Reason 2. Because uprightness giveth boldness with God in prayer : 1 John iii. 21, 'If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.' So Paul showeth he was capable of their prayers, or a fit object of them : Heb. xiii. 18, ' Pray for us ; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.' It is an error to think that justification giveth us only comfortable access to God, and sanctification hath no influence at all upon it. We lie in some secret sin, then our plea is spoiled. If God give thee a heart to adhere close to him in a constant course of obedience, the more you may be assured to be delivered. The joy of our faith is mightily confirmed by the conscience of our constant respect and observance of the word of God, and firm adherence to him.
Use. If we would boldly come to God in our straits, let us not forget or forsake our duty, nor throw off the profession of godliness, whatever we suffer from men : Ps. xliv. 17, ' All this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.' Yea, from God ; though he seem to cast us off, taketh no care of us : Job xiii. 15, ' Though he slay me, yet I will trust in him.' Diogenes
VEE. 154.] SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 135
Laertius telleth us of a cynic that went to Athens to Antisthenes to be taught by him ; when often met with a repulse, yet still insisted on his request.
SERMON CLXXIL
Plead my cause, and deliver me : quicken me according to thy word. — Ver. 154.
In this verse are three requests, and all backed with one and the same argument.
1. The three requests are —
[1.] That God would own his cause.
[2.] Deliver him out of his troubles.
[3.] And in the meantime, before the deliverance came, quicken him.
In the first he intimateth the right of his cause, and that he was unjustly vexed by wicked men ; therefore, as burdened with their calumnies, he desireth God to undertake his defence, ' plead my cause.'
In the second he representeth the misery and helplessness of his condition ; therefore, as oppressed by violence, he saith, ' deliver me ; ' or, as the words will bear, ' redeem me.'
In the third ; his own weakness and readiness to faint under this burden ; therefore, ' quicken me.'
Or, in short, with respect to the injustice of his adversaries, 'plead my cause ; ' with respect to the misery of his condition, ' deliver me ; ' with respect to the weakness and imbecility of his own heart, ' quicken me.' God is his people's patron, to defend their cause ; his people's redeemer, to rescue them out of their troubles ; the author and foun- tain of their life, to quicken them and support them : accordingly we may beg of him, as the Psalmist doth here, defence of our cause, the deliverance of our persons, and the support of our hearts.
2. The reason and ground of asking, ' According to thy word.' This last clause must be applied to all the branches of the prayer : plead my cause, according to thy word ; deliver me, according to thy word ; quicken me, according to thy word : for God in his word engageth for all, to be advocate, redeemer, and fountain of life. This word that David buildeth upon was either the general promises, made to them that keep the law, or some particular promise made to himself by the prophets of that time. The sum of all is this : If we believe the word of God to be true, we may in a righteous cause with comfort and con- fidence ask defence, deliverance, and support.
I begin with the first request, 'plead my cause.
Doct. When we have to do with unjust and wicked adversaries, we should desire God to plead our cause ; or, as the original will bear, to judge our judgment, or contend our contention — icpivov ttjv Kplaiv fxov, Septuagint — litiga litem meam. So others.
There is a threefold cause that cometh usually into debate : —
13G SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXII.
1. Inter hominem et hominem, between man and man ; as between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent : Gen. iii. 15, ' And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed : it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel ; ' those that are born after the flesh, and those that are born after the spirit : Gal. iv. 29, ' He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit ; ' the children of God and men of this world : John xv. 19, 'If ye were of the world, the world would love its own ; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.' As between wolf and lamb, raven and dove. This is an old controversy, that will never be reconciled. It is often set afoot in kingdoms, in cities, in townships, in villages, and families, and will continue till the world's end. For ■while there are two seeds, there will be strifes and enmities. Now, in this quarrel and strife, sometimes success is cast on this side, some- times on that, as God seeth fit either to favour, or to try and correct his servants. Usually the world prevaileth, being more numerous ; only let me tell you, this controversy doth not always appear to the world unveiled or bare-faced. Enmity to godliness is such an odious thing in itself, and hath so often miscarried, that it is not for its interest to appear openly and in its own colours, but under the mask and dis- guise of other pretences, which are the more plausibly taken on when the holy seed have scandalised their profession, and made the way of truth to be evil-spoken of ; and yet it is the old enmity and antipathy still, as appeareth by the parties contesting, their aims and designs, and the means and ways they use to compass them, with scorning of faith and piety,