[2.] It notes the exact perfection of the word. There is no dross in silver and gold that hath been often refined, so there is no defect in the word of God.
2. Here is David's respect to the word ; speaking of himself in the third person, he saith, ' Thy servant loveth it.' The children of God love the word, and the duty and obedience it prescribeth, so as effec- tually to follow it ; that is love, and none but that.
3. Here is his reason for it, ' Therefore I love it,' because it is pure. Wicked men hate it and slight it for this reason : the word of God is so pure that it ransacks their consciences, and therefore they cannot endure it : ' The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be,' Rom. viii. 7. But the saints do the rather embrace it : wicked men could wish it were less strict, that it might be calculated to their turns ; but the children of God love it for this reason.
Doct. That God's children see such purity in his word that there- fore they value it and love it exceedingly.
The point will be made good by four considerations : —
1. That the word of God is pure.
2. That this pure word must be loved and esteemed by us.
478 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CLVII.
3. That we must not only love God's word, but see why we love it.
4. Among all the grounds and reasons of our love to the word of God, this is the most noble and excellent, to love it for its purity.
For the first of these, that tiie word of God is pure, yea, as it is superlatively expressed in the text, it is very pure, that will appear in two respects — it is pure in itself, and it maketh us pure.
1, It is pure in itself, because it is a holy rule, fit for God to give and us to receive, exactly comprising the whole duty of man. We need not seek elsewhere for direction in order to true happiness : Ps. xix. 8, * The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes ;' as metal refined from all dross, so here is not the least mixture of error, folly, or falsehood, not the least corruption or flaw to be found in it, as in all other books of human composure. All other writings come as short of the scripture as a coal doth of the sun. The whole art and design of this holy book is to advance the spiritual and heavenly life, and not to fashion our outward carriage a little for converse with men, but to bring us into fellowship and communion with God, and to direct us to do all things from holy principles, in a holy manner, to holy ends. There is no dead fly in this box of oint- ment, no blemish of weakness and imperfection ; it hath the manifest impress of the author left upon it, and is the copy of that exact holiness which is in God himself.
2. The word is very pure, as it maketh us pure if we diligently attend unto it : Ps. cxix. 9, ' By what means may a young man cleanse his way ? By taking heed thereunto according to thy word.' It is not said, By what means may a young man guide his way ; as if he were yet to choose, or were as white paper, indifferent to any impression. But by what means shall a young man cleanse his way ? Man's heart naturally is a sink of sin, and he delighteth to wallow in this puddle, as swine do in the mire ; he hath gotten a tang and smatch of the old Adam. Now, is there no way to make his heart and his way clean ? Yes, if he will take God's counsel, and direct his life according to the word. A young man that is in the heat and strength of his lusts, he may be cured and cleansed. Christ prayeth, John xvii, 17, * Sanctify them by thy truth ; thy word is truth.' The work is God's, but he doth it by the truth or his will revealed in the word. He hath reserved the power of his Spirit for this dispen- sation and way of institution of mankind. A moral lecture may make a man change his life, but it is the word of God that changeth his heart : his Spirit goeth along with his word. So John xv. 3, ' Now you are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you.' The word is the instrument of purifying sinners, and to get rid of their sins. But how doth the word make us pure ? As it is an appointed instru- ment of the Spirit, and as it is an accommodate instrument to such an end and purpose.
[1.] It is an appointed instrument by which the Spirit will work : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth, through the Spirit.' It is the Spirit of Christ that powerfully worketh it, but yet in and by the truth : he worketh by his own means, he will not join his assistance with other things. The sum of what I would say is this, it was meet that God should give a rule to his creatures,