Sermons on Psalm 119, Sermons · Sermon 182
SERMON CLXXXII.
PSALM CXIX. VER. 167.
My soul hath kept thy Testimonies, and I love them exceedingly.
THE Man of God goeth on in his plea, in the former verse he had spoken of the influence of his hope upon obedience; Now of the influence of his Love, and so more expresly and directly, maketh out this Qualification or Title to the Promise; mentioned verse 165.
Before we go on, let me Answer a Question or two.
First, How can a gracious Heart speak so much of it self, and insist so much upon the plea of Obedience? Is not this contrary to our Saviours Doctrine, who in the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican that went up to pray, Luk. 18. Teach us to make use of the plea of Mercy not of Works.
1. I Answer, As to that part of the scruple which concerneth foreign, that cannot be imagined to be faulty in David, who was a Prophet; and therefore to instruct the World, propoundeth his own instance, and setteth forth himself as a pattern of obtaining comfort in the way of Godliness.
2. As to the plea of works, they may be produced by way of Evidence, not by way of Merit; as they prove our interest in the Promises, not as the ground of self-confidence: The Pharisee he came not to beg an Alms, but to receive a debt, and therefore went away without any mark and testimony of the Divine favour and approbation. But Holy Men plead this to God, as expecting Mercy and Favour at his hands; not in regard of any merit in themselves, or of reward deservedly for the same done to them, for they acknowledge all that they do or can do to be but duty, and due debt: But in regard of his Gracious Promise freely made unto them, in an humble and modest manner they dare appeal to God himself for the sincerity, and integrity of their hearts, for their serious care, and sedulous endeavours to please him, and approve themselves to him.
Secondly, But why is this plea reiterated, for three verses together?
Answer. Too much care cannot be used in making out an interest in so sweet a Promise; and teacheth us this Iesson, that we had need examine again and again, before we can put in our claim. Jesus Christ puts Peter to the question thrice, Iohn 21. 15, 16, 17. Peter lovest thou me? So here 'twas Davids plea thrice repeated, for the more assurance; I have done thy Commandments, my soul hath kept thy Testimonies, and again, I have kept thy Commandments, and thy Precepts; after a believer hath found marks of saving grace in himself, it is Wisdom for him to examine them over and over again, that he may be sure they are in him in Deed and in Truth; the heart is deceitful, our self-love is great, our infirmities many, and our graces so weak, that we should not easily trust the search. Truly such an holy Jealousie doth well become the best of Gods Children, and doth only weaken the security of the Flesh, not their rejoycing in the Lord.
In the Words you have the Testimony of Davids Conscience, concerning the sincerity of his Heart, evidenced by two Notes.
I. The Sincerity of his Obedience, my soul hath kept my Testimonies.
II. His exceeding love to the Word, I Love them exceedingly, or if you will, by the manner of his Obedience, and the principle of it.
I. The Spirituality of his Obedience, my soul hath kept thy Testimonies, mark the notion by which the act of Duty is expressed, is varied in the former verse; it's I have done thy Commandments, here it is I have kept thy Testimonies; [done] more exexpressely noteth his sedulity and deligence; [kept] his Constancy and diligence, perseverance, notwithstanding Temptations to the contrary: And how kept them? Saith he, my soul hath kept them; not with outward observance only, but with inward and hearty respect: My Soul, that is, my self; a part for the whole, and the better part, I, with my soul, and so it sheweth his sincerity; 'tis an usual expression among the Hebrews, when they would express their vehement affection to any thing, to say they do it with their souls, as Psal. 103. 1. Bless the Lord, O my Soul; and Luke 1. 45. My soul doth magnifie the Lord. As on the contrary, vehemency of hatred, Isa. 1. 14. Your New Moons and appointed Feasts, my soul hateth: that is, I hate them, with my heart.
The note is.
Doctrine, God must be served with our Souls as well as our Bodies. David saith, My soul hath kept thy Testimonies.
1. Because he hath a right to both, as he made both, and therefore hath required that both should serve him; he that organized the body, and framed it out of the dust of the ground, did also breath into us the breath of Life, and framed the spirit of man within him; therefore since God may challenge all, 'tis fit he should have the best; my son, give me thy heart, Prov. 23. 26. Look upon it, whose Image and superscription doth it bear? Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars; and to God the things that are Gods, he hath redeemed both, 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God both in your body and spirits, which are Gods. Shall we rob God of his purchase so dearly bought? We would not rob a man of his Goods, and will you rob God? He challengeth a peculiar right in Souls, all Souls are mine, and therefore they should be used and exercised for his glory: If we use them for our selves only, and not according to his direction; we do as Reuben did, that went up into his Fathers bed. To withhold the Heart from God, is Robbery; nay, Sacriledge, which is the worst kind of Robbery: For Gods right in Redemption is confirmed and owned by our Personal dedication in Baptism. Once more, God hath right to the Service of both body and soul, because he offereth to Glorifie both, and Reward both in the Heavenly Inheritance; the Body and the Soul are Sisters and Co-heirs, as Tertullian speaketh: If we expect wages for both, we must do work with both; if God should make such a division at Death, as men do all their Life to him, can they be happy, if any part of them be excluded Heaven? If the Body and lifeless trunck were taken into Heaven, and the Soul left in Torments, what were you the better? But that cannot be, God will have all, or no part; therefore your whole Spirit, and Soul, and Body, must be kept blameless, unto the coming of the Lord Iesus Christ, 1 Thess. 5. 23. Otherwise your souls cannot be joyned to God in Heaven, if they be divided from him on Earth.
2. Because this is service suitable to his nature, when we serve him and obey him with our souls. God is an All-seeing Spirit, and therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth, Iohn 4. 23, 24. 'Tis agreeable to his spiritual Nature, therefore shows and fashions have little respect with him, but reality and substance; for he searcheth the Heart, and tryeth the Reins; 'tis not the bowing the body, so much as the humble affectionate reverence and submission of the soul. God hath appointed service for the Body, and so far as God hath appointed it, we must submit to it; but chiefly for the soul, our Worship must be chiefly inward, flowing from Grace ingaging the Heart in Gods service: Bodily exercise is of little profit, that Worship which is most agreeable to Gods nature, is most pleasing to him; he hath not eyes of Flesh, and seeth not as man seeth, Iob 10. 4. Therefore external duties, without the inward exercise of the Spirit, is scarce worthy the name of Worship to God: He is not taken with the pomp of Ceremonies, and external Observances, 1 Sam. 16. 7. For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the Heart. Men are taken with external pomp and formalities; they suit with their fleshly natures, but the more spiritual, the more suitable to God: That which you do, be it in Worship, 'tis not done unto God, but unto men, when the Heart is not in it, Col. 3. 23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men: Without the Heart, all that we do is but a mocking of God, giving him the shell without the kernel.
3. Because the soul is the principal thing, that swayeth the body, and stirreth it up to all that it doth; it being of itself a senseless block, it followeth the disposition and inclination of the Heart: I shall make it good in two Considerations. First, 'Tis Fons actionum ad extra. And Secondly, 'Tis Terminus actionum ad intra. 'Tis the Fountain of all actions that go outward, from man towards God; and the subduing the Heart to Gods Will, is the end of all operations inward, from God towards man.
First, Fons actionum ad extra, The Fountain of all actions that go outward from Man towards God, all natural actions proceed from the Soul or Heart; 'Tis not the Eye that seeth, nor the Ear that heareth, nor the Hand that toucheth, nor the Feet that walketh; 'tis the Soul seeth by the Eye, and heareth by the Ears, and toucheth by the hands, and walketh by the Feet. So in all moral actions, the heart is all, Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy Heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of Life. All our actions proceed thence, all the evil that we do, cometh from the Heart, Matth. 15. 19. Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Murthers, Adulteries, Fornications, Thefts, False Witness, Blaspemies; all that we speak, and think, and do, followeth the frame of the Heart: This is the burning furnace from whence the sparks fly, the occasion of sin may be without, but the cause of it is ever from the Heart: 'Tis the Heart that filleth the Eyes with Wantonness, Pride, and Fury; and the Tongue with Blasphemy, Slanders, and Detraction; the hands with blood. So for good Actions, Thoughts they come out of the good Treasury of the heart, Matth. 12. 35. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things. The tapp runneth according to the Liquor, wherewith the vessel is filled; that a man hath laid up in his heart, that he layeth out in his Thoughts, and Speeches, and Actions; 'tis the heart that enliveneth all our duties, and we act ever according to the constitution of our Souls.
2dly, 'Tis Terminus actionum ad intra, all Actions inward; the aim of it is to come to the heart: The senses report things to the phantasie, the phantasie represents them to the mind, that counsels the heart; so in Gods operations upon us, his business is to come at the soul: Wherefore doth he speak, and reason, and plead, but that we may hear? And wherefore do we hear? But that Truth may be lodged in the heart, or Soul. Prov. 4. 4. Let thy Heart keep my Precepts, let thy heart receive my Words: Ay, then Gods Word hath its effect upon us; we are never subdued to God, till the heart be subdued; the Word for a while may stay in the memory, and 'tis good when the memory is planted with the seeds of knowledge, as Children receive the Principles of Religion in Catechismes, but the end is not there, at length they exercise their Understandings about them when they begin to conceive of what they learned by rote, and aftewards they begin to have a Judgement and a Conscience: These Truths begin to stir and awaken them, but it must not rest there neither, it soaketh further, and wisdom entereth upon the heart, Prov. 2. 10. Ay, that was Gods aim, to bring the work thither, and then the cure is wrought with man, Rom. 6. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart, that form of Doctrine which was delivered to you. So this is the end of all the operations of Grace that the soul and heart may keep Gods Testimonies; so where is it that Christ would dwell, when he taketh up his abode and residence in us? the Apostle will tell you, Eph. 3. 17. That he may dwell in your hearts by faith. Till he get possession of the heart, all is as nothing; he will not dwell in the body only, that is the Temple of the Holy Ghost at large, there is an Holy of Holies, a more inward place where he will dwell; he will not dwell in the Tongue, or in the Brain, Memories, or Understandings, unless by common gifts. But the Heart, the Will, and Affections of Man, are the chief place of his residence; there he dwelleth as in his strong Cittadel, and from thence Commandeth other Faculties, and Members: So that the heart is the beginning and ending of the whole work of Religion, from thence come all holy actions, and thither tend all holy gracious operations.
4. 'Tis thy hearty Soul-service that will only bear weight in the ballance of the Gospel; there may be many defects in the action, yet if the heart be right, God will accept the Will for the Deed, and you will find Comfort in that another day, when you most need it. Isa. 38. 3. Remember now, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart. Hezekiah had his infirmities and failings, but his heart was upright: Heb. 13. 18. Willing in all things to live honestly, that's a Gospel good Conscience, and will yield comfort to you. God accepts the Will without the Deed, but never the Deed without the Will, Infirmities may overtake the action but when the heart is unfeignedly set to serve God, we shall be accepted. We allow grains to true, but not to counterfeit Gold: the Church pleadeth, Isa. 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. When we follow in rugged ways, though we oftentimes stumble, yet if our soul be with him, we may have comfort.
Use. I. This is for the Conviction of divers Persons, that they do no more serve God in their Souls, do not keep his Testimonies.
1. There are some that neither serve God with body or soul, as all loose Persons, who do not so much as make a shew of his service; they are all for their brutish Pleasures, their souls to hunt them out, and their bodies to pursue and follow them: Their Souls is a cage of unclean Birds, and a stye of all filthiness; and their Bodies only a strainer for Meats and Drinks to pass thorough, or a Channel for Lust to run in; so that they have nothing at all to spare for God. The Soul is an ill guide, suggesting all manner of evil, and the body a ready instrument to accomplish it: These are those that yield up their Members to Uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity; Rom. 6. 19. Oh! time will come, when God will tear them in pieces, and rend the guilty Soul from the imbraces of the unwilling body. A sad time 'twill be for these, the Soul will curse the Body, as an ill Instrument; the Body the Soul, as a corrupt Guide: and curse the day of their first union, when they cannot expect but to meet again in flames.
2. Some that give their Bodies to God, but withhold their Souls from him. How may this be done?
Answ. 1. Generally; When Men content themselves with a naked Profession of Christianity, and some external Conformity thereunto. 'Tis a stupid Religion that consists in outward Actions; Iudas was externally a Disciple, but Satan entred into his heart. Luk. 22. 3. Ananias joyned himself to the People of God, but Satan filled his heart; Acts 5. 3. Simon Magus was Baptized, but his heart was not right with God; Acts 8. 22. Many Men may not only make Profession, but perform many good Actions: Be as to external conformity blameless, yet till their hearts are subdued to God, they should not be satisfied with their Condition. Though you pray with the Pharisee, Luk. 18. Pay thy Vowes with the Harlot, Prov. 7. Offer Sacrifice with Cain; Fast with Iezabel; sell thine Inheritance to give to the Poor, with Ananias and Saphira; 'tis all in vain without the heart. Many Hypocrites are all Ear, to Hear; all Tongue, to Talk; all Face, to Appear; but not an Heart to Obey. Something must be done for Religion for Fashion sake, and shame of the World: yea, though thou dost not dissemble, do many things; yet if your hearts be not renewed and changed, all is nothing, you do not keep the Testimonies of the Lord with your Souls.
2. And more Particularly; When Men make conscience of Ceremonies, and outsides, rather then sincere Obedience.
As the Pharisees; Matth. 23. 25, 26. They make clean the outside of the cup and platter, but within are full of extortion and excess. Pretend great purity in eating their Meat, but care not with how great Iniquity they purchase it. Papists think they have done enough, if they mutter over a few idle Words, without Spirit and Life; the most part of their service, 'tis but that of the body, without the soul: they Worship in a strange Language, not knowing what they do or say; and nearer home draw nigh with their Lips, when their Hearts is far from him, Matth. 5. 8. These leave their Hearts at home, the Devil findeth them other work, that suffer their Hearts to straggle, and to be like the Fools Eyes in the corners of the Earth, when with their Bodies they are ingaged in serious and solemn Duties of Gods Worship.
Use. II. Is to press you to serve God with your hearts and souls, as well as your bodies.
1. This is the Character of true Worshippers; Rom. 1. 9. My God, whom I serve in the spirit. And 2 Tim. 1. 3. God whom I serve with a pure conscience. This was peculiar to Paul alone; 'tis the description of the spiritual Circumcision; Phil. 3. 3. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoyce in Christ Iesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. These are such as are true Worshippers.
2. God will accept of no other, for he looketh for the heart, and knoweth whether we give it him, yea or no: Men care not for fawning and the obsequiousness of empty Courtships; but look for reality, if they could discern it: 2 Kings 10. 15. Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? 'twas Iehu's question to Ionadab, the Son of Rechab; Dost thou as really affect me, as I do thee? And Men do not look to the Matter of the Gift, but the Mind of the Giver; and will God, think you, who can infallibly Judge, and will one day bring the hidden thoughts of the heart to Light, 1 Cor. 4. 5. will he be put off with shows and empty formalities? Well then, see that your Souls be in it; otherwise he will not accept of Rivers of Oyl, and thousands of Rams; All your Pomp and Cost upon outside services is lost. But 'tis not every soul that will keep Gods Testimonies; when the People said, all that the Lord hath spoken, we will do it, Deut. 5. 29. Oh that they had such an heart! It must be such an heart, for man is naturally averse from God, sin sets up its Throne in the Heart, and thence diffuseth its Venom into his Actions. Gen. 6. 5. It must be,
1. A Broken Heart.
2. A Renewed Heart.
3. An Heart purified by Faith.
4. And Acted by Love.
1. A Broken Heart it must be; Psal. 51. 11. for before that, all that we do is forced and superficial. We are never serious, till acquainted with brokenness of heart; but serve God in a slight careless fashion. That bruising, is to cast into a new Mould; 'tis a preparative to the New Heart: Wheat is not Bread till it be Grinded; and a crack'd Vessel cannot be renewed, till it be melted in the Furnace; Nor we formed anew, till we be first melted, humbled, and broken for sin.
2. The Heart must be Renewed by Grace, for 'tis a Renewed Soul only, that keepeth the Commandments; Ezek. 36. 26. A new heart also will I give unto you, and a new spirit will I put into you; and then I will cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my Iudgments to do them. The Hearts of the Sons of men are fully set in them to do evil, till God change them, and renew a right Spirit within them. Prov. 10. 20. The heart of the wicked is nothing worth. A vain, sottish, sensual, careless heart will never do God any service; there must be Life, before there can be Action: A supernatural Principle, before there can be supernatural operation; for all things act according to their form: All that we do else, is but like Adulterating Coin, Guilding over Copper or Brass.
3. An Heart purified by Faith; Acts 15. 9. There are fleshly Lusts in us which must be mortified more and more, and deadned to the Pleasures, and Profits, and Honours of this World, by remembring our great Obligations, and Expectations from Christs death, and Eternal Life. For while any fleshly or Worldly Lust prevaileth with us, and is the chief Principle in our hearts, we cannot heartily serve God.
4. An Heart Acted by Love; 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live to themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. This is the active Principle which sets us a-work with cheerfulness: Christ often intimateth that keeping the Commandments, is the fruit of Love; Ioh. 14. 15. all the expression of our Love to him, is turned into that Channel.
Secondly, I come now to the second Evidence and Testimony of his sincerity, his Love to the Word; I have loved them exceedingly. Mark,
First, His Affection, I love thy Testimonies.
Secondly, The Degree, in the word Exceedingly.
First, From his Affection; Note,
Doctrine. That 'tis not enough to keep the Commandments, but we must love them, and that obedience they require from us.
This Love to the Law, is often spoken of in this Psalm; therefore there needeth the less to be said now. Paul speaketh of this Love, as well as David; Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the law of God after the inward man.
The Reasons of the Point.
I. We can never thoroughly and constantly keep the Law, without Love to it; 'Tis no easie thing to keep the Law of God, there needeth much labour and striving. Now where there is a sincere Love of the Law of God planted in the heart, there will be this striving, and endeavouring to Perform it. None so sensible of the weight of sin, none so active for Gods Glory; there is nothing so difficult, but Love maketh easie; nihil amarum. In a Word, Labour and Toil proves a Pleasure, and pain a matter of Delight, where we Love: the careful Mother bringeth forth the Child with Pain, and Nurseth it up with Toil and Trouble; is well enough pleased with her work, and cheerful in it, because of the Love she hath to the fruit of her Womb; and her Child is dear to her. Iacob's seven years Labour seemed to be a few daies, for the Love he had to Rachel; Gen. 29. 29. So God will have us serve him out of Love, because nothing is grevious to Love; 1 Ioh. 5. 3. It beareth all things, suffereth all things, (Poverty, Nakedness, Bonds, Injuries, Labours,) never tyreth, or groweth weary; 2 Cor. 13. 7.
II. Except we Obey because we Love, our Obedience is not sincere and acceptatible; 1 Cor 13. 1, 2. Though I speak with the tongue of Men and of Angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal: and though I have the gift of prophesie and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity I am nothing: foreign Many are frighted into a course of Religion, and go on from Duty to Duty, out of a Fear of being Damned: This is not true Obedience, that is done servilely and by constraint: These unwilling services which we perform to Christ, out of urging of Conscience, and fear of Wrath: Ier. 2. 27. Which have turned the back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, arise, and save us. They come to God, not out of delight and choice, but out of necessity, and only then: Hos. 5. 6. They that did not care for God at other times, will then come with their Flocks and their Herds. The Spirit of Bondage is clamourous for Duty, as the Spirit of Adoption sweetly inclineth to it. Many obey God no further than they are forced; as Slaves, whom nothing but Fear induceth to perform their Masters Command; and so do not love the work, nor do it for the Works sake.
III. The next Object to God, fit for our Love, is Gods Law: 'tis clear that God is primum amabile, the first thing that is to be loved; but what is the second? surely that which hath most of God in it; next after God, his Word. There is vestigium in the Creature, there is Imago in his Testimonies: 2 Cor. 3. 18. For we all with open face, beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord: The fairest draught and print of God that can be taken; his People have his Image, but 'tis overshadowed with weakness; 'tis but the foreign, the off-set of his Word: 'Tis the Word that maketh Saints. There is the liveliest stamp and print of God; his Testimonies lead not only to the knowledge of God, but also the Fruition of him. Whatsoever leadeth us to the Fruition of God, is incomparably better, than any other thing; therefore if we Love God, we must Love his Precepts; Love them so, as to keep them: 'Tis the greatest Testification of that Love, we can shew to God.
Use. I. Is to shew us the Reason why so many Miscarry in the Profession of Godliness. Many walk in the ways of God for a while, but have no sound Love to them; either By-ends, or slavish Fears forced them into some Profession, but they did not love Godliness, as Godliness; and therefore cannot hold out with God: When a Man is Byassed and Poised by his heart to a thing, you cannot easily divert and break his inclination, that's a rooted thing; others were but forced, and forced subjection will not alwayes hold. Men are hoping they shall shake of an unpleasing task, and where they obey from constraint, and the Iron Yoke of Terror, they will not long obey.
Use. II. To press us not only to keep God Testimonies, but to love them.
Let me use some Arguments.
1. From its Excellency; to Love, is more than to Do; as to love sin, is a greater Evil than to Commit it. Gravius est peccatum diligere, quam facere. A Man may commit sin out of infirmity, but he that loveth it, sin reigneth in him: Practice may be over-ruled, a man may do evil that hateth it, being overborn by the Violence of a Temptation: as Paul saith of himself, the evil that I hate, that I do. So a man may do good, that hateth it, being influenced by By-ends: but our love is our own, the genuine off-spring of the Soul.
2. The Necessity of it; unless we love our work, we shall never be the more earnest in the performance of it: Nature of its self is unwilling, the heart hangeth off, till it be poised by Love; Reasons and Motives will not do it, Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law. The Commandments of God Cross our Will, Profit, and Pleasure; therefore we need not only Reasons with us, but a strong inclination of heart to hold us to it, else we shall be off and on with God, Neh. 4. 6. The building went on, because the people had a mind to the work. Nothing else will do it but this.
3. The Utility, We shall have more comfort in the sincerity of our Affections, than we can ever have in the perfection of our Actions. The People of God that cannot plead, the perfection of what they do, plead the reality of their Love. Iohn 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things, and knowest that I love thee.
4. Ex debito, We owe so much love to God, that every thing that he requireth should be welcom to us for Gods sake; they are his Testimonies, therefore your souls should love them, and bind them upon your hearts, and the rather, because we are to do our Duty not as Servants but as Friends. Ioh. 15. 14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you, not ye are my Servants: Between Friends, there is a perfect harmony and agreement in Mind and Will; to do a thing for loves sake to his Friend, this is an Act of Friendship. Not by servile constraint, but to keep them as they are his; we are to do what Christ commandeth, because he commandeth it; and that is to do it in love: Otherwise we break the Commands, when we keep them. Besides the outward Act, there must be a ready inclination, and delight in our Work. Carnal Men, the good they do, they would not do; that obedience is not worthy the name of obedience, that is extorted from us; men had rather live ungodly, if they durst for fear of Punishment. 'Tis but a slight kind of Religion, when Fear prevaileth more than Love; they do somewhat God willeth, but they had rather leave it undone: a man is never firmly gained to God, till he prefer Service before Liberty, and loveth holiness as holiness.
But how must we shew this Love? By two things; by being Aweful and Cheerful: Grieved when we offend him, Glad when we please him: Aweful in avoiding what he forbiddeth, and Cheerful in performing what he requireth.
1. Aweful; you dare not break with God in any one point, but are very chary and tender of the Commandments, keep them as the Apple of his Eye, Prov. 7. 2. that's offended with the least dust: or keeping of Jewels; Prov. 6. 24. Bind them continually upon thy heart, tye them about thy neck as Iewels. Choice of them.
2. By being Cheerful, Ready and Forward to every good Work: Psal. 110. 3. A willing People. You need not stand urging and pressing, the inclination of their hearts swayeth them. A Man is hardly kept from that he loveth. 1 Ioh. 2. 5. He that keepeth my word, in him is the love of God perfected.
Secondly, The Degree; I love them exceedingly.
Doctrine. Our Love to the Law must be an exceeding Love.
First, In the General, It noteth the height and intensiveness of our Love; not a cold Love, as Children love things, but are soon put out of the humour: but an high strong Love, that will not easily be broken or diverted; such as doth deeply affect the heart. Psalm 119. 97. Oh how I love thy Law! 'tis my meditation all the day. We that are so coldly affected to spiritual things, do not understand the force of these Expressions. An high and strong Love, will break forth into Meditation, Operation; make us sedulous and serious in obeying God. Psal. 119. 48. My hands will I lift up to thy Commandments, which I have loved. 1 Ioh. 2. 5. He that keepeth my Word, in him is the love of God perfected. Lift up our Eyes to the receiving, our Ears to the hearing, our Hands to the doing of thy Commandments; this argueth Love.
Secondly, The Prevalency; Not only high and strong, but to a prevailing Degree.
1. Such as prevaileth over things without us; This is such a Love, as is greater than our Love to all other things, Wealth, Honour, Credit, Estate; yea, Life it self: For if any thing be loved above out duty to God, it will soon prove a snare to us; Matth. 13. 44. Sold all to buy the field wherein the treasure was hid. All for the Pearl of price; a Believer seeth such a treasure in the Word of God, that he maketh no reckoning of any Wordly thing in comparison of it. But will part with whatever is pleasant and profitable to him to enjoy it, rather than be deprived of his Grace; if any fleshly sensitive Good, or Interest lyeth closer to the heart than the Word of God, it will in time prevail so, as to make Gods Will and Glory stoop to it, rather than this Interest shall be Renounced, or Contradicted. There is no talking of serving God, till you have this prevailing Love; and hate all things in comparison of your Duty to God. Luk. 14. 26. If any man hate not Father and Mother.
2. Such as doth prevail over Carnal Desires, and evil Affections within us; if it be not a Love that doth eat up and devour our Lusts within us, if the bent of your hearts be not more God than for Sin; See Baxter, page 273, 274, 275, to 279. in his directions about Conversion. There will be Evil in the best, and some Good in the worst: the critical difference lieth in the prevalent bent of the heart, when your dislike of sin is greater than your love, then you may say, Rom. 7. 20. It is not I, but sin that dwelleth in me. There must be a renewed self that prevaileth above corrupt self.
Well then, Rest not in some General approbation of the ways of God, or inclination to Good, but this prevailing Affection that Justleth Sin out of the Soul.