5. In upholding the frame of the world, all those attributes are seen which are a firm stay to a believer's heart, such as wisdom, power, and goodness. Wisdom : Prov. iii. 19, ' The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth, by understanding hath he established the heavens.' Look on it, it is the woi-k of a wise agent. So for power : This gi-eat fabric is supported by his almighty power. His goodness is seen in that he hath made the earth to be firm and dry land, that it may be a fit habitation for men ; this is a standing miracle of good- ness. Luther saith we are always in medio ruh^i maris — kept, as the Israelites were, in the midst of the Ked Sea. The Psalmist telleth us, Ps. xxiv. 2, ' He hath founded the earth upon the seas, and established the world upon the floods.' That part of the world whereon we dwell would suddenly be overwhelmed and covered with waters were it not for the goodness of God, for this the order of nature showeth in the beginning of the creation, Gen. i. 7, that next under the air were the waters covering the whole surface of the earth. But God made such cavities in the earth as should receive the waters into them, and such banks as should bound and bridle the vast ocean, that it might not break forth. Gen. i. 9 ; and so now by his providence the water is beneath the earth, and the earth standeth firm upon that fluid body as upon the most solid foundation ; which, as it is a work of wise dis- posal and contrivance, so an effect of the goodness of God for the preservation of mankind. And though once, for the sins of the w^orld, these waters were a])pointed to break out and overwhelm the earth, yet God hath firmly promised that they shall never be so again ; wherein his truth is also verified, and applied to the covenant of grace : Isa. liv. 9, ' For this is as the waters of Noah to me ; for as I have sv/orn
VeR. 91.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 413
that the waters of Xoali shall no more go over the earth : so have I sworn that I would not be wrath with thee, nor rebuke thee.' Tiie covenant of grace is as sure as the covenant made after the deluge ; so that we cannot look upoa this earth but as an emblem of those attri- butes Avhich confirm our faith in waiting upon God till his promises be fulfilled to us.
Use. Let us be then more firmly persuaded of God's faithfulness, that we may depend upon it both for his preserving the church and ourselves in the way of our duty, till we enjoy our final reward.
1. For the preservation of Christ's kingdom, God's faithfulness chiefly appearetli in the government of his church or spiritual king- dom, and this is a kingdom that cannot be moved when all things else are shaken : Heb. xii. 28, ' Having received a kingdom that cannot be shaken.' Christ cannot be a head without members, a king without subjects. And we are told. Mat. xvi. 18, ' That the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.' Many disorders happen, but let us depend upon the faithful God. The world was well guided before we came into it. and other generations have had experience of God's faithful- ness, though we complain that we see not our signs, nor any tokens for good.
2. For the preservation of our bodies to the heavenly kingdom. "We have many discouragements within and without, but while we perse- vere in our duty, God will not fail us ; his word is as sure as the earth : 2 Thes. iii. 3, ' The Lord is faithful, who shall establish and keep you from evil' God hath promised not only to give us our final reward, but to secure and defend his people by the way, that they be not overcome by the evils they meet with in their passage.
SERMON XCVI.
They continue tMs day according to thine ordinances : for all are thy servants. — Ver. 91.
The prophet is proving the immutability of God's promises from the conservation and continuance of the whole course of nature. He had spoken of it by parts, now conjunctly ; apart, first of the heavens, ver. 89 ; of the earth, ver. 90; now both together, they continue, &c. In the words. we have two things : —
1. An observation concerning the continuance of the courses of nature ; they, that is, the heaven and the earth. Heaven doth con- tinue in its motion, and earth in its station, according to the ordinance of God, that is, by virtue of that order wherein he placed things at first : Ps. cxlviii. 6, ' He hath established them for ever and ever : he hath made a decree which shall not pass.' As he ordained at first by his powerful decree, so heaven and earth is still continued. God's laws are fixed for the s-overnment of all creatures, and in the manner and to the end for which God appointeth them they stand and continue.
2. The reason, for cdl are thy servants. The reason saith more than the assertion, and therefore doth over and above prove it ; not