there are pleasures for evermore," this should make us rouse up ourselves in the work of the Lord.

SERMON II.

VERSE 2.-Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart.

In this Psalm the man of God begins with a description of the way to true blessedness. In the former verse a blessed man is described by the course of his actions, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way." In this, by the frame of his heart, "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, that seek him with the whole heart." The internal principle of good actions is the verity and purity of the heart.

Here you may take notice of two marks of a blessed man. 1. They keep his testimonies.

2. They seek him with the whole heart.

DOCTRINE I. They that keep close to God's testimonies, are blessed. By way of explication, two things take notice of.

1. The notion that is given to precepts and counsels in the word, they are called "his testimonies."

2. The respect of the blessed man to these testimonies, to "keep" them.

First, The notion by which the word of God is expressed, is "testimonies;" whereby is intended the whole declaration of God's will, in doctrines, commands, examples, threatenings, promises. The whole word is the testimony which God hath deposed for the satisfaction of the world about the way of their salvation. Now because the word of God brancheth itself into two parts, the law and the Gospel, this notion may be applied to both. First, To the law, in regard whereof the ark is called "the ark of the testimony" (Exod. xxv. 16), because the two tables were laid up in it. The Gospel is also called the testimony, "the testimony of God concerning his Son." "To the law, and to the testimony" (Isa. viii. 20); where testimony seems to be distinguished from the law. The Gospel is so called, because there God hath testified how a man shall be pardoned, reconciled to God, and obtain a right to eternal life. We need a testimony in this case, because it is more unknown to us. The law was written upon the heart, but the Gospel is a stranger. Natural light will discern something of the law, and pry into matters which are of a moral strain and concernment; but evangelical truths are a mystery, and depend by the mere testimony of God concerning his Son. Now from this notion of testimonies, we have this advantage.

1. That the word is a full declaration of the Lord's mind. God would not leave us in the dark in the matters which concern the service of God, and man's salvation. He hath given us his testimony. He hath told us his mind, what he approves and what he disallows, and upon what terms he will accept of sinners in Christ. It is a blessed thing that we are not left to the uncertainty of our own thoughts: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good" (Mic. vi. 8). The way of pleasing and enjoying God is clearly revealed in his word. There we may know what we must do, what we may expect, and upon what terms. We have his testimony.

66

"And

2. Another advantage we have by this notion is, the certainty of the word; it is God's testimony. The apostle saith, "If we take the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater (1 John v. 9). It is but reason we should allow God that value and esteem that we give to the testimony of men, who are fallible and deceitful. Among men, "in the mouth of two or three witnesses everything is established" (Deut. xix. 15). "Now there are three that bear witness in Heaven, and three that bear witness on earth" (1 John v. 7, 8). We are apt to doubt of the Gospel, and have suspicious thoughts of such an excellent doctrine; but now there are three witnesses from Heaven, the Father, Word, and Spirit; the Father by a voice, "And, lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son," &c. (Matt. iii. 7). And the Son also by a voice, when he appeared to Paul from Heaven, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?" And the Holy Ghost gave his testimony, descending upon him in the form of a dove, and upon the apostles in cloven tongues of fire." there are three that bear record on earth," for he saith, "He that believeth Exeɩ τǹv μaprvpíav, he hath the testimony in himself" (1 John v. 10): what is that? The spirit, water and blood, in the heart of a believer; these give testimony to the Gospel. The Spirit bears witness to the Gospel when it illuminateth the heart, enabling us to discern the doctrine to be of God, to discern those signatures and characters of majesty, goodness, power, truth, which God hath left upon the Gospel; and water and blood testify when we feel those constant and sensible effects of God's power coming with the Gospel (1 Thes. i. 5), both by pacifying the conscience, and bringing joy and satisfaction, and by sanctifying and freeing a man from the bondage of sin. Water signifies sanctification: "Sanctify them by thy truth" (John xvii. 17). The sanctifying power of God that goes along with the Gospel is a clear confirmation of the divine testimony in it; "the truth shall make you free" (John viii. 32). By our disentanglement from lust, we come to be settled in the truth. God's testimony is the ultimate resolution of our faith. Why do we believe? Because it is God's testimony. How do we know it is God's testimony? It evidenceth itself by its own light to the consciences of men: yet God, for the greater satisfaction of the world, hath given us witnesses; three from Heaven, and three on earth. Every manifestation of God hath signatures and charac ters of God enough upon it to show whence it came. The creation is a manifestation of God; now whoever looks upon it seriously and considerately, may find God there, may track him by his foot-prints: "By the things which are made, his invisible being and power" (Rom. i. 20). The creation discovers itself to be of God, and if the lower testimony hath plain evidences, much more the Gospel: why? for "he hath magnified his word above all his name (Psalm cxxxviii. 2). The name of God is that by which he is made known. Now there are more sensible characters and impressions of God left upon the word that doth evidence it to be of God, than upon any part of his name.

3. This advantage we have by this notion, a testimony is a ground of self-examination, or a rule whereby we may judge of our state and actions; for it witnesseth not only de jure, what we must do ; or de eventu, what we may expect; but de facto, whether we do good or evil, what we are, and what we may look for from God upon our obedience or disobedience : "The Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, eis paprúpov for a witness unto all nations "(Matt. xxiv. 14); first to them,

next against them (Mark, xiii. 9). The word is a testimony to them of God's will in Christ, if they receive it; against them if they reject, neglect, or believe it not. Hereby we may judge of our condition by our conformity, or difformity and contrariety to the word of God. Christ saith, at the day of judgment Moses will accuse you. "There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust" (John v. 45). The Gospel

66

will accuse. What is now an offer, will then be an accusation. God will not be without a witness at the day of judgment. The creatures which had an evident impression of God upon them, they will witness against the Gentiles, so that they are without excuse" (Rom. i. 20). And the Jews that were under the dispensation of Moses, he will accuse them; there was light sufficient to convince them. So the Gospel which is God's testimony concerning his Son, will accuse you if it be not received. Therefore it is good to see what the word doth witness or testify: doth it testify good or evil? for accordingly shall we be treated with in the day of judgment. It is sad when we can only say of the Scripture as that king of the prophet of the Lord, "He witnesseth nothing but evil against me (1 Kings xxii. 8). Let us see what God's testimony speaks, whether it will plead for us or against us at the great day of the Lord.

4. It upbraids our unbelief, that when God hath not only given us a law, but a testimony, still we are backward and careless. If the word of God were no more but a law, we were bound to obey it, because we are his creatures; but when it is his "testimony," we should regard it the more, for now God stands not only upon the honour of his authority, but of his truth, "He that believeth not hath made God a liar, because he believeth not the testimony which God hath given concerning his Son (1 John v. 10). We may urge it thus upon our hearts, What, shall we make God a liar, after he hath so solemnly given his word; that word which hath many signatures, characters, and stamps of God upon it? Carelessness now is not only disobedience but unbelief; it puts the highest affront upon God to question his veracity and truth, and does not only unlord him, but ungod him, by making him a liar.

So much for the first thing, "The testimony of the Lord." Secondly, The respect of the blessed man to these testimonies, "they keep them." What is it to keep the testimonies of God? Keeping is a word which relates to a charge or trust committed to us. Christ hath commit

ted his testimonies to us as a trust and charge that we must be careful of. Look as on our part we commit to Christ the charge of our souls to save them in his own day (2 Tim. i. 12). So Christ chargeth us with his word: 1st, to lay it up in our hearts; 2ndly, to observe it in our practice; this is to keep the word.

1st, To lay it up in our hearts. In the heart two things are considerable, the understanding and the affections. God undertakes in the covenant for both, "I will put my law in their mind, and write it in their hearts" (Heb. viii. 10). The meaning is, that he will enlighten our minds for the understanding of his will, and frame our affections to the obedience of it. Well then, you must keep it in your minds and affections.

1. In your minds. We must understand the word of God, assent to it, we must revolve it often in our thoughts, and have it ready upon all occasions. Understand it we must if we would be blessed. "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me (John xiv. 21). We cannot make conscience of obedience till we know

our duty. He that would keep a thing must first have it; we have the law in possession when we get knowledge of it. "He that receiveth the word into good ground is he that heareth the word and understandeth it " (Matt. xiii. 23); and "they that hear the word and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience" (Luke viii. 15). It is not enough to hear the word, but we must understand it; and yet that is not all, an adversary may understand a truth, or else he cannot rationally oppose it. There is assent required, that we believe it as God's testimony, and accordingly embrace it, and give it place in the heart. Faith is a receiving of the word (Acts ii. 41); nay, we must have it ready upon all occasions. Rational memory belongs to the mind or understanding; therefore we keep the word in our minds, when it is ever ready with us, either to check sin, or warn us of our duty (Psalm cxix. 9). Forgetfulness is an ignorance for the time: "My son, forget not my law; and let thine heart keep my commandments " (Prov. iii. 1). We should be ready to every good word and work as occasion is offered to us.

66

2. To keep it in our hearts is to have an affection to it. Keeping the word relates to our chariness and tenderness of it, when we are as chary of the word as a man would be of a precious jewel: My son, keep thy father's commandments, bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck" (Prov. vi. 20, 21). Sometimes it alludes to the apple of the eye: "Keep them as the apple of thine eye" (Prov. vii. 1, 2). Such tender affections should we have to the testimonies of the Lord, as a man has for his eye. The least offence to the eye is troublesome; a man should be as chary of the commandment as he would be of his eye. Sometimes it implies the similitude of keeping a way: "Turn not to the right hand or to the left" (Josh. i. 7). A traveller is very careful to keep his way; so when we are thus careful, tender, chary of God's commandments and testimonies, this is an argument of a blessed condition. Thus we are to keep it in the heart.

2ndly, We are to observe it in practice: "Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke xi. 28). That is, not only that hear it, but do it. Many have this word in their mind and memory, but not in their lives. Without this, hearing is nothing; liking, knowing, assent, pretended affection is all in vain: "He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him " (1 John ii. 4). Our actions are a better discovery of our thoughts than our words. When we get a little knowledge and make a little profession, we think we observe his commands; but he is a liar, if he be not exact, and walk close with God. It is not enough to understand the word, to be able to talk and dispute of the testimonies of God, but to keep them. It is not enough to assent to them that they are God's laws, but they must be obeyed. The laws of earthly princes are not obeyed as soon as believed to be the king's laws, but when we are punctual to observe them. This is to keep the commandment of God; it implies both exactness and perseverance: "Thou hast kept my word " (Rev. iii. 8); that is, thou hast not apostatised as others have done; and, "Keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother" (Prov. vi. 21); that is perseverance. You see by the first note who are the blessed men; they which own God's testimony in his word, and accordingly look upon it as a great charge and trust Christ hath reposed in them, and given to them that they should keep his law. Now certainly these are blessed. Why?

1. They are blessed or cursed whom Christ, in the last day, will pronounce blessed or cursed. Now in the last day, to some he will say, "Come, ye blessed of my father;" to others, "Go, ye cursed;" and he hath told us before-hand, that it is he that keepeth his testimonies, whom he will own in that day: "Many will come and challenge acquaintance with Christ, Lord, we have prophesied in thy name," &c., "thou hast taught in our streets" (so it is in Luke), but Christ will disown them: "I know you not, depart from me ye workers of iniquity" (Matt. vii. 22). Many will pretend to be of Christ's side, take up the opinions of the country wherein they live, frequent ordinances, &c.; but because they kept not his testimonies, Christ will not own them. When men are to be posed, they count it a favour to know the questions aforehand. God hath told us what will be the great evidence according to which he will proceed in the day of judgment. Have you kept my testimonies? He that keeps close to God's word will find acceptance.

2. They are blessed for whom Christ mediateth. Now Christ mediateth for those that keep his word: "They have kept thy word" (John xvii. 6). It is a grief to your advocate when he cannot speak well of you in heaven. But as soon as he seeth any fruits of obedience, where they consult often with God's testimony, though they have many failings, yet are careful as much as in them lies, then he goes to the Father, and acquainteth him with it.

3. Those that are taken into sweet fellowship and communion with God, certainly they are in a blessed condition. Those to whom God will be intimate, and manifest himself in a way of gracious communion, are blessed. Now thus he doth to those that keep his testimonies : "If any man love me, and keep my commandments, my father will love him, and we will make our abode with him." The whole Trinity will come and dwell in his heart. But now you must know, there is a twofold keeping of God's testimonies, legal and evangelical. Legal keeping is in a way of perfect and absolute obedience, without the least failing; so none of us can be blessed. Moses will accuse us; there will be failings in the best. But now evangelical keeping, that is, a filial and sincere obedience, is accepted, and the imperfections Christ pardoneth. If God's pardon help us not, we are for ever miserable. The apostles had many failings; sometimes they manifested a weak faith, sometimes hardness of heart, sometimes passionateness when they met with disrespect (Luke ix.), yet Christ returns this general acknowledgment of them when he was pleading with his Father, " Holy Father, they have kept thy word." When the heart is sincere, God will pass by our failings : "Ye have heard of the patience of Job" (James v. 11); ay, and of his impatience too, his cursing the day of his birth; but the Spirit of God puts a finger upon the scar, and takes notice of what is good. So long as we bewail sin, seek remission of sin, strive after perfection, endeavour to keep close and be tender of a command, though a naughty heart will carry us aside sometimes, we keep the testimony of the Lord in a Gospel sense. Bewailing sin, that owns the law; seeking pardon, that owns the Gospel; striving after perfection, that argueth sincerity and uprightness. Well then, here is the discriminating note, if we would know whether we come within the compass of David's blessed man, if we have a dear and tender esteem of God's testimonies, when we would fain have them impressed upon our hearts, and expressed in our lives aud conversations. "They keep his testimonies."