Choice and Practical Expositions on Four Select Psalms

SERMON XV.

IN this present Verse we have two general Parts considerable: First, The Request which David makes to God; and, Secondly, The Promise which he makes upon, whereby he enforces the granting of it. His Request is laid down in those words, Deliver me from blood, O God; his Promise in these, And my Tongue shall, &c.

We begin with the first, viz. David's Request, wherein are two things more; First, The thing itself requested, and that is deliverance from blood; Secondly, The insinuating Title, whereby he makes his addresses to God for the granting of this request unto him, and that is, Thou God of my Salvation.

For the first, The thing itself requested, it is deliverance from blood, (for so it runs in the Text) Middamim, from bloods in the plural, which our Translation renders blood-guiltiness, pointing at the Sin: but we may moreover understand it of blood-suffering, as pointing at the Punishment. Yet we will take it in that first, which first offers itself to us, and which is chiefly here intended, and that is, blood-guiltiness, pointing at the Sin; David desires deliverance from this. Now this for the better opening of it to us, may be looked upon by us three manner of ways: First, In its Generical Notion, as it was a great Sin. Secondly, In its Specifical Notion, as it was this Sin, the Sin of Blood. Thirdly, In its Individual Notion, as his Sin, the Sin which he was more specially guilty of.

For the first, We may look upon it in its Generical Notion, as a great Sin, for so indeed it was. And here agen it is considerable in two respects more: First, In the subject of it, David, a godly man: Secondly, In the proceeding of it, as it had dependence upon some other Sins besides antecedent to it. For the first, The subject of this great Sin, it was David, a man otherwise godly, and as the Scripture somewhere stiles him, One after God's own heart; it was He which was guilty of no less Sin than this Sin of Blood. We see here what is the condition of the best men in the World, at such time as God leaves them to themselves; they may fall into the grossest and foulest Sins that are, such as this now was here before us, even blood-guiltiness: Who would ever have thought that David should have been guilty of blood, such a tender-hearted man as He was? We know that when he had but cut off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart smote him presently for it, 1 Sam. 24.5. And when the water of Bethlehem was purchased him by the hazard of some men's lives, he would not drink it upon this account, that it was the blood of them that purchased it, 2 Sam. 23.17. And at another time he blesses Abigail, who had kept him from shedding blood, even the blood of Nabal, &c. 1 Sam. 25.33. so tender was David of blood-guiltiness. And yet we see here now upon this occasion how readily he falls into it, and becomes guilty of it. This (I say) serves to show unto us what the best of God's Servants (when they are deserted) are subject unto.

And it is a thing which we cannot wonder at, if we consider all: for they have the seeds and principles in them of all manner of sin; which though they be very much subdued, yet they are not wholly extirpated and rooted out; and they have likewise Satan a busy Enemy which lays snares for them to entrap them. Your Adversary the Devil goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. 5.8. He would willingly devour any, but he does especially lay siege against the godly, for the devouring of them above any other. Now when we shall lay these things together, a Principle of Corruption within not wholly subdued, and a potent Enemy without maliciously disposed, and then God himself, who should be a Friend, (in some cases) withdrawing his assistance; and how can it then otherwise follow, but that even the best of God's Servants themselves should in such circumstances most grievously miscarry?

The improvement of this Point to ourselves, is not to harden any in evil courses, as some profane persons are sometimes too ready to do, excusing themselves in their wickedness from such examples as these are of David, &c. This is not the Use of it, nay, such reason very fondly and incongruously. But the proper Use of it is this, That therefore all men, whosoever they be, had need to be so much the more vigilant, and watchful over themselves, and more dependant upon the Grace of Christ. Let no man from henceforth put any trust or confidence in himself, whiles he sees such an one as David thus to miscarry, and to fall so foully as he did. And there are two things to this purpose which we are to take heed of resting in; first, In the mere restraints of natural temper; and, secondly, In the general Qualifications of habitual Grace.

First, In the mere restraints of natural temper; it is in some respects an advantage to have the bias of natural Constitution going along with one, and not thereby to be addicted and hurried on to such and such sins, whether of luxury, or intemperance, or blood-shed, or whatever they be: but, alas, this is not that which will infallibly secure a man from them; it is but ill trusting to this according to the cases and circumstances which he may be in; nay, sometimes there's the greatest danger, both because there is the greatest assault, and the least self-suspicion: If God shall at any time leave a man to himself, and the corruption of his own heart, there is no sin, though from which (as he would think) he is never so much averse, but he may occasionally fall into it: there is not the soberest man but he may be overtaken with drunkenness, nor the chastest man but he may be overtaken with wantonness, nor the meekest man but he may be tainted with blood-guiltiness, if besides his natural Inclination, he be not kept by the Power of God, and his Grace from such-like miscarriages. This is that which we may here see in the Text; David, so sweet a man as He was, of all things else least given to Murder, that when his very Enemies were sick and in distress, he fasted, and put on sackcloth for them; for him to go about the killing of a Friend, and faithful Servant as Uriah was to him, one would have thought it had been altogether impossible; and yet we see in conclusion how it fell out. Therefore (I say agen and agen) let none trust to the goodness of their Nature, and Temper, and Disposition, that they are not addicted to such and such sins; if they do, they will be deceived by it; and God does on purpose sometimes suffer it, that they may apprehend the falseness of it, how fallible and uncertain it is, and how little to be trusted. There are many herein like Hazael, 2 King. 8.13. who do not consider what vileness lies therein.

But, Secondly, As there is no good trusting to the mere restraints of a natural Temper; so neither to the general Qualifications of habitual Grace, and a sanctified heart. Regeneration, and the work of Grace, where it is a most excellent Principle, and such as does exceedingly restrain the Servants of God which are endued with it, from running into the same excess with other men: but yet it is not this alone which will serve the turn to keep them innocent, without a continual supply of assistance from the Spirit of Christ. It is not habitual Grace secures us, but actual, which if God withdraw, and take away from us, but for never so small a moment of time, we are presently surprised, and undone before we are aware. This was another thing in the case of David; He had provoked God now to leave him, and to withdraw himself from him; and now (poor man!) see what becomes of him: so it is with all others besides in the like conditions; they are like Sampson when his hair was cut, who thought it had been with him as formerly, but the Spirit of the Lord was departed from him, and he became as another man. This was the case of Peter, he trusted to his habitual Grace, and that general love which he bare to Christ, forgetting to depend upon him for his particular supportment, Though all men should forsake thee, yet would not I; and yet who sooner than he, when it once came to the trial? Before the Cock crew twice, he denied him thrice, as Christ also told him aforehand that the case would be with him: All still comes to this, even to prevent security and presumption in the best that are, for they stand not by their own strength, but by the free Grace of God; which being once denied, or withdrawn, exposes them to all manner of evil, even the greatest abominations that are. Thus here it did David; and that is the first particular of this sin, which David mentions in the subject of it, David a godly man, and yet guilty of it.

The second particular is the proceeding of it, as it had dependence upon some other sins. This sin of blood-shed it was not a sin which David fell into all at once, but by leisure and degrees; it had some others going before it, and making way for it; his Murder it was the consequent of his Adultery, and followed from that: He had committed folly with Bathsheba the Wife of Uriah, who now proved with Child by him; and now the better to dissemble the Conception, he takes away Uriah 's life. These two sins they do very often and commonly go together: Adultery ends in Murder, inordinate goring of life, ends in inordinate destroying it, wherein people whiles they study to conceal sin, add unto it, and make it to be so much the more. Thus the Devil joining together with their own naughty and corrupt hearts, deludes and deceives them. It is that which we could never more pertinently (nor indeed sadly ) observe than in these present days amongst ourselves, wherein there are so many monstrous Murthers as the fruits of polluted beds: Our Weekly Bills of Mortality give us continual instances of it, wherein we have still one poor Infant or other taken away by the unnatural Parent; and that life which lust first bestowed, cruelty, or at least hope of escape, dispatches and rids out of hand; and unless there be some more severe and extraordinary course taken about it, is still like to increase more and more.

But observe still how it proceeds, (which is the main thing I here take notice of) here is a Conjunction and Concatenation of sins one with another, which at last end in the greatest of all. First, Here's David's Idleness, and want of due regard to his Eyes. Then there is his lustful desire not checked or restrained in him, this is followed with his unclean acts, and the very commission of filthiness itself; and this last accompanied, or rather succeeded with dissimulation, breach of friendship, enticing to drunkenness, and in conclusion murder itself; and all these sins circumstantially aggravated with a fearful resisting of the motions of God 's Spirit, and suppressing the checks of Conscience working and stirring with him.

What great cause has everyone now to take heed but of the very first beginnings and sproutings forth of sin? yea, of those sins which in common account are but reckoned as small, even to take heed of them, that they give not way unto them, as not knowing to what they will proceed? Wanton Glances, and Lascivious Looks, and Uncomely Gestures, Dalliances, and Unchaste Behaviour, to beware even of such as these, from this example which we have now before us: When David walked idly, and loosely, and carelessly upon the top of his House, he little thought to have come to blood-guiltiness, and the taking away of his Neighbors Life; but we see how it ended in conclusion, that so all men may take heed how they allow themselves in sinful occasion, and give themselves scope in the first tendencies and inclinations to evil. No, no, do not think thou shalt be safe if thou once dost so; Principiis obsta is here a very good Admonition; stop and hinder the beginnings; for what Solomon says of contention, is true of every sin else, the beginning of it as when one letteth out water; therefore leave off before it be meddled with, Prov. 17.14. So much may suffice to have spoken of this sin of David 's in its general Notion, as a great sin.

The second is in its Specifical Notion, as this sin, the sin of blood, David desires to be freed from that. Now the Question here will be what he refers to? First, We may take it (if we please) at large, for all kind of blood whatsoever, which he might be any way guilty of. David, he was a great Soldier, a Man of War, who had taken away the Lives of many, and such as no question for the most part but he very well might, according to the nature of the Quarrel wherein he was engaged: but because he might perhaps unawares shed some blood which was innocent, therefore it was not amiss for him (for greater sureness and prevention of guilt) to pray for freedom from bloods at large; it being hard to shed much blood, and not to shed some more than should be; and it is best always in these matters of guilt to be on the surest side, and to desire God to pardon those sins which are yet unknown to the party committing them, which is in the sense of the Psalmist else-where, to be kept from secret faults, Psal. 19.12.

But yet David 's drift in this place was a little more restrained and particular, and that was to his shedding of the blood of Uriah, which he now acknowledges himself guilty of: This was that which now lay heavy upon his Conscience, and which he was troubled for. Blood-shed it is a crying sin, and such as calls for Vengeance upon those which are guilty of it: This it did in the first Blood of all which was shed in the World, even the blood of righteous Abel, it called for Vengeance upon his Brother Cain, so loud, as that Cain could not endure the clamor of it; he thought his sin greater than could be forgiven, and his punishment greater than could be born for the heinousness of it, Gen. 4.13. So Act. 28.4. whiles the Barbarians thought Paul to be a Murderer, they thought Vengeance would not suffer him to live. And Psal. 9.12. we read of inquisition made for blood. This is suitable to God's Precept to Noah, given about this matter, Gen. 9.5. Surely your blood of your lives will I require, &c. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God created he man. Because God made man in his own image, therefore to kill a man, is in effect even to kill God himself.

Therefore let all take heed how they any way become guilty of such a sin as this is, which is of so great and heinous aggravations; yea, not only directly, but collaterally, and by way of consent or conspiracy, such as David 's guilt here was. David, he did not take away Uriah 's life by himself, but he did as bad, when he so disposed of Uriah, as that his life on purpose might be taken away, and was so far active in it: Therefore the Prophet Nathan tells him, that he had killed Uriah the Hittite with the Sword, and had slain him with the Sword of the Ammonites, 2 Sam. 12.9. They are both joined together, to signify thus much to us, that he had done the one in the other, whiles he had slain him with the Sword of the Ammonites, he had killed him himself. There's Murder as well in the Accessary, as in the Principal, though this of David 's was more than so, who was indeed the very Principal of all, as exposing him thereunto.

To this we may refer all such actions as are of like Consideration, which have the same guilt and tincture upon them: Thus there is blood-guiltiness not only in taking away of life where it already is, but also in preventing it where it would be. The voluntary destroying of Conceptions even before life, it is no other than plain Murder, because in an ordinary course they would have life if they were not destroyed: yea, more than so, the active prevention of them that they may not be, by anything taken for such a purpose, comes likewise within the same compass of blood-guiltiness in God's account, because that's a man which would be so. Homo est, qui futurus est homo. Upon which account even Onan 's sin, Gen. 38.9. is by Divines usually reckoned in the same Catalogue and Series of Sins also.

Yea, the very inordinate distempers of heart, in envy, malice, hatred, and such like affections, they are reduced to the same head likewise by God himself, 1 Joh. 3.15. He that hateth his brother, is a Murderer, and ye know that no Murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

To these we might add two more, wherein Blood-guiltiness expresses itself, in Murder by Connivence and by Equivalence: By Connivence, especially in Magistrates, and those who have the Sword of Justice committed unto them, when they shall forbear or neglect to punish it in those persons which are guilty of it, they do by this neglect involve themselves, and accordingly are accountable for it. By Equivalence, and so many others in Oppression and grinding of the faces of those which are poor, they become guilty in this respect also, and the Scripture itself does charge them with such acts as tend hereunto, even the shedding of blood itself, describing this sin of Oppression by such kind of phrases, of biting, and devouring, and eating, and swallowing up, and fleying of the flesh, &c. These are things which are little thought of by many people in the course of their lives, wherein they make no great matter of them: but when Conscience shall once be awakened, they will fly in men's faces, and charge them even with that which in this Text is here exhibited to us, even the guilt of Blood. And so much also of this sin in its Specifical Notion, Blood-guiltiness.

The third is in its Individual, or in reference to the person of David, as that which he was more chiefly guilty of, he makes chiefest mention of that. David was guilty of somewhat else besides Blood-guiltiness, he was also guilty of Uncleanness; but he chiefly instances in this, not as if the other were no sin, or a small one in his account, but because that this was that which most pinched him, and went to his heart, as the most heinous of all; and especially if we take in all the Circumstances and Aggravations of it. That which I would observe hence briefly, and by the way, is no more but this, That true Repentance and Humiliation of Soul, as it is carried to all sins whatsoever, so it is especially fastened upon the main sin of all, and that which is predominant, it strikes chiefly at that. There were two kinds of sins which David in this work of repentance did more especially bewail before the Lord.

The first was the Sin of his Nature, his Original Corruption, he takes notice of that, as the very Fountain and Spring of all the rest, Verse 5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my Mother conceive me: That's a good course in repentance, even to search sin as deep as the root.

The second was the chief actual sin, and that which was mainly considerable in him, which is a good way for any one else, still to aim at the Master-sin, and that which is most abominable. And the rather, because that this will more easily work the heart to a softened and mollified frame and temper of Spirit. Those whom smaller sins little affect, greater, and those which are more heinous, do awaken and work some meltings and impressions of Spirit upon them. David when he thought of his Murder, and his offense against God in that, this it wholly dissolved him into tears, though otherwise a man apt enough also to be affected with it, and humbled for it. But so much may be spoken of this Blood, which David desired to be delivered from, as it does denote the guilt of Blood, according to this our English Translation, Deliver me from blood-guiltiness.

But now further, it may be also understood of the punishment of Blood likewise. God had threatened him by the Prophet Nathan, that the Sword should not depart from his House; and he knew besides that according to God's Law, Blood was punishable with Blood: Therefore he now applies himself to God for this purpose, that he might be freed from it; whereby he does imply thus much, That of himself he was obnoxious to it: even where sin is forgiven and pardoned, yet there may some corrections still remain to be endured by the sinner. Thus it was here with David, God had forgiven his Transgression, and yet laid afflictions upon his Person. So Psal. 99.8. Thou wast a God that forgavest them, yet tookest vengeance upon their inventions.

There are two cases especially for God's Dispensation in this manner.

First, In case of scandal, when the miscarriages of God's people are notorious, and such as cause wicked men to insult; God does in this case visit them with his corrections: This is particularly expressed of David, 2 Sam. 12.14. The Lord hath put away thy sin, Thou shalt not die; namely, eternally: Nevertheless because by this deed Thou hast given great occasion to the Enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, therefore the Child, &c.

Secondly, As in case of scandal, so where sin is not sufficiently bewailed, or there may be danger of returning to it agen; God does to prevent such sins in his people, lay his afflicting hand upon them, thereby to make them better to them, and to expel them, and drive them from them.

This it makes nothing at all for the Opinion and Doctrine of the Papists; for they say, That after sin is pardoned, there remains some Temporal Punishment to be endured by way of satisfaction to the Justice of God; which is a Doctrine very derogatory to the perfect satisfaction of Christ, and to the comfort of God's People. Now this we do not say; for, First, We hold that these Afflictions they are not Punishments properly, but Chastisements. And, Secondly, Not in satisfaction to God's Justice as a Judge, but to his Discipline as a Father. And so much for the first Particular considerable in this first General, viz. The Request itself, Deliver me from blood.

The second is the Person whom he addresses himself unto, under the Title of Insinuation, O God, Thou God of my Salvation. David 's business was mainly with God in this particular; but it was not with God under any Consideration; no, but as God considered in the Notion of a Savior; upon these terms he deals with them. There is two things in this Expression: First, The word of Denomination, The God of Salvation: Secondly, The word of Appropriation, The God of my Salvation.

For the first, The Denominating Expression, It is the God of Salvation. This is the Title which is frequently given to God in divers other places of Scripture, and it agrees to him upon a double account, whether of Temporal Salvation or Eternal, though the latter is here chiefly intended, and so chiefly to be regarded by us: He is the Author of Eternal Salvation to all them that obey him, as it is Heb. 5.9. This is true of the whole blessed Trinity, but more particular of the second Person in it, who took our Nature upon him, and became Man for this purpose, who has therefore the Name of JESUS, that is, SAVIOUR, bestowed upon him, as who will save his people from their sins.

Therefore we see here where to come for the attaining hereunto. If we would obtain Salvation, let us go to the God of Salvation for the conferring of it upon us: Let us not think to work it out of ourselves, and our own merits. Indeed we must work out our Salvation, as the Apostle exhorts us to do, Philip. 2.12, 13. but then he there likewise tells us who works it in us and for us: For it is GOD that worketh in you both to will and to do. God, let us go to Him, and that in the use of those means which he has appointed and ordained for us to this intent.

But, Secondly, This God of Salvation is here exhibited and represented to us under a word of propriety, MY Salvation; not of Salvation only at large, but which is belonging to me. This is still the happiness of all our knowledge in the Privileges of Religion, when we can make Application of them to ourselves; when as we acknowledge God to be a Savior, so we know him to be our Savior, who loved me, and gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20. And my Lord, and my God, as Thomas when he appeared unto him after the Resurrection, Joh. 20.28. The Virgin Mary, In God my Savior. All other knowledge of him besides, though as a Savior, it will but little avail us.

But then agen further, that we may take in the full scope of the place; this expression, The God of my Salvation, is to be taken notice of in its occasion and connection. David, he now comes to God to free him from the guilt of a particular sin, which was his Blood-guiltiness; and how now does he both persuade God, and also satisfy and comfort himself in this particular? Namely, from this Consideration, That he was the God of his Salvation in the latitude and full extent of it. As if he had said, Thou which wilt save me from all other sins besides, save me also from this: And Thou which hast been my Help and Savior in times past, be Thou now also so unto me. That which we may observe from it is this, That the way to have particular help from God, is to have a general interest in him: He must be our God, and the God of our Salvation, before we can expect that he should actually and particularly save us. God does not do anything to his Servants in this kind for a mere fit, but upon a more general Principle: All God's Goodness to his Servants in the particular Dispensations of Mercy, is founded in his Relations to them, and theirs to him, and the particular flows from the general. Thus he pardons this sin in particular, because he has in general justified our persons; and thus he heals this sin in particular, because he has in general sanctified our natures; and thus he saves us at this time in particular, because he is in general the God of our Salvation. And so if we would have any comfort from him at any time to this purpose, we must first of all be sure to lay this for a Ground and Foundation of it. The Consideration of this Point, shows the misery and unhappiness of such persons as are in a state of strangeness to God, and have not as yet made their peace with him, why they can expect nothing comfortably from him, whiles they are in that condition, neither pardon of sin, nor power against it, nor at last eternal Salvation itself: Why? Because God is not yet theirs, which relation is the ground of all comfort. What? do we think that God saves a man at the very first of his dealings with him? No such matter, but there is somewhat else which goes before it; God makes us Sons, before he gives us the Inheritance; and he plucks us out of the state of Nature, before he brings us into the condition of Glory; and he is the God of our Salvation, before he saves in such a particular.

Let it therefore (in the next place) be the special care of all the Servants of God, to make this good still to their Souls, and to be assured of it, from whence they may make their addresses more comfortably to him. Oh, it is a sweet thing to be able to go to God upon terms of acquaintance and former experience which we have had of him, whether in Temporal things, or in Spiritual: In Temporal, to resolve with David elsewhere, Psal. 57.3. I will cry unto God most High, unto God that performs all things for me; My old Friend and Helper, when I am wont to be brought to a strait; I will go to Him: It's very sweet this: The God that has saved me in such a danger, and brought me out of such a distress, and has not only done so for once and no more, but has done it often, and is used to do it: I will go to Him; there's a great deal of comfort in this in Temporals. And so in Spirituals likewise, and so it should be improved: We see here how the Servants of God may stay themselves as to any particular corruptions and infirmities which lie upon them, and which they desire to have removed from them, whether as to the guilt of sin, or the power of it: still urge God with this interest, The God of my Salvation: Lord, Thou meanest to save me at last, and hast given me some evidence hereof in mine own Conscience heretofore; and how will this then consist with Thy particular frowning upon me, and expressing Thy self an Enemy against me? It is a very happy and most effectual way to prevail with God to this purpose, which therefore should not be neglected by us. This expression here of David 's in the Text, it is not a Complement, but an Argument, and an Argument (as I hinted before) to a double purpose, both to work upon God by way of persuasion, and the granting of his present petition; and to work upon himself by way of satisfaction, in the expectation of what he requested.

Thou God of my Salvation. I might here further observe David 's Faith, even in a state of desertion, as he seemed now to be in: God had withdrawn his face from him, and charged him with the guilt of his blood-shed, but yet the God of his Salvation still; not only God, but the God of his Salvation. And so I have done with the first general part of the Text, David's Petition.

The second is the Argument, whereby he would more particularly persuade the granting of it, or (if ye will) the engagement of himself to duty upon the Grant, And my Tongue shall, &c. This it may be looked upon by us, either singly, or in its connection and dependence upon the foregoing clause, Deliver me from blood, and THEN I will, &c.

First, Look upon it distinctly, and here three particulars more: First, The Faculty employed, and that is his Speech or Tongue. Secondly, The Object it is employed about, and that is the Righteousness of God, THY Righteousness. Thirdly, The manner of employment about it, and that is in loud singing, I will sing aloud.

For the first, The part employed, it is his Tongue, My Tongue shall. This is a part which is to be employed by us in the Service of God: As we are to serve him with our whole outward man, so amongst the rest of the parts with our Tongues, which is our glory (as David calls it elsewhere) in this behalf. This is that which we find often to be mentioned, and that by David himself, as in Psal. 63.5. and 66.17. and 71.24. and many others besides, we have often mention of the Tongue.

And there is this ground amongst others for it, Because there is no Creature besides which is able to do it but ourselves. The Angels they have no Tongues at all, in a propriety of expression; and the other Creatures which have Tongues, yet have not Speech nor Reason to act their Tongues: This is the property of Man alone, which should therefore be employed by him hereto.

It meets with our great neglect in this particular, that God has no more of our Tongues, either speaking to him, or of him, or for him, as it is fitting he should have: We should not think in this case with them in the Psalm, that our Tongues are our own; no, they are not, but His rather that made them, and has bestowed them upon us; which therefore we should improve to his Glory. It is a shame that Satan should have so much of our Tongues, and God so little. This for the part here employed.

Now, Secondly, For the Object which it is employed about, that is expressed to be God's Righteousness, Thy Righteousness. This at the first hearing may carry some difficulty in it; for one would think it should have been said rather, Thy Mercy and Goodness, I will sing of that; for that's more proper to the forgiveness of sin. But this expression here in the Text, it seems to have a double reference with it.

First, To God's manner of dealing with him in the afflicting of his Conscience for sin: David had now felt the terrors of the Almighty, as we have formerly heard by reason of his miscarriages; and now he acknowledges himself, and is ready to profess to others, God's Righteousness in this particular, that he dealt no other than most justly with him.

Secondly, It may refer also to his Pardon and forgiveness of his sin unto him; and so His Righteousness is not here to be taken for his Righteousness in the rigor of the Law, but in the candour and sweet tenders of the Gospel made in Christ, in whom it is Righteous with God to forgive all poor sinners that come to God by him, who truly repent and turn from their sins, as David here did; The Righteousness of God by Faith, as it is called, Philip. 3.8. This was that which David would here declare upon experience of God's goodness to him.

This it is Righteousness upon a double account: First, Upon the account of satisfaction, which is completely made in Christ: It is but Righteous to discharge the Principal, where the Surety hath paid the whole Debt; and so it is here.

Secondly, Upon the account of promise; God hath engaged himself by his Word and his Oath, That he delights not in the death of any sinner, but whoso repents and turns unto him, he will have mercy upon him, &c.

Thus we see why His Righteousness; and it is a very sweet and comfortable Consideration for the quieting of all distressed Consciences, coming up to the conditions, that they may now plead with God not only upon terms of Mercy, but likewise upon terms of Justice, seeing it is a righteous thing with God, &c.

The third thing here signified is the manner, Sing aloud; and this it hath sundry things in it: 1. Confidently, as one that is assured of it; He that is doubtful, he many times whispers. 2. Joyfully, with a great deal of affection, as having an heart much enlarged in it. 3. Boastingly, as glorying in it, and desirous that others should observe it, and take notice of it: This it shows how our hearts should be affected in such matters as these are, even with dispositions answerable and agreeable to the Nature of the things themselves. And thus much of the expression considered singly and distinctly by itself.

The second is by looking upon it in its connection and dependence upon the Clause going before, AND my Tongue, &c. That is to say, If Thou wilt deliver me from blood, &c. From whence we have this observable of us, That freedom from guilt does occasion much enlargement in duty; or (if ye will) thus, That those which are sensible of the experiences of God's goodness in the pardon of themselves, will from hence be so much the more encouraged in celebrating of God's goodness to others. But this is a point which carries some affinity with that which we have already lately handled out of the preceding Verse, and therefore shall not now at this time insist upon it. This for this Fourteenth Verse also.

SERMON XVI.

IN this present Verse we have three general Parts: First, A Prayer: Secondly, A Promise: Thirdly, The Connection of Prayer and Promise both together. The Prayer, that we have in those words, O Lord, open Thou my lips; The Promise, that we have in these, My mouth shall show forth Thy praise; The Connection of both together, that we have in the copulative And.

We begin with the first, viz. The Prayer, O Lord, open Thou my lips. For the explaining whereof unto us, we must know that God may be said to open the lips as to matter of Thanksgiving, (in which sense it is here to be taken) three manner of ways; First, As to the Occasion; Secondly, As to the Affection; Thirdly, As to the Expression. He opens our lips as to the occasion, when as he affords us ground and matter of praise; He opens our lips as to the affection, when he gives us an heart and spirit of praise; He opens our lips as to the expression, when he gives us utterance and ability of impartment.

We begin with the Occasion first of all; God opens our lips thus; and indeed thus he does never but open our lips: wheresoever we open our eyes, we cannot want matter and ground for praising of God. But David here meant it of such a particular ground and occasion, as he fastened upon, and that was of restoring unto him the joy of God's Salvation, and assuring him of his love and favor towards him; he desired him to afford him matter of praise in this particular, which is the work of God himself alone. It is He that must speak peace unto us, before we can speak praise unto him: He must create the fruit of the lips, before we can present the calves of the lips; and so the Scripture still sets it, Psal. 40.3. He hath put a new Song into my mouth, even praise unto our God. And Psal. 68.11. The Lord gave the Word, great was, &c.

And then as he gives the occasion in the thing itself, so likewise (which is pertinent hereunto) he gives also the apprehension of the occasion, and makes that to be counted praise-worthy, which is so indeed in the thing. There are many things which are matters of praise, which yet are not always so esteemed; we have not always our eyes in our heads to discern of God's dealings with us in this respect. As we oftentimes think those things to be Mercies which are far otherwise; so agen we often see not those things to be Mercies which yet are very great ones: Now therefore is it requisite for God to help us in this particular, as to afford occasion of thankfulness, so to afford also a sight and apprehension of this occasion; that so that which is a mercy in itself, may be so also to us. That is the first way of opening our lips to praise God, viz. In the Occasion.

The second is the opening of it in the Affection, when together with matter of praise, and that apprehended, we have a Spirit to close with it: For though God does give us great occasions of praising him, and such also as we ourselves discern; yet such many times is the deadness of our hearts, that we are not affected with them so as we should be, as from hence to open our lips. Now this is another thing therefore which David begs here of God, that he would give him a thankful mouth, by first giving him a thankful heart; which must be necessarily understood here by us in this expression, as without which all is nothing. This is that which God's Servants look at in all their performances, to have affections suitable to the things wherein they are employed: If it be the work of Humiliation, to have the Spirit of Mourning; If it be the work of Supplication, to have the Spirit of Prayer; If it be the work of Thanksgiving and Acknowledgment, to have the Spirit of Praise: David did not desire that this business should be only a labor of the lip, though he makes mention of that; no, but that it should be a work of the heart, and so the lip to follow upon it.

But, Thirdly, He desires this also, that God would give him a door of utterance and expression, and open this unto him, which is a thing different from both the two former; and though not above them, yet additional to them: This is not to be understood of the mere natural notion of those parts as Members of the Body, but of such a gift as is inherent in the Soul. For we must know besides occasion of discourse and thanksgiving in the Object, and a suitable affection in the Spirit, there is also a peculiar gift, and ability, and qualification for it, expressing itself in the speech. There is a proper and special faculty of discoursive Communication, whether as to matter of praise and thanksgiving, or any other profitable Language as tending to Edification. And this is that (amongst the rest) which David here begs for, not only that God would afford him a comfortable occasion, and also stir up in him gracious affections, but likewise that he would indue him with an ability of pertinent expressions, and laying forth of himself; which is a thing now also very seasonably to be taken notice of by us, it being a thing alone by itself, and which many persons are destitute of, they want this free enlargement of themselves.

There's a variable account which may be given of inability to good discourse; The first is from mere emptiness, and harrenness, and dryness of spirit; those which have no knowledge of that which is good, nor affection to it, they know not how to discourse about it, Psal. 37.30. The mouth of the Righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment, saith David; and he gives the reason of it in the words that follow, The Law of God is in his heart: where there is the Law of God in the heart, there will be a Law of goodness in the tongue, (as is said of the Virtuous Woman, Prov. 31.26.) This speaks out of the abundance of the heart, as our Savior tells us. So Prov. 10.20. The tongue of the just is as choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth; where there is an implicit reason given of the unprofitableness of a wicked man's tongue, as arising from the badness of his heart.

Secondly, As it proceeds from emptiness, so also sometimes from fullness: As Vessels which are over-full, they want vent; so it is also sometimes with some men, &c. This Elihu notes of himself, Job 32.18, 19. I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me. Behold, my Belly is as Wine which hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new Bottles. This is the case of some persons, which makes them not so free and expedite in this matter as otherwise they would be.

Thirdly, As a middle betwixt both, it proceeds sometimes from a difficulty of expression, and want of freedom in this particular. There are some persons which have a great deal of worth in them, but ye must pump them before ye can get any great benefit by them, their notions lying low in them, and they themselves wanting a faculty to extract them, and bring them forth: Therefore Prov. 20.5. it is said, that Counsel in the heart of man is like deep waters; but a man of understanding will draw it out: There is a great piece of skill in it, to fetch out the excellency of another, and to make it our own, whiles he himself being lest to himself, is not so able to do it. But this being to do it, belongs to this opening of the lips here before us, which David prays for, that God would give him both wisdom when to speak, and also freedom and facility in speaking. Sometimes also there is an obstruction of good Discourse occasionally from others. Carnal and profane company, they stop up the mouths of God's Servants, as David says of himself, I kept silence even from good, whiles the wicked was before me, Psal. 39.2. God will not vouchsafe scoffers the advantage of good men's discourse, but in such cases shuts up their lips, &c. And it is an hard matter to thrust in a good word amongst them; and they have no heart to it neither, lest they should cast Pearls before Swine, which will both trample under feet, and also turn about and rent, as it is Matth. 7.6, &c. And so much may suffice of the first General, viz. The Prayer.

The second is the Promise or Ingagement, My mouth shall show forth, &c. From whence we learn what is required of us in reference to this work of thanksgiving; that namely, our mouths, and lips, and tongues, should be employed in the performance of it. We should daily and continually be speaking and making mention of God's goodness to us: thus we have it in sundry places, as Psal. 63.5. My mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. So Psal. 66.17. I cried unto God with my mouth, and he was exalted with my tongue. And Psal. 71.24. My tongue shall talk of thy Righteousness all the day long. In these and the like places is there mention still made of the mouth.

When it is said here, It shall show forth God's praise; we may take it with a double reference, either to God, or else to men: To God, as acknowledging his Goodness; To men, as imparting and laying it forth; either of these, or both, may be understood in David's mouth showing forth God's praise.

First, As to God himself, he would acknowledge his goodness to Him: this is that which he expects from us, where he bestows Mercies upon us, that we should bless and praise him for them; and this David here promises to do, and to do it with his mouth: Therewith bless we God, says St. James, Chap. 3. Vers. 9. We have our mouths given us for this purpose, which therefore we should not be failing in, as being a work which we cannot better use and employ them in.

Secondly, As to men, as imparting and laying it forth; this is that which seems here chiefly to be intended in David 's Ingagement, that namely, he would signify to others how graciously God had dealt with himself. This is another duty which lies upon us in our Christian Conversation, as we receive anymore mercy and favor from God ourselves, especially as to our Souls and Spirits, to express it, and make it known to others; Psal. 66.16. Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what God hath gone for my Soul, that which there in that place he practices, here in this place he promises, when he says his mouth shall show forth God's praise; which is not to be understood by us of God's praise, considered at large, but with reference to the particular occasion which the former words relate unto, of making him to hear joy and gladness. If God would be pleased so highly to favor him, as not only to pardon his sin, but to grant him the assurance of his love, he does engage himself to spread abroad God's goodness in this respect to him.

This is that which is required of all others upon sundry grounds: First, For their own greater advantage; the more we speak of these things (as we have occasion for it) to others, the more we fasten them upon ourselves, and our own hearts. Degrees of enlargement, and assurance, often come in upon the seasonable impartment and communication of them.

Secondly, In reference to others, for their greater comfort and establishment, Psal. 34.2. My Soul shall make her boast in the Lord: The humble shall hear thereof and be glad. So Psal. 40.3. He hath put a new Song in my mouth, even praise unto our God. Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. The experience of God's goodness towards some being declared, comfort others, and for that reason are to be declared, and made known by us, which was a motive to David in this place.

Thirdly, For God's greater Honor and Glory, which is the end whereunto we are ordained: We should for this reason be much in speaking of his praise; That his way be known upon Earth, and his saving health among all Nations, Psal. 67.2. That all people may speak of his Honor, and that he may be exalted even to the ends of the Earth; we should for this speak of it.

The Consideration of this Point, does therefore justly meet with the great neglect of this duty, as of honoring God by speaking of other things which belong to Religion, so in particular of God's goodness and mercies: though we abound very much with them, yet we are but little mentioning of them. That which is the property of the Saints, in Psal. 149.6. is a thing but rare and seldom in the World, To let the high praises of God be in our mouths. We are sooner apt to speak of ourselves, and to declare our own praises and prowess, than to speak of the high praises of God, which yet David here looks upon as a duty belonging to him. And so much for the second General, to wit, David 's promise or engagement, My mouth, &c.

The third is the Connection of both together in the Copulative And; and this indeed carries with it the whole burden of the Text. There is two things (briefly) in it: First, The Dependance of one upon the other: Secondly, The Consequence of one to the other. The Dependance of one upon the other, thus, as signifying that unless God Himself do indeed open our lips, our mouth cannot show forth his praise: The Consequence of one to the other, thus, that if God Himself be pleased but to open our lips, our mouths then will show, &c.

First, To take notice of the form, viz. The Dependance of one upon the other, thus, Open Thou my lips, AND my mouth shall, &c. that is, otherwise it cannot do it, by taking the word And exclusively. This is one thing in it, that there is no praising of God without ability imparted from Himself; He that enjoins the performance, must give strength to perform it, or else it can never be done: This is here implied and intimated in David 's Prayer, who goes to Him for this purpose, O Lord, open, &c. And he does not do it as an Arbitrary thing, but as a necessary.

When we say that without God's assistance none can be able to praise him, we must take it with these two Qualifications: First, Cannot do it commendably; and, Secondly, Cannot do it acceptably.

First, Cannot do it commendably, in an holy and spiritual manner, as it becomes Christians to do it. If we speak of showing forth God's praise with our mouths in a mere verbal manner, that a man may be able to do in a course of general Providence, without any special assistance: It is easy for men to utter so many words as may tend to God's praise, Praised be God, and Blessed be God, and God be thanked, &c. they are words of course in every ones mouth; and there is not the worst man almost that is, but in some cases ye shall hear them from him: yea, but to do this with some sense, and feeling, and affection, and enlargement of heart, this it is not so easy. Now this is that which we must here take in to the explaining of this point unto us, according to that of the Apostle Paul, 1 Cor. 12.3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Say it? What's the meaning of that? He might say it in word, and with his lips, in so many phrases, as the Devils themselves, but he cannot say it with sense and feeling; This it requires a special work of God's Spirit for the performance of it. Thus Psal. 119.151. My lips shall utter thy praise, when thou hast taught me thy Statutes; As who should say until then, they were by no means able to do so, no more they were not, nor any one else with them; and then there is this account to be given of it, from whence it proceeds: First, The general averseness which is in our Natures to any good work in a spiritual manner to be performed; there is no work of Grace whatsoever but of ourselves we are indisposed much unto it, and without Christ we can do nothing at all; Joh. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing. The very frame of our hearts it is evil, and only evil continually, Gen. 6.5. And who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Those Scriptures which overthrow the Power of Nature to good works at large, overthrow it also as to this good work in particular, of showing forth God's praise, which has a special place amongst them: Our lips are naturally polluted, and so must be touched before they can do it.

But, Secondly, As there is an averseness in our Natures to any good work in general, so there is a more special averseness in them to this good work of thanksgiving in particular; it is that which of all others we are usually most backward and indisposed to the performance of; ye may see it in the instance of the Ten Lepers in the Gospel, who being cleansed by Christ from their Leprosy, there was but one (and he a stranger) that was found to return Glory to God. Oh this work of showing forth God's praise, it is such a work as of all others we love not to do; sometimes out of pride, because we will not acknowledge our dependence, which in thanksgiving is emphatically done; sometimes out of discontents and repining, as not thinking we have so much given us as we could expect or desire to have; and sometimes also out of a natural dullness, and sluggishness, and stupidity upon us; these things make the work awk unto us; and because they do so, they therefore convince us that without the help and assistance of God Himself, they cannot do it. Cannot do it, i. e. do it commendably, in an holy spiritual manner, as becometh Christians. That's the first Qualification.

Secondly, Cannot do it, i. e. do it acceptably, so as God Himself may be well-pleased with us in the doing of it. Those whose lips God Himself does not open, they cannot utter his praise so as he may accept of it, and take it well at their hands: All kind of praising of God, and from all persons, is not acceptable to him; The Sacrifice of the wicked, as Solomon tells us, it is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. And Isai. 1.11. He takes them up angrily for it, To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices? &c. And Psal. 50.16. What hast thou to do, &c. God will not seem to be beholding to wicked men for all their praises, no more than he would to the Devils themselves, who when in the Gospel they made mention of him, and cried after him, Thou Son of God, he forbad them, and suffered them not to speak that they knew him, in Mark 1.34. God has no pleasure in fools, and so not in their Sacrifices, Eccles. 5.1, 4. He abhors the work, because of the person, which is odious and abominable in his sight, whiles in their natural condition. Therefore the Scripture when it speaks of giving thanks, and showing forth praise, it still makes Christ to be the only Medium and Conveyance of it, Ephes. 5.20. Giving thanks in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Col. 3.17. Giving thanks unto God and the Father by Him. So Heb. 13.15. By Him therefore let us offer the Sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his Name. Those that give thanks, and not in Christ, they cannot give thanks acceptably, which is consequently the condition of those whose lips God will not open for it; so as none partake of the Spirit of Christ, but those who are indeed the Servants of Christ. And that's the second Qualification.

Now to lay these two both together, and so to make some improvement of the Point. Seeing these things are indeed so, that unless God opens our lips, we cannot praise him; cannot (first) commendably, in any holy and spiritual manner; nor cannot (next) acceptably, so as He may be well-pleased with us in it: We see here then what great cause we have in all our undertakings of this service, to go to God Himself for it, and to desire him to help us herein, and not to go about such a duty as this is in our own strength, whether in the strength of common Nature, or in the strength of general Grace: either of these (for the full unfolding of this truth) are insufficient for us.

First, Not in the strength of common Nature; let none think to do it by that, or go about the praising of God, as they would about some ordinary employment of common concernment: Let none, I say, think to do so; for it is a business of another Nature than so, and so to be esteemed. Excellent speech it becomes not a Fool's mouth; no, but praise it is comely for the upright, as you see elsewhere. A natural man as he discerns not the things of God, so neither can he speak suitably of them.

Secondly, Not in the strength of general Grace, we must take in that too, and that also as most proper and pertinent to this particular Text which we have in hand; where David, who was already a godly man, yet desires that the Lord would open his lips to praise him. For which purpose we must know that there is a double Qualification considerable as to the performing of the work of praise among other good works: First, A general Qualification of the Person, sanctifying his lips and mouth for such a service at large: And, Secondly, A particular Qualification of the Person, as enabling him to this particular performance and service which he is now undertaking; and this latter is that which David refers to in this particular place: God had opened his lips in general before, in his first conversion, when he had framed him according to his heart, and so fitted him for all the Duties of Religion to be performed by him, and this Duty of praise amongst the rest. But now after (besides this general opening ) there was a particular obstruction upon him, and his lips were in a manner sealed up by his late sins, which were still fresh in his memory; and therefore he now desires a further opening and unlocking of them. This is that which all others are to do, whosoever they be, as they would praise God in any either commendable or acceptable manner, so desire him himself to assist them, and to enable them hereunto.

And so as for praise, so for any other Duty besides of the like nature with it, which has the lips employed in it; Let us go to God to open them, if we would speak profitably to the Edification of others; whether Ministers in the work of public Preaching, or private Christians in the Communion of Saints; Let us go to God to open our lips to this purpose, and depend upon him for it, desire him to put words into our mouths, and to teach us what we shall say; to give us the words for the matter of them, and to give us the words for the expression of them, as being both at his disposal. We shall find in Act. 10.33, 34. these two passages joined together, of Cornelius signifying to Peter his desire to hear of him those things which were commanded him of God; and then Peter opened his mouth, and said, &c. Till Peter had first a word from God, he was unable to speak to Cornelius, but then he was able; and so shall we likewise have such occasions as these are; which otherwise we shall not. It is not the strength of our natural Abilities, Knowledge, Memory, Utterance, and such things as these which will serve our turn in these performances, to do them comfortably, and with any effect, unless God himself be pleased to concur with us, and be with our mouths, as he promised to be with Moses and Aaron, (Exod. 4.15.) when he sent them on a message to Pharaoh. And that's the first thing in this Conjunction And, as it does denote the dependence of the one upon the other, of showing forth praise upon God's opening of the lips.

The second is as it does denote the consequence of one thing to another, Open thou my lips, and, &c. that is, when thou hast done it, there will this effect follow upon it; and so it is not only a Promise, but also a Prediction; not an Engagement only, but an Argument, an Argument to God for the opening of his lips to such a purpose, as which shall have success with it. Look as unless God opens, there's no ability to praise him; so where he opens, there is no want of ability. It is in this case in Spirituals, as we find it sometimes to be in Naturals, and in the Soul, as it is in the Body: In the Body, we find in the Gospel, that when there was one presented unto Christ, that stammered in his speech, Mark 7.34. when Christ had once touched his tongue, and said Ephphatha to him, that is, Be opened, the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. The same will it be also in the Soul; when God is pleased once to open men's lips in all those ways which are formerly mentioned, of apprehension, and affection, and expression, as he is able to do, there will then follow thereupon a large rehearsing of the praises of God; as the Apostles, when the Holy Ghost at Pentecost descended upon them, they then spake Magnalia Dei, The mighty things of God: In like manner will it be proportionably with all others else.

Nay, further, it will not only be so, but it will not possibly be otherwise: Those lips which God has opened, as they are by his Grace enabled to speak, so they are dis-enabled to keep from speaking, as Jeremy, Chap. 20. Vers. 9. God's words were in his mouth as fire, he was weary with forbearing, and could not stay. And so Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, when they were brought before the Priests and Elders, they told them that they could not but speak the things which they had seen and heard, Act. 4.20. so effectual is God's opening of our lips in this particular, that as where he denies it, we cannot speak, so where he grants it, we cannot hold our peace. This may be also very well intended in the conjunction of these two both together.

From whence we may therefore very well take some estimate and account of ourselves, we may see what we are as to God's workings in this respect; If God hath any time opened our lips, how do we our selves open them, and employ them, and make use of them? we may well judge of the one by the other: we may see who opens our lips, whether God or Satan, according to the use and employment which we put them unto. We may see whether God opens them, by the effect which follows thereupon; If our mouths be employed in nothing else but vanity, and folly, and rotten and corrupt communication, it is not God that keeps the Key of our lips, but rather the Devil. Agen, if our mouths be not employed at all in good speeches, and savory expressions, and showing forth God's praises, it is not God that has opened them, but Satan that has sealed them up; for this is still the effect of God's opening, (as it is here made in the Text to be inseparable) even the showing and setting forth of God's praise.

And that upon a twofold Principle: First, Upon a Principle of Obedience: And, Secondly, Upon a Principle of Thankfulness. Upon a Principle of Obedience first, as the effect flowing from the cause, the uttering of Gok's praise being the most natural and genuine operation of such lips as are opened by God; and so it follows from it in that respect. Secondly, Upon a Principle of Thankfulness, Those lips which God has opened, cannot better express their Gratitude to him for their opening, than by employing themselves in the praises of him that has opened them. And so it holds (which I hinted before) in the way of an Argument, to persuade God indeed to this opening. We may, if we will, take it so, O Lord, open thou my lips, and thou shalt have this Honor and Glory from it, as that hereby I will show forth thy praise. And so we have also the words in their Connection, as they hold altogether: so much for that.

Now ( before we make an end) we may further take notice of some other Points from the Text collaterally.

First, In that David desires to have his lips opened, he does hereby imply, that they were at present shut; and so they were; they were obstructed to all good conference, and spiritual and comfortable communication. He could not speak now to the benefit of God's people as he was wont, and as it became him to do; and how came this to pass? Namely, (as I in part hinted before) from his late sin and transgression; this it caused this silence in him. Here is now another sad effect of such courses as these are, they do not only wound a man's Conscience, darken his assurance, deprive him of the light of God's Countenance; but likewise make him useless and unprofitable in his whole converse; they make him dry, and barren, and unsavory, and void of spiritual improvement. That man that has the guilt of any notorious lust upon him, it will quite stop up his mouth, and hinder him from being so fruitful and beneficial as otherwise he would be; which David now found in himself: Though he was convinced of it as a duty, that he ought to speak to the good of others, and to minister grace to the hearers, as it is Ephes. 4.29. yet he found himself now altogether impotent and unable hereunto; he could not do it; there was an hindrance of his confidence, he wanted boldness and freedom of spirit; and there was an obstruction likewise upon his grace, as the Spring and Fountain of such discourse.

And this is another thing which may be added to what we have mentioned before, to deter and frighten men from such ways as these are. Consider what a sad thing it is not to be able upon any seasonable occasion to open ones mouth in good discourse, nor to speak a word for the refreshing of others. This is the case of presumptuous sinners, as is here signified and implied unto us. He had said in the Verse before, the Thirteenth of this present Psalm, Then will I teach Transgressors, &c. as if otherwise he could not: And here now he adds answerable to it, O Lord, open Thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise; His lips were at present shut up from his sin; That's the first Observation.

Secondly, Observe hence also (by the way) thus much, That gracious and holy persons, they aim at Duties in the spirituality of them; they are not satisfied merely to perform them for the substance and matter of the Action, but they desire to perform them with life and zeal, and in an holy manner, so as they may approve themselves to God in them: This we have likewise in this expression of David's, Open Thou my lips. If David (as many people do ) had rested and contented himself only with a kind of lip-labor, the uttering of so many words with his mouth, he needed not to have made such addresses as these to God; he might in a way of common and general Providence done that well enough himself; he might have said somewhat in a formal way, as tending to the praising of God, and that had been enough: yea, but this would not serve his turn, neither was he contented with it; besides his own opening, he prays to God to open his lips for him, as looking at the spiritual performance. And this is the property and disposition likewise of all the Servants of God besides, they are of the same mind also; they desire (being God is a Spirit ) to worship him in spirit and truth, and to offer unto him offerings of righteousness, as it is in Malachi 3.3.

And that upon a double ground: First, Because they know 'tis that which is most excellent and proper in itself. Everyone that undertakes any business, (if he rightly does understand himself in it) would attain to the proper end of it, and do that which he goes about: Now this is the offering up of spiritual praises, wherein God Himself opens our mouths; it is the only doing of the Duty itself, whereof the other which is merely in word, is no more but a bare shadow and appearance.

Then, Secondly, Because they know also (which I also hinted in part before) that it is only acceptable and well-pleasing to God; God delights in no other but such, and the Father seeketh such to worship him, as Christ tells the woman of Samaria, Joh. 4.23.

Therefore let this teach us even to take this course with ourselves: Before we open our mouths ourselves, desire God to open them for us; and when we open them, pray for his concurrant opening of them with us; that is indeed of our hearts and affections; it is the best entrance which we can make in our addresses to the Throne of Grace, which therefore accordingly Christians in former time with one consent have done in their daily and frequent Supplications.

Thirdly and lastly, (to shut up all for time) we may take notice of another good piece of disposition in this holy man, in this present state and condition which he was now in; where he does not only drive at his own ease and satisfaction of spirit, but likewise at the special Honor and Glory of God Himself. He was now at this time (as we have formerly heard) in a state of spiritual desertion, and his bones were broken with his sin; which was exceeding troublesome to him, and which drew from him those importunate entreaties which we have had before in the course of this Psalm: but this was not all which his heart was charged and affected withal, but he looks at somewhat else; He knew very well that his sin as it had wounded his own Conscience, and caused a great deal of trouble to himself, whereof he desired to be eased, so it had likewise brought reproach upon Religion, and caused dishonor to the Name of God: Now therefore as he would take away that, so he would make up this; as he would provide for his own comfort, so in like manner for God's Glory, which here he does as a pattern to us how to do likewise; He does not only say, Blot out my sins, Restore unto me joy, Deliver me from blood, &c. but, My Tongue shall sing aloud of thy Righteousness, in the Verse before; and here in this, Open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth, &c.

SERMON XVII.

IN the Text itself we have two general Parts observable of us: First, The Nature or Disposition which is in God Himself in order to matter of Reconcilement and Pacification. Secondly, The Improvement which David makes of this his Disposition. The former that we have in those words, Thou desirest not Sacrifice, in the beginning of the Verse; and, Thou delightest not in Burnt-offering, in the end of it; the same truth in a variety of expression: the latter is in the midst betwixt them both, in these words, Else would I give it, &c.

We begin with the first, viz. The Nature or Disposition which is in God Himself, Thou desirest not Sacrifice, &c. This will require a little Explication of it how it is to be understood, because at the first view it seems to be somewhat contradictory to some other places of Scripture, where we find Sacrifice both to be desired of God, and to be accepted. It is desired in all those Injunctions of the Levitical Law to this purpose, which we may read at large in that Book; and it is accepted of in sundry instances. Thus Gen. 4.4. it is said that the Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his Offering; and Gen. 8.21. it is said that the Lord smelt a sweet savor, or a savor of rest, in the Burnt-offerings of Noah. In 2 Sam. 24.25. when David himself upon occasion of the Plague in the Land offered a Sacrifice to God in the Threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite, by the Command of God himself, it is said that the Lord was entreated by him, and the Plague stayed. It seems then all Sacrifice was not a thing which God was so averse to, or displeased withal. How then may we understand this expression? As I conceive especially three manner of ways: First, He desires it not absolutely, or peremptorily. Secondly, He desires it not only. Thirdly, He desires it not chiefly.

First, Not absolutely, or peremptorily, God desires not Sacrifice so; He does not so desire it, as in no case whatsoever to dispense with the omission of it. There are causes and circumstances wherein Sacrifice may be very well forborne, and yet God not displeased with the forbearance: I will have Mercy, (says God) and not Sacrifice, Hos. 6.6. that is, not Sacrifice in opposition to Mercy; where these two come in competition, an act of Mercy, and an act of Sacrifice, God is content with the forbearance of the latter, for the performance of the former; that Sacrifice be omitted for Mercy. And what is here said of Sacrifice, holds good also (by way of proportion ) as to any external work of Religion and Service pertaining to the outward Worship of God; though God requires it, yet he requires it not indispensably and absolutely without any exception, so as it shall be always and perpetually a sin to let it alone. We use to say, That Precepta Affirmativa ligant semper, sed non ad semper: Affirmative Precepts they do always bind, but they do not bind to a performance at all times. As for example, The keeping of the Sabbath, it is that which hath a perpetual bond and obligation upon it; God does never but command this Observation, but yet he does in some case dispense with the actual accomplishment of this command: for the performance of some necessary service in order to the preservation of life either in man or beast, in that case it might be lawfully omitted, &c.

The proper Use of which Point, is not to make us any whit the more neglectful of such Duties as these are, but rather to rectify our Judgments about them, and to pacify our minds in any necessary restraints from them. It pleases God sometimes in his Providence to deny his Servants the liberty and opportunity of his own Ordinances, and they are forcibly detained from such performances as these are, sometimes by Sickness, sometimes by Imprisonment, sometimes by remoteness of Habitation, and sojourning in foreign Countries where these things are not to be had: Now what shall they in such cases as these conclude, that they are therefore out of his favor? No, they have no cause to do so, and they may be satisfied from this present Text before us, Thou desirest not Sacrifice, &c. Where God gives an opportunity for Sacrifice, that is, forth Public Service of Him, there he expects it; where he denies it, he dispences with the omission, and accepts of the will for the deed: This is God's gracious indulgence and condescension to us, especially now under the times of the Gospel and New Testament, that he does not so absolutely tie us to the outward bodily service, (which yet he does not warrant us willfully to neglect) but contents himself with the sacrifice of the heart, where the Soul and Spirit is for God consecrated and devoted to him, and enlarged in desires after him, he is there well satisfied in the unavoidable forbearance of some external performances in Religion.

This may be applied to several instances and particulars: The Administration of the Sacrament of Baptism as to Infants surprised by death; The Participation of the Lord's Table as to persons surprised by sickness; and divers others of the like nature with these; when Providence does not afford the occasion, God does not there enforce the Observation, willfully to omit them is scandalous, but merely to want them is not dangerous; Thou desirest not Sacrifice, that is, Thou desirest it not absolutely, in all kind of circumstances. That's the first Observation; only I must add this, that we be from hence more intent in the inward man.

Secondly, Thou desirest it not only. God does very much desire Sacrifice, that is, the performances of the outward man; but he desires something else besides with it; Sacrifice alone will not content him; this is another thing implied in this expression, and we shall find it in sundry places of Scripture, that God has still expressed himself dissatisfied where he has had no more than outward Services presented unto him: Thus concerning this very business of Sacrifice, Jer. 7.22, 23. I spake not to your Fathers, nor commanded them concerning Burnt-Offerings or Sacrifices; but this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice, &c. the meaning whereof is not this, that he did not command these things simply; but this, that he commanded them not only; there was somewhat more which he required with them, which was their obeying of his voice, &c. So Isai. 1.11. To what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me, saith the Lord? I am full of Burnt-Offerings of Rams, &c. the meaning whereof is not this, that he did wholly decline these services, but that he was not satisfied or contented with them; and therefore he adds in Verse 16. Wash ye, make ye clean, put away the evil of your doings, &c. as that which he required with them. It is said in Mark 9.29. That everyone shall be salted with fire, and every Sacrifice shall be salted with Salt: i. e. Sacrifices under the Law, they were not acceptable unless they had Salt in them, which did signify a good mind and intention, and they were to have sire mingled with them, which did imply zeal and fervency of spirit; and so it must be still with all the Duties and Services of Religion, without which they are not acceptable to God, though in never so great number and multitude. This is that which God requires of us, that we present our bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable, and well-pleasing unto God, which is our reasonable service of him, Rom. 12.1. He desires not Sacrifice, i. e. He desires not Sacrifice only. That is the second Explication.

Thirdly, He desires not Sacrifice, i. e. He desires not Sacrifice chiefly; This is not the main and principal thing which God desires in our approaches to him: but as there's somewhat else which he desires besides it, so somewhat else also which he desires above it, and more than he does that. This is another thing which the Scripture points out to us, as 1 Sam. 15.22. Hath the Lord as great delight in Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than Sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of Rams. Here God does not simply reject Sacrifice, but he prefers Obedience before it; He desires and he delights in both, but he desires this rather than that; he had rather dispence with the want of Sacrifice, than with the want of Obedience. The like expression we shall meet withal in Prov. 21.3. To do Justice and Judgment is more acceptable unto the Lord than Sacrifice; where the comparison is not made betwixt an act of Charity, and an act of Piety; the Observation of a Duty of the second Table, and the Observation of a Duty of the first; as if God did prefer a service done to our Neighbor, before a service done immediately to Himself; strictly considering that a Moral Duty of the second Table is preferred before a Ceremonial of the first; and the highest act of Charity, before the lowest act of Religion. To do Justice and Judgment with all the Circumstances which are required to such an action as that is, is a great deal more acceptable to God than a resting in the bare formal performance of Sacrifice, and nothing else. So Psal. 69.30, 31. I will praise the Name of the Lord with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an Ox or Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs. And many other places besides which might be added to the like purpose, Psal. 50.13, 14, &c. Micah 6.7, 8.

When it is said here, Thou desirest not Sacrifice, this is not so to be understood, (as profane persons nowadays make it) hereby to exclude Duties, and to take away Ordinances, as if there were no use of these in the Church of Christ; No, that is not the meaning of it; as there was use of Sacrifice amongst the Jews, so is there now also of other Ordinances amongst Christians in proportion to them: we have need of such helps as these are, and God does command them, and expect them from us, as Testimonies of our Obedience, and as means to keep up our hearts in an holy communion with him, and dependence upon him; and we have great cause to bless God for affording these refreshments to us.

But the meaning of it is this, that God does not delight in these alone, that we rest not our selves contented, &c. but look at somewhat else, &c.

Now the Use and Improvement of all comes to this, That therefore we rest not ourselves contented in such things as these are, seeing the mere outward form of Religion, Prayer, and Reading, and Hearing, and such matters as these, are not so acceptable and well-pleasing to God, where there is nothing else with them, neither does he chiefly take delight in them: Why then we should not do so neither; we should not please ourselves in outward Sacrifice no more but so, that we come to the Public Assemblies, and are here made partakers of the Ordinances, that is not that which should satisfy and content us, but we should labor to find somewhat else in ourselves which might gain acceptance with God, that namely, first our Persons be accepted as united to Christ by Faith, and then our services as coming from such persons who have the Spirit of Christ in them, and which perform what they do in Religion from a principle of Regeneration, and the work of Grace wrought in their hearts, Psal. 40.6, 7. Sacrifices, &c. mine ears hast thou opened, &c.

The contrary hereunto is that which may confound many people in the World. There are divers persons in the World, which if ye examine them, and inquire into them what ground they have to believe that they are in a good and comfortable condition as to eternal Salvation, all their hopes lie in their Duties, and their outward performances: they are much in the exercises of Religion, frequent the Public Congregations, are well acquainted and keep the company of those which are well disposed for godliness; all which things are very good, yea and necessary with somewhat else; but, alas, of themselves they are nothing, and will little avail them. Men may be much in the Exercises of Religion, and yet have little Religion in them; frequent the Public Congregations, and yet not come up to the end for which these Congregations are assembled; be much in the company of God's people, and yet none of the number of God's people. Now, alas, what is all this? Therefore let us not deceive ourselves in this particular; let us mind that which is the main, the one thing necessary and acceptable, which God looks after, and takes delight in, which (as we shall have occasion God willing to show hereafter) is a broken and contrite heart: but as for these outward and external performances, let us lay no stress in them, for Thou desirest not Sacrifice, &c. So much for that, the first General, The Disposition which is in God.

The second is David 's Improvement of this his Disposition, in these words, Else would I give it thee. And this is twofold, First, Affirmative, upon supposition that God would accept it; Secondly, Negative, upon consideration that God does not, &c.

First, Here is an Affirmative Improvement, upon supposition th •• God would accept of Sacrifice, David would give Sacrifice to him; this is that which is here signified and expressed, Else would I 〈◊〉 it Thee, i. e. I would not herein be behind-hand with Thee. And thus it holds good upon a twofold account, First, Upon the Propensities of Nature: Secondly, Upon the Principles of Religion.

First, Upon the Propensities of Nature, If Thou desirest Sacrifice, I would give it Thee: from this, Take a man but as in the state of Nature, and he would not stand upon the giving of God Sacrifice, upon condition it might excuse him from his sin: it is that which we shall sometimes observe in daily experience, that men care not at what expenses they are in this particular. Take Sacrifice as it is a matter of cost, as in some respects it was, and it does not stick with a great many of people in these conditions; as well as men love their money, and as close as they keep it to them, yet they had rather part with their Gold, than part with their Lusts. If the giving of a little Alms may but serve the turn to pacify God's wrath, whiles they indulge themselves in their sinful courses, God shall have it with all their hearts, and they will not stand with him in this respect.

This is that which we may observe and take notice of nowhere more than in Popery: What's that which draws so many Alms-deeds and Works of Charity from them in that Religion? It is this mistake, that God delights in Sacrifice, and therefore they give it him. Oh if people may but be suffered to keep their lusts, and to resume still their vile affections, God shall have anything from them, Prayers upon Prayers, and Alms upon Alms, and one Duty upon another, even their First-born itself for their transgression, and the fruit of their body, for the sin of their soul, as it is in Micah 6.7. When men are a little under the wrack, and Conscience sets hard upon them, ye may get what ye will from them to give them ease and relaxation in this condition, which has been that which the Popish Priests have still improved to their own advantage, when they observed men in trouble of Conscience for their sins, they would persuade them to give such and such a Legacy, and thereby cozen them both of their Money, and of their Souls. And the greatest part of works of Charity in that Religion, it has its bottom upon such Principles as these are. And this is one thing which we may here take notice of by the way, in which this assertion or protestation of David 's holds, viz. Upon the Propensities of Nature, I would give it thee, &c.

The second is out of the Principles of Religion, I would give it thee so likewise. A Gracious Heart is ready to give God whatsoever may be acceptable to him: Let him require what he pleases, and he shall have it even upon that account, because it pleases him. This was the frame of David 's spirit at this present time; and it is likewise the disposition of every godly man besides, who thinks nothing too much for God whatsoever he shall desire at his hands, but goes by this general Principle in the whole course of his life, If thou desirest it, I will give it thee.

And there is this ground for it: First, That special affection which a good Christian bears to God. Love, it does not stand upon terms, but is ready to expend itself to the utmost for the party upon whom it is placed; and this is that which is remarkable in God's Servants, they have the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, and they bear a special affection to him, and therefore think nothing too dear for him; what He thinks fitting to ask, they think fitting to grant, and to yield unto him upon that consideration. His Commandments are not grievous, because they love God, as the Apostle implies, 1 Joh. 5.3.

Secondly, This disposition is likewise founded upon an Universal Ingagement to him; whosoever they be that are Christians, they do absolutely resign themselves to God, to be at his disposing; and therefore upon particular occasions they hold themselves bound by it. They are God's, and therefore must yield to God in that which he requires of them: They which have given him their persons, they may not think much to give him anything else which is appurtenant hereunto. As it is noted of the Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8.5. That they first gave their own selves to the Lord, and then they gave their Estates for the succor and relief of the poor Saints. That Christian which can find in his heart to give up his Soul to God in all the powers and faculties of it, to resign his will, and desires, and affections, and such things as are more essential and immediate to his person, he will not demur about any thing else, especially which may be less or more remote, but give it with them. Look as it is with God to us, so it is with us likewise to Him: for God to us, having given us Himself and his Son, he does not stick with him to give us all things, Rom. 8.3. And so for us to Him, we having given ourselves to Him, shall give him everything else with them.

Thirdly, This disposition in God's Servants holds in a way of thankfulness and retribution: They cannot think much to give God whatever he desires, because whatsoever they have to give, they have it first of all from Him, who is the Giver and Bestower of it; so that it is not so much a Gift, as indeed a Restitution. This is that which David plainly signifies in another place, 1 Chron. 29.14. when He and his people had offered so willingly to the building of the Temple, what does he say of it? why this, That all things come of Thee, and of thine own have we given thee. Let David give all he can give, he will give but still what is God's already: If God desires Sacrifice, why it is his before he desires it; Every Beast of the Forest is mine, and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills, as it is Psal. 50.10. Therefore if thou desirest it, I will give it thee, that is indeed, I will restore it to thee. And that's a third Ground of this Disposition.

Now for the Application of it, we may hence take account of ourselves, see what we are by our Disposition in this particular; If we be such as belong to God, we shall be ready to yield Obedience to Him in whatsoever he requires of us, whether for the leaving of sin which he would have us to forsake, or for the doing of any duty which he would have us to perform, His will would in such cases be a sufficient Rule unto us; as Cornelius said to Peter, Act. 10.33. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. A right Principle of Godliness, it does not pick and choose in this business, but is absolute and indefinite: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth, as Samuel upon the advice of Eli; and, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? as Paul upon his Conversion.

This Expression, If thou desirest it, I would give it thee, it does imply two things especially in it as concerning David's Obedience, and so proportionably as observable in every good Christian besides: First, The promptness and readiness of it, he does not linger or delay. Secondly, The fullness and universality of it, he does not limit or restrain his Obedience.

First, Here's his freeness or promptness, that's here expressed in I would give it thee; and it is a notable Character of a good and upright Spirit. There are many which do sometimes come oft to that which God requires of them, but it goes much against the hair, they are drawn and forced as it were to it, as a Bear to the Stake; yea, but it was otherwise here with David; there was a a promptness and readiness in him to do what God required of him without any reluctancy; His heart was ready, his heart was ready, as he says in another place of himself; and so it should be with us likewise. It is a wonderful thing to consider how prompt and ready men are to the obeying of their sinful lusts, and to yield to Satan in his sinful suggestions, and yet how backward in the exercise of their Graces, and in complying with God in his holy and gracious Commands; whereas readiness is a great advancement of the performance, that which is done quickly being in a sort and in a manner done twice, as we use to express it.

Secondly, As here was the freeness of his Obedience, so here was also the fullness and universality, in that there was nothing which God should command, but he would yield unto it. Though Sacrifice was a particular performance, yet David would yield to it out of a general Principle, and upon the same account would do anything which God at any time should require of him: This is also implied in this Expression, Else would I give. There are many who are content sometimes to do that which God requires of them, but they restain it to some few particulars, and for other matters they desire to have their liberty. Yea, but this is not the right temper of a Christian; no, but with David, (as he elsewhere expresses it) to have respect unto all God's Commandments, without exception, Psal. 119.6. And we may make trial of ourselves also by this; Examine by the Truth of our Obedience, by the indefiniteness and universality of it: When we are willing and content to do anything which God shall require and command to be done by us, then we are such as we should be. And so much may be spoken of David's first improvement of God's Nature and Disposition in this particular, as to matter of Sacrifice; and that is in the Affirmative, If Thou didst desire it, Then I would be sure to give it Thee, without any delay or reservation.

The second is the Improvement of it in the Negative, thus; Thou doest not desire Sacrifice, and therefore I will not give it Thee. In which passage there are three things which seem to be declined by the Prophet David. First, He declines a superfluous Service. Secondly, He declines an arbitrary Service. Thirdly, He declines an unacceptable Service. He will not do more in God's Worship than is needful; Nor he will not do more in God's Worship than is required; Nor he will not do more in God's Worship than shall be received. Each of these he resolves upon with himself, and signifies it in this Expression, whiles he says, Else would I give it thee.

First, He declines a superfluous and unnecessary Service; He will not give that; this is one thing which he resolves on, and it is a good resolution in him. In the Worship of God, whatever is more than needful, it may very well be spared; we cannot supererogate with Him; those that think to do so, as Papists, and such as those are, they do exceedingly deceive themselves, yea and wrong themselves also, whiles they draw out the strength of their spirits upon that which might be better bestowed.

Secondly, (and which we are here chiefly to observe) he declines an arbitrary Service. He will not serve God in any other way than as Himself shall allow of, and prescribe; That's another thing which he here resolves on; Because God does not desire Sacrifice, therefore he will not give Sacrifice to Him: This is the Rule which he goes by, and holds to in God's Worship, to do no more than himself has commanded. And this is that which the Scripture does continually press upon us, the declining of all Will-Worship in the Service of God, as that which is odious and abominable with him. By Will-Worship we are to understand such Religion and Worship of God, as is not willed or commanded by God in his own Word, but is from the mere will of man: When men do that which they are not bound to by God's Commandment, and think that in so doing they worship God: this in the sense of Scripture is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Will-Worship, or Voluntary Religion; and it is that which is everywhere condemned. This is the main scope and drift of the second Commandment, to forbid all serving of God any otherwise than as himself pleaseth, which is suitable to other places of Scripture. In Deut. 12.8. God tells the people there plainly, Ye shall not do as ye do here this day, everyone what seemeth good in his own eyes. And it seems to refer to the exercises of Religion, which were undertaken by them. So Isaiah 1.12. Who hath required this at your hands, &c. God will have that which is done to be required. Upon which account, Saul 's sparing of the cattle for sacrifice was displeasing to God. And Moses was commanded to keep himself to the pattern which he had shewn him in the Mount, Exod. 25.10.

And there is this ground for it, because we of ourselves are unable to discern what is suitable to God and most requisite for Him: And that which with us is of great account, in his eyes it is most abominable, as our Savior tells the Pharisees, Luke 16.15. It is true (as the Apostle tells us, Col. 2.23.) Will-worship, it hath a show of wisdom in it, but it is no more than a show. It hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but it hath not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , some pretence of reason for it, but no true and right reason indeed, if it be well and thoroughly examined. Take all those things whatsoever, as whereby men conceive they bring Glory to God in the following of their own inventions, and ye shall find a great deal of vanity and folly in them; In vain do they worship me, (says Christ) teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men, Matth. 15.9. Will-Worship it is Vain Worship, and does discover more vanity in those which are the followers of it, who are not able to judge aright of God, and what belongs unto him.

Besides, That it is a thing most requisite and proper that God should have the choice of his own Worship himself. He who is the Person alone to be worshipped, it is most sitting he should prescribe after what sort and manner he will be worshipped.

This therefore it justly condemns the practice of Papists, and others, who please themselves in ways of Worship and Service of God, after their own devices and conceits, as if hereby they did not only do that which were acceptable, but likewise moreover which were meritorious; Not only please God, but in a manner engage him, and deserve more highly from him. No, it is no such matter, they do rather hereby provoke him, and stir up his indignation against them, who hates such services and ways of Worship as those are which himself has not allotted and prescribed as whereby to be served. This was that which David knew well enough, and which here he considered, whiles he says, that because God desired not Sacrifice, therefore he would not give it to him. And that's the second thing which David declines in this Expression, viz. An arbitrary Service.

The third that he declines is an unacceptable Service; He will not do more in God's Service than shall be well-received. This is the main thing which God's People look after in their Services which they present unto Him; to wit, His acceptance of them in those Services; all without this, it is nothing worth: This is that which David says here; Because he thinks that God delights not in Burnt-Offerings, therefore He shall not have them. God's Complacency it is all in all: This is that wherein he glories in another place; The Lord hath heard my Supplication, the Lord will receive my Prayer; receive it, that is, accept of it, Psal. 6.9. So agen, Psal. 20.3. He brings in the Church praying for him to this purpose, The Lord hear thee, &c. Remember all thine Offerings, and accept thy Burnt-Sacrifice, Selah. And Psal. 19.14. He prays for himself, Let the words of my mouth, &c. be acceptable in thy sight, &c.

The reason of it is this, because this indeed is the main End of all such works as these are; that is the drift of all our Sacrifices, and Prayers, and Performances in matter of Religion; it is only that by means of those things we might enjoy Communion with God, and acceptance from him: they are all but empty things without this, even a Shell without a Kernel. Now therefore it concerns us to mind and look after this more especially.

Therefore this discovers to us the misery of all such persons as are deprived of it, which is the condition of all wicked and ungodly persons whatsoever: Let them present God with never so many Sacrifices or Services in any kind whatsoever, and he gives no regard unto them, nay, he abominates them, and loathes them at his very heart. The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the Prayer of the upright is his delight, Prov. 15.18. Thus he threatens them in Amos 5.22. Though ye offer me Burnt-Offerings, and your Meat-Offerings, I will not accept them, neither will I regard the Peace-Offerings of your beasts. Now what can be a greater disparagement and indignity than this is? If any Persons of expectation should come and present a Petition to some Great Man, and he should reject it, and lay it aside, would not this be a great daunting to them after all their care about it? And what is it then for the Great GOD to lay aside those Prayers, and Petitions, which are presented unto Him? How must it needs be an Astonishment to them? Which is the Lot and Condition of all Ungodly Persons.

Let us therefore in the next place be all persuaded to look to this: Let us not please ourselves in anything which we do, or the abundance of it, but consider what acceptance it is likely to meet withal from God; and accordingly all we can endeavor after it: which that we may procure the more effectually, let us take notice of these following Particulars.

First, Let us look to the matter of the Sacrifice itself which we present, that it be such as is good and warrantable, yea, the best that we can possibly present: This is plainly signified to us, in Malachi 1.8, 9. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now to thy Governor, will He be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts. And now I pray you beseech God that he will be gracious to us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts. And so agen, Vers. 14. Cursed is the deceiver which hath in his stock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing, such an one as this is, he is so far from meeting with acceptance, as that he comes under a curse.

Secondly, As we must look to the matter of our Sacrifice, so to our mind and spirit in it: The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, how much more when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? Prov. 21.27. Those that come to God with any Offerings, they must look to the frame of their hearts and spirits at such times as those are; and that not only in reference to that particular duty itself which they are conversant about, but also as to their whole Conversation considered at large. This was that which David in another place thought of for himself, Psal. 66.18, 19. If I regard iniquity in mine heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me, he hath attended to the voice of my Prayer; As long as we regard iniquity, God will not regard our Prayers. That therefore we may gain acceptance with Him, we must be careful to free ourselves from the harbouring and allowance of any sin whatsoever.

Thirdly and lastly, and indeed chiefly, We must look to our state and condition, that namely, we are Members of Christ, and (as I gave you an hint of it before) by Faith incorporated into Him. In Ephes. 1.6. it is said, He hath made us accepted in the Beloved; and as to all purposes else, so to this amongst the rest, for the presenting of our Services to Him. This is the Angel to whom is given much Incense, that he should offer it with the Prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar, Rev. 8.3. and we must have a special regard to Him, Heb. 13.15. By Him let us offer the Sacrifice, &c. Let a Sacrifice be never so good as to the matter of the thing which is offered, yea, if we could imagine all actual defilement to cease in the time of its offering; yet if the Person be not united to Christ, and by Faith made a Member of Him, there will be no acceptance of it for all this: This is that which completes it, and gives full virtue and efficacy to it. So much also for that, viz. The third thing which David here declines, not only an unnecessary Service, nor only an arbitrary Service, but likewise an unacceptable Service; if he thought God would not receive, himself would not give; That is the Improvement of God's Nature in the Negative. And so much of this Sixteenth Verse also, Thou desirest not, &c.

SERMON XVIII.

IN the Text itself there are two general Parts: First, The simple Proposition: Secondly, The Additional Amplification of this Proposition. The Proposition, that we have in those words, The Sacrifices of God are a broken Spirit; The Amplification, that we have in these, A broken and a contrite Heart, &c.

We begin with the first, viz. The simple Assertion or Proposition, The Sacrifices of God, &c. They may be called the Sacrifices of God, upon a three-fold account.

First, By way of Denomination, Sacrifices of God, i. e. Eminent Sacrifices, as Mountains of God, for great Mountains; a City of God, for a great City, &c. according to the Idiom and Propriety of the Hebrew Language.

Secondly, By way of Efficiency, The Sacrifices of God, i. e. which God Himself is the Author of, and enables us to offer, &c.

Thirdly, By way of Acceptation, The Sacrifices of God, i. e. which are best pleasing to God; and in this sense are we properly to understand it here in this Text.

By the Sacrifices of God, we are to understand those Sacrifices which are most pleasing and acceptable to God, such Sacrifices as He delights in, and chiefly accepts, in opposition to what was premised in the Verse before: This is that which God does principally look after in all our Humiliations of ourselves before Him, and in all our approaches and accesses to Him, that our Hearts and Spirits be broken in us. It is not so much the Duty itself for the outward and external performance, as the carriage and frame of our Hearts in the Duty: This is the Point here before us; and this is that which the Scripture does in sundry places recommend unto us; to instance in one or two: thus Psal. 34.15. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. And Psal. 147.3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. So Isai. 57.13. Thus saith the high and lofty One, &c. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. So agen, Isai. 66.2. To him will I look that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Still this contrition and brokenness of spirit is such a business as is much advanced by God in Scripture.

For the better opening of this Point unto us, it will not be amiss for us to consider what this brokenness of heart means, and wherein it consists. Now we may take it briefly in these two Particulars: First, It consists in a quickness of sense and apprehensiveness; A broken spirit is a sensible spirit; it presently discerns what is amiss, either in it, or towards it. As a broken Bone or Joint, it presently feels the least annoyance that is; even so likewise does a broken heart. That heart which is truly contrite and broken, it is sensible of the least grievance that may be; and this whether in regard of sin, or in regard of punishment: In regard of sin first, it is very quick and sensible here; those whose hearts are hardened and obdurate, they can commit one sin upon another, and yet never be affected with it, or lay it to heart: but those which are broken, and so tender-spirited, the least miscarriage that is troubles them, and goes to their soul; they are humbled not only for grosser sins, but also for smaller infirmities; and not only for more notorious practices, but likewise for failings in duties themselves; and not only for outward and notorious miscarriages, which come into all men's view, but even also for the secretest obliquities and deflexions of the inward man. Look as those which have tender bodies, the least air that is, it offends them; whereas those which are more hardy can endure the sharpest weather that is: even so those also which have tender spirits, the least guilt that is it troubles them, whereas those which are unbroken, they make no matter of the greatest sins that are.

Agen, as it holds in regard of sin, so in regard of punishment also. Broken hearts and contrite spirits, they tremble at the very shakings of the Rod, and intimations of Judgment towards them; whereas those which are more hardened and obdurate, they are unsensible even under Judgment itself. A reproof entereth more into a wise man, than an hundred stripes into a fool, says Solomon, Prov. 17.10. A wise man, that is, one spiritually wise, which has true Grace and Godliness in him, and has a Principle of spiritual life, such an one is very sensible of Judgment. And that's the first Particular wherein this broken-heartedness consists.

Secondly, It consists in a pliableness and fashionableness of heart and spirit; an hard heart is capable of no impression, ye cannot work it, or frame it to anything, but a broken heart ye may mould it in any way, and turn it whithersoever ye please. And this is another thing which is considerable in it, it is such an heart as yields to all God's dealings and workings with it, to his Word, and to his Providence, and that in the several Dispensations of it, it is pliable to everything. Thus we see wherein this brokenness of heart does indeed specially and principally consist, and what it means for the Nature of it, that so we may not speak of it at random, and not well understood.

Now the reason why the Scripture does so much press this upon us, as that Sacrifice which is most acceptable to God, is because, First, It signifies the Person in whom it is to be subjected to God, and brought in Obedience to Him. A man may offer bodily Sacrifice, and perform outward Duties to God, and yet stand alouf off from him, and have his heart still reserved to himself; but now when it is once broken and contrite, it then stoops and gives itself up to God's disposing; and this is that which God does mainly look after in those that come to him, He desires still to have the better of them, and to have their spirits brought in order to him, which is all in all in them: this is that which God calls for, My son, give me thine heart, Prov. 23.16. Now this is never done by us, till it be in some manner broken and bruised in us; because till then, we shall be apt to rest upon our own bottom, and to subsist wholly in ourselves, and some worth of our own.

Secondly, A broken heart is most acceptable, because it is that which makes the best amends for all the sins which are committed by us: The breaking of our hearts, it best satisfies for the breaking of God's Laws; not as if thereby we did indeed make satisfaction to God's Justice, (which is only done by the Blood of Christ) but it is that which does carry the best shadow of compensation with it. David had now at this time exceedingly trespast upon God's account, by those foul sins which had been committed by him; and now he saw that all his sacrificing would be of no avail in this particular, but rather a broken heart, which has the best expression of revenge upon himself, and also of respect to God; and so it is likewise in any other besides with him.

Thirdly, A broken heart is most desired, as that which makes the best Improvement of all God's Providences and Dispensations, &c. This makes us more thankful for Mercies, and this makes us more corrigible under Afflictions. A hard and stony heart is nothing the better by all God's dealings with it; but rather the worse: if God casts Mercies upon it, it is thereby more secure and presumptuous; and if God lays afflictions upon it, it does but so much the more stand out against him: But now an heart which is broken, it takes occasion to be so much the better from all God's dealings with it in either kind.

The proper Use and Application of all this to ourselves, is, First, For trial and examination of our hearts in this particular: Seeing this is that which is principally required, let us therefore consider how far forth we partake of it. We have of late had occasion to humble ourselves before God for the late sad Fires which have been amongst us; and we have kept (at least some of us) a Day of Fast and solemn Supplication in order thereunto: Now the Question is this, How far forth we have any of us partaken of this Contrition, and brokenness of spirit. We heard the last Day, that God desired not Sacrifice, i. e. that he delighted not in the mere outward performance of Duties; Now it is good to consider how much further we ourselves have proceeded. Remember that of the Prophet, Isai. 58.5, &c. Is this the Fast that I have chosen? &c. And so for our carriage in our whole lives besides, see what brokenness of spirit we have in us.

Now it may be discerned by these discoveries, First, This brokenness of spirit, it has in it a special love to God, and zeal for the Glory of God. That heart which is deeply affected with its own dishonor of God by its sin, cannot endure to have his Name blasphemed by others abroad in the World: This was the case even of David in the Text, as we may see in divers places of the Psalms, Psal. 119.136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy Law. And Vers. 158. I beheld the Transgressors, and was grieved because they kept not thy Word. David, who had a broken spirit in him, he was tender of the dishonor which was brought to the Name of God.

Secondly, As it is affected with the Name of God, so it is also affected with the Word of God, as in the place before-cited, Isai. 66.2. we find them both joined together, He that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word; and the Word in all the several kinds and Modifications of it.

First, The Threatenings and Comminations of the Word; it trembles at them: Thus 2 Chron. 34.27. it is noted of good Josiah, that his heart was tender, and he humbled himself before God, when he heard his words against that place, and the inhabitants of it, &c. And so Ezra 9.4. it is said that they trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the Transgression of them of the Captivity, &c. Yea, it is noted even in the men of Nineveh, that they trembled at the Preaching of the Prophet Jonah, and proclaimed a Fast, and put on Sackcloth, &c. This is the Nature of broken-hearted persons: Those that can sit under the threatenings of the Word, and be never moved or affected with them, as if they had no matter of terror or astonishment in them, it is a sign that their hearts are harder than even the Nether-Milstone.

And so, as for the threatenings of the Word, so the comforts of it also in the Promises; These they work upon a tender-hearted Soul; Having these Promises, (dearly Beloved) let us cleanse ourselves: There is nothing which more works upon Ingenuity, than Goodness itself.

Agen, The Commands and Directions of the Word, these have likewise the same effect. God can but signify his mind to a broken spirit, and it presently yields and comes off to him: Thus Samuel to God, Speak, Lord, thy Servant heareth. Thus David, Thou saidst, Seek my face; my heart answered, Thy face, Lord, will I seek. And agen, Lo I come to do thy will; yea, Thy Law is my delight. There's no better discovery of this broken-heartedness, than its pliableness to the Word of God. That is the second discovery.

Thirdly, The Providence of God; It is much wrought upon and affected by that; It is quick-sighted, and foresees Judgment a far off, and trembles (as I said before) at the very shakings of the Rod: no more but so, My flesh trembleth for fear of Thee, and I am afraid of Thy Judgments, says David, Psal. 119.120. And this fear it is not idle in Him, but operative; it makes him presently to bestir himself, and to go and meet God by unfeigned repentance. This is the property of it.

Lastly, This broken-heartedness is much discerned in its carriage towards others, whom it does accordingly pity and compassionate; as Paul, he wept for the miscarriages of the Philippians, and those amongst them, of whom I tell you weeping: And we see how full of bowels he was towards the Incestuous Corinthian. Christ Himself he wept over Jerusalem, in regard both of their miseries and sins which were the causes of them; and thereby teaches us to have the same bowels and affections in ourselves; and so we shall so far forth as we have this contrite spirit in us. It will make us to have a tender regard to the souls of other men, whether as going on in sin without remorse, or else as troubled and afflicted for sin: It will make us deal kindly and Christianly with them; and therefore Paul speaks thus to those which are spiritual, to restore with meekness those which are fallen, considering themselves. By these and the like Manifestations may this behavior of heart be discovered. And thus far may this Point serve for trial.

Secondly, It serves also for excitement, To persuade us, and stir us all up to endeavor hereafter all that may be, seeing this is that which is mainly acceptable. We should not satisfy ourselves with anything below it: We should labor all that may be to bring our hearts into this frame of spirit whereof we now speak, and to get this tenderness which is here commended in us: where we must know, that this is not a Plant which grows in our own Soil, but is the alone Gift of God Himself. None can kindly break the Heart, but He that made it; and therefore we must have recourse to Him for it, and desire Him that He would please to do it for us.

But because God works still by means, and does not these things for the most part immediately, therefore we must make use of those means which tend hereunto. What (may you say) are they?

First, Let us attend upon the Word of God, which he has sanctified for such a purpose as this is. Jer. 23.29. Is not my Word like a Fire, (saith the Lord) and like an Hammer that breaks the Rocks in pieces? God has put a special Power into his Word for the breaking of men's hearts, and we have special instances of it to this purpose: Thus it was with St. Peter 's Converts, Act. 2.37. When they heard these things, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, Men and Brethren, what shall we do? So long as they kept from the Ordinances, their sin it had no working upon them; but when they came once under the reach of this, then they were otherwise affected; when Peter comes home to their Consciences, and deals plainly and roundly with them, tells them that they had crucified the Lord Jesus, the Lord of Glory, this it broke them, and wrought effectually upon them; and so it is likely to do upon any other besides. Thus we shall find it to be likewise with the Jailor, what an hardhearted man was there? ye shall hardly meet with a more barbarous person; and yet ye may see how the Word of God broke him, and brought him to a most tender frame of spirit as could be possibly desired. So the Disciples which were going to Emmaus, ye shall find the same work of it upon them, Luk. 24.32. They said one to another, Did not our hearts burn within us, whiles he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures? The Word of God it is very powerful to this purpose, and so the Scripture in plain terms expresses it, as in the Example, so likewise in the Doctrine, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. The Weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And so Heb. 4.12. The Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. So Psal. 29.4, 5. The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of Majesty, &c. It holds good not only of the ordinary Thunder, whereof it seems there principally to be spoken; but likewise as well of the Thunderings of the Word, which has most powerful effects with it. As therefore we desire this tenderness and brokenness of heart in us, it will concern us to have recourse hereunto by attendance upon it, which has the experience of so much virtue in it. There are some kind of people in the World, which do shun this as much as they can, and thereby think to keep themselves as it were out of harms way, by withdrawing from such opportunities as these are; will not come within the compass of Preaching, or at least of such Preaching as may come home effectually to their Consciences; and what do they get by it? but from hence still to keep and retain their hardened hearts. But we learn a better way for ourselves in this particular, which is to close with such blessed opportunities as these are, that so we may have the benefit of them. Let us come to the Word, and let us desire God's blessing upon the Word, whereby it may become effectual to us, or otherwise all will be in vain, and to no purpose at all. That's the first means here to be taken notice of, by Application of ourselves to the Word.

Secondly, Let us view our sins in all the Circumstances and Aggravations. What was that which brought David here to this brokenness of heart which was upon him? It was the serious Meditation upon his sin, as we may see in the third Verse of this Psalm, I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. David had now taken his sins into Consideration; He viewed them in their weight, in their number, in their appurtenances; and this (through the blessing of God) wrought upon his heart. When people have no thoughts of their sins, or those which they have, but sleight and perfunctory, they do consequently retain but hardened hearts with them; but when they shall begin to think seriously upon them, this will affect them; and this is that which therefore we are to do. Think of sin as it is in its own Nature, and as the Word of God does represent it to us: Do not think of it according to the judgments and apprehensions of a lust, and a mind engaged in it; but think severely and impartially of it; and this will be a means to soften thine heart, if ever anything will. Think of sin as having Judgment at the heels of it, which is the truest and most proper thoughts of it: This is that which the Scripture still does with us, to work this softness of heart in us; It propounds to us the Judgments of God as in this life, so especially in that which is to come; 2 Cor. 5.11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, &c. And 2 Tim. 4.1. I charge you before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his coming. Often and serious thoughts of the Day of Judgment, are very good helps to put the heart in frame.

Thirdly, Let us look upon others, and see how it is with them; consider how many poor Souls are afflicted with the burden of sin upon them, and are humbled under it, and this will give us occasion to conclude that there is certainly somewhat more in it than we are for the most part aware of; why should we be hardened, whiles they are dejected?

Lastly, (to add no more at this time) to take heed of presumptuous sins, and of lying in any known miscarriage; for that will very much harden the heart, and contract an obdurateness upon it, Heb. 3.23. Take heed (says the Apostle) lest ye be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Sin it is deceitful, and will harden all those that give themselves to it; so as that the more they commit it, the more they shall be confirmed in it: Therefore as we would avoid this, let us look to that. And so now I have done with the first general Part of the Text, which is the simple Assertion, or Proposition, in these words, The Sacrifices of God are a broken heart.

The second is, The Reiteration or Amplification of the same Proposition, in these words, A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. And this agen may admit of a double Interpretation; First, as it may be taken in the literal sense; or, Secondly, as it may be taken in the extended. The literal sense is that sense which the words themselves carry and bear; which is this, That God does not despise a broken and a contrite heart, he does not think such a Sacrifice as this too mean for him; and to speak first of all of this.

In all other things besides, the breaking of them, for the most part especially, takes from the valuation; those things that are of worth when they are whole, when they are broken they are of no account: But in the heart of man it is otherwise, this it is most precious at such time as it is most broken; and God Himself, who is the Maker and Owner of it, does not from hence ere a whit the less regard it, which yet he might seem to do from that excellency and transcendency which is in him, Psal. 113.5, 6. Who is like the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and Earth? Though he dwells on high, yet he stoops to these things below; and what those things in particular are, he does more particularly signify in the place before alleged, Isai. 57.15. He dwells in the high and holy place, with him also who is of an humble and contrite spirit. This is not the manner of men, O Lord: Among men, the higher that any are themselves, the more apt they are to despise those which are low, and to carry themselves disdainfully towards them. But with God it is quite contrary: He which is the great and high GOD, he does not despise the humble Spirit. There is nothing which God despises in any Creature but Sin, and that he despises under never so many glorious Qualifications, as to worldly respects. Let men have never such outward Excellencies and Perfections upon them whatsoever, Wealth, or Honor, or Beauty, or Strength, or what else we might name, if they be sinful and wicked with them, the Lord despises them, and so the Scripture expresses itself about them; The covetous whom the Lord abhors, Psal. 10.3. The proud, He knows a far off, Psal. 138.6. The froward, is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 3.32. He that despises the Servants of Christ, Him does Christ Himself despise, as he signifies to us. But let men be in never such a condition otherwise, and God does not despise them; He despises them not for the lowness of their condition, because they are poor in Estate; nor much less does He for the lowness of their disposition, because they are poor in spirit; This makes them to be never a whit the less acceptable and pleasing to Him, neither does He set ever a whit the less account or esteem upon them.

There are two things which are apt to provoke contempt; The one is, when a thing is absolutely evil; The other is, when it is but imperfectly good. Now a broken spirit might seem in the latter sense at least to be matter of despising, as that which does not seem to carry so much worth in it; Sacrifices, and Burnt-Offerings, and such performances as these are, they carry a great deal of pomp and splendor with them, from whence they might gain respect, and do obtain it in the eyes of men: but now a poor, broken, humble spirit, which weeps and mourns in secret, and lies flat in the presence of God, this is a poor and a mean business in worldly apprehensions; yea, but it is not so for all that in the eyes of God; He despises not the Prayer of the humble, He rejects not any which bring Him such Oblations as these, though they have nothing else to bring with them: As it was under the Law, those which were poor, and could bring but a pair of Doves, their Offering it was not despised; even so it is here.

This now is a great encouragement to all the faithful Servants of God, let their condition be what it will be, that if they come with broken hearts before Him, He does not slight them, or despise them herein. The World they may be apt to despise them, and to despise such a frame of spirit as this is in them; look upon it as a piece of baseness, and weakness, and pusillanimity, a thing not becoming men; yea, but the Lord He does not despise them for it, and David seems to lay a special emphasis in that, O GOD, Thou wilt not despise it.

Agen, (which is further for our comfort) as God does not despise the thing itself, so neither does he despise the lowest degree or measure of it; A broken and a contrite heart Thou wilt not despise, though it be not broken into so many pieces as might haply be desired. It is true, that God likes it the better when we are advanced to the highest measure and degree of Grace that can be in any kind whatsoever; and so amongst the rest, as to this matter of contrition and humiliation of spirit; but yet he despiseth not the smallest, where there is sincerity and endeavor after the greatest: God does not there despise the meanest, He will not break the bruised reed, nor He will not quench the smoking flax, nor he will not despise the broken heart; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Therefore let us not stand too much upon this, I am not humbled enough, the desire is to the thing, not to the degree. So much for the words in the first sense, as they may be taken considered in the letter.

The second is, as considered in the Extent; and so here's that Trope which in Rhetoric we call a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , wherein less is expressed than is intended. Thou wilt not despise it; that is, indeed, Thou doest highly esteem it: This it does carry somewhat more in it than as yet we have spoken unto, to wit, the wonderful respect and account which God puts upon a broken spirit: It is that which we shall observe all along through the whole currant of Scripture; and it may be made good in sundry particulars.

First, In the care he takes of such, so as to keep off Judgments from them. We shall find that as any men's hearts have been more humbled and broken in them, so much securer they have still been from Calamities either public or private: Thus Josiah, because his heart was tender, and he humbled himself before God, therefore the Lord heard him, and preserved him from seeing the evil, &c. as we may see 2 Chron. 34.27, &c. So Manasseh, because he humbled himself greatly before the Lord God of his fathers, therefore the Lord was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, 2 Chron. 31.12. So the Pinces in Rehoboam's time, that humbled themselves, because they humbled themselves, God spared them, and signifies that he did it for that reason, 2 Chron. 32.7. Because they have humbled, &c. So the Mourners, Ezek. 9.6. there was a mark set upon their foreheads, and they were preserved.

Secondly, As God's esteem of humbled persons is discernible in hi preventing them from Judgments, so likewise in removing Judgments from them upon their humiliation: This is that which God also has done; where their hearts have been wrought upon by his Corrections, he has there relaxed his hand unto them; as a Father, that when the Child is made tractable, he throws the Rod away.

Thirdly, In his bestowing of absolute and direct Mercies; This is another thing which God does in such cases: where he meets with broken and contrite spirits, he is there inclinable to show them favor, as we see in the Parable of the prodigal Child, &c.

The use which we are to make of this, is to esteem of it highly ourselves. That which God Himself does so account of, should not be of low esteem with us, but we should prize it, and set highly by it; and that not only by commending it, and giving glorious Titles to it, but especially by contending for it, and by conforming to it. This is the best discovery, to show that we do not despise it, otherwise we shall interpretatively have but mean conceits about it.

And agen, when we have got it, to keep it, and preserve it as much as may be. Any thing by how much more we value it, by so much the more careful are we of it, to maintain it, and hold it with us: By this therefore shall we also (amongst the rest) show our esteem of a broken heart, when we are industrious to keep our hearts once broken, in a broken frame. This is done in the continuance of those means whereby it is first wrought; That which breaks the heart at first, will keep it tender after breaking, which is the Word of God set home by his Spirit, which is to be attended upon by us; and this joined with Meditation and Prayer. Those which neglect such Duties as these are, they soon contract some kind of hardness upon them, after some beginnings of mollification; which therefore we must be mindful of.

And moreover, Take heed of surfeiting of the Creature, and the things of this life; worldly pleasures, and these outward comforts, being too greedily and earnestly pursued, and having too much delight taken in them, do oftentimes harden the heart, and take away the sense of us as to better things; yea, where the heart is in some measure softened, yet will cause it to return again to its former hardness, if it be not diligently and carefully prevented. But so much for that, and so ye have this Truth laid forth both in the simple Proposition, and Additional Amplification.

Now to look upon the Text in some further Circumstances of it. Here are divers things which might be very well noted and enlarged upon: as, First, We may observe how David was right here in point of Judgment, and does by Meditation labor to strengthen himself in this Practical Truth. He understood the true Notion of Religion, and he does accordingly work it upon his heart, The Sacrifices of God are, &c. The scope of which speech in this his Prayer, is not to instruct and inform God, but to affect and provoke himself. From whence we may learn thus much in general, That the way to be right in the practice of Religion, is first to be right in the notion of it. We must first know what God here is, and wherein the true and sound Worship of God does principally consist, before we can frame ourselves to the practice and exercise of it, so as we should do: This is clear from the course which David takes in this particular place, who by this means stirs himself up. That he might the better work himself to this brokenness of heart indeed, he ponders and considers with himself, that this is that which is most acceptable in the sight of God.

Now therefore accordingly in imitation of Him, we should take the like course with ourselves, when we find any backwardness upon us in this particular, or any aptness to rest in formalities, and the outside of Duties: If we be ignorant, let us inform our Judgments; and if we be forgetful, let us rub up our Memories in this particular, as David here does, Thou delightest not, &c. The Sacrifices, &c. This (through God's blessing) will be a means so much the better to bring us in frame.

On the other side, the want of this shows us the ground of so much miscarriage. What's the reason that so many people in the World rest themselves satisfied in bare outward performances, and never care to have their hearts wrought upon, and their spirits warmed and enlivened in Duties? It is because they do not seriously weigh and consider this point which we have now in hand, That God is a Spirit, and that they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit and truth, as our Savior told the woman of Samaria; or as David here expresses it in the Text, The Sacrifices of God are, &c. That's one Observation in the general.

Secondly, As these are words of Truth, and proceeding from a sound Judgment; so likewise words of Comfort, and proceeding from a well-satisfied Spirit: David did now comfort himself in this, as to his speeding and prevailing with God in this request which he makes to him, according to the present frame and temper of his own heart. He found his heart and spirit (through God's mercy) in some measure broken in him, and his soul molded to an humble disposition, and from hence now is he the more encouraged in expectation of God's goodness in granting his Petitions. From whence we may also note thus much, That the temper of a man's own particular spirit in his approaches and addresses to God, is one of the best discoveries of likelihood for his success in those approaches. This is clear here from David 's pertinent intimation. If he had offered never so many Sacrifices, and outward Oblations to God, he could not have been confident from these, nor durst not have put any stress in them: But when he considers the brokenness of his heart, and humiliation of spirit, this encourages and puts life into him, and causes him to expect acceptation; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise: They are not only the words of Truth, but the words of Comfort.

Thirdly, In that David here still makes mention of God in this business; The Sacrifices of God, in the first clause; and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise, in the second. We see here what a Gracious Heart does especially look after in Religion, and the Exercises of it: namely, To approve itself to God, and to do that which is well-pleasing in his sight: David cares not how others stand affected, so God Himself be satisfied and delighted.

And there are two things especially, which make