of God's will delighteth to believe and obey, as well as to know God's word.