it is to be nearer to him than ever, more happy than ever; yea, to be perfectly fo, and change no more: Wherefore return unto thy reft, O my foul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

APPLICATION.

To close all with a word of use.

1. Have holy fouls their reft in God, how amiable and great is the change that grace hath made upon them? For naturally they are inclined to live without God in the world, as well as others, and to take up their reft in lower good; but being born from heaven, they can no longer do fo. God is now more than all the world to them; and if they have not reft in him, they can have none for ever. Should all the monarchs upon earth caft down their crowns at my feet, (faid a gracious foul, that spake his inward fenfe) and fay, All these are thine, I would answer, Thefe cannot content or fatisfy me. Why? because they are not God. Should all the honours and wealth of the world be heaped upon me, I would fay, It is not enough. Why?" because I have a foul to be provided for, that none of these can fuit or fatisfy, and nothing fhort of God in Chrift can be my reft.

2. This may help you to pass a judgment upon this world, as altogether infufficient to be the reft of a foul. The wifeft and beft upon earth univerfally renounce it as their portion, and as taught of God, look for reft only in himself. What folly therefore are they guilty of, who look for rest below, which is to look for light in darkness, life in death? In thus looking, they

loofe

lose their labour, and their poor fouls are in danger of perishing for ever.

3. Have holy fouls their rest in God, let us prove ourselves fuch, by taking up our rest with them. If it be not yet done, let it be no longer deferred. Why should you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatisfeth not? When God calls you to hearken to his voice, and, by Chrift, to return to him, that ye may eat that which is good, and have your foul delight itself in fatness, and be provided of an adequate portion in which you may reft and rejoice for ever?

Laftly, Let believers record God's gracious dealings with them, and frequently review and read them over. This will endear the thoughts of him, and confirm their trust in him. Whilft others are running from him, and had rather be any where than with him, a child of God may fay at the close of every day, at every season of worship, especially on the Lord's day; and under any trouble of life, and even in the view and approach of death, Return unto thy reft, &c. God grant we may be all of this number, and afterwards reft with them now, for ever.

VOL. II.

K

SER

SERMON VII.

PSALM CXIX. 92.

Unless thy law had been my delights, I Should then have perished in mine affiction.

TH

HIS pfalm is by far the longest in the book and as it is long, fo it is most excellent and engaging. It commends the scripture or word of God to us under feveral notions, as his Statutes, Judgments, Precepts, Teftimonies, and here he calls it, his law. David found it of use to him at all times; and now he speaks of the advantage he had from it in a time of distress: Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then bave perished in my affliction.

We have here fet before us by this Pfalmift: 1. The cafe which he had been in, and which he now refers to, one fad and finking. He was under fuch affliction that he was ready to perifh; which feems to include inward and outward trouble at once; trials without, and preffures within.

2. What it was that gave him relief, and this when nothing else could, viz. the law of God.

3. How he looked back upon this relief received, namely, namely, with thankfulness to God, to whom he speaks, and records it for the encouragement and direction of others, Unless thy law bad been my delights, I should then have perished in my affliction.

Doct. The word of God has been the great relief of his people, even under trials wherein they felt themfelves ready to fink: this they have found, and are ready to own for his glory, and the good of thofe that come after them, that through patience and comfort of the fcripture, they alfo may have hope.

In fpeaking to this I fhall endeavour to fhew, I. What there is in the law or word of God, which tends to the delight of his people in diftrefs.

II. Who they are that it actually delights, and its fitness for that purpose.

III. How it does fo.

IV. When it does fọ.

V. The nature of the confolation or delight it affords.

Lastly, The Ufe.

1. To fhew what there is in the word of God, which tends to the delight of his people in diftrefs.

1. In the word there are made the most comfortable difcoveries. As,

(1.) That God ftands in the most endearing relations to his people. He is their Shepherd, their Father, their Friend, their God, and will deal with them as becometh one who ftands all these ways related to them: notwithstanding

K 2

their

their revolt from him, and rebellion against him, he is become the God of peace, reconciled to them.

(2.) That the way was made for the fettling of these endeared relations in which God ftands to his people, by the fufferings and death of his own Son. It was he that made peace by the blood of his crofs; and he was fent from heaven in order to this, and fuffered, the just for the unjust, that he might bring them to God, who in and thro' him hath declared himself well-pleased. And how great comfort may it yield, that the bleffed God fhould have the falvation of man fo much at heart, and to be at fo much expence to make it fure, and carry it up to the highest pitch?

(3.) That God hereupon is become the Father of mercies, and the God of all confolation, ready freely to give out all the bleffings which Christ hath purchased at the dearest rate.

(4.) That a way of accefs is now open, whereby the children of God may come to him, their Father, upon all occafions, in hope of obtaining mercy, and finding grace to help them

in time of need.

(5.) That the spirit of grace is come from heaven to take up his abode in fuch as are the people of God, and to be their guide thither.

(6.) That the eternal ftate of rewards is laid open to their faith, the glory and bleffednefs of the upper world, as that which they are entitled to, and which the Captain of their falvation is gone to make ready for them against their coming.