YeR. 97.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. • 475
streagtlien us in our conflicts, either with sins or with afflictions, to strengthen us against corruptions, and quicken us to duties ; the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, the choicest weapon in the spiritual warfare, Eph. vi. 18. Here a Christian fetcheth his all from hence. Therefore, if jon would have these affections to the word, think what a great deal of benefit is to be had by it, light, comfort, and strength.
Direct. 2. Be in a capacity to love the word. If you would have this strong affection David speaks of, you must be renewed and reconciled.
1. Eenewed, for this love is an affection proper to the new nature: Eom. viii. 5, ' They that are after the spirit do mind the things of the spirit.' It is in vain to think of any such love to God's word until we be renewed by God's grace. A mau, as a man, may delight in the knowledge of the word ; but to receive the word of God as the word of God, there must be somewhat of the divine nature, or you will not have such a relish and savour to spiritual things.
2. Be reconciled to God. A guilty creature, what comfort can he take in the word of God, where he can see nothing but his accusation and his doom ? When he looks into it, it shows him his natural face. A natural man cannot delight in the word of God, for it only revives his fears, and offers to his mind a sense of his misery. Therefore God's witnesses are said to ' torment them that dwell on the earth,' Rev. xi. 10. God's word is a torment to them ; to come to the word, and study the word of God, and consider his mind revealed therein, this nothing but iucreaseth fears. It is a vexation to them, when they wotild sleep securely, to have their consciences rubbing up and reviving their fears. Therefore they are not in a capacity to delight in the word of God.
Direct. 3. If you would delight in the word of God, you must get an esteem of spiritual enjoyments. AYhy are wicked men so greedily carried out after worldly comforts? These are the only things which they value. But imtil a man learns to value knowledge, and spiritual comforts, and subjection to God, and conversion of his heart to God, he will not love the word, which is the instrument of all these benefits. When he counts these as the greatest blessings, then his heart will be carried on to them, for the word only hath a subserviency to these things. Poor low creatures value themselves by plentifulness of worldly accommodations ; they will not be so much longing after them. But when they value instruction above silver, and knowledge more than their gold, as Prov. viii. 10, when the heart is set upon spiritual things, then they love the word by which they might be made partakers of it.
Direct. 4. Let a man live in awe of the word, and make it his busi- ness to maintain communion with God ; for this will show him the necessity of his word to comfort and to strengthen him upon all occa- sions. A lively Christian, that in good earnest minds his work, must have the word by him for his strength and support, as he that labours must have his meals, otherwise he will faint. Painted fire needs no fuel, and when we content ourselves with a loose and careless profession, then we will not so delight ourselves in God's book and in his statutes,
47G SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CII.
nnd run to those things for the support of our souls. But when we make it our business, then naturally we will be carried out in love to the word.
Use 3. For trial. Have we this love to God's word ? God's people love his word exceedingly. There are many do not hate it, do not oppose it, or have some cold affections this way ; but have you that order of affection which the children of God do express ?
1. If you have a true love to the word of God, 3'ou will much exer- cise yourselves therein in reading, hearing, praying, conferring, and meditating ; these will be constant exercises of your souls. You will be much in reading the word, as the eunuch returning from public worship was reading a portion of scripture, Acts viii. 28. It is good to see with our own eyes, and drink out of the fountain ; not barely to attend upon deductions from the word, and discourses built thereupon, but to read the book itself ; and if it seem dark, God will send you an interpreter. Then you will be delighted in hearing the word. Cer- tainly the saints will take all meet occasions for this. If he hath begotten you by the word of truth, you will be swift to hear, James i. 19. They which have experimented the power of it, there needs not much ado to press them to come and wait upon the dispensation of the word : Ps. cxxii. 1, ' I was glad when they said unto me. Let us go up unto the house of the Lord.' You should be glad of these occa- sions of hearing God's word. Look, as in heaven all our comforts and all grace comes in there by vision, by sight, so now it comes in here in the chuich by hearing. Hearing is the sense exercised in the church, and therefore God's children will be much in hearing the word. Then mucli in conferring of it; what a man delights in he will be talking of, and so should you at home and abroad : Dent. vi. 7, ' Thou shalt be talking of them when thou sittest m thine house, and when thou walkest in the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.' When you are at home you should be conferring of these holy things, and abroad seasoning your journey and business with gracious conference.