2. A ready and cheerful obedience must be willingly and heartily undertaken ; love to the work for the work's sake. A man is never truly converted to God till God hath his love, and his law hath his love ; for the constitution of the heart is not seen in our opinions so much as in our affections, love, desire, and delight. Many men's judgment is for God ; that is, conscience is for God, but their hearts are for other things ; when obedience is practically and cheerfully undertaken, and the delight of our souls in them. Men have a little compulsory religiousness ; it is most when frightened into it. Men do something, but had rather leave it undone, and do not choose rather
318 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXXXV.
to walk hollly if they had their own choice. A man is slavish when fear of being damned doth only sway him ; the godly love holiness as holiness, they are constant with God.
But why do they that have a comfortable sense of his mercy delight in his law ?
1. These are only fit to ask mercy.
2. These are qualified to receive mercy.
1. These are only fit to ask mercy.
[1.] Because they are likely to ask it most feelingly. None prize the mercy of God, nor will ask it in such an earnest and broken- hearted manner, as those that delight in his law. These see their want of it, they are sensible of more defects than others are : Eom. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am ! ' They mind their work, which others, that exercise themselves not unto godliness, mind not ; they have greater light and greater discoveries, more love ; much work driveth them oftener to the throne of grace. None rest in duties so much as they that have least cause: Mai. i. 13, 'What a weariness is it ! '
[2.] These ask more regularly ; therefore it is said, Ps. xxxvii. 4, ' Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart.' Why so unlimitedly ? Because delight in the Lord retrencheth carnal desires and moderateth earthly desire ; their hearts are not so- set upon outward things as the hearts of other men are : John xv. 7, ' If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.' Why doth God make so large- an offer ? He trusteth such as keep communion with Christ. There is a conformity between their wills and God's in the matter of their desire so far as we are renewed and hold communion with him ; their unruly lusts will be subdued, and their unlawful desires for matter, manner, and end be laid aside, and they will acquiesce in the good pleasure of God, and the most excellent things. Therefore God maketh them this offer, Ask what ye will. Not that men are war- ranted to pray for what they will, or to expect an answer in whatsoever they desire, but as their delight in his law is prevalent, their wills are limited by his word and will, and the Spirit in them ' maketh intercession according to the will of God,' Kom. viii. 26, 27.
[3.] These may with most confidence ask mercy ; others are excluded: Prov. xxviii. 9, ' He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, his prayer is an abomination to the Lord.' These are included : 1 John iii. 22, ' And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.' If we refuse God speaking to us in infinite wisdom, as he does in the word, no wonder if God refuse us stammering foolishly in prayer, Jer. ix. 21. Men that purpose to continue in their sins shall not be heard in other things, otherwise the grossest sinners may come to God to have their sins pardoned and removed, and expect to be accepted and heard through Christ ; but the perpetual assistance and. favour of God is not given to them. Such as would be heard and accepted, and come with assurance of welcome and audience, ought to be devoted to him, to worship him, to call on him.
2. These are qualified to receive mercy, according to the tenor of
VeR. 77.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 319
that covenant in whicli mercy is dispensed and magnified in the cove- nant of grace or the covenant of God's mercy in Christ, Heb. v. 9, and X, 14. This being apt to be abused, let us explain how obedience is a condition of the covenant. A condition meriting and purchasing the blessings of the covenant it cannot be ; for God giveth the ability to obey wholly and solely of his own grace : it is short of the rule, and infinitely inferior to the reward. A conchtion applicatory, whereby we apply ourselves to the covenant on our part, it is, and therefore necessary. It is a secondary condition, disposing us to communion with God in and by the covenant. At first we must be turned by repentance towards God, through faith in the Redeemer, before we receive remission of sins, Acts xx. 18. Faith and repentance are conditions of pardon, and sincere obedience a condition of salvation. The first condition containeth a resolution of obedience for the future, though we have not actually so obeyed. The secondary condition, that we should make good our resolution. We must keep covenant as well as make covenant. Faith is an entering into covenant, for it is a consent to take Christ as lord and saviour ; and constant and delightful obechence is a constant keeping covenant, Ps. xxv. 10, and ciii. 17, 18. The making covenant was necessary for our entrance, the keeping covenant for our continuance. Consent to take any for king, husband, master, draweth another condition after it, that we carry ourselves in these relations dutifully : besides promising there must be performing ; he that is my sovereign must be obeyed. There must be conjugal fidelity to the husband, and faithful service to the chosen master ; so in the covenant between us and God, us and Christ.