The Godly Mans Ark, Sermon 2
THE Word of God IS THE Saints Delights. SERMON II.
PSAL. 119. 92.
Unless thy Law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine Affliction.
NOw I come to speak of the second Truth supposed in the Text.
That the Word of God is the Saints darling, and delights; not onelyonly their delight, but in the plural number, their delights, that is (as our Annotations say) a Saint doth greatly delight in Gods Law, or as Iunius; All the delight of a Saint is in Gods Law, Gods word is the center of his delights, Nisi lex tun erat omuit oblectatio mea, Many were the troubles and sorrows of Davids life, but against them all hee found as many comforts and delectations in Gods Word, therefore hee saith, vers. 29. Thy Testimonies are my delights, &c. and 143. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on mee, yet thy Commandements are my delights: And in the Text, Unless thy Law had been my delights, &c. Whilst others delight in vanity and iniquity, whilst others take pleasure in hunting, hawking, carding, dicing, eating, and drinking, the Saints of God, can say with Austin, Reasons why the Saints take so much delight in Gods LawSacr a Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae dellctae meae, Thy holy Scriptures are my holy delights.
Quest. Why do the Saints of God take such delight in the Law of God?
Answ. 1. Because they are spiritually inlightned; their eyes are opened to behold the glory and beauty, and to understand the deep mysteries of the Law, therefore David prayeth, vers 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law, As the Apostle saith of the Jews, 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15, 16. That to this day there is a vail over their hearts, when Moses is read, and when they shall turn to the Lord, this vail shall bee removed▪ So it is with Christians, when a wicked man reads the word, there is a vail over his eyes, and over his heart, and over the Scriptures, The god of this world hath so blinded his eyes, that hee cannot behold the beauty and glory of them; but the true Saint hath this vail removed, Christ hath anointed his eyes with his spiritual eye-salve; hee seeth a surpassing excellency in the Word of God, and therefore cannot but delight in it.
2 Because they are not onelyonly illightned, but regenerated; And as children new born by the instinct of nature, have a natural appetite to milk for conservation of their life; so the new born Saint, by the instinct of grace, hath a spiritual appetite to the Word of God, according to that of Saint Peter, 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere Milk of the VVord, that you may gr…w thereby: The Word of God is the Saints food, and as it is impossible for a childe unborn to desire food, so for a man unregenerated to hunger after, and take true pleasure in the Word; and as it is impossible for a new born child, not to delight in Milk, so it is as impossible for a regenerate Christian, not to delight in the Law of God.
3 Because a true Saint hath the Law of God written in his heart, according to that precious promise of the Covenant of grace, Ier. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. A Saints heart is the counterpane to Gods Law. The Law is within his heart, Psal. 40. 8. and as it is in the Hebrew, in the midst of his bowels, in medio viscerum. God hath infused a principle of grace into his inward parts, whereby hee is not onelyonly inclined, but inabled to walk in all the Commandements of the Law blameless. A true Saint hides the Law in his heart, as a choice Iewel in a most precious Cabinet, as David saith, vers. 9. I have hid thy Law in my heart. Hid it as a rare treasure. So doth every Saint, and therefore cannot but delight in it.
4 Because the same holy Spirit that wrote the word, dwelleth in every true Saint. It is certain that all Scripture is of Divine Inspiration, and that the holy men of God spake as they were guided by the Holy Ghost. And it is as certain, That the same Holy Ghost dwelleth in every Saint, Rom. 8. 11. And by vertue of the in-dwelling of the Spirit, they are sweetly and powerfully drawn to make the Law of God their chiefest delight.
5 Because it is Gods inditement, and invention. This reason is brought in the Text, Unless thy Law, &c. It is the Law of that God in whom they delight. It transcribes the minde and heart of God. A true Saint seeth the Name, Authority, Power, Wisdome, and Goodness of God in every lett… of it, and therefore cannot but take pleasure in it. It is an Epistle sent down to him from the God of heaven. It is one of the greatest Love-token… that ever God gave to his Church. There are two great Gifts that God hath given to his people. The Word Christ, and the Word of Christ. Both are unspeakably great. But the first will do us no good without the second.
6 A true Saint cannot but delight in the word of God, because it is his inheritance, vers. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for …ver for they are the rejoycing of my heart. Therefore they were the rejoycing of his heart, because they were his everlasting Inheritance.
7 Because hee findes a sweetness in i…. Delight is nothing else but a passi…n of the soul, arising from th… sweetness of the object that wee enjoy. Things that are good, present, suitable, and sweet, are the object of our delights, such is the word of God to every true Saint. It is sweeter than the h…ny, and the hony-comb, Psal. 19. 10. So also Psal. 119. 103. How sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea sweeter than …ony to my mouth. A Saint must needs delight in it, it is so suitable, and so sweet.
8 Because he loves the Law. Now that which wee love, wee cannot but delight in, when wee come to enjoy it. A true Saint doth not onelyonly love the Law, but hee loves it exceedingly, Psal. 119. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. A true Saint can say with David, Psal. 119. 97. Oh how do I love thy Law! and vers. 127. I love thy Commandements above gold, yea above fine gold: And vers. 72. The Law of thy mouth is better to mee than thousands of gold and silver. Now because the Saints of God are so inamoured with the Law of God, therefore it is, that they cannot but delight in it, as David saith, Psal. 119. 47. I will delight my self in thy Commandements, which I have loved▪ Hee that loves the Commandements (as all Saints do) cannot but delight in them.
Use. This shews that there are but few true Saints amongst us. There are many bastard Saints, and nomin…l Saints, but few true and real Saints. Wee live in an age, wherein there were never more Saints, and never fewer, never more by outward Profession, and never fewer by a holy Conversation. It is the property of a true Saint to make the word of God his darling and delights.
But where shall wee finde such Saints? It is easie to finde out men that can say, Eating and drinking is my delight, carding and dicing is my delight, reading of vain and trifling books is my delight, to satisfie the lusts of the flesh is my delight. But where is the man that can truly say as David doth? The Law of God is my delights, and the joy and rejoycing of my heart for ever. Austin professeth of himselfe, that before his Conversion, hee took no pleasure in the Word of God. His proud heart (as hee saith) would not stoop to the humble expressions of it. After his Conversion, hee was ravished with the beauty and excellency of the Scriptures, but before his Conversion, hee saw no excellency in them. Politian (though a great Schollar, yet a notorious Atheist) professeth most blasphemously, that hee never lost more time than in reading the Scripture. And it is reported of Plato, that when hee had read the first Chapter of Genesis, hee said, Hic vir multa dicit, sed nihil probat: This man saith many things, but proveth nothing▪ Where shall wee finde the man that puts a due estimation upon the word of God? That prizeth it above gold, yea above much fine gold? That rejoyceth in thy word, as much as in all riches, verse 14. That can appeal to God, and say as David, vers. 159. Consider, Oh Lord, how I love thy Precepts? and vers. 97. Oh how do I love thy Law? There are some men that can delight in any thing but in God, and his Word, and his Ordinances: They can delight in the creatures of God, but cannot delight in the Ordinances of God. They can delight in the gifts of God, in riches, and health, and honours: But they cannot delight in the God of these gifts. They can delight in books of Philosophy, and Humanity, but they cannot delight in the word of God.
Mark the sad condition that these are in.
It is a certain sign that there is a vail over their eyes and hearts, that they are not yet anointed with Christs eye-salve, that the God of the world hath blinded their eyes, that they cannot see the glorious excellencies of the Law of God.
It is certain, that they are not born anew, for if they were new born babes, they would desire the sincere milk of the word.
It is certain, that the Law of God is not yet written in their hearts, and that the Spirit of God doth not dwell in them. It is certain, that they have no part, nor portion in the word of God, that they never tasted the sweetness that is in it, and that they have no true love to God, nor to his word. It is a true saying, Qui regem amat, legem amat, hee that loves a King, will love his Law. And I may say, Qui Deum amat, legem Dei amat: Hee that loves God, will love the Law of God, which is nothing else but his Image, and his Picture, his last Will and Testament, his blessed Love-token. And therefore if you delight not in the Law of God, it is evident you do not delight in the God of this Law. And if you delight not in God, hee will not delight in you; unless it bee to laugh at your destruction, as it is Prov. 1. 26.
Q. But how shall I know whether I do delight in the Word of God, or no?
Answ. You shall know it by these notes.
1 Hee that delights in Gods Law, will bee very frequent in meditating and reading of it, and very often in speaking of it. Thus saith David, Psal. 1. 2. His delight is in the Law of the Lord, and therein hee will meditate day and night. And Psalm. 119. 97. Oh how do I love thy Law, it is my meditation all the day. So also vers. 15, 16. 23. Hee that takes pleasure in the Law, hee will bee often thinking of it, as Christ saith, Matth. 6. 21. Where the treasure is, there the heart will bee also: If the word of God bee thy treasure, thou wilt meditate on it, Cogitatione crebrâ, longâ, & profundâ. Thou wilt frequently think of it, and when thou beginnest to think of it, thou wilt dwell upon the thought of it, as a Bee dwells (as it were) upon the flower to suck out the sweetness that is in it, and thou wilt think of it with deep and serious meditations and contemplations, thou wilt dive into the unsearchable riches and treasures that are in the Word. And as thou wilt meditate on it, so thou wilt bee often, and unwearisome in reading and perusing of it, and discoursing about it. A man that delights in hunting, is never weary of talking of hunting, and hee that delights in the world, of speaking about the world; and if you did delight in Gods word, you would bee very frequent, and indefatigable in discoursing of it.
2 If you delight in the Word of God, you would delight in the Ministers and Ambassadors of the Word, lawfully commissionated by Christ: For the great work of the Ministry is to expound and apply the Word; and therefore if you dis-respect the godly, learned, lawful Ministry of the Word, you take no delight in the Word.
3 They that delight in the Word, will bee at any cost to bring the Word to their Congregations, they will part with thousands of gold and silver, rather than with the word; He that esteems the Word above thousands, will bee willing to part with hundreds for the Words sake. Hee will account a famine of the Word more bitter than a famine of bread; by how much the soul is better than the body, by so much will hee bee more troubled for a soul-famine, than a bodily.
4 Hee that delights truely in the Law, will sincerely labour to obey it, and bee m…ch grieved when it is disobeyed. 1 Hee will sincerely labour to obey it, hee will make the Word of God the man of his counsel, vers. …4. Thy testimonies are my delight, but how doth hee prove that? in the following words, and my counsellors: Hee will make the Word a Lamp to his feet, and a light to his paths, vers. 105. In all his undertakings, hee will inquire what God would have him to do, and hee will make Gods Word his Compass to sail by, and pray with David, vers. 35. Make mee to go in the path of thy Commandements, for therein do I delight. 2 Hee will bee much grieved when others transgress the Law of God. Thus David, vers. 53. Horror hath taken hold upon mee, because of the wicked that forsake thy Law, and vers. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law.
And therefore you that delight in sin, you cannot bee said to delight in the Word; and you that are not pained and grieved when others sin, you are not amongst the number of those that take pleasure in Gods Law, or in whom God takes pleasure.
Use 2. Let us make it appear that wee are Saints in deed, and in truth, not only Saints in Mans, but in Gods Calender, by following the example of holy David, set down in the Text. Let us make the Law of God our joyes, and our delights. Let mee speak to you in the words of the Apostle, Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of God dwell richly in you, &c. not onelyonly with you, but in you. And in the Words of Christ, Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures, for therein you hope to finde eternal life. The Greek word signifieth to search, as men do under ground for treasures, or to search as men who dive under water for something that is at the bottome. Let us with Iob 23. 12. Esteem the ward of God above our necessary food. Let us love it above gold, yea above fine gold; Let it bee dearer to us than thousands of gold and silver, sweeter than the hony and the honey-comb.
You that are Gentlemen, remember what Hierom reports of Nepotianus, a young Gentleman of Rome, Qui longa & assidua meditatione scripturarum, pectus suum fecerat bibliothecam Christi, who by often and assiduous meditation of the Scriptures, made his breast the Library of Christ. Remember what is said of King Alphonsus, that he read over the Bible fourteen times, together with such Commentaries as those times afforded.
You that are Schollars, remember Cranmer and Ridley, the former learnt the New Testament by heart in his journey to Rome, the latter in Pembrook-hall Walks in Cambridge. Remember what is said of Thomas a Kempis, that hee found rest no where, nisi in angulo, cum libello; but in a corner with this book in his hand. And what is said of Beza, that when hee was above fourscore years old, hee could say perfectly by heart any Greek Chapter in Pauls Epistles.
You that are women, consider what Hierom saith of Paula, Eustochiam, and other Ladies, who were singularly versed in the holy Scriptures.
Let all men consider that hyperbolical speech of Luther, That hee would not live in Paradise without the VVord, and with it hee could live well enough in Hell. This speech of Luthers must bee understood, Cum gran… salis.
Quest. May not a wicked man delight in the VVord of God? Is it not said of Herod, Mark. 6. 20. that hee heard John Baptist gladly, and of the stony ground, Luke 8. 13. that it received the Word with joy? Is it not said of the Israelites remaining wicked, that they delighted to know Gods wayes, and took delight in approaching to God, Isa. 58. 2. and of the Iews, Joh. 5. 35. that they were willing for a season to rejoyce in the Light▪ held forth by the preaching of John Baptist.
Answ. There is a wide and vast difference between the joy and delight which a true Saint takes in Gods Word, and that which may bee found in an hypocrite.
1 The delight of a godly man, is orderly and seasonable. It is the consequent of conviction and humiliation; For though Ioy bee the great work of the Spirit, yet it is not the first work. First, The Spirit by the Word convinceth and humbleth, and then comforteth; therefore Christ saith, Mat. 5. 4. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall bee comforted; and David saith, Psal. 126. 5. They that …ow in tears, shall reap in joy. But the joy of an hypocrite is unseasonable and disorderly. It is his first work. It is said of the stony ground, that when they heard the word, they received it immediately with gladness, Mark. 4. 16. It is not said, they received it first with sorrow, and then with gladness. Here is mention of joy without any antecedent humiliation. Nay, the Text saith expresly▪ Luke 8. 6. it lacked moisture, and therefore it withered away. There are many Professors in our dayes that skip from sin, to joy at first, that all in an instant are in the highest form of sin, and in the highest form of comfort, that skip out of the lap of the Devil, into the lap of joy: These are as the stony ground. These are wanton Christians; They sow before they plough; They know not the bitterness of sin, and therefore in time of temptation fall away.
2 The delight that a godly ma… takes in the Word, is a well-rooted delight. It is rooted in an humble, good, and honest heart, as is said of the good ground, Luke 8. 15. But the delight of an hypocrite is shallow and superficial; as his graces are sleight and formal, so are his delights. Therefore it is said of the seed that fell upon the stony ground, that it had no root, Luke 8. 13. and Matth. 13. 5. it wanted depth of earth, and therefore when the Sun arose, it was scorched. The Apostle hints this, Heb. 6. 4.—and have tasted the good Word of God. The delight of a wicked man in the Word, is but a tasting, and sipping, no soaking, a floating a loft in the River of Christs blood, no diving down to the bottome. A man may taste a thing, and not like it, taste, and like it, and yet not come up to the price of it, as the young man, Matth. 19. 22. Hee was very desirous to injoy eternal life, but hee would not part with his possessions for the obtaining of it. A Cook tasteth of the meat hee dresseth, but they onelyonly that are invited eat of it.
Tasting doth not imply habitual grace. A man may taste that which hee never digesteth, nor concocteth. The Israelites tasted of the first fruits of the Land of Canaan, and yet did not enter into Canaan. Such is the joy of the hypocrite. It is outward and superficial; But the delight of a true Saint is inward, solid, and substantial. Ieremy saith, that the Word of God was the joy and rejoycing of his heart, and that hee did eat it, Ier. 15. 16. hee did not onelyonly taste it, but eat it. And Paul saith, Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inner man; His delights had depth of earth, they were well digested and concocted.
3 It is superlative and over-topping. A godly man delighteth more in God and his Word, than in any worldly thing whatsoever. Lord lift thou up (saith David, Psal. 4. 6, 7.) the light of thy countenance upon us, thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn▪ and their wine increased. So also Psal. 43. 4.—Unto God my exceeding joy, Psal. 137. 6. If I prefer not Ierusalem above my chief joy. And Psal. 119. 72. 127. The delight of a Saint in Gods Word over-toppeth all his creature-delights, and injoyments, and for the joy hee findes in it, hee will sell all hee hath to purchase it, Mat. 13. 44. But the joy of a wicked man is of an inferiour nature, hee rejoyceth more in Corn, Wine, and Oyl, &c. And when it comes into competition, hee will leave his spiritual and heavenly, rather than lose his creature and carnal pleasures. Thus Herod rejoyced in the word that Iohn Baptist preached, but hee rejoyced more in his Herodias, and when it came to the trial, hee chose to behead Iohn Baptist, rather than to part with Herodias.
The stony ground, when persecution arose, parted with all its joy, and faith, rather than it would lose its estate, or life. As a godly man rejoyceth in worldly things, as though hee rejoyced not, 1 Cor. 7. 30. So a wicked man rejoyceth in spiritual things, as though hee rejoyced not. In the old Law those Fowls that did both flye and swimme, were unclean: A wicked man would many times flye aloft in spiritual delights, but hee would also bathe himself, and swimme in carnal pleasures, and his heart is more affected with worldly advancement, and bodily recreations, than with heavenly, and this is a sign that hee is an unclean Christian, and that his delights in God, and his Word are not right, because they are not overtopping and superlative.
4 It is powerful and soul-strengthening, full of life, vigour, and activity; it will inable the soul to do and suffer any thing for God, it turns a Prison into a Paradise, it makes Martyrdome to bee as a bed of Roses, it is Armour of proof to steel us, and make us fit to indure Afflictions, both for God, and from God; therefore David saith in the Text, Unless thy Law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine Affliction. His delight in the Law supported him from sinking. It is like Oyl to the Wheels, like Sails to the Ship, and wings to the bird; but the delight that a wicked man hath in the Word is a powerless, dead, fruitless, and strengthless delight. It is as a paper Helmet, and a painted fire, it will not support him in the hour of adversity: The persons represented by the stony ground, fell away, notwithstanding their joy, as soon as ever persecution arose for the Gospel. But the joy of a true Saint is soul-supporting, and soul-upholding. The joy in the Lord is their strength, Neh. 8. 10.
5 The delight that a godly man hath in the Word, is sin-excluding. It cannot consist with a delight in any sin; therefore David saith, Psal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sinne against thee. Sinne is as a wooden window, to shut out the true joyes of the Spirit. But now a wicked man, though hee may delight in the Word, yet hee also delights in sinning against the Word. Although Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly, yet hee kept his Herodias; and though the Israelites delighted to know Gods wayes, yet they did not delight to walk in his wayes. They were as a Nation that did righteousness, hee doth not say, they were such, but quasi gens, &c. as a Nation that did righteousness. And though they delighted to approach to God, yet they did not delight to obey that God before whom they approached; they took pleasure in sinning against God, as well as in serving of God, Isa. 58. It was not a sin-excluding joy, and therefore it was false and counterfeit.
6 It is grace-increasing. The more a Saint delights in the Word of God, the more careful hee will bee to obey the Will of God, and to grow and increase in the grace of God; therefore David saith, Psal. 119. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies, for I love them exceedingly. And Psal. 40. 8. I delight to doe thy Will, O my God, yea thy Law is within my heart; because the Law was written in his heart, therefore hee delighted to doe it. Hee that delights to keep Gods Law, God will give him more grace to keep it according to that remarkable text, Psal. 119. 55, 56. I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, and have kept thy Law, this I had, because I have kept thy Precepts. What had David for keeping Gods Precepts? Hee had power to keep his Law; that is, to grow and increase in keeping of it. As the Prophet, Hos. 6. 3. speaks of the knowledge of God. Then shall wee know, if wee follow on to know the Lord, that is, if wee industriously labour to know God, wee shall have this reward, to bee made able to know him more. So may I say of the grace of God. Hee that delights to keep Gods Law, shall have this reward, to bee inabled to keep it more perfectly.
A true delight in Gods Word is Grace increasing. Grace is the Mother of all true joy, Isa. 32. 17. and joy is as the Daughter, and the Mother and Daughter live and dye together. True, spiritual delight, ebbs and flows as grace ebbs and flows. As the wood is to the fire, oyl to the flame, the shadow to the body, so is joy to grace. Quantum cres…is in gratiâ, tantum dilatâr is in fiduciâ. But now a wicked man, though hee may have a kinde of delight in Gods word, yet it is not a delight of the right kinde. It doth not argue that hee hath true grace in him.
An hypocrite is all joy, and no grace; a Giant in joy, and not so much as a dwarf in grace, like a green bough tyed to a dead tree. Hee is in the highest form of joy, and not so much as in the lowest form of grace.
7 The delight that a godly man hath in the word, is not onelyonly a delight in spiritual things, but a spiritual delight, grounded upon spiritual aimes and reasons. But the delight of a wicked man, though it bee in spiritual things, yet it is but a natural delight. As a godly man spiritualizeth carnal things; so an ungodly man carnalizeth spiritual things. Austin before his conversion, rejoyced much to hear Ambrose preach, but it was because of his eloquence (as hee saith) not upon a spiritual account. A wicked man may follow a Preacher, and delight in his preaching, because of his elegant words, and Rhetorical expressions, because hee is unto him as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voyce, &c. as it is Ezek. 33. 32. Or, out of novelty, because newly come (as the Israelites delighted in Manna at first, but afterwards loathed it) or because hee loves his person; or out of a desire to obtain a form of knowledge in heavenly things. The Pharis…es delighted to do many spiritual things out of vain-glory. Iehu delighted to do the will of God, but it was for his owne ends. Pauci quaerunt Iesum, propter Iesum. Stella is of opinion, that the Devil perswaded Herod, to hear Iohn Baptist gladly, and to reverence him, and to do many things, that so hee might hold him the faster in his possession. The Devil had him sure by one sin, and therefore hee provoked him to do some good things, that so hee might rock him asleep in presumption, and by his good things hee might quiet his conscience, and put a fair gloss upon his incestuous practices: A man may rejoyce in spiritual things upon sinful grounds and reasons. But now a true Saint delights in the word upon a spiritual account, because it is Gods word, and God would have him delight in it, because it is his guide to glory, the way by which he is sanctified. It is both concha & canalis, A Cistern to contain the glorious mysteries of salvation, and a Conduit to convey God and grace into his soul.
In a word, hee delights in it, because it is holy and pure, hee can say with David, Psal. 119. 140. Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it. This no wicked man can truly say.
8 The delight that a godly man takes in the word, is without any reservation or distinction. Hee delights in the whole word of God, in the commanding, and threatning word, as well as in the promising word; he beholds God, and his wisdome, and goodness in every verse, and therefore hee can say with Hezekiah, Isa. 39. 8. Good is the Word of the Lord. Hee hath the whole Law written in his heart, and rejoyceth in every tittle of it. But a wicked man hath his reservations and distinctions, hee may delight in the promising word, but hee undervalues the commanding word, and turneth a deaf ear to the threatning word. It is said of the Iews, that they rejoyced in the light of John Baptist; but it is not said, They rejoyced in his heat: Hee was a burning, and a shining Light, they rejoyced in his shining, but not in his burning. It is hardly possible for a wicked man, remaining wicked, to rejoyce in the burning zeal, holiness, and strictness of a Iohn Baptist. But a godly man delighteth both in the light, and heat of the word.
9 It is an abiding delight, 2 Thess. 2. 18. Everlasting consolation, Joh. 16. 22. Your joy no man taketh from you. It is as a fixed Star. But the delight of a wicked man in the Word, is as the crackling of thorns upon the fire, and as the Corn that grew on the stony ground, which quickly sprung up, and as quickly withered, Iob 27. 8. Therefore it is said of the Jews, Ioh. 5. 3. They rejoyced in his light for a season. In the Greek it is, foreign for an hour. A wicked mans delight in the Word, is but as a blazing Star, which is quickly extinguished. Hee may rejoyce in the word while hee is hearing of it, but it quickly vanisheth away. Hee is like to a man that comes into a pleasant Garden, and is delighted with the smell of it while hee is there. But a childe of God makes a Posie of these Flowers, to refresh him when hee is out. Hee delights to read, and to keep the Law of God continually, for ever and ever, Psal. 119. 45.
Let us (I beseech you) labour, with all labour, for this superlative, well-rooted, powerful, spiritual, sin-excluding, grace-increasing, and abiding delight, in the whole word of God.
Quest. VVhat must wee do that wee may bee inabled thus to make the Law of God our Delights?
Answ. 1. You must seriously study the excellency of Gods word, this made David prize it so much, and love it so much, Psal. 19. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The Word of God hath God for its Author, and therefore must needs bee full of infinite wisdome and eloquence, even the wisdome, and eloquence of God. There is not a word in it, but breathes out God, and is breathed out by God. It is (as Ireneus saith) foreign, an invariable rule of faith, an unerring and infallible guide to Heaven. It contains glorious revelations and discoveries, no where else to bee found. It hath a manifesting, convincing, soul-humbling, soul-directing, soul-converting, and soul-comforting power, and efficacy in it, as appears by these Scriptures, Heb. 4. 12. 1 Cor. 14. 24, 25. 1 King. 21. 29. Psalm 119. 105. 2 Cor. 3. 6. Psalm 119. 50. And therefore to delight in the Word, and the God that made it, is not only our duty, Psa. 37. 4. But it is recorded in Scripture as our priviledge, and as the great reward that God would bestow upon those that keep holy the Sabbath-day, Isa. 58. 13, 14. Then thou shalt delight thy self in the Lord. This shall bee thy great reward.
2 You must fixedly ponder the necessity of practising this duty: For if you delight in Gods Law, God will delight in you. If the Law bee your beloved, you are Gods beloved; If you take no pleasure in his word, his soul will take no pleasure in you.
3 You must pray for the grace of Illumination. Whensoever you take the Bible in your hand to read in it, pray Davids prayer, Psal. 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law. Philosophers observe, that Lumen est vehiculum influentiae, Light is the Chariot of influence, as it begets the flower in the field, the gold in the Mineral; so the foundation of all regeneration, is illumination. Pray that God would open your eyes that you may understand the Scriptures, as hee did to his Apostles, Luke 24. 45. That hee would take away the vail that is upon your hearts.
4 Pray that he that made you creatures, would make you new creatures, that as new-born Babes you may desire the sincere milk of the word.
5 Pray that God would fulfill that excellent promise, Ier. 31. 33. That hee would put his Law in your inward parts, and write it in your hearts, and then you cannot but heartily delight in it.
6 Pray to God to give you the same Spirit that wrote the word, to inable you to delight in it.
7 Pray for a spiritual palate, that you may not only delight in spiritual things, but have a spiritual delight in spiritual things. It is said of the Lioness, that when shee hath once tasted of the sweetness of mans flesh, shee is never satisfied till shee hath more of it. Hee that hath tasted of the good Word of God, and not onelyonly tasted, but eaten it, and digested it into good nourishment, hee will not onelyonly delight in it, but hee will delight in it above gold, yea above fine gold, and hee will never bee satisfied, till hee bee filled with the fulness of that God that made it.
The End of the second Sermon.