Ver. 1, 2.] EARNESTNESS IN APPLYING TO GOD. S55
(1.) The greatest of men's conceyniments may well put them ou this earnestness. Men do not use to deal with dull and slothful spirits about their greatest concerns. David tells us that he was more concerned in the " light of God's countenance" than the men of the world could be in their " corn and wine," Ps. iv. 6, 7. Suppose a man of the world should have his house, wherein all his stock and riches are laid up, set on fire, and so the whole be in danger under his eye to be consumed, would he be calm and quiet in the consideration of it? Would he not bestir himself with all his might, and call in all the help he could obtain ? and that because his portion, his all, his great con- cernment, lies at stake. And shall the soul be slothful, careless, dull, secure, when fire is put to its eternal concernments, — when the light of God's countenance, wliich is of more esteem unto him than the greatest increase of corn and wine can be to the men of the world, is removed from him? It was an argument of prodigious security in Jonah, that he was fast asleep when the ship wherein he was was ready to be cast away for his sake. And will it be thought less in any soul, who, being in a storm of wrath and displeasure from God, sent out into the deep after him, shall neglect it, and sleep, as Solo- mon says, " on the top of a mast in the midst of the sea ?" Hov/ did that poor creature, whose heart was mad on his idols. Judges xviii. 24, cry out when he was deprived of them! " Ye have taken away my gods," saith he, " and what have I more ? " And shall a gracious soul lose his God through his own folly, — the sense of his love, the consolation of his presence, — and not with all his might follow hard after him? Peace with God, joy in believing, such souls have formerly obtained. Can they live without them now in their ordi- nary walking? Can they choose but cry out with Job, " Oh that it were with us as in former days, when the candle of the Lord was upon our tabernacle?" chap. xxix. 2-4; and with David, " O God, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation," Ps. li. 12, " for O rny God, I remember former enjoyments, and my soul is cast down within me ?" Ps. xlii. 6. They cannot live without it. But suppose they might make a sorry shift to pass on in their pilgrimage whilst all is smooth about them, what will they do in the time of outward trials and distresses, when deep calleth unto deep, and one trouble excites and sharpens another? Nothing then will support them, they know, but that which is wanting to them ; as Hab. iii. 17, 18, Ps. xxiii. 4 : so that the greatness of their concernment provokes them to the ear- nestness mentioned.
(2.) They have a deep sense of these their great concernments. All men are equally concerned in the love of God and pardon of sin. Every one hath a soul of the same immortal constitution, equally capable of bliss and woe. But yet we see most men are so stupidly
85G AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM cxxx. [Ter.1,2.
sottish, that they take httle notice of these things. Neither the guilt of sin, nor the wrath of God, nor death, nor hell, are thought on or esteemed by them ; they are their concernments, but they ai-e not sensible of them. But gracious souls have a quick, living sense of spiritual things; for, —
[1.] They have a saving spiritual light, whereby they ai'e able to discern the true natm^e of sin and the terror of the Lord : for though they are now supposed to have lost the comforting light of the Sphit, yet they never lose the sanctifying light of the Spirit, the hght whereby they are enabled to discern spuitual things in a spi- ritual manner ; this never utterly departs from them. By this they see sin to be " exceeding sinful," Rom. vii. 13. By this they know "the ten-or of the Lord," 2 Cor. v. 11 ; and that " it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," Heb. x. 31. By this they discover the excellency of the love of God in Christ, which passeth knowledge, the present sense whereof they have lost. By this they are enabled to look within the vail, and to take a view of the blessed consolations which the saints enjoy whose communion with God was never interrupted. This represents to them all the sweetness, pleasure, joy, peace, which in former days they had, whilst God was present with them in love. By this are they taught to value all the fruits of the blood of Jesus Christ, of the en- joyment of many whereof they are at present cut short and de- prived. All which, with other things of the Uke nature and import- ance, make them very sensible of their concernments.
[2.] They remember what it cost them formerly to deal with God about sin ; and hence they know it is no ordinary matter they have in hand. They must again to their old work, take the old cup into their hands again. A recovery from depths is as a new conversion.