in comparison of those things from which they tempt you, namely, Heaven and eternal blessedness.

3. Consider the cursed issue of these things, of letting loose thy eye and heart to vanity. When you please the eye you wound the heart, and make you unfit for your great account: "Rejoice, O young man in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into judgment" (Eccl. xi. 9). Go, drench and steep thy soul in carnal delights. When thy wandering and wanton eye doth influence the lusts of thy heart, and they begin to boil up, when thou hast not denied thyself anything thy heart can wish, and thine eye look upon; put in a little cool water to stop the boiling and raging of thy lust, remember that God will bring thee to judgment; though thou dost now smother thy convictions, and drown thy reason in these sensual delights, yet God will call thee to an account for all thy time and parts, and strength, and wit, and talents entrusted with thee.

4. Pray, as David doth here: "Turn away mine eyes;" he calleth upon God for the assistance of his grace; and "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep thou the door of my lips" (Psalm cxli. 3). He that bendeth and inclineth the heart by his grace, to look after better things, must also bridle the senses: it is lust sets the eye awork, and causeth a deep complacency and delight in carnal things, and that is cured only by God's grace (Mark x. 27); therefore, go and beg this mercy of him.

5. Constant watchfulness; alas! we cannot open our eyes but we meet with a temptation, a door open for Satan to enter by, and therefore we had need diligently and constantly to watch, especially when lusts are like to be stirred. Lot's wife might not look towards Sodom, but Abraham was bidden to look upon it: it was no temptation to him, but it was to her, she had her heart hankering after it (Gen xix. 17, compared with verse 28). When we are in danger of a temptation, we should keep a severe and strict hand upon the senses, that they may not dwell unnecessarily upon alluring objects.

6. We have renounced the pomps and vanities of the world in baptism, and shall our eyes and hearts run after them? this is implied in our baptism, for baptism is called "the answer of a good conscience towards God” (1 Peter iii. 21). It is an answer to God's demand in the covenant. God puts us to the question, whether we will renounce the world, and the vanities and pleasures thereof? Now, when we have renounced these things, shall our eyes and our hearts run after them? Shall we turn the senses against God who gave us the use of them? Yea, against our souls. To shame you that have been no more faithful to your baptismal vow, consider what Heathens have done. Basil relateth of Alexander, a young man, in the heat of blood and in the flower of his age, refused to see Darius's daughter. It is a shame, saith he, for him that hath conquered so many men to be conquered by a woman. It is said of some Heathen, that he put out his eyes that they might not be a snare to him. We have grace that we may not use such violence to our nature, but certainly the eyes of our lusts should be put out; your see our baptism engageth us. If Heathens, those that never came under such an engagement with God, if they, by the light of nature saw that the guarding of the senses was a help to the soul, it concerns us much more to renounce the pomps and vanities of the world.

Secondly, We come to the request: "Quicken thou me in thy way." By quickening is meant the actuation of the spiritual life, he beggeth grace to perform his duty to God, with cheerfulness, liveliness, and zeal.

DOCTRINE.-Quickening is very necessary for them that would walk in

God's ways.

I shall not consider it here as a prayer to God, or as it is a blessing to be asked of God, but as it is necessary to obedience; and here I shall inquire,

1. What quickening is,

2. Show the necessity of it.

1st, What quickening is; it is put for two things. (1.) It is put for regeneration or the infusion of grace. (2.) For the renewing the vigour of the life of grace, the renewed influence of God whereby this grace is stirred up in our hearts. First, for regeneration or the infusion of grace: "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. ii. 1); then we are quickened or made alive to God when we are new born, when there is an habitual principle of grace put into our hearts. Secondly, Quickening is put for the renewed excitation of grace, when the life that we have received is carried on to some further increase, and so it is twofold, either by way of comfort in our afflictions, or enlivening in a way of holiness.

1. Comfort in afflictions; and so it is opposed to fainting, which is occasioned by too deep a sense of present troubles, and distrust of God and the supplies of his grace; when the affliction is heavy upon us, we are like birds dead in the nest, and are so overcome that we have no spirit nor courage in the service of God: "This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me" (Psalm cxix. 50). Then we are said to be quickened, when he raiseth up our hearts above the trouble, by refining our suffering graces, as faith, hope, and patience. Thus he is said to "revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Psalm xxxvii. 15); to restore comfort to us, and to refresh us with the sense of his love.

in us.

2. There is a quickening in duty, which is opposed to deadness of spirit, which is apt to creep upon us, that is occasioned by negligence and slothfulness in the business of the spiritual life. Now, to quicken us, God exciteth his grace An instrument, though never so well in tune, soon grows out of order. A key seldom turned rusts in the lock, so graces that are not kept awork, lose their exercise, and grow lukewarm; or else it is occasioned by carnal liberty, or intermeddling with worldly things. These bring a brawn and deadness upon the heart, and the soul is depressed by the cares of this world (Luke xxi. 34). Now, when you are under this temper of soul, desire the Lord to quicken you by new influences of grace. 2ndly, Let me show the necessity of this quickening, how needful it is. 1. It is needful, for without it our general standing is questionable, whether we belong to God or not: "Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house" (1 Peter ii. 5); it is not enough to be a stone in Christ's building, but we must be living stones; not only members of his body, but living members: I cannot say such a one hath no grace, but when they have it not it renders their condition very questionable, a man may be living when he is not lively.

2. Without it we cannot perform our duties aright: religion to a dead heart is a very irksome thing. When we are dead-hearted we do our duties as if we did them not; in our general course of obedience, we must go

to God: "Quicken me after thy loving kindness, so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth" (Psalm cxix. 88). Then we do good to good purpose indeed; it is not enough for us to pray, but we must pray with life and vigour: "Quicken us, and we will call upon thy name" (Psalm lxxx. 18); so we should hear with life, not in a dull, careless fashion (Matt. xiii. 15).

3. All the graces that are planted in us, tend to beget quickening: as faith, hope, and love, these are the graces that set us awork, and make us lively in the exercise of the spiritual life. "Faith which worketh by love" (Gal. v. 6). It sets the soul awork by apprehending the sense of God's love, whereas otherwise it is but a dead faith (James ii. 17). Then for love, what is the influence of that; it constrains the soul, it takes the soul along with it (2 Cor. v. 14-Rom. xii. 1). And then hope it is called "a lively hope" (1 Peter i. 3), all grace is put into us, to make us lively; not only the grace of sanctification, but the grace of justification is bestowed upon us for this end, that we may be cheerful in God's service: "How much more shall the blood of Christ purge our consciences from dead works, to serve the living God ?" (Heb. ix. 14.) Sin and guilt make us dead and heavy hearted, but now the blood of Christ is sprinkled upon the conscience, and the sentence of death taken away, then we are made cheerful to serve the living God. Attributes are suited to the case in hand, he is called the living God; because he must be served in a living

manner.

4. All the ordinances which God hath appointed are to get and increase this liveliness in us. Wherefore hath God appointed the word? "Hear and your soul shall live" (Psalm lv. 3); it is to promote the life of grace, and that we may have new encouragement to go on in the ways of God. Moses, when he received the law, is said to receive "the lively oracles" of God (Acts vii. 38). So the doctrines of Christ, they are all spirit and life, and serve to beget life in us. As the redemption of the world by Christ, the joys of Heaven, the torments of Hell, they are all quickening truths, and propounded to us, to keep us in life and vigour. The Lord's supper, why was that appointed? There we come to taste the flesh of Christ, who was given for the life of the worid (John vi.). That we might sensibly exercise our faith upon Christ, that we might be more sensible of our obligations to him, that we might be the more excited in the diligent pursuit of things to come.

USE I.-For reproof. David considereth the dulness and deadness of his spirit, which many do not, but go on in a cold track of duties, and never regard the frame of their hearts. It is a good sign to observe our spiritual temper, and accordingly go to God. Most observe their bodies, but very few their souls. If the body be ill at ease or out of order; they complain presently, but love waxeth cold, and their zeal for God and delight in him is abated, yet they never lay it to heart.

USE II. To exhort us to get and keep this lively frame of heart.

1. Get it. Pray for it, liveliness in obedience doth depend upon God's blessing; unless he put life and keep life in our souls, all cometh to nothing. Come to God upon the account of his glory: "Quicken me, O Lord, for thy name's sake, for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble" (Psalm cxliii. 11). His tender mercies: "Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgment" (Psalm cxix. 156). Come to him upon the account of Christ: "I am come that they might

have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John x. 10). And, "He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (John vii. 38). Every new act of faith draweth from Christ some increase of spiritual life.

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2. Stir up yourselves. "There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee" (Isa. lxiv. 7). Wherefore, I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands" (2 Tim. i. 6). "Why art thou cast down O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance" (Psalm xlii. 11). We have liveliness enough in all businesses of secular concernment: consider what the business is that we are about. It is about our everlasting estate, whether we shall live for ever in Heaven or Hell; and shall we trifle here? you had life in a way of sin: worldly men are lively. How dishonourable a thing is it to serve the living God with a dead heart? a lukewarm frame is hateful to God: "Because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth" (Rev. iii. 16). Take heed you do not lose quickening, and that

"Create in me a clean Cast me not away

(1.) By our corruption, by any heinous sin. heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto

me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit" (Psalm li. 10-12). The spirit is a tender thing. A wound in the body lets out the life blood.

The

(2.) By an inordinate liberty in worldly pleasures: "But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth” (1 Tim. v. 6). Vain company, vain speeches, and the like, these things shun and avoid. But "Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Heb. x. 24) ; let us follow good examples. We grow formal and slight by imitation, others profess religion and yet are dead-hearted, and vain, and so are we. idolaters encouraged one another: "They helped every one his neighbour, and every one said to his brother, be of good courage; so the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth with the hammer him that smote the anvil" (Isa. xli. 6, 7). We should encourage one another in the way of godliness, and keep up a lively frame of heart towards God, and pray with the Psalmist in the text: "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity, and quicken thou me in thy way."

SERMON XLIII.

VERSE 38.-Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

In these words observe,

I. A request, "Stablish thy word unto thy servant."

II. A motive to enforce it, "Who is devoted to thy fear."

The

motive is taken from the qualifications and disposition of the person who

makes the request.

2. The person for whom, "Unto thy servant," that is, unto me who

am such.

I shall begin with the first of these, the benefit asked, "Stablish thy word." David, that had prayed before, "Strengthen thou me according unto thy word" (verse 28), now he saith, "Stablish thy word unto thy servant." By the word is meant the word of promise. Now the promise of God is established, when it is confirmed and made good: "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Cor. xiii. 1); that is, accounted valid and firm. And (2 Sam. vii. 25) when Samuel speaks of God's promises, he prays, "establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said." Look, as on the one side, we are said to establish the law of God, when we observe it, for so it runs: "Cursed be he that confirmeth," or establisheth, "not all the words of this law to do them" (Deut. xxvii. 26). The law is then confirmed, when it hath its force and effect upon us: whereas otherwise when they observe it not, it is said to be void. That sentence is repeated by the Apostle thus: "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them" (Gal. iii. 10). Well then, the promise is established when it is made good.

But why doth David pray thus, "Stablish thy word to me;" since God's word is most certain, and stable in itself, so as it cannot be more? (2 Peter i. 19.) "We have a more sure," or a more stable, "word of prophecy," as the word signifies; how can the word be more stable than it is?

I answer, it is sure in regard of God from whom it comes, and in itself. In regard of the things propounded it cannot be more or less stable, it cannot be fast and loose; but in regard of us, it may be more or less established. And that two ways,―

1. By the inward assurance of the Spirit increasing our faith. 2. By the outward performance of what is promised.

1st, By the inward assurance of the Spirit, by which our faith is increased. Great is the weakness of our faith, as appears by our fears, doubts, distrusts, so that we need to be assured more and more. We need say with tears, as he doth in the Gospel : “Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief" (Mark ix. 24); and to cry out with the apostles, "Lord, increase our faith" (Luke xvii. 5). There is none believeth so, but he may yet believe more. And in this sense the word is more established, when we are confirmed in the belief of it, and look upon it as sure ground for faith to rest upon.

2ndly, By actual performance, when the promise is made good to us. Every event which falls out according to the word is a notable testimony of the truth of it, and a seal to confirm and strengthen our faith. Three ways maythis be made good.

1. The making good of some promises at one time, strengthens our faith in expecting the like favour at another. Christ was angry with his disciples for not remembering the miracle of the loaves, when they fell into a like strait again: "Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves?" (Matt. xvi. 9.) We are to seek upon every difficulty; whereas former experience in the same kind, should be a means of establishment to us: "He hath delivered, and doth deliver; in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us" (2 Cor. i. 10). In teaching a child to spell, we are angry, if, when we have showed him a letter once, twice, and a third time, yet when he meets with it again still he misseth: so, God is angry with us