VER. 146.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 61
use himself for God's glory and service, and God shall have a share in all that he hath and doth : Eom. xiv. 7, 8, ' None of us liveth to him- self, and no man dieth to himself ; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.' They came off so freely : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.' This enliveneth our whole work. It is no hard matter to persuade them that have given up themselves to God to part with anything for God's use.
3. Because of the danger both in regard of sin and judgment, if we do it not aright.
[1.] In regard of sin, rash and sudden engagements are seldom sound : Mat. xiii. 20, 21, the stony ground received the word with joy, and forthwith the good seed sprang up, but the blade soon withered. Usually sudden undertakings are accompanied with faint and feeble prosecutions ; and though men are warm and passionate for the present, within a while it cometh to nothing ; all their promises are broken, as tow is burnt in the fire.
[2.] In regard of judgment, every consecration implieth an execra- tion. If you break with God after you have engaged yourselves to him, your condition is worse ; it aggravateth every deliberate sin, and hastens judgment, for God will avenge the quarrel of his covenant, Lev. xxvi. 25. Better never begin, or the word pass out of your mouths, or thought enter into your heart, unless you be sincere, mean as you say. It is dangerous to alienate things once consecrated ; this is the worst kind of sacrilege, that shall not go unpunished.
Use. You see, then, what seriousness we should use in devoting our- selves to God, or promising obedience to him.
1. Kemember the weakness of a creature, that you may resolve in God's strength.
2. Consider incident temptations, whether anything be like to shake you in your covenanted course, that you may arm yourselves against it.
3. Consider your more particular affections ; where the business is like to stick most, there are tender parts.
4. Consider the weight and importance of subjection. He will not be content with a little religiousness by the by, but you must love him with all your heart and all your soul, and serve him with all your might.
5. Consider the strength of your resolution, that you be irrevocably, everlastingly put under the sovereignty and command of God. Thus do, and you will find success and comfort in your deed.
Now to the words themselves. There is first an intimation of a prayer ; where —
1. The vehemency, / cried.
2. The object or person to whom, to thee.
' I cried.' David keepeth up his fervour. What crying in prayer is I have showed in the former verse. I shall observe now —
Doct. That great trouble and sense of danger puts an edge upon prayer, and kindleth our affection in it.
When Israel was under sore bondage, God saith, Exod. iii. 6 ' I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and have heard their
62 sebmohs upon rsALM cxix. [Seh. CLXIV.
cry/ _ Afflictions make us cry in prayer, not only speak. An ordinary affection is vox orationis ; it speaketh to God in prayer ; but a vehe- ment affection is clamor orationis, the cry of prayer. Ordinary prayers speak to God, but earnest prayers cry to God ; and though remiss and cold wishes vanish in the air, yet strong cries pierce the heavens. They have a shrill accent, and cannot be kept out from God : Judges iv. 3, ' The children of Israel cried unto the Lord ; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron.' So Judges vi. 5-7, ' They cried to the Lord because of the Midianites, who came up as grasshoppers.' David : Ps. xviii. 6, ' In my distress I called to the Lord, and cried to my God : he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.' He prayed not seldom, but often and fre- quently ; not slackly, but with fervency and earnestness.
1. Affliction will teach men to pray that never prayed before. The rude mariners in a storm called every man upon his god : Qui nescit orare, discat navigare, Jonah i. 5. Those that neglect God at other times, as if they had no need of him, or pray faintly, are then glad to seek to him for succour and safety : Ps. lxxiii. 34, ' When he slew them, then they sought him. and inquired early after God.' The natural principle of fear of death and love of self-preservation puts them upon it. So Jer. ii. 27, ' In their affliction they will say, Arise and save us ; ' Judges x. 10, ' And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord, saying, We have sinned against thee ; ' and ver. 14, ' Go, and cry unto the gods that ye have chosen ; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.'