VER. 162.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 179
told of the joys of the world to come : 1 Cor. ii. 9, ' Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' We should exult for joy to hear of those things. Thus you see the word of God affordeth such comforts, such matter of rejoicing, as cannot be par- alleled. A poor man, when he findeth a treasure, receiveth it with a joyful heart. Oh ! what inestimable treasure do we find in the word of God ! the way of eternal salvation is there made manifest.
Reason 2. The saints have felt benefit by it ; they have been renewed and sanctified by it, therefore they prize it : James i. 18, 19, 1 Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first-fruits of his creatures. Therefore be swift to hear.' There they have found powerful heavenly truths, by which their souls are made new ; they have tasted God's love in the doctrines and promises thereof, and against a taste there is no disputing, 1 Peter ii. 2, 3. Experimented sweetness is beyond all arguments ; they have been revived and comforted by it in their troubles, as at the 93d verse of this psalm more largely, ' I will never forget thy word, for by them thou hast quickened me.' God hath done their souls good by it. It is the charter of their hopes, ver. Ill of this psalm. Whatever calamities they meet with in the world, there they see ground of peace, and composedness in their soul.
Reason 3. They love God, and they hear more of him in the word than they can elsewhere. The soul that loveth God heareth and seeth his blessed name in every leaf ; they find the effects of his goodness in creation, some fruits and pledges of his love in daily providence, but there they find his great eternal and wonderful love in Christ ; there they know God's will, and it is their desire to be subject to it, and therefore value it, not only as the charter of their hopes, but as the rule of their duty.
Use 1. To condemn them —
1. That find no sweetness in the word of God ; they do not mind the business of salvation, and then no wonder if they have a slight and mean esteem of the word.
Two reasons of this contempt : —
[1.] Their scope is not fixed. All means are regarded with respect to the end. Now, if they do not make the everlasting enjoyment of God their end, the scriptures are of little use to them, a trouble rather than a comfort, because they disturb them in pursuing their lusts ; but a man that would enjoy God, get to his holy hill, is apprehensive of the benefit.
[2.] They are not affected with their wants, and therefore esteem not the word ; for the great benefit of the word is to teach us a remedy for sin and misery. Now they that mind not the misery and danger in which they stand go on carelessly and despise the word of God : Prov, xxii. 3, ' A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself, but the simple pass on, and are punished.' They little think of the evil which is near them, and so slight the counsel of God.
2. Those that will not believe them that find sweetness in it, as if all were fantastical and imaginary. Are the wisest and most serious part of mankind deceived ? and hath the carnal fool only the wit to discern
180 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CLXXVII.
the mistake ? Surely in all reason it should be otherwise. These tell us of those delights and transports of soul in meditating on the pro- mises, in purifying their hearts by the precepts ; and though a stranger intermeddleth not with their joys, yet surely these find them. All that is spiritual and supernatural is suspected by those who are drowned in matters of sense, John xii. 29 ; a voice from heaven is thunder ; the motions of the Spirit, fumes of wine, Acts iii. 13 ; joy in the Holy Ghost but a fancy, &c.
3. Them that count it an alphabetary knowledge fit for beginners. David was no novice, yet he rejoiced in the word as one that found great spoil ; the more conversant he was in these holy writings, the more he delighted in them. No ; it is not only children's meat ; there is not only milk there, but strong meat also, Heb. v. 14. It is our rule to walk by, till our blessedness be perfected. The continual storehouse of our comforts, Rom. xv. 4. It is the continual means of growing into communion with God in Christ.
Use 2. To exhort us to delight in the word of God. It is the work and mark of a blessed man : Ps. i. 2, ' But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.' As far as the necessities of the present life will bear it, they are still getting more knowledge of true blessedness, and the way that leadeth to the enjoyment of it. This is their business and pleasing study. His work is to form his heart to a sincere, uniform, impartial obedience. And as he doth increase in godliness by the help of the word, his soul is more satisfied ; all the joys of the world to this are nothing to him. Are your hearts thus set to know the Lord and his revealed will, and the way of life ?