2. It is a sign the rod hath done its work, and then it will be gone, when it hath convinced you of former failings, and put you upon serious purposes : Job xxxiv. 31, 32, ' Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will offend no more. That which I see not, teach thou me : if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.' Otherwise what we ask of temporal mercy is either denied us or we get it in wrath.
3. You have a true notion of deliverance ; you look upon it as an engaging mercy ; therefore if God alter your condition you are bound to serve him. The end of our great deliverance is service : Luke i. 74, 75, ' That he would grant unto us, that wTe, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life/ All deliverances out of straits are branches and appendices of the great redemption of our souls unto eternal life, and have the same end and use : Ps. cv. 45, ' That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws.' That is the end of all deliverance out of trouble, to engage the hearts of his people to obedience, heart to serve him, opportunity to serve him.
4. A gracious heart desireth nothing to himself alone, and cannot be content to have the use of any benefit to himself only, but eyes God in all his enjoyments and all his requests ; therefore his great aim is that he may be in the better condition to keep God's commandments, for they ' live unto God ;' Eom. xiv. 7, 8, ' For none of us liveth unto him- self, and no man dietli unto himself ; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord ; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord ; whether we
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live therefore or die, we are the Lord's.' In every state they would be unto God what they are when they seek to be delivered ; it is that they may be in the better condition and capacity to serve God, and have more opportunities to glorify his name.
Use. To persuade us to seek deliverance with these aims.
1. This is the temper of the people of God ; that which urgeth to prayer is his glory ; that which is their scope is his service. It is seen partly by the secret workings and purposes of their souls, what they do with their mercies when they have them ; what they please themselves with in the supposition of obtaining them. What is it with ? The satisfying of their revenge, providing for their families, living in pomp and ease, or that they may serve God ? Ps. lxxv. 2, ' When I shall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly ;' if ever God give an opportunity again. And partly by the preparations ; they are afraid of a treacherous heart, therefore fitting themselves to enjoy the mercy before they have it, as the apostle learned to abound, Phil. iv. 11, 12. Partly by the arguments they urge in prayer: Ps. lxxxviii. 10-12, ' Wilt thou show wonders to the dead ? shall the dead arise and praise thee ? shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave, or thy faith- fulness in destruction ? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness ?' So Ps. cvi. 47, ' Save us, 0 Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.' A true believer would have comfort, not for his own satisfaction, but to glorify God.
2. Then we are sure to 'speed when our end is right : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.' We may speak it with confidence, our prayers mis- carry for want of a right end.
3. The equity of this ; God hears us that we should hear him.
SERMON CLXV.
I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. — Veb. 147.
David still goeth on to give us an account of his fervour in prayer, ' I cried.' That which we have new in this verse is —
1. His vigilancy and diligence, I prevented the dawning of the morn- ing, and cried.
2. The reason and encouragement of this instant and assiduous praying, I hoped in thy word.
First, His vigilancy and diligence, ' I prevented,' &c. He rose betimes to meditate and pray ; the Septuagint, iv dcopia. Hesychius defineth that time to be wpav airpaKrov, a time of no business ; when others were sleeping David was praying. The word ' prevented' is emphatical. David lived as it were in a strife with time, being careful it should not overrun him ; he pressed to get before it, by doing some good in it, and to get beforehand with the day.
VER. 147.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 67
Doct. Those that make a business of prayer will use great vigilancy and diligence therein.