(Psalm lii. 6, 7); rejoice over Babylon, "ye holy apostles and prophets, for God hath avenged you on her" (Rev. xviii. 20); when the word of God is fulfilled, surely then we may rejoice, that his justice and truth are cleared.

SERMON LIX.

VERSE 53.-Horror hath taken hold of me, because of the wicked which forsake thy law.

The man of God, in the former verse, had showed what comfort he took in remembering God's judgments of old, meaning thereby his righteous dispensations in delivering the godly, and punishing the wicked; he now showeth, that seeing God's horrible judgments on the wicked, he was seized and stricken with a very great fear.

In the words observe,

1. A great passion described.

2. The cause of it assigned.

66

1st, A great passion described: "Horror hath taken hold on me." The word for horror signifieth also a tempest or storm. Translations vary, some read it, as Junius, a storm overtaking me;" Ainsworth, “a burning horror hath seized me," and expoundeth it a storm of terror and dismay. The Septuagint a vpía raréxe pè, " faintness and dejection of mind hath ἀθυμία κατέχε possessed me," our old translation, "I am horribly afraid;" all translations, as well as the original word, imply a great trouble of mind, and a vehement commotion; like a storm it was matter of disquiet and trembling to David.

2ndly, What is the matter? The reason is given in the latter clause, "because of the wicked which forsake thy law." Now, this reason may be supposed to be—

1. Either because of the storm of trouble raised by them, or persecution from them; and so it would note the outrageousness of those who have cast off the yoke, all fear of God, and respect to his law; and so also the imbecility and weakness of the saints, who are not able to stand against violent evils, and assaults of temptation. But this is not so consistent with David's constancy and comfort asserted in the former verses. 2. Because of the detriment and loss which might accrue to the public, they bring on common judgments and calamities. It is a Jewish proverb, that two dry sticks will set a green one on fire: "One sinner destroyeth much good" (Eccl. ix. 18), much more mercy. Now, the godly which believe God's word, are troubled when they see wickedness increaseth; they know that this will turn to loss and ruin in the issue; therefore, it causeth a grievous horror and indignation to seize upon them, for they have a tender and public spirit.

3. Besides the common calamities which they might bring upon others, the sore punishment which they would bring upon themselves was a horror to him, which showeth a charitable affection to enemies. The punishment which had not as yet seized upon them, nor did they think of it, yet being prepared for their wickedness by the justice of God, was a grief and trouble to David, as it is to all good men, to see the wicked run on to their own destruction and condemnation. These two last senses I prefer.

DOCTRINE. It argueth a good spirit to be grieved to see God's laws broken, and to be stricken with fear because of those judgments which come from God by reason of the wickedness of the wicked. The reasons are,

1st, Here is matter of great commotion of spirit to any attentive and serious beholder; for the cause assigned in the text is, "because they forsake thy law." There are two things in the law, the precept and the sanction; by penalties and rewards. Now, they that forsake the law, violate the precept and slight the sanction; and so two things grieve the godly, their sin and their punishment; how grievously they sin, and what grievous punishments they may expect.

1. That the law is violated, that they should forsake God, and all thoughts of obedience to him, and so make slight of his law. "Sin is ȧvopía the transgression of the law" (1 John iii. 4), a contempt of God's authority if we consider the intrinsic evil of sin, we shall see that it is not a small thing, but a horrible evil in itself, a thing not to be laughed at, but feared, whether our own or others.

:

(1.) There is folly in it, as it is a deviation from the best rule which the Divine wisdom hath set unto us. If we should look upon the law of God as a bare direction or counsel given us, by one that is wiser than we, it is a contempt of the wisdom of God, as if he knew not how to govern the world, and what is good and meet for man, so much as he himself; and so a poor worm is exalted above God: "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good" (Mic. vi. 8). Now, shall we slight his direction, and in effect say, our own way is better? Reason requireth that they who cannot choose for themselves, should obey their guides; and since they are not wise for themselves, content themselves with the wisdom of others, who see farther than they do as Elymas the sorcerer, when he was struck blind, sought about for somebody to lead him by the hand (Acts xiii. 11); can a blind man feel out his way better than another who hath eyes to choose it for him? God is wiser than we, and all who would not contemn their Creator should think so. He hath reduced the sum of our duty into a holy law; now for us after all this to run of our heads, and to consult with our foolish lusts, and the suggestions of the Devil, who is our worst enemy, is extreme folly and madness, and so doth every one who breaketh the laws of God.

(2.) Laws are not only to direct, but have a binding power and force from the authority of the Lawgiver. God doth not only give us counsel as a friend, but commandeth us as a sovereign; and so the second notion whereby the evil of sin is set forth, is that of disobedience and rebellion; and so it is a great injury done to God, because it is a depreciation and contempt of his authority. As Pharaoh said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?" (Exod. v. 2;) or those rebels: "Our lips are our own, who is Lord over us?" (Psalm xii. 4.) We will speak, and think, and do what we please, and own no law but our own lusts. Now, though sinners do not say so in so many direct and formal words, yet this is the interpretation of their sinful actions. Whenever they sin, they despise the law which forbiddeth that sin, and so by consequence the authority of him that made it: "Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment?" &c. (2 Sam. xii. 9, 10). Tush, I will do it, it is no matter for the law of God that standeth in the way, is the language of the corrupt and obstinate heart. Now, no man can endure to have his will crossed by an inferior, and will God take it at their hands? And therefore, the children of God,

who have a great reverence of God's authority, when they see it so openly violated, and contemned, are filled with horror. Will not God be tender of his power and sovereignty? will he see his authority so lightly esteemed, and take no notice of it?

(3.) It is shameful ingratitude. Man is God's beneficiary, from whom he hath received life, and being, and all things, and therefore is bound to love him, and serve him according to his declared will. We continually depend upon him every moment: " In him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts xvii. 28); and surely dependence should beget observance, and therefore men should be loath to break with God, or careful to reconcile themselves to him, on whom they depend every moment. "Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon; but they came with one accord to him, and having made Blastus, the king's chamberlain, their friend, desired peace, because their country was nourished by the king's country" (ActsЯii. 20). Therefore it is extreme unthankfulness, stupidity, and brutishness for them to carry themselves so unthankfully towards God, who giveth them life, and being, and all things. The brutes themselves, who have no capacity to know God as the first cause of all being, yet take notice of the next hand from whence they receive their supplies: The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib" (Isa. i. 3); and in their kind express their gratitude to such as feed them, and make much of them; but wicked men take no notice of the God who hath made them, and kept them at the expense and care of his providence, and hath been beneficial to them all their days; but as they slight their Lawgiver, so they requite their great Benefactor with unkindness and provocation.

(4.) It is a disowning of his property in them, as if they were not his own, and God had not power to do with his own as he pleaseth. The creature is absolutely at God's dispose, not only as he hath a jurisdiction over us as our lawgiver and king over his subjects, but as a proprietary and owner over his goods. A prince hath a more absolute power over his lands and goods than over his subjects. God is not only a ruler but an owner, as he made us out of nothing, and bought us when worse than nothing, and still keepeth us from returning into our original nothing; and shall those who are absolutely his own withdraw themselves from him, and live according to their own will, and speak and do what they list? What is this but a plain denial of God's property and lordship over us, as those "Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own; who is Lord over us?" (Psalm xii. 4): surely it should strike us with horror to think that any creatures should thus take upon them. Sin robbeth God of his property in the creatures. If we consider his natural right, sin is such a injury and wrong to God as theft and robbery; if we consider our own covenant as we voluntarily acknowledge God's property in us, so it is adultery, breach of marriage vow; and with respect to the devoting and consecrating ourselves to him, so it is sacrilege.

(5.) It is a contempt of God's glorious majesty. What else shall we make of a plain contest with him, or a flat contradiction of his holy will? For, whilst we make our depraved will the rule and guide of our actions against his holy will, we plainly contend with him, whose will shall stand, his or ours; and so jostle him out of the throne, and pluck the crown off his head, and the sceptre out of his hands, and usurp his authority; and so slight the eternal power of this glorious King, as if he were not able to avenge the wrong done to his majesty, and we could make good our party

against him: "Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?" (1 Cor. x. 22.) "Woe to him that striveth with his Maker; let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth" (Isa. xlv. 9); surely they that strive with their Maker, will find God too hard for them. Now, all these and many more considerations, should make a serious Christian sensible when he considereth how God is dishonoured in the world.

66

2. Their punishment. This relateth to the sanction by penalties and rewards; they that forsake the law have quite divested themselves of all hope, and cast off all dread of him. The law offereth death or life to the transgressors and observers of it: Behold, I have set before you life and good, death and evil" (Deut. xxx. 15). Now, this is as little believed, as the precept is obeyed; and thence cometh all their boldness in sinning, and coldness in duty.

(1.) God allureth us to obedience by promises of this world and the next, which, if they were believed, men would be more forward and ready to comply with his will. As to the promises of the next world, he hath told us of eternal life. Surely God meaneth as he speaketh in his word, he will make good his word to the obedient; but the sinner thinketh not so, and therefore is loath to undergo the difficulties of obedience, because he hath so little sense and certainty of fulfilling the promise. The Apostle telleth us that "without faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is; and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Heb. xi. 6); implying, that if the fundamental truths of God's being and bounty were believed, we could not be so careless as we are, not so barren and unfruitful as we are; but unbelief lieth at the bottom of all our carelessness: "Be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as you know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. xv. 58). They that know what a reward is prepared for the righteous, cannot but be serious and diligent themselves, and pity others, and be troubled at their neglect. Oh, what a good God they deprive themselves of, and throw away their souls for a trifle! But because the Lord knoweth how apt we are to be led by things present to sense, that work strongly upon our apprehensions; and that things absent and future lie in another world, and wanting the help of sense to convey them to our minds, make little impression upon our hearts; therefore God draws us to our duty by present benefits. Even carnal nature is apt to be pleased with these kind of mercies, protection, provision, and worldly comforts: "This I had, because I kept thy precepts" (Psalm cxix. 106). "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. vi. 33). "Godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Tim. iv. 8). But alas! the naughty heart cannot depend on God for the effects of his common goodness. Men distrust Providence, and therefore take their own course, which is a grief and trouble to a gracious heart, to see they cannot depend on God for things of a present accomplishment.

(2.) The other part of the sanction are his threatenings, and punishments. Now, in what a direful condition are all the deserters of God's law! besides the loss of Heaven, there is eternal fire wich is the portion of the wicked: "Upon the wicked he will rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup" (Psalm xi. 6). They may flourish for a time, yet at length sudden, terrible, and irremedi

less destruction shall be the portion of their cup. God's judgments are terrible and unavoidable, both here and hereafter: "For these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience" (Eph. v. 6). "Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil" (Rom. ii. 8, 9). Alas, these things are slighted by wicked men, or else they would not venture as they do: you cannot drive a dull ass into the fire that is kindled before him: "In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any bird" (Prov. i. 17); and would a reasonable creature wilfully run into such a danger if he were sensible of it, and venture upon so dreadful threatenings if he did believe them? no; they think it is but a vain scarecrow, a deceitful terror, or a false flash of fire, and therefore embolden themselves in their rebellion. But God's people that know the certainty of these things, they cannot but conceive a great horror at it, when they think of the end of these men, their judgments in this world, but especially their eternal condemnation in the world to come. Well, then, forsaking the law, despising the precept, and slighting the sanction, should be a matter of great horror to a tender and gracious spirit.

2ndly, It argueth that they have a due sense of things though others have not.

1. They have a due sense of the evil of sin: "Fools make a mock of sin" (Prov. xiv. 9). They sport at it, and jest at it, and count it nothing: but gracious and tender hearts have other apprehensions, they know that this is a violation of the holy, and righteous, and good law of God, and that it will be bitter in the issue; and that they which had pleasure in unrighteousness shall be damned. They look upon it with sad hearts, though it be committed by others; that the wicked go dancing to Hell, and are angry with those who mourn for them, and dislike that vain course which they affect.

2. They have a due sense of the wrath of God; the Prophet that threatened it, saith, that rottenness entered into his bones, and his bowels quivered (Hab. iii. 16). A lion trembleth to see a dog beaten before him. It is a trouble to the godly to think of the horrible punishments of the wicked, which they dread not, nor dream of. But the saints have a reverence for their father's anger. Search the Scriptures, and you shall find that the godly are more troubled at God's judgments, than the wicked themselves who are to feel them: "Daniel was astonished for an hour, and his thoughts troubled him" (Dan. iv. 19), when he was to reveal God's judgments against Nebuchadnezzar. So the Prophet: "My bowels, my bowels, I am pained at the very heart" (Jer. iv. 19). "But my people

is foolish, they are sottish children" (verse 22); they that brought the evil upon themselves are senseless and stupid: "Who knoweth the power of thine anger? according to thy fear, so is thy wrath" (Psalm xc. 11). Few lay to heart the terrible effects of God's heavy wrath, but the righteous do; they are truly affected with it, and with the cause of it, which is sin. God's wrath affects men according to the reverence and fear wherewith they entertain it, but to the wicked it is but a vain and empty terror.

3. The certainty of the threatenings. God's people see wrath and judgment in the face of sin, whereas those who are drowned in sensuality and carnal delights, scoff at God's menaces, and jest at his judgments; neither crediting the one, nor expecting the other, as if it were but a mere mockery: "They say, let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we