is only the practical part of religion will make a man blessed. Meditation is a beautiful flower, but, as Rachel said to her husband, Give me children, or 66 I die," Gen. xxx. 1. So, if meditation be barren, and doth not bring forth the child of obedience, it will die and come to nothing. 2. If when you have meditated in God's law, you do not obey his law, you will come short of them who have come short of heaven. It is said of Herod, "He did many things," Mark vi. 20. he was in many things a practiser of John's ministry. They who meditate in God's law, and observe not to do, are not so good as Herod; nay, they are no better than the devil; he knows much, but still he is a devil. 3. Meditation without practice will increase a man's condemnation. If a father write a letter to his son, and the son shall read over this letter, and study it, yet not observe to do as his father writes, this would be an aggravation of his fault, and would but provoke his father so much the more against him. Thus, when we have meditated upon the evil of sin, and the beauty of holiness, yet if we do not eschew the one, nor espouse the other, it will but incense the Divine Majesty so much the more against us, and we shall be beaten with many stripes.' 66 ANA APPENDIX TO THE FORMER DISCOURSE. A CHRISTIAN ON EARTH STILL IN HEAVEN. WHEN I AWAKE I AM STILL WITH THEE. THE scripture is a spiritual paradise: the book of Psalms is placed as the tree of life in the midst of this paradise. The Psalms are not only for delight, but usefulness; they are like the pomegranate tree which is not only for savour, but fruit; or like those trees of the sanctuary, Ezek. xlvii. 12. both for food and medicine. The Psalms are enriched with variety, and suited to every christian's estate and condition. They are a spiritual panoply and storehouse; if he find his heart dead, here he may fetch fire; if he be weak in grace, here he may fetch armour; if he be ready to faint, here are cordials lying by. There is no condition you can name but there is a psalm suited to that condition. 1. In case of sickness. "Thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness," Psal. xli. 3. and sure that bed must needs be soft which God will make; and there is a parallel psalm to this," My flesh fails," Psal. Ixxiii. 26. my health is declining, "but the Lord is the strength of my heart;" or, as the Septuagint renders it," He is the God of n my heart." 2. In case of reproach. "I was a reproach among my enemies," Psal. xxxi. 11. "But I trusted in thee O Lord, I said, thou art my God," ver. 14. " Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shown me his marvellous loving-kindness in a strong city," ver. 21. Here was some sunshine breaking forth out of those black clouds. 3. In case of unkind treatment from friends. "For it was not an enemy, then I could have borne it, but it was thou, mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance; we took sweet counsel together," Psal. Iv. 12, 13. here was the malady; "Cast thy burden upon the Lord," ver. 22. there was the cure. Chaldee reads it, Cast thy hope; the Septuagint, Cast thy care. God is power, therefore he is able to help; he is mercy, therefore he is willing. "He shall sustain thee," here is God's promise, which is his bond to secure us. The 4. In case we are close begirt with enemies. There is a psalm suited to this condition; Lord, how are they increased that trouble me? many are they that rise up against me," Psal. iii. 1. “ I laid me down and slept," ver. 5. David, when beset around with enemies, could lie down and sleep upon the soft pillow of a good conscience, and, Psal. xxvii. 3. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. He shall hide me in his pavilion, in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me,' ver. 5. He shall hide me so safe as if I were in the holy place of the sanctuary, where none but the priest was to 66 enter. 5. In case of poverty. If a christian's state be brought so low, that like the widow, 1 Kings xvii. 12. ne hath nothing but a handful of meal, and a little oil in the cruise left, there is a psalm of consolation, “ I am poor and needy, yet the Lord thinketh upon me," Psal. xl. 17. "I will bless her provision, I will satisfy her poor with bread," Psal. cxxxii. 15. Here is the dew of a blessing distilled; "Thou art my portion, O Lord," Psal. cxix. 57. Behold riches in poverty; what though the water in the bottle be spent, if this well be at hand? 66 6. If sin, through the power of temptation, prevail against a child of God, there is a psalm consolatory : Iniquities prevail against me; as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away," Psal. lxv. 3. In the Hebrew it is, thou shalt hide them. It alludes to the mercy-seat which was covered with the wings of the cherubims; so are the sins of the godly, when repented of, covered with the wings of mercy and favour. 66 'I 7. In case of prayer, and no speedy return. am weary of my crying, my eyes fail while I wait for my God," Psal. lxix. 3. But in the same psalm he yet obtained comfort; "The Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners," ver. 33. Would we have fruit before it is ripe? when the mercy is ripe, we shall have it; and besides, there is nothing lost by waiting; we send out the golden fleet of prayer to heaven, the longer this fleet stays out, the greater return it will bring with it. David found it so; therefore he pulls off his sackcloth, and puts on the garments of praise; I will praise the name of God with a song," ver. 30. 8. In case of desertion. This is the poisoned arrow that wounds to the heart, but still there is a psalm to turn to; "The Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance," Psal. xciv. 14. This is like a star in a dark night, or like the plank and broken pieces of the ship on which Paul and the rest came safe to shore, Acts xxvii. 44. God may conceal his love from his children, not take it away, 2 Sam. vii. 15. He may change his providence towards them, not alter his purpose. 9. In case of death, there is a psalm which revives; "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil," Psal. xxiii. 4. The sting and poison of this serpent is taken away. Thou art with me; with thy power to support, with thy grace to sanctify, with thy love to sweeten. Thy rod and thy staff comfort me." I have the staff of thy promise in the hand of my faith, and with this I can walk through the dark entry of death. 66 Thus in every condition David's psalms, like David's harp, may serve to drive away the evil spirit of sadness and uncheerfulness from a christian. So much concerning the psalms in general. 66 I come now to the words of the text, When I awake, I am still with thee." Di Here you have the very effigies and portraiture of a godly man drawn out: he is one that is still with God. It was David's happiness that he lived above the common rate of men, not only as he was higher in power and dignity, being a king, but higher in sublimeness of affection, having his heart and hope raised above the world, "I am still with thee." vines give many reasons why David was called a man after God's heart, but surely this is not the least, because the frame of his heart was so heavenly, this being most agreeable to God's nature and will. David was a man who, as Ambrose speaks, lived in the world above the world. As soon as he awoke, he stept into heaven. David was a seraphical saint, a mortal angel; like a true bird of paradise, he did seldom touch with his feet upon the earth. He was least alone when he was most alone. When he awoke he was with God. |