2. God's affection is such that he will refuse no office that may be for his people's comfort. We are often dissuaded from suretyship, especially for strangers, by the wise man, with great vehemency and in- stance : Pro v. vi. 1,2,' My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth ; ' Prov. xi. 15, ' He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it;' Prov. xvii. 18, ' A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend ; ' Prov. XX. 16, ' Take his garment that is surety for a stranger ;' Prov. xxii. 26, 27, ' Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are sureties for debts : if thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take the bed from under thee ?' and in other places. Our pity is stirred towards a man that is like to be undone and ruined ; therefore there is such dissuading from suretyship. And hath not God a greater pity over the afflictions of his people ? He pities the afflictions of them that suffer most justly, yea, far below their desert : Judges x. 16, ' His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel ; ' 2 Kings xiv. 26, ' For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter ; for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.' How much
252 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXXXIII.
more will he pity them that are unjustly oppressed of men ! Acts vii. 34, ' 1 have seen the afflictions of my people which is in Egypt, and have heard their j^roanings, and am come down to deliver them.' His bowels worketh ; God loveth his people better than they love themselves. Jide-juhe, Domine, 'pro servo.
3. Our relation to him : I am thy servant, and I know thou art a good master ; and he is our sovereign Lord, and therefore hath under- taken to provide for us : the master was to be the servant's patronus. God hath found us work, and he will find us defence. This the argu- ment of the text, ' Be surety for thy servant.' We are employed in his work, engaged in his cause. If a rich man set a poor man at work, as to dig such a ditch, if he be afterwards troubled for it, the rich man is concerned to bear him out : Ps. cxvi. 16, ' 0 Lord, truly I am thy servant ; I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid.' Whilst we are engaged about our master's l)usiness, and in his work, he is engaged to protect us, and bear us out in it.
4. Our very numing to him, and committing ourselves into his hands, is an engaging God : Ps. Ixxxvi. 2, ' Preserve my soul, for I am holy, 0 thou my God ; save thy servant that trusteth in thee ;' Ps. x. 14, ' The poor committeth himself unto thee ; thou art the helper of the fatherless.' Employ God, and find him work; he will not fail to do what he is intrusted with : Ps. Ivii. 1, ' Be merciful unto me, 0 God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee ; yea, in the shadow of thy wing will I make my refuge, until these calamities be over-past.' God taketh it well that we should make bold with him in this kind, and tell him how we trust him, and expect relief from him. Nothing is so dishonourable to God, nor vexatious to us, as the dis- appointment of trust. An ingenuous man will not fail his friend that doth trust and rely upon him, much less will a faithful God fail those that look to him, and dejoend upon him for help.
Use. Advice to us what we should do in our deep distresses and troubles ; when able to do nothing for ourselves, God will be surety, that is, make our cause his own.
1. As your matters depend in a higher court, and with respect to your own guilt and sin, which hath cast you into these troubles, acknowledge your debt, but look upon Christ as your surety, who gave himself a ransom for us. The controversy between God and us must be taken up by submission on our parts, for God is an enemy that cannot be overcome, but must be reconciled. The way is not to persist in the contest, and stand it out, but beg terms of peace for Christ's sake : 2 Chron. vi. 38, 39, ' If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul, then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy d\velling-})lace, their prayers and supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy peo])Ie which have sinned against thee ; ' Job v, 8, 'I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause.'
2. As your danger lieth with men, acknowledge your in)])otency, but consider who is your surety, and will take your part against the instruments that have had a hand in your tiouble.