Use 1. Let us own and improve the word, as a righteous and faith- ful word, which God hath commanded for our good.
1. Own the authority of it. It is not an arbitiary thing ; the truths revealed imply a command to believe them, the duties required imply a command to obey them : Mat. xvii. 5, ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, hear ye him.' God hath commanded us to hear Christ, to believe in his name, to love one another : 1 John iii. 23, 'And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.' As we value his word, and would one day see his face with comfort, we should bind his precepts upon our hearts. Say to thy soul, As thou wilt answer it to God another day, take care of this.
VeR. 138.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX, 463
2. Own and improve the righteousness of his testimonies. Man having a total and absolute dependence upon Grod, God might govern us in what manner it pleased him; for it is just 'that one may do with his own what he will,' Mat. xx. 15. But what hath the Lord required of thee, but to love him and serve him ? Not to pluck the stars from the sky, or to guide the chariot of the sun, not such sub- limity of knowledge and learning, nor such a quantity and proportion of alms, nor to lance thyself, or offer thy first-born, nor rivers of oil, nor thousands of rams, for a burnt-offering : Micah vi. 8, ' He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ? ' The Lord's commands are not rigid and severe and un- reasonable, but sweet and desirable, that we should do wrong to none, do good to all, and maintain communion with him; and is this bui'thensome ? Go try the drunkard's life and the adulterer's life ; you will see the temperate, the chaste, have much the sweeter life of it. Therefore let there not be one disallowing thought of what God hath required. Could we bring you to esteem the word, other things would come on more easily.
3. Own it and improve it as a faithful word, building upon the pro- raises, fearing the threats thereof The word will not deceive them • that are ruled by it. Consider your condition, and what will be the event of things. There is a curiosity in men to know their own des- tiny. We may easily know what shall become of us by the word of God ; and if men were not more curious to know their end than care- ful to amend their lives, they need not seek any other oracle : Kom. viii. 13, ' For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' So for the end of any action ; if the word of God say it will be bitter in the latter end, though it bring profit and pleasure for a while, believe it against all the wicked men in the world, and say, I do more believe this one text and place of scripture than all that men can do and say. Mind the great duties of the gospel, and venture your souls in Christ's hands upon these terms : 1 Tim. i. 15, * This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sin- ners, of whom I am chief.' I have nothing but God's word, yet I will venture my salvation, my all, upon it, upon his bare word. Comfort yourselves in the midst of difficulties with the truth of God's word, when all sense and outward seeming is contrary to the promise. Before a promise be accomplished there will be unlikelihoods. I will instance in Paul's prediction : Acts xxvii. 24-26, ' Lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it f^hall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island,' &c. Yet how many difficulties came to pass ! First, no isle appeareth ; they are tossed in the Adriatic sea for fourteen days together ; they knew not where they were, nor whither they did go. Thus doth God delay the accomplishment of the promise ; they know not how nor which way it shall be made good. Another difficulty was, that, meeting with some isle, it fell out in the night-time ; they deemed they drew near to some country, but yet feared they should be split upon the rocks, ver. 30 ; the
464 SKKMONS Ul'ON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLV.
sliipmcu were ready to flee out of the ship, leave Paul and his fellows in dnnojcr, upon pretence of casting out anchors out of the fore-stern, and su they were ready to miscarry in the haven. When this difficulty was over, and it was day, they were not able to row to land, because of their long fasting, having eaten little or nothing for fourteen days. Another difficulty was, when they would have thrust the ship ashore it was broken all in pieces, what with high banks and two seas meet- ing. Another difficulty was, when they were to swim to land, they think of killing the prisoners, and the captain, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and so they escaped all to land. There- fore do not distrust the word ; but especially bear up with the hope of eternal life, though remote and in another world, which we never saw: Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and em- braced them ;' Kom. ii. 7, ' To them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for life, and glory, and immortality, eternal life.' You will meet with bitter conflicts, heavy troubles, sad desertions ; yet re- member God's word is a faithful word, and let this cheer and revive you.