104 siiiiMONS uroN rsALM cxix, [Seu. CXVII.
[2.] Tlicre is quicken in^c: iu afllictions, and so it is opposed to fainting, that fainting which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles, or by unbelief, or distrust of God and his promises, and the supplies of his grace. Oh! when troubles press upon us very sore, our hearts are like a bird, dead in the nest, overcome, so that we liave no spirit, life, nor aptness for God's service : ' My soul droopeth for very heaviness ;' we have lost our life and our courage for God.
Well, how doth God quicken us P By reviving our suffering graces, a^ our hope of eternal life and eternal glory, patience and faith, and so puts life into us again, that wo may go on cheerfully in our service. By infusion of new comforts. He revives the spirit of his contrite ones ; so the prophet saith, Isa. Ivii. 15. He doth revive our spirits again when they are dead and sunk under our troubles. Oh ! it is very necessary for this : Ps. Ixxx. 18, ' Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name.' Discomfort and discouragement they weaken our hands; until the Lord cheers us again we have no life in prayer. By two things especially doth God quicken us in affliction — by reviving the sense of his love, and by reviving the hopes of glory. By reviving the sense of his love : Rom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad,' like a fragrant ointment that doth revive us, when we are even ready to give up the ghost ; Ps. Ixxxv. 6, ' Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee?' I say, when he restores the sense of his love after great and pressing sorrow, then he is said to ■quicken. So when he doth renew upon us the ho})es of glory : Rom. V. 2, 3, ' We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' Well, you see what this quickening is.
Secondly, This quickening must be asked of Qod.
1. Because it is his prerogative to govern the heart of man, especially to quicken us. God will be owned as the fountain of all life: 1 Tim. vi. 13, ' I charge'thee in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things.' It is God that quickeneth all things. All the life that is in the creatiu'e, all the life that is in new creatures, it comes from God ; it is he that giveth us life at first, and he must keep in this life in the soul, and restore it. The meanest worm, all the life it hath, it hath from God. When John woidd prove the Godhead of Christ, he brings this argument, John i. 4, ' In him is life.' There is not a gnat but receives this benefit from Christ as God. He hath the life of all things, and this life is the light of men ; much more the noble creature man hath this life from God ; nmch more the new creature ; greater operation of spiritual life, more depends upon his influence ; and therefore, if we would be quickened, and carried out with any life and strength, we must go to God for it.
2. God as our judge, he must be treated with about it, for he smites us with deaduess ; therefore till he takes off his sentence, we cannot get rid of this distemjier ; it is one of God's spiritual plagues, which must be removed before we can hope for any liveliness, and any activity of grace again. Under the law, God ijunished sins more sensibly ; as unhallowed addresses, he punished them with death. Under the gospel, he punisheth sins with deaduess of heart. When they seem careless in the worshipping of God, they have a blow and breach, as he smote Uzzah and Nadab and Abiliu dead in the place ;
VeR. 107.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 105
and now he smites with cleadness, Ecv. iii. 7. He ' hath the key of David, that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth ;' without his permission we can never recover our former lively estate again, for there is a judicial sentence passed upon us.
Use. To press us to be often with God for quickening, that we may obtain this ])enofit. I have spoken of it at large upon another verse ; if you would have this benefit, rouse up yourselves : Isa. Ixiv. 7, ' There is none that stirreth up himself;' and 2 Tim. i. 6, ' Stir up the gift that is in thee.' A man hath a faculty to work upon his own heart, to commune and reason with himself ; and we are bidden to 'strengthen the things that are ready to die,' Rev. iii. 2. When things are dying and fainting in the soul, we are to strengthen ourselves ; therefore, if we would have God to quicken us, thus must we do, chide the heart for its deadness in duty ; we can be lively enough iu a way of sin ; chide the heart for its deadness in affliction : Ps. xlii., ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? still trust in God.' And after you have done this, then look up, and expect this grace from God in and through Christ Jesus. It is said, John x. 10, ' I am come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.' Jesus Christ, he came not only that wo might have life enough to keep body and soul together, but that we might not only be living but lively, full of life, strength, and cheerfulness in the service of God. He is come into the world for this end and purpose : expect it through Christ, who hath purchased it for us. And then plead with God about it, according to his promise, Ah ! Lord, according to thy word ; hast thou not said, I will quicken a dead heart ? When thou art broken and tossed with affliction, remember it is the higli and lofty one that hath said he will ' revive the heart of the contrite ones,' Isa. Ivii. 15 ; and plead thus with God, Ah ! Lord, dost not thou delight in a cheerful spirit ? 'Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee ?' Ps. Ixxxv. 6, And then humble yourselves for the cause of the dis- temper. What is the matter ? how comes this deadness upon me ? Isa. Ixiii. 17, 'Why hast thou caused us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear?' Inquire what is the cause of this deadness that grows upon me, that you may humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God.