that maketh conscience of known truth, and walketh up to his light: he that doth not search to satisfy curiosity, but out of a thorough resolution to obey and submit his neck to the yoke of Christ, whatever he shall find to be the way of Christ, that man shall know what is the way in times of controversy and doubtful uncertainty: he that will say as a famous German divine, "If we had six hundred necks, let us submit them all to the yoke of Christ;" he that is resolved to submit to the mind of Christ, how contrary soever to his interest, to the prejudices and prepossessions of his own heart, he shall know the doctrine that is of God.

SERMON XXVI.

VERSE 25.-"My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

The man of God in this Psalm had spoken before of the common and universal benefits of the word, as it agreeth to all times and conditions of believers; for it belongeth to all, in what state soever they are, to look upon it is a direction in the way to get true happiness, and to stir up suitable affections in their hearts. Now he showeth what use the word hath in each special condition, especially in the time of great afflictions. David did often change states, but his affection to the word never changeth.

Here is (1.) a representation of David's case. (2.) His supplication or petition thereupon. Wherein (1.) the request itself. (2.) The argument to enforce it.

1. The representation of David's case, "My soul cleaveth unto the dust." The speech is metaphorical, expressing the depth of his misery, or the greatness of his sorrow and humiliation. (1.) The depth of his misery, with allusion to the case of a man overcome in battle, or mortally wounded, and tumbling in the dust, or to a man dead and laid in the earth, as, "Thou hast brought me into the dust of death" (Psalm xx. 15). Sure we are, the expression importeth the extremity of distress and danger, either as a man dead, or near death. (2.) The greatness of his sorrow and humiliation, and so the allusion is taken from a man prostrate and grovelling on the ground, which was their posture of humbling themselves before the Lord, or when any great calamity befell them, Joseph. lib. 19 cap. 7. As when Herod Agrippa died, they put on sackcloth, and lay upon the earth weeping. The same allusion is: "Our soul is bowed down to the dust, our belly cleaveth unto the earth" (Psalm liv. 25). Suitably to which allusion, the Septuagint render it ἐκολλήθη τῷ ἐδάφει ἡ ψυχή με, 66 to the pavement."

And we read in Theodoret, that Theodosius the Emperor when reproved by Ambrose for the slaughter at Thessalonica, he lay upon the ground, and humbly begged pardon, using these words, Adhesit pavimento anima The meaning is then, that in his dejected condition he would lie prostrate at God's feet as a poor supplicant, and die there. The point is, DOCTRINE.-That God's children may have such great afflictions brought upon them, that their souls may even cleave to the dust.

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These afflictions may respect their inward or outward condition.

1. Their inward condition; and so through grief and terrors of conscience they are ready to drop into the grave. That trouble of mind is a usual exercise of God's people, see Heman's complaint, Psalm lxxxviii.

from verse 3 to the end of verse 7. "My soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. I am counted with them that go down into the pit. I am as a man that hath no strength, free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou rememberest no more, and they are cut off from thy hand. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit,

in darkness, in the deep. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah." It was in soul, and it was in his soul by reason of the wrath of God, and that in such a degree of vehemency, that in his own judgment, and the judgment of others, he could not expect to be long a man of this world, little differing from the dead, yea the damned. So David: "I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my sore ran in the night and ceased not; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God, and was troubled. I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak: I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient time, &c." (Psalm, lxxvii. 1, &c.). By the sense of God's wrath he was even wounded to death; and the sore running upon him would admit of no plaster. Yea the remembrance of God was a trouble to him: "I remembered God, and was troubled." What a heavy word was that! Soul-troubles are the most pressing troubles; a child of God is as a lost man in such a condition.

2. In respect of the heavy weight of outward pressures. Thus David fasted, and lay all night upon the earth in his child's sickness: "David therefore besought God for the child and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him to raise him up from the earth; but he would not: neither did he eat bread with them" (2 Sam. xii. 16, 17). And when he was driven from his palace by Absolom, and was in danger of his life every moment (which some interpreters think to be the case intended in the text) when he went up the Mount of Olives bare foot, going and weeping: "And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered; and he went barefoot, and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up weeping as they went" (2 Sam. xv. 30).

Now the reasons of this are these:1. To correct them for past sins. This was the cause of David's trouble, and this puts a sting into all miseries. God's children smart under their sins here in this world, as well as others: "Behold the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner" (Prov. xi. 31). Recompensed in the earth, that is, punished for his sins. Compare with it, 1 Peter iv. 18: "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" God punisheth here, that he may spare for ever. He giveth some remembrance of the evil, and corrects his people, not to complete their justification, or to make more satisfaction for God's justice, than Christ hath made; yet to promote. their sanctification, that is, to make sin bitter to them, and to vindicate the glory of God, that he is not partial. For these reasons they are even brought to the dust by their own folly.

2. To humble them, and bring them low in the midst of their great enjoyments, therefore he casts them down even to the dust; because we cannot keep our hearts low, therefore God maketh our condition low. This

was Paul's case: "And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation: for we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble, which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: but we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead" (2 Cor. i. 7, 9). That is, not build too securely on their own sufficiencies.

3. To try their graces, which are never tried to the life, till we be near the point of death. The sincerity of our estate, and the strength of faith, is not discovered upon the throne so much as in the dust, if we can depend upon God in the hardest condition.

4. To awaken the spirit of prayer: "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord" (Psalm cxxx. 1). Affliction puts an edge upon our desires. They that are flat and careless at other times, are oftenest then with God.

5. To show the more of his glory, and the riches of his goodness in their recovery: "Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side" (Psalm lxxi. 20, 21). By the greater humiliation, God prepareth us for the greater blessings. As there are multitudes of troubles to humble and try the saints; so his mercies do not come alone, but with great plenty.

USE I.-Let us bless God that we are not put to such great trials. How gentle is our exercise compared with David's case! We are weak, and God will not overburden us. There is a great deal of the wisdom and love of God seen in the measure of the cross, and in the nature and kind of it. We have no cause to say our belly cleaveth to the dust, or that we are pressed above measure. God giveth us only a gentle remembrance; if brought upon our knees, we are not brought upon our faces.

USE II. If this should be our case, do not count it strange. It is a usual exercise of God's people; let us therefore not be offended, but approve God's holy and wise dispensation. If there be great troubles, there have been great sins, or there will be great comforts, or for the present there are great graces. As such a dispensation is a correction, there is reason to approve it. If you be laid in the dust, have not you laid God's honour in the dust, and trampled his laws under foot? As it is a trial, you have cause to approve it: for it is but meet that when God hath planted grace in the heart, he should prove the strength of it. Therefore if you be kept so long in your heavy condition that you seem dead; yet if you have faith to keep you alive, and patience be exercised, it is for your greater good: "And not only so, but we glory in tribulation also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience" (Rom. v. 3). And so affliction is an exercise for your benefit and spiritual improvement. The husbandman when he teareth and rendeth the ground up with the plough, it is to make it more fruitful; the longer the metal is in the fire, the more pure it cometh forth; nay, sometimes you have your outward comforts with advantage after troubles: "And the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before and the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning" (Job. xlii. 10, 12). Oh! when we are fitted to enjoy comforts, we shall have them plenty enough,

DOCTRINE II.-That in such great and heavy troubles we should deal with God for help.

In the dust David calleth to God for quickening. The reasons of this, why in great troubles we should go to God for help, are, first, from the inconvenience of any other course. (1.) If the godly should smother their grief, and not go to God with it, their sorrow were able to choak them. It is no small ease that we have a God to go to, to whom we may freely open our minds. Prayer hath a pacative virtue; as, Hannah "prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore;" and mark the event, "the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad," &c. (1 Sam. i. 18). An oven stopped up, is the hotter within; but vent and utterance giveth ease to the heart, if it be merely by way of complaint to a friend, without expectation of relief; much more to go to God, and lay open our case before him. (2.) To seek our comfort elsewhere from earthly things, it is a vain and evil course. 1st, It is vain; for God is the party with whom we have to do. In many troubles the creatures may be instruments of our wo; but the principal party is God. Strike in with him, and you stop the mischief at the head: "When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Prov. xvi. 7). In other troubles God hath a more immediate hand, as sicknesses and terrors of conscience; our business then lieth not with the creatures in sickness, not with physicians first, but with God. In troubles of spirit we are not to quench our thirst at the nearest ditch, but to run to the fountain of living water; not to take up with ordinary comforts, that is an attempt to break prison, and to get out of the troubles before God letteth us out. He is our party then, whoever be the instrument. 2ndly, It is evil that we refuse to come to God when he whippeth us into his presence, and beateth us to the throne of grace: "All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth" (Dan. ix. 13). When men are ready to die, and will not so much as confer with the physician, they are either stupid or desperate. Afflictions summon us into his presence. God sendeth a tempest after us, as after Jonah. Now that trouble which chaseth us to God, is so far a sanctified trouble. Second, The hope of relief from God, who alone can and will help us: "He putteth his mouth in the dust: if so be there may be hope" (Lam. iii. 29). Now this hope is from God's power and will. (1.) His power. God can quicken us when we are as good as dead, because he is the well-spring of life and comfort. Other things give us life, but only as water scaldeth when it is the instrument of heat; but God alone can help us. God is the great quickener: "That I might trust in him that raised the dead:" and, "I am the resurrection and the life." (2.) His will. When we are humble and tractable in our afflictions, 1st, It is some hope if we have nothing to bring before God but our grief and misery; for he is pitiful. A beggar will uncover his sore to move your bowels; so many times all the reason that a poor, pitiful, afflicted person can bring for himself, is lamenting his case to God, how discouraged he is, and apt to faint, as David represents his case: "My soul cleaveth to the dust" and elsewhere: "But I am poor and sorrowful; let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high" (Psalm lxix. 29). Justice seeketh a fit object, but mercy a fit occasion. 2ndly, It is a greater ground of hope when we are humbled under God's hand, and have a due sense of our condition, that is, are convinced of our emptiness, weakness, nothingness, or

emptied of self-conceit and carnal confidence: "For the Lord shall judge this people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up or left" (Deut. xxxii. 36). God's judgments are to break our carnal dependencies. 3rdly, Still the hope increaseth, when we acknowledge his justice and wisdom in all our troubles: "If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity" (Lev. xxvi. 41); kiss the rod wherewith they are corrected, be glad it is no worse, and see that all this cometh from a just and wise God. 4thly, There is further hope, when we can cast ourselves upon his faithfulness and omnipotency, in the face of all discouragements. Christ's question to the man long possessed was: "If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth" (Mark ix. 23). God's power is exercised, when glorified by faith and dependence. 5thly, When we submit to what may be most for his glory. Carnal prayers, though never so earnest, fail when we are too earnest upon our private end, and the means which we fancy: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us; but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake" (Psalm cxv. 1).

USE-In deep calamities run to God, lay forth your case feelingly and with submission to the justice of his providence, trusting to his power, and submitting to his wisdom, without obtruding your model upon God, but leaving him to his own course; and this is the way to speed. Take heed,

1. Of a stupid carelessness under the rod; it is a time of seeking after God, a summons to the creature to come before him. Now if we think to sport away our trouble without looking after God's comforts, it is a desperate security: "They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine" (Jer. v. 12).

2. Take heed of despondency. The throne of grace is set up on purpose for such a time: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb. iv. 16). "Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Psalm 1. 15). Open your case before the Lord.

3. Take heed of pitching too much upon outward things, either as to the time or way of deliverance. Lust is vehement; but the more you seek, the more comfortable will be the issue: "Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion; build thou the walls of Jerusalem" (Psalm li. 18).

Secondly, We come now to David's supplication or petition thereupon; where observe,—

1st, The request itself, "Quicken thou me."

2ndly, The argument," According to thy word."

First, The request itself, "Quicken thou me;" which noteth either the renewing of comfort, or the actuation of graces, the restoring or putting life into his affairs.

(1.) The renewing of comfort; quicken me, revive me, or restore life to me again; and this either by outward deliverance, so quickening is used: "Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth" (Psalm lxxi. 20); where deep trouble is compared to the grave, and deliverance a kind of resurrection or recovery from the dead: or by the letting in of inward comfort and spiritual reviving from the sense of God's love : Quicken