(4.) To breed up their children in the nurture of the Lord, and that they may be useful in their families, as Jacob desired to see Joseph.
(5.) We may beg it that we may not fall into the hands of men, lose our life by murderers : Ps. xxxi. 15, ' My times are in thy hand ; deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that per- secute me.' The dispensation of all mercies, comforts, troubles, life, death, are in God's hand, not in man's power ; therefore we pray that it may rest there, that we may not be given up to the will of those that hate us.
All these desires have a respect to the glory of God, and if conceived with submission and trust, that God will do what is for the best, they are all lawful.
Use of all. 1. Exhortation. It prcsseth you —
1. To consecrate vourselves to God : Rom. xii. 1, 'I beseech you
VER. 175.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 297
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.' Under the law the bodies of beasts were to be slain ; yours is a living sacrifice. Both were set apart for God, the one to die, the other to live to God.
2. Having given up yourselves to God, use yourselves for God : there will be an inquiry what share God hath in )7our time : Acts xxvii. 23, ' The God whose I am, and whom I serve.'
3. Praise the Lord with heart, mouth, and life. A Christian's con- versation is nothing but a hymn to God : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' The virtues of God, his attributes.
4. Whenever you pray for continuance of life in any clanger or dis- tress, either for yourself or others, propound this as the end, not so much your own satisfaction as the honour of God. A Christian is not con- tent to have the use of the benefit to himself alone.
[1.] For self. Every man desireth life. The whole world would all and every of them put this request to God, ' Let my soul live ;' but very few consider why they should live. Some desire life only to please the flesh, and that they may enjoy the delights of the present world, a brutish wish. A heathen could say, he doth not deserve the name of a man, qui unam diem velit esse in voluptate, &c, certainly not of a Christian, that would desire life merely to enjoy the delights of the flesh. These would not leave their hog's trough to go home to their father. Some there are who desire life to see their children well bestowed, or to free their estate from incumbrance, and are loath to part from their natural relations, wife, children, friends. This is a natural respect, and should be subordinate to a higher end. Though this desire, keeping its place, may be lawful, yet, out of its place, sinful. We use to profess, Ps. lxxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.'
In short, two motives I will urge why the glory of God should have the chief respect in our affections : —
(1.) The benefit it giveth, hope of prolonging life, if this desire be true and real ; and it giveth certain assurance of not perishing for ever. The one it doth, for God doeth all things with respect to his glory, Ps. cxix. 94. The other also, for he will glorify those that glorify him.
(2.) This is the temper of a sincere Christian. Surely to a believer it is a piece of self-denial to be kept out of heaven longer ; therefore it must be sweetened with some valuable compensation ; something- there must be to calm the mind, and contentedly to spare the enjoy- ment of it for a while. Now next to the good pleasure of God, which is the reason of reasons, there is some benefit we pitch upon ; there is nothing worthy to be compared but our service : if God may have glory, if our lives may do good ; a gracious heart must be satisfied with gracious reasons.
[2.] For others. If we make it our request, we must have the samr' aims in this case, that the faith and grace of others may benefit them : Mark ii. 5, ' When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee.' Now in such requests bare natural
29S .sermons upon psalm cxix. [Ser. CLXXXIX.
reasons should not move us, but that God may not lose an instrument of his glory, and that his power and providence may be more seen in the world in the recovery. It is good to beg of God for God : Ps. cxv. 1, ' Not unto us, but unto thy name give glory.' It should be accounted as a mercy unto us : Phil. ii. 27, ' For indeed he was sick nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.'