Lastly, A child of God may thus fpeak from experience of the grace displayed in the saving change made upon him; and abiding upon him. The love and grace of God pitied me in my blood, fetched me from the gates of hell, and made me sensible of my need of a Saviour, and then kindly perswaded and enabled me to receive him, and so brought me into his family, and put me among his children, and hath in the most compaffionate manner treated me as such. How often hath he found me weeping, and then kindly wiped away my tears, and calmed and quieted my troubled foul? How often hath he refolved my doubts, and expelled my fears? And when I have provoked him to withdraw for a time, how seasonably hath he returned, and said to my troubled foul, be still. With how ravishing a voice hath he called me, child, and given me leave, and by his Spirit enabled me to cry, Abba, Father?

He hath shewn to my faith the glory of the New Jerufalem, and the blessed company of those holy spirits that stand about his throne, and given me good hope that I shall be at last with them; and in the mean time refreshed me with the first-fruits of the promised land, as the earnest of the full poffeffion.

How many comfortable hours have I had in communion with him, in publick assemblies, and in my private retirements, under the influence of his spirit, and the manifestations of his presence? He hath drawn forth my defires, and then met them with comfortable tokens of his favour and love. And when I go from hence, it is to be nearer to him than ever, more happy than ever; yea, to be perfectly so, and change no more: Wherefore return unto thy rest, O my foul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

APPLICATION.

To close all with a word of use.

1. Have holy souls their rest in God, how amiable and great is the change that grace hath made upon them? For naturally they are inclined to live without God in the world, as well as others, and to take up their rest in lower good; but being born from heaven, they can no longer do fo. God is now more than all the world to them; and if they have not rest in him, they can have none for ever. Should all the monarchs upon earth cast down their crowns at my feet, (faid a gracious foul, that spake his inward sense) and fay, All these are thine, I would answer, These cannot content or fatisfy me. Why? because they are not God. Should all the honours and wealth of the world be heaped upon me, I would fay, It is not enough. Why? because I have a foul to be provided for, that none of these can fuit or fatisfy, and nothing short of God in Chrift can be my rest.

2. This may help you to pass a judgment upon this world, as altogether insufficient to be the rest of a foul. The wisest and best upon earth universally renounce it as their portion, and as taught of God, look for reft only in himself. What folly therefore are they guilty of, who look for rest below, which is to look for light in darkness, life in death? In thus looking, they loofe lose their labour, and their poor fouls are in danger of perishing for ever.

3. Have holy fouls their rest in God, let us prove ourselves such, by taking up our rest with them. If it be not yet done, let it be no longer deferred. Why should you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which fatisfieth not? When God calls you to hearken to his voice, and, by Christ, to return to him, that ye may eat that which is good, and have your foul delight itself in fatness, and be provided of an adequate portion in which you may rest and rejoice for ever?

Lastly, Let believers record God's gracious dealings with them, and frequently review and read them over. This will endear the thoughts of him, and confirm their trust in him. Whilft others are running from him, and had rather be any where than with him, a child of God may say at the close of every day, at every season of worship, especially on the Lord's day; and under any trouble of life, and even in the view and approach of death, Return unto thy reft, &c.

God grant we may be all of this number, and afterwards rest with them now, for ever.

VOL. II.

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SERMON VII.

PSALM CXIX. 92.

Unless thy law had been my delights, I Should then have perished in mine affliction.

T

HIS psalm is by far the longest in the book: and as it is long, so it is most excellent and engaging. It commends the scripture or word of God to us under several notions, as his Statutes, Judgments, Precepts, Testimonies, and here he calls it, his law. David found it of use to him at all times; and now he speaks of the advantage he had from it in a time of distress: Unless thy law had been my delights, 1 should then have perished in my affliction.

We have here set before us by this Pfalmist : 1. The cafe which he had been in, and which he now refers to, one fad and finking. He was under fuch affliction that he was ready to perish; which seems to include inward and outward trouble at once; trials without, and pressures within.

2. What it was that gave him relief, and this when nothing else could, viz. the law of God.

3. How he looked back upon this relief received, namely, with thankfulness to God, to whom he speaks, and records it for the encouragement and direction of others, Unless thy law bad been my delights, I should then have perished in my affliction.

Doct. The word of God has been the great relief of his people, even under trials wherein they felt themselves ready to fink: this they have found, and are ready to own for his glory, and the good of those that come after them, that through patience and comfort of the fcripture, they alfo may have hope.

In speaking to this I shall endeavour to shew, I. What there is in the law or word of God, which tends to the delight of his people in di

ftrefs.

II. Who they are that it actually delights, and its fitness for that purpose.

III. How it does so.

IV. When it does so.

V. The nature of the consolation or delight it affords.

Lastly, The Ufe.

1. To shew what there is in the word of God, which tends to the delight of his people in distress.

1. In the word there are made the most comfortable discoveries. As,

(1.) That God stands in the most endearing relations to his people. He is their Shepherd, their Father, their Friend, their God, and will deal with them as becometh one who stands all

these ways related to them: notwithstanding their

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