On Delighting in the Laws of God.

DISCOURSE VIII.

PSALM CXIX. 47.

I will delight myself in thy Commandments, which I have loved.

I

Tis the great Advantage of Religion, that it propofeth the nobleft Objects to our Contemplation which can poffibly be presented to the human Mind; the eternal and self-existent God, his glorious Attributes and Perfections, his wonderful Works of Creation and Providence, and the admirable Methods of our Redemption and Salvation by our Lord Jefus Chrift. Thefe Things not only tend to improve and elevate the Soul, but furI 4

nish

nish a divine Satisfaction and Delight, This appears from what hath been alr ready offered upon this Subject. But Religion doth not confist merely in the Knowledge and Contemplation of facred Truth, but in the Practice of thofe Duties which are required of us in the Divine Law, And that this alfo is a Source of pure and rational Delight I fhall now endeavour to fhew. It must be acknowledged indeed that Perfons of a vicious Tafte, and who are under the Power of corrupt Lufts and Appetites, are apt to look upon the Laws of God, and the Duties there required, as very rigorous and fevere. Against these their strongest Prejudices lie. But to Minds rightly difpofed, and which can form a true Judgment of Things, the Commandments of God appear not only to be just and reasonable, but, when faithfully obeyed and practifed, to be delightful too. The beft of Men in all Ages have found them fo by their own Experience. It is given as the Character of the Man who is pronounced bleed, that his Delight is in the Law of the Lord. Pf. i. 2. and that be delighteth greatly in God's Commandments. Pf. cxij. 1. How often doth the Pfalm.

III.

ift exprefs, in the strongest Terms, the high Affection and Efteem he had for the Laws of God, and the great Pleasure he found in them! More to be defired are they than Gold, yea, than much fine Gold; fweeter alfo than Honey or the Honey-comb. Pf. xix. 10. Thy Teftimonies have I taken as an Heritage for ever; for they are the Rejoicing of my Heart. Pf. cxix. 111. What Warmth of Divine Affection gloweth in those Expreffions, Oh how I love thy Law!-I opened my Mouth and panted; for I longed for thy Commandments.-My Soul hath kept thy Teftimonies, and I love them exceedingly. Ib. Ver. 97, 131, 167. And, in the Words I have chofen for the Subject of this Difcourfe, he declares it, as his deliberate Purpofe, I will delight myself in thy Commandments, which I have loved. It ought greatly to recommend them to our Efteem that they are God's Commandments. How pleasing must it be to a good Man, when engaged in any Course of Action, to be able to reflect"When I am doing this, I am doing "what God requireth of me: I am ferv“ing and obeying the greatest and best

of Beings, my Creator and fovereign "Lord, my moft generous and bountiful Benefactor, to whom I am under the "highest

higheft poffible Obligations, and in whom alone I can be happy." If we were wholly unacquainted with the particular Reafons of the Divine Commands, yet we might be fure that they must be founded on the wifeft and jufteft Reasons, fince Nothing can proceed from a Being of infinite Wisdom, Goodnefs, and Purity, but what is wife, and good, and pure, But it is a mighty Advantage, when we ourfelves, upon an impartial Confideration of God's Commandments, can plainly fee that they are in themselves most reasonable and excellent, and that the Practice of them is conducive to the true Happiness and Perfection of our Nature, and is fitted to afford a folid Picafure and Satisfaction to the Mind.

To fet this in a proper Light, let us take a View of the Divine Commandments, as they are ufually diftributed under three Heads: Some of them relate to the Duties we more immediately owe to God; others to thofe we owe to our Fellow-creatures; others relate more immediately to ourselves, and to the right Government of our own Appetites and Paffions. Thefe feveral Branches of our Duty are plainly referred to in that noble and comprehenfive Paffage, Tit. ii. 11, 12. The Grace of God, which bringeth Sal

vation,

vation, bath appeared unto all Men, teaching us that, denying Ungodlinefs and worldly Lufts, we should live foberly, righteously, and godly in this prefent World.

I fhall begin with confidering that Part of the Duty required of us which more immediately relates to God, and which the Apostle in the Paffage now cited expreffes by Living godly in this prefent World. In Scripture Language the the Whole of practical Religion is fometimes called Godliness, to fignify the neceffary Relation it hath to the Deity; that a religious Regard to the fupreme Being is effential to a holy and virtuous Life; and that the Duty we immediately owe to God is an eminent Part of the Duty required of us in the Divine Law. And it is with a peculiar Reference to this that I fhall now confider it.

Our Living godly, taken in this View, includeth the following Things:

That we must have a firm Belief of the Exiftence and Providence of God, and must have our Souls poffeffed with just and worthy Conceptions of his glorious and incomparable Perfections, and, in Confequence of this, our Hearts must be brought under the Influence of fuitable holy Affections and Difpofitions towards him.

That