2. The necessity of the word of God. Whoever will please God in all things, and will purge his own soul and his life from sin, must take the word of God for his rule and direction. Our lives are not to be framed according to our own fancies, but God's word, where the genuine holiness is recommended to us, and which is the only proper means to work the heart to it. I shall prove that the word of God is the great rule both to warn us of our dangers and to instruct us in our duties ; and so it is the great means to sanctify the heart. I say it is the great rule to warn us of our dangers: Ps. xix. 11, 'More- over, by them is thy servant warned.' This discovers temptations, inconveniences, snares, which otherwise we should never discern. There are many dangers that wait for us on every side. So Ps. xvii. 4, ' Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from tlie paths of the destroyer.' It is the only proper means to keep us from the paths of the destroyer. Alas ! otherwise if we do not strictly consult with his statute and rule, we shall cry up a con- federacy Avith those that cry up a confederacy against God ; we shall fimbrace the temptation wliich opportunity offers, if he follow the guidance of his deceived and deceiving heart. And the word of God doth only discover our duties to us : Prov. vi. 23, ' For the command- ment is a lamp, and the law is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.' Mark, whatever condition we are in, whether in the
VeR. 133.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 385
night, or whetlier in the day, whether in this or that condition, here we have a hinip and light ; here is that which will show us what God requires of us in every state and condition. Now, as this is the only rule, so it is the only appointed means with which God will associate the operation of his grace for the converting and curing of the souls of men ; for when God had stated a rule for the creature, it is fit the knowledge of that might be a means of sanctification ; so the word is commended to us : John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them by thy truth ; thy word is truth ; ' if the Holy Ghost will sanctify, if he will beget not an apocryphal and bastardly holiness (that may be by the institutions of men, and rules men prescribe), but a genuine, true holiness, which is acceptable to God ; put them into a capacity to serve, love, and enjoy God : Ps. cxix. 9, ' Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way ? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.' A young man, that is in the heat of his lusts, and in the ruff of his sin, is im- petuously carried away. How shall he do to break this boisterous violence, and bring his heart into some competent way of obedience to God ? Why, the word of God is the only means; the Lord inter- poseth by his word, and blesseth his word. Let a man read Seneca, riato, Plutarch, all the philosophers, he will have but cold and faint respects to holiness and to better things, until he come to be exercised in the word of God. Man is not a vessel that comes newly out of the potter's shop, but he hath a smatch of the old infusion of sin ; and he cannot have this taste and tang put out but by the word of God sanctifying his heart and breaking the power of his lusts : Ps. xix. 7, ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.' We are out of joint, unfit to please and serve God. Now, how shall a man do to get his soul set in joint again, that he may be in a capacity to serve and enjoy God ? Why, this restores the soul to a capacity ; the Lord blesseth this institution and this means ; for it is not bare truth, but instituted truth, with which God will associate the operation of his Spirit. By this word of his, that was indited by the Spirit, and penned by holy men that were moved by the Holy Ghost, he doth join his virtue and power and efficacy of his Spirit to sanctify the souls of men.
3. They that make it their scope and business to please God in all things, and take his word for their rule, their souls will soon see a need for divine direction, and the establishment of his grace. This reason is taken from the temper of the persons that are to walk in this strict way, according to his strict rule ; they are such as are naturally blind, and naturally opposite to God : now certainly such need to go to God for direction. I gather that from these words, ' Order my steps.' Every man is a poor blind creature, and hath a heart opposite to the ways of God ; he need beg this grace of God, Lord, incline my heart. Every man is a blind creature, partly be- cause our own spirits are blind, crooked, and unstable, that we shall neither consult our rule nor understand our duty, nor like it when it is represented to us, until the Lord doth enlighten us. A man's heart is naturally blind : 2 Peter i. 9, 'He cannot see afar off,' he hath no skill in spiritual things, 1 Cor. ii. 14. The heart is naturally full of darkness, and then this darkness grows upon us, partly by prejudice