Sermons on Psalm 119, Sermons · Sermon 186
SERM. CLXXXVI.
PSALM CXIX. VER. 173.
Let thine hand help me, for I have chosen thy Precepts.
THE two first Verses shew the drift of this Portion; He begs two benefits, Instruction and Deliverance. His first Request for Instruction, is enforced by a Promise of Praise, Ver. 171. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy Statutes. In Ver. 172. Of Conferrence or holy Discourse, whereby others may be edified; My mouth shall speak of thy Word. Now he comes to enforce the second Request for Deliverance, by an Argument of his ready Obedience, Let thy hand help me: for I have chosen thy Precepts.
Observe here,
First, The Petition, Let thine hand help me.
Secondly, The Argument, or Reason to enforce it, for I have chosen thy Precepts.
First, For the Petition, Let thy hand help me. Hand, is put for Power; let thy Power Preserve me, and Defend me: and Help is sometimes put for Assistance, and sometimes for Deliverance. God may be said to help us, when he doth assist us, and support us in Troubles, or when he doth deliver us from Troubles. This latter acceptation suits with this place, and it is equivalent with what he said before, Ver. 170. Let my supplication come before thee, deliver me; so, let thy hand help me, deliver me according to thy Word. A good man may be brought into great straits which his own hand cannot help, and stead him, but then he may fly to God, and say, Lord, let thy hand help me. His Argument and Motive which he urgeth is, that I have chosen thy precepts, and from thence he infers his hope of Deliverance.
The Points will be two.
Doctrine. I. That this is the Character and description of a good man, that he is good, and doth good out of choice. So David pleads it here, I have chosen thy precepts.
Doctrine. II. That a man which makes Conscience of Gods Commands, is encouraged to seek help from him, in all his straits: For he prays, I have chosen thy precepts, therefore, Lord, let thy hand help me.
Doctrine. I. It is the plain Character of a good man, to be good, and do good out of Choice.
It was not out of rashness and ignorance, and inconsiderate Zeal, that David with so much hazard betook himself to Gods service, and was so exactly faithful with God; but upon due Choice, Trial, and Examination, I have chosen thy Precepts.
The Point may easily be proved out of Scripture, Isa. 56. 4. Gods People are described to be those that choose the things that please him, and take hold of his Covenant. Taking hold of his Covenant, relates there to the Priviledge part of the Covenant. As they seek their happiness in the priviledges of Gods Covenant, so as to the Duty part, they choose the things which please him. After serious and mature deliberation and judgment rightly informed, and Affection thereon grounded, they embrace the ways of God by a free Election and Choice. And so you shall see it is the Charge against wicked men, this is the disproof of their Confidence, Prov. 1. 29. that they did not choose the Fear of the Lord; mark the expression, that is, prefer it before the baits of sin. So Deut. 30. 19. I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live. We shall never have Life, unless we have it by choice. He sets both before them; choose Life, not as if it were indifferent in point of Duty, for to do the one or the other; but to set an edge upon their Affections; I have set both before you. God will have his service entred upon by choice; Ios. 24. 15. Now if it seem evil for you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods whom your fathers served, on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land ye dwell; but as for me, &c. He leaves it not arbitrarily to the Israelites whether they should serve God or no, but this he he saith, that they might freely and without Compulsion declare what they were minded to do, and that they might be the more firmly tied to serve the Lord, because they had voluntarily taken upon themselves to do it. (Now choose you whom you will serve) that is, compare that which is best, with that which is worst; Life, and Death; Light, and Darkness; Heaven, and Hell together; and resolve accordingly; because no man in his right Wits, would make any doubt after such a Representation which to choose: Ioshuah's Speech is just such another Speech, as that of Elijah; 1 King. 18. 21. If God be God, serve him; if Baal be God, follow him. Not as if he made it any doubt, or would have them make it any doubt, or as if it were uncertain, but that they might choose more freely, and delight, and persevere in their Choice. These places shew, we never rightly enter into Gods service, until we enter upon it by Choice.
Here I shall enquire,
First, What it is to choose Gods Precepts.
Secondly, Give some Reasons why they must be chosen, else they can never be rightly kept, or why this is so necessary.
First, What is choosing Gods Precepts? It implies five things;
1. Deliberation.
2. Esteem or Preferrence.
3. A Voluntary Inclination.
4. A firm and stedfast Resolution, by which we are bound all our days.
5. A Complacency and Contentment in what we have chosen.
1. Deliberation, or a due consideration of what is chosen; its Nature, Worth, and Excellency, for until we compare and weigh things, how can we make a choice, but take them hand over-head, and therefore there is a weighing the reasons on both sides. Gods Children are not ignorant what it is to flow in Worldly Wealth, Pleasures, and Earthly Comforts, and to enjoy the favour of the World, and to sail here with a full stream. And on the other side, they are not ignorant what it will cost them to be through with Christ, to be Religious indeed, they do not run hand over head to resolve upon such a course, no, they sit down, they count the Charges; Luk. 14. 27. The business sticks with many in this first work, we cannot bring them to any serious consideration, they will not weigh things, but act as their brutish Lusts ineline them. It is said, Isa. 46. 8. Remember this, and shew your selves men, bring it to mind, O ye transgressors. It is a Disgrace to our Reason, when we will not consider well of things, and bring them not back to our hearts, as the word signifies; but we run on as Chance offereth Objects or Occasions: consider what this and that will tend to, weigh things in your Souls. Even good it self, if we stumble upon it, it is but a lucky hit, or a happy mistake; therefore the Apostle adviseth us to resolve upon Trial, 1 Thes. 5. 21. Prove all things; and hold fast that which is good. Men will not hold fast that which is good, unless they first prove and try. Indeed those things which usually oppose themselves against the spiritual Life, are such poor paultry inconsiderable Vanities, that they are not worthy to be brought into competition, or into any serious debate with them; for it is no hard question to resolve, whether God or the Flesh shall be pleased? whether the Transitory Pleasures of sin should be preferred before Eternal Glory, or the Happiness of the Saints? But yet serious Consideration will discover this to us, and shame us out of our perverse and preposterous choice; whereas otherwise we should go on like men Asleep, or like men out of their wits, choose poor base things, delight in inconsiderable trifles, before the things whereof we are so deeply concerned; therefore it requires deliberation in weighing.
2. Choice notes Esteem or Preferrence; for election and choice it is a preferring of one thing before an other. Though God and Christ be good, and Grace and Heaven be good, yet there are other things that come in competition with them, and when we set our selves to seek after God and Christ, these Competitors are suing for our Hearts, and Rival Christ in the Soul. And therefore this Choice implies a Renunciation of all other things, a trampling upon them, and a high esteem and value of Christ and his wayes. The Scripture speaks of selling all for the Pearl of great Price, Matth. 13. 45, 46. of accounting things but dung and dross in comparison of Christ, Phil. 3. 8, 9. In choosing the ways of God many things will be offered to us, that may hale us this way and that way; many Pleasures and Contentments of this Life: Now we must trample upon them all, and renounce them as they are Temptations, that we may actually exalt, prefer, and esteem Christ and his Grace. There are two things which Assault our Resolution for God; the Terrors of Sense, and the Allurements of the Flesh, or the Vanities of the World. Now a Soul resolved to serve God, must actually and positively prefer Obedience before both of these; before Temptations on the right hand, and on the left.
(1) For the Terrors of Sense, we must be resolved rather to suffer than to sin: In choosing the ways of God, the heart must come to a firm Resolution, rather to suffer the greatest inconvenience, than to commit the least sin; this was Moses his Choice, Heb. 11. 25. When once it came to a case of Sin, then he renounceth Pleasures, Treasures, Honours. Whatever it costs us, we must resolve to be faithful with God; and to run the greatest hazard, rather than to do the least thing that is contrary to his Will.
(2.) We must prefer Obedience before all the Allurements of the Flesh, and Vanities of the World. David chose Gods Precepts, that is, valued them more then all other things. See Verse 14. of this Psalm, I have rejoyced in the way of thy Testimonies more then in all riches; He explains the choice here mentioned. If we have Grace to serve God, and to keep the way of his Testimonies, we count our selves more happy than if we had all the World. It is not enough to approve Gods Ways simply, but we must approve them Comparatively; not only as good in themselves, but as better then all other things: and it should be more to us to be taught our Duty, and to know how to serve God, then if we did enjoy the fulness of all Earthly Comforts.
3. Choosing the ways of God implies a Voluntary inclination, that we should of our own accord follow them; for choice is free, and it is opposed to force and constraint, and a man is said to choose those things which he likes, which he loves, which his soul enclines to; when he is carried to them not by the Compulsion of an external Principle, but by his own propenfion and inclination. Look as the wicked they are described to be those, who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness, Prov. 2. 13. that is, have an inclination to one, rather than another; for what is exprest that the wicked leave the Paths of uprightness, it is explained, Ioh. 3. 19. by loving darkness rather than the light. And so it is said of Mary, she hath chosen that good part, of her own Voluntary accord, and free Inclination she was moved to sit at Christs feet, to attend upon the improvement of her Soul. The business of Salvatiis offered to our Choice, it is left to our own free Inclination, though God gives the Inclination before hand (as by and by). If you choose death, you willingly and freely forsake your own Mercies.
4. Choice implies a firm and immutable Purpose; a resolved adhesion to those things we choose. The Mind is not anxious, and doubtful, and hanging between two contraries, when we choose; but fixed and determined. I have chosen thy precepts; that is, firmly resolved to observe them. We never choose till we come to a full purpose, Asts 11. 33. He exhorteth them with full purpose of Heart to cleave to the Lord. A wavering inclination infers no choice; there may be good thoughts and meanings in the Soul, but till we are resolved for God, we do not choose his Precepts. Many are convinced of a better way, but their hearts are not engaged to walk in it. We are fixedly determined by our choice, Ier. 30. 21. Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord? He hath sincerely obliged and bound himself to live in a close way of Communion with God, the Soul begins to pause and consider the vanity of Earthly things; there's the first: Yea, and after this, they are brought on that they say, Certainly it is much better to be a servant of the Lord, than to be a servant of Sin; and they see that the greatest inconvenience is a more tolerable thing than sin; and all the Pleasures and Profits of the World, will not countervail our Duty to God. There is an inclimation to the way of God, ay, but this inclination while it is wavering it may be taken off, till it come to a Resolution; here I will stick, I will seek my happiness and comfort in seeking of God: It is good for me to draw nigh unto God, Psal. 73. ult. and therefore I am resolved to seek my happiness and contentment, whatever I do.
5. Choice implies a contentment and complacency in that which we have chosen; and the act of the Will is quickned by a suitable Affection that accompanieth it. Mark, Election is properly an Act of the Will; ay, but the Affections they are but the Vigorous Motions of the Will. Where there is a remiss Will, that's without Affection; but where there is a strong bent in the Will, that is always accompanied with some suitable Affection. As if I have a strong bent and nilling of sin, there is an affection of Hatred accompanying it; if I have but a remiss Will for Holiness, that will never save me; that is made to be one of the seven deadly sins which the School men call Listlesness; but where there is a serious will, such a willing as a choosing, certainly there is an Affection that accompanieth it. Look as David when he had chosen God for his Portion, presently he profest his complacency and delight in his choice; Psal. 16. 6. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. Where there is a choosing God for our portion, and All-sufficient happiness, there is presently a delight and satisfaction which results from this choice, and the soul is affected with its own felicity in God, and finds a joy and pleasure in choosing him. So it is in choosing the Precepts of God, I have chosen thy Precepts; see the next Verse, Thy law is my delight; where there is choice, there is delight. A man loves what he chooseth, and is ready and forward to do it; and its a pleasing thing to serve the Lord, for Election in such a weighty Case is accompanied with Love, it is not an Act of a remiss but strong Will; and where there is Love nothing will be grievous, 1 Iohn 5. 3.
Secondly, To give Reasons, why we must thus choose the Precepts of God. I shall Reason,
1. From the Necessity.
2. From the Congruity and Conveniency.
3. From the Utility and Profit of it.
1. The Necessity of it. It must needs be so, that Gods wayes must be taken up upon choice, because there are several Competitors, that bid for the heart of Man; where there is but one thing there is no choice. There is the Devil, by the World, through the Flesh, seeks to get in, and reign in your Hearts; and there is God, Christ, and the Spirit. Now there must be a casting out of one, and putting in the other. Look as in the 9. Prov. the whole Chapter; there Wisdom, and the foolish woman are brought in pleading, to draw in the heart of unwary man to themselves; Wisdom is pleading, and the foolish woman is pleading: In the beginning of the Chapter, Wisdom tells what Comfort, what Peace they shall have, if they will take her Institutions; Wisdom offers solid Benefits, but Folly offers stolen waters, and bread eaten in secret; some carnal Mirth when Conscience is asleep, ay, and the dead are there too: The intoxicating Pleasures of this World bring Death along with them, when they can choak the sentiments of God that are in his heart. Whoso is simple let him turn in hither, saith Wisdom; and who is simple let him turn in hither, saith Folly. As the Poets feign of their Hercules, that Vertue and Vice appeared to him, and the one shewed him a rough, and the other a pleasant way. Certainly as soon as we come to years of discretion, we come to make our choice, either to go on in the ways of death, or to choose the ways of God; either to give up our selves to the Pleasures of sin, or else to seek after the comforts of the Spirit. Now since there are two Competitors for the heart of man, and his love cannot remain idle, it must be given to one or another; Love and Oblectation cannot lie idle in the Soul, either it must leak out to the World, or run out to God. There is a necessity of a choice of renouncing the bewitching Vanities of the World, that we may seriously betake our selves to the service of God.
2. Consider the Congruity and Conveniency of it, both to the honour of God, and nature of Man, that no man should ever be happy or miserable but by his own Choice.
(1.) 'Tis not for the Honour of God, that a man should be Happy, or have such great Priviledges setled upon him without his own choice; such great benefits as Justification, Sanctification, and Eternal Glory. On the other side, that a man should be Miserable without his knowledge, or against his will, or besides his purpose and consent, that God should give Eternal Life whether men will or no. It is not agreeable to the Honour of God, to inflict Eternal Death upon them without their consent, unless they choose the ways of death; Mans Heart else would have a Plea against God. Certainly the wise God will never make any happy without their own consent; and never make any Miserable, but their Destruction is of themselves; Hos. 13. 9.
(2.) Neither will it agree with the Nature of Man, who is a reasonable rational Creature, or any agent capable of Election or Choice. The Brutes are rul'd with a rod of Iron. God guides all things by his Providence; inanimate Creatures by meer Providence; Brutes by their own instinct; and Man as a free Agent, capable of knowing and prosecuting his Chief End. Now every Creature of God is governed according to the nature which is put into it; and therefore since man is a free Agent, God expects in submitting to his service the Creatures consent and choice; and before we can submit to his service, before he will admit us to the benefits, there must be a choice, and an actual will on our parts, Rev. 22. 17. Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. The business is brought home to us, and left with our will. If we miss of happiness, it is because we would not choose it, and the way that leads to it. The Lord chargeth it still upon mans Will; Iohn 5. 40. Luke 19. 14. Matth. 23. 37. Psal. 81. 11. our Misery is from our wilfulness. But in all that are brought into Grace, there is a Will 'tis true, but God prevents them and inclines their Will, Psal. 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of grace and power. You have a grant, and an offer of mercy from God, and then he inclines and moves you to make a right choice. So that of the good and bad it may be said they have their choice. If you neglect and refuse holiness, you choose your own destruction, and neglect life, your Hearts must tell you this, Thou hast been the fault of it; as Plutarch brings in one Apollodorus, that dreamt one night that he was boyling in a Kettle of scalding Lead, and that his heart cried out to him, I have been the cause of all this. This Heathen improves it to shew there is a Vengeance that attends sinners; I mention it only allusively. Now it was your own perverse Choice and Will that made your Hell, thou hast but the fruit of thine own choice. Indeed as to what is good, if you have chosen the Precepts of God, there God must have the Glory; you must say, not I, but Christ; as the Apostle. Ay, but there you come in, there's an Act of your Will, but as disposed and rightly enclined by God. You come both to the Duties and Priviledges of Religion by a choice also, though not of your selves but of God.
3. Let me reason from the Utility and Benefit. A man that takes up the wayes of God upon Choice,
(1.) He is able to justifie the wayes of God, for he seeth a Reason for what he chooseth. When Temptations come strong, there will be many mis-giving thoughts; ay, but then Wisdom should be justified of all her Children, Matth. 11. 19. A blind accidental Love is the fruit of chance, but a Love that is grounded upon knowledge and Judgment, that's choice; this is so grounded, therefore he seeth Reason for what he doth; Phil. 1. 9, 10. I pray God that your love may abound in all wisdom, and understanding; That ye may approve things that are excellent. They see a Reason, for they took it upon choice. The Lord hath shewed them the worth and excellency of his wayes, therefore they can better justifie God against all their prejudices.
(2.) Such will be more firm and stedfast. The cause of all halting in Religion is is the want of a Choice, of a purpose resolutely set. A wavering double-minded man that is half off, and half on, will be unstable in all his ways; Iames 1. 8. foreign, a two-soul-man; a man that seems to have a soul for God, and a soul for earthly things; and the heart hangs sometimes for one, and sometimes for another: A scoff or scorn, or a little inconvenience, a little fear, a little enticement or stirring of the rebelling flesh within, will make him turn out of the way; and how can such a one hold out with God, when his way to heaven is a continual Warfare? But on the other side, a man that is a Christian, and a servant of God by Choice, his course is likely according to his choice, because he is fixt upon Evidence, he knowes he is upon sure ground, and depending upon God he will not miscarry. And therefore Ioshua when he would engage the Israelites to continue faithful with God, he draws them on to a Choice, and then saith, Ioshua 24. 22. Ye are witnesses against your selves, that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him; and they said, We are witnesses. It much strengthens the Bond, when a man binds himself freely and willingly; and he makes himself the more culpable, and the more inexcusable if he do not observe it.
3. They will carry on the work of their Heavenly Calling with the more Ease and Delight; because a choice is nothing else, but the inclination of the Soul guided by Reason, strengthned by a Purpose, and quickned and actuated by our Love. This Reason justifies our choice; Purpose binds it, makes it firm; but now here comes Love which makes it easie and sweet to do what we have resolved upon. A resolute Traveller will go through his Journey, and overcome the tediousness of it, his mind is set to finish it, let him have what Way or Weather he will; so a Christian will overcome his difficulties when his heart is enclined to this course, it is his own choice and he will hold to it. It is a hard heart that makes the work hard, but when the Will is engaged, a firm Resolution of the Will is the life of our Affections, and to Affection all is easie.
Use. I. To shew, That they act upon a wrong Principle, who are not good, and yet do good out of Chance. To this end, I shall shew you,
1. That a Man may do good by Chance, and not be good.
2. A Man may do good by Force, and yet not be good.
3. That some do good out of Craft and Design; but to do good out of Choice doth only discover the Truth and Sincerity of Religion.
1. Some do good by Chance. As,
(1.) The Man that taketh up Religion by Example barely, and Tradition; not out of any sound Conviction of the Truth and Worth of it. Thus many are Christians by the chance of their Birth in those Countries where the Name of Christ is professed, and had in Honour; and the main Reason into which their Religion is resolved, is not any Excellency in its self, but the Custom and Tradition of their Forefathers: Ioh. 4. 20. Our fathers worshipped in this Mountain. And 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and Gold, from your vain conversation [received] by Tradition from your fathers. 'Twas hard to reclaim them from their inveterate Customs; This is the Religion in which they have been born and bred. 'Tis true that Tradition from Father to Son is a Duty, and a Means to bring us to the Knowledge of the Truth; and that Christianity is such an Institution as doth so clearly evidence its self to be of God, and speaketh to us of such necessary and weighty matters, that it cannot but a little rowse and affect the mind of him that receiveth it, however he receiveth it. But most men do but blindly and pertinaciously adhere to it, as that Religion wherein they have been born and bred without any distinct knowledge of the worth of it: So that if there be any goodness in their Christianity (as their Profession is good in itself) They are but good by chance, for upon the same reasons they are Christians, if they had been born elsewhere they would have been Mahometans, or Idolaters.
(2.) Not only these, but also those who stumble upon the Profession of Religion they know not how, and those who in a Pang and sudden Motion are all for God, and for Heavenly things, but this vanisheth into nothing; as Fire in straw, which is soon kindled and soon out. This is a free-will Pang, not a choice; the heart is not habitually inclined and devoted unto God; Ioh. 6. 34. Oh that I might die the death of the righteous, Numb. 23. 10. Such kind of wishing of holiness as a necessary means, there may be, as well as happiness; These are accidentally stirred up in us.
2. Some do good by force. These also are of two sorts; such as are forced by the fear of Men, or of God.
1. Forced by the fear of Men, because they dare not be bad with credit and security; as Fear of Parents, Tutors, and Governours: 2 Chron. 24. 2. Ioash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Iehojadah the Preist. He did that which was right as to external Acts, but after Iehojadahs death he revolted from the Lord; 2 Chron. 24. 17, 18. So fear of Magistrates, as Iosiah compelled them to stand to the Covenant: therefore, Ier. 3. 10. Yet for all this her treacherous sister Iudah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly. Fear of the times when set for Religion, Esther 8. 12. Many of the people of the land became Iews, for the fear of the Iews fell upon them.
(2.) Forced by the Fear of God: A little unwilling service may be extorted from them, by the force of a convinced Conscience. There is a slavish kind of Religiousness, arising from a fear of Punishment, without any love and delight in God. Men may be against God and his Wayes, when fear onelyonly driveth them to them. They do something good, but had rather leave it undone; they avoid some sins, but had rather practice them. By the spirit of bondage they are brought to tender some unwilling service to Christ; and their only Motives are fear of Wrath, and Hell, and a sight of the curse due to sin. The falseness of this Principle appeareth,
(1) Because 'tis most stirring in a time of eminent Judgements, when they are sick and like to dye; Isa. 26. 9. When thy judgements are abroad in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn Righteousness. Ier. 2. 26. In their affliction they will cry, Arise, and save us. Mettle in the furnace is very soft, but take it out, and it returneth to its old hardness. See Psal. 78. 34, 35, 36, 37. The sense of present devouring Wrath, and the Terrors of an Angry God, may drive men to some Temporary acts of Devotion; these proceed only from the Natural fear of Death, and love of Self-preservation. This may put a stand for a while to their former wayes of Provocation, and incline them to seek God with some diligence in the outward forms of Religion; but it produceth no stedfastness in the Covenant: As if there had been some weak effect upon them; as if it brought them for a while to some temper of Piety; but it was not hearty and durable, but only formal and Temporary.
(2) Because they take all occasions to inlarge themselves out of the stocks of Conscience, and as soon as their fear is worn off, away go all their Religious Pangs, and thoughts of the other World, and care about it: How often is this verisied by daily Experience? Many that were frightned into a course of Religion, went on from Duty to Duty, out of a Fear of being Damned, but their Hearts were another way; but afterwards they cast off all, when they have sinned away these Fears: As Herod feared Iohn, and afterwards put him to death; Mark 6. 19, 20. Yea, all the while they did good, they had rather do otherwise if they durst, and therefore did but watch the occasion to fly out.
(3) Because men of this frame dispute away Duties, rather than practice them; and are quarrelling at those things which the new Nature would sufficiently incline them unto, if they had it. In the New Testament, God much trusts Love; and the number and length of Duties is not stated so exactly, because where the Love of God prevaileth in the Heart, men will take all occasions of glorifying God, and edifying themselves: But when men quarrel, How do you prove it to be my Duty to do so much, and to give so much; when the Duty its self is instituted: Love will make God a reasonable allowance, and not stand questioning how do you prove it to be my Duty, to pray so often in my Family, or in secret, or hear so many Sermons, which our constant necessities do loudly call for: Men that have a love to a thing will take all occasions to enjoy it, or be conversant about it; and a willing heart is liberal and open to God, and is rather disputing the restraint, than the Command; how do you prove it is not my Duty, and is loth to be kept back from its delight.
3. Some do good out of Craft and Design, there is some By-end is the cause: as Iehu was not so much Zealous for God, as his own Interests, 2 King. 10. 16. And our Lord telleth us of some that make long Prayers, to devour Widows Houses; Matth. 23. 14. made Piety a colour and pretext to Oppression: and that they might be trusted, took as a shew of great Devotion; And of this strain were those that followed Christ for the Loaves, Ioh. 6. 20. To be fed with a Miracle and to live a life of sloth and ease. God never set any good thing afoot, but some temporal Interest grew upon it, with which men were swayed more than with what belongeth to God.
Use. II. Is to perswade you to choose Gods Precepts, (I have chosen thy Precepts, said the man of God) To this end I shall give you both Motives, and Directions; Motives why you should choose them; and then Directions in what manner things are to be attended upon in your choice.
First, For the Motives.
1. Choose them because they are Gods, to whom you are indebted for Life, Being, and all things, Shall we not obey him that made us, and in whom still we live, move, and have our being? We are debtors to him for all that we have, and truly we cannot have a better Master. He was angry with his People, that when the Beasts would own their Benefactors, that his People would not own him from whom they had all things; Isa. 1. 3. The Brute-beasts, the dullest of them, the Oxe and the Ass, are willing to serve those that feed them, and pay a kind of gratitude; and shall not we own God? Every day your health, strength and comforts come out of his hands, so every nights Rest and Ease, and after this can you sin against God that keeps you by Night and by day?
2. These Precepts are all holy, just, and good. What is it the Lord requires of you, but to love him, and serve him, and fear him, and forbear those things which hurt the Soul? thus he speaks to Israel, Deut. 10. 12. Surely these commands are not unreasonable, nor grevious. You dare not say sin is better, that it is more profitable to please the flesh, and to wallow in and seek after worldly things; O why then dost thou not choose Gods Precepts before the work which Satan would put thee upon! for these Precepts commend themselves by their own Evidence.
3. In keeping them there's a great deal of benefit.
(1.) For the present, there's a deal of Comfort and Peace to be be found in the ways of God. If there were no reward of Heaven, yet there's such comfort and peace that attends holy living, even as heat from the fire, that certainly this should draw our choice. All her ways are ways of pleasantness, Prov. 3. 17. And again, the Prophet tells you, the fruit of righteousness is peace. A man that doth evil hath a sting in his Conscience, and a wound in his own Soul. But every good action is followed with a Serenity of Mind, and an approbation from the heart of him thar doth it. Nay, you shall not only have Peace, but Joy in the Holy Ghost; for if you walk in the fear of God, you walk in the comforts of his Spirit: Acts 9. 31. And the Kingdom of God stands in Righteousness, and Peace; ay, and a distinct Priviledge, Joy in the Holy Ghost: Rom. 14. 17. What's the difference between Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost? Peace is a Tranquility of mind resulting from the rectitude of our actions, but this joy is an impression of the comforting Spirit. This Joy it hath God for its Author, he puts it into our hearts, therefore it will more affect us, then the bare Act of our natural faculties. Peace it is an acquittance from Conscience, but Joy in the Holy Ghost it is and Acquittance from God, who is our Supream Judge, and is the beginning of that endless joy which he hath prepared for them that love him in Heaven.
(2.) For the future and final reward, that is great and glorious indeed. Surely the Glory of the Everlasting Kingdom should invite us to choose Gods Precepts, whatever it may cost us to keep them: for in choosing Holiness, you choose Life; and in choosing the ways of God, you choose the heavenly inheritance, which is the certain end, and issue of them. So Prov. 8. 35, 36. Whoso findeth me, findeth Life, and obtaineth favour of the Lord; But he that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own Soul; all they that hate me, love death. Christians, when you are about choosing, these are the terms propounded to you, and they should be seriously weighed by us, Evil, and Death; Good, and Life; will you choose Sin and Death, or Holiness and Life? Is the Pleasures of the Flesh for a few hours, better then the endless Joy of the Saints? If you believe Heaven and hell as you profess to do, why should you stand demurring? are you content to be thrust out from the presence of the Lord, with the Devil and his Angels into unquenchable Flames, for a little contentment here in the World, for a little ease and delight here given to your carnal Nature? Is an Earthly Life that you cannot long hold, more valuable, then an Eternal Heaven, you shall enjoy for ever? no, let us go to heaven though we get thither with many pains and sufferings. If you forsake all, not only in Vow and Purpose, but Actually and in Deed, yet still you have something better, you shall be no looser in the end, you shall so choose the blessed God, and live with him for evermore, and be fill'd with his Love, as full as you can hold, and be employed in his service; and all this in an Eternal Perfection, and glorified Estate.
4. Motive. Choose, for you will never have cause to repent of your choice. The Lord stands upon his Justification, is very tender of giving his People any Cause to repent of his service; Micah 6. 3. O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? testifie against me. Pray what hurt hath Holiness done you? Who was ever the better for sinning? or who was the worse for Holiness? There was none that ever made a carnal choice but first or last they had cause to repent of it; either they repent of it in a kindly manner, while they may mend the matter, or else they shall repent for ever in Misery: but who ever repented of his Repentance? or cursed the day of his new Birth? To whom ever was it any grief of heart that they were acquainted with God and Christ, or the way that leadeth unto life? who dieth the sweeter death? or who repents of their choice then, the serious or the carnal? Oh they that have chosen the World, they cry out, how the World hath deceived them, but never any repented of choosing God, and the wayes of God. Let these things perswade you to choose his Precepts.
Secondly, For Directions.
1. In Choosing, the Object is to be regarded; Gods Precepts indefinitely, all of them, not one excepted, the smallest as well as the greatest, the troublesome as well as the easie; the most neglected, as well as the most observed: we must choose all Gods Precepts, not abate any thing, but especially the main or the essential Precepts of Christianity, or the Fundamental points of the Covenant. Now the Question is, What's the Fundamental Point of the Covenant? Truly that's known by the form of Baptisme; Baptisme is the solemn Seal of entring into Covenant with God, it's the Seal of our initiation or first entrance into Covenant with God: Mat. 28. 19. Now what is it to be Baptised in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? when you first choose the ways of God, here you must begin, you must close with Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, heartily take them to be your God; that is, you must close with God the Father, as your All-sufficient Portion, or chiefest happiness, to be loved above all; and also as your highest Lord, that he may be served, pleased, and obeyed above all. Well, and in the name of the Son, that is, Jesus Christ, he must be taken as your Saviour and Redeemer, to bring you to God, and to reconcile you to him. And to be Baptised in the name of the Holy Ghost, is this, to take him as your Sanctifier, Guide, and Comforter, to make you a holy people to God, to cleanse your hearts from sin, to write all Gods Laws upon your Hearts, and put them into your Minds, and to guide you by the Word and Ordinances to everlasting Life. This is the main thing that is first to be minded, because it contains all, and doth necessarily infer the rest; for otherwise, to be resolute in some by-point of Religion though it be right, this is but the Obstinacy of a Faction, not the constancy of a Christian Zeal.
2. As you must look to the Object of this choice, so to the Causes of it, and what are they? An Enlightned Mind, a renewed Heart, a Love to God, and then the Spirit of God enlightning and inclining our Hearts.
(1.) An Enlightned Mind is a cause of choosing the ways of God, when the Lord hath taught us his Precepts, an enlightned mind discovers a beauty and amiableness in the ways of God: Psal. 119. 128. I esteem all thy Precepts to be right, and they are the rejoycing of my soul.
(2.) A Renewed Heart, wherein all the precepts of God are written over again. They were written upon our Hearts in Innocency, but that's a blurred Manuscript, therefore in Regeneration they are written over again. God writes his Law in our hearts, and puts them in our inward parts; Heb. 8. 10. and then the Law within suits with the Law without, for the new Creature is created after God in Righteousness, and true Holiness. In true Holiness, which relates to the first Table of the Law; and Righteousness, which relates to the second Table of the Law, the renewed heart that hath this inclination and propension is carried out to them.
(3.) Love to God, for that's implied in the choice; Iohn 14. 21. He that hath my Commandements and keeps them, he it is that loves me, and he that loves me hath my Commandements and keeps them. It follows the other way, where there is love to God, there will be choosing of his ways.
(4.) Gods Spirit, the Lord Enlightning and Inclining our Hearts to this choice. God Enlightens, for he teacheth us the way that we shall choose; and when we see these things in the light of the Spirit, then we see the Beauty of them. Psal. 25. 12. It holds good as to the path of Life, and in particular cases; but chiefly in the main case, God teacheth him the way that he shall choose. And the Spirit of God enclines the Heart too, as well as enlightens the Mind; 1 Pet. 1. 22. Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth, through the spirit.
3. There are the Effects of this Choice: What are they? Delight, Diligence, and Patience.
(1.) Delight. Psal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. When the Law is not only written in the Book, but written in the heart, then there's a Delight, a ready and willing Obedience. It is spoken first of Christ, of David it was said in Type; it's true also of all Believers, for they have the Spirit of Christ, and the same also is exprest of the People of God: Psal. 112. 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his Commandments. When a man hath chosen the precepts of God, and bound himself in this way, then his heart is taken with a delight.
(2.) Diligence, Gods Precepts are the great business and employment of our lives, and then there's a constant study to please him; Col. 1. 9, 10. Filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that you may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing. We must do Gods Will and Precepts, that we may order our Practise accordingly. There must be an habitual Aim and Purpose to please God.
(3.) Patience; a resolute continuance till our service be over. This is the way I have chosen, and here will I stick, until the great reward come in hand; Rom. 2. 7. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for honour, and glory, and immortality, Eternal Life. And Luk. 8. 15. The good ground brought forth fruit with patience. That distinguished the good ground, from all other grounds; they had some little liking of it, but never came to a serious choice; but the good ground, though there be several Weathers between Sowing and Reaping, it cherisheth the Seed, that it is ready at Harvest time: so we pass through many Weathers before we come to our Harvest of Happiness and Rest.
Doctrine. II. That man which makes Conscience of Gods Commands, is encouraged to seek help from him in straits.
First, Such a one may be in great straits, as David, his own hand could not help him, therefore he flies to God. The Lord permits it that he may be trusted alone in his own hands, he will break our carnal Dependancies, and that his ways may be chosen for their own sakes, and not for temporal Reward; and that his Love to his own People may not be shewn too sensibly, that the misteriousness of Providence may leave a room and place for Faith: therefore doth God darken the Glory of the Godly with Afflictions, and put them into straits, that their own hand cannot help them.
Now in these straits, those that make Conscience of Gods Precepts, they are encouraged to seek help from Gods hand. Why? Partly because Integrity breeds a confidence, so that a man which hath been faithful with God, can look him in the face. It breeds a confidence in Life, 2 Cor. 1. 12. and in Death, Isa. 38. 3. when they are sick, weak, and know not what to do, they can fly to God. And then Integrity also, it entitles to Gods Protection, all that heartily and sincerely depend upon God, Prov. 10. 9. He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely. An upright, plain-hearted Man, that trusts himself under the shadow and protection of Gods Providence, he hath no shifts, and tricks, this man shall walk safely, God is engaged to defend him. But the perverse, that fly to their shifts, God will disappoint them, and shew them their folly: Gen. 17. 1. I am God All-sufficient, walk before me, and be thou perfect. Do you uprightly serve God, and study to please him, and you need not seek else-where for a Patron, or for one to defend you and plead your Cause. And partly too, because they are exposed to the greater difficulties, because they are faithful with God, and trust themselves alone with his protection; for so the Apostle, 1 Tim. 4. 10. For therefore we labour, and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God. Faith begets faithfulness; their dependance is upon God, and their faithfulness costs them dear, and so they suffer reproach because they did trust themselves in Gods ways by Gods providence. As you stand in need of Gods protection you shall have it. God will not forsake us in our greatest needs, as the World will, but in our greatest extremities, when all carnal dependencies fail us, he will not; then is the time for God to shew himself. He hath still a Providence and Fatherly care over thee, but his power is especially engaged at such a time. If you will take care of your Duty, he will take care of your safety; for he will either keep you out of Troubles, or sustain you under Troubles.