Sermon 5
Psalm 119:4 You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently.
The Psalmist having laid down the description of the blessed man, by the frame of his heart, and the course of his life, and the integrity of his obedience, he comes now to another argument, whereby to enforce the entire observation of God's law. The argument in the text is taken from God's authority enjoining this course, and he propounds it by way of address and appeal to God for the greater emphasis and force: You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently.
In the words take notice of two things: 1. The fundamental ground and reason of our obedience, which is God's command or will declared in his Word. 2. The manner of this obedience. God will not be put off with anything, but served with the greatest diligence and exactness, to keep your precepts diligently. The Septuagint renders it, That your commands should be kept exceeding much.
In the first part take notice: 1. Of the law-giver, You. 2. His authority interposed, or positive injunction, has commanded us. It is not left to our arbitrament whether we will take up the course which leads to true happiness, yes or no. 3. The thing commanded, to keep your precepts.
Doctrine. To gain the heart to a full obedience it is good to consider the authority of God in his Word.
There are many courses we must use to draw the heart to an obedience to God. We may urge:
1. The reasonableness of obedience, so that if we are left at our liberty, we should take up the ways of God rather than any other: Romans 7:12. The commandment is holy, just, and good. All that God has required, it carries a great suitableness to the reasonable nature, so that if a man were well in his wits, and were to choose a law, he would of his own accord prefer the laws of God before liberty, and any other service. Certainly there is an excellency in them, which is in part discerned by carnal men; they admire those that practice the duties which God has required, though they are loath to submit to them themselves. It is no heavy burden to live chastely, humbly, soberly, and to maintain a communion and correspondence with God; and whoever does so has much the sweeter life of him that lives sinfully. We may urge:
2. The profitableness of obedience, and how much it conduces to our good. Deuteronomy 10:13. The statutes which I command you for your good. Our labor in the work of obedience is not lost, or misspent. A godly course is refreshed with many sweet experiences for the present, and will bring in a full reward for the future.
3. The next motive is that of the text, to urge the command of God. It is a course enjoined and imposed upon us by our sovereign law-giver. It is not in our choice, as if it were an indifferent thing, whether we will walk in the laws of God, or no; but of absolute necessity, unless we renounce the authority of God. This is the argument in the text, therefore let us see how it is laid down here.
1. Take notice of the law-giver, You: It is not our equal, or one that will be baffled, but the great God upon whom you depend every moment. Men are easily carried away to please those that have power over them, even sometimes to the wrong of God and conscience: Hosea 5:11. Ephraim walked willingly after the commandment: meaning Jeroboam's law, for the worshipping the calves in Dan and Bethel. When we depend upon men, we consent to their commands, and study a compliance though contrary to our own inclinations. And is not God's authority to be regarded? Surely he has the greatest right to command us, for he made us, there is none that has such a dominion and lordship over us as God has; and our dependence upon him is more than can be upon any created being, for in him we live, and move, and have our being; and therefore, You have commanded, this should be a powerful argument. And mark, none can enforce his command with such threatenings and rewards as he can. Not with such threats, Matthew 10:28. Fear not him that can kill the body, and after that has no more, etc. Men can threaten us with strapados, dungeons, halters, and other instruments of persecution; but God with a pit without a bottom, with a worm that never dies, with a fire that shall never be quenched, with torments without end, and without ease. Then for rewards. As Saul said, Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards, and make you captains of fifties, of hundreds and of thousands? The world takes him to have most right to command that can bid most for our obedience. Who can promise more than God, who is a plentiful rewarder of them that diligently seek him? (Hebrews 11:6). Who has told us of a kingdom prepared for us; of a body glorious like to Christ's body; of a soul enlarged to the greatest capacities of a creature; and yet filled up with God, and satisfied with the fruition of himself. This is the person spoken of in the text, to whom the Psalmist says, You have commanded us. And surely if we would willingly walk after any commandment, we should after the commandment of the great God. The
2. Circumstance is, has commanded, he has interposed his authority. Besides the particular precept and rule of duty, there are general commands or significations of God's authority to bind all the rest, You have commanded us to keep your precepts. If the Word of God, or rule of obedience, were only given us as a direction, we should regard it, as coming from the wisdom of God: But now it is an injunction as coming from the authority of God, therefore in his name we may charge you as you will answer it another day, that these precepts be dear and precious to you. Unless you mean to renounce the sovereign majesty of God, and put him besides the throne, and break out into open rebellion against him, you must do what he has commanded, 1 Timothy 1:9. Charge them that be rich in the world, etc. not only advise but charge them. And Titus 2:15. These things exhort and rebuke with all authority. God will have the creatures know that he expects this duty and homage from them.
3. Here is the nature of this obedience, or the thing commanded: to keep your precepts. What is that? To observe the whole rule of faith and manners. Believing in Christ falls under a command (1 John 3:23): This is his command that we should believe in him whom he has sent. Repentance is under a command (Acts 17:30): He has commanded all men everywhere to repent. Upon your peril be it, if you refuse his grace. So gospel obedience falls under a command — the great God has charged us to keep all his precepts; to make conscience of all duties that we owe to God and man (Acts 24:6), the smaller as well as the greater (Matthew 5:19). God counts his authority to be despised and laid aside, and the command and obligatory power of his law to be made void, if a man shall either in doctrine or practice count any transgression of his laws so light and trivial as not to be stood upon, as if it were but a trifle. Christians, if we had the awe of God's authority upon our hearts, what kind of persons would we be at all times, in all places, and in all company? What a check would this be to a proud thought, a light word, or a passionate speech? What exactness would we study in our conduct, had we but serious thoughts of the sovereign majesty of God, and of his authority forbidding these things in the Word.
To offer some reasons of the point: why it is of such profit to consider the authority of God in the command.
1. Because then the heart would not be so loose, off and on in point of duty; when a thing is counted arbitrary (as generally we count so of strictness) the heart hangs off more from God. When we press men to pray in secret, to be full of good works, to meditate on God, to examine conscience, to redeem time, to be watchful — they think these are counsels of perfection, not rules of duty, enforced by the positive command of God; therefore are men so slight and careless in them. But now when a man has learned to urge a stubborn heart with the authority of God, and charge them in the name of God, he lies more under the awe of duty. Has God said I must search and try my ways, and shall I live in a constant neglect of it? Has God bidden me to redeem my time, and shall I make no conscience how I waste away my precious hours? Has God bidden me keep my heart with all keeping, and shall I let it run at large without any restraint and regard? It is my debt, and I must pay it, or I shall answer it at my peril in the great day of accounts; it is not only commended but commanded (2 Kings 5:13): If the Prophet had [reconstructed: bidden] you do some great thing, would you not have done it — how much rather then, when he says to you, wash and be clean?
2. We cannot be so bold and venturous in sinning when we remember how the authority of God stands in the way (Proverbs 13:13): He that fears the commandment shall be blessed — not only the penalty, but the command. The heart is never right until we are brought to fear a commandment more than any inconveniences whatever. To a wicked man there seems to be nothing so light as a command, and therefore he breaks through against checks of conscience. But a man that has the awe of God upon him, when mindful of God's authority, fears a command. (Jude 9) It is said of Michael the Archangel, He dared not bring a railing accusation; he had not the boldness when the commandment of God was in his way.
3. Many times we are doubtful of success, and so our hands are weakened thereby; we forbear duty because we do not know what will come of it. Now a sense of God's authority and command does fortify the heart against these discouragements (Luke 5:5): Master, we have toiled all the night — but at your command we will cast down the net. A poor soul that has long lain at the pool, that has been laboring, following God from one duty to another, and nothing comes sensibly of it — yet at your command, etc., they will keep up their endeavors still. This is the very case in the text: Blessed is the man that keeps your precepts, and that seeks him with the whole heart — then presently, you have commanded; that is, though our obedience had no promise of reward, and our felicity were not proposed as the fruit of it, yet the command itself and the authority of God is a reason sufficient.
4. In some duties that are not evident by natural light (as believing and owning of Christ), the heart is more bound to them by the sense of a command than by any other encouragement. It is God's pleasure it should be so (John 6:29): This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he has sent. (1 John 3:23): This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ. It is enough to set a servant about his work in that it is his master's pleasure. You do not stand disputing whether you should repent or no, obey or no, abstain from fleshly idols, yes or no, or from fornication — and why should you stand aloof from the work of faith, and doubt whether you should believe or no? We have many natural prejudices, but his command is a mighty relief to the soul: it is his command we should believe in his Son. It is not only a matter of comfort and privilege, but also a matter of duty and obedience; and therefore though we have discouragements upon us — I am unworthy to be received to mercy — yet this will bend the heart to the work: God is worthy to be obeyed, it is his commandment. You do not question whether you should grieve for your sins — why should you question whether you believe in Christ? If God had only given us leave to believe, we could not have had such an advantage as now he has interposed his authority and commanded us to believe: Rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice (Philippians 4). If God had only given us leave to refresh ourselves in a sense of his love, it were an invaluable mercy — but we have not only leave to rejoice, but a charge: it is our duty to work up our heart to a comfortable sense of the love of God and an enjoyment of his favor.
5. Obedience is never right but when it is done out of a conscience of God's authority, intuitu voluntatis; the bare sight of God's will should be reason enough to a gracious heart, it is the will of God, it is his command. So it is often urged (1 Thessalonians 4:3): the Apostle bids them follow holiness, for this is the will of God your sanctification. And servants should be faithful in their burdensome and hard labors (1 Peter 2:15): For so is the will of God, that with well-doing you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. And (1 Thessalonians 5:18): In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. That's argument enough to a godly Christian that God has signified his will and good pleasure, though the duty were never so contrary to his own desires and interests. They obey simply for the commandment's sake without any other reason and inducement. There is indeed ratio formalis, and ratio motiva; there are encouragements to God's service, but the formal reason of obedience is God's will. And this is pure obedience to do what he wills, because he wills it.
The uses are: 1. To exhort you to take this course with your naughty heart, when it hangs back from any duty, or from any course of strictness, urge it with the authority of God, these precepts are not the advices and counsels of men who wish well to us, and who would advise us to the best, but they are the commands of God who must and will be obeyed. Or when you are carried out to any sin, it is forbidden fruit, there's a commandment in the way, and that's as terrible to a gracious heart as an angel with a flaming sword.
To back these thoughts let me propound a few considerations. Consider,
1. God can command what he will, he is absolute, his will is the supreme reason of all things. It is notable, that God backs his laws with the consideration of his sovereignty, you shall do thus and thus, why? I am the Lord, that's all his reason (Leviticus 18:4-5), it is repeated in that and many places in the next chapter. The Papists speak much of blind obedience, obeying their superiors without enquiring into the reason of it. Surely we owe God blind obedience, as Abraham obeyed God not knowing where he went (Hebrews 11:8). John Cassian makes mention of one who willingly fetched water near two miles every day for a whole year together to pour it upon a dead dry stick at the command of his superior, when no reason else could be given for it. And I have read of another who professed that if he were enjoined by his superior to put forth to sea in a ship that had neither mast, tackling, nor any other furniture, he would do it; and when he was asked how he could do this without hazard of his discretion, he answered, The wisdom must be in him that has power to command, not in him that has power to obey. Thus do they place merit in this blind obedience, in giving up their wills absolutely to the power of their superior. Certainly in God's commands his sovereignty is enough, the uttermost latitude of this blind obedience is due to him; if he has said it is his will, however contrary it be to our reason, lusts, interests, it must be done. It is enough for us to know that we are commanded. To command is God's part, and to obey that's ours, whatever shall be declared to be his will and pleasure.
2. God can most severely punish our disobedience, and therefore his commands should have a power upon us (James 4:12): There is one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy; with a destruction indeed, and salvation indeed: so there is but one lawgiver in this sense. He truly has potestatem vitae & necis, God has the power of life and death: why? Because he can punish with eternal death, and bestow eternal life.
3. He is neither ignorant nor forgetful of our prevarications and disobedience. The Rechabites were tender of the commandment of their dead father (Jeremiah 35), who could not take cognizance of their actions; Our father commanded us: certainly we should be tender of the commands of the great God (Proverbs 15:3): The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. He is not so shut up within the curtain of the heavens but that he takes notice how his laws are kept and observed. Says the Prophet to Gehazi, Did my spirit not go with you? Meaning his prophetic spirit; so does God as it were appeal to the conscience of a sinner, does not my Spirit go along with you? Is not he conscious to our works, and observes all we do?
4. God stands much upon the authority of his law (Hosea 8:12): I have written to them the great things of my law, etc. Mark, he calls them the great things of his law; they are not things to be slighted and despised. They are not directions of little moment, there is no small hazard in despising them, or not walking according to them. Indeed we think it a small matter to stand upon every circumstance, but God does not think so. Uzzah was struck dead in the place for failing in a circumstance, he would stay the Ark which shook. The Bethshemites sinning in a circumstance, it cost them the lives of many thousands. Lot's wife for looking back was turned into a pillar of salt. Let these things beget an awe upon our hearts of the great God, and of what he has enjoined us.
Use 2. It informs us of the heinous nature of sin; of sin in general, it is [in non-Latin alphabet], a transgression of the Law (1 John 3:4) — that is, a contempt of God's authority, it is an unlording of him, and putting him out of the Throne. Every sin is an affront to God's authority, it is a despising of the Command (2 Samuel 12:9); you rise up in defiance to God, and cast off his Sovereignty, in despising his Command. More particularly, sins against knowledge, or against conscience — you may see the heinousness of these sins by this: all sins proceed either from ignorance, or from oblivion, or from rebellion. Sins of ignorance are not so heinous, though they are sins: a man is bound to know the will of his Creator; but then ignorance of it is not so heinous; to strike a friend in the dark is not so ill taken as in the open light. So there are sins of oblivion, which is an ignorance for the time, for a man has not such explicit thoughts as to revive his knowledge upon himself; he is overtaken (Galatians 6:1). This is a great sin too: why? For the awe of God should ever be fresh and great upon the heart, and we are to remember his statutes to do them. But now there are sins of rebellion, that are committed against light, and conscience, whether they be of omission or commission. We are troubled for sins of commission against light; we should be as much for sins of omission, for they are rebellions against God, when we omit a duty of which we are convinced. To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).
Secondly, we come to the manner of this obedience — "You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently" — from there note:
Doctrine. That we should not only do what God has required, but we should do it diligently.
1. Because the matter of keeping God's precepts does not only fall under his authority, but the manner also. God has not only required service, but service with all its circumstances: "I so run that I may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24). It is our duty not only to run, but so to run — not as in jest, but as in good earnest. "Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11) — not only serving the Lord, but seething hot in spirit, when our affections are so strong that they boil over in our lives. And "the [reconstructed: fervent] effectual prayer" (James 5:16) — that prayer which has a spirit and a life in it; not only prayer is required, but fervency, not dead and drowsy devotion. So (Luke 8:18) not only it is required that we hear, but to take heed how we hear, with what reverence and seriousness. And (Acts 26:7) the twelve tribes served God instantly day and night, with the uttermost extension of their strength, so the word signifies. And for charity, it is not enough to give, but with readiness and freeness: be ready to communicate, like live honey it must drop of its own accord.
2. The manner is the great thing which God requires; it is very valuable upon several grounds (Proverbs 16:2): "The ways of man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weighs the spirits." What does God put into the balance of the sanctuary when he comes to make a judgment? When he would weigh an action he weighs the spirits; he considers not only the bulk, the matter of the action, but the spirit, with what heart it was done. A man may sin in doing good, but he cannot sin in doing well; therefore the manner should be looked to as well as the matter.
3. It is a good help against slightness; we are apt to put off God with anything, and therefore we need to rouse up ourselves to serve him with diligence. "You cannot serve the Lord for he is a jealous God, etc." (Joshua 24:19). It is another matter to serve the Lord than the world thinks of — why? For he is holy and jealous; he is holy and so hates the least failing; and very jealous — sin awakens the displeasure of his jealousy, he will punish for very little failings. Ananias and Sapphira struck dead in the place for one lie. Zacharias struck dumb for an act of unbelief. Moses for a few rash words never entered into the land of Canaan. David for a proud conceit in numbering the people lost seventy thousand men with the Pestilence. The Corinthians — many of them died for unworthy receiving. God is the same God still; he hates sin as much as ever; therefore we should not be slight.
4. It is a dishonor to God to do his work negligently: "Cursed be the deceiver which has in his flock a male, and vows and sacrifices to the Lord a corrupt thing, for I am a great King," says the Lord (Malachi 1:14) — implying that it is a lessening of his Majesty; it is a sign we have cheap thoughts of God when we are slight in his service. Christians, we owe our best to God, and are to serve him with all our might: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). It is a lessening of his excellency in our thoughts when everything serves the turn.
5. Keeping the Commandment — it is a great trust. God has left this trust with us that we should keep his precepts; therefore it is to be discharged seriously. A man is very careful that has taken a trust upon him, to preserve it. No men that have given up their names to Christ, but they have taken up this trust upon them to keep his precepts; therefore we should do it with all diligence and heedfulness of soul.
6. We have no other plea to evidence our sincerity; we are guilty of many defects, and cannot do as we would, where lies our evidence then? When we set ourselves to obey, and aim at the highest exactness to serve him with our best affections and strength. A child of God does not do all that God has required, but he does his best, and then that's a sign the heart is upright. For what is this diligence, but our utmost study and endeavor after perfection, to avoid all known evils, and to practice all known duties, and that with as much care as we can? Now this is an argument of our sincerity, and then our slips are but failings which God will spare, pity, pardon: (Malachi 3:17) I will spare them as a man spares his own son that serves him, etc. Where a man is careless, and failings are allowed, then they are iniquities. A father out of indulgence may pass by a failing when his son waits upon him, suppose when he spills the wine and breaks the glass; but surely will not allow him to throw it down carelessly or willfully. We have no other plea to evidence our sincerity but this.
Use. It presses us whatever we do for the great God, to do it with all our might (Ecclesiastes 9:10). There is no weighty thing can be done without diligence; much more the keeping the commandment. Satan is diligent in tempting, and we ourselves are weak and infirm, we cannot do the least thing as we should. And the danger of miscarrying is so great, that surely it will require all our care. Wherein should we show this diligence and exactness? When we keep all the parts of the Law, and that at all times, and places, and that with the whole man.
1. When we strive to keep the Law in all the points of it; this was Paul's exercise (Acts 24:16): To keep a good conscience void of offence both towards God and man. Mark, here was his great business; this is to be diligent, when a man labors to keep a good conscience always. And says he herein, or upon this do I exercise myself — that is, upon this encouragement, upon hope of a blessed resurrection, for that's spoken of there. There are wages and recompenses enough in heaven, therefore we should not grudge at a little work, that we may not be drawn willingly from the least part of our duty.
2. When we do it at all times and places, and in all company, then it's a sign we mind the work, then are we diligent (Psalm 106:3): Blessed is he that does righteousness at all times. Not only now and then, but it is his constant course. We do not judge men's complexions by the color they have when they sit before the fire. We cannot judge of men by a fit and pang when they are under the awe of an ordinance, or in good company; but when at all times he labors to keep up a warmth of heart towards God.
3. When he labors to do this with his whole man, not only in pretense, and with his body, or outward man, but with inward affections. (Romans 1:9) My God, whom I serve in the spirit. And the true people of God are described (Philippians 3:3): To worship God in the spirit. When they labor to bring their hearts under the power of God's precepts, and do not only mind conformity of the outward man, this is to keep the precepts of God diligently. All this is to be understood, not in exact perfection; but it is to be understood of our striving, laboring, watching; of our praying, and of our exercising ourselves to this end, that we may with our whole man come under the full obedience of the Law of God, and may manifest it upon all occasions, at all times, in all companies and places; and this is an evidence of our sincerity.
