2. God observeth what we do in our trouble : Ps. xliv. 20, 21, 'If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god, shall not God search out this, for he knoweth the secrets of our hearts ? ' If we slacken our service to God, or fall off to any degree of apostasy, the judge of hearts knoweth all ; God knoweth whether we have or would deprave and corrupt doctrine, worship, or ordinances, or whether we will faithfully adhere to him, to his word, and worship, and ordinances, whatever it cost us.
3. God and his law are the same, and therefore though our condi- . tion be altered, our affections should not. If we love the word of God
upon intrinsic reasons, there is the same reason we should adhere to it with love still, as to" embrace it out of love : ver. 142, ' Thy right- eousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.' Among men, that may be just to-day which is not so to-morrow, because they and their laws alter ; but God's law is the eternal rule of righteousness, that never alters.
4. In our poor and despicable condition, we see more cause to love the word than we did before ; because w^e experiment supports and comforts which we have thereby : Kom. v. 3, ' Knowing that tribula- tion worketh patience,' &c. ; 2 Cor. i. 5, ' For as tlie sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.' God hath special consolations for his afflicted and despised people ; and makes their consolation by Christ to run parallel and to keep pace with their sufferings for Chri-st.
Use 1. Carry your duty still in remembrance. The first step of defection is to forget what God hath commanded. There is an oblivion, and a darkness for the present on the mind, so that a man knoweth not what he knoweth , as Hagar saw not the well that was before her, till God opened her eyes. Therefore revive the grounds of your adherence, if you would constantly adhere to God. The temp- tation Cometh afresh upon you every day, with all the enticing bland- ishments ; so should the reasons of your duty. It helpeth our
VOL. vin. • 2 I
498 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLVIII.
perseverance to consider how strong and cogent they are, and wliat wrong we should do to God and religion to consent. At first a man beholds temptations with horror; but being familiarised, our thoughts are more reconciled to them ; therefore recollect yourselves, and remember the reasons you first liad to put you upon your duty ; and if you duly consider them, they will be strong and cogent to repel the temptation, that would take you ofi' from it.
Use 2. It showeth who are lovers of the word and who not. On the one hand, some love the precepts of God when they are in honour and esteem, have many to join with them, and they see peace and plenty follow the profession of it ; but rather than they will endure trouble and contempt, forsake it. The Samaritans would be Jews when the Jews were favoured ; but in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, when the Jews were in trouble, they would be called Sidonians, ovkW oD/xoXoyovv rov iv FapL^lv vabv rov fjieyicrTov Oeov, dedicating their temple not to Jehovah but Jupiter (Josephus). These never received the love of the truth. On the other side, when a man loveth it alike in all times and in all conditions, when rich, when poor, in liberty and in bonds, when the ways of God are counte- nanced or when despised, it is all one to him ; tliey love it not for out- ward respects, but internal reasons.
THE END OF YOL. YIII.
PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY EDINBURGH AND LONDON
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