Sermons on Psalm 119

SERMON XLVIII.

IN the former Verse we saw the man of God begging for Deliverance, or Temporal Salvation from the Mercies of God according to his Word: Salvation belongeth to the Lord, and his Mercy can pardon great sins, and fetch us off from great extremities, and that according to the Word of God: he had boasted of this, there is his Request, here is his Argument, from the use and fruit of his Deliverance, he should have something to reply to the Scoffs and Mocks of wicked men, who insulted over him in his Distress and Calamity, he had spoken of great things or the Promise, and now desireth the Promise to be made good, that he might have an Answer ready against their Reproaches, So shall I have wherewith to answer him that Reproacheth me.

But hath a Child of God nothing to answer to a wicked man before Salvation cometh? Answ. Yes, A Child of God could answer them of the Principles of Faith: But they must have Instances of Sence, he could say that his God is in Heaven, and doth whatsoever pleaseth, that he is the Shield of his Help, and Sword of his Excellency, Deut. 33. 29. Weapons Offensive and Defensive enough yet left, but the business is not what is an Answer in itself, but what Answer will satisfy them? For they that have no Faith must be taught by Sence. When we urge Principles of Faith, unless their Senses hear, feel, see, they will not regard them, then their mouths are stopped when God doth own his People from Heaven. They count Faith a foolish Perswasion, Hope a vain Expectation, and inward Supports and Comforts Phantastical Impressions, as if men did feed themselves with the wind, but God's Salvation would answer for him, and some sensible Providences be a real confutation.

Observe three things,

• 1. The Ground of David's Comfort. I trust in thy Word.
• 2. The Enemies Insultation thereupon intimated in these Words, him that Reproached me. They scoffed at his Trust in God as if he would not bear him out in his strictness.
• 3. The Request of the Psalmist, that God would confute and stop their mouths by making good his Promises to him. So shall I have wherewith to answer him.

Points.

• Doct. 1. It is our Duty to trust God upon his Word.
• Doct. 2. Those that do so must look to be Reproached for it.
• Doct. 3. God making good his Promises confuteth their Reproaches and Insultations.
• Doct. 4. God will therefore make them good, and his People may expect and beg Deliverance to that end.

1. Doct. It is our Duty to trust God upon his Word. The act of Trust is spoken of with respect to a twofold Object, the Word, and God, the one more properly noteth the Warrant of Faith, the other the Object, both are mentioned together, John 17. 20. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their Word. In other places sometimes one is mentioned sometimes the other, Trusting in God and Trusting in the Word of God, but whenever the one is mentioned the other is included, to trust in God without his Word is a foolish and groundless Presumption, and the Word without God is but a dead Letter, it is not the Conveyances merely that a man liveth upon, but the Lands Conveyed by them.

1. What is this Trusting in God?

Answ. An Exercise of Faith, whereby looking upon God in Christ through the Promises, we depend upon him for whatsoever we stand in need of, and so are encouraged to go on cheerfully in the ways wherein he hath appointed us to walk [It is a fruit of Faith] and supposeth it planted in the heart, for an Act cannot be without an Habit: I suppose a man to have this Grace before I require the Exercise of it. [And it looketh upon God in Christ] as the Fountain of Blessings, for otherwise God to the fallen Creature is not an Object of Trust but Horror, as the Devils believe and tremble, James 2. 19. and that may be the reason why the Sons of men are said to put their Trust under the shadow of his Wings, Psal. 36, 7. How excellent is thy loving-kindness O God, therefore the Children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy Wings: and Psal. 57. 1. My Soul trusteth in thee, yea, in the shadow of thy Wings will I make my Refuge, until these Calamities be overpast: In which there is supposed to be an Allusion not only to the Feathers of of an Hen spread over the Chickens, but the out-stretched Wings of the Cherubims over the Mercy Seat, which was a Type of Christ, who is therefore called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Propitiation, as also the Mercy Seat, Heb. 5. 8. with Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his blood. The Mercy Seat or God offering himself to be reconciled in Christ is an open Sanctuary for distressed Souls to fly unto, this doth draw our hearts to him: [through the Promises] these are the hold fast which we have upon God, the Sacred Bands which he has taken upon himself, the Rule and Warrant of Faith which show how far God is to be trusted. Our necessities lead us to the Promises, and the Pomises to Christ, and Christ to God, as the Fountain of Grace, and therefore we put these Bonds in Suit, we turn them into Prayers, and then we have free leave to challenge him upon his Word. Psal. 119. 99. Remember thy Word unto thy Servant wherein thou hast caused me to hope. Therefore to bear up our hearts God hath not only promised us in the General that he will never fail us nor forsake us, Heb. 13. 5. And all things shall mork together for good. Rom. 8. 28. That he will be with us in Fire and Water, Isa. 43. 20. And that he will be a Sun and a Shield, and give us Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold, Psal. 84. 11. but also in particular hath multiplied and suited his Promises to all our necessities, that when we come to the Throne of Grace we may have a Promise ready. A general intimation is not so clear a ground of hope as a particular and express Promise, the more of these we have the more explicit are our thoughts about God's Protection, and the more are our hearts fortified and born up in praying to him, and waiting upon him. Chirographa tua injiciebat tibi Domine, whose are these, lay up his words in thy heart, Job 22. 22. The more of these the more Arguments in Prayer. [We depend upon him for all that we stand in need of] herein is the Nature of Trust seen in Dependance and Relyance upon God, that he will supply our wants in a way most conducible to his Glory and our good. Now this depending on God must be done at all times, especially in a time of straits and difficulties, at all times, Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times, it is an Act never out of Season, but especially in a time of Fears, Misery and Distress, Psal. 56. 3. At what time I am afraid I will put my trust in thee: In Prosperity and Adversity we are to depend upon God, and to make use of him in all conditions. Psal. 91. 9. Thou shalt make the most high thy Refuge, and my God thine Habitation, a Refuge is a place of Retreat and Safety in a time of War, and an Habitation, the place of our Abode in a time of Peace, whatever our Condition be, our dependence must be on God. When all things are prosperous, God must be owned as the Fountain of our Blessings, all our Comforts taken out of his hand, and that we hold all by his Mercy and bountiful Providence, because of our forfeiture by sin, and the uncertainty of these outward Comforts, and the continual necessity of his Providential influence and support, the heart must still be exercised in the acknowledgment of God, and his gracious hand over us, and so the heart is not enticed by our outward comforts, but raised by them. Indeed in some cases it is harder to trust God with means than without: when: there are visible means of supply, the heart is prone to Carnal Confidence. Good Paul was in danger, 2 Cor. 1. 9. We had the Sentence of Death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the Dead: But then in Adversity when kept bare and low, then is a time to show trust, how hard soever our condition be, grounds of Confidence are not lost, Zeph. 3. 12. I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor People, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Every man thinketh trusting in God easy when things go well with him, but indeed he trusteth in other things, he eateth his own Meat, and weareth his own Apparel, only God carrieth the name of it, but now when we are without all Comfort and Encouragement from the Creatures, as David when he was left alone, Refuge failed me, No man cared for my Soul, I cried unto thee O Lord, and said, thou art my Refuge and Portion in the Land of the Living. Psal. 142. 4, 5. When men fail, God never faileth, when riches take wing, and worldly friends forsake us, then is a time for trust and dependence upon God. It is the end of Providence that we should have the less Comfort in the Creature, that we may have all in God. Now we are to depend on God for whatsoever we stand in need of, as at all times, so for all all things Temporal and Spiritual Mercies, for God will withhold no good thing from us, he hath undertaken not only to give us Heaven and happiness in the next World, but to carry us thither with Comfort, that we may serve him without fear all the days of our lives, Luke 1. 75. His Providence concerneth the outward and inward man, and so do his Promises, an whole Believer is in Covenant with Cod, Body and Soul, and he will take care of both. But all the Difficulty is how we ought to depend on him for Temporal Supplies.

1. It is certain that we ought not to set God a task to provide Meat for our Lusts. Psal. 78. 18. And they tempted God in their Heart by asking meat for their Lusts. Carnal affections and hopes do but make trouble for ourselves, though it be the ordinary Practice of God's free Grace and Fatherly cares to provide things Comfortable and necessary for his Children, whilst he hath work for them to do, yet he never undertook to maintain us at such a Rate, to give us so much by the Year, such Portions, for our Children, and Supplies for our Families. We must leave to the great Shepherd of the sheep, to choose our Pastures, bare or large, and he that will depend upon God must be sure to empty his Heart of covetous Desires, and be contented with our Lot, if we would cast ourselves upon his Providence. Heb. 13. 5. Let your Conversation be without Covetousness, and be content with such Things as you have, for he bath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee: We do but ensnare and perplex our own Thoughts, while we would reconcile the Promises with our Lusts, and crave more than ever God meaneth to give.

2. It is as certain that we ought not to be Faithless and full of Cares about these outward supplies; Mat. 6. 23. Take no thought what ye shall Eat, or what ye shall Drink or where withal ye shall be Cloathed, because if we had no Promises there is a Common bounty and goodness of God which is over all his Works, and reacheth to the Preservation of the smallest Worm, decketh the Lilies, feedeth the Ravens, and the Fowls of the Air, and certainly more noble Creatures such as men are, may expect their shares in this Common bounty, how much more when there is a Covenant wherein God hath promised to be a Father to us, and temporal Blessings are adopted and taken into the Covenant, as well as other Blessings. Will not he give that to Children which he gives to Enemies, to Beasts and Fowls of the Air? You would count him a barbarous and unnatural Father that feedeth his Dogs, and Hawks, and lets his Children die of hunger, and can we without Blasphemy think so of God.

3. As we ought not on the one Hand to think God will supply our Lusts, nor on the other Hand distrust his Care of necessaries, so we cannot be absolutely confident of particular Success in temporal Things: For they are not absolutely Promised, but with Exception of the Cross, and as God shall see them good for us. God reserved in the Covenant a Liberty both of showing his Justice, and his Wisdom; his Justice in Scourging his sinning People, Psal. 89. 33. He will visit their Iniquity with Rods, and their Transgression with Scourges: The World shall know God doth not allow Sins in his own Children. Sin is as Odious to God in them as others, yea more, and therefore they feel the Smart of it. The Liberty of his Wisdom, Psal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and a Shield, the Lord will give Grace and Glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psal. 3. 4. 9, 10. O fear the Lord ye his Saints, for there is no want to them that fear him; The young Lions do lack and suffer Hunger, but they that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing. They may want many Comforts, but no good thing. Good is not determined by our Fancies, but God's Wisdom. Well then, we cannot expect a certain Tennure of Temporal Happiness, there is great Danger in fixing a deceitful Hope, much of the subtlety of Satan is to be seen in it, who maketh an Advantage of our Dis-appointments, and abuseth our rash Confidence into a Snare and Temptation to Atheism, and the mis-belief of other Truths.

4. The dependence we exercise about these things, lieth in committing ourselves to God's Power, and referring ourselves to God's Will. He is so able that he can secure us in his Work, so good that we should not trouble ourselves about his Will, but refer it to him without hesitancy, which if we could bring our Hearts to, it would ease us of many burdensome Thoughts, and troublesome Cares; Pet. 4. 19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful Creator, Prov. 16. 3. Commit thy ways unto the Lord, and thy Thoughts shall be Established. Put yourselves into God's hands, so trusting him with the issue of our affairs, though we know not how it will fall, 1 Cor. 19. 11. Let the Lord do what is good in his Sight; 1 Tim. 4. 10. Therefore we both Labor and Suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all Men, especially of those that believe; And so are encouraged to go on Cheerfully with their Duty. Trust in God is not idle Expectation, or a devout Sloath, but such a Dependence as giveth Life to our Service, that we may go on Cheerfully without disquiet in our Work, and in ways wherein he hath appointed us to walk. The Law gives Protection to those that travel on the Road, not in by-ways, he shall keep thee in all thy Ways, in Viis non in Praecipitiis, otherwise you seek to draw God into a fellowship of your Guilt, and do make him serve with your Iniquities, Isa. 43. 24. he was doubly censured among the Heathens, that took a Lamp from the Altar to steal by, to make God's Providence subservient to the Devils interest. Pet. 4. 19. Commit your Souls to God in Well-doing. God never undertook to Protect us in the Devils service.

II. Reasons Why it is our Duty.

1. Trust as it implieth recourse to God in our Necessaries, is Necessarily required in the fundamental Article of the Covenant, in the choice of God for your God. Nature teacheth men in their distress to run to their God's; Jonah 1. 5. The Mariners cried every man to his God, it immediately results from the owning of a God; that we should trust him with our safety, much more when taught thus to do, and how to do so in the word.

2. Else there can be no Converse with God. Truth is the ground of Commerce between Man and Man, so our Dependence which is built upon God's Fidelity is the ground of Commerce between God and us. Man fell from God by distrust, by having a Jealousy of him, and still the evil Heart of unbelief doth lead us off from God. Heb. 3. 12. Take heed Brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil Heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But the more we believe him, the more we keep with him. God doth not give present Payment, not govern the World by Sense, therefore Faith is necessary, 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by Faith, not by Sight. Sight is for Heaven, Faith for the present Dispensation. We are now under Sense and that will mis-lead us: Reason is either refined by Faith, or depressed by Sense.

3 Consider whose Word it is; God's word is the Signification of his Will, who is Merciful, Able, True, (1) There is Benignity and Goodness by which he is willing to help poor Creatures, though we can be of no Use and Profit to him; the Hen receiveth no benefit by the Chickens, only her trouble of Providing for them is increased, but they are her own Brood, therefore she leadeth them up and Down that they may find a Sustenance: so doth God to the Creatures. We are the work of his Hands, therefore he pitieth us, and is willing to save us, and not only so, but carried us in the Womb of his Decree from all Eternity. (2.) His Truth and Fidelity is laid at Pawn with the Creature in the Promises, Psal. 138. 2. Thou hast Magnified thy Word above all thy Name; He standeth much on his Truth, is punctual in his Promises. It is a great Disgrace done to God if we do not trust him upon his Word, we make him a Liar, 1 John 5. 10. He that believeth not God, hath made him a Liar, and so not God. (3.) He is able to make it good, his Word never yet found Difficulty; He spake the Word, and it was done. There is the same Power that goeth still along with his Word, if he say he will do this, who can lett? Therefore none that ever yet trusted in God were Disappointed, Psal. 22. 5. They trusted in thee and were not Confounded.

4. From the Benefits of this Trust,

1. This fixeth and Establisheth the Heart against all fears which so often prove a Snare to us. Psal. 112. 7. He shall not be afraid of evil Tidings, his Heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. Ill News and cross Accidents falling out in the World do not dismay him, because he looketh higher, because he hath set God against men, the Covenant against Providences, Eternal things against Temporal, he is not fearless yet his Heart is Established and fixed.

2. It allayeth our Sorrows, and maketh us Cheerful in the midst of all Difficulties, and Discouragements. Psal. 13. 5. I have trusted in thy Mercy, my Heart shall rejoice in thy Salvation: So, Psal. 52. 8. I am like a green Olive Tree, for I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever: As some Trees are green in Winter, this will make a man flourish notwithstanding Opposition, and all the bitter Cold blasts of Trouble and Worldly distress.

3. It quiets the Heart as to Murmurings, and unquiet agitations of Spirit, to wait God's Leasure; when there was a Storm in David's Spirit, he allayeth it thus, Psal, 42. 5. Why art thou disquieted O my Soul, hope thou in God, for I shall yet Praise him. On the contrary Murmuring, Impatience, and Vexation is the fruit of distrust, Psal. 106. 29. They believed not his Word, and murmured in their Tents: They that distrust God's promise fall a Quarrelling with his Providence, did we believe that the wise God is still carrying on all things for our good, we would submit to his Will.

4. It banisheth and removeth far from us distracting Cares and Fears, these are a great sin, a Reproach to our heavenly Father. Mat. 6. 25. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your Life, what ye shall Eat, nor what ye shall Drink; Nor yet for your Body what ye shall put on: And verse 32. After all these things do the Gentiles seek, for your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. As if your Children when you are able to maintain them, should distrust your Allowance, and beg their Bread, from Door to Door. we are forecasting many things, take God's work out of his hands, and are anxious in inquiring what we shall eat, what we shall drink, what shall become of such a business and affair. Now how shall we be eased of these tormenting thoughts? Prov. 16. 3. Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established. 2 Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established,

5. It keepeth us from warping and turning aside to crooked paths: as long as we are persuaded that God will maintain us by honest and lawful means, we are kept upright with God, but an unbelieving Person makes hast, right or wrong he will be his own Carver. Men if they have not Faith enough to trust God in an ordinary course of Providence, think God is a bad Pay-master, and therefore take up with present things, Zeph. 3. 2. She obeyed not my Voice; She trusted not in the Lord, that was the Reason of her Corruption, Oppression and Deceit, this was the reason why they rose up against Moses, and would go back to Egypt, they would not believe God could maintain them in the Wilderness, warping and declining from God cometh from want of Faith.

The first Use is to persuade us to trust in God upon his Word. I will direct you,

• 1. As to the Means.
• 2. The Nature of this Trust.

1. As to the Means if you would do so.

1. Know him, Psal. 9. 10. They that know thy name will put their Trust in thee, if God were better known he would be better trusted, 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I have believed.

2. Get a Covenant Interest in him, if our Interest be clouded, how can we put Promises in suit, but when it is clear you may draw comfortable conclusions thence, Psal. 31. 14. I trusted in thee O Lord, I said thou art my God, Psal. 23. 1. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, he will provide for his own. Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my Portion saith my Soul, therefore will I hope in him.

3. Walk closely with him, Micah 3. 11. The Heads thereof Judge for reward, and the Priests thereof teach for Hire, and the Prophets thereof divine for Money, yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? None evil shall come upon us. God will shake them as Paul did the Viper, Shame, Fear and Doubts do always follow sin, will a man trust him whom he hath provoked? Doubts are the Fumes of Sin, like vapors that come from off a foul Stomach. If we mean to make God and keep a friend, we will be careful to please him. A good Conversation breedeth a good Conscience, and a good Conscience Trust in God.

4. Observe Experiences when he maketh good his Word, Psal. 18. 30. As for God his way is perfect, the word of the Lord is tried, he is a Buckler to all them that trust in him. All these Providences are confirmations that feed and nourish Faith, Psal. 56. 10, 11. In God will I praise his Word, in the Lord will I praise his Word, in God have I put my trust, I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

2. As to the Nature of this Trust. Let me commend to you,

1. The Adventure of Faith, Luke 5. 5. At thy Word we will let down the Net. At thy Command when we cannot apply the Promise, venture for the Commands sake, see what God will do for you and what Believing comes to.

2. The waiting of Faith when expectation is not answered, and you find not at first what you wait for, yet do not give God the lie, but resolve to keep the Promise as a pawn till the Blessing promised cometh, Isa. 28. 15. He that believeth maketh not hast, it is Carnal Affection must have present Satisfaction, greedy and impatient longings argue a Disease. Revenge must have it by and by, Covetousness wax Rich in a day, Ambition would rise presently, Lusts are earnest and ravenous, like Diseased Stomachs must have green Trash.

3. The Obstinacy and Resolution of Faith, resolve to die holding the horns of the Altar. you will not be put off, as she cried so much the more, and the woman of Canaan turned Discouragements into Arguments. Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him.

4. The Submission and Resignationof Faith. Mark 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and the Righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added to you. Set your hearts upon the highest interest, make sure of Heaven, and refer other things to God, be at a point of indifferency for Temporal supplies.

5. The Prudence of Faith, settle your mind against present necessities, and for future contingencies leave them to God's Providence, Mat. 6. ult. Sufficient for each day is the evil thereof. Children that have to allay present hunger, do not cark how to bring the Year about, they leave that to their Father, Manna was to be gathered daily, when it was kept till the Morning it putrefied.

6. The Obedience of Faith, mind Duty and let God take care of success, let God alone with the Issues of things, otherwise we take the Work out of his Hands. A Christians Care, should be what he should do, not what shall become of him. Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for Nothing, and 1 Pet. 5. 7. Be careful for Nothing; But cast your Care on him, for he feareth for you. There is a Care of Duties, and a Care of Events, God is more Solicitous or you, than you for yourselves.

Use 2. Do we thus trust in the Lord? All will pretend to trust in God, but there is little of this true Trusting in him in the World.

1. If we trust God we shall be often with him in Prayer. Psal. 62. 8. Trust in the Lord at all times, pour out your Hearts before him, 2 Sam. 22. 2, 3, 4. The Lord is my Rock, and my Fortress, and my Deliverer, the God of my Rock, in him will I Trust; He is my Shield, and the Horn of my Salvation, my high Tower, and my Refuge, my Savior, thou savest me from Violence, I will call on the Lord who is worthy to be Praised; so shall I be saved from mine Enemies. We act our Trust at the Throne of Grace, encourage ourselves in God.

2. It will quiet and fix the Heart, free it of Cares, Fears, and anxious Thoughts, Phil. 4. 6. 7. Be careful for Nothing, but in every Thing, by Prayer and Supplication, with Thanks-giving, let your request be made known unto God, and the Peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your Hearts and Minds through Jesus Christ. Psa. 94. 19. In the Multitude of my thoughts within me, thy Comforts delight my Soul.

3. A Care to Please, for Dependence begets Observance, they that have all from God will not easily break with him.

SERMON XLIX.

IN the first Verse of this Portion David had begged for Deliverance according to the Word, this he backeth with several Arguments, his first Argument was from his Enemies who would else Reproach him for his Trust, he now enforceth that Request from another Argument, lest his Case and Condition should make him afraid, or his Disappointments ashamed to own his Faith in God's Promises, and so his mouth be shut up from speaking of God, and his Word for the Edification of others, and the Confutation of the Wicked. Here Observe,

• 1. His Request, and take not the Word of Truth out of my mouth.
• 2. The Profession of his Faith repeated by way of Argument, and Reasons, for I have hoped in thy Iudgments.

1. For his Request, you may wonder why he beggeth that the Word of Truth may not be taken out of his Mouth, rather you would think he should ask that it might be kept in his heart: but you must consider that confession of Truth is very necessary, and in a time of dangers and Distresses very difficult, the proper Seat of the word of Truth is the Heart, it must abide there. But when the heart is full, the tongue will speak, I have believed and therefore have I spoken, Psal. 116. 10. The Word is first in the Heart and then in the Mouth, therefore David faith, take it not out of my mouth. And pray mark, he doth not only deprecate the evil itself, but the degree and extremity of it, take it not utterly out of my mouth, God's Children may not have liberty to speak for him, or if liberty not such a courage as is necessary, therefore though he should or had failed in being ashamed to profess his hope, yet he desireth he might not wholly want either an Occasion or an Heart so to do, that he might not wholly want an Occasion having no Relief and Comfort by the Promises, nor an Heart as being altogether dismayed or disconsolate.

2. The Profession of his Faith is renewed, For I have hoped in thy Iudgments, the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Judgments signifieth either the Law, or the Execution of the Sentence thereof.

1. The Law or whole Word for God, so that I have hoped in thy Judgments, is no more, but in thy Word do I hope, as it is, Psal. 130. 5. I wait for the Lord, my Soul doth wait, and in his Word do I hope.

2. Answerable Execution when the Promise or Threatning is fulfilled, 1. When the Promise is fulfilled, that is Judgment in a sense when God accomplisheth what he hath promised, for our Salvation and Deliverance: Thus God is said to judge for his people, when he righteth and saveth them according to his Word, Lam. 3. 59. O Lord thou hast seen my wrong, judge thou my cause.

2. But the more usual notion of Judgment is the execution of the threatening on wicked men, which being a benefit to God's faithful Servants, and done in their favor; David might well be said to hope for it. Their Judgment is our obtaining the Promise.

Points.

• 1. Doct. It is not enough to believe the Word in our hearts, but we must confess it with our mouths.
• 2. Doct. Such Trials may befall God's Children, that the Word of Truth may seem to be taken out of their mouths.
• 3. Doct. At such a time God must be dealt withal, as much concerned in it: David saith to the Lord, Take not the Word of Truth utterly out of my mouth.
• 4. Doct. If it please God to desert us in some passage of our Trial, we must not give him over, but deal with him not to forsake us utterly.
• 5. Doct. They will not utterly be overcome in their Trials, who hope in God's Iudgments.

Doct. 1. It is not enough to believe the Word in our hearts, but we must confess it with our mouths: So it is expressly said, Rom. 10. 9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: For with the heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation. There is the whole sum of Christianity, and it is reduced to these two Points, Believing with the Heart and Confessing with the Mouth; an entertaining of Christ in the Heart with a true and lively Faith, and a Confessing of Christ with the Mouth in spite of all persecution and danger: So in the first solemn Proposal of the Gospel, Mark 16. 16. He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be Saved; and he that Believeth not shall be Damned. Where not only Belief is required, but open Profession, for that end serveth Baptism; which is a Badge and Bond, a Badge to distinguish the worshipers of Christ from others, and a Bond to bind us to open Profession of the Name of Christ, and Practice of the Duties included therein: So Heb. 3. 1. Jesus Christ is called the great High Priest, and Apostle of our Profession: The Christian Religion is a Confession, not a thing to be smothered and kept in secret, or confined to the Heart, but to be openly brought forth, and avowed in Word and Deed to the Glory of Christ: If a man should content himself to own God in his heart, what would become of the Church of God and all his Ordinances, and the Assemblies of his People, among whom we make this open Confession?

1. This Confession is necessary as well as the inward Belief, because God hath required it by an express Law, which Law is confirmed by a Sanction of great weight and moment, the greatest Promises on the one hand, and the greatest Penalties and Threatenings on the other. That there is an express Law for Confession, besides what hath been said already, see 1 Pet. 3. 15. Sanctify the Lord God of Hosts in your Hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asketh you a Reason of the Hope that is in you with meekness and fear: where they are required not only to revere God in their Hearts, but to be ready to own him with their mouths, and to give a Testimony of him when it should be demanded: Yea, that sanctifying God in their Hearts is required, in order to the Testimony given with their Mouths, that having due and awful thoughts of God, they may not be ashamed to own him before men. Now this is backed with the greatest Promises, and on the other side with the severest Threatenings: God hath promised no less than Salvation to those that confess him, Matth. 10. 33. Whosoever will confess me before Men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven: Father, this is one of mine, he will do them more honor than possibly they can do him: and Rom. 10. 10. With the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation. Salvi esse non possumus, (saith Austin) nisi ad salutem proximorum etiam ore profiteamur Fidem: We cannot be Saved, unless we profess the Faith that we have. On the other side, the neglect of Profession either out of Shame or Fear, is threatened with the greatest penalties, Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my Words in this adulterous and sinful Generation, of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father, with his Glorious Angels: Then when all shadows flee away, and we would crouch for a little favor, that Christ should be ashamed of us, these were Christians but cowardly and dastardly ones; I cannot own them to be of my Flock and Kingdom: Oh how will our faces gather blackness, the same is Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my Words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own Glory, and in his Fathers, and of the holy Angels. So for Fear, 2 Tim. 2. 11. If we suffer, we shall also Reign with him, if we deny him he will deny us. So that you see it is not a matter of small moment, whether we confess or no, but a thing expressly enjoined by God, and that upon Terms of Life and Death.

2. This Confession is of great use, as conducing much to the Glory of God and the good of others.

1. The Glory of God which should be the great scope and end of our Lives and Actions, is much concerned in our confessing or not confessing what we believe: When we boldly avow the truth, it is a sign we are not ashamed of our Master, Phil. 1. 20. According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my Body, whether it be by Life or by Death. Ministry or Martyrdom, he calls this a magnifying of Christ, whereas flinching, concealing, halfing the Truth, denying Confession, it is called a being ashamed of Christ, Luke 9. 26. Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words; as if his Name were a thing base, unworthy, not to be owned.

2. The Good of others and their Edification is concerned in our confessing or not confessing: No man is born for himself, and therefore is not only to work out his own salvation, but as much as in him lieth to procure the salvation of others, and to bring God and his Truth into request with them; therefore not only to believe with the heart, that concerneth himself, but to confess with the mouth that concerneth the good of others; when we own the Truth though it cost us dear, that tendeth to the furtherance of the Gospel, Phil. 1. 12. 13. For I would ye should understand, Brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel; so that my Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace, and in all other places, &c. But when we dissemble that is a scandal and a stumbling block to others, whom we justify and harden in a false way, as Peter fearing them of the Circumcision, dissembled; and the Jews dissembled with him, insomuch that Barnabas was carried away with their Dissimulation, Gal. 2. 12, 13. Men of public Fame and Favor, when they are not men of courage and of self-denying Spirits, their temporizing may do a great deal of hurt, and like a Torrent or Stream carry others with them. Oh! let us beware of this, Zwingli saith, Ad aras Iovis & Veneris adorare, & sub Antichristo fidem occultare idem est: As well worship before the Altars of Jupiter and Venus, as hide our Faith under Antichrist: Fear and weakness excuseth not, the Fearful and Unbelieving are put with Murderers, and Sorcerers and Idolaters, and sent together to the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone, Revel. 21. 8.

Use 1. To reprove them that think it to be enough to own the Truth in their Hearts, without confessing it with their Mouths: This Libertinism prevailed at Corinth where they thought they might be present at Idols Feasts, as long as in their Consciences they knew that an Idol was nothing: The Apostle argueth against them, 2 Cor. 6. and concludes his Argument thus, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these Promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit. To pretend to serve God in my heart, whosoever thinks so, mocketh God and deceiveth himself: he that warreth with the Enemies of his Prince, and is as forward in Battle as any of the rest, can he say I reserve the King my Heart and Affections? Or when a woman prostituteth her Body to another, will the Husband be content with such an Excuse, that she reserveth her Heart for him? God is not a God of half of a man, he made the whole Body and Soul, and will be served with both, he bought both, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore Glorify God in your Body and in your Spirits which are God's. Therefore you should not only love him in your hearts, but openly plead for him and, maintain his quarrel: The Devil asketh but Christ's Knee, Mark 4. 9. Fall down and worship me: What were all the Martyrs of God rash, inconsiderate, that suffered so many things rather than lose their liberty in God's service? Would we be content God should deal with us as we deal by him, glorify their Souls only, love their Souls, but punish their Bodies eternally.

2. Them that though not tainted with this Libertine Principle, yet are afraid or ashamed to own the Truth.

1. Some afraid because of Troubles and Persecution: Hath Christ endured so much for us, and shall we be afraid to own his Truth? God forbid: If I would fear, whom should I be afraid of? Mark 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the Body, but are not able to kill the Soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. Whom should a Child fear, his Father or the Servants of his house? So whom should we fear, God or Man, a Prison or Hell?

2. Ashamed in Peace and out of Trouble, ashamed to own Christ in such Company, or to speak of God and his Word: Oh Christians, shall we be ashamed to speak for him that was not ashamed to die for us, or count Religion a Disgrace which is our Glory? Would a Father take it well that his Son should be ashamed of him? Are we ashamed of the Gospel, the great Charter of our Hopes, the Seeds of the new Life, the Power of God to Salvation? Rom. 1. 16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, which is the Power of God to Salvation. Oh shake off this baseness, John 5. 44. How can ye believe, which receive Honor one of another, and seek not the Honor that comes from God only.

Use 2. To exhort us to confess with the Mouth, and to own the Truths we are persuaded of: And here I shall handle the Case of Profession.

• 1. How far it is necessary, It is a matter intricate and perplexed, and therefore I care not to comprize all cases, but to the most notable I shall speak.
• 2. As to the manner how this Profession is to be made.

1. How far we are bound to Profess.

• 1. The Affirmative.
• 2. The Negative.

1. The Affirmative.

1. It is certain that the Great Truths must be owned and publicly professed, or else Christ would not have a visible people in the World, distinct from Pagans and Heathens. Our Baptism bindeth us to this Profession, and to all Practises consonant and agreeable with it, Rom. 10. 10. With the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth Confession is made unto Salvation: To own Christ as the Savior of the World, evidenced by his Resurrection from the Dead.

2. It is certain we must do nothing to contradict the Truth in the smallest matters, 2 Cor. 13. 8. We can do nothing against the Truth, but for the Truth: Nothing contrary to the Glory of God, or the prejudice of the least Truth whatever it costs us.

3. In lesser Truths when they are ventilated and brought forth upon the Stage, and God crieth out, Who is on my side, who? We ought not to give up ourselves to an indifferency, to hide our Profession for any danger, 2 Pet. 1. 2. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them and be established in the present Truth. The Church of God is out of Repair sometimes in one point, sometimes in another; the Orthodoxy of the generality of men is usually an Age too short, in things now asoot; they go wrong, or forbear to give help to the Church, because the God of this World hath blinded their Eyes, Fight Christ, Fight Antichrist, they are resolved to be lookers on.

4. When our Non-Profession shall be interpreted to be a Denyal: Thus Daniel cap. 6. 10. Opened his Caseznent which looked towards Jerusalem, and prayed three times a day as he was wont. We must rather suffer than deny the Truth by interpretation, when such Practises are urged as cross a Principle, and we comply.

5. When others are scandalized by our Non-Profession, or not owning the Truths of Christ, that is not only with the scandal of Offence or Contristation, but with the scandal of Seduction in danger to Sin, and to run into error by our not appearing for God, the Interest of Truth should prevail above our ease and private Content.

4. When an account of my Faith is demanded, and I am called forth to give Testimony for Christ, especially by Magistrates, Matth. 10. 18. Ye shall be brought before Governors, and Kings for my sake, for a Testimony against them and the Gentiles: 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be always ready to give an answer to everyone that asketh a Reason of the Hope that is in you, provided it be not in scorn: Prov. 26. 4, 5. Answer not a Fool according to his Folly, l •… st thou also be like unto him: Answer a Fool according to his Folly, lest he be wise in his own Conceit. Answer and Answer not, not out of curiosity as Herod questioned Christ many things, but he answered him nothing, Luke 23. 9. or to be a snare, Isa. 36. 21. They held their Peace and answered him not a word, for the Kings commandment was saying, Answer him not, nor parly with Rabshakeh. In such cases you must not cast Pearls before Swine, left they turn again and rent you. Mat. 7. 6.

7. When Impulsions are great, and fair opportunities are offered in God's Providence, Acts 6. 17, 16. While Paul waited for them at Athens, his Spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the City wholly given to Idolatry. It is an Intimation from God, that then it is seasonable to interpose for his Glory.

2. Negatively which is to be forborne.

1. Till you be fully persuaded in your own Mind of the Truth which you would profess, for otherwise we shall appear with a various and doubtful Face to the World, changing and wavering according to the uncertainty of our own thoughts, and so make the Profession of Religion Ridiculous. We often see cause to suspect what before we were strongly conceited of, there is a certain credulity and lightness of believing which men are subject to, now when this breaks out into sudden Profession, men run through all Sects and Religions, and so blast and blemish their own Service, therefore what is contrary to the received Sense especially of the Godly, ought to be weighed, and weighed again, before we appear to the World to be otherwise minded.

2. When the Profession of a lesser Truth proves an offense to the weak, and a disturbance to the Church, and an hindrance of some greater benefit, all private Opinions must give way to the great Law of Edification, Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou Faith, have it to thyself before God. We must not perplex weak Souls with doubtful Disputations, till they be established in greater things, neither must the Peace of the Church be troubled with nice debates, but all things must give way to the Profit and general Edification.

3. When the unseasonable venting of things will do more hurt than good, and the sway of the times and the strong Tide and Current of Prejudices running down against us hinder all probability of doing good, then our Profession now, may deprive us of a more useful Profession another time, Prov. 29. 11. A fool uttereth all his mind, but he that is wise keepeth it in till afterward. Paul was at Ephesus two years before he spake against Diana, Acts 19. 10. Only intimated in general Terms, that they were no God's that were made with hands, When we cannot effect the good things we desire, nor in that holy manner we would, we must not obstruct our future Service but commend the cause to God and wait farther opportunity to do good.

2. The Manner how to make Profession.

1. Knowledge must be at the bottom of Profession, some will run before they can go, leap into Opinions and Practices before they see the Reasons of them, and then no wonder they are as Children carried about with every wind of Doctrine, Ephes. 4. 14. Wherefore that which we profess we must do it knowingly that we may be able to render a reason of all that we do Profess.

2. Gracious Wisdom to espy the due occasion when God is Glorified and our Neighbor Edified: Rash, Arrogant, and Presumptuous Spirits, are Headdy, High-minded, Disgrace Religion more than Honor it.

3. With Boldness to do it freely and without Fear of men, Acts 4. 13. When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, &c. Verse 29. grant to thy Servants that with all boldness they may speak thy Word. And 1 Tim. 3. 13. They that have used the Office of a Deacon well, purchase to themselves a good Degree, and great boldness in the Faith which is in Christ Jesus, Acts 9. 27. Barnabas declared unto them how he had Preached boldly to them at Damascus in the name of Jesus, Verse 29. He spake boldly in the name of Jesus, Acts 14. 3. Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord. Acts 13. 46. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold. Fear and Shame argueth Diffidence of the Truth which we profess, or else a Distrust of the God from whom it cometh, or at least the unsoundness of the professing Party, that he hath a naughty Conscience, or a great deal of Fleshly Fear unmortified. As he cannot walk stoutly that has a stone in his shoe, so he that hath sin in his Conscience; obmutescit facundia si aegra sit conscientia (saith Ambrose) a bad Conscience stoppeth the mouth.

4. With sincerity without dissimulation and guile, Profession without answerable Duty is like leaves without fruit, words must come from the heart, to be talking of God when they lie under the guilt of known sins, James 2. 16. If one say unto the Poor, Depart in Peace, be ye warmed and filled, notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it Profit, Psal. 50. 16, 17. Unto the Wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou shouldst take my Covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest Instruction, and castest my word behind thee?

5. With Meekness and Reverence, 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a Reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; not in a Passionate Froward Arrogant way, but with meekness of Spirit, without all show of Passion, and with sober and respective language.

6. The general end is the Glory of God, and the Edification of our Neighbor, and the means to this end is the Fear of God which keeps us out of all faulty extremes, Eccles. 7. 16, 17. Be not Righteous overmuch, neither make thyself over-wise, why shouldest thou destroy thyself? be not overmuch Wicked neither be thou foolish, why shouldst thou die before thy time? some drive all things to extremity, hot like Gunpowder, others freeze into a compliance and time-serving; when the heart is seasoned by the fear of God, and we are guided by Reasons of Conscience rather than Interest, and we constantly wait upon God for Direction, then will God guide us.

SERMON L.

FIrst, David Prays for Deliverance, Verse 41. Let thy Salvation come, &c. Next he prays, if he might not have Deliverance, yet a little Liberty to own God in the time of his trouble, Take not the word of Truth utterly out of my mouth, and with what Argument doth he enforce it? In the Close of the former verse he had Pleaded, I have hoped in thy Iudgments. Now he pleads his steadfast purpose to serve God, conceived in the form of a Vow, So shall I keep thy Law, &c. They that hope in God's Promises must have a tender regard to his Precepts. First he saith, I hope in thy Iudgments, then, I shall keep thy Law. The tender regard of God's Precepts; how? what to talk of them only? No. As in the former Verse he speaks of the word of Truth in his mouth, so here he speaks of keeping and observing the Law in his Practice, to show we should not own God in word only, but in deed also. He spoke of Profession there, and now we are to fill up our Profession with answerable Practice. So shall I keep thy Law continually, forever and ever.

The Text contains a Promise of Obedience.

• 1. The matter Promised, I shall keep thy Law.
• 2. The manner and constancy of that Obedience [continually, forever and ever].

Mark, the Promise of Obedience is brought in by way of Argument, So shall I keep, so, that is, this will encourage me, this will enable me.

1. The granting of his requests would give him encouragement, when God answers our hope, and expectation, Gratitude should excite and quicken us to give him all manner of Obedience. If he will give us a heart, and a little liberty to confess his Name, and serve him, we should not be backward, or uncertain, but walk closely with him.

2. This would give him assistance and strength. If God do daily give assistance, we shall stand, if not we fall and faulter, this will be a means of his perseverance, not only engage and oblige him, but help him to hold out to the end.

Then mark the constancy of this Obedience, [continually, and forever and ever] David would not keep it for a fit, or for a few days, or a year, but always even to the end of his Life.

Here are three words to the same sense: continually: forever, and ever. And the Septuagint expresseth it thus: I shall keep thy Law always, and for ever, and for ever, and ever; four words there. This heaping of words is not in vain.

1. It shows the difficulty of perseverance: unless Believers do strongly persist in the resistance of Temptation, they will soon be turned out of the way; therefore David binds his heart firmly: we must do it now, yea always, unto the end.

2. He expresseth his vehemency of Affection: Those that are deeply affected with anything, are wont to express themselves as largely as they can. As Paul that had a deep sense of God's Power, 1 Eph. 19. Exceeding Greatness of his Power, according to the working of his mighty Power. He heaps up several words, because his sense of them was so great: So David here doth heap up words continually, and forever, and forever, and ever.

3. Some think the words are so many, that they may express not only this life, but that which is to come. I will keep them continually, and forever, and ever, (that is) all the days of my life, and in the other world: So Chrysostom, I will keep them continually, &c. points out the other life, where there will be pure and exact keeping of the Law of God. Here we are every hour in danger, but then we shall be put out of all danger, and without fear of sinning, we shall remain in a full and perfect righteousness; we hope for that which we have not attained unto, and this doth encourage us for the present, so would he make David express himself.

4. If we must distinguish these words, I suppose they imply the continuity and perpetuity of Obedience; the Continuity of Obedience, that he would serve God continually without Intermission; and the Perpetuity of Obedience, that he would serve God forever and ever, without defection and revolt at all times, and to the end.

SERMON LI.

THE Copulative in the front of the Text, showeth some dependence which the Words have upon the former. His last Request was, ver. 43. for an opportunity and heart to own the ways of God: His Arguments are,

• 1. His present Hope, in the end of that Verse.
• 2. His perseverance in Obedience, ver. 44. Now,
• 3. The freedom of his Heart in that continued course of Obedience. A free and open confession of the Truth, may seem to cast us into bonds and straits; but yet it giveth us liberty. The Truth sets free, John 8. 32. If it bring the Body under fetters, yet it enlargeth the Heart. We never have greater freedom than when we are pleasing God, though at our bitter cost. I will walk at liberty, non in angustiis timoris, sed in latitudine dilectionis, not straightened by fear, but set at large by love. I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy Precepts. In the Words observe,
  • 1. David 's Privilege; And I will walk at liberty.
  • 2. The ground of it; For I seek thy Precepts.

The Points are two.

• 1 Doct. To walk in the way of God's Precepts, is to walk at liberty.
• 2 Doct. The more we take care to do so, the more we find this Liberty. I seek, that noteth an earnest diligence. Both these Points will be made good by these three Considerations.
  • 1. The way of God's Precepts is in itself Liberty.
  • 2. There is a liberty given to walk in that way.
  • 3. Upon walking in that way, we find it Liberty.

1. The way of God's Precepts is Liberty. Therefore his Law is called a Law of liberty, James 1. 25. No such freedom as in God's service; and, on the contrary, No such bondage as to be held with the cords of our own Sin. 2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption. A liberty to do all we please, is the greatest bondage. There are three pairs of Notions in which men are extremely mistaken; in Misery and Happiness, Wisdom and Folly, Liberty and Bondage. Men think none miserable but the Afflicted, and none happy but the Prosperous; because they judge by the present ease and commodity of the Flesh: therefore Christ in his Sermon on the Mount maketh it his drift to undeceive the World, to show that the Mourners and the Persecuted, the Pure and the Meek, they are the happy men, Matth. 5. So in the Notions of Wisdom and Folly the World are mistaken. Man, that is an intelligent Creature, affects the reputation of Wisdom, and would rather be accounted Wicked than Weak: But how do they mistake? He is the Wise man in their account, that can carry on his worldly business with success: They judge of Wisdom and Folly not by the concernments of the other World, but by present Interests: Therefore the whole drift of the Scripture is to make us wise to salvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15. to call us off from secular Wisdom, and to teach us to become fools that we may be wise. So they are out in the Notions of Liberty and Bondage. All men desire liberty, especially from Tyranny and base Servitude; and so far they do well in the general: but then they think, that is only liberty, to do what they please; and so the more they think to be, and labor to be free in a carnal way, the more Slaves they are. The Service of God, and strict walking with him, they count a very Prison and thralldom; and therefore cry out of bonds and yokes and cords, Psal. 2. 3. Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us; and are impatient of any restraint. Whereas on the other side, to do what we list without check or control, and to speak what we list, and think what we list, this they think the only freedom; Our tongues are our own, who is Lord over us? Whereas indeed he liveth the freest life, that lieth under the Bonds of Duty, that maketh conscience of Praying and Praising God, and coversing and walking with him in a course of Holiness; and the true Liberty is in walking in God's Statutes: So that true Bondage and Liberty is little or nothing at all known and discerned in the World. To make this evident unto you,

• 1. I shall prove, That carnal liberty is but thralldom.
• 2. That the true liberty is in the ways of God.

1. That c •… all liberty 〈◊〉 but thralldom. To understand this, I must lay down one Proposition, that conduceth to cure the great mistake about Liberty and Bondage, That Liberty is not potestas vivendi ut velis, a power to live as we list; no, it is to live as we ought, potestas volendi quod lex divina jubet: the life and spirit of Liberty lieth in that, a power to do what we ought, not a power to do what we will. Ever since we drank in that poison, Ye shall be as God's, Gen. 3. 5. man affecteth a Dominion over himself, and would be Lord of his own Actions, sui juris, at his own dispose do what he pleaseth. Indeed if we had a perfect holy Understanding to guide us, the danger would not be so great; but now it is the greatest misery that can befall a man to be at his own dispose, to do lawlesly what he will: and therefore God's fearful and dreadful Judgment, after all other courses tried, is to give up men to the sway of their own hearts, to do what they please, Psal. 81. 12. So I gave them up to their own hearts lust, and they walked in their own counsels; to be left to our brutish affections. But to prove it.

1. That infringeth a man's Liberty, that hindereth and disableth him from prosecuting his great End, which is to be truly happy: Now thus doth the Carnal life; and therefore this is true and perfect Bondage. Though men live in their Bonds with as much delight as Fishes in their own Element, yet that doth not alter the case, they are Slaves for all that; They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh, Rom. 8. 5. They seem to live at large, but indeed they are in a spiritual Prison, they cannot use the means that should make them happy. They employ their whole time in the remote subservient helps to an happy Life, in Pleasures, and Honors, and Profits; as dissolute and carnal Factors and Servants, who finding Contentment at the first Inn they come at, spend most of their time and money there, which should be spent at the Fairs and Mart for which they are bound. Pleasure, and Delight, and Contentment of Mind and Body, is a remote subservient help; so competency of Wealth, and some place wherein we may glorify God: these things are not to be desired for themselves, nor in any great measure; but subordinately, in order to our great End. Now when they entice and detain our Affections, and we cannot look after our great End, they break our Liberty; for the less power we have to do that which we should desire to do, the more Slaves are we.

2. That which disordereth the Constitution of the Soul, and puts Reason out of Dominion, that certainly is spiritual Bondage and Thraldom. Now when the Base prevail above the Honorable, it is a sign a Country is enthralled; where Beggars are on Horseback, and Princes walk on foot. Or as it is monstrous in the Body, if the Head be there where the Feet should be, and the Feet where the Head should be; such a Deordination is there in the Soul, when the Affections carry it, and Lust taketh the Throne instead of Reason, Tit. 3. 3. serving divers lusts and pleasures. When a man yieldeth up himself to his own Desires, he becometh a proper Servant, Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his Servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Now Man rightly constituted, his Actions are thus governed: The Understanding and Conscience prescribe to the Will; the Will, according to right Reason and Conscience, moveth the Affections; the Affections, according to the command and counsel of the Will, move the bodily Spirits and Members of the Body. But by Corruption there is a manifest Inversion and Change; Pleasures affect the Senses, the Senses corrupt the Fantasy, Fantasy moveth the Bodily Spirits, they the Affections; and by their violence the Will is carried captive, Man blinded, and so Man goeth on headlong to his own destruction. The corrupt Passions are like wild Horses, that do not obey the Driver, but draw to Precipices for his destruction: Therefore Basil of Seleucia calleth a carnal Man a Slave, that runs after the Chariots of his own Passions and corrupt Affections.

3. Consider the great tyranny and power of Sin; it leaveth us no right and power to dispose of ourselves and our Actions, and so Men cannot help themselves when they would; as is sensible in them that are convinced of better, and do worse: they see what they should do, but do not do it, being drawn away by their own Lusts. Video meliora, proboque, Deteriora sequor. Sin hath gotten such a deep interest in their Actions, and command over their Affections, that they cannot leave what they know to be naught, or follow that which they conceive to be good. And this Bondage is more sensible in them that have some kind of remorse and trouble with their Convictions, either from temporal inconvenience, shame, or loss; and yet cannot leave their Lusts, and so in despair resolve to go on, and make the best of it; Ier. 18. 12. And they said, There is no hope, but we will walk after our own devices, and we will everyone do the imagination of his evil heart. Jer. 2. 25. Thou hast said, there is no hope; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. Yea further, that have a kindly remorse from the conviction of the Spirit, Ier. 31. 18. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself, thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. And so Paul, Rom. 7. 14. I am carnal, sold under sin.

4. Consider how this Bondage is always increased by Custom, which is a second Nature, or an inveterate Disease not easily cured: Ier. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil. The more he continueth in this course, the less able to help himself; the more he sinneth, the more he is inthralled to sin; as a Nail, the more it is knocked, the more it is fastened in the Wood. First a man yields up himself to Sin as a Servant by Covenant, Rom. 6. 16. Know ye not, to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; that is, gives up his principal Time, Actions, and Employments: Then a Servant by Conquest, 2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. A Sinner is under the dominion of Sin as an hired Servant and a Captive: We first willingly, and by our own default, run into it, and after cannot rid ourselves of it. Ligatus eram non ferro alieno, sed mea ferrea voluntate; velle meum tenebat inimicus, & me mihi catenam fecerat, & constrinxerat me: Lord, I am bound, not with Iron, but with an obstinate Will; I gave my Will to mine Enemy, and he made a Chain of it to bind me, and keep me from thee. Quippe ex voluntate perversa facta est libido, & dum servitur libidini facta est consuetudo, & dum consuetudo non resistitur facta est necessitas. Aug. Confes. lib. 8. cap. 5. A perverse Will gave way to Lustings, and Lustings made way for a Custom, and a Custom let alone brought a Necessity upon me, that I can do nothing but sin against thee. And after that, Reformidam quasi mortem consuetudinis mutationem. Aug. Confes. lib. 8. cap. 7. Thus are we by little and little enslaved, brought under the power of every Toy. Things are lawful, as subordinate helps; but we, contrary to the Law of Reason, and the Inclinations to true Happiness, immoderately desire them; and these Desires being excessive, get a complete Victory over our Souls: and at length we are brought under the power of every Creature. 1 Cor. 6. 12. All things are lawful, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

5. There is one thing more that maketh the Carnal Life to be a mere Slavery; and that is, the Fear and Terror which doth arise from the consciousness of Sin; the fear of Death, and Damnation, and Wrath to come, which doggeth Sin at the heels. When Adam sinned, he was afraid, Gen. 3. 7. And carnal Men are all their life-time subject to bondage, through the fear of death, Heb. 2. 15. There is a Fire smothering in the bosom of a Sinner, and sometimes it flashes out in actual gripes and horrors, they have grievous damps of heart; so that Sinners are so far Bond-men, that they dare not seriously call themselves to an account for the expense of their Time and Employments, which everyone should do; nor think seriously of Death, or God's Judgment, or Hell. He that is always under the check of a cruel Master, cannot be said to be a Freeman: Now so is every Man that is not in Christ, let him be never so great, and mighty, and powerful, he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , subject to bondage, in danger of hidden fears easily awakened in his heart. Well then, call you this a Free Life? As jolly and jocund as wicked Men seem to be, or as great as they are, it is a liberty of the Flesh taken by Men, not given by God; the quietness of the Flesh, but bane of the Soul.

2. On the contrary, The true Liberty is in the ways of God.

1. There we are directed how to attain to our great End, which is true Blessedness, Mat. 7. 14. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. A way of Sin seemeth broad and easy to the Flesh, but it is strait and hard to the Spirit; and the way of Duty strait and narrow to the Flesh, but, because it is to Life, it is broad to the Spirit, or new Nature. I shall walk at liberty. To a renewed Heart the Divine Commandments are not grievous, 1 John 5. 3. for by this means they come to enjoy God, and walk to their own Happiness, and attain to the End for which they were made. A poor heart goes home cheerfully.

2. In loving, fearing, praising, serving God, the noblest Faculties are exercised, in the noblest and most regular way of Operation: The Soul is in the right temper and constitution; they are the highest Actions of the highest Faculties, elevated by the highest Principles, about the highest Objects. The Objects are God, Christ, Heaven, the great things of Eternity. The Principles are the Love and Fear of God, the Faculties, Understanding, and Will, not Sensitive Appetite; these exercised in thinking of God, and choosing of God.

II. The second part of the Demonstration is, That there is liberty given to walk in that way. Ever since Adam 's Fall every Man is a spiritual Slave, under the Dominion and Power of Sin and Satan, and the Curse of the Law: but now where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. true Christian Liberty, or a power given us to walk familiarly with God, and cheerfully and comfortably in his Service. By Grace a Man is freed,

• 1. From the yoke of oppressing Fears: And,
• 2. The Tyranny of commanding Lusts.

1. We are freed from the Bondage of Sin, Rom. 8. 2. The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from the law of sin and death. John 8. 36. If the Son therefore shall make ye free, ye shall be free indeed. There is a Liberty in that which is good, Psal. 119. 32. I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

2. We are freed from those Doubts and Fears and Terrors which accompanied the state of Sin, Job 36. 8. If they be bound in fetters, and be holden in the cords of afflictions. Job 13. 27. Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks. Lam. 3. 7. He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out; he hath made my chain heavy: so that the meaning is, I shall walk at liberty, be cheerful and enlarged in heart; for I seek thy Precepts.

III. There is Liberty in that walking: It is the fruit of strictness. There is a twofold Liberty.

1. Outward Deliverances out of Straits and Afflictions, Psal. 118. 5. I called upon the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place: And Psal. 18. 19. He brought me forth also into a large place, he delivered me because he delighted in me. So Psal. 4. 1. Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress. Affliction is compared to a Prison, where the poor afflicted Creature is as it were confined, committed by God, and must not break Prison, come out by the Window, but the Door. When we are let out by God upon submission and supplication, urging the Satisfaction of Christ; as we are sent thither by God's Authority, so we come out by God's Love. Now God doth this for those that obey him, as all those Places manifest.

2. Inward Confidence. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , saith Chrysostom on the Text; An holy Life is the ground of Liberty, and holy boldness. 1 John 3. 9. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we liberty towards God: We have delight, and pleasure, and contentment. Till we defile Conscience, we have a great deal of boldness and courage against opposition, yea, a boldness to go to God himself, who otherwise is a consuming Fire.

Use 1. Is to take off that prejudice that we have against the Ways of God, as if they were strait and hard, and not to be endured. Oh no, all God's ways are for our good. Deut. 6. 24. The Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God for our good always. And the Duties that he requireth of us are honorable, and comfortable; we never walk more at large, than when we have a Conscience of them. Man acteth like himself, when he is holy, just, temperate, sober, humble. Grace puts all things in the right frame and posture again: it puts Reason in Dominion, and maketh us Kings in governing our own Hearts; and this breedeth sweetness and peace. Pax est tranquillitas ordinis; when all things keep their place, then is there peace. As when the Humors of the Body are in order, and the Spirits move tuneably, there is a cheerfulness ensueth; so the fruit of Righteousness is Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost. If a Man had no Rule to guide him, and God had left him without a Law, yet if he were well in his wits, he would prefer the Duties which he hath enjoined before Liberty, and of his own accord choose to live according to such an Institution; there is such a suitableness in all those things to the Reasonable Nature. What do Men aim at, Pleasure, Honor, or Profit? For Pleasure, Prov. 3. 17. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. None have such a sweet life, as they that live virtuously, and as God hath commanded. All the Sensualists in the world have not such a dainty Dish to feed on, as they that have a good Conscience: they have a continual Feast, that never cloyeth: You never come away from your Sports with such a merry heart, as they come away from the Throne of Grace. If Men would consider their Experiences after the discharge of their Duties, and when straggling to carnal delights, after saddest Duties there is a serenity in the Conscience. Who ever repented of his Repentance? 1 Sam. 1. 18. Hannah went her way, and did eat and drink, and her spirit was no more sad. Prayer giveth ease, but sensual Pleasures leave remorse, and a sting. If you count Liberty to consist in hunting after Honors, and great Places, can there be a greater Honor than to serve God? Who hath the better Service, he that attendeth on the uncertain will of Men, yea of the greatest Princes, or he that waiteth on the Lord? Your Work is more Noble, Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor. What an unprofitable drudgery is the Service of the greatest Prince in the World, in comparison of the Work of a poor Christian, that liveth in Communion with God? We serve a greater Prince, and on surer terms. Then for Profit, Where is there more gain, as to our Vails and Wages, than in God's service? Well then, he that liveth holily hath much the sweeter and happier life, than they that serve Covetousness, Ambition, or any other Lust. Certainly this should persuade us to put our neck under Christ's yoke; it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Mat. 11. 29. His yoke is easy, and his burden is light. If it be grievous, it is to the Flesh; and we have no reason to indulge the Flesh, Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can it be. The Command to an unfound Conscience, is as a light Burden laid on a sore Back. Men that are soaked in Pleasures, are incompetent. Judges of the sweetness of the Heavenly Life. On the other side, What a miserable Servitude is there in Sin? how disabled for their great End, for which they were created? Corruption is an imperious Master, it will not suffer us to hear good things, to be there where good things are spoken, to accompany them that are good: it hath them in so strait a custody, they hate the means of their recovery. They have many Masters, Quot habet Dominos qui unum habere non vult? Tit. 3. 3. For we ourselves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures. And James 4. 1. Whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war in your members? One Lust draweth one way, another another way; Covetousness, Voluptuousness, Ambition, Uncleanness; as when two Seas meet. We have little reason to envy them for their free Life, pity them rather. How do their brutish Affections hurry them? What pains, Aches in the Body, wounds in the Conscience, how many secret gripes and scourges? No such Subjection, no Slave so subject to the Will of his Lord, as a Man to his Lusts and sinful Desires, will speak, think nothing but what Sin commands. It is a besotting Slavery; wicked Men remain in this Bondage with a kind of pleasure. Gally-slaves would sain be free, wish for Liberty: Israel was in bondage in Egypt, but they groaned under it; The cry of the children of Israel is come up to me. Here Men loath to come out of their Slavery, and are enemies to those that would help them out. Their Work is hard and oppressive, loss of Name, Health, Estate: They tire their Spirits, rack their Brains, and after all their drudging are cast into Hell.

Use 2. Do we walk at liberty?

1. There was a time when we served Sin; but being converted, we change Masters, Rom. 6. 18. Being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. If there be such a change, it will discover itself. 1. You will do as little Service for Sin, as formerly for Righteousness, Rom. 6. 20. When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness; Righteousness had no share in your time, thoughts, cares; you made no conscience of doing good, took no care of it: so now you do as little for Sin. 2. Positively do as much for Grace, as formerly for Sin, ver. 19. As you yielded your members servants unto uncleanness and to iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members servants unto righteousness, unto holiness; as watchful, as earnest, as industrious to perfect Holiness, as formerly to commit Sin. It is but equal. He that hath been Servant unto an hard and cruel Master, is thereby fitted to be diligent and faithful in the service of a loving, gentle, and bountiful Master. You can judge what a Tyrant Sin was; shall not Grace have as much power over you now, and will you not do as much for God as for your Lusts?

2. What do you complain of as the Task and Yoke, the strictness of the Law, or the relics of Corruption? Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be; compared with 1 John 5. 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous. What is a Bondage, Sin or Duty? Is the Commandment grievous, or in-dwelling Sin? The Apostle was complaining, but of what? the Purity of the Law? No, but the power of in-dwelling Corruption, the Body of Death; Rom. 7. 24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death? Which do your hearts rise against?

3. What Freedom? Luke 1. 74, 75. That you being delivered out of the hands of your enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of your lives. If you are enslaved to any one Lust, you cannot walk at large. Are your Gives and Fetters knocked off? Have you that free Spirit? Psal. 51. 11, 12. Cast me not away from thy presence, take not thy holy spirit from me; restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me by thy free spirit.

SERMON LII.

THE Man of God had prayed, ver. 43. That God would not take the word of truth utterly out of his mouth; that is, deny him the Liberty, or the Grace, the Opportunity, or the Heart, to make an open Profession of his Faith and Respect to God, and his Ways. This Suit he backeth with sundry Arguments.

1. From his Hope, ver. 23. For I have hoped in thy judgments: He had placed all his confidence in them, and therefore would openly profess what Rule he lived by, and what Expectations he had from God.

2. His Resolution to persist in this course, whatever befell him, ver. 44. So shall I keep thy law continually, forever and ever; it would engage him to constancy to the end of his Life.

3. From the alacrity and readiness of his Obedience, as well as the constancy, ver. 45. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts: Then we have true liberty.

4. That no worldly Splendor or Terror should take him off from making this Confession, if God would give him liberty and opportunity. Two things hinder a free Confession of God's Truth, Carnal Fear, and Carnal Shame: Both are obviated by the Resolution of the Man of God; he would neither be afraid nor ashamed to recommend the ways of God to the greatest Princes of the World.

1. The Terror of Kings, or Men in Power, may be supposed to be an hindrance to the free Confession of God's Truth: therefore he saith, I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings.

2. Carnal Shame may breed a loathness to own God's despised ways; therefore he addeth, I will not be ashamed. David would neither be afraid nor ashamed (if called thereto) to make this open Confession, to own God and his Truth.

1. His Resolution against Fear deserveth a little opening: I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings. The words may be looked upon as a Direction for them who are called to speak before Kings. 〈◊〉 Men may be supposed to be called,

• 1. Either by the Duty of their Office, to speak to them in a way of Instruction: Or,
• 2. As convented before them in a Judiciary way, to give an account of their Faith.

1. In the first sense; those who are called to instruct Kings, ought with the greatest confidence to recommend the ways of God to them, as that which will enhaunse their Crowns and Dignity, and make it more glorious and comfortable to them and their Subjects, than anything else. And so David 's Resolution showeth what Faithfulness becometh them who live in the Courts of Princes. It concerneth Princes to be instructed, Psal. 2. 10. Be wise now therefore, ye Kings; be instructed, ye Judges of the earth. Few speak plainly and sincerely to them, as Nathan to David, 2 Sam. 12. 7. Thou art the man; and God to David, 2 Sam. 24. 13. Shall seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that there be three days pestilence in the land? John the Baptist to Herod, Mat. 14. 4. It is not lawful for thee to have her. Jehu to Jehoshaphat, 2 Chron. 17. 2. Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord. Many times they are impatient of Truth, as Ahab could not endure Micaiah, 1 Kings 22. 8. And the King of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man (Micaiah the son of Imlah) by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil, &c. Josephus, lib. 8, cap. 10. Theodoret, lib. 4. cap. 30.

2. If convented before them in a judiciary way, as the Three Children were before Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 3. 13. Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and they brought these men before the King: And ver. 16, 17, 18. They answered and said to the King, Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter; if it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us out of thine hand, O King: but if not, be it known unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden Image which thou hast set up. Mat. 10. 18, 19. Te shall be brought before Governors and Kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. There are some Kings that have not submitted their Crowns and Scepters to the King of Kings: so Pagans and wicked Princes, who can neither endure the Truth, nor those which profess it. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The Children of God ought not to be daunted by any Power and Fear of Princes: Their Power may be a Terror to us, and in other cases ought to be reverenced by us; but it should not be a snare to us, to make us desert our Duty to God. We must never forget the Honor put upon them by God; they bear his Image, and in all lawful cases we acknowledge God's Authority in them; they are those by whom God will govern us: but if anything be decreed against God, we only urge our Obedience to the Lord Paramount. Acts 21. 19. Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than God, judge ye. Acts 5. 29. Then Peter and the Apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.

2. The latter Branch needeth little explaining.

What shall we observe?

1. If I should take the first Reference, and urge the Duty of Kings and Princes, that would be unseasonable for this Auditory. It is a preposterous Soloecism, to preach to the People the Duty of Kings, and then to Kings the Duty of their People; as foolish a course, as to make Fires in Summer, and adorn the Chimney with Herbs and Flowers in Winter.

2. If I should speak of the second Reference, the Clemency of the Government we live under maketh it unseasonable also: For our King (whom God preserve) hath often avowed his Resolutions against Persecution for Conscience sake. Therefore waving all other things, I shall only insist upon two Points, which are necessary, partly to show the Excellency of our Religion which we profess, partly to guide our Practice.

• 1 Doct. That nothing is so necessary for Kings, Princes, and Magistrates to know, as God's Testimonies.
• 2 Doct. That God's Testimonies are so excellent, that we should not be afraid or ashamed to own them before any sort of Men in the World. Of the first briefly.

1 Doct. That nothing is so necessary for the Potentates of the World to know, as God's Testimonies. The King of Israel was to write a Copy of the Law of God in a Book, and to have it ever before him, that he might read therein, and learn to fear the Lord his God, Deut. 17. 18, 19. And therefore Josiah, one of the good Kings which God gave unto his People, searched for the Book of the Law, 1 Kings 23. 2. The Reasons concern them, if considered both as Men, and as Potentates.

1. As Men.

1. They are upon the same level with others, and are concerned to understand the way of pleasing, glorifying, and enjoying God, as much as their meanest Subjects: for it is said, Job 34. 19. He accepteth not the person of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; for they are all the works of his hands. God dealeth with them impartially, respecting the Greatest no more than the meanest: He hath an equal Interest in all, and therefore doth command and dispose of all; for all are his Creatures, not exempted from being subject to his Dominion: As the Potter is not more obliged to Vessels of Honor, than of Dishonor. As his Law bindeth all, so all that continue in impenitency, and the neglect of his Grace, are obnoxious to the Curse of the Law: It is general to all Transgressors; Cursed is everyone, &c. And if God should lay their Sins home to their Consciences, and speak to them in his wrath, they can stand before him no more than the meanest: Rev. 6. 15, 16. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

2. The higher their Station, the greater is their Obligation. No sort of Men more obliged to God, than those that are advanced by him to rule over his People: therefore their Ingratitude would be greater, if they should sin against God: 2 Sam. 12. 7, 8, 9. I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hands of Saul, and I gave thee thy masters house, and thy masters wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given thee such and such things: Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? Their Sins do more hurt, because of their Example and Authority, Job 34. 20.

2. As Rulers and Potentates they are concerned to be acquainted with God's Testimonies.

1. That they may understand their Place and Duty. They are first God's Subjects, then his Officers. They have their Power from God, Rom. 13. 4. For he is the minister of God to thee for good. They hold their Power in dependence on him; both Natural, their Strength and Force, Thou couldest have no power, unless it were given thee from above, John 19. 10, 11. Legal, their Authority or Governing Power, they hold it in dependence upon the Absolute and Heavenly Sovereign, who is the Lord of lords, and King of kings, Prov. 8. 15, 16. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice; by me princes rule, and nobles, and all the judges of the earth. And as they hold it in dependence on him, they must use it in subordination to him: God, who is the Beginning, must also be the End of their Government: They are not Officers of Men, but Ministers of God, from whom they have their Authority; and therefore must rule for God, and seek his Glory.

2. That they may be carried through their Cares, and Fears, and Snares, and may know what Reward to expect from the Absolute Sovereign, who is the great Patron of Human Societies. It is trust and dependence upon God that maketh good Magistrates, 2 Kings 18. 5. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that went before him. Oh it is a blessed thing when they can go to God for Direction, and depend upon God for Success. Great are the Cares and Fears which belong to a Governor; and who can ease him of this Burthen but the Lord, who hath shown in his Word how far he is to be trusted? It is not Carnal Policy which helpeth them out in their work, but trust in God in their high Calling. Whosoever will improve his Power for God, will meet with many discouragements: now that which supports his heart in his work, is this holy trust, Prov. 29. 25. The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe. Every Public Calling hath its Snares and Temptations, from the fears of Men. A Minister, if he doth not trust God to bear him out in his Work, he will do nothing with that Courage which becometh a Minister but comply with the Lusts of Men, grow luke-warm, and prostitute the Ordinances for handfuls of Barley, and pieces of Bread, and Family-conveniencies. The Magistracy is a higher Calling, which is more obnoxious to Temptations, from the different Humours of Men who are to be governed: nothing will carry a Man through it, but this holy Courage and dependence on God. The fear of Man brought a snare to Jeroboam, that he perverted the Worship of God, 1 Kings 12. 30. And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. So Jehu; so others, for their Cares. But he that trusts in God in his discharge of this public Office, though many difficulties interpose, finds the blessed experience of the Psalmist verified, In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.

3. As to Success and Acceptance; Obedience to God makes them a double Blessing to the People; as Governors, as Holy: As they have the natural Image of God in Dominion and Authority, 1 Cor. 11. 7. Forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God, which must be reverenced and respected, not resisted; so the spiritual Image of God in Holiness: the People doubly see God in their Rulers. And besides, it bringeth down God's Blessings, while they command and the People obey in the Lord: 2 Kings 18. 7. And the Lord was with him, and he prospered whithersoever he went forth. Good Magistrates are usually more prosperous than good Men in a private condition, because they are given as a Public Blessing.

Use 1. Is to inform us, That Religion hath a great influence on the welfare of Human Societies; for it equally respects Governors and Governed, carving out their respective Duties to them, causing the one to rule well, and the other to obey for conscience sake. The Testimonies of the Lord prescribe the Duty of Rulers, 2 Sam. 23. 3. He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. There is a word belonging to either Table; Justice to the second, Fear of God to the first. Now all this Duty is best learned out of God's Testimonies. For the Governed, it interposeth express Rules for their Obedience; Rom. 13. 1. Let every soul be subject to the higher powers: and 1 Pet. 2. 15. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. There are many Arguments why we should reverence Magistrates: They bear God's Image, Psal. 82. 6. I have said ye are God's; visible Representators of his Authority and Dominion over the Creatures, because of their Majesty, largeness of Command and Empire, and because of their Use, they are exalted supra alios, above others in their Authority; but propter alios, for others in their Use and Benefit. But the supreme Reason is the Will of God: The Magistrate was then an enemy to Religion when this Commandment was given forth, even then when that part of the World in which the Church was seated was under the Command of Nero, whose universal wickedness, and particular cruelty against the Christians, might tempt them to disobedience, and scorn of his Authority: then God said, Obey not for fear of wrath, but conscience sake; then, Fear God, Honor the King, for so is the will of God. Now let Atheists and Antiscripturists, or the enemies of those who profess to live by Scripture, think, if they can, that the Christian Religion doth not befriend Human Societies, or doth contain dangerous Principles to Government.

Use 2. It showeth us what to pray for for our Princes and Governors, even a wise and an understanding Heart, and a Spirit of the Fear of the Lord; that they may Rule for God, and take his Blessing along with them in all their Affairs.

2. Doct. That God's Testimonies are so excellent, that we should not be afraid nor ashamed to own them before any sort of men in the world; for David saith, I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

1. Observe, Here are two things supposed which might shut his mouth, and obstruct the confidence and boldness of his Profession; Fear, and Shame. Fear represents danger in owning the ways of God: Shame representeth Mockage, Scorn, and Contempt. Fear considereth our Superiors and Governourrs; we fear them that have Power and Authority in their hands. Shame may arise not only from the consideration of Superiors, but Inferiors and Equals also. Fear respects the danger of the Party professing; Shame, the Cause or Matter professed. Therefore, of the two, to be ashamed of the ways of God, doth more destroy Godliness, than to be afraid to own them; for then it is a sign we are not so soundly convinced, and deeply possessed of the Goodness of them: for, Pudor est conscientia turpitudinis, It is a consciousness of something that is base. Look, as on the contrary, to be ashamed of Sin doth more wound it to the heart, than to be afraid of Sin. Many a Man is apprehensive of the danger of Sin, who yet doth not hate it in his heart, but only abstaineth out of the fear of Punishment: But when he is ashamed of Sin, then he beginneth to hate Sin as Sin. In Conversion, Fear is stirring before Shame: as a Man sick of a loathsome painful Disease, is more and first affected with the Pain, than with the Nastiness and Filthiness and Putrefaction that accompanieth the Disease; so here in Religion, as the case is hopeful when ashamed of Sin, so dangerous when ashamed of a strict holy course. A Man may be willing to do that, which he dares not do for Fear; but Shame extinguisheth the willingness itself. In short, To be afraid respects our Interest; to be ashamed respects the Cause, the Gospel itself.

Secondly, I shall speak of them distinctly; and so,

1. Shew why we should not be afraid to own the Testimonies and Ways of God before any sort of People in the World.

1. Because Holy Boldness in Confession is an especial Gift of God. David asketh it here, Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; and promiseth, That if God would give him this Gift, the Splendor of Worldly Greatness should not dazzle his Eyes; and he would behave himself as one armed against all terrors of Men, or gotten above the Hopes and Fears of the present World. And indeed it argueth some good degree of profiting in the Word of God, when it is so with us. Fearlesness of Men in God's Cause, is an excellent Grace, which God hath promised to his choice Servants: To Christ, Isa. 50. 7. For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded: Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. I shall not be confounded, for God is at my right hand. To Jeremiah, whom God set up as a brazen wall against all oppositions, Jer. 1. 18. and to Ezekiel, chap. 3. 8. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. So to the Disciples, Mat. 10. 19, 20. They shall bring you before rulers and governors: but take no thought how or what ye shall speak; for it shall be given you in the same hour what ye shall speak. None have the gift of Boldness, but those to whom God gives it. If left to ourselves, we shall faulter, as Peter did at the Damsels Question; but God will assist the resolved Heart by his Spirit, and assist him in that very hour when the Trial cometh: and then we need not be afraid before whomsoever we come, we need not be anxious. The Servants of God beg this Gift, Acts 4. 29. Grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness we may speak thy word; when the World rageth against them.

2. Though it be an especial Gift of God, yet the Duty is contained in our first Dedication and Resignation of ourselves to Christ; when we professed ourselves to be dead to every worldly Interest, and promised to own him and his Ways, whatever it cost us: Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Ver. 33. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Therefore this should not be retracted, but verified in our whole course; for that showeth this Dedication was found, Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Ver. 14. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. And therefore we should be ready to render a reason of the hope which is in us, to everyone that asketh us, with meekness and fear, 1 Pet. 3. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is an Account of our Religion, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , ready to confess Christ in Persecutions and Dangers: it is the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to be bound, but to die at Jerusalem, for the Name of the Lord Jesus: the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the preparation of the gospel of peace, Ephes. 6. 15. A prepared resolved Heart to encounter all difficulties for the Gospels sake, so satisfied with the Truth and Hopes thereof.

3. This Duty is confirmed in us by many Christian Graces; as Faith, Love to God, Fear of God, a deep sense of the World to come. We are afraid to own God and his Ways, because we have not such an high opinion of God as we should have, but too great a love to ourselves; therefore Faith, Fear, and Love is necessary to confirm and strengthen this Resolution in us, and also the lively Hope of Blessedness to come.

1. Faith informeth us of the Truth, Goodness, Power, and Excellency of God; the worth of his Favor, and the terror of his Wrath; that the Displeasure of God is much worse than the Frowns of Men: When we think of an higher Lord, why should we be afraid of a Man, that shall die, and the Son of Man, that is as Grass? If a Great Man stand by, we are not afraid of an Underling: If the King of Kings be with us, whom should we fear? Heb. 11. 27. By faith Moses feared not the wrath of the king, meaning Pharaoh. Why? For he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. An Heathen could say, Regum timendorum in proprios greges, reges in ipsos Imperium est Iovis. A Believer should much more oppose God's Heavenly Majesty to their Earthly Dignity. Their Power is great, and to be reverenced next to God; but God's is greater. We serve a King whose power is everlasting, and whose kingdom is to all generations.

2. Love to God is necessary to confirm and strengthen this Resolution in us; for that overcometh all Terrors: Rom. 8. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us: And Cant. 8. 6, 7. Love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave, the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it; if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. There is an unconquerable force in Love, it is a Fire cannot be quenched. When Christ hath us by the Heart, it is much more than when he hath us by the Head. They that make a Religion of their Opinions, and have a Faith that never went deeper than their Brains and Fancies, are soon discouraged; but when Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith, Ephes. 3. 17. there he resideth as in his strong Citadel and Castle. A Christian, because he loveth Christ, will own him, and his Ways, and Truth, though they be never so much despised in the World. A superficial bare Assent to the Gospel may let Christ go; but a faith working by love will not.

3. The Fear of God, or a deep awe and reverence of him, when we are more afraid to offend God, than to suffer from Man. The Apostle, when he biddeth us to be ready to make Profession, 1 Pet. 3. 5. bids us do it with meekness and fear, Meekness respects Men; Fear, a care to approve ourselves to God: The Fear of Men is checked by the Fear of God: Isa. 8. 12, 13. Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Luke 12. 4, 5. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear; Fear him which after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. An holy Impression of God's Excellency and Greatness left upon the Heart, is this Fear that carrieth the Cause clearly for God: And as one Nail driveth out another, the Fear of Men banisheth the Fear of God out of our Hearts. We are obliged to none so as to God, who hath the power of Eternal Life, and Eternal Death. What is a Prison to Hell! a little vain Glory, to Eternal Glory! the Creature to God!

4. A deep sense of the other World. When we translate the Scene from Earth to Heaven, from this World to the next, and consider who is scorned there, received there, or rejected there, the Temptation is lessened. The Apostle showeth, that a Spirit of Faith is at the bottom of Confession with the mouth, 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same spirit of faith, believe, and therefore speak. He that believeth another World, and hopeth for it, will never be cowardly and bashful, but will confidently confess Christ, and own him both in Worship and Conversation. A Spirit of Faith cannot be suppressed, but will break out and show itself, and not be ashamed of Christ, his Truth, and Ways.

Well then, Christians should be ashamed of that Spirit of Fear, Bashfulness, and Inconfidence, which keeps us from confessing Christ, and owning his Ways. Kings are more formidable by their Place and Power than the rest of the World; but alas, we give place to the meanest Men, and the smallest opposition maketh us give out; 2 Tim. 1. 7. We have not the spirit of fear, but the spirit of love, power, and a sound mind. The Christian Spirit is a sober Spirit, that valueth all things according to their weight; but not a dastardly Spirit: a Spirit of Love and Power, that owneth Christ with meekness, and a due respect to earthly Tribunals; and yet with courage, as looking higher, to the Throne of God.

2. We must not be ashamed to own the Testimonies and Ways of God before any sort of Men in the World. The Apostle telleth us, Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is such a pure sure Rule, and offereth us such glorious Hopes, that we should be ready to profess it without being ashamed of it. So he bids Timothy, 2 Tim. 1. 11. Be not ashamed of the testimony of the Lord, nor of me his prisoner; neither of the Profession, nor of our Companions in the Profession, when they are under the greatest disgrace. So again, 1 Pet. 4. 16. If any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God in this behalf. It is matter of Thanksgiving, not of shame. David is an Instance, when Michal scoffed at him, I will yet be more vile, 2 Sam. 6. 22. It is an honor to be dishonored for Christ. The Primitive Christians, when the Heathens reproached them, Art thou not ashamed to believe in him that was crucified? The Answer was, I am ashamed to believe in him that committed Adultery, meaning the Heathen Jupiter. Affliction is no disgrace, but Sin is.

But what danger is there of being ashamed of the Gospel, since Christianity is in fashion?

Answ. 1. Sometimes the Simplicity of the Gospel is contemned by the Wits of the World, and therefore they either muster up the Oppositions of Science falsely so called, or else droll upon Religion, and make it the common Jest and By-word.

2. The stricter Profession of the Ways of God is under reproach. Though the nominal Christian and the serious Christian have the same Bible, and believe the same Creed, and are baptized into one and the same Profession; yet those that are false to their Religion, will hate and scorn those that are true to it; and among the carnal, it will be matter of reproach to be serious and diligent. Now though a gracious Heart can be vile for God, yet others are afraid they shall be marked, and accounted Precise, or Puritans; and so by resisting an imaginary Shame, they fall into an eternal Reproch.

3. It may be the strict sort of Christians are the poorer sort; and though they be precious in the eyes of God, yet they are despised by Men: John 7. 49. This people that knoweth not the law are accursed. Have any of the Pharisees believed in him? any People of Quality? They shall be accounted People of no Port and Breeding, if they are strictly Christian. Quantus in Christiano populo honor Christi est, ubi Religio ignobilem facit? coguntur esse viles ne mali videantur. Religion is too mean a thing for Persons of Quality, of their Rank. Thus with many God's Image is made a scorn, and the Devil's Image had in honor; and serious Godliness is made a By-word.

Now to fortify you against being ashamed of God, and his Ways, take these Considerations.

1. The short continuance of this Worlds Glory. Within a while we shall be levelled with the lowest, and our Dust mixed with common Earth: And shall we love the praise of Men, more than the praise of God? This corruptible Flesh must turn into a loathsome rottenness, though now it looketh high, and sets forth itself, and would be brave and Lordly: but the spirit must return to God that gave it, to be commanded into unseen and unknown Regions, 1 Pet. 1. 21. All flesh is grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass.

2. God is the Fountain of Honor; all Things and Persons receive an Honor by having relation to him; James 2. 1. Have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, in respect of persons. Services mean in themselves, are accounted honorable with respect to Princes. The Reproch of Christ is enough to weigh down all the Honors in the World, Heb. 11. 26. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.

3. If your hearts be sincere with God, you will not be ashamed of his Ways: For, Wisdom is justified of her children: In Luke it is, All her children, Luke 7. 35. They that have a Faith which is the fruit of Conviction only, may be ashamed; John 12. 42, 43. Among the rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the Synagogue: for they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of God. But that Faith which is the fruit of Conversion will make us courageous in God's Cause. In its infancy there may be some relics of Fear in a Christian; as John 19. 39. Nicodemus at first came to Jesus by night: but a grown Faith counts it no loss of Honor, or impeachment of Dignity, to become vile for God.

4. The eternal Recompence, 1 Sam. 2. 30. Those that honor me, I will honor. 1 Pet. 2. 7 That your faith may be found to praise, glory, and honor, at Christ's coming. On the other side, if we are ashamed of Christ, Christ will be ashamed of us for evermore, Mark 8. 38. Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his father, with the holy angels. The Eagle-eye of Faith can look through all the Pageantry of the World, and the Mists and Clouds of Time, to the Future state, the Judgment that shall be made of things. To a Believers eye all the Honor of the World is but a Fancy and vain Appearance, a Scene in which a base Fellow acteth the part of a Prince.

5. The Judgment of the World is not to be stood upon. Why should we desire the applause of the blind ungodly World, or make any great matter of their contempt and scorn? Shall the scorn of a Fool be more to us than the approbation of God? If they slight you, who slight God, and Christ, and their own Salvation, why should you be troubled? They are incompetent Judges of these things, 1 John 3. 1. The world knoweth us not.

Use. See the strange perversion of Human Nature: Men are ashamed where they should be bold, and bold and confident where they should be ashamed; they glory in their shame, but think it a disgrace to speak of God, and own God, not before Kings only, but before their Familiars and Companions. Be ashamed to be filthy, false, proud; but never be ashamed to go to a Sermon, where you may profit in the Ways of God, and the Knowledge of his Testimonies; to be strict in Conversation, to speak reverently of God, though scorned by Men. None of God's Servants have reason to be ashamed of their Master.

SERMON LIII.

THE Man of God is giving Arguments to enforce his Request, That the word of Truth might not be taken utterly out of his mouth.

• 1. He could not bear it, because all his Hopes of Felicity were built upon it, ver. 43.
• 2. He promiseth constancy of Obedience, ver. 44.
• 3. Liberty of Practice, ver. 45.
• 4. Liberty of Profession, not hindered by Fear or Shame; but should be born out with confidence in that Profession.
• 5. He urgeth in the Text with what delight he should carry on the Work of Obedience; and, I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. In which observe,
  • 1. His great Pleasure and Contentment is asserted and professed; I will delight myself.
  • 2. The Object of it, in thy commandments.
  • 3. The fundamental Reason or bottom Cause of this Delight, which I have loved.

Doct. A gracious heart doth love and delight in the Commandments of God. The Godly are described by it: Hence David makes it the Character of a Blessed man, Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in that law doth he meditate day and night. And Psal. 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, and delighteth greatly in his commandments. Paul asserts of himself, as a comfortable evidence of his Sincerity, in the midst of his Infirmities, Rom. 7. 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. By the inward man he means the renewed part, that is pleased with all things that please God; if we have such a Delight as is above the Delight of Sense, &c. I will,

• 1. Explain the Point as it lieth here in the Text.
• 2. Shew how the Heart is brought to this; for corrupt Nature is otherwise affected.

I. To explain the Point.

1. His Pleasure and Contentment is asserted; I will delight myself. A Christian hath his Joys and Delights; but they are pure and chaste: they delight in the Lord, and in his Word and Ways, Phil. 4. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice. He hath a liberty, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but only in the Lord, 1 Cor. 7. 39. not only may, but must; it is his Duty: Joy is a great part of his Work; not our Felicity or Wages only, but our Work also. Now I shall prove, that all the Pleasures and Delights of the Earth, are nothing to the Pleasures and Delights which the Godly do find in God, and in an holy Life.

1. These Delights are more substantial: It is not a superficial Joy that they are delighted withal, but a substantial Joy. It must needs be so; partly because these are better grounded, not built upon a mistake and fancy, but the highest Warrant, and surest Foundation which Mankind can build upon, the Word of the Eternal God, which can never fail: Whereas the Joy that is merely built upon carnal Delights, is built upon a fancy and mistake. Both are represented by the Apostle, 1 John 2. 17. The world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth forever. If they considered the shortness of their Pleasures, and in what a doleful case their Wealth, and Honor, and fleshly Delights will leave them, they would have little list to be merry, till they had looked after a more stable Blessedness. The World will be soon gone, and the Lust and Gust thereof gone also; but he that goeth on with the work of Holiness, building on the Promise of another World, layeth a sure Foundation: Partly because they do more intimately affect the Soul; Sensual Delights do not go so deep as the Delights of Holiness, Psal. 4. 7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time when their corn and their wine increased; like a soaking Showr, that goeth to the Root. The other tickleth the Senses; poor slight and outside Comforts, that do not fortify the Heart against distresses, much less against the remembrance of our Judge, or the fears of an offended God, or the serious thoughts of another World. For these two Reasons the Joys of a Christian, stirred up in him by the Conformity of his Will to the Will of God, are solid substantial Joys. A wicked Man may be jocund and jovial, but he hath not the true Delight; they may have more Mirth, but the Christian hath the true Joy, In the midst of mirth the heart is sorrowful. It is easy to be merry; but it is not easy to be joyful, or to get a substantial Delight.

2. These Delights are more Perfective, a Man is the better for them. Other Delights that please the Flesh, feed Corruption; but these corroborate and strengthen Graces: They are so far from disordering the Mind, and leading us to sin, that they compose and purify the Mind, and make Sin more odious, and fortify us against the Baits of Sense, which are the occasion of all the Sin in the World. All our Joy is to be considered with respect to its Use and Profit; Eccles. 2. 2. I said of laughter, It is mad; and of mirth, What doth it? The more a Man delighteth in God, and in the Ways of God, the more he cleaveth to him, and resolveth to go on in this Course, and Temptations to Sensual Delights do less prevail: for, the joy of the Lord is our strength. The safety of the Spiritual Life lieth in the keeping up our Joy and Delight in it, Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Isa. 64. 5. Thou meetest him who rejoiceth and worketh righteousness. But now Carnal Delights intoxicate the Mind, and fill it with Vanity and Folly: The Sensitive Lure hath more power over us, to draw into the slavery of Sin, Tit. 3. 3. For we ourselves were also foolish, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures. Surely then the healing Delights should be preferred before the killing wounding Pleasures that so often prove a snare to us.

2. The Object is to be considered, thy commandments. Here observe,

1. David did not place his Delight in Folly or Filthiness, as they do that glory in their shame, or delight in Sin, and giving contentment to the Lusts of the Flesh; as the Apostle speaks of some that sport themselves in their own deceivings, 2 Pet. 2. 13. that do not only live in sin, but make a sport of it, beguiling their own hearts with groundless apprehensions, that there is no such evil and hazard therein as the Word declareth, and Conscience sometimes suggesteth; they are beholden to their sottish Error and Delusion for their Mirth. Neither did he place his Delight in Temporal trifles, the Honors, and Pleasures, and Profits of the World, as brutish Worldlings do; but in the Word of God, as the Seed of the New Life, the Rule of his Conversation, the Charter of his Hopes, that blessed Word by which his Heart might be renewed and sanctified, his Conscience settled, his Mind acquainted with his Creators Will, and his Affections raised to the Hopes of Glory. The Matter which feedeth our Pleasures, showeth the Excellency or Baseness of it: If, like Beetles, we delight in a Dunghil rather than a Garden, or the Paradise of God's Word, it shows a base mean Spirit, as Swine in wallowing in the mire, or Dogs to eat their own Vomit. Our Temper and Inclination is known by our Complacency or Displacency; Rom. 7. 5. For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members, to bring forth fruit unto death. Therefore see which your hearts carry you to, to the World, or the Word of God. The most part of the World are carried to the Pleasures of Sense, and mastered by them; but a Divine Spirit or Nature put into us, makes us look after other things, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, even of the great blessings of the new Covenant, such as Pardon of Sin, Eternal Life, &c.

2. Not only in the Promissory, but Mandatory part of the Word, [Commandments] is the Notion in the Text. There is matter of great Joy contained in the Promises; but they must not be looked upon as exclusive of the Precepts, but inclusive. Promises are spoken of Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart: They contain spiritual and heavenly Riches, and so are matter of Joy to a believing Soul; but the Commandments call for Duty on our parts. The Precepts appoint us a pleasant Work, show us what is to be done, and left undone. These Restraints are grateful to the New Nature; for the compliance of the Will with the Will of God, and its conformity to his Law, hath a Pleasure annexed to it. A renewed Soul would be subject to God in all things; therefore delights in his Commandments, without limitation or distinction.

3. It is not in the Study or Contemplation of the Justice and Equity of these Commandments, but in the Obedience and Practice of them. There is a pleasure in the Study and Contemplation; for every Truth breedeth a delectation in the mind, Psal. 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the soul. It is a blessed and pleasant thing to have a sure Rule commending itself with great evidence to our Consciences, and manifesting itself to be of God; therefore the sight of the Purity and Certainty of the Word of God, is a great pleasure to any considering Mind; no other Study to be compared with it. But the Joy of Speculation, or Contemplation, is nothing to that of Practice: Nothing maketh the Heart more cheerful than a good Conscience, or a constant walking in the way of God's Commandments, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that with simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, I have had my conversation in the world. Let me give you this Gradation: The Pleasures of Contemplation exceed those of Sense; and the Delights of the Mind are more sincere and real than those of the Body: for the more noble the Faculty is, the more capable of Delight. A Man in his Study about Natural things, hath a truer pleasure than the greatest Epicure in the most exquisite enjoyment of Sense; Prov. 24. 13, 14. My son, eat thou honey, because it is good, and the honey-comb, which is sweet to thy taste: so shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul, when thou hast found it: then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. But especially the Contemplation of Divine things is pleasant; the Objects are more sublime, certain, necessary, profitable; and here we are more deeply concerned, than in the Study of Nature: Surely this is sweeter than Honey and Honey-comb, to understand and contemplate the way of Salvation by Christ: This is an Heaven upon Earth, to know these things, John 17. 3. This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. As much as the Pleasures of the Natural Mind do exceed these Bodily Pleasures, so much do these Pleasures of Faith and Spiritual Knowledge exceed those of the Natural Mind: These things the Angels desire to pry into. Now the Delights of Practical Obedience do far exceed those which are the mere result of Speculation and Contemplation: Why? Because they give us a more intimate feeling of the Truth and Worth of these things, and our Right in them thereby is more secured, and our Delight in them is heightened by the supernatural Operation of the Holy Ghost. The Joy of the Spirit is said to be unspeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 18. In short, it is exercised about noble Objects, the Favor of God, Reconciliation with him, and the Hope of Eternal Life; all these as belonging to us: and it is excited by an higher Cause, the Spirit of God: and lastly, it giveth us a sense of what we had but a guess before; We know the grace of God in truth, Col. 1. 6. we know it so as to taste of it.

3. The fundamental or bottom Cause of this Delight is expressed, which I have loved. There is a precedent Love of the Object, before there can be any Delight in it. Love is the Complacency and Propension of the Soul toward that which is good, absolutely considered, abstracting both from Presence and Absence: Desire regardeth the Absence and Futurition of a Good; Delight, the Presence and Fruition of it. It is impossible anything can be delighted in, but it must be first loved and desired: None can truly delight in Obedience, but such as desire it. By nature we were otherwise affected, counted his Commands burdensome, because contrary to the desires of the Flesh, Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: But when the Heart is renewed by Grace, then we have another Love, and another Bias upon our Affections, 1 John 5. 3. This is love, to keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous: To others they are against the bent and the hair, and too tedious; but Love maketh way for Delight.

II. Reasons why a gracious Heart doth love and delight in the Commandments of God.

1. The Matter of these Commandments showeth how much they deserve our love and delight. The Matter respects either Law or Gospel. (1.) That which is strictly called the Moral Law, is the Decalogue; a fit Rule for a Wise God to give, or a Rational Creature to receive; a just and due Admeasurement of our Duty to God and Man: (The World cannot be without it.) To God, that we should love him, serve him, depend upon him, delight in him; that we may be at length happy in his Love. The Law is holy, just, and good; not burdensome to the Reasonable Nature, but perfective. Surely to know God, to love him, and fear him, and trust and repose our Souls on him, and to worship him at the time, in the way, and manner appointed, is a delightful thing, and should be more delightful to us than our necessary and appointed Food. To Man, Justice, Charity, Micah 6. 8. He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy. Hos. 12. 6. Keep mercy and judgment. Now all kind of Justice should not be grievous; either Political Justice, between the Magistrates and People: How should we live else? This maintaineth the Order of the World. Private Justice between Man and Man. Mat. 7. 12. Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. Family-Justice, between Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants; how else can a Man have any tolerable degree of safety and comfort? 1 Pet. 3. 7. Likewise ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge. Then for Mercy, there is not a pleasanter Work in the World than to do good; it is God-like. A Man is as an earthly God, to comfort and supply others, Acts 20. 35. It is a more blessed thing to give, than to receive: And Blessedness is not tedious; the Work rewards itself: The satisfaction is so great of doing good, and being helpful to others, that certainly this is not tedious. (2.) The Gospel, it offereth such a suitable Remedy to Mankind, that the Duties of it should be as pleasant and welcome to us, as the Counsel of a Friend, for our recovery out of a great Misery, into which we had plunged ourselves. In the Law, God acteth more as a Commander and Governor; in the Gospel, as a Friend and Counselor. Surely to those that have any feeling of their Sins, or fears of the Wrath of God, what can be more welcome than the way of a Pardon and Reconciliation with God, whom his Word and Providence, and the fears of a guilty Conscience, represent as an Enemy to us? Surely this should be more pleasant than all the Lust, Sport, and Honors, and Pleasures of the World. Here is the Foundation laid of Everlasting Joy, a sufficient answer to the Terrors of the Law, and the Accusations of a guilty Conscience, which is the greatest Misery can befall Mankind. In short, That the Matter of God's Commands deserves our Delight and Esteem, is evident,

1. Because those that are unwilling to submit to them, count them good and acceptable Laws: When their particular Practice, and sinful Customs, have made them incompetent Judges of what is fittest for themselves, in their health and strength; yet their Conscience judgeth it a more excellent and honorable thing in others, if they can deny the Pleasures of the Flesh, and overcome the Temptations of the World, and deny themselves the Comforts of the present Life, out of the hopes of that which is to come: Such are accounted a more excellent and better sort of Men, Prov. 12. 26. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: He hath more of God and of a Man than others, as he hath a freer use of Reason, and a greater command of his own Lusts and Passions. There is a Reverence of such darted into the Consciences of wicked Men, Mark 6. 20. Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and observed him.

2. Because of the Sentiments which Men have of a holy, sober, godly Life, when they come to die, and the disallowance of a dissolute carnal Life; Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Psal. 37. 37. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. When Men are entering upon the Confines of Eternity, they are wiser; the fumes of Lust are then blown over, their Joys or Fears are then Testimonies to God's Law, 1 Cor. 15. 56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. It is not from the Fancy or Melancholy of the dying Person, nor his Distemper, that his Fears are awakened; but his Reason. If it did only proceed from his Distemper, Men would be rather troubled for leaving Worldly Comforts, than for Sin: No, it is the apprehension of God's Justice by reason of Sin, who will proceed according to his Law, which the guilty Person hath so often and so much violated and broken. They are not the ravings of a Fever, nor the fruits of natural Weakness and Credulity; no, these Troubles are justified by the Law of God, or the highest Reason.

3. By supposing the contrary of all which God hath commanded, concerning the embracing of Virtue, shunning of Vice. If God should free us from these Laws, leave us to our own choice, suppose, command us the contrary, forbid us all respect to himself, commanding us to worship false God's, transform and misrepresent his Glory by Images, and fall down before Stocks and Stones, blaspheme his Name continually, and despise all those glorious Attributes which do so clearly shine forth in the Creation; if he had commanded us to be impious to our Parents, to fill the World with Murders, Adulteries, Robberies, to pursue others with Slanders and False-witnessings, to covet and take what is another Mans, Wife, Ox, or Ass, the heart of Man cannot allow such a Conceit; nay, the fiercest Beasts would abhor it, if they were capable of receiving such an Impression. Now surely a Law so reasonable, so evident, so conducing to the honoring of God, Government of ourselves, and Commerce with others, should be very welcome and acceptable to a gracious Heart.

2. The State and Frame of a renewed Heart; they are fitted and suited to these Commandments, and do obey them not only because enjoined, but because inclined. Nothing is pleasant to Men, but what is suitable to their Nature: so, that may be delightful to one, which is loathsome to another; as the Food and Converse of a Beast▪ is loathsome to a Man; one Mans Pleasure is another's Pain. There is a great deal of difference between a carnal and a spiritual Mind, the Heart sanctified and unsanctified; Ezek. 36. 26, 27. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh; and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments to do them. When the Heart is fitted and suited by Principles of Grace, the Work is not tedious, but delightful. Things are easy and difficult, according to the poise and inclination of the Soul; so Heb. 8. 10. I will write my laws upon their hearts, and put them into their minds. The Law without suiteth with an Inclination within; and when things meet which are suitable to one another, there is a delight; Psal. 40. 8. Thy law is in my heart; I delight to do thy will, O God. There is an Inclination, not Necessary, as in Natural Agents; but Voluntary, as in Rational Agents. There is an Inclination in Natural Agents, as in light Bodies to move upwards, heavy Bodies to move downwards; in Rational Agents, when a Man is bent by his Love and Choice: This latter David speaketh of, Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. The Heart of Man standeth between two Objects, the Laws of God, and Carnal Vanities. In our Natural estate we are wholly bent to please the Flesh; in our Renewed Estate there is a new bent put upon the Heart; now the old bent is not wholly gone, though overmastered and overpowered: The false Bias of Corruption will still incline us to the Delights of Sense; but the new Bias, to the way everlasting, to spiritual eternal Happiness: as that prevaileth, we love and delight in the Commandments of God.

3. The Helps and Assistances of the Spirit go further, and increase this Delight in the way of God's Commandments. God doth not only renew our Wills, and fit us with an inward power to do the things that are pleasing in his sight; but exciteth and actuateth that Power, by the renewed Influences of his Grace; Phil. 2. 13. He giveth us to will and to do: not only a Will, or an urging and inclination to do good; but, because of the opposition of the Flesh, and manifold Temptations, he gives also a Power to perform what we are inclined unto. And, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 3. 17. or a readiness of Mind to perform all things required of us, not only with diligence, but delight.

4. The great encouragements which attend Obedience: as the Rewards of Godliness both in this Life, and the next. The Rewards of Godliness in this Life, I shall speak of in the next Head; for the Future, the End sweetens the Means to us. We have no mean End, but the eternal Enjoyment of God, in a complete state of Glory and Happiness. Now this hath an influence upon the Love and Delight of the Saints, to sweeten their Labors, and Difficulties, and Temptations. The Scripture everywhere witnesseth, 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Phil. 3. 14. I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Rom. 5. 2. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And Rom. 8. 18. For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

5. Present comfortable Experience.

1. In the general, of Peace of Conscience, and Joy in the Holy Ghost.

1. Peace, which is the natural result of the Rectitude of our Actions: The fruit of righteousness is peace, Isa. 32. 17. And Psal. 119. 165. Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. Pax est tranquillitas ordinis: That Description fits internal Peace, as well as external. When all things keep their Order, Affections are obedient to Reason, and Reason is guided by the Spirit of God, according to his Word, there is a Quiet and Rest from Accusations in the Soul.

2. Joy in the Holy Ghost is distinct from the former, Rom. 14. 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. These two differ in the Author: Peace of Conscience is the Testimony of our own Souls, approving the good we have done: Joy in the Holy Ghost is a more immediate Impression of the comforting Spirit, Rom. 15. 13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost. They differ in their Measure: Peace is a Rest from Trouble; Joy, a sweet Reflexion upon our good condition, or happy estate. It is in the Body a freedom from a Disease, and a cheerfulness after a good Meal: or in the State; Peace, when no Mutinies and Disturbances; Joy, when some notable Benefit or Profit accrueth to the State. So here they differ in their Subjects; the Heathen, so far as they did good, might have a kind of Peace or Freedom from self-accusing and tormenting Fears, Rom. 2. 15. Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts in the mean time excusing or else accusing one another: but a stranger intermeddleth not with these joys. The Spirit, where a Sanctifier, there he is a Comforter. They differ in the Ground; The Joy of the holy Ghost is not merely from a good Conscience, as to a particular Action; but from a good Estate, as being accepted with God, who is our Supreme Judge, and assured of our Interest in Eternal Life. They differ in Effects; Peace is an Approbation for the present; Joy in the holy Ghost, a pledge and beginning of that endless Joy we shall have hereafter, 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts. And Rom. 8. 23. We ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. Both together show, that there is no such solid Comfort, as in the obedience of God's Commandments; certainly more than in all the Pleasures of Sin, yea, more than in all the Enjoyments of the World: whoever have proved them both, will find it so. Many have proved the Pleasures of Sin, but never yet found what comfort is in mourning for Sin. Many have proved the Comforts of the World, but never yet proved what is the Joy of a good Conscience, and the sweet Pleasure of a godly Conversation.

2. There is a particular Experience, when born out in the Confession of Truth, in the time of trial. A Man that out of love to God's Commands hath endured Troubles and Trials, and hath overcome Temptations, will see more cause to love these Commandments, and to increase his Obedience to them, than ever before in ordinary Temptations; Psal. 19. 11. Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is a great reward. When they see that Divine Truth is like to bear out itself, and Man that doth confess it, in such cases, they feel the excellency of God's Truth, and the Power of God sustaining them that confess it; therefore embrace heartily the Lord's Commands, and take pleasure in his Ways. The Lord appealeth to this Experience, Micah 2. 7. Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly? Have not you found the Fruit answerable? Therefore the Children of God value and esteem and look upon them as the greatest Means of their Safety and Comfort.

6. Because of their love to God, they have a value for everything which cometh from God, and leadeth to him. Common Mercies point to their Author, and their main end is to draw our Affections to him, and enable us in his Service; but these are apt to be a snare, and are used as an Occasion to the Flesh: But here is a greater Impression of God on his Word and Laws, their use is more eminent to direct us to God, therefore are valued above ordinary Comforts; Job 23. 12. I have not gone back from the commandment of his lips, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. They are his Commandments, therefore dear to us, who hath obliged us so much in Christ, whose Love they believe, and have felt. The Word is wholly appointed to maintain the Life of Grace in us.

Use 1. Is to show us how to bring our hearts to the obedience of God's Commands.

1. Love them, if we would keep them: Nothing is hard to Love. An Esteem will quicken us to the Obedience of them.

2. Delight in them; for then all goeth on easily. Delight sweeteneth everything, though in themselves toilsome or tedious; as Fowling, Hunting, Fishing. Delight never mindeth Difficulties. The reason why the Commands are grievous, is want of Love and Delight.

Use 2. Showeth of what kind our Obedience must be, free, and unconstrained; when we are not forced to our Duty, but do willingly delight in it, and the Law that prescribeth it, and do bewail our daily failings. Many do some external Works of Obedience, but not with an inward delight, but out of custom, or compulsion. God never hath our Heart, till he hath our Delight, till we willingly abstain from what may displease him, and cheerfully practice what he requireth of us; when it is grateful to obey, and all Pleasures to this are nothing worth.

SERMON LIV.

IN the Morning we opened one Profession of David 's Respect to the Word of God; now follows another. He would employ all his Faculties about the Commandments of God, which is his last Argument: His Mind, for here is Meditation promised; his Heart, for here is Love asserted; his Tongue, for that is his original Request, which occasioned all these Professions; and here his Hands, his Life, My hands also will I lift up, &c. Observe,

1. The Ground or Cause of his Respect to the Commandments of God, in that Clause, Which I have loved.

2. A double Effect; I will lift up my hands to thy commandments, and I will meditate in thy statutes.

1. Lifting up the Palms or Hands is a Phrase of various use:

1. For Praying, Psal. 28. 2. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands towards thy holy oracle. Lam. 2. 19. Lift up thy hands towards him, for the life of thy young children, &c. Hab. 3. 10. The deep uttered his voice, and lift up his hands on high. Thence the Apostle, 1 Tim. 2. 8. I will therefore, that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

2. For Blessing others: Aaron lift up his hands towards the people, and blessed them. Or for Praising or Blessing God; Psal. 134. 2. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. So Psal. 63. 4. Thus will I bless thee while I live, I will lift up my hands in thy name.

3. For Swearing or Vowing, Gen. 22. 14. I have lift up my hand to the most high God, that is, sworn. So Rev. 10. 5. The Angel lift up his hand and swore. So of God, Psal. 106. 26. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness; that is, swore they should not enter into his rest.

4. For setting about any Action, especially of weight; Gen. 41. 22. Without thee shall no man lift up his hand, that is, attempt or do anything. So Psal. 10. 12. Arise, O Lord, lift up thine hand, forget not the poor; that is, Set to thine active hand for their assistance. So Heb. 12. 12. Lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; that is, Set actively and vigorously about the Christian Task. To this Rank may be also referred what is said Mat. 6. 3. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth. The Hand is the Instrument of Action.

Now all these Sences might be applied to the present Place.

1. Praying for God's Grace to perform them.

2. Blessing God as we do for our daily food, giving thanks for them.

3. Vowing or promising, under an Oath, a constant Obedience to them. But the Commandments are not the proper Object to which the Acts of Praying, Blessing, Swearing, are directed; but God. It is not, I will lift up my hand to God, but thy commandments. We ought indeed to bless God and praise God for the Blessings we receive by his Word, to vow our Duty; but lifting up the Hand in all these Sences is to God. Therefore,

4. Here it meaneth no more, but, I will apply myself to the keeping of them, or set vigorously about it, put my hands to the practicing of thy Law with all earnestness, endeavoring to do what therein is enjoined. Two Points.

1 Doct. That it is not enough to approve or commend the Commandments of God, but we must carefully set ourselves to the observance of them.

2 Doct. Whosoever would do so, must use great Study and Meditation.

1 Doct. That it is not enough to approve or commend the Commandments of God, but we must carefully set ourselves to the practice of them.

1. Hearing without Doing is disapproved, Deut. 4. 5. I have taught you good statutes and judgments, that ye might do so. Deut. 5. 1. Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and do them: Otherwise we deceive our own Souls, James 1. 22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls. We put a Paralogism on ourselves, build on a sandy Foundation, Mat. 2. 26. Everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man that built his house upon the sand.

2. Knowledge without Practice is not right; Luke 12. 47, 48. He that knoweth his masters will, and prepareth not himself to do it, shall be beaten with many stripes. Better never known, if not done; for then they do but aggravate our Guilt, and increase our Punishment.

3. Our Love is not right, unless it endeth in Practice. A Christians Love; to whatever Object it be directed, must be an unfeigned Love. If God, if the Brethren, if the Word of God, those words must ever sound in our ears, 1 John 3. 18. My little children, love not in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth. Do you love the Word of God? Do it not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

4. Our Delight is not right, the Pleasure is but an airy, idle, and speculative Delight, unless it set us about the practice of all holy Obedience unto God, making it the design and business of our Lives to exercise ourselves unto Godliness. That showeth the reality of your Delight, when you come under the power of the Truth, and are absolutely governed by it: for then you delight in them aright, as Mysteries of Godliness. The Lord complaineth of them that had a delight in the Prophet, his voice was as pleasing to them as a minstrel, they hear the words, and do them not, Ezek. 33. 32. They may delight in sublime strains of Doctrine, or flourishes of Wit. Demosthenes had made a plausible Speech to the Athenians; Phocion told them, That the Cypress-tree is goodly and fair, but beareth no Fruit. There may be flourishes of Wit, but no food for hungry Consciences.

5. Our Commendation is not right, unless it endeth in Practice. Many may discourse of the Ways of God, never speak of them but with Commendation; but they do not lift their hands to this blessed Work: They show some love to God's Commandments; but when it cometh to action, their hands are remiss and faint. Christ refuseth that respect of bare naked Commendation, Luke 11. 27, 28. Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that thou hast sucked, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , yea, rather, blessed is he that heareth the word of God, and keepeth it. We are Disciples of that Master that did both teach and do, Acts 1. 1. The former Treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. Of the Pharisees it is said, They say, and do not, Mat. 23. 2, 3. But in Christians there must be saying and doing, James 2. 12. So speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. We shall be rewarded, not for speaking well, but for doing, hands lifted up.

Well then, nothing remains but practicing Duties that are pressed upon you on the first opportunity. Not he that heareth, understandeth, loveth, delighteth, commendeth, but he that keepeth instruction, it is, is in the way of life, Prov. 10. 17. He that submitteth himself to be guided by God's Word, he is going the right way to Eternal Life and Happiness. But to set home this Point more fully, I shall,

1. Inquire, What kind of Observance we must address ourselves unto.

2. Why we must thus lift up our hands, or address ourselves to our Duty.

1. How for the manner must we lift up our hands? or what doing is necessary?

1. It must be universal. Herod did many things, Mark 6. 20. Partial Reformation in outward things will not serve the turn. In sundry particulars Men may yield to the Word of God, but in others deny their Obedience; as in some cheap Observances, or such Duties as cross not our Lusts: But David would lift up his hands to the Commandments, without distinction, and limitation. Many, this they will do, and that they will do; and so do not obey God's Will, but their own; Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. Luke 1. 6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

2. This Doing must be serious and diligent. Every Christian must bend the powers of his Soul, and lay out the first of his Care and Labor in his Obedience unto God, Phil. 2. 12. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling: This is not a Work to be done by the bye, but with the greatest care and solicitude.

3. This must be our settled and our ordinary Practice. To lift up our hands now and then is not enough; to do a good thing once, or rarely: No, we must make Religion our business. The lifting of the hands to God's Commandments, is not a thing done accidentally, occasionally, or in a fit of Zeal, but our trade and course of Life; Acts 24. 16. I exercise myself in this, to have a conscience void of offense both towards God and men, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 This was the Employment of his Life.

4. We must persevere or continue with patience in well-doing, notwithstanding discouragements, Heb. 12. 12. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees. There must be no fainting, whatever discouragements happen. As there was a great deal of do to hold up Moses 's hands in Israel's conflict with Amalek, Exod. 17. 11, 12. As long as he held up the rod of God, Israel prevailed: but Moses hands were heavy; a sign of many Infirmities, not able long to endure in spiritual exercise; for though the spirit be willing, yet the flesh is weak: But Faith should still hold up our hands.

5. This lifting up the hands, or alacrious diligence, should flow from a right Principle, and that is Faith and Love.

1. Faith, or a sound Persuasion of God's Love to us in Christ, that keepeth us doing, Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And Tit. 2. 11, 12. The grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Thankfulness to God is the great Principle of Gospel-Obedience.

2. Love; thy commandments, which I have loved. 2 Cor. 5. 12,