vol. ix. c
34 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLXL.
interpretari cujus est condere. He can best show his own meaning ; and therefore in all doubtful cases repair to him, especially since he hath undertaken in necessary cases : Jer. xxxi. 34, ' For they shall all know me from the least to the greatest ;; and loveth to be employed by his people for that end and purpose. Once more, without his Spirit the clearest light we have hath no efficacy, Rom. i. 18. He will have it sought.
I come to the third and last thing, the fruit and benefit, ' And I shall live.' I shall explain the words in the prosecution of this point.
Doct. The saving knowledge of God's testimonies is the only way to live.
There is a threefold life : —
1. Life natural.
2. Life spiritual.
3. Life eternal.
In all these considerations may the point be made good.
First, Life is taken for the life of nature, or the life of the body, or life temporal, called ' this life ' in scripture, 1 Cor. xv. 19 ; 1 Tim. iv. 8.. Among outward things nothing is more precious than life ; it maketh us capable of enjoying what the world can afford to us. We give all that we have to preserve it, Job ii. 9. Indeed, in competition with worldly things, we do well to value it ; but not in competition with our duty and love to Christ ; so we must not count our life dear to us: Acts xx. 24, ' I count not my life dear to me ;' and Luke xiv. 26, 'Whosoever hateth not father and mother,' &c, 'and his own life.' Out of the conscience of our duty to Christ, we must be willing to expose it, for he can give us a better life, John xi. 24 ; but otherwise so far as we can preserve it with our duty, it must be precious to us, and we must seek the interests of it. Well, then, in this sense it is no unbecoming thing for a Christian to say, ' Give me understanding, that I may live.' My life present, which mine enemies seek to take from me, this life is from God, both originally and in a way of constant pre- servation. God gave it at first : Gen. ii. 7, ' God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul ; ' and still this life is at God's disposing, and he will sooner continue it to us in a way of obedience than in a way of sin : Job x. 12, ' Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visita- tion hath preserved my spirit ; ' Acts xvii. 28, ' In him we live and move, and have our being.' The same power that giveth us being main- taineth it as long as he pleaseth. All is at the daily dispose of God.
2. Life is better preserved in a way of obedience than by evil-doing ; that provoketh God to cast us off, and exposes us to dangers. It is not in the power of the world to make us live or die a day sooner or longer than God pleaseth. If God will make us happy, they cannot make us miserable. Therefore ' Give me understanding, and I shall live ; ' that is, lead a comfortable and happy life for the present. Pre- vent sin, and you prevent danger. Obedience is the best way to pre- serve life temporal. As great a paradox as it seems to the world, it is a scripture truth : Prov. iv. 4, ' Keep my commandments, and live ; ' and ver. 13, ' Take hold of instruction ; let her not go, keep her, for she is thy life ;' and Prov. iii. 16, ' Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left riches and honour ;' and ver. 18, ' She is a tree
YeR. 144.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 35
of life.' The knowledge and practice of the word is the only means to live comfortably and happily here, as well as for ever hereafter.
Secondly, Life spiritual; that is twofold — the life of justification and the life of sanctification.
1. The life of justification : Bom. v. 18, ' The free gift came upon all men to justification of life.' He is dead not only on whom the hangman hath done his work, but also he on whom the judge hath passed sentence, and the law pronounceth him dead. In this sense we were all dead, and justification is called justification to life ; there is no living in this sense without knowledge : Isa. liii. 11, ' By his know- ledge shall my righteous servant justify many/ We live by faith, and faith cometh by hearing, and hearing doth no good unless the Lord giveth understanding ; as meats nourish not unless received and digested.
2. The life of sanctification : Eph. ii. 1, ' And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins/ And men live not properly till they live the life of grace ; they live a false counterfeit life, not a blessed, happy, certain, and true life. Now this life is begun and carried on by saving knowledge : Col. iii. 10, ' The new man is renewed in knowledge/ Again, men are said to be 'alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them,' Eph. iv. 18. They that are ignorant are dead in sin. Life spiritual cometh by knowledge, hence beginneth the change of the inward man, and thenceforth we live. Give me understanding, ut vere in te vivam, that the true life begun in me may grow and increase daily, but never be quenched by sin.