Psalm 119:58
Vekse 58. — inircalvd thy facoitr wiili my ivholv heart .- he ynerc{ful unto ine according to thy word.
In the former verse, I took notice of two parts, David’s protestation, “Thou art my portion;’ and his resolution, ‘’I will keep thy words.” To either of the branches this verse may be supposed to have respect. To the former thus, as a second evidence: if we make God our portion, this will necessarily follow, we shall desire his “favour’ above all tilings else. Our portion is that good which we choose, renouncing all things else: therefore, w hen our hearts are set upon it, ‘’ Whom have I in Heaven but thee?” (Psalm lxxiii. 25,) when you entreat his favour with your whole heart, that is the evidence God is your portion. Or you may refer it to the latter clause, thus: “I said that I will keep thy words;’’ therefore, I entreat thy faour. AVe cannot cany on a good purpose without God’s favour, unless he assist us therein. When we are most resolved, we must expect and assaults both from within and without. The Devil will seek all he can to oppose you, and to shake your resolutions; and your lusts will rage anew upon a severe restraint. Therefore, those that resolve to enter into a strict course, must seek relief from God“s favour and mercy, as David here: ‘’ I intreatcd thy favour with my whole heart.” In the words we have an account of Davids practice upon a choice and resolution: he betook himself to jjrayer.
Here we have, —
1. The object or principal thing sought, God’s favour.
2. The manner, “with my whole heart,” with a sincere affection. He doth not say with his lips only, but his heart; and not with his heart only, but with his whole heart.
3. The sum of his re(iuest, or the fountain of all that he expected from God, “be merciful unto me.”
4. The rule or grolnul of his expectation, “according to thy word.” The meaning is, that (iod, according to his promise, would graciously help him.
I. For the first, ‘* I intreatcd thy favour;” or. as it is in the Hebrew, I jpainfully sought thy face; meaning that he did with importunate and limiible suit beg the smile of (iods countenance. face is meant favour: ‘• .Many seek the ruler’s favour” (I’rov. xxix. 2fi); it is the ruler’s face, that he may look cheerfully upon them; and I painfully soui-^ht (so tipe word signities), it notes such importunity as is necessary for .so great a blessinij. The note is this: —
Doctrine. — (jikI’s people, those that have made him their portion, they earnestly, and constantly, above all things, desire his favovn-.
SERMON LXV. — VERSE LIU. 571
1, This God calls for: “Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore” (Psalm cv. 4). None have such communion with God, but they need seek more: “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek” (Psalm xxvii. 8). “Thou saidst:” it is that which God speaks in all his ordinances: the whole drift of the word is to press us to get and keep the sense of God’s love ever fresh in our hearts.
2. The nature of the saints carries them to it. This is the difference between them and carnal men (Psalm iv. 6, 7). The light of his countenance is spoken of, either with allusion to the sun, whose light displayed cheers the plants; or with allusion to the smiles of a friend, one good look from God the children of God prefer above all the world. All earthly things cannot please them so much as a smile from God, nor put such gladness in theh* hearts. But more especially do they seek it most painfully, —
(1.) When they have never as yet attained any sense of it, but lie under doubts, fears, and anxious uncertainty. Then, if God will but look upon them, make out his love to their consciences, what a comfort will that be to them! A man may want assurance and have grace; but he cannot slight assurance and have grace. He that is without it, may be one of God’s children; but he that doth not look after it, and is satisfied without it, certainly is none of that number. Therefore, this is the desire and earnest prayer of all God’s peo^le in common, that God would cause his face to shine upon them: “Thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth” (Psalm lxxx. 1); that is, that sittest upon the mercy-seat: Oh! that he would be good to them in Christ, for between the cherubims there was the mercy-seat, where God sate: the meaning is, that he would a little dart in beams of comfort to their consciences.
(2.) They thus painfully intreat the favour of God, when they have lost it by sin; for then they are afflicted with a double evil, want of so great a comfort and a sense of their own folly. A sense of God’s favour may be withheld, out of mere sovereignty; yet, even then, God’s children will be earnest; but, when it is withdrawn out of justice, as a correction for our folly and careless walking, there is greater cause of earnestness, that we may redeem and recover our loss again. Then we are to be more earnest: “Turn us again, O God of Hosts, and cause thy face to shine” (Psalm lxxx. 7). By their former experience they know the SMcetness of God’s favour, and by their present loss the bitterness of the want of it. Basil hath a notable comparison: he saith, if an object be too bright, it must be set at a distance from the eye, that we may see better; so worldly things must be set at a distance from us: therefore God seems to be at a distance, hides his face; that his people might know, by the loss and want of it, how to value their blessings.
How far do they discover their earnestness?
I. In that they seek it above all other things, above corn, wine, and oil. This is not their painful desire, to be made great, rich, high, honourable, happy in the world. All the world doth them no good without the favour of God. As all the stars, though they shine together, do not dispel the darkness of night; so no creatures can comfort us sufficiently, when God hides his face from them: “Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled” (Psalm xxx. 7). They cannot find God as they were wont. As, at funeral feasts, dear friends have little comfort, when they miss their
573 SEIIMOXS ox PSALM CXIX.
old friend that was wont to bid them welcome at the house; po, when God is gone, what comfort can they take in their portion? Many will say, ’ ^^’lly are you pensive and sad r You have a great many friends, a great estate.’ Oh I you do not know the wound of a gracious heart, and how little these things are in comparison of the favour of God.
2. They manifest it in this, their contentcdness with him, though they are kept low and bare in outward things: ‘• As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm xvii. lo). It is enough fur them to have the face of God, though they do not flourish in worldly plenty as others do, when in the exercise of grace they can find God propitious, behold his face in righteousness. If they have not the candle, they have the sun. If they go to CJod. they arc welcome ujjon all t)ccasions. If the world frown upon them, God doth not so: they are beloved of him, and in fa our with him; and that satisfieth them.
What may be the reasons why tjie children of CJod so prize his favour?
1. The worth of the thing itself: “Thy lovintrkindness is better than life“’ (Psalm l.xiii 3); better than all comforts, better in itself; for this is that which we are neler weary of. A man may be weary of all outward comforts: days may come wherein there is no pleasure (Keel. xii. 1); at that time the soul abhors dainty food (Job xxxiii. 20). Pleasure, nay, life itself, may be a burden; but none ever was weary of the love of God: that cannot be a burden. This doth not satiate and cloy us. Again, the love of God cannot be supplied and recompensed by other things. When a man lo.^cth other things, it may be made up in better. If a man be poor in this world, God hath chosen him to be rich in faith: if afflicted and destitute of outward provisions, yet they have inward comforts and graces, and they will supply and make up this loss; but the los§ of God’s favour cannot be supplied. A’hen that dejjarts from you, and a man loselh the hope he seemeth to have, what a sorry conifort is it, having forfeited the love of God, to seek our amends in the creature! Then this is more durable than the present life: other comforts fail; but the love of God never fails. This is the original of all other comforts: ‘’ By thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong” (Psalm xxx. 7); and, “Neither did their own arm save them; but thy right hand, and thine arm. and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them” (Psalm xliv. 3). Sure, it is better to driidi of the fountain, than of the stream; all is from the favour of CJod. In short, it is the vitality and the cause of life, and the cause of all comfort. This is better than life.
2. They arc affected with that which is their true misery; therefore, they most importunately beg the favour of CJod. Every man jirays according to the sense that he hath, according to that which he counts his miserv. He that hath a sense of no other calamity but to be jjoor, scorned, or cx- ])osed to contempt, or the absence of the creature, j)rays accordingly: sometimes he howls like a dog in pain, or beasts that want footl IIos. vii. 14). hut he thai hath a deeper sense of his greatest necessities, he is affected with sin, which is the cause of all trouble; therefore he nuist have the favour of (Jodand the grace of CJod. A godly and a carnal man difl’er as a child and a man in their apprehensions about pain and trouble. A child is sick and would be eased of its present smart and pain, IiM)ks to nothing but that; but an understanding man knows the cause nuist be taken away: a child speaks according to the sense and ai)prehen&ion it hath, take away his aching head, or burning heat; but the understanding man looks not only after present ease but health, that the root of the distemper may be removed. So a worldly man would have affliction gone, and looks no further; but a godly man hath a deeper sense: he must have the favour of God; therefore, his heart works painfully within him till this be obtained.
3. They intrcat the favour of God with all their hearts, because their business lies mainly with God. Their work is to walk closely with God, and keep up a strict communion with him. A carnal man’s business lies with God sometimes, in his trouble; but, when he licks himself whole, and is at ease, he can live without it. But a godly man’s business i.s always with God; for God is always with him, in trouble and out of trouble. Therefore, that is a notable speech: “Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation”’ (Psalm xci. 9): a refuge, that is a place of retreat in time of war; a habitation, there is our residence in time of peace, when every one sits under his own vine and fig-tree. Now, a godly man makes God, not only his refuge, but his habitation; therefore, it concerns him to prize the favour of God, and keep in with him; for he is otherwise at an utter loss. Therefore, he must study to get all clear: if God be angry with him, his business is at a stand, and he cannot walk cheerfully with him from whom he expects all.
Use I. — To reprove those that are indifTerent whether they enjoy God’s favour, yea or nay: so they may enjoy the creature, they are satisfied. Surely, God is not these men’s portion; for their only care is what they shall eat, how they may be clothed, how to live well in the world, but were never acquainted with this kind of trouble about God’s favour. It is said, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm x. 4). He never troubles himself how to keep in with God; it never goes to his heart. He is such a one as can bi’ing to pass whatever he projecteth and desireth, without troubling himself with the fetters of religion and the care of a strict duty: he can live at large, and yet obtain his heart’s desire, ajid thinketh them the only wise men, fit for his imitation, that can increase in worldly enjoyments without troubling themselves with such niceties as perplex others. He scorneth to trouble himself with prayer, and the observances which are necessary to waiting upon God. Again, it reproves those that lie stupid and senseless under God’s active displeasure. These are not as gross as the former, but make some profession of respect to God, but have not yet a tender sense of God’s accesses and recesses, his comings and goings. When the Lord hides himself from their prayers, and doth not give out the wonted influences of his grace and comfort, they mind it not, do not with earnestness seek to recover it again. If you did make this your business without interruption, when you have not the smiles of God, the want of this would create pain.
Use II. — Of exhortation, to press us, if we would have God for our God, then to seek his favour above all things. Wait with an affectionate earnestness in every ordinance for some new discovery, some comfortable intimation of God’s word: “My soul waiteth for the Lord:”’ what, for outward deliverances? No; but, “I wait for the Lord, mj’’ soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope” (Psalm cxxx. 5, 6). Again, in every enjoyment, it is not enough to have the creature with God’s leave (so can all men have it, it is their portion); but you must have it with God’s love, as a token from God, wrapt up in the bowels of Christ. God gives many gifts
574 SEEMOXS ox rSAI-M CXIX.
to wicked men, but doth not ^’ivc (hem his love. This we should look after, that we may find our comforts to be sprinkled with love; that, if God deliver you out of anv strait, he mav love you out of it (Isa. xxxviii. 17).
II. For the manner, “I intreated thy favour;” how? ‘* with my whole heart.” Note, —
DocTKiNi:. — When we pray for the favour of God, it must be with our whole heart.
There is this intended in it: —
1. The constant favour and presence of God, we must pray for it; for without prayer faith lies idle (Ileh. iv. 16).
2. They that pray for it, their hearts nmst be set upon what they pray. It is not enoutifh that our toni^ues babble out a cold form, as many learn to pray, as parrots speak, by rote: they say, not jiray, a praver. Elias “prayed earnestly” (James v. 17); in the margin, and so in the oritfinal, he prayed a prayer. A man may take up words of course, and say things after others, which arc not indeed the real desires of his heart; so they pray as if they prayed not, slightly, without any warmth and affection.
3. It is not enough that our hearts concur, but our whole hearts must go along with this work. Many times we pray but with half a heart.
(1.) Partly when prayer is a fruit of memoiy and invention, but not the fruit of conscience. Common illumination will tell us how prayer is to be formed according to the tenour of the Christian faith; so men may repeat words such as the understanding judgeth fit, without any answerable touch upon the heart. This is their sin who are more careful about notions in prayer than the affections.
(2.) A man prays but with a piece of his heart, when he prays rather with his conscience than with his affections. Will you distinguish this, a dictate of conscience must be distinguished from a purpose of heart. Conscience may tell us what is to be done, yet the heart have no liking to it, Austin saith, when he was a carnal man he had some kind of conscience, and prayed against his sins; but, saith he, I was afraid God would hear me. The favour of God is necessary, but the heart many times is not engaged in the pursuit of it. We oftener pray from our memories than our consciences, and oftener from our consciences tiiun our affections: the heart is not put into the dut-.
(3.) When our affections are divided to carnal things and the comfortable part (if spiritual tilings. No doubt, tlirre is no man but would have the favour of God; but it is with a condition that he may live as he does, and be as he is; and so the jin-vailing part of his soul bends him to his j)res«nt course: he reganls ini(juity in his heart, and sin hath an interest and lies lcty near: he would have the favour of (iod abstractedly; but, when he considers how his lusts must be parted with, there his heart is divided.
I’sK. — Oh I then, look to it that you beg the Lord’s favour with all your hearts: God knows the heart. Kebekah dressed tip Jacob so that his father mistook him: ay, but God camiot mistake, his eye is not dim as Isaac’s, he sees the heart; therefore let your heart, and whole hi-art, go out in the ptirsuit.
QuKSTioN. — IIow shall we know when our hiarts are thus thoroughly bent, if you seek him with all your hearts?
Answkk. — Then you will observe how you speed when yoli look after
SEKMON LXVI. — VERSE LTX. O/O
hini, you will see what becomes of your requests. I will hearken what God will speak lsaith David), and will pray and look up, as Elijah looked up to see the cloud a-commg. Again, if we pray with the whole heart, there “will be importunate arguings, desire will take no nay: “My soul followeth hard after thee”’ (Psalm lxiii. 8). Oh! it will be a painful, grievous thmg to your souls, if you do not speed in your prayers. Not a sUght motion, or cold wish, but such as deeply alTects the heart, and not easily put off and satisfied with other things. Wicked men would have the favour of God: but they are easily put out of the hmnour. Again, then we prav w ith the whole heart, when there is such a desire as not to be discouraged, but you ventme again, when the Lord seems to put off and give a check to yom- requests: ‘• The desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee“’ (Isa. xxvi. 8). Still desu-es grow hotter and hotter, when there is a kind of impudence not to be put off. Again, such as does excite endeavom-s for the obtaining of God’s love and a sense of his favour. It wU cost us pain and trouble, when we are hai’d at work, and will be diligent in this thing. But when you rest in a few cold pravers. you ai-e never hearty with God: ‘”One thing have I desired;’’ what then: that I will seek after“” (Psalm xxvii. 4y; and use a great deal of diligence to come by it.
III. The fountain of all that we expect is mercy. All that seek God’s favour must expect it upon terms of grace. “Be merciful unto me.” “We cannot saw, Pay me what thou owest; or, Give me for my money! All whom God accepts to his grace and favom- are unworthy: •’ Ho. every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ve, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money and without price” (Isa. Iv. 1). Secondly, they who are received to favour, still need mercy to pardon failings (Gal. v.). The best ai-e but sanctified in part, and have the dregs of corruption always remaining, and frequently stirring in them.
Use. — Let us thus deal with God: “Take with you words, and turn to the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously“” Hos. xiv. 2). The sum of all om- requests is, that God would be merciful to us.
IV. The rule and gi-ound of confidence is, “according to thy word.”’ God’s word is the rule of our confidence; for therein is God“s stated course. If we would have favour from God and mercy, it must be upon his own tei-ms. God will accept of us in Christ, if we repent, believe, and obey, and seek his favour diligently: he will not deny those who seek, ask, knock. “We would have mercy, but will not observe God“s directions. We must ask according to God’s will, not without a promise, nor against a command. God is made a voluntary debtor by his promise. These ai”e notable props of faith, when we are encouraged to seek by the offer, to apply by the promise. We thrive no more in a comfortable sense of God’s love, because we take not this course.