2. Begin to do so betimes; long experience is a great advantage. Most Christians are to be blamed that they begin so late to know God, or to observe the truth of his word, or that adjourn and put it off. Fruits planted late are seldom ripe and come to anything. When we have a long journey to go, we set forth early. Begin with the Lord betimes, if you would thrive in faith. The longer experience you have had of God, the more you will believe in him : Ps. xxii. 9, 10, ' Thou art he that took me out of the womb ; thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breast : I was cast upon thee from the womb ; thou art my God from my mother's belly.'
3. Kemember and improve experiences. 'They that know thy name will put their trust in thee.' Let not new troubles startle us, after we have found the power and goodness of God so ready for our help.
SERMON CLXXI.
Consider mine affliction, and deliver me ; for I do not forget thy laiv. — Ver. 153.
In this verse observe —
1. David's petition, consider mine affliction, and deliver me.
2. His argument, for I do not forget thy law.
First, His petition is double — for pity and deliverance ; the one is preparative to the other.
1. That God would consider his case.
126 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SEE. CLXXI.
2. Deliver him' from the danger into which he was cast by his enemies.
Secondly, His reason is taken from his constant obedience, ' For I do not forget thy law/ The phrase is a meiosis, and noteth —
1. His diligence ; he did carefully observe.
2. His constancy ; he never departed from the obedience of God's word, whatever temptations he had to the contrary.
I shall give you some brief notes.
Doct. 1. That God's choicest servants in this world have their afflictions.
David saith, 'Mine affliction;' and others of God's children have their share of the sorrows and vexations of this world. This will be so whether you consider them as men or as Christians.
1. As men : Job xiv. 1, ' Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.' So Job v. 7, ' Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward ;' and Gen. xlvii. 9, c Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been.' It is well they are so few, since so evil. As our relations and comforts are multiplied, so are the occasions of our sorrow. God never intended the world to be a place of our rest, but our exercise ; it is a middle place between heaven and hell, and hath somewhat of either. In our passage to the other world we must look for it, it is that we are born to. Many are born to great honour and estate, but they have another portion goeth along with it ; they are born to trouble. Ever since sin entered into the world, punish- ment entered with it. Vitam auspicatur a supplicio. In heaven full of days, full of comforts ; but here it is otherwise, few, and full of trouble. Unusquisque nostrum, cum nascitur, ex hospitio hujus mundi excipitur, initium sumit ex lacrymis — Cyprian de Pat. Austin, in/cms nondum loquitur, et jam prophetat — Serin. 24, de Verbis Apost.
2. As Christians. A man is no sooner brought home to God but he must expect to be hated by the world : John xv. 19, 'If ye were of the world, the world would love his own ; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.' Assaulted by Satan : Luke xxii. 31, ' Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat.' Chastened by the Lord himself for their trial and humilia- tion : Heb. xii. 8, ' But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.' Our own corrupt hearts will be vexing us, thwarting all the motions of the new nature : Gal. v. 17, ' For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh : and these are contrary one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the thing that ye would.' The lusts of the flesh are as pricks and thorns in our sides. In short, wicked men will hate us because we are so good : 2 Tim. iii. 12, ' Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.' God will afflict us because we are no better : Isa. xxii. 9, ' By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit to take away his sin.' A Christian is too strict and pure for the world, and is not strict and pure enough for God ; and therefore must look for afflictions to mortify sin from God's hand, and great enmity from the world, if he meaneth to keep up the majesty of his profession.
VER, 153.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 127
Use. It presseth us —
1. To look for crosses.