when we have had experience of his word in this, that, and the other providence, yet still our doubts return upon us.

2. The accomplishment of one promise confirms another; for God, that keepeth touch at one time, will do so at another: "I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion; and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom" (2 Tim. iv. 17, 18). In such a strait God failed not, and surely he that hath been true hitherto will not fail at last.

3. When the word is performed in part, it assureth us of the performance of the whole. It is an earnest given us of all the rest: "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen” (2 Cor. i. 20). A Christian hath a great many promises, and they are being performed daily; God is delivering, comforting, protecting him, speaking peace to his conscience, but the greater part are yet to be performed. Present experiences do assure us of what is to come. Thus, "Stablish thy word," that is, make it good by the event, that I may learn to trust another time either for the same, or other promises or accomplishment of thy whole word.

DOCTRINE. That it is matter of great consequence to have the word of God established to us, or to be confirmed in a certain belief of his promises.

David asketh it here as a very necessary thing, "Stablish thy word unto thy servant," give me, Lord, to look upon it as a stable and firm thing. This will appear if you consider the conveniency, necessity, utility, and the profit of this establishment.

1st, The conveniency and suitableness of it. It is very convenient that we should build strongly upon a strong foundation: that sure truths should be entertained with a certain faith, and things taken as they are uttered. There is certitudo objecti, a certainty of the object itself, and certitudo subjecti, the certainty of the subject, our being persuaded of the certainty of it; the one warrants the other, and both are necessary to our comfort; that is, as the word is certain in itself, so it should be certain to us. No matter how strong the foundation be, if the building upon that foundation be weak, down it falleth. The word of God is stable in itself, but if we are not persuaded it is so, we are soon shaken with temptations. To stay a ship from being tossed upon the rocks, it is necessary the anchor hold be good itself, and be fastened upon somewhat that is firm; therefore the Apostle speaks first of the stability of the ground, and then of the strength of the anchor (Heb. vi. 18—20). There is a firm, rocky ground to build upon, the immutable promises of God; and a solid, strong anchor, which is our faith and affiance. As faith, without the promises, is nothing but groundless and fruitless conceit, so the promises yield us no comfort without faith. The promises are yea and amen in Christ (2 Cor. i. 20). And then, presently, "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ is God." It is not sufficient that the promises be established; but we must be established upon them. They are yea and amen in Christ; but what is that to us? God may lose the glory of his truth, and we the comfort, if we be not established.

2ndly, The necessity of it will appear, if we consider, (1.) How natural unbelief is to us all, and (2.) How weak the faith of most is.

1. If we consider how natural unbelief is to us, it is a sin we suck in with our milk. When our first parents sinned against God, his word was not believed, and thereupon the sin was committed (Gen. iii. 4). The

Devil contradicted that which God delivered with his own mouth; his nay prevails above God's yea: "Ye shall not surely die," that was that which let in the first sin. And ever since it is very natural to us: "Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God" (Heb. iii. 12). Unbelief is the special part of the heart's wickedness. Partly because we have wronged God, therefore are apt to suspect him, for men are always jealous of those whom they have wronged; and that they cannot mean well to them, from whom they have received ill; we have wronged God and therefore are suspicious of him, and of his good-will to sinners. And partly because the truths of God lie cross to our lusts and carnal interests, which maketh us so ready to pick quarrels with him. Ahab would not hear Micaiah, not because he prophesied false, but evil. They will not come to the light, "lest their deeds should be reproved" (John iii. 20). I say, such strict rules, such close and quickening truths as God hath published in the Gospel, men could wish they were not true; that there were no Heaven, nor Hell, nor world to come; and therefore because it lies so cross to our lusts, our wishes gain upon our understanding, and blind us, and we are not apt to believe these things. Who will close with that which makes against him? Men that are loath the word of God should prove true, are therefore slow of heart to believe it (Luke xxiv.). And partly because ever since we were born, we have been trained up to live by sense; and are affected only with the things we see, hear, and feel; and therefore are little skilled in faith which is "the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. xi. 11), which carrieth us to things above sense, to the concernments of another world. In short then, for these reasons; because it is natural to us to live by sense; to indulge our own lusts; and to suspect those whom we have wronged, therefore unbelief of God is so rife in the world.

2. The necessity of establishment in the word of God will appear, if we consider how weak the faith of the most is. There are few that entertain the word as a sure and certain truth. There are several degrees of assent; there is conjecture, opinion, weak faith, and faith that is stronger, and that which comes up to an assurance of understanding as the Apostle calls it.

There is conjecture, or a lighter inclination of the mind to the word of God, as possibly, or probably true; a suspicious knowledge of things, or bare guess at them, when we go no higher than it may be so, that all this is true which God hath spoken concerning Christ and salvation. There is beyond this, opinion, when the mind is more inclined to think it true, when we are so convinced of the truth of it, that we are not able reasonably to contradict it; we think it true, but there is still a fear of the contrary that it is not true which prevails over us and taints our practice, and weakens our affections and withdraws them from things to come. Then, beyond this there is faith, or a firm and undoubted persuasion of the truth of God's word, which also hath its latitude; there is weak faith which hath its incident doubts. And there is beyond this, receiving the word "in much assurance," as the expression is (1 Thes. i. 5), still we may increase higher in the degree of our assent: for in this life there is never so much but there may be more, there is not so much faith but there may be more. There is something lacking to our faith, and it is not easy to grow up to the riches of the full assurance of understanding. The best have but a fluctuating, doubting knowledge of spiritual truths. Not a full assurance and persuasion of them. Therefore we need to ask establishment.

us.

3rdly, Consider the utility and profit of it; when once the word is established to us, we shall know how to live and how to die, and upon what terms to maintain comfort and holiness, whereas otherwise men live loosely and carelessly: "The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it" (Heb. iv. 2). Until the word of God be owned as it is a divine and infallible truth, it hath no efficacy upon When it is received merely by conjecture as a possible truth it works but weakly. Ay, but then it profits when we receive the word of God as the word of God, as a certain truth; when the soul comes to determine, surely these are truths in which I am deeply concerned, upon which my eternal life or death doth depend; without this God can have no service, and we no comfort, but are at a great uncertainty of spirit. On the other side, let me tell you, that all our coldness in duty, and all our boldness in sinning it comes from unbelief.

1. Our coldness in duty. What is the reason, when God offereth such great things to us as the eternal enjoyment of himself, glory, comfort, and happiness, as much as heart can wish, that men are so dead-hearted, lifeless, and careless in the ways of God? when our work is so good, our ways so excellent, what is the reason of all our coldness and carelessness in the profession of religion? We have not a lively sense of eternity, we do not believe God upon his word, if we did, it would put life into us. Saith the Apostle: "This one thing I do," and "I press towards the mark." Why? "For the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil. iii. 13, 14). When we mind our work, seriously and above all other things, not superficially and by-the-by, when we can see the prize of our high calling, as to run and hold the eye upon the mark, then he presseth onward that he may not loose the garland. So, when we feel the rewards of grace, when we are persuaded of them, this puts spirit into us, and encourageth us against all deadness, and faintness: I press onward then with a great deal of vehemency and earnestly. So, "Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord:" here is the description of a godly man. How shall we do to keep the heart in such an earnest frame? By a sound belief of the promises, for so it follows: "forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. xv. 58). If holiness doth not flourish, there is a worm at the root; atheism and unbelief lies at the heart, and the want of such an assent to those great and glorious promises which God hath made known to us in Christ.

2. Our boldness in sinning. Why do men go on securely in ways of disobedience against God? because they do not know whether the word be true, yea or nay. If a man had Heaven and Hell in his eye, if he were soundly persuaded of these things, certainly he would not venture the loss of Heaven for a trifle; and would not upon such small temptations run the hazard of everlasting torments. You cannot drive an ass, the most stupid creature, into the fire which is burning before his eyes: so if these things were before our eyes we would not be so bold with God, and so daring as we are. Temptation to sin must needs prevail with us when we have not faith; for when the temptation is strong, and faith weak, where are we? A man will yield to his base lusts; for there is present profit, present pleasure, and we have no undoubted certainty of the rewards of obedience, and of the promises which are to be set against the temptation. But now, when we consider we have so great and precious promises, this will make us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit; we will not

easily sin against God, kick against the pricks, and run upon danger laid before our eyes. In vain is the snare laid in the sight of a bird.

USE I. To reprove us for looking so little after the establishment of the word. There are many that content themselves with a loose profession of the name of Christ, but are not established in a sound belief of the Scriptures. Ask them why they are of this and that religion? They have been taught so, been brought up in it; and so they might have been Mahometans upon the same account that they are Christians, if they had been bred there where the name of Mahomet is of more request than the name of Christ. But then there are others that live by guess, and carry on some natural devotion, but their souls were never acquainted with the mystery of grace, never soundly established in it, they have a conjecture. There are others that can dispute for their religion, that see a reasonableness in the Christian faith, and why they should be of this opinion rather than that. Ay, but their hearts were never subdued to God. Hath the Spirit established Divine truths upon thy soul? and wrought these things upon thy heart? hath it convinced thy judgment? awakened thy conscience? changed thy heart? given thee any taste of God's love in Christ? drawn thee out of the world into near and sweet communion with God? Truths are by him established to us, and represented with evidence and power (1 Cor. ii. 4). Alas! all else we can attain to is but cold and fruitless notion, which will not warm the heart; some cursory opinions that will not hold thy heart under the awe of God, and guide thee in the paths of holiness to eternal life; and therefore rest not in this that you have some knowledge concerning Christ, and privileges by him. But are your hearts established? have you a sense of these truths wrought in you by the Holy Ghost?

USE II.-It exhorteth us to use the means whereby the word may be established.

1. Chiefly observe experiences, how it is accomplished in the course of God's providence, and inward feeling of thy own heart. What answers of prayer have you, when you have been wrestling with God and putting his promises in suit at the throne of grace? Every day God is fulfilling one promise or another, to train us up to look for more at his hands. That we may trust in him for our inheritance, and our final blessing, he first giveth us a proof of his truth in lesser matters. The more you observe the dealings of God with your own souls, and the fulfilling his word to you, the more will your heart be confirmed against atheism, and established in the belief of the Divine authority of the Scripture. It concerns us much to look to this, that our hearts be firmly settled against atheism, especially when such errors are abroad, and divisions in the church, and the name of God is blasphemed. Now, by these daily mercies doth God establish his word, makes it good to your souls: "The word of the Lord is tried" (Psalm xviii. 30); there is more than letters and syllables, God standeth to it, it is a tried word. When you have challenged him you have found the Scripture fulfilled upon appeals to God, and applications to the throne of grace. When you have been pleading with God; Lord, is not this thy handwriting, the promises thou hast made to thy people? The Lord hath answered this from Heaven, and said, Yea, this is my promise. He hath given in an answerable promise.

2. It engageth you to dependence and assurance of faith: "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not for

saken them that seek thee" (Psalm ix. 10). Whosoever hath observed God's dealings, will see God is to be trusted, he may be depended upon, if he hath said anything in his word, they that know thy name, they that have acquainted themselves with God and the course of his dispensations. The promises will not lie by as a dead stock: "The Lord hath heard my voice and my supplications, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live" (Psalm cxvi. 1, 2). This is that which will quicken you to rejoice in God, and to a holy thankfulness, when you compare his word with the effects of it, when you see how it is made good: In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word" (Psalm lvi. 10). A single mercy is not so much, nor so engaging upon our hearts to thankfulness, as when observing the mercy hath been the fruit of a promise. This hath been the practice of God's saints; Joshua takes notice of it: "Not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you" (Josh. xxiii. 14): "There hath not failed one word of all his good promises, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant" (1 Kings viii. 56). You will often find the very letter of the promise made good in the course of God's dealings, and if you would but observe his daily providence, you would be trained up in more waiting upon God for your final blessings.

Secondly, Let us come to the person for whom he prays: "Stablish thy word," but to whom?"to thy servant." Here note,

DOCTRINE. That particular application of general promises is neces

sary.

This word, which he would have to be established, was most likely to be a promise of sanctification, for in the former verse he had prayed for mortification, and vivification, and now for sanctification. But, be it any other promise, certainly that word which was made to others, was likewise made to me, as if he had been specified therein by name. Thus must general truths be taken home by particular application, that they may lie the closer to our hearts. The offer of God's favour is general: "Seek ye my face;" but the application is particular to himself: "Thy face, Lord, will I seek" (Psalm xxvii. 8). David takes it as spoken to him in particular. So, Psalm cxvi. 15: "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints;" and then, "O Lord, truly I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid." The comfort concerned all God's children; the life and death of the saints is very precious in the eyes of God, he hath a particular care over them, and tells all their bones; now, Lord, saith David, let me have the comfort of this promise, "I am thy servant." So, "This is a faithful saying," &c., " of whom I am chief” (1 Tim. i. 15). This holy art should we learn of creeping under the covert of a promise; and working ourselves by faith into the comfort of it.

But rather, secondly, you may observe the character that he puts upon himself, "Thy servant." David was a king, but at the throne of grace he styles himself God's servant, the fittest title that he could use when he prays for grace. Hence note,

DOCTRINE. He that is a servant of God may seek and expect grace from him.

Here I shall show,

1. Who is God's servant.

2. Why we must use this plea when we come to have promises accomplished.