Sermon 15

Psalm 119:14. I have rejoiced in the way of your commandments as much as in all riches.

These words may respect the 12th verse, as another argument with which to back his request, Teach me your statutes: for I have rejoiced in the way of your commandments as much as in all riches. Many are for worldly wealth, but I have other desires; Lord teach me how to understand and keep your statutes, and this will be a greater benefit than any worldly possession whatever. Or you may refer them to the 13th verse, as a reason of his practice; every man will be speaking of that with which he is delighted. Lord, your testimonies are my rejoicing, therefore I have, and will be speaking of them upon all occasions. Or this may be the fruit of what was mentioned before; those that are exercised about the word, the study and practice of it, and conference about it, have a sweet sense of the goodness of it in their own souls, so as they delight and rejoice in it above all things; and if we have not felt this effect, it is because we are strangers to the word.

In the words there is, 1. A delight asserted. 2. The object of it, in the way of your testimonies. 3. The degree of it, as much as in all riches.

By way of explication: the testimonies of God are his word, for it testifies of his will: now the prophet says not only, I have rejoiced in your testimonies, but in the way of your testimonies. Way is one of the words by which the law is expressed. God's laws are ways that lead us to God; and so it may be taken here, the way which your testimonies point out, and call me to; or else his own practice, as a man's course is called his way; his delight was not in speculation or talk, but in obedience and practice, in the way of your testimonies. The degree, as much as in all riches: as much, not to show the equality of these things, as if we should have the same affection for the world, as for the word of God; but as much, because we have no higher comparison. This is what worldlings dote upon, and delight in; now as much as they rejoice in worldly possessions, so much do I rejoice in the way of your testimonies. For I suppose David does not compare his own delight in the word, with his own delight in wealth; but his own choice and delight, with the delight and choice of others. If he had spoken of himself both in the one respect and in the other, the expression was very high. David, that was called to a crown, and in a capacity of enjoying much in the world, gold, silver, lands, goods, largeness of territory, and a compound of all that which all men jointly, and every man severally does possess; yet was more pleased in the holiness of God's ways, than in all the world. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Matthew 15:26).

Doct. A gracious heart finds more true joy in the way of God's word, than in all worldly things whatever.

To explain this consider, 1. What this delight is. 2. How a gracious heart finds more delight in the word of God, than in all worldly things. 3. The reasons why they do so.

1. What this delight is? I shall give you several distinctions.

1. There is a sweetness in the study of God's word, or when we give up ourselves to attain the knowledge of it. The very speculation and study produces a delightful taste for three reasons.

(1.) Truth is the good of the understanding; therefore when the faculty is suited with a fit object, this correspondence causes a rejoicing and delectation. Proverbs 24:14. My son, eat honey because it is good; and the honeycomb, because it is sweet to your taste: so shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul when you have found it. Every truth, if it be but a natural or philosophical verity, when we come to consider and see it with our own eyes, and have found it out by search, and do not repeat it by rote only, breeds a delight. Pleasure is applicatio convenientis convenienti, so it is true in theological truths, we are the more affected with them, the more they are represented with evidence to the soul.

(2.) Scriptural truths are more sublime than other truths, and do ennoble reason with the knowledge of them (Deuteronomy 4:6). Surely this great nation is a wise and an understanding people. Such doctrines as we meet with in the word of God concerning angels and the souls of men, the creation and government of all things, the redemption of men, must needs affect the heart, and breed a joy in the view and contemplation of them.

(3.) Because these truths are suitable to our necessities. To every man that has a conscience, it cannot but be very pleasing to hear of a way how he may come to the pardon of sins, and sound peace of conscience, solid perfection, and eternal glory. Man is naturally under fears of death (Romans 1:32), and would be glad of a pardon; weak and unable to find out or attain to moral perfection, would be glad of an exact rule, and gropes and feels about for an everlasting happiness (Acts 17:27). So far as anything is found to this purpose in the writings of men, they have a marvelous force and influence upon us. Any beam of this truth scattered in Plato or Socrates, of man's reconciliation with a holy and just God, there is nothing in their writings; the then world was under perplexity. But yet of moral perfection, and an eternal state of blessedness, there were some glimmerings. Now when these are represented to the understanding with such evidence and satisfaction as they are in the Scriptures, where you have the only sufficient direction to true happiness, no wonder if they are greedily caught at. Now this delight (though good) I speak not of, because it may be in temporaries, who have a taste of the good word, to invite them to seek for more (Hebrews 6:4), and is a fruit of common illumination. The stony ground received the word with joy (Luke 8:13), and though it may affect the heart, yet if not above all riches, it does not prevail over carnal affections.

2. There is a sweetness found in the way of God's testimonies, which arises from the conscience of practical obedience, not from contemplation only; and it is best to be found when we come to practice and perform what we know. It is said of Wisdom (Proverbs 3:17), All her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. There is not only a sweetness in our privileges, but in our duties. No man knows the contentment of walking closely with God, but he that has tried. So (Micah 2:7), Do not my words do good to him that walks uprightly? Not only speak good, but do good. There is a certain performance of what the word says; when it is said, it may be accounted done; but to whom? To them that know it, and are able to talk of it? No; but to them that walk. And will every slight endeavor and the presumption of conformity to the rule serve the turn? No, to them that walk uprightly, that sincerely frame themselves to obey God's will with the greatest exactness and care they can use. Oh what good, what reviving of heart and cheerfulness do they find in this work! Briefly, this delight in the way of God's testimonies (that you may not be mistaken) differs from that contentment and serenity of mind which is the fruit of integrity or moral sincerity. There is some degree of comfort that accompanies any good action, as heat does fire; the conscience so far as he does good has some kind of peace in it. The Heathens by God's general bounty and goodness had a conscience excusing when they did good, as well as accusing when they did evil (Romans 2:15): Their thoughts in the mean time accusing, or else excusing one another, [illegible], by turns. And this excusing cannot be without some sweetness and contentment of mind. Sacer intra nos spiritus sedet, bonorum malorumque nostrorum observator & custos, hic prout a nobis tractatus est ita nos ipse tractat, says Seneca. This may be without faith; whereas we speak of such a joy as is founded in faith, though found in the ways of obedience in Christ's service. (Matthew 11:29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. In short, there is delight in the duty, and the dispensation; for it is both promised and required. Delight in God's ways is promised as a gift of God, and as the result of our obedience. (Isaiah 58:13-14) If you turn away your foot from the sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, etc. Then you will delight yourself in the Lord, etc. And (Song of Solomon 2:3) I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. There is sweetness God bestows, or sensible consolation, which must be distinguished from that delight which is a fruit of our gracious esteem. I can exclude neither; though that delight which is the fruit of our esteem of the word, is principally here intended: the one is more durable than the other. A gracious affection to the word and ways of God, should ever remain with us; but we are not always feasted with spiritual sweetness; now and then we have them, and when they have done their work they return to God. As in the vision made to Peter, the sheet that was showed him was received up again into heaven (Acts 10:16), when Peter was informed of God's will; so this comfort returns to the giver, when it has done its work, refreshed our hearts, and engaged us to wait upon God.

2. How a gracious heart rejoices more in the way of God's testimonies, than in all riches.

1. There is a broad difference in the things themselves, and therefore there should be in our affections to them; for our affections should be carried out according to the worth of things, otherwise if an object of less worth have more of our hearts than an object of more value, they are like members out of joint, they are not in their proper place. There is a great distance between the things themselves, as much as there is between the enjoyment of God and the creature; and therefore there must be a considerable difference in our affections to them. If the difference be so fine that you can hardly distinguish which your heart is more affected with, the enjoyment of God in the way of his testimonies, or the enjoyment of wealth and worldly accommodations; or if the disproportion be on the world's side, that has more of your esteem and complacency, then God is not your chief good, you love the creature more than God, which is inconsistent with grace: for this is the prime act of grace, to choose God for our chief good.

2. We must distinguish between the sensitive stirring of the affections, and the solid complacency of the soul. It is possible a child of God may be more sensibly moved by temporal things, as they do more strike upon the senses; but the supreme and prevailing delight of the soul is in spiritual things, in the way of God's testimonies. To exemplify this by the contrary affection, as in sorrow; a temporal loss may to sense more stir the affections, as to bodily expression of them, than a spiritual; as the drawing of a tooth or any present pain, may make us cry out more than the languishings of a consumption; whereas the other may go nearer to the heart, and causes a more lasting trouble. So in joy, a man may be pleased with earthly conveniences, and yet his solid esteem is more in spiritual things. As a trifle may provoke laughter more than a solid benefit that accrues to us. Therefore the case is not to be decided by the intensiveness of the sensitive expression, so much as by the appreciation of the soul. In this sense the point is to be understood, he would lose all the world rather than dispense with his obedience to God. This is selling all for the pearl of price, spoken of (Matthew 13:46). All other things are trampled upon and renounced for this one's sake, that we may enjoy God in Christ. And truly this affection to the word is not easily to be found: for we often see that men for a little gain will break all the commandments of God, as things not to be stood upon, when any temporal commodity is in chase, and in the pursuit of worldly riches, care not how they neglect Christ and heavenly things.

3. The reasons why they rejoice more in the way of God's testimonies, than in all riches.

1. Because of the suitableness of these things to the new nature. Every thing has a kind of joy when it enjoys that which is good for it; the ground does pleasantly receive a shower of rain after drought; the natural man eats and drinks, and his heart is filled with gladness: So the spiritual man is affected with that which is agreeable to the divine nature. Every thing is preferred according to the suitableness and proportion which it carries to our necessities and desires. The Cock in the Fable preferred a barley-corn before a jewel; the barleycorn is more suitable to its natural appetite. So believers have not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God (2 Corinthians 2:12), therefore the way of God's testimonies is more suitable and proportional to that nature which they have. Their wealth and worldly things they indeed suit with the sensitive nature, but that is kept under, therefore the prevalent inclination is to the word more than to the world.

2. There is nothing in the enjoyment of worldly things, but they have it more amply in the exactest and sincerest way of enjoyment by the word, and walking in the way of its precepts. Satan's baits whereby he leads men to sin, are pleasure and profit; when bonum honestum, the good of honesty and duty is declined, there remains nothing but bonum utile and jucundum, the good of pleasure and profit. If we be moved with these things, it is good to look there where we may have them at the highest rate, and in the most sincere manner. Now it is the word of God believed and obeyed, which yields us the greatest profit, and the greatest sweetness. You have both in one verse (Psalm 19:10): More to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold: sweeter also than the honey and the honeycomb. Because of the profit it is compared to gold, and because of the sweetness and pleasure we have by it, it is compared to honey.

1. The word of God will truly enrich a man, and make us happy. The difference between God's people and others, does not lie in this, that the one seeks after riches, the other not; they both seek to enrich themselves: only the one seeks after false, and the other true riches, as they are called (Luke 16:11), and so differ from one another as we and the Indians do, who reckon their wealth by their Wampenpeage, or shells of fishes, as we do ours by gold and silver; the one has little worth but what their fancies put upon it; the other has a value in nature. Or to speak in a more home comparison, counters, glass beads, and painted toys, please children more than jewels and things of greater price, yea than land of inheritance, or whatever when we come to man's estate we value and is of use to us for the supply of present necessities. So worldly men preferring their kind of wealth before holiness and the influences of grace, they do but cry up baubles before jewels. To evidence this, and that we may beat the world with their own notions, and so the better defeat the temptation, let us consider what is the true riches. 1. What is indeed true riches. 2. Why these are the true riches.

1. What is indeed riches.

1. Gracious experiences or testimonies of the favor of God. He is a rich man indeed that has many of these. So it is said (Romans 10:12), God is rich to all that call upon him; it is meant actively, not passively; it only notes that God does give out plentiful experiences of his grace.

2. Knowledge. Let the word of God dwell in you richly, in all wisdom (Colossians 3:16). And the Apostle mentions the riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ (Colossians 2:2); this is a treasure indeed, that cannot be valued; and he is a very poor soul that wants it.

3. Faith. (James 2:5) Has not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith? He is a rich man that is emptied of himself, that he may be filled with God.

4. Good works. (1 Timothy 6:10) Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, etc., but rich in good works. Oh miserable man, that has nothing to reckon upon but his money and his bags, so much by the year, and makes it all his business to live plentifully in the world, laying up nothing for heaven, and is not rich in gracious experiences, knowledge, faith, and good works, which are a Christian's riches!

2. Why are these the true riches?

1. That is true riches which makes the man more valuable, which gives an intrinsic worth to him, which wealth does not, that is without us; we would not judge of a horse by the richness of his saddle, and the gaudiness of his trappings; and is man, a reasonable creature, to be esteemed by his moneys and lands, or by his graces and moral perfections?

2. That is riches which puts an esteem upon us in the eyes of God and the holy angels, who are best able to judge. One barbarous Indian may esteem another the more he has of his shells and trifles; but you would count him never the richer that should bring home a whole ship's lading of these things. (Luke 12:20) Such a fool is he that heaps up treasure to himself, and is not rich towards God; that has not of that sort of riches which God esteems. We are bound for a country where riches are of no value; grace only goes current in the other world.

3. That is riches which serves us in our greatest extremities. When we come to die, the riches of this world prove false comforts, for they forsake a man when he has most need of comfort. In the hour of death, when the poor, shiftless, naked soul is stripped of all, and we can carry away nothing in our hands, grace lies near the heart to comfort us. It is said by a voice from heaven, of those that die in the Lord, their works follow them, their wealth does not. Our graces continue with us to all eternity.

4. That is the true riches which will supply all our necessities, and bear our expenses to heaven. Wealth does not this, but grace. (Mark 6:33) Seek you first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be added. (1 Timothy 4:8) Godliness is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. Heaven and earth are laid at the feet of godliness.

5. That is true riches which will give us a title to the best inheritance. The word of God is able to enrich a man more than all the riches of the world, because it is able to bring a man to an everlasting kingdom. All this is spoken, because there is an evil desire that possesses the whole world, they are vehemently carried after riches, and as they are increased, so are they delighted; but says David, My delight is to increase in knowledge and grace; if I get more life, more victory over lusts, more readiness for God's service, this comforts me to the heart. Now how do you measure your thriving, by worldly, or spiritual increase?

2. Here is the true delight. Spiritual delight in spiritual objects, far exceeds all the joy that we can take in worldly things. The pleasures of the mind are far more pure and [reconstructed: refined] than those of the body, so that if a man would have pleasures, let him look after the chiefest of the kind. He spoke like a beast rather than like a man, that said, Eat, drink, and be merry, you have goods laid up for many years (Luke 12:19). That is the most that worldly things can afford us, a little bodily cheer. Psalm 17:14: You have filled their bellies with hidden treasures; there is the poor happiness of a rich worldling. He may have a belly full, and fare at a better rate than others do. Habakkuk 1:16: Their portion is made fat, and their meat plenteous. When men have troubled themselves and the world to make themselves great, it is but for a little belly cheer, which may be wanted as well as enjoyed; a modest temperance and mean fare yields more pleasure. But what is this to the delights of the mind? A sensualist is a fool that runs to such dreggy and carnal delights. Noble and sublime thoughts breed a greater pleasure. What pleasure do some take in finding out a philosophical verity! the man rejoices; the senses are only tickled in the other. Of all pleasures of the mind, those of the spiritual life are the highest; for then our natural faculties are quickened and heightened by the Spirit. The reasonable nature has a greater joy than the sensitive; and the spiritual divine nature has more than the mere rational. There is not only a higher object, the love of God; but a higher cause, the Spirit of God, who elevates the faculty to a higher manner of sense and perception. Therefore both the good and evil of the spiritual life is greater than the good and evil of the rational. The evil of the spiritual is greatest, a wounded spirit who can bear! And the good of the spiritual life is greatest, joy unspeakable and glorious. The higher the life, the greater the feeling; groans not uttered; peace passing all understanding; though it makes no loud noise, yet it [reconstructed: diffuses] a solid contentment throughout the soul. All this is spoken, because the way of God's testimonies is looked upon as a dark and gloomy course by carnal men; yet it is the life of the blessed God himself (Ephesians 4:18): Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart. And surely he wants no true joy and pleasure that lives such a life.

USE 1. Here is an invitation to men to acquaint themselves more with the way of God's testimonies, that they may find this rejoicing above all riches. It is hard to pleasant natures to abjure accustomed delights; and carnal men picture religion with a sour austere face: We shall never see cheerful day more, if we are strict in religion. Oh consider, your delight is not abrogated, but perfected; you shall find a rejoicing more intimate than in all pleasures. Cyprian says he could hardly get over this prejudice, in his Epistle to Donatus. Austin thirty years old parted with his carnal delights, and found another sweetness, Quàm suave mihi subito factum est. It is your disease that makes you carnal; when freed from the fervors of lust, these things will have no relish with you. If it seem laborious at first, it will be more joyful than all riches. The root is bitter, but the fruit sweet. At first it is bitter to nature, which loves carnal liberty, to render it self captive to the word; but after a little pains, and when the heart is once subdued to God, it will be sweet and comfortable. Ask of the spies that have been in this good land, if it be not a land flowing with milk and honey: David tells you, In the way of your testimonies. This way would be more trodden, if men would believe this; if you will not believe, make trial; if Christ's yoke seem burdensome, it is to a galled neck.

USE 2. Trial.

1. Have we a delight in obedience to God's precepts? Psalm 112:1: They that fear God, delight greatly in his commandments. It is not enough to serve God, but we must serve him delightfully; for he is a good Master, and his work has wages in the mouth of it. It is a sign you are acquainted with the word of God, when the obedience which it requires is not a burden but a delight to you. Alas! with many it is otherwise: How tedious do their hours run in God's service! no time seems long but that which is spent in divine worship. Do you count the clock at a feast? And are you so provident of time when about your sports? Are you afraid that the lean kine will devour the fat, when you are about your worldly business? What causes your rejoicing, the increase of wealth, or grace?

2. Is this the supreme delight of the soul? It is seen not so much by the sensible expression, as by the serious constitution of the soul, and the solid effects of it.

1. Does it draw you off from worldly vanities to the study of the word? What are your conceptions of it? What do you count your riches? To grow in grace, or to thrive in the world? To grow rich towards God, or to heap up treasures to yourselves? Is it your greatest care to maintain a carnal happiness?

2. Does it support you in troubles and worldly losses? And bear you out in temporal adversities? You cannot be merry unless you have riches, and wealth, and worldly accommodations; then, soul, eat, drink, and be merry.

Does it sweeten duties? The way of God's commandments is your way home. A beast will go home cheerfully; you are going home to rest. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength. Certainly you will think no labor too great to get there, where the word directs you. As one life exceeds another, so there is more sensibleness in it. A beast is more sensible of wrong and hurt, and of pleasure, than a plant; and as the life of a man exceeds the life of a beast, so is he more capable of joy and grief: and as the life of Grace exceeds the life of a mere man, so its joys are greater, its griefs greater. There are no hardships to which we are exposed for religion, but the reward attending it will make us to overcome.