lieason 2. The great ])rivilege of the covenant of grace is to be taught God's statutes, or to have a real impress of them upon the heart and mind, which is the way of divine teaching : Heb. viii. 10, ' For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel in those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their lieaits ; and I will be to them a God, and they shall bo to me a pcoi)le.' He will cure us of our wickedness, weakness, and carelessness, and enable us to kee}) his law; it is God's undertaking to do so, and that out of free grace and favour, for he is not in- debted to us ; it is to give us knowledge of them, and power to keep them. Much of the law natural cannot be severed from it, and that is the reason why the heathens have the law written upon their hearts, Hom. ii, 15 ; but the writing is very imperfect, both as to knowledge and power to keej) it. God will im[)rint them more perfectly; this is the true notion of tlie law. By the mind is meant understanding, by the heart tbe rational a[)petite. In the mind is the directive counsel ; in the will the imperial and commanding power. There is the prime mover of all human actions ; he givetli an apprehensive and percep- tive power, whereby we apprehend things more clearly, and etiectually desii-e and affect s})iritual delights.
Use 1. To refute the claim of them that would ])]cad mercy, but would still go on in their own ways, blessing themselves in their sins. Till (jur hearts and minds are suited to God's law by a permanent
VeR. 125.] SERMONS Ul'ON FSALM CXIX. 285
tincttive of holiness, we are not fit subjects to ask mercy and the promises of the covenant.
Use 2. If we wouhl have this effect, we must go to God, who alone can work upon tlie immortal soul, to reform, mould, or alter it. A new man or angel cannot do it ; they may by sense and fancy teach him many things ; but to make these lively impressions must be the work of the Spirit.
SERMON CXXXVII.
I am thy servant ; give me binder standing, that I may hioio thy testimonies. — Veil 125.
In this verse he repeateth his plea and request also. In the former verse he mentioneth the relation of a servant, and prayeth, ' Teach me thy statutes.' And here again — (1.) Asserteth his i-elation to God, * 1 am thy servant.' (2.) Beneweth his request, ' Give me under- standing,' (3.) The fruit and effect of the grant, ' That I may know thy testimonies ; ' or, Then I shall know.
First, This repetition hath its use. This repeating his relation to God showeth that where the conscience of our dedication to God, and our endeavours to serve him, is clear and sincere, we should not easily quit our claim. Deal with thy servant in mercy ; yea, Lord, I am thy servant : I have my failings ; but. Lord, it is in my heart to serve thee ; I can and will avow it as long as I live. Our defects and disallowed failings do not deprive us of the title of being God's servants; we may take comfort in it, and assert our interest in the promises as long as we delight to do his will. And though unbelief opposeth our claim, we must remove it in the face of all objections. Christ puts Peter to a threefold assertion of his love to him, John xxi. It is supposed we do not lie, in these redoubled professions of our respect and service to God.
Secondly, This renewing his request showeth his earnestness to increase in spiritual understanding. Savoury and powerful knowledge of divine things is in itself so excellent a benefit, and our necessity of it is so great, that we cannot enough pray for it. Only observe, that in the former verse, the notion was statutes, here testimonies. Statutes jire that part of God's word which we should obey ; testimonies that part which we should believe, viz., the promises. But this may be too critical, the words being taken in this psalm in a greater latitude.
Doct. That it is a good plea, when we want any mercy, spiritual or temporal, to be able to plead that we are God's servants.
1. That there are a sort of people, that in a peculiar manner are God's servants.
2. These may plead it when they want any mercy, spiritual or temporal.
First, That some are in a peculiar manner God's servants. The saints of God are so called; it was Moses' honour: 'They sung the b'ong of Moses, the servant of the Lord.' So Josh. i. 1, ' Now after the
286 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXXXVII.
death of Moses, the servant of the Lord.' So Paul asserts it of him- self : Acts xxvii. 23, ' The God, whose I am, and whom I serve.' Here is a true description of a Christian man ; he is God's, and serveth God ; he is God's by special appropriation and communion with God. He serveth God, that is, walketh answerable to liis relation, and is ever about God's work. Elsewhere he describeth himself by his service : Eom. i. 9, ' My God, whom I serve in- my spirit ; ' 1 Tim. i. 3, ' God, whom I serve with a pure conscience.' But to know who in a peculiar manner are God's servants, we must distinguish —