2. There is much to the contrary, a manifest unworthiness and contrary desert to what God bestoweth on us.
[1.] A general unworthiness in all the sons of Adam. Man was left as a condemned malefactor in the hands of the law, without all hope and possibility of recovery, under sin ; Rom. vii. 14, ' I am carnal, sold under sin.' Under a curse : Eph. ii. 3, ' We were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.' And that God should regard such !
[2.] A particular unworthiness, before conversion and after.
(1.) Before conversion : Titus iii. 3, ' For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures,' &c. We deserve to be abhorred and cast out of God's presence, and might justly expect his vengeance rather than his bounty and goodness, his anger and frowns rather than the light of his countenance.
(2.) Since conversion : James iii. 2, ' In many things we offend all ;' Eccles. vii. 20, ' There is not a just man upon earth, that doetli good, and sinneth not.' There are mixtures of evil, imperfections of holy things. Well, then —
1. Let mercy be all your plea when you have any favour to seek from God. We cannot claim any good upon any other right and title. Justice will except against you, and conscience will take its part. What have you to say but on that : Dan. ix. 18, ' We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.' We have no other motive that will become God, nor bear weight in our own consciences, but only God hath set up a court where grace takcth the throne, and giveth out pardons and blessings to sinners.
VeR. 132.] SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. 371
2. When you have once tasted one pledge of God's love vouchsafed to you, let this kindle coals in your bosoms, and warm your hearts with love to God. It is not only his condescension to take notice of you, but his mercy to show any favour and kindness to you : 2 Sam. vii. 19, ' Is this the manner of men, 0 Lord God ? ' Is this the manner of men, to requite good for evil ? Who am I ?
3. Be contented with your measures. "Where nothing is deserved, anything should be kindly taken. Grace communicateth itself to whom and in what measure it will : Mat. xx. 15, ' Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own ? ' If we are kept under, and in great extremities, he might have dealt worse with us : Lam. iii. 22, ' It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.' If we had a price in our hands to procure better, we might complain. Now all is free and undeserved, we should admire and submit.
SERMON CXLVL
As iliou usest to do unto those that love thy name. — Ver. 132.
Here you have —
Thirdly, The terms of the dispensation, ' As thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.' The word is —
1. According to the law and right.
2. According to the use and custom, according to the mercy promised, and usually bestowed upon those that love thee. Both senses not im- proper.
First, The first sense, according to the law and right. Prout est jus diligentium nomen timm, so some. The vulgar. Secundum judi- cium. Amyraldus glosseth thus, Pi'o ilia inisericordia quam inter te et timentes nomen tu.um constituisti. Others, Secundum jus, et foedus illud. Take it thus, and it beareth a good sense ; for there is the obligation of justice, and the obligation of grace ; a judgment of righteousness, and a judgment of mercy. This merciful judgment the saints appeal unto. I cannot exclude this ; for otherwise this verse would not have one of those ten words which express the word or law of God.
Doct. That there is a gracious way of right established between God and his people, according to which they may expect mercies.
This will be best understood by comparing the tv/o covenants, their agreement and disagreement, not in all things, but such as are pertinent.
1. Let us see how the two covenants agree.
[1.] They agree in their author. God appointed both, and man is only to accept or take hold of what is offered. Man was not thinking of any such thing when God instituted the first : Gen. ii. 17, ' But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou slialt not eat of it ; for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die ; ' or revealed the second : Gen. iii. 15, 'It sliall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise
372 SERMONS UPON PSALM oxix. [Ser. CXLVI.
liis licel.' For God to enter into a covenant with the creature, either of works or grace, was an act of condescension ; and who is lie that could bid the Almighty humble himself, and prescribe conditions and laws of commerce between God and us, but only God alone P Man did not give the conditions, or treat with God about the making of them, what they should be ; but only was bound to submit to what God was pleased to prescribe. In the covenant of works God gave forth the conditions of life, and a law and a penalty ; and in the covenant of grace, man is bound to submit to the conditions without disputing. They are not left free and indifferent for us to debate upon, and to modify, and bring them down to our own liking and humoui- ; but to yield to them, and take hold upon them, not to appoint them : Isa. Ivi. 4, ' Thus saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant ; ' Eom. x. 3, ' For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own right- eousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.'