Psalm 119:45

Verse 45. — And I mill tvalk at liberty .- for I seek thy precepts.

The copulative in the front of the text, showeth some dejiendence which the words have upon the former. His last request was (verse 43), for an opportunity and heart to own the ways of God. His arguments are, —

1. His present hope, in the end of that verse.

2. His perseverance in obedience (verse 44). Now, —

3. The freedom of his heart in that continued course of obedience.

A free and open confession of the truth, may seem to cast us into bonds and straits; but yet it giveth us liberty. The truth sets free (John viii. 32). If it bring the body under fetters, yet it enlargeth the heait. We never have greater freedom than when we are pleasing God, though at our bitter cost. “I will walk at liberty,” non in angustiis timoi’is, sed in latitudine dilectionis, not straitened by fear, but set at large by love. “I will walk at liberty, for I seek thy precepts.” In the words observe, —

1. David’s privilege, “And I will walk at liberty.”

2. The ground of it, “For I seek thy precepts.”
The points are two.

Doctrine I. — To walk in the way of God’s precepts, is to walk at liberty.

Doctrine II. — The more we take care to do so, the more we find this liberty. “I seek,” that noteth an earnest diligence. Both these points will be made good by these three consideratons: —

1st, The way of God’s jjrecepts is in itself liberty.

2ndly, There is a liberty given to walk in that way.

3rdly, Upon walking in that way, we find it libert3

First, The way of God’s precepts is liberty. Therefore his law is called a “law of liberty” (James i. 25). No such freedom as in God’s service; and, on the contrary, no such bondage as to be held with the cords of our own sin. “• While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption” (2 Peter ii. 19). A liberty to do all we please, is the greatest bondage. There are three pairs of notions in which men are extremely mistaken; in misery and happiness, wisdom and folly, liberty and bondage. Men think none miserable but the afflicted, and none happy but the prosperous; because they judge by the present ease and commodity of the flesh. Therefore Christ, in his sern«3n on the mount maketh it his drift to undeceive the world, to show that the mourners and the persecuted, the pure and the meek, they are the happy men (Matt, v.) So, in the notions of wisdom and folh’, the Morld are mistaken. Man that is an intelligent creature, affects the reputation of wisdom, and would rather be accounted wicked than weak. But how do they mistake .^ He is the wise man in their account, that can carry on his worldly business with success. They judge of wisdom and folly not by the concernments of the other world, but by present interests. Therefore the whole drift of the Scripture is to make us wise to salvation (2 Tim. iii. 1 5), to call us off from secular wisdom, and to teach us to “become fools that we mav be wise.” So they are out in the notions of liberty and bonda<je. All men desire liberty, especially from tyranny and base servitude; and so far they do well in the general: but then they think, that is only one liberty, to do what they please; and so the more they think to be, and labour to be free in a carnal way. the more sla es they are. The service of God, and strict walking with him, they count a cry prison and thraldom; and therefore cry out of bonds and yokes and cords: “Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us” (Psalm ii. 3)^ and are impatient of any restraint. Whereas, on the other side, to do what we list without check or controul, and to speak what we list, and think what we list, this they thuik the only freedom: “Our tongues are our own, who is Lord over us?” Whereas indeed he liveth the freest life, that lieth under the bonds of duty, that raaketh conscience of praying and praising God, and conversing and walking with him in a course of holiness; and the true liberty is in walking in God’s statutes: sO that true bondage and liberty is little or nothing at all known and discerned in the world. To make this evident unto you, —

1. I shall prove, that carnal liberty is but thraldom.

2. That the true liberty is in the ways of God.

1st, That carnal liberty is but thraldom. To understand this, I must lay down one proposition, that conduceth to cure the mistake about liberty and bondage. That liberty is not potestas vicendi ut veUs, a power to live as we list; no, it is to live as we ought, potestas volendi quod hw divhiajuhet: the life and spirit of liberty lieth in that, a power to do what we ought, not a power to do what we will. Ever since we drank in that poison, “■ Ye shall be as gods” (Gen. iii. 5), man affecteth a dominion over himself, and would be lord of his own actions, sui juris, at his dispose, do what he pleaseth. Indeed, if we hud a perfect holy understanding to guide us, the dauijer would not be so great; but now it is the greatest misery that can befall a man to be at his own dispose, to do lawlessly what he will. And therefore God’s fearful and dreadfvd judgment, after all other courses triedp is to give up men to the sway of their own hearts, to do what they please: “So I gave them up to their own hearts’ lust, and they walked in their own counsels” (Psalm lxxxi. 12), to be left to our own brutish atl’ections. But to prove it.

1. That uifringeth a man’s liberty, that hindereth and disableth him from prosecuting his great end, which is to be truly happy: now tlms doth the carnal life, and therefore this is true and perfect bondage. Though men Uve in their bonds with ap much delight as tishes in their own element, yet that doth not alter the ease, they are slaves for all that: ‘• They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh” (Hom. viii. 5). They seem to live at large, but indeed they are in n spiritual jirison, they cannot use the means that should make them haj)py. They employ their whole time in the remote subservient helps to a happy life, in pleasures, and honours. and proflts; as dissolute and carnal factors and servants, who, finding contentment at the flrst inn they come at, spend most of their time an<l money there, wiiieh should be spent at the fairs and marts for which they are bound. Pleasure, and delight, and contentment of mind and body, is a remote subservient help; so competency of wealth, and some j)lace wherein we may ylorify God: these things are not to be desired for themselves, nor in any great measure; but subordinately, in order to our great tnd. Now, when thcv entice and detain our aifcctions, and we caiuiot look after our great end, they break our liberty; for the less power we have to do that which we should desire to do, the more slaves are we.

2. That which disorderetli the constitution of the soul, and puts reason out of dominion, that certainly is spiritual bondage and thraldom. Now, when the base prevail over the honourable, it is a sign a country is enthralled; where beggars are on horseback, and princes walk on foot. Or, as it is monstrous in the body, if the head be there where the feet should be, and the feet where the head should be; such a deordination is there in the soul, when the affections carry it, and lust taketh the throne instead of reason: “Serving divers lusts and pleasures” (Titus iii. 3). When a man yieldeth up himself to his own desires, he becometh a proper servant,” Kiaow ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?’’ (Rom. vi. 16.) Now man rightly constituted, his actions are thus governed: the understanding and conscience prescribed to to the will; the will, according to right reason and conscience, moveth the affections; the affections, according to the command and counsel of the will, move the bodily spirits and members of the body. But by corruption there is a manifest inversion and change; pleasures affect the senses, the senses corrupt the phantasy, phantasy moveth the bodily spirits they the affections; and by their violence the will is carried captive, man blinded, and so man goeth on headlong to his own destruction. The corrupt passions are like wild horses, that do not obey the driver, but draw to precipices for his destruction; therefore Basil of Seleucia calleth a carnal man a slave, that runs after the chariots of his own passions and corrupt affections.

3. Consider the great tyranny and power of sin; it leaveth us no right and power to dispose of ourselves and our actions, and so men cannot help themselves when they would; as is sensible in them that are convinced of better, and do worse; they see what they should do, but do not do itj being drawn away by their own lusts. Video meViora prohoque, deteriora sequor. Sin hath gotten such a deep interest in their actions, and command over their affections, that they cannot leave what they know to be naught, or follow that which they conceive to be good. And this bond* age is more sensible in them that have some kind of remorse and trouble with their convictions, either from temporal inconvenience, shame, or loss; and yet cannot leave their lusts, and so in despair resolve to go on, and make the best of it. “And they said. There is no hope, but we will walk after own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart” (Jer. xviii. 12); “Thou hast said. There is no hope; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go” (Jer. ii. 25). Yea, further, that have a kindly remorse from the conviction of the Spirit: “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke” (Jer. xxxi. 18). And so Paul, “I am carnal, sold under sin” (Rom. vii. 14).

4. Consider how this bondage is always increased by custom, which is a second nature, or an inveterate disease not easily cured: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil” (Jer. xiii. 23). The more he continueth in this course, the less able to help himself; the more he sinneth, the more he is enthralled to sin; as a nail, the more it is knocked the more it is fastened in the wood. First a man yields up himself to sin as a servant by covenant: “Know ye not, to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey?” (Rom. vi. 16); that is, gives up his principal time, actions, and employments. Then a servant by conquest: “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage” (2 Pet. ii. 1,9). A sinner is under the dominion of sin as a hired servant and a captive. We first willingly, and by our own default, run into it, and after cannot rid ourselves of it. L’lf/atus eram nonfcrro aVicno scd mea fcrrea vnhintate; velle mcumtenehat inhnicus et me mild catenam fecerat el constrinxerat mc: Lord, I am bound, not with iron, but with an obstinate will; I gave my will to mine enemy, and he made a chain of it to bind me, and keep me from thee. Qnippe ex vohintate perversa facta est Ubklo, et dum servitur I’lh’tdhil facta est consuetudo et dum consuetudo non resistitur facta est necessitas (Aug. Confes. lib. viii. cap. 5). A perverse will gave way to lustings, and lustings made way for a custom, and a custom let alone brought a necessity upon me, that I can do nothing but sin against thee. And after that, lieformida/n quasi mortem consuetud’mis mutationem (Aug. Confes. lib. viii. cap. 7.) Thus are Ave by little and little enslaved, brought under the power of every toy. Things are lawful, as subordinate helps; but we, contraiy to the law of reason, and the inclinations of true happiness, immoderately desire them; and these desires being excessive, get a complete victory over our souls; and at length Ave are brought under the power of every creature: “All things are lawful, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor. vi, 12).

5. There is one thing more that maketh the carnal life to be a mere slavery, and that is, the fear and terror which doth arise from the consciousness of sin; the fear of death, and damnation, and wrath to come, which doggeth sin at the heels. When Adam sinned, he was afraid (Gen. iii. 10). And carnal men “arc all their life-time subject to bondage, through the fear of death” (Heb. ii. 15). There is a fire smouldering in the bosom of a sinner, and sometimes it flashes out in actual gripes and horrors, they have grievous damps of heart; so that sinners are so far bondmen, that they dare not seriously call themselves to an account for the expense of their time and employments, hieh every one should do; nor thmk seriously of death, or God’s judgment, or Hell. He that is ahvays under the check of a cruel master, cannot be said to be a freeman: noAV, so is every man that is not in Christ, let him be never so great, and mighty, and powerful, he isti’oxoc<’«^^«iac, “subject to bondage,’’ in danger of hidden fears, easily awakened in his heart. Well then, call you this a free life? As jolly and jocund as wicked men seem to be, or as great as they are, it is a liberty of the flesh taken by men, not given by God; the quietness of the flesh, but the bane of the soul.

2ndly, On the contrary, the true liberty is in the ways of God.

1. There Ave are directed how to attain to our great end, which is true blessedness: “Strait is the gate, and narroAV is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matt. vii. 11). A way of sin seemeth broad and easy to the flesh, but it is straight and hard to the spirit; and the way of duty straight and narrow to the flesh, but, because it is to life, it is l)roa(l to die spirit, or new nature: “I shall walk at libertj-.” To a renewed heart the Divine “commandments are not y-rievous” (1 John a*. 3), f<jr, by this means they come to enjoy God, and walk to their own haj)-

SERMON LI. — VEPvSE XLT. 449

piness, and attain to the end fur -svliich they were nuult A poor heart goes home cheerfully.

2. lu loving, fearing, praising, serving God, the noblest faculties are exei’cised, in the noblest and most regular way of operation: the soul is in the right temper and constitution; they are the highest actions of the highest faculties, elevated by the highest principles, about the highest objects. The objects are God, Christ, Heaven, the great things of etevnity The principles are the love and fear of God, the faculties, understandings and will, not sensitive appetite; these exei-cised in thinking of God, and choosing of God.

Secondly, The second part of the demonstration is, that there is libel’ty given to walk in that way. Ever since Adam“s fall every man is a spiritual slave, under the dominion and power of sin and Satan, and the curse of the law; but now, “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. iii. 17), true Christian liberty, or a power given us to walk iamiliurly with God, and cheerfully and comfortably in his service. By grace a man is freed,^

1. From the yoke of oppressing fears; and,

2. The tyranny of commanding lusts.

1st, We are freed from the bondage of sin: “The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, hath made us free from the law of sin and death’’ (Rom. viii. 2);” if the Son therefore shall make ye free, ye shall be free indeed“’ (John viii. 36). There is a liberty in that which is good: ‘’ I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Psalm cxix. 32).

2ndly, We are freed from those doubts and fears, and terrors which accompanied the state of sin: “If they be bound in fetters, and be holden in the cords of affliction” (Job xxxvi. 8); “Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks”’ (Job xiii. 27); “He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out; he hath made my chain heavy”’ (Lam. iii. 7); so that the meaning is, “I shall walk at liberty,” be cheerful, and enlarged in heart; “for I seek thy precepts,”

Thirdly, There is liberty in that walking; it is the fruit of strictness. There is a twofold libertj-.

1. Outward deliverances out of straits and afflictions: “I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place” (Psalm cxviii. 5); and, “He brought me forth also into a large place, he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm xviii. 19); so, “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress” (Psalm iv. 1). Affliction is compared to a prison, where the poor afflicted creature is, as it were, confined, committed by God, and nnist not break prison, come out by the window, but the door. When we are let out by God upon submission and supplication, m’ging the satisfaction of Christ; as we are sent thither by God“s authority, so we come out by God”s love. Nov>^, God doth this for those that obey him, as all those places manifest.

2. Inward confidence. “Ej’i’o/ioc ^w») rije Trappiyta (‘/j/.nSpyog. saith Chryisostom on the text, “a holy life is the ground of liberty, and holy boldness:“‘” If our hearts condemn us not, then have we liberty towards God’ (1 John iii. 9). We have delight, and pleasure, and contentment. Till we defile conscience, we have a great deal of boldness and courage against opposition; yea, a boldness to go to God himself, who otherwise is a consuming fire.

VOL. I. 2 G

Use I. — Is to take off that prejudice thiit we have atjainst the ways of God, as it” they were straight and hard, and not to he endured. Oh, no, all God’s ways arc for our s:ood: “‘The Lord coninianded us to do all these statutes” (Deut. vi. ’24;; to fear the Lord our God for our good always. And the duties that he requireth of us are honouraljle, and comfortable; we never walk more at large than when we have a conscience of them. Man acteth like himself when he is holy, just, temperate, sober, humble. Grace jjuIs all things in the right frame and posture again; it ])uts reason in dominion, and maketh us kings in governing our own heart; and this brcedcth sweetness and peace. Pa.r est tranqiuUilas ord’mis; when all things keep their place, then is there peace. As when the hmnours of the body are in order, and the spirits move tuneably, there is a cheerfulness ensueth; so the fruit of righteousness is peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. If a man had no rule to guide him, and God had left him without a law, j et if he were well in his wits, he would prefer the duties which he hath enjoined before liberty, and of his own accord choose to live according to such an institution; there is such a suitableness in all those things to the reasonable nature. What do men aim at, pleasure, honour, or profit? For pleasure: “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace” (Pi-ov. iii. 17). None have such a sweet life as they that live virtuously, and as God hath commanded. All the sensualists in the world have not such a dainty dish to feed on as they that have a good conscience; they have a continual feast that never cloyeth. You never come away from your sports with such a merry heart as they come away from the throne of grace. If men would consider their experiences after the discharge of their duties, and when straggling to carnal delights, after saddest duties there is a serenity in the conscience. AVhoever repented of his repentance: “Hannah went her way, and did eat and drink, and her spirit was no more sad“’ (1 Sam. i. 18). Prayer giveth ease, but sensual pleasmes leave remorse and a sting. If you count liberty to consist in hunting after honoius, and great places, can there be a greater honour than to serve God? ho hath the better service, he that atteiideth on the imcertain will of men, yea, of the gi-eatest princes, or he that waiteth on the Lord? Your work is more noble: ‘’ The righteous is luore excellent than his neighbour” (Prov. xii. 26). AVhat an unprofitable drudgery is the service of the greatest prince in the world, in ccrmparison of the work of a poor Christian, that liveth in connnunion with God? We serve a greater prini-e, and on surer terms. Then for profit: where is there more gain, as to our vails and wages than in God’s service? Well then, he that liveth holily hath much the sweeter and happier life, than they that serve covetousness, ambition, or any other lust. Certainly this slio(dd j)ersuade us to put our n(pck under Christ’s yoke: it is ‘Cvyo xt’ic“^,” My yoke is easy, and my burden is light’ (Matt. xi. 30). If it be grievous, it is to the flesh; and we have no reason to indulge the Hesh: “The I arnal mind is emnity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. viii. 7). The command to an unsound (tonscience is as a light burden laid on a sore hack. Men that are soaked in pleasures are incompetent judges of the sweetness of the heavenly life. On the other side, what a nuseral)le servitude is there in sin? how disabled for their great end, for which they were created r Corruption is an imperious master, it will not sutler us to hear good thins, to be there where good things are spoken, to accompany liicm that are good;

it hath them m so strait a custody, they hate the means of their recovery. They have many masters, Quot hahet domhios qui iimtm habere non vult? “For we ourselves were sometimes foolish; disobedient, serving divers lusts and pleasures” (Titus iii. 3). And, “Whence come wars and fightings amongst you? come they not hence, even of your lusts, that war* in your members?” (James iv. 1.) One lust draweth one way, another another way; covetousness, voluptuousness, ambition, uncleanness, as when two seas meet. We have little reason to envy them for their free life, pity them rather. How do their brutish affections hurry them? What pains, aches in the body, wounds in the conscience, how many secret gripes and scourges? No such subjection, no slave so subject to the will of his lord, as a man to his lusts and sinful desires, will speak, think nothing but what sifi commands. It is a besotting slavery; wicked men remain in this bondage with a kind of pleasure. Galley-slaves would fain be free, wish for liberty; Israel was in bondage in Egypt, but they’ groaned under it: “The cry of the children of Israel is come up to me,” Here men loath to come out of their slavery, and are enemies to those that would help them out. Their work is hard and oppressive, loss of name, health, estate; they tire their spirits, rack their brains, and after all their drudging are cast into hell.

Use II.’ — Do we walk at liberty?

1. There was a time when we served sin; but, being converted. We change masters: “Being made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness” (Rom. vi. 18). If there be such a change it will discover itself, (li) You will do as little service for sin, as formerly for righteousness: “When ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness” (Rom. vi. 20); righteousness had no share in your time, thoughts, cares; you made no conscience of doing good, took no care of it; so now you do as little for sin. (2.) Positively do as much for grace, as formerly for sin: “As you have yielded your membei’8 servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto hoHness” (verse 19); as watchful, as earnest, as industrious to perfect holiness, as formerly to commit sin. It is but equal. He that hath been servant unto a hard and cruel master, is thereby fitted to be diligent and faithful in the service of a loving, gentle, and bountiful jnaster. You can judge what a tyrant sin was; shall not grace have as much power over you now, and will you not do as much for God as for your lusts?

2. What do you complain of as the task and yoke, the strictness of the law, or the relics of corruption? “The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. viii. 7), compared with, “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John v. 3). AVhat is a bondage, sin or duty? Is the commandment grievous, or in dwelling sin? The Apostle was complaining: but of what? the purity of the law? No: but the power of in-dwelling corruption, the body of death: “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. vii. 24.) Which do j-our hearts rise against?

3. What freedom? “That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life” (Luke i. 74, 75). If you are enslaved to any one hist, you cannot walk at large. Are your gyves and

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452 SEKMONS OS rSALM CXIX.

fetters knocked off: Have you that free spirit? “Cast inc not away from thy presenci’, take not thy Holy Spirit from ine: restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold nie by thy free Spirit” (Psa.H. 1 1, 12).