faces and dolefull complaints attend the sons of men They spend their daies in sorrow and after go to the grave 2. Sometimes their souls fail them There lies their chief strength yet Psal. 143. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My spirit faileth the same word with that in the Text. As their bodies have their infirmities so their souls have theirs by vertue whereof they are sometimes brought very low Now their souls fail them three waies 1. By sorrow Sometimes they are so affected with their afflictions that they are even overwhelmed with sorrow Psal. 40. 12. Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of mine head therefore mine heart faileth me Or my heart hath left and forsaken me that prae dolore as Uatablus notes so Cant. 5. 6. My soul failed when he spake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anima mea Egressa est My soul went out of me She fell into a sad delquium or fainting fit and what is the reason Why it was her sorrow upon the account of her former security As if she had said Oh how have I played the beast What noble importunate constant love have I neglected and abused Oh how shall I ever look my Lord in the face or restore my self into his favour 2. By fear They see there are dangers before them and therewith they are so affâ—cted that their souls fail within them Thus as one of Jacobs sons opens his sack he finds his money in the mouth of the sack tells his brethren and their hearts failed them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Their heart went out of them and they were afraid They knew not what this might work what might be the issue of things and fearing the worst their hearts over-ran them This effect of fear is expressed by the melting of the heart thus the hearts of the Canaanites melted with fear Josh. 5. 1. Your terror saith Rahab to the spies Josh. 2. 9. 10. is fallen upon us and all the inhabitants of the Land faint because of you vers 11. Our hearts did melt neither did there remain any more courage in any man in many other places Isa 13. 7. Nahum 2. 10. Ezek. 21. 7. Whether it be by grief as Psal. 119. 28. And so the heart melts in tears or fear which as it were causeth colliquation or melting 3. By distrust judging of the issue of things by causes they sometimes despair of deliverance and give up themselves for gone so 1 Sam. 22. 1. David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul His heart sinks through distrust and he thinks to take an unwarrantable course for his security Notwithstanding his brave and heroick mind at other times and upon other occasions which made him to attempt difficulties slight discouragements notwithstanding the experience of Gods goodness and the promises God had made him of the Kingdom yet his heart failing and his spirit being sunk down into a fit of despondency he thus saith in his heart and resolves on a course to the great offence of his friends triumph of his enemies and dishonour of true religion 3. Why God suffers it to be thus with people that their bodies and souls should fail 1. That he may shew them their frailty and weakness teach them humility and make them base and vile in their own eyes When a man finds both body and soul shrinking him and failing him he is ready to cry out Lord what a poor Creature am I What am I that I should glory in my self or behold my self with any complacency or delight When Jobs body and soul had failed him what opinion had he of himself or how did he stand affected towards himself Did he admire himself or was he inamoured of himself No Job 42. 6. Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes 2. That he may thereby excite them to look up to him and exercise dependance on him As long as we find a sufficiency in our selves we seldom have any great regard to God but when we see our selves unable to provide for our own welfare then we begin to look up to him And for this cause 1 Cor. 1. 9. He sends thorns into our beds that he should have little ease there he brings afflictions that threatens death that we may look up We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raised the dead When as to natural helps and hopes they are lost that they may look up and throw the arms of faith about him he deprives us of all stayes and refuges that we may exercise dependance on him and stay our selves upon our God 3. That he may thereby provoke us to look after a state wherein we may be free from these Deliquiums or failings both of body and soul which here we are liable to When a man meets with inconveniencies in his journey he begins to wish himself at home So when a good man is exercised with decay in his sences strength health on the one hand and with sorrow fear distrust on the other then he begins to grow weary of the world he thinks of God and heaven with great longing to be with God to be in heaven Then he cries out Oh what should I do here Where shall I have relief Oh that I were with my God! So Job 14. 13. desires that God would hide him in the grave that he would keep him secret until his wrath was past Not that he desired the grave it self or thought it pleasant to lye in putrefaction and rottenness but as an occasion of being conveied into a better state and place Use. Is it so that both body and soul of good men do fail them in affliction then it is useful by way of Information to shew us what a poor vain thing man is How unable is he to stand before his Makers displeasure In his prosperity how doth he vaunt himself How goodly is he in his own eyes and what confidence doth he put in his own abilities But when his maker takes him in hand what a trivial thing is he Job 4. 19. He is crushed before the moth that is sooner then a moth is crushed betwixt a mans fingers he is ground to powder if God lay his hand upon him or he is such a trivial thing that he is not able to stand in the presence of such a despicable creature as the moth this contemptible creature prevails upon him and conquers him 2. Use of Exhortation 1. Let us beware what stress we lay either upon body or soul. Alas what are they that we should confide in them If God do but lay his finger on them they droop and languish What is the bravest spirit in the world when God comes and takes him by the arm and leads him away to judgment What work did two or three words writ upon the wall
giving froth for meat When they flock'd to the windows to be fed They were not serv'd with air instead of bread But faithfully dispensed with good skill The judgment to inform incline the will Denying commonly his learned parts The better to convince and win mens hearts Which did succeed the word that caus'd a flame In his own soul in others rais'd the same His studies prayers and sweat wherewith he taught Did clearly shew at how great rate he sought The welfare of his people being bent As those he valu'd for them to be spent For persecuting sickness made him pay A round fine for the labors of each day This grew by gains at length that did amount To its own ruine and his great accompt That cruel rigour made him not to cease Till its injustice bound him to the peace Whom close imprisonment nor Panick dread Of mens severity had silenced Without thy hand Lord what could sickness do It was thy Sergeant I am silenc'd too Thy Providence yet how shall we expound Thy choicest goods when thou hid'st under ground Is not some evil drawing on when one Into thy work scarce enters but is gone Another not till middle of the day Is suffer'd there but must be had away The third be gone about his ages noon Of whom a late departure were too soon When Labourers are few the harvest great This star of the first magnitude must set This holy Prophet fall Why do I call A soaring flight from Earth to Heaven a fall Where whilst in this vain world and vale of tears Our faith hope love are weaken'd by our fears Our sweets imbitter'd and the pleasant things This world affords are not without their stings Our bodies sickly subject unto pain Our souls polluted with sins loathsome stain He is secure from sin above the treats Of worldly blandishments and cruel threats Of violence is licenced to preach The glories of the King and fears no breach Of Law There he is benefic'd It 's cross That his great benefit should be our loss J. G. The present State of Man a State of extream vanity SERMON I. Psal. 39. 5. Verily every man at his best State is altogether vanity Selah MY design at this time is to speak of the present state of man and to give you what account Scripture Reason and Experience affords us thereof and withal to shew you what considerations we are to take up from thence and what use we are to make of it There is a twofold State of man the one is present and the other future The former is a State of exercise and service the last of retribution and reward It is the former of these I intend at present to discourse of in order whereunto I have chosen these words wherein David who as appears by the title was the author of this Psalm gives us a peremptory and full account thereof From the contemplation and view of his own misery he takes occasion to consider what was the condition of others whether hiscase were altogether singular or whether it were not with others as it was with him and after much serious musing and diligent inquiry he breaks forth into this positive and general conclusion Verily every man at his best state c. In such sort do's God oft times dispose of men as to their abilities opportunities observances experiences that some are more capable of giving us an account of one thing some of another For instance David being one that was exercised with various conditions one while lifted up to the clouds by prosperity another while thrown down into the bottom of the Sea by adversity we must needs look upon him as highly capable of giving us a true and certain account of the nature of mans present state In like manner Solomon his Son being one that gave up himself so much to the study of earthly things such as Riches Honours and Pleasures and being attended with such advantagious circumstances tending to help and further him in his Inquiry we must needs look upon him as far more fit to give us an account thereof than one whose studies and conditions carry his thoughts another way Now by how much Providence do's the more dispose and qualifie any persons for giving us an account of the nature of things by so much we should be the forwarder in advising with them and look upon the account which they give of them as more considerable and valuable If then a man would have an account of mans present state he should go to David If of the nature of earthly things he should go to Solomon Now the account which David gives of mans present state we have in the recited words Verily every man at his best state c. which passage is so full and emphatical that more could not have been said in so few words 1. He tells us man is vanity not only vain in the concrete but vanity in the abstract thereby signifying how far vanity hath invaded him and prevailed upon him which it hath done in such a degree that he is become even vanity it self Were it only some little tincture of vanity that he laboured under his case were less miserable but alas it is much otherwise vanity hath got such head that it rules and bears sway in him insomuch that it hath power to denominate him and give him his name There is a great deal of difference betwixt those terms which pass in the concretive form and those which pass in the abstractive Those which pass in the concretive import there is some degree of that which is spoken of in the subject referred to but those which pass in the abstractive import there is that which is spoken of and little or nothing else To say man is vain imports there is some degree of vanity in him but to say he is vanity imports a great deal more But on this I need less to inlarge because of what follows 2. As if thâ—â— were not sufficient to acquaint us with the nature of his condition he saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altogether vanity thereby importing as much as if he had said he is meer vanity or he is nothing but vanity Hence that of Muis Homo in se uno omne genus vanitatis complectitur Man in himself alone contains all kind of vanity And hence likewise that of Genebrard Homo non est particula vanitatis sed tota integra solida vanitas Man is not a particle of vanity But the whole intire and full business of vanity insomuch that as he do's partake with all other creatures in the nature of his existence so the vanitie which is dispers'd amongst all the creatures seems to be aggregated and united in him with Inanimates he is obnoxious to chance with Plants to decay with Brutes to sufferings Nay the vanity which is in him alone exceeds all the vanity of all the creatures joyned together Oh it 's sad it should be thus with us It s
wherein Providence will not some way or other offer me that which in its own nature will be fit to convince me that my present state is a state of vanity How happy were we if what we are told of this matter were a mistake and thatthings were otherwise then they are represented Could we upon our awaking out of sleep find that what we are told concerning this matter were a meer dream and that the state of things in reality and truth were otherwise it would be an happy awaking for us and deliver us from that sorrow and anguish under which we now labour But alas when we have slept and awak'd a thousand times over and bethought our selves of all the arts and ways whereby we may escape the evil spoken of we shall find our selves fast bound under the power of it What man is there who if he had it and might it be available would not give mountains of Gold to be delivered from this truth But there is no thinking of any such things when we have offered all the bribes the whole world can furnish us with to have it cancell'd and revers'd we shall still find it in full force against us 2. He is universally vain This I shall amplifie and explain in two particulars 1. Every man is vain Vanity hath so diffused it self over the humane nature that there is not any rank order or degree of persons in the world exempted from it Witness the forecited place Psal. 62. 9. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are alye Whereby we see that the vanity which hath befallen us hath not confin'd it self to this or that particular rank or degree of persons but hath most unhappily extended it self to all so that there is none free from it Let men be what they will high or low rich or poor they are all infected with it and labour under both the guilt and burden of it Now this do's much aggravate the business Had it confin'd it self to the mean only we might perhaps have secur'd our selves from it by greatness or had it been the lot of the poor only we might have found some remedy in riches But such is its universal nature that it reaches to all so that there is not any degree of blood or place can preserve us from it There never was man since the Creation who had not cause to complain of it and there never will be man to the worlds end though it were at a far greater distance than it may rationally be presumed to be but will have cause to do the like What age or generation was there ever in the world that could afford a man that was not in a state of vanity or what age or generation is there like to be in the world which we may with any colour of reason expect it from When once we have men set before us who are not in a state of vanity we may cry out with the men of Lystra the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of men Acts 14. 11. Should you call to the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs to all the Saints in Heaven nay to the whole deceased race of mankind and ask them what their state was when they were on earth they all either would or at least might answer Oh it was a state of vanity And could you converse with the Generation yet to come they would all give you an answer to the purpose that this temporal state is a state of vanity 2. Every man is altogether vain He is so not only in some mean degree or respect but he is altogether so Job 27. 12. speaking to his friends of the inconstancy of the Hypocrite in the duties of Religion saith Behold ye your selves have seen it why then are you thus altogether vain Such is the vanity of man that take him extra gratiam Dei without the grace of God as Gejerus expresses it and he is wholly vain so that there is nothing but vanity to be found in him Look upon a poor unregenerate unsanctified man and what a despicable creature is he He is vain in head and heart in soul and body in life and manners in all his undertakings and in all his concernments What thing belonging to him can any one offer to our consideration wherein he is not altogether vain Or what hath he that he can fasten his eye on wherein he may upon good grounds take comfort Nay what hath he that is not a judgement to him and matter of great sorrow Such is the sadness of his condition that by how much the things he injoyes are the best by so much they make the more against him insomuch that take the choicest benefits God hath given him and he hath cause to bewail it that ever he had them from him for as evil things prove good to him that is in a state of grace and holiness so good things prove evil to him who is in a state of nature and sin Thus it is with him who is unregenerate and unsanctified his state is altogether vain And then for him who is a pious good man though it go better with him though he be in a way of cure and recovery yet in some respects as I shall shew hereafter his present state is altogether vain Doubtless those inspired and good men who tell us in Scripture that the state of every man here is altogether vain did not exclude themselves or others in the same condition but comprehend them Is it to be imagined that when David in the Text from the contemplation of his own distress tells us that every man at his best state is altogether vanity do's exclude himself No he proposes himself both as the occasion of what he saith and as a special instance of the truth thereof So that what we have asserted in this head remains firm and clear that man is universally vain 3. He is vain at the best state the world is capable of advancing him to Even when he hath attain'd to the greatest confluence of outward things he is then so far short of real and substantial happiness that he is altogether vain When birth youth strength beauty parts wealth honour friends do all unite and contribute their utmost assistance to render his state happy he is even then exceeding miserable When Solomon was in the very height of his magnificence and glory and had even what ever his eye ear or heart could desire Was he then free from a state of vanity Could he then boast of true happiness Could he then make any exception against the doctrine his good father had as you have heard in so many places taught No notwithstanding all his wisdom pleasures delicate works houses vineyards gardens orchards pooles of water multitude of servants singing-men and singing-women instruments of musick great wealth and the like yet he tells us all is vanity and vexation of spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Eccles. 2. 11.
of our heads and sigh till our hearts are ready to burst in order to the preventing of it yet could we not prevail What man is he that liveth saith the Psalmist and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Psal. 89. 48. And saith Job I know that thou wilt bring me to death and to the house appointed for all living Job 3. 23. Both which places hold forth thus much that as death is the portion so the grave is the habitation appointed for all the living And what thing is there in the world that is more evident Where are those vast numbers of people that lived in the world before us Where are those thousands of young flourishing Gallants that in their prosperity despised death and derided the grave In what place do they remain or what is become of them Are they not now fast under the power of those things they once scorn'd and slighted Oh how fully are they now convinced of their own folly and how far are they from the presumptuous conceits they formerly maintained within them Oh how much is the State of man altered from what it was in innocency Then he was in a sort immortal so that as Austin teaches Poterat non mori He might live and not die But now the case is otherwise now he is absolutely mortal so that non potest nisi mori he cannot but he must needs die This is sad but yet if God will hereby make way for a better State then either of the former wherein non potest mori a State wherein he may be wholly immortal and above the power of death it will do well 3. He is vain in respect of his worldly designs and hopes He hath an active head and a working heart and according as he apprehends his interest lies so he imployes and laies out himself And inasmuch as through the blindness and error of his mind he thinks his interest lies in possessing himself of the riches honours and pleasures of the world he forms various designs and projects for the furnishing of himself therewith He contrives this and the other way for the raising of himself in the World pursues it with care and diligence and promises to himself much felicity and comfort therefrom and whiles he is entertaining himself with apprehensions and thoughts of this nature the Providence of God comes like an armed man upon him and presently spoiles him of those vain hopes he had so much pleased himself with One man layes out himself one way another another way one laies out himself in purchasing another in improving another in building and each promises to himself much success and contentment but alas before they are aware they are stop'd in their design and all falls to the ground According to that of Job 17. 11. My daies are past my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart Whereas he purposed to do this and the other thing in order to the rendring of him prosperous and happy in the World and had possessed his heart with some pleasant apprehensions hereof the Providence of God engages against him and disappoints him With which agrees that of David Psal. 146. 4. where speaking of man with reference to his death saith His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish But how do they perish What do's he then lose his cogitative faculty Do's he from thenceforth cease to think No the meaning is that his designs and projects and the expectations and hopes which he had raised therefrom become ineffectual and fruitless And how many are the instances which the Scripture to go no farther affords us hereof amongst projecting and designing men How famous is the case of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 29 33. At the end of twelve months he walked in the Palace of the Kingdom of Babylon The King spake and said is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty While the word was in the Kings mouth there fell a voice from heaven saying O King Nebuchadnezzar to thee it is spoken The Kingdom is departed from thee And they shall drive thee from men and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen and seven times shall pass over thee until thou know that the most high ruleth in the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar and he was driven from men and did eat grass as oxen and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hairs were grown like eagles feathers and his nails like birds claws Oh strange and affecting passage Where observe 1. The extream arrogancy and pride of this man Though Daniel from the vision which the King himself had seen had declared unto him that by vertue of a decree of the most high He should be driven from men and his dwelling should be with the beasts of the field and that he should eat grass as oxen and the like yet the execution hereof through Gods great patience being delaied he walks in great Majesty and state upon the roof of his Palace which according to the flat building of those times he was capable of doing and from thence taking a view of the City he cries out Is not this great Babylon that I have built One would have thought his own vision interpreted as it was by Daniel and Gods patience for a whole year should have had better influence on him But what outward means are there which either can or will prevail unless God set in with them and bless them But see how his pride and vain glory transports him into mistakes He speaks as if he had built the City whereas it was Nimrod that built it after which Semiramis inlarg'd beautifi'd and strengthn'd it yet in regard he erected some edifices hanging gardens orchards walls he talks as if he were the only Author and Founder of it And from this his present greatness he promises himself not only an exemption from the vision but likewise great felicity and prosperity But 2. see his remarkable disappointment and downfall It 's said the same hour the thing was fulfill'd upon Nebuchadnezzar and he was driven from men and did eat grass as oxen c. Oh what a sad disappointment was here How far did he fall short of what he aimed at How miserably did his thoughts perish First he becomes a beast in respect of his disposition or manners and then God makes him a beast in respect of his condition or outward state First he is mad with pride and vain glory and then God in just judgment strikes him with another kind of madness so that being bereaved of his understanding and thereby rendred unfit for Kingly rule and dignity he betakes himself into the wilderness and there
pain dishonour trouble death and the like then we may love this present state but if otherwise then it concerns us to lay a restraint on our selves as to this particular To this purpose is that of the Apostle Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. If God favour us with the good things of the world such as health strength liberty peace riches honour we are to be thankful for them and take care we make good use of them but we must not set our hearts on them They do not make any such alteration in our state as we imagine If we have a lesser portion of that our State is a State of vanity and if we have a greater portion of them even the greatest abundance we are still at the same pass our State then likewise is a State of vanity If we gain the things of the world we gain but vanity and if we lose them we lose but vanity If we have them we have but vanity and if we are without them we are but without vanity So that whether we gain them lose them have them or are without them our State is still a State of vanity And shall we go and set our hearts upon vanity No le ts never be guilty of so much folly and weakness Let not either men or Angels have occasion to charge us with any such indiscretion or madness If we will be bestowing our affections le ts do it upon such things as are worthy of them It is observable how happily Davids practise agreed with his Doctrine It was he you know that furnished us with the point I have been insisting on And how did his affections work towards his present State Did his Doctrine and practise clash with each other Had he any great value for that condition which he represented to be a State of vanity No Surely saith he I have behaved and quieted my self as a child that is weaned of his mother my soul is even as a weaned child Psal. 131. 2. So our Translations renders it but in the Hebrew the words run in the form of an imprecation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if I have not behaved c. As if he had said if I have affected great things as my enemies suggest then let me be dealt with accordingly For the occasion of the Psalm as Muis notes seems to be this that some of Sauls Nobles charged David with an affectation of the Kingdom and an aspiring after great things Hereupon he makes his appeal to God and draws him to witness whether he were guilty of any such thing praying that if he were he would avenge himself on him and punish him for it Some conceiving there is an Apoâ—â—opesis in the words suppress the imprecation but others mention it thinking it is contained in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which they render reward As if David had said if I have done any such thing let God reward my soul accordingly or let God recompence it upon my soul or let God deal with me in a way answerable thereunto But whether Interpreters do suppress the imprecation or mention it this is evident that there is one implyed in the word which affords great Emphasis to them The words imports as much as if the Psalmist had said Lord if I have been guilty of any such ambition as my enemies charge me with then let me be disappointed let me lose thy protection and favour nay let me for ever perish By this you see how his Doctrine and practice a greed As he taught that the present State of man is a State of vanity so he carried himself towards it accordingly Sauls servants thought he had thirsted after the Kingdom and such like matters but they were mistaken Even as the child that is weaned disregards the breast so did he the things of the world He had Sauls Crown Throne and Kingdom before him but he valued them not any farther than he might serve the Counsel of God and be useful to his interest He saw such emptiness in them and all worldly things that he made light of them And if we will carry our selves like wise men we must do the like Taking a view of the things of the world and weighing the extream vanity thereof we must keep our hearts at a distance from them And inasmuch as our present State in regard of the inability of the things of the world to make it otherwise is a State of vanity we must in like manner keep our hearts loose from it and not suffer them to be inamoured with it There is not any such desireableness in it that we should let them out upon it and therefore looking upon it as an un 〈…〉 t object for them we must reserve them for such a State as is worthier of them 3. If our present State be such a State of vanity then let 's look out after and labour for an happier and a better State By how much we find this State the worse by so much we should take the more pains for a better The worse the house is we live in the more we lay out our selves in providing one that is more commodious And thus we are to proceed in the present business The more vain and inconvenient we find our present State the more we are to concern our selves in inquiring after and seeking for an interest in a better That there is a State of happiness and that it is a desireable thing to be in it is a principle so deeply rooted in Nature and so generally acknowledged by mankind that I shall not give any one thanks to grant it Men may as soon cease to be men as abolish out of them either the general notion or desire of happiness I know men differ greatly in their apprehension of happiness some conceiving it consists in this others in that yet all agree both that there is a State of happiness and that it is desireable to be in it And for the mistakes which the sons of men labour under concerning it God hath afforded us relief in his word especially in the Gospel whereby Jesus Christ hath as the Apostle teaches brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. The world had some notice of it before partly from the light of nature partly from the writings of the Prophets but that was only a small hint in comparison of what Christ by himself and his Apostles hath afforded us in the New Testament Therein he do's not only declare that there is such a state but likewise urges us and that with great importunity to seek after it and labour for it Seek you first saith he the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. And strive to enter in at the strait gate for many I say unto you will seek to enter in and
ones but if neglecting him we give up our selves to the pursuit of the World and the sinful practices thereof instead of being delivered from the present vanity under which we labour we must make account to enter into a state a thousand times more sad and grievous Instead of passing from a state of vanity to a state of happiness we must look to pass into a state of superlative and extream misery And how sad is the condition of that man whose portion here is vanity and whose portion hereafter must be superlative and endless misery 3. If you would attain to a state of happiness then go to God in prayer and beg earnestly of him that he would not put you off with this present state but advance you to a better wherein you may be liker to him and hold sweet communion with him To live all our lives long in a state of vanity and after pass into a state of endless torment oh what heart which is not become a stone would not dissolve into sighs and tears to think of it What after all our temptations sins pains sicknesses weaknesses crosses troubles to enter into a state which is infinitely more vexatious and insupportable Oh what soul that is not become mad and desperate would not be affected with it As ever then you would let the World see that you are in any compleat measure solicitous about your own good seriously consider what a vain state your present state is and how much worse the state is which after this you must enter into if divine grace do not prevent and endeavour to get your hearts and souls truly affected therewith and beg of God that he will have mercy on you and afford you relief as to this particular And whereas he hath been pleased to provide a better state than either of those mentioned before intreat him with all the importunity you can possibly raise your Souls to that he will be pleased at the present to interest you in it and in his own due time take you into it Though it be no small matter to deliver you from the vanity of your present State and the danger of a worse and to take you into a state of happiness yet such is the respect he bears to the ordinance of Prayer that to those who in a due manner exercise themselves therein he hath promised to do it for them How often hath he declared in the Word That whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Joel 2. 32. Acts 2 21. Rom. 10. 13. This frequent asserting of the thing is partly to shew us the certainty of it and partly to work us to a firm belief of it and stir us up to the duty of Prayer which through the grace of God is of such efficacy that it is able to raise the soul from earth to Heaven Notwithstanding the vast distance there is betwixt Heaven and earth yet if you will in a believing serious affectionate manner call upon God own him in his several perfections and intreat him to take you up thither he will do it Thus he dealt with the good Patriarchs they desired a better Countrey and he prepared for them a City Heb. 11. 16. Though Canaan was a good Land a Land that God had blessed a Land that he had his eyes on from one end of the year to the other a Land that ever flowed with milk and honey that is abounded with what ever was necessary for humane sustenance and refreshment yet they found such inconveniences in it that being unsatisfied with it and all other Lands places and injoyments in the world they intreated God to furnish them with some other place which might better agree with those holy principles and affections he had planted in them which he in compliance with their desires was graciously pleased to do And if we take the same course that they did we may make account he will deal with us after the same manner he dealt with them The way to go to Heaven in our persons is first to go thither in our hearts and prayers Send up therefore your prayers first to Heaven and they as it were with Golden cords will draw you up after them And thus I have given you an account of some of those means which God hath prescribed towards the helping of us to a State of happiness And oh how much are we indebted to him that he is pleased to deal with us upon such easie terms What will such easie matters as Faith Holiness and Prayer help us to happiness who then would not betake himself to the pursuit of it How worthy is he to remain in a state of vanity and from thence to pass into a State of extream misery that will not use such means to be delivered therefrom When we had sunk our selves down into a State of vanity and rendred our selves lyable to everlasting misery God might justly have let us alone and left us to spend both time and eternity in fruitless sighs and groans but out of his transcendent grace he hath dealt better with us he hath provided a remedy for us not only against our present vanity but likewise against our future misery Now if we should not make use thereof especially it being so easie how worthy will all the world judge us to perish All I shall further add is this you have yet Sirs your understandings and are capable of distinguishing betwixt good and evil and though you are at the present in a State of vanity and are lyable to such a State as is far worse yet through the grace of the Gospel you may be freed from the one and escape the other and what you are to do in order thereunto I have in a few words shewed If you prefer happiness before misery you may do well to close with the Counsel given if otherwise you may contemn and reject it and go on in your secure and extravagant courses but if ere you allow your selves such liberty you may do well to consider whether you may not have cause to repent when it is too late The Lord of Heaven who is the Authour and disposer of true happiness Bless what hath been said and make it effectual SERMON II. Psalm 73. 23 24 25 26. Nevertheless I am continually with thee Thou hast holden me by my right hand IT is a Controversie amongst Expositors who was the Penman of this Psalm whether Asaph or David for without question it was composed by one of them Indeed the Title as it stands in our Bibles gives it clearly to Asaph but we are to know that in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be rendred either of or to Asaph However it is generally believed to have been penned by Asaph and the reasons that have induced the generality of Expositors to believe it are such as these 1 It appears that Asaph did compose some Psalms 2 Chron. 39. 30. Hezekiah commanded the Levites to sing praise
near to God 3. It will inform us of the great difference that is between good men and others the one lives above the other below one upon the Creature the other on the Creator Some are so far from being ever with God that they desire it not They say unto God Job 21. 14. Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Psalm 10. 4. God is not in all their thoughts There is a vast difference between the dispositions of good and bad Take a good man and the frame of his heart is to be solicitous about God and thoughtful about God in duty Will this please will this honour God As to sin How shall I do this evil and sin against God As to Ordinances he seeks God in them and enquires whether he have met with God If God hath withdrawn himself he is troubled It is not so with the wicked they are not solicitous about any such thing their care thoughts and endeavours is how they may be well thought of reputed how they may drive on their covetous lustful or malitious designs How they may gratifie their senses They fense and keep of any passes that are made by Gods messengers to pierce them towards their conviction and amendment They will not bear the thoughts of God and their duty Use 2. of Exhortation If it be the property of pious and holy men to be with God to abide with him and herein to rise to this degree of being ever with him Then as ever we would be pious and holy men reputed such and found such let us endeavour ever to be with God spend our days with him No company is like unto God's you have heard in the Reasons Let the Divel the World the Flesh say what they will no company like society with the Father and the Son Let us seriously consider whether it be not as well our interest as our duty to live more unto and with God It may be for a Lamentation unto us that when some pious Christians have been spending all their time with God yet we have been but little taken up with that good company How little Lord have we been with thee even when we have stood before thee as thy people that desired to know thy ways and do thy will How little of our hearts hast thou had when with our mouths we have professed much love How have the world our lusts run away with our souls thoughts and affections and left thee the outside and carcases of Christians Let us run through all difficulties that we may get to God Idolaters would run through the very fire to get to their Idols 2 Kings 16. 3. A strange piece of devotion and this was partly to express their great zeal toward them and partly to be purged from their sins and so to be a fitter sacrifice for their Idols Let our souls then make hard after the true and living God though through difficulties and fiery trials Psalm 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee Hereunto take these directions 1. Withdraw your affections from the world Look upon it as below you to spend your pretious time in converse therewith Reason thus with your selves What hath God given me a a soul fit to converse with himself and shall I pass my time in converse with this dunghill this impure filthy world God forbid He hath designed me for nobler matters and shall I not do what I can to pursue them As ever you love God and would be with him to enjoy his love for ever love not the world withdraw your affection from it 1 Joh. 2. 15. Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the Father is not in him 2. Take pains with your souls to raise and lift them up to God They are naturally averse to be with God as children are naturally averse to be with their aged parents they would rather be in the streets with their play-fellows and children of their age and humour so natural men are averse to be with God they would rather be in the World about trifles By how much the more backward they are the more pains we should take take with our hearts say thus to thy self It is better for me to be at some pains and trouble now than to be in eternal flames and misery for ever David labours to lift up his heart Psal. 25. 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. The heart is naturally addicted to sink down into sensuality it should be raised up Isa. 64. 7. There is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee There must be a rowsing and stirring up of these sluggish and indisposed hearts of ours How vainly and unreasonably do many wicked persons reason themselves into Hell and destruction I am as good as God hath made me and shall I be damned for that averseness of spirit which is natural to me and I brought with me into the World This is Christians divelish arguing which Satan suggests and puts into mens mouths that he may drive them on farther to ruine You must be taken off your own bent and affections or you will be ruined for ever It had been better you had never been born than that you should rest in the same state of wretchedness wherein you are by nature Take pains therefore with your hearts though they shrink and draw back yet follow them from room to room from one idle excuse to another till they be driven out of all harbour Lay hold of them keep them fast say soul I must I will have thee up to God Thou must dwell with God here or else thou must never dwell with him hereafter 3. Allow not your selves in any sinful and ungodly course that sets God at a distance from you and begets a fear and dread in the soul that makes it run from God as offended till it recover the thoughts of Gods mercies and then the soul returns and comes toward God with trembling Now if the soul would be still with God with how much boldness might it approach into the divine presence If you do allow your selves in any unwarrantable course you stop that entercourse you might have with God therefore when you begin to feel your souls starting aside from God recall them charge them to keep close to God leave them not till you have brought them into some good frame and resolve as David Thy benefits are so innumerable they are so large a theme for my thoughts that Psal. 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee Yet he had a holy jealousie over him self ver 23. 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Daved was a man that did commune much with his own heart and knew how things went with himself Yet he is desirous that God would make a
search that what he had done amiss might be taken away and amended Thus should we do searchhow it goes with head heart life conversation and practice if it go ill with them our communion with God is like to be much interrupted 4. Pray to God to call you home from your extravagancies take you into a state of familiarity with him and preserve you therein Say oh thou that by the beams of the Sun drawest up the dew of the morning by the beams of thy grace and love draw up our souls to thee draw up these heavy hearts of ours we have been heaving at them but do what we can they are pressing downward We find so many intanglments of the world besides earthly propensions in us that unless thou draw our hearts will not be gotten up saith David Psal. 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee Oh let me not wander from thy commandments The hearts of the best of men are addicted to wandring from God and such is our weakness that every thing interrupts us and draws us from God but we must lift up our hearts to God that he would lift them up to himself and never rest till he have united them to him in love and holiness Obj. Here is a question that many may put You speak of abiding with God and dwelling with him I have been about this many years have had convictions and look upon an holy life best agreeing to the soul and the faculties thereof and according to these convictions I have been endeavouring what I can using means this and that way yet God is strange to me what shall I do What help in this case that I may have nearer approaches to God Ans. 1. It is a good sign you have to do with God in that you are sensible that he is strange unto you and are affected with it As for wicked men they desire not the knowledge of God they are without God in the world and content so to be But your sence of Gods displeasure his withdrawings the disconsolateness of being at a distance from him argues that there is more than flesh and blood a principle within thee 2. If it be so as you say betake your selves to searching of heart and see whether there be not some reason that God should stand at a distance Notwitstanding the riches and bowels of Gods unbounded mercy yet he hath regard to his own honour and glory He hath more attributes to look after and vindicate than one Therefore it concerns you if God carry it strangely to consider whether God have not afforded you opportunities invited you to converse with him called cryed waited to try whether you would come and whether you have not refused and slighted that he may complain You would none of me if it be thus no wonder God is a stranger to you Judg. 5. 15. For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of heart Sure then Sirs there should be some searchings of heart upon this account when your sins have separated your God from you I commune with mine own heart saith the Psalmist Psal. 77. 6. And my spirit made diligent search He was under this great affliction God seemed to carry it somewhat strangely his trouble hindred his sleep and did so fill his heart that he could not speak he was under Gods desertion as to comfort This puts him upon enquiring how come things to be thus with me If a friend carry it strangely it doth not satisfy us to wonder at it and so let it pass as we would do with another but we enquire what word or action proceeding from us what neglect or injury might cause it If God look not with the same countenance upon us as formerly and his favour be not as heretofore we must make enquiry and diligent search into our whole lives to find what was the meaning of Gods dealing thus How comes it to be thus 3. You must distinguish betwixt his withholding his presence and his comforts Though perhaps you have not much comfort yet you have protection and support which is matter both of satisfaction and thanks so in the words immediateately following the Text thou hast holden me by the right hand The Psalmist you may find was exercised with disquietments yet he had support from God though disconsolate 4. Though God withhold his presence it is not because he is loth to afford it you but that he may make you more tender of it and value it at an higher rate Cant. 5. 6. I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone this must beget a sad damp in the heart of the Church My soul failed when he spake she sought him but could not find him Before instead of opening to her beloved she excuseth her slothfulness now he is withdrawn he will make his offers more acceptable and more readily imbraced 5. Wait upon God for a more free full and comfortable exhibition of himself to you He is a gracious God adhere therefore unto him and depend upon him Though he may for a time carry himself somewhat strangely towards you yet after a season he may be pleased to be more favourable Isa. 1. 15. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him This is a good and truly generous and brave resolution notwithstanding all opposition and danger to go on in faith patience and obedience 3. Use Of examination Let us examine how things go with us as to this matter where it is that we are with whom we live and with whom we abide see what communion and fellowship we do maintain with God I shall give some characters of those that abide with God 1. A man that abides with God hath his eyes ever upon the Lord choose where he is he he hath still an eye unto God whether he be at home or abroad his eyes are towards heaven The Lord is his refuge his chief possession Psal. 25. 15. Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord and this was partly in a way of reverence as one afraid of offending him and partly in a way of dependance as one desiring instruction support and help from him Can you say this that your eyes are to the Lord the eyes of your mind and your thoughts are towards God are you upon every occurrence running to God If it be so you are with God 2. He acts ever as in Gods presence He carries himself as one that considers that God hath his eye upon him wherever he is what ever he doth Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me he is at my right hand He set God before him not only as the object and end of his actions nor only to be a comfort and support to him whereupon he might rejoyce and his heart be glad but as a witness and judge of his actions which might engage him to sincerity If we did really and fully consider
had need of patience that after they have done the will of God they may receive the promises But yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 36 37. Their miseries shall have bounds and an end They shall not always be sighing under their burdensâ— sobbing out their complaints there is a rest after all their travels a land flowing with milk and honey with rivers of pleasures for a dry and barren wilderness The wickedness of the wicked will come to an end the Devil may rage and roar and raise persecution and they suffer tribulation ten daies Rev. 2. 10. The Devils Agents have their hour Luke 22. 53. This is your hour and the power of darkness Nay all the calamities of the people of God are light and but for a moment if compared with eternity of glory 2 They shall be upheld and kept from eternall destruction The ungodly shall not stand in judgment nor sinners in the Congregation of the righteous Psal. 1. 5. They shall be cast and fall in the trial when the assembly of the first-born shall stand and be acquitted and received into those everlasting and blessed habitations with a happy welcome Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you They shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 2 Pet. 1. 5. 2. Having shown what God upholds his people from in the next place we shall shew by what God upholds them 1. By his own immediate hand without the interposition or ministry of his creatures as Christ caught Peter sinking This is called Gods creating of their happiness that they may be glad and rejoyce in that which he doth create when he creates Jerusalem a rejoycing brings about the prosperity of his people when there is nothing of sufficiency or disposition in matter and means to produce such an effect When by his Fiat he commands deliverance for Jacob. And although some creatures are made use of they are such as are inconsiderable and ineffectual without miraculous power to cause any thing of this nature and conduce the least naturally towards their deliverance nay it may be contrary to their nature and above their ordinary power they are commanded to their service and answer Gods command The sea is taught to distinguish between the Egyptians and Israelites and made a way for the ransomed to pass over Elijah is fed by a Raven When Daniel is thrown into the den the hungry Lions Forget their hunger and cruelty The vermine plague Egypt and trouble not Goshen At the sound of the rams horns and the shout of Israel the walls of Jericho fall God has secret and invincible ways of conveying relief to his people They cannot be in so close a prison so begirt with danger but he can come to them comfort and deliver them manifest that help and salvation is from the Lord. He sends in his comforts to them that can pass through guards and iron gates unseen unheard and not to be resisted which their enemies cannot hinder them of and these they cannot take away from them Hos. 2. 14. When he hath brought them into the wilderness he speaks comfortably to them he sends an encouraging message to Paul Be of good cheer and in the multitudes of their thoughts within them his comforts delight their souls Psal. 94. 19. 2. God upholds his people by his word whereby he affords them instruction encouragement and comfort When they are in distress they betake them thither as to a Sacred Directory and are preserved from evil Psal. 17. 4. By the words of thy lips I have kept me from the path of the destroyer Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal. 119. 11. They go to the word as a Sanctuary and in the word the Psalmist took sanctuary against his fears Psal 73. 17. He was perplexed till he came into Gods Sanctuary Some by Sanctuary do understand Heaven till he thought of heaven he was not satisfied Others by Sanctuary understand the place where Gods word was read and unfolded and there are that by Sanctuary will have the word of God to be meant Though Asaph might not mean the word by Sanctuary yet it was the word in the Sanctuary which afforded him comfort and resolution in that great perplexity And this was Davids comfort in his affliction the word of God quickned him Psal. 119. 50. 3. God upholds them by his creatures his Angels his ministers and their brethren in tribulation and suffering Our Lord himself was strengthned by an Angel Luke 22. 43. and Heb. 1. 14. Are they not ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of Salvation By his Ministers he doth mightily uphold and strengthen them They are given for the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying of the body of Christ till they come to a perfect man the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4. 12 13. VVe are helpers of your joy saith the Apostle to the Corinthians not exercising Lordship over your saith 2 Cor. 1. 24. What mighty confirmation were Paul and Barnabas to the Churches Acts 14. 22. They returned to Lystra Iconium and Antioch confirming the souls of the Disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith The people of God are mutually helpful for the establishing of one another Job did uphold many Job 4. 4. And Eliphas spoke true in saying That he had strengthned the feeble knees and weak hands and had upholden him that was falling And God blesseth some with special comforts that they may be a relief to others by their experiences and may tell what God hath done for their souls 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may he able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God 4. By his Providences which have been so signal and remarkable that have raised them out of their fears and revived their hope and confidence when their eyes have even failed with looking When mercies have come in which they have been almost ready to despair of And God hath turned the stream of affairs towards their relief and prosperity and brought about that which was improbable and they looked not for Thus Jacob was revived Genesis 45. 22. We come to the reasons Why God upholds his people And they are drawn 1. From the love of God His love to them is so great that they are called the beloved of his soul Jer. 12. 7. He hath more love care tenderness than the fathers of our flesh If they being evil know how to give good gifts unto their children how much more shall our heavenly Father give the holy spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. In correcting his people he sheweth more pitty and goodness For the Fathers of our flesh corrected us and for a few days chastened us after their own
other men are yet for a God I dare compare with the greatest of them all Wherein I am defective there is enough in him to make it out With this I will comfort my self as Asaph Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee SERMON VII Psalm 73. 26. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever HAving done with the former verses we are now come to this wherein the Psalmist go's on in setting forth the excellency of God shewing of what great use and advantage he was to him in the time of his affliction and distress In the preceding words he expresseth it in a more general way and here he doth more particularly enlarge on Gods excellency in giving an account of special favours and kindnesses that he had testified towards him and given to him in his own person The words contain two parts 1. The Psalmist sets down his afflictions and disstress and these are expressed in two passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My flesh faileth By flesh here as Muis and others note we are to understand the body which in Scripture is sometimes spoken of under that notion Prov. 5. 11. And thou mourn at the last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when thy flesh and thy body are consumed Then for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here rendred faileth It is variously read by some my flesh did fail me By others When it doth fail me by others Although and if it fail me But the difference is not very considerable His meaning is plainly this that his body was liable to fail him and that he made account it would so do though he had been of an active body a strong and healthful complexion strengthned by exercise and notable atchievements Yet his flesh would fail 2. To aggravate the affliction he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and my heart faileth By heart as Muis notes we are to understand the soul for as the heart is the principal part of the body so it is animae sedes Now this was a great aggravation of the Psalmists affliction and trouble that his soul failed him as well as the body When the body fails the soul may support it but when the soul failes what can a poor creature do Prov. 18. 4. The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can bear If I have a languishing body but a vigorous soul the liveliness and cheerfulness of one will help to bear the infirmities of the other but if the body and soul both droop under affliction the man is brought to a sad pass 2. The Psalmist sets down the advantage or relief that God afforded him This he expresses likewise in two passages 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the strength of my heart or according to the Hebrew God is the rock of my heart But you 'l say why saith he nothing of Gods helping his body God sustains his soul and his soul sustains his body 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And my portion for ever As though he had said He is not only of use to me for the present but he will be so for ever I see such lines in his love to me as reach into eternity it self And this doth much refresh my drooping heart that he will deal well with me not only here but hereafter Time will soon be run out and gone All the business is how it will go with us for ever I have this to comfort me that God will be my portion for ever He will deal well with me to eternity let it be as long as it will I look and look into eternity and see no end of his love when my soul and body have failed me over and over again I have a rock in heaven as firm as my heart can wish In him will I repose my confidence and fix my hope for ever Doct. That the bodies and souls even of good men are apt to fail them in time of affliction and distress or the affliction and distress of good men is sometimes so great that their very bodies and souls are apt to fail them therein Sometimes the cup that God puts into their hands is so bitter that it makes their hands shake and their hearts fail Lesser afflictions they can bear up under but when the great billows of God and the waves pass over them then their souls are ready to faint How good a man was Asaph yet he cries out My flesh and my heart faileth This I shall handle a little more distinctly and 1. I shall shew that sometimes their bodies fail them and this is so familiar and evident that I need not spend many words about it God long ago issued forth this decree Gen. 3. 19. Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return This he hath been putting in execution throughout all generations ever since Now there are three waies whereby the bodies even of good men do fail them 1. By the the decay of their sences those active and pleasant Organs when evil daies come do fail to perform the services for which they were designed an instance whereof we have in Barzillai the Giliadite 2 Sam. 19. 35. I am fourscore years old this day Can thy servant tast what I eat or what I drink Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and thus it is with others First one thing fails then another First the eye grows dim then the ear grows deaf one sence fails after another till all of them be disabled from their proper work 2. By the decay of their strength When evill daies come then strength failes and leaves the body labouring under feebleness and weakness How strong a man was David such was his strength that he could draw in pieces a bow of steel Psal. 18. 34. So that a Bow of Steel is broken by mine armes And yet what complaints have we of the failing of his strength Psal. 38. 10. My heart panteth my strength faileth me as for thee light of mine eyes it is gone from me Before he could encounter with a Lion a Bear a Goliah But now he is weak Even the most vigorous and active when evil daies come like Sampson when his hair was cut find themselves bereaved of their former strength 3. By the decay of their health Besides the loss of our sences and strength we are subject to sickness and diseases which contribute much towards the discomfort of our lives How fearfull was good Hezekiah lest God would cut him off with pining sickness Isa. 38. 12. Mine age is departed and is removed from me as a shepherds tent I have cut off like a weaver my life He will cut me off withpining sickness And what a sickly time was it among the Corinthians when they had prophaned the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cause many are weak and sickly amongst you and many sleep Oh what fainting hearts pale
make with the great Babylonian Monarch Dan. 5. 5 6. His countenance was changed his thoughts troubled the joints of his loins loosed and his knees smote one against another This being our nature What are we that we should put confidence in our selves Isa. 2. 22. We may neither trust in others neither may others trust in us neither may we trust in our selves Jer. 17. 5. Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord. What must we do then Isa. 2. 22. Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of 2. Let 's not wonder if sometimes both body and soul fail us We do not know how many of these fits we may be exercised with and when they befall us let 's not wonder at it it s nothing but what the best of Gods servants are liable to 1 Pet. 4. 12. Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you When afflictions overtake us we are ready to wonder at it and to say it was never on this wise Never was any sorrow like to my sorrow whereas there is no reason to say so afflictions are ordinary to the people of God 3. Let us get an interest in God that so when they fail us he may stand by us and help us that when one of our fainting fits comes his left hand may be under our heads and his right hand may imbrace us Let our fits be what they will if God stand by us and be with us we are safe enough Who shall be against us We need not fear the frowns of men the want of friends and comfort if God befriend and afford his grace unto us But if he be not with us what will become of us Psal. 94. 17. Unless the Lord had been my help my soul had almost dwelt in silence brevi habitasset as it is in the margent of your Bibles quickly God can help us whether exercised with fainting in soul or body It is good to get an interest in God for this was Asaphs happiness that though both soul and body failed him yet God stuck to him was the strength of his heart and portion for ever So we come to the second part of this 26th Verse The Psalmist in the former part of the verse having set down his affliction he doth in the latter set down the advantage he had from God against it and that in these two passages God is the strength of my heart 2 And my portion for ever From the former of which this point offers it self Doct. 1. That God is the strength of the hearts of his people in their afflictions and distress Or more briefly thus God is the strength of his people He looks after them takes care of them and supplies them with strength according as they stand in need There is a very high and lofty passage Deut. 33. 26 27. As when a person is in a fainting condition we take him into our arms and hold up his head So Cant. 2. 6 His left hand is under my head and his right hand doth imbrace me If we look farther into Scripture we shall find that the eminentest of Gods servants and such as were best furnished with abilities have in down right terms acknowledged that he is their strength So Exod. 15. 2. Notwithstanding all his wisdom power and greatness yet he acknowledges it was God that was his strength who inabled him to accomplish those great things he had brought to pass So Psal. 18. 1. I will love thee O Lord my strength in the following words he shews that he was the Rock of his heart The Lord is my rock my fortress My strength in whom I trust In the Original as here My rock in whom I will trust We have the like from Christ himself Isa. 49. 5. My God shall be my strength Now that you may better understand the reason of my following Method you are to know that what is here mentioned touching Gods being the strength of his servants is proposed by way of Antidote to their several maladies and distresses both in body and soul insisted on before So that if I will closely pursue the intent of the Text I must reflect upon the evils which I before represented them liable to and shew what a remedy he is against them and what relief he affords them And 1. He relieves them against the maladies of their bodies Though their bodies are frail and subject to many distempers yet he hath relief for them against them all There is not any distemper so mortal or dangerous but he can afford them help against it Psal. 116. 6. I was brought low and he helped me 1. He relieves them against the decaies of their senses He sometimes preserves them in a strong degree of vigour beyond what could reasonably be expected from the abilities and power of nature How old a man was Moses He was an hundred and twenty years old yet it is said Deut. 34. 7. His eyes were not dim nor his natural force abated God is the Lord of nature and hath the disposal of the several ordinances thereof so that he can inforce or restrain them execute or suspend them according as he sees good He can put a youth into the state of an old man and an old man into the state of a youth and dispose of all persons and their concernments as he sees good 2. He relieves them against the decay of their strength That he sometimes marvellously renews and raises to an height beyond all probability and expectation as to outward and bodily strength as well as spiritual vigour these words in Isa. 40. 29 31. is verified He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreases strength They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength So the Lord doth alter the course of nature that when his servants are in a withering condition he renews their strength he works vigour and activity in them and enables them to do great things when he disables and brings down the strength of the mighty Psal. 18. 29 32 33. 34. By thee I have run through a troop and by my God have I leaped over a wall Who is a rock save our God It is God that guideth me with strength He maketh my feet like hinds feet He teacheth my hands to war so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms David was naturally a man of great strength and activity yet besides that God favoured him with an auxiliary extraordinary strength whereby he was fitted for those great services he performed 3. He relieves them against the decay of their health He hath many distempers whereby to exercise the sons of men and bring them to their graves but yet there is none which he cannot either prevent or heal Psal. 103. 3 4. Who health all thy diseases who