Well, then, rest not in some general approbation of the ways of God, or inclination to good, but this prevailing affection that jostleth sin out of the soul.
SERMON OLXXXIII.
I have kept thy 'precepts and thy testimonies, for all my icays are before thee. — Vek. 168.
David still goeth on in his plea. He had spoken of his faith and love, and now of his fear. We must —
1. Labour for faith to believe the promises. The man of God beginneth there, ' I have hoped for thy salvation.'
2. This faith must work by love ; that is his next step, ' My soul loveth thy testimonies exceedingly.' And —
VER. 168.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 237
3. Love must breed in us a reverent fear of God's majesty, and a care to please him in all things. This is the third part of the plea mentioned in the text, ' I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies/ &c. In which words —
1. His integrity is again asserted.
2. The reason and encouragement of it.
1. His integrity is asserted, ' I have kept thy precepts and thy testi- monies.' Where it is notable the object of his duty is expressed by two words, precepts and testimonies. Mandates adjungit tcstimonia, saith Calvin, ut ostendat se non tantum agere de regula bene vivendi, sed complecti toium salutis fcedus. He addeth the word ' testimonies ' to that of ' precepts/ to comprise the whole covenant of salvation. Pre- cepts signifieth the moral law, and testimonies doctrines of grace.
2. The moving cause or proper reason of this obedience, ' For all my ways are before thee.' Whereby he understandeth either the provi- dence of God apprehended by faith as always watching over him and all his affairs for good, or a sense of God's omnisciency and omnipre- sence. The interpretations are subordinate one to the other ; and in both respects, all our ways may be said to be before the Lord, namely, as he doth govern and dispose of them according to his will. So it is said, Prov. iii. 6, ' In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.' Or that he doth know and see all : Job xxxiv. 21, ' His eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.' And in this double sense may a parallel place be expounded : Ps. xvi. 8, ' I have set the Lord always before me.' In point of reverence and dependence, as inspector, helper, observer, second. But why is it mentioned here ? Three reasons interpreters give for it — either by way of appeal, or as the reason of his obedience, or as evidence of his sincerity.
[1.] By way of appeal, as calling God to witness for the truth of what he had said. Lord, thou art conscious to all my ways, knowest the truth of what I spake. ' Lord, thou knowest all things ;' thus Peter useth it, John xxi. 17.
[2.] As a reason why he was so careful to keep all God's precepts. All my thoughts, words, and deeds are known to thee ; and so I desire to approve myself to thee in every part and point of my duty.
[3.] Or it is produced as an evidence of his sincerity, that he did all things as in God's sight, and set him before his eyes as the judge of his doings, and so would not offend God to please men ; for in this octo- nary he speak eth as a man in trouble, and ready to miscarry by carnal fear.
Doct. That walking as in the sight of God is a note of sincerity, and a good means to make us keep his precepts.
1. In those few words which God spake to Abraham all godliness is comprehended: Gen. xvii. 1, 'Walk before me, and be thou upright;' walk before me as in the sense of my eye and the confidence of my all-sufficiency, behave thyself as in my sight and presence. Let me give you a note or two concerning this walking as in the sight of God.
[1.] All men are in God's sight, but few think of it ; they forget God's eye that is upon them ; as Jacob saith in another case, Gen.
238 sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXXIII.
xxvi. 16, ' Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not.' God is in them, though they do not see God, and therefore act as if God did not see them. The apostle telleth us plainly, Acts xvii. 27, ' He is not far from every one of us.' Though God be not far from us, yet we may be far from him, at a great distance in our minds and affections. God is near us in the effects of his power and providence, but the elongation and distance is on our parts. We do not consider his eye that is upon us ; for many dare do that in the sight of God and angels which they dare not do in the sight of a little child.
[2.] This walking as in the sight of God implieth a looking upon God as witness and judge, as one that seeth for the present, and will hereafter call you to an account ; and so it works upon those two great articles of present providence and last judgment ; the one considera- tion puts an edge upon the other, and maketh it more operative. God is to be looked on as one sitting upon his throne ; and Solomon telleth us, ' A king sitting upon the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes,' Prov. xx. 8. Would a subject break the laws in his sovereign's sight ? So when God looketh on, shall we affront him to his face, the great judge of all the earth? Job xi. 11, 'He seeth wickedness also ; will he not then consider it ? ' As Ahasuerus said, Esther vii. 8, ' Will he force the queen also before me ? ' The greatest malefactors will carry it demurely in the presence of their judge: Ps. x. 14, 'Thou hast seen it, thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thine hand.'