Prop. 3. This true and righteous doctrine must be backed with a strong and powerful authority, not only recommended to us, but strictly and severely enjoined, for two reasons : —
1. I3ecause otherwise it will not be observed and regarded, but be looked upon not as a binding law, but as an arbitrary direction. There is a difference between a law and a rule. A bare rule may only serve to inform our understandings, or to give direction ; but a law is a binding rule, a rule with a strong obligation. The word of God is not his counsel and advice to us only, but his law ; that men may examine and regard it with more care and diligence. God hath interposed his authority : Ps. cxix. 4, ' Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently ; ' and in the text, 'Thy testimonies,
45G SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLV.
which thou hast coininarided.' God hath commanded us to beheve all truths revealed, to obey all duties required ; and if God cora- mandeth, there is good reason why he should be obeyed.
2, Divine authority is one means to evidence the righteousness and truth of what is to be believed and obeyed. The righteousness ; for if God, who is my superior, and hath a full right to govern me according to his own pleasure, doth command me anything, it is best that I should obey it without reply and contradiction ; yea, though I see not the reason of it : Acts xvii. 28, 'For in him we live, and move, and have our being.' All creatures have their being not only from him, but in him ; and therefore sometimes. God giveth no other account of his law but this, 'I am the Lord:' Lev. xxii. 2, 3, 'Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me : I am the Lord. Say unto them. Whosoever he be of all your seed, among your generations, that goetli unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the Lord.' Therefore it gives rules of practice to be embraced with all the heart, as holy, just, and good. God's authority is founded upon the total dependence of all creatures upon him, and upon his infallible wisdom, truth, and goodness, by which he hath right to prescribe all points of faith to be believed and assented to, upon his own testimony, without contradic- tion : 1 John V. 9, ' If we receive the testimony of man, the testimony of God is greater.' A man that would not deceive us, we believe him upon his word, though he may be deceived himself ; but God doth not deceive, nor can he be deceived : by the holy God nothing can be given but what is holy and good ; and thereupon I am to receive it.
Prop. 4. This divine authority, truth, and righteousness, is only to- be found in God's testimonies, which he hath commanded, or in God's word.
1. There is a godlike authority speaking there, and commanding that which it becometh none but God to command, who is the universal king and sovereign. For it speaketh to the whole world without respect of persons, to king and beggar, rich and poor, male and female, without reservation of honour or distinction of degrees. The word looketh on them as standing before God on the same level : Job xxxiv. 19, * He accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regarded the rich more than the poor ; for they all are the work of his hands.' And speaketh to them indifferently and equally : Exod. XX. 3, ' Thou shalt have no other gods but me.' Which is not the voice of any limited and bounded power, but of that which is supreme, transcendent, and absolute. And by these laws he bindeth the con- science and the immortal souls of men : Ps. xix. 7, ' The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.^ Men may give laws to the words and actions, because they can take cognisance of them ; but the word giveth laws to the thoughts : Isa. Iv. 7, ' Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; ' Mat. v. 28, ' Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' And the internal motions-
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and affections of the heart, how we should love and fear, and joy and mourn : 1 Cor. vii. 30, ' Tliey that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not.' Of these things God can only take notice ; the power of man reacheth not to the mind and spirit; they would be ridiculous if they should take upon them to give laws to these. Philosophers might give directions about them, but potentates would not give laws, for it doth not beseem them to inter- pose their authority in such cases, where it is impossible they shall know whether they are broke or kept. The scriptures upon their disobedience make men liable not only to temporal, but spiritual and eternal punishments; and accordingly are rewards proportioned in case of obedience. The magistrate's wrath lighteth on the body, but God's upon the soul. All that man can do concerns life, or limb, or liberty, or estate ; the inward man is exempted from their power ; but God threateneth hardness of heart : Exod. vii. 13, ' He hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them.' A reprobate sense : Rom. i. 28, ' And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things that are not convenient.' A trembling heart : Deut. xxviii. 65, ' The Lord shall give thee a trembling of heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind.' On the contrary, obedience hath the promises of a soft heart, and peace that passeth all understanding : Phil. iv. 7, ' The peace of God, that passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.' Of an increase of grace : Prov. iv. 18, ' The path of the just is as the shining light, that sliineth more and more unto the perfect day.' God, that punisheth sin with sin, will reward grace with grace. So for eternal rewards, God threateneth, ' The worm that never dieth, and the fire that never shall be quenched,' Mark ix. 44. On the other side, he promiseth * Eivers of pleasures that are at God's right hand for evermore,' Ps, xvi. 11. He that will be believed and obeyed upon terms of salvation, is a God, one that hath power of the world to come. Thus hath God scattered the strictures of his majesty, and given real evidence of interposing his authority everywhere throughout the word. I shall only add, that the scriptures, as God's law, may be considered as the rule of man's duty, and God's judgment. In respect of the commands, they bind man to duty, and are the rule of it. In respect of the sanction, that is, promises and threatenings, they are the rule of God's judgment. In the one God showeth his righteousness, in the other, his truth ; in the precepts, righteousness ; in the promises and threatenings, truth.