Sermons on Psalm 119, Sermons · Sermon 149
SERMON CXLIX.
PSAL. CXIX. VER. 134.
Deliver me from the oppression of man; so will I keep thy Precepts.
IN the former Verse, the man of God had begged Grace with respect to internal enemies, to the bosome enemy the flesh, that no sin might have dominion over him; now he beggeth deliverance from external enemies. The Saints are not only exercised with their own corruptions, but the malice of wicked men. We have to do both with sin and Sinners, with temptations and persecutions; and therefore he desireth first to be kept from sin, and after that from danger and trouble; first from the dominion of sin, and then from the oppression of Sinners: both are a trouble to us, they were a trouble to David, and God can and will in time give us deliverance from both, Deliver me from the oppression of man, &c.
In the Text we have,
1. A Prayer for mercy.
2. A resolution, vow and promise of Duty. The one is inferred out of the other, So will I keep thy precepts.
1. A Prayer for mercy, Deliver me from the oppression of man. In the Hebrew 'tis, From the oppression of Adam, the name of the first Father for the posterity. This term is put either by way of distinction, aggravation, or diminution.
First, Man by way of distinction. There is the oppression and tyranny of the Devil and sin; but the Psalmist doth not mean that now, Hominum non Daemonum, saith Hugo.
Secondly, Man by way of aggravation. Homo homini Lupus, no Creatures so ravenous and destructive to one another, as man. 'Tis a shame that one man should oppress another. Beasts do not usually devour those of the same kind, but usually a mans enemies are those of his own houshold, Matth. 10. 36. The nearer we are in Bonds of allyance, the greater the hatred. We are of the same stock, and reason should tell every one of us, that we should do as we would be done to. Nay, we are of the same Religion, Eodem sanguine Christi glutinati. We are cemented together by the blood of Christ, which obliges to more brotherly kindness; and if we differ in a few things, to be sure we have Cords of allyance and relations enough to love one another more than we do: But for all this there is the oppression of man.
Thirdly, Man by way of diminution. And to lessen the fear of this evil, this term Adam is given them, to shew their weakness in comparison of God; thou art God, but they that are so ready and forward to oppress and injure us, are but men, thou canst easily over-rule their power and break the yoke. I think this Consideration chiefest, because of other places, Psal. 10. 18. Thou wilt judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. The Oppressors are but men of the earth, a piece of red Clay, Earth in his composition, Earth in his dissolution, frail men, that must within a while be laid in the Dust. But 'tis more emphatically expressed, Isai. 51. 12, 13. Who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man, that shall dye? and of the son of man, that shall be made as grass? and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, which hath stretched forth the Heavens, and laid the foundations of the Earth? and hast feared continually every day, because of the fury of the Oppressour, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is now the rage of the Oppressour? When thou hast the Immortal and Almighty God to be thy Protector and Saviour, shouldest thou be afraid of a weak, mortal man; that is but Adam, a little enlivened Dust? within a little while he and all his fury is over and gone.
2. The promise of Duty, I will keep thy precepts. Which is a constant observation of all Gods Commandments, if God would interpose for his rescue. But did David do well to suspend his obedience upon so uncertain a condition? I answer, No; we must page missing
of whom shall I be afraid? We can set God against the Creature, and th… will quell our fears of them. When we set our selves against them, our interest against theirs, we may see Cause to fear; but set God against them and engage him, and you have no cause to fear. Then
Secondly, For grief and sorrow. It cloggeth the heart, and stayeth the Wheels, so that we drive on heavily in the spiritual life. Worldly sorrow worketh death, 2 Cor. 7. 10. It brings on deadness and hardness of heart, and quencheth all our vigour; Prov. 15. 13. By sorrow of heart the Spirit is broken. A dead and heavy heart doth little to the purpose for God. Now how shall we get rid of this? The Cure is by prayer; for vent giveth ease to all our passions, Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. As when Wind is gotten into the Caverns of the Earth, it causeth terrible Convulsions and Earthquakes, till it get a vent; so the mind is eased, when we can pour out our care into the bosome of God, and wait till deliverance cometh from above. Prayer sheweth there is some life in our affairs, that our right for the present is not dead, but sleeps; there is a God in Heaven, that heareth our groans, and is sensible of our sorrows, and then we may say, Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, &c. Prayer is the old refuge of the Saints, and the blessed means to pluck up their Spirits. Whilst there is a God in Heaven, we are not at an utter loss. So Verse 9. I will say unto God, my Rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the Oppressor? David first reasoned with himself, yet the Distemper continued; but when he comes to reason the Case with God in prayer, then he gets ease.
Thirdly, The violent passions of anger, envy and revenge against Oppressours, these are all naught, and do a world of mischief. Anger discomposeth us, and transports the soul into uncomely motions against God and men, makes us fret and male-content, it tempts us to Atheism, Psal. 73. maketh us weary of well-doing, Psal. 37. tempts us to imitation of their wicked Course. The Devil worketh much upon spleen and stomach and discontent, and we are apt to run into these Disorders. Now how shall we do to get rid of these Distempers? By prayer, in which we get a sight and prospect of the other world, and then these things will seem nothing to us; acquaint our selves with God, and the process of his Providence, and so we shall see an end of things, Psal. 73. 17. then all is quiet. And as for revenge too, that is an effect of the former; when we plead before God, we see the justice of what is unjust, and hard dealing from men, to be justly inflicted by God; and so the heart is calmed. The Lord bid him curse, 2 Sam. 16. 11. There is reason enough for this dispensation in the upper Tribunal, whereunto when we appeal we should render no man evil for evil, Rom. 12. 17. We ought not, we need not, 'tis Gods work, Deut. 32. 35. Vengeance and recompence are mine. Nay, our very praying is a committing our selves to him that judgeth righteously, 1 Pet. 2. 23. In prayer we vent our zeal, and that hindreth us from venting our carnal passions. 'Tis a resignation of our Person and Cause to him under unjust sufferings; not out of malice, desiring judgment and vengeance on Persecutors, that is to make God the Executioner of our lusts, to establish that which we would prevent in prayer. But Saints in prayer labour only to shew their faith and meekness, and to leave things to the righteous Judge, to do what is for his own Glory, and their good.
Fourthly, For the other evil, impatience and despair, 'tis a very great evil, and contrary to faith and hope and dependance, which the Christian Religion doth mainly establish; and maketh way for the worst evils, either total Apostasie from God, or Atheism or self-destuction. Now this is very incident to us, when oppressions lye long upon us, 2 King. 6. 33. This evil is from the Lord: why should I wait on the Lord any longer? So Ier. 2. 25. But thou saidst, There is no hope. Desperately! No, for I have loved Strangers, and after them will I go, I will take my own course, there is no hope, 'tis in vain to wait upon the Lord any longer. And if things do not grow to that height, yet the Children of God grow weary and faint in their minds, Heb. 12. 3. Now we keep afoot some hope, while we have an heart to call upon God. The Suit is still depending in the Court of Heaven, when it seems to be over on Earth; and we see there is cause to wait for Gods answer. He that shall come, will come, Hab. 2. 3. God may tarry long, but will never come too late. Thus why.
2. But how is this to be asked?
First, This is not to be asked in the first place, as our main blessing, Matth. 6. 33. First seek the Kingdom of God. If we seek our ease and temporal felicity only, that prayer is like a brutish Cry, Hos. 7. 14. They howled upon their beds for Corn and Wine. A Dog will howl when he feels any thing inconvenient. You will never be freed from murmuring and quarrelling at Gods dispensations, and questioning his love, if this be the first thing that you seek, and so your prayers will become your Snare. Besides the great dishonour to God, it argues the great disorder of your affections, that you can be content to have any thing apart from God, Psal. 105. 4. Seek ye the Lord and his strength, seek his face evermore. In all Conditions that must be our great request, that we may have the favour of God.
Secondly, It must be asked with submission. 'Tis not absolutely promised, nor intrinsecally and indispensably necessary to our happiness; but if the Lord see it fit for his own Glory and our good. We cannot take it ill if a friend deny us to lend a Summ of Money, which he knoweth we will lay out to our loss and detriment. God seeth it fit sometimes for his own Glory and our good, to continue us under oppression, rather than to take us out of it. There are two Acts of Providence, relieving and comforting the oppressed, and punishing the Oppressors. Sometimes God doth the one without the other, sometimes both together; sometimes God will only comfort the oppressed, we cry to him in our afflictions, and God will not break the yoke, but give us a supply of strength to bear it, Psal. 138. 3. In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me, and hast strengthened me with strength in my soul. He giveth you strength to bear the burthen, if you continue in your integrity. Sometimes God doth punish the Oppressor, yet that's no relief and reparation to you, you must bear it, for you are to stand to Gods will, and to wait his leisure to free you from it.
Thirdly, Your end must be, that God may be glorified, and that you may serve him more cheerfully. So 'tis in the Text, Deliver me from the oppression of man, then shall I keep thy precepts. Psal. 9. 13, 14. Have mercy upon me, O Lord, consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death: that I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Sion: and I will rejoyce in thy salvation. So David beggeth salvation in order to praise. Temporal mercy should not be loved for it self, nor sought for it self; but as we may glorifie God by it; that's to be our end: Lord, I seek not my own interest, but thine. If you have a carnal end, you miss, Iames 4. 3. Because you ask to consume it upon your lusts, that we may please the Flesh as sweetly and quietly as we did before; live in the height of pomp and splendor, gratifie our lusts without disturbance, or see our revenge; or if a meer natural end, the meer conveniency of the outward man, we bespeak our own denial.
Fourthy, We must pray in faith, that God can, and is ready to deliver from the oppression of man, and will do so in due time, when 'tis good for us.
First, God can deliver us. Though our Oppressors be never so mighty and strong, God can break their power, or change their hearts, or determine their interests; because the Omnisciency of God is a great Deep, 'tis a great relief to the soul to consider the several ways that God hath to right us, either by changing the hearts of the Persecutors and Oppressors, Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest throughout all Iudea, Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comforts of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. They had nothing to do but to build up one another. When was that? when Paul was converted: he was an active instrument against the Church, and God turned his heart, then had the Churches rest. Or else the Lord may do it by determining their interests, that they shall shew favour to his people, though their hearts be not changed, Prov. 16. 7. When a mans ways please the Lord, he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him. Enemies, while enemies, may be at peace with us; please men, and you cannot say God is your friend; but please God, and he maketh your enemies at peace with you. There is much in the secret Chain of Providence, Dan. 1. 9. Now the Lord brought Daniel into favour, and tender love with the Prince of the Eunuchs. What was that favour? To wink at him for doing that which was contrary to the Law of their Religion. Or else he can break the yoke by some apparent ruining Judgments, by which he will defeat all their advantages, either by power or law, rescuing his people out of their hands, Isai. 49. 24, 25. Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful Captive delivered? But thus saith the Lord, The Captains of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: He will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and will save thy Children. Whether they plead might or right, when God goeth that way to work, nothing shall lett, no power shall be able to detain, what God will have delivered and restored. Or it may be by some secret ways, God will bring on some Judgment, Iob 20. 26. A fire not blown shall consume him; that is, the Oppressor, a curse not invented by those he hath wronged, or any man else; but sent immediately by God. It shall come no body knoweth how. Therefore we should not be discouraged with unlikelihoods, when we go to God, who hath many ways which poor shortsighted Creatures cannot foresee.
Secondly, He is ready. The love which the Lord hath for his afflicted people, will not suffer his Justice to be long at quiet. That God is ready to help and deliver, three things will evidence.
First, 'Tis his Nature to pity and shew mercy to the Oppressed, and to revenge the Oppressor. He pitieth the afflictions of them that suffer most justly, and far beneath their desert, from his own hand, Iudg. 10. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from among them, and served the Lord, and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. And 2 Kings 14. 26. For the Lord saw the exceeding bitter affliction of Israel; how much more will he pity them that are unworthily oppressed, Isai. 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted. Acts 7. 34. I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, &c. And the Lords pitiful Nature doth incline him to deliver his people, And when the oppressed cry, I will hear them; for I am gracious, Exod. 22. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27.
Secondly, 'Tis his usual practice and custome, Psal. 103. 6. The Lord executeth judgment and righteousness, for all that are oppressed. If for all, surely for his people: He sits in Heaven on purpose to rectifie the disorders of men. So Psal. 34. 19. Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. God hath a Plaister for every wound: Gods people plunge themselves into trouble, and his mercy delivereth them out of it.
Thirdly, 'Tis his Office, as Judge of the world, Psal. 94. 2. Lift up thy self, thou Iudg of the Earth; render a reward to the proud: Shall not the Iudg of the Earth do right? Look upon him only in that Notion, according to our natural Conceptions, as the supreme Cause and Judg of all things. Again, his Office, as Protector of his people, he is in Covenant with them, he is their Sun and Shield, he is the refuge of the oppressed, his peoples refuge in time of trouble, Psal. 9. 9. When they have none else to fly to, he will be their refuge.
Thirdly, He will do it when 'tis good and necessary: For God hath made promises and repeated promises of deliverance; and surely these are not in vain. If God had spoken but once, we had no reason to doubt; but he telleth us over and over again we should cast our care upon him, and referr all things to him without despondency and distraction of mind, Psal. 9. 18. For the needy shall not always be forgotten; the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.
Use. Is instruction, to teach us what to do when we are oppressed.
1. Patience. 'Tis the lot of Gods Children to be often troubled by the world, and hardly used. Satan is the Ruler of the darkness of this World, the blind, carnal, malicious, superstitious part of the World; and they cannot away with those that would overturn Satans Kingdome. The good are fewest, and therefore we must look to be opprest; if there be any breathing time, 'tis a mercy, 2 Tim. 3. 12. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer persecution. Gal. 4. 29. For as he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit; even so it is now, and will be so, we should want our way-mark without it.
2. Let us be prepared to commend our Cause to God, Psal. 10. 17, 18. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble, thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear; to judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. God prepares the hearts of the humble; How so? The trouble continueth till we are sensible of the misery of the sin, of the Cause, Hos. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offences, and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early. 'Tis a long time before men can be sensible of the hand of God upon them: slight spirits are not grieved, but Iull themselves asleep, Ier. 5. 3. If they have a natural sense of the Judgment, they have no sense of sin as the cause; then they fly to humane help to be eased of the trouble, Ier. 4. 14. Wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved; how long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee? When past humane help, then seek the favour of God to take up the Controversie, 2 Chron. 7. 14. When driven to an earnest attendance upon God, and all probabilities spent; we have no help, but what Heaven and a promise can afford, and upon these terms continue our importunity, Luke 18. 7, 18. 'Tis a long time e're men will lay it to heart, to see his hand and seek to him for relief.
3. When you have prayed, then wait: 'Tis a good sign when we are enlarged in prayer, and encouraged to wait. Enlarged to pray: for when God hath a mind to work, he sets the spirit of prayer awork. God will not pour out his spirit in vain, the spirit knoweth the deep things of God, Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in a time of trouble, and I will deliver thee. So when we are encouraged to wait: how can our prayers be heard when we regard them not our selves, and expect an issue? How should God hear when we pray out of course, and do not think our prayers worth the regarding? Psal. 85. 8. I will hearken what God the Lord will speak, &c. Psal. 40. 1. I waited patiently for the Lord, he enclined unto me and heard my Cry. Hab. 2. 1. I will watch to see what he will say: Look for an Answer. God doth not usually disappoint a waiting people.
II. When God delivereth us from the oppression of man, we should be quickened and encouraged in his service.
Reasons.
1. Because every mercy inferreth an answerable Duty, 2 Chron. 32. 25. But Hezekiah rendred not according to the benefit done unto him. There must be rendring according to receiving. (2.) This is the fittest return: partly, because 'tis real, not verbal. The Lord cares not for words, he knows the secret spring of the heart, Isai. 38. 9. and see Psal. 50. 23. 'Tis good to be speaking good of Gods name. This is one way of glorifying, but ordering the Conversation aright is that which is most pleasing to him. And partly too because our Cloggs of fear and sorrow and other impediments are taken away, Psal. 119. 32. I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart. This was Gods end, to deliver us out of the hands of our enemies, that we may serve him without fear, Luke 1. 74, 75. Those Wretches that said, Ier. 7. 10. We are delivered to do all these abominations; to return to the practices of their vile courses afresh, did pervert Gods end in their deliverance. What use shall we make of such a Point, in our deep sorrows?
Answ. First, We are not altogether without this benefit, 2 Chron. 7. 12. The Lord said, I have heard thy prayer. Many times God maketh his love conspicuous to his people in a low condition; they are oppressed sore, but not grinded to powder; 'tis a blessing we are not quite destroyed. Exod. 1. 12. The Israelites, the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplied: and the Egyptians were grieved for the Children of Israel, that they were not extinguished. God dealeth with us as then he did with them, 2 Sam. 12. 7. … I will grant them some deliverance.
Secondly, We are now under the sad effects of our former unthankfulness, and by …membring our duty we may see our sin, Hos. 4. 3, 4. Ingratitude and walking unanswerably to received mercy, is the great and crying sin of Gods people; therefore we should humble our selves, that we did so little good in former times of liberty, that God had so little glory and service from us. Now God by his present Providence sheweth us the difference, Deut. 28. 47, 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies, &c. 2 Chron. 12. 8. Nevertheless they shall be his servants, that they may know my service, and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries. First we must be humbled for the abuse of former mercies, before we seek new.
Thirdly, That we may know what to have in our eye, when we are asking for mercies. The end is first in intention, though last in execution. Do not pray to serve thy lusts more freely, nor think how to execute revenge, be quits with those that hate us, nor how we shall be provided for; but what glory and service we may bring to God, Psal. 75. 2. When I shall receive the Congregation, I will judge uprightly. These mercies must not be abused to licentiousness, or to nourish our selves in sin, or stupid security; but in duty and service.
Fourthly, It teacheth us how to make our promises, and oblige our selves to God. When you come to promise duty and obedience to God, be sure to be sincere and holy; make due provision that it may be so, by mortifying the roots of such Distempers as will betray us. When a people in a low condition have a real inclination to praise and glorifie God by their mercies as soon as they shall receive them, 'tis an Argument God will hear and grant.
III. But when we are praying for deliverance, we should interpose promises of obedience, as David doth here, Deliver me from the oppression of man, so will I keep thy precepts. 1. To shew there is the ratio dati & accepti, to shew the law of giving and receiving is natural to us, 'tis an ingraffed principle in mens minds. When we think of Gods giving, we should think of returning something. An intercourse between God and us is maintained by mercies and duties: not that God needeth, or that we can oblige him, but this qualifieth us. Intercourse is lost when we would receive all, and return nothing. 2. A solemn promise is necessary to excite and quicken our dulness, or a Bond upon us, or a Bridle to our inconstancy. We cannot unbind our selves again from our strict obligation to obedience.
Use. Well then, let us make good the vows of our distress; they must be payed, or else God is mocked, Eccl. 5. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, deferr not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: Pay that which thou hast vowed. Job 22. 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee; and thou shalt pay thy vows.