4. It is thy hearty soul-service that will only bear weight in the balance of the gospel. There may be many defects in the action, yet if the heart be right, God will accept the will for the deed, and you will find comfort in that another day, when you most need: Isa. xxxviii. 3, ' Remember now, 0 Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart.' Hezekiah had his infirmities and failings, but his heart was upright : Heb. xiii. 18, 'Willing in all things to live honestly ; ' that is a gospel good conscience, and will yield comfort to you. God accepts the will without the deed, but never the deed without the will. Infirmities may overtake the action, but when the heart is unfeignedly set to serve God, we shall be accepted. We allow grains to true, but not to counterfeit gold. The church pleadeth, Isa. xxvi. 8, ' The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remem-
VER. 167.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 231
brance of thee. When we follow in rugged ways, though we often- times stumble, yet if our soul be with him, we may have comfort.
Use 1. This is for the conviction of divers persons, that they do not more serve God in their souls, do not keep his testimonies.
1. There are some that neither serve God with body nor soul, as all loose persons, who do not so much as make a show of his service ; they are all for their brutish pleasures, their souls to hunt them out, and their bodies to pursue and follow them. Their soul is a cage of unclean birds, and a stye of all filthiness, and their bodies only a strainer for meats and drinks to pass through, or a channel for lust to run in, so that they have nothing at all to spare for God : the soul is an ill guide, suggesting all manner of evil, and the body a ready instrument to accomplish it. These are those that yield up their members to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, Rom. vi. 19. Oh ! time will come when God will tear them in pieces, and rend the guilty soul from the embraces of the unwilling body. A sad time it will be for these ; the soul will curse the body as an ill instrument, the body the soul as a corrupt guide ; and curse the day of their first union, when they cannot expect but to meet again in flames.
2. Some that give their bodies to God, but withhold their souls from him. How may this be done?
Ans. 1. Generally, when men content themselves with a naked profession of Christianity, and some external conformity thereunto. It is a stupid religion that consists in outward actions. Judas was externally a disciple, but Satan entered into his heart, Luke xxii. 3. Ananias joined himself to the people of God, but Satan filled his heart, Acts v. 3. Simon Magus was baptized, but his heart was not right with God, Acts viii. 22. Many men may not only make pro- fession, but perform many good actions, be as to external conformity blameless ; yet till their hearts are subdued to God, they should not be satisfied with their condition. Though you pray with the pharisee, Luke xviii., pay thy vows with the harlot, Prov. vii., offer sacrifice with Cain, fast with Jezebel, sell thine inheritance to give to the poor with Ananias and Sapphira, it is all in vain without the heart. Many hypo- crites are all ear to hear, all tongue to talk, all face to appear, but not a heart to obey. Something must be done for religion for fashion sake and shame of the world. Yea, though thou dost not dissemble, do many things, yet if your hearts be not renewed and changed, all is nothing ; you do not keep the testimonies of the Lord with your souls.
2. And more particularly when men make conscience of ceremonies and outsides rather than sincere obedience. As the pharisees, Mat. xxiii. 25, 26, ' They make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but within are full of extortion and excess/ Pretend great purity in eating their meat, but care not with how great iniquity they purchase it. Papists think they have done enough if they mutter over a few idle words, without spirit and life ; the most part of their service is but that of the body without the soul ; they worship in a strange language, not knowing what they do or say. And, nearer home, draw nigh with their lips when their hearts are far from him, Mat. xv. 8. These leave their hearts at home ; the devil fincleth them other work that suffer their hearts to straggle and to be like the fool's eyes in the
232 sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXXII.
corners of the earth, when with their bodies they are engaged in the serious and solemn duties of God's worship.
Use 2. To press you to serve God with your hearts and souls as well as your bodies.
1. This is the character of true worshippers: Horn. i. 9, 'My God, whom I serve in the spirit;' and 2 Tim. i. 3, 'God whom I serve with a pure conscience.' This was not peculiar to Paul alone ; it is the description of the spiritual circumcision : Phil. iii. 3, ' For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.' These are such as are true worshippers.