^ Qu. 'revive ' ? — Ed.
VeR. 83.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 377
labours, without our being false or unfaithful to men. We need not make a foul retreat in the day of trial, nor shift for ourselves by com- plying with the lusts of men. nor wax weary of our duty as quite dis- couraged and disheartened, Heb. xii. 3, as we are apt to do when troubles are grievous, and long continued.
4. Another evil is desponding and distrustful thoughts of God, David, after all his experiences, was surprised with this kind of thoughts : 1 Sam. xxvii. 1, ' I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.' He had a particular promise and assurance of the kingdom, and had seen much of God's care over him, and yet after all this David doubted of the word of God, and bewrayed his weakness of faith and affiance in him, who had watched over him, and delivered him out of many great and imminent dangers in a marvellous manner, when there was less appearance of hope than now, 1 Sam. xxii. 5 ; so Ps. xxxi. 22, ' I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes : nevertheless, thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cried unto thee.' God hath no more care and thought of me than if I were not. This was said at the very time when deliverance was coming. Here David yielded a little to foolish haste, and lost the staidness of his faith : so Ps. Ixxvii. 7, 8, ' Will the Lord cast off for ever ? will he be favour- able no more ? is his mercy clean gone for ever ? doth his promise fail for evermore?' Questions to appearance full of despair and despondency, yet there is some faith couched under them. Will the Lord cast off? It implieth the soul cannot endure to be thrust from him. Will he be favourable no more ? It implieth some former experience, and desire of new proof. Is his mercy clean gone? I have deserved all this, but God is merciful. Will not mercy help ? To appearance indeed despair carrieth ife from faith ; that is upper- most.
5. Questioning our interest in God merely because of the cross. Our Lord hath taught us to say My God in the bitterest agonies ; but few learn this lesson : Judges vi. 13, ' If God be with us, why is all this befallen us ? ' As if they were never exercised with trouble who have God with them. Sometimes we question the love of God because we have no afflictions, and anon because we have nothing but afflic- tions ; as if God were not the God of the valleys as well as of the mountains, and his love did change with our outward condition, and worldly prosperity were a mark of grace, which, when lost, our evidence were gone. How hardly soever God dealeth with his people, yet he loveth them : Heb. xii. 6, ' Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteueth ; ' so Ptev. iii. 19, ' As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.' A father is a father when he smileth and when he frowneth ; he may have love in his heart when a rod in his hand ; and we have no reason to question our adoption merely because we are put under the correction and discipline of the family.
6. Not only despairing thoughts do arise, but atheistical thoughts, as if there were no God, no providence, no distinction between good and evil, and it were in vain to serve him : Ps. Ixxiii. 13, ' I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.' The flesh is importunate to be pleased, and therefore, when it meeteth not with desired satisfaction, we are apt to question all, and to cast off' the
378 SERMONS uroN PSALM cxix. [Ser. XCI.
fear of God, and all rej^ard of his service : Mai. i'u. 14, ' Ye have said, It is in vain to serve God ; and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and walked mournfully hefore the Lord of hosts ? ' When temptations are sore, and afHictions tedious, thoughts of so horrid a complexion may float in our minds.
These are the distempers which are incident to those who have been long afflicted, and are often disappointed in the issue which they expect.
Thirdly, That this should not he. David omitted not his duty for all this, though his troubles were long and tedious. How great soever our trials be, they should not weaken our love to God and our respect to his word. God's precepts must not be forgotten, though we are Avithered and dried up with sorrows, as a skin-bottle is shrivelled in the smoke.
1. Because then we plunge ourselves into a greater evil, if we fall into sin because of trouble and affliction, and so make our condition so much the worse. Job's friends charged this upon him, that he had chosen sin rather than affliction, Job xxxvi. 21, when he would rather giv^e way to impatience than patiently bear what God had laid upon him. Many are so transported with their pains and grievances that they care not what they say or do, as if they were loosed from all bands of duty. On the contrary, it is said of Moses, Heb. xi. 25, ' Choosing rather to suffer afflictions,' &c. The least sin is worse than the greatest suffering. Suffering is an offence done to us; sin is an offence done to God. By suffering we lose some worldly comfort, but by sinning hazard the favour of God. Suffering is only an incon- venience to the bodily or animal life ; sinning bringeth a blot and blemish upon the soul. The sinful state is far worse than the afflicted. And therefore, how calamitous soever our condition be, we must take great care it be not sinful. Wormwood is bitter, but not poison.