SERMON IV

'They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.'
Psalm 119:3

Still the Psalmist continues the description of a blessed man. In the two first verses, holiness (which is the way to and evidence of blessedness) is considered with respect to the subject and the object of it, the life and the heart of man. The life of man, 'Blessed are the undefiled the way.' The heart of man, they 'seek him with the whole heart.'
Now, holiness is considered, in the parts of it, negatively and positively. The two parts of holiness are an eschewing of sin and studying to please God. You have both in this verse, 'They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways.'

First, You have the blessed man described negatively, they do no iniquity. Upon hearing the words, presently there occurs a doubt, how then can any man be blessed? for 'there is not a man that liveth and sinneth not,' Eccles. vii. 20; and James iii. 2, 'In many things we offend all.' To deny it, is a flat lie against the truth, and against our own experience. 'If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us,' 1 John i. 8. The expression may be abused on the one side, to establish the impeccability and perfection of the saints. On the other side, it may be abused by persons of a weak and tender conscience, to the hindrance of their comfort and rejoicing in God. When they shall hear this is the character of a blessed man, 'they do no iniquity,' they are very apt to conclude against their own regeneration, because of their daily failings.

To avoid these difficulties, I shall inquire -
1. What it is to do iniquity.
2. Who are the persons among the sons of men that may be said to do no iniquity.

First, What it is to do iniquity? If we make it our trade and practice to continue in wilful disobedience. To sin is one thing, but to make sin our work is another : 1 John iii. 9, 'He that is born of God doth not commit sin;' he doth not work sin; and Mat. vii. 23, 'Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.' That is the character of the reprobate workers of iniquity. So John viii. 34, 'Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.' Sin is their constant trade: Ps. cxxxix. 24, 'See if there be any wicked way in me.' None are absolutely freed from sin, but it is not their trade, their way, their work. When a man makes it his study and business to carry on a course of sin, then he is said to do iniquity.

Secondly, Who are those that are said to do no iniquity in God's account, though they fail often through weakness of the flesh and violence of temptation? Answer -
1. All such as are renewed by grace, and reconciled to God by Christ Jesus; to these God imputeth no sin to condemnation, and in his account they do no iniquity. Notable is that, 1 Kings xiv. 8. It is said of David, 'He kept my commandments, and followed me with all his heart, and did that only which was right in mine eyes.' How can that be? We may trace David by his failings; they are upon record everywhere in the word; yet here a veil is drawn upon them; God laid them not to his charge. There is a double reason why their failings are not laid to their charge. Partly, because of their general state; they are in Christ, taken into favour through him; and 'there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ,' Rom. viii. 1; therefore particular errors and escapes do not alter their condition. Which is not to be understood as if a man should not be humbled, and ask God's pardon for his infirmities; no, for then they prove iniquities, they will lie upon record against us. It was a gross fancy of the Valentinians, that held they were not defiled with sin whatsoever they committed; though base and obscene persons, yet still they were as gold in the dirt. No, no; we are to recover ourselves by repentance; to sue out the favour of God. When David humbled himself, and had repented, then saith Nathan, 2 Sam. xii. 13, 'The Lord hath put away thy sin.' Partly, too, because their bent and habitual inclination is to do otherwise. They set themselves to comply with God's will, to seek and serve the Lord, though they are clogged with many infirmities. A wicked man sinneth with deliberation and delight; his bent is to do evil; he 'makes provision for lusts,' Rom. xiii. 14, and serves them by a voluntary subjection, Titus iii. 3. But those that are renewed by grace are not debtors to the flesh; they have taken another debt and obligation upon them, which is to serve the Lord, Rom. viii. 12. Partly, too, because their general course and way is to do otherwise. Unumquodque operatur secundum suam formam - everything works according to its form; the constant actions of nature are according to the kind. So the new creature, his constant operations are according to grace. A man is known by his custom, and the course of his endeavours, what is his business. If a man be constantly, easily, frequently carried away to sin, it discovers a habit of soul, and the temper of his heart. Meadows may be overflown, but marsh ground is drowned with the return of every tide. A child of God may be carried away, and act contrary to the bent and inclination of the new nature; but when men are drowned and overcome with the return of every temptation, and carried away, it argues a habit of sin. And partly, because sin never carries it away clearly, but with some dislikes and resistances of the new nature. The children of God make their business to avoid all sin, by watching, praying, mortifying: Ps. xxxix. 1, 'I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue.' And then there is a resistance of the sin. God hath planted graces in their hearts; the fear of his majesty, that works a resistance; and therefore there is not a full allowance of what they do. This resistance sometimes is more strong; then the temptation is overcome: 'How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God?' Gen. xxxix. 9. Sometimes it is more weak, and then sin carries it, though against the will of a holy man: Rom. vii. 15, 18, 'The evil which I hate, that do I.' It is the evil which they hate; they protest against it; they they are like men which are oppressed by the power of the enemy. And then there is a remorse after the sin: 'David's heart smote him.' It grieves and shames them that they do evil. There is tenderness goes with the new nature ; Peter sinned foully, but he went out and wept bitterly.
Well then, the point is this: -

Doct. 1. They that are and shall be blessed are such as make it their business to avoid all sin.

I may illustrate it by these reasons:-

  • 1. Surely they shall be blessed, for they take care to remove the makebate, the wall of partition between God and them. It is sin which separates: Isa. lix. 2, 'But your iniquities have separated you and your God.' This was that which cast angels out of heaven; when they had sinned, God could endure their company no longer. This cast Adam out of paradise. This is that which hinders men from communion with God.
  • 2. These are men fitting and preparing themselves for the enjoyment of their great hopes: Col. i. 12, 'Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;' 1 John iii. 3, 'He that hath this hope purifieth himself, even as he is pure.' Esther, when she was chosen to be bride and spouse to that great king, had her months of purification. The time we spend in the world are the months of our purification; it is a sign they mind their business, they are fitting for eternal happiness. They remember they are shortly to appear before the great God, therefore they would not be uncomely. Joseph washed his garments when he was to go before Pharaoh. They have these hopes that they shall see God as he is, that they shall be like him, and he will appear for their comfort; therefore they are fitting themselves more and more.
  • 3. In them true happiness is begun. There are degrees in blessedness; the angels they never sinned; the glorified saints they have sinned, but sin no more; the saints upon earth, in them sin reigns not; therefore here is their happiness begun. As sin is taken away, so our happiness increaseth ;first God begins with us in a way of justification, ne damnet; he takes away the damning power that is in sin; and in sanctification the work goes on, ne regnet, that sin may not reign; afterward ne sit, that sin may not be; therefore these have begun their happiness, they are hastening towards it apace.
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    Use 1. For trial and examination, whether we may be reckoned among the blessed men, yea or nay. There are some think, because the children of God are liable to so many failings, and there being so many wiles and circuits in the heart of man, that there can be no judgment made upon the case between the sins of the regenerate and unregenerate. But surely there is a difference between the sinning of the one, and the sinning of the other, and such a difference as may be discerned: 1 John iii. 9, 'Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin.' Now mark, ver. 10, 'In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.' This is that which distinguisheth the children of God from the children of the devil. Well, then, how shall we manage this discovery, that we may be able to judge of our own estates?

    First, Let us consider how far sin may be in a blessed man, in a child of God.

  • 1. They have a corrupt nature, they have sin in them as well as others; it is their misery to the last: Rom. vii. 24, '0 wretched man that I am,' saith the holy apostle. Sin, though it be dejectum, cast down in regard of regency, yet it is not ejectum, cast out in regard of inherency; their corrupt nature sticks by them to the last. One compares it to a wild fig-tree, or to ivy in a wall; cut off the body, the boughs, sprigs, branches, yet still there will be something that will be sprouting up again until the wall be digged down. Such an indwelling sin is in us, though we pray, strive, and cut off the excrescences, the buddings out of it here and there, yet till it be plucked asunder by death, it continueth with us.
  • 2. They have their daily failings and infirmities: Eccles. vii. 20, 'There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.' Those that for their general state are just and righteous men, yet certain sins they cannot get rid of, and are unavoidable; as sins of ignorance, incogitancy, sudden surreption, indeliberate incursions, which we shall never be freed from as long as we are in this imperfect state. So also imperfections of duty, for we cannot serve God with that high degree of reverence, delight, and perfection which he requireth. There are unavoidable infirmities which are pardoned of course.
  • 3. They may be guilty of some sins which by watchfulness might be prevented, as vain thoughts, idle, passionate speeches, and many carnal actions. It is possible that these may be prevented by the ordinary assistances of grace, and if we will keep a strict guard over our own hearts. But in this case God's children may be overtaken and overborne; overtaken by the suddenness, or overborne by the violence of temptation: overtaken, Gal. vi. 1, 'If a man be overtaken in a fault, restore such an one,' etc. ; and overborne, James i. 14, 'Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.'
  • 4. They may now and then fall foully; as Noah by excess of drink, Lot's incest, David's adultery, Peter's denial. Failings and infirmities they are not determined either by the smallness or by the greatness of the act, but by other concomitant circumstances. Not by the smallness of the act. There is as much treason in coining pence as shillings and pounds. Allowed affection to small sins is deadly and damnable: he that is unfaithful in little will be unfaithful in much. Christians, where temptations are weak and impotent, and of slight concernment and importance, they may be sooner confuted, and obedience is the more easy; so that our rebellion to God by small sins may be greater. A man may have great affections to small sins; so it may prove an iniquity, a damnable sin.
    On the other side, great sins may be infirmities; as Lot's incest, David's adultery, when they are not done with full consent of soul, when their hearts are not wholly carried away with them. Iniquities are determined by their manner: Jude 15, 'Their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed:' when with full consent of will, and it is their course that argues an habitual hatred and contempt of God.
  • 5. A child of God may have some particular evils, which may be called predominant sins (not with respect to grace, that is impossible, that a man should be renewed and have such sins that sin should carry the mastery over grace); but they may be said to have a predominancy in comparison of other sins; he may have some particular inclination to some evil above others. David had his iniquity, Ps. xviii. 23. Look, as the saints have particular graces; Abraham was eminent for faith, Timothy for sobriety, Moses for meekness, etc. ; so they have their particular corruptions which are more suitable to their temper and course of life. Peter seems to be inclined to tergiversation, and to shrinking in a time of trouble. We find him often tripping in that kind; in the denial of his master; again, Gal. ii. 12, it is said he dissembled and complied with the Jews, therefore Paul 'withstood him to his face, for he was to be blamed.' It is evident by experience there are particular corruptions to which the children of God are more inclinable: this appears by the great power and sway they bear in commanding other evils to be committed, by their falling into them out of inward propensity when outward temptations are few or weak, or none at all; and when resistance is made, yet they are more pestered and haunted with them than with other temptations, which is a constant matter of exercise and humiliation to them.
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    Secondly, Wherein doth grace now discover itself, where is the difference?

  • 1. In that they cannot fall into those iniquities wherein there is an absolute contrariety to grace, as hatred of God, total apostasy, so they cannot sin the sin unto death, 1 John v. 16.
  • 2. In that they do not sin with the whole heart: Ps. cxix. 176, 'I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant, for I do not forget thy commandments.' There was somewhat of God in the heart, when was conscious to himself of strayings and wanderings; and David saith elsewhere, 'I have not departed wickedly from thy precepts.' When they sin, it is with the dislike and reluctancy of the new nature; it is rather a rape than a consent. Bernard saith, A child of God suffers sin rather than acts it, and his heart's protest is against it.
  • 3. It is not their course; not constant, easy, and frequent. Relapses into gross sins, they argue an habitual aversion from God, for a habit is determined by the constancy and uniformity of acts; therefore it is but now and then under some great temptation. There is sin, and there is a way of sin: Ps. cxxxix. 24, 'Search me and see if there be any way of wickedness in me,' as Chrysostom glosseth.
  • 4. When they fall they do not rest in sin: 'Shall they fall, and shall they not arise?' Jer. viii. 4. They may fall into the dirt, but they do not lie and wallow there like swine in the mire. A fountain may be mudded, but it works itself clean again. The needle that hath been touched with the loadstone may be jogged and discomposed, but it never leaves till it turns towards the pole again. God's children have their failings, but they sue out their pardon, run to their advocate, 1 John ii. 1, humble themselves before God.
  • 5. Their falls are sanctified. When they have smarted under sin, they grow more watchful and more circumspect. A child of God may have the worse in praelio, in the battle, but not in bello, in the war. Sometimes the carnal part may get the victory, and they may fall foul, but see the issue: Ps. li. 6, 'In the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.' David had sinned against the Lord, but I have learned wisdom, never to trust a naughty heart more, but to look to myself better.
  • 6. Grace discovers itself by the constant endeavours which they make against sin. What is the constant course a Christian takes? They groan under the relics of sin; it is their burden that they have such an evil nature, Rom. vii. 24. They fly to God's grace in Christ for daily pardon, 1 John i. 9. They are ever washing their garments in the Lamb's blood, Rev. vii. 14, and every day are cleansing themselves from the filthiness and defilement they contract by sin: John xiii. 10, 'He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet.' An allusion to a man that hath been a journey, in those countries where they went barefoot, when he came home he must wash his feet. So a man that is reconciled to God, though he hath been in the bath, in the fountain which God hath opened for uncleanness, yet every day he must be washing his feet, cleansing himself by the blood of Christ more and more, because he contracts new defilement. Then by using all endeavours against it, Col. iii. 5 ; as prayer, striving, watching, cutting off the provisions of the flesh, improving the death of Christ. They do not voluntarily and without opposition live under sin, and the slavish tyranny of it. Their bent and habitual inclination is to do otherwise; therefore they are said to do no iniquity: whereas those that are reckless and careless of their souls, sin, and never lay it to heart ; they are the workers of iniquity.
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    Use 2. If this be the character of a blessed man, to make it our business to avoid sin, then here is caution to God's people:
    1. To beware of all sin.
    2. To be very cautious against gross sins, committed against the light of conscience.
    3. To beware of continuance in sin.

    First, To beware of all sin. The more you have the mark of a blessed man: 1 John ii. 1, 'These things I write unto you, that you sin not.' Though you have a pardon and cleansing by the blood of Christ, though you have an advocate, yet sin not. Now the motives to set on this caution are taken from God, from ourselves, from the nature of sin.

  • 1. From God. Sin not. Why? Because it is an offence to God. Consider how contrary sin is to all the persons in the Trinity. To God the Father as a lawgiver, being a contempt of his authority, 1 John iii 4. Sin is anomia, 'a transgression of the law,' that is, an act of disloyalty and rebellion against the crown of heaven. Open sin doth as it were proclaim rebellion and war against God; and privy sin is conspiracy against him. All creatures have a law: Ps. cxlviii. 6, 'Thou hast set to them a decree, beyond which they cannot pass.' And they are less exorbitant in their motions than we are. It is a greater violation to the law of nature for man to sin, than for the sea to break its bounds. The creatures have not sense and reason, yet they do not pass beyond the law which God hath set them. This should prevail with the new creature especially, whose hearts God hath suited to the law, so that they offer a violence to their own conscience. Take heed of entering into the lists with God, of despising his authority. Every sin that is committed slights the law which forbids it: 2 Sam. xii.9, 'Wherefore despisest thou his commandments?' God stands much upon his law, - one tittle shall not pass away, - and you despise it, go about to make it void, when you give way to sin. Nay, it is an abuse of his love: 1 John iii. 1, 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath showed us;' you are children and sons of God, and will you slight his love? Your sins are like Absalom's treason against his father. The Rechabites are commended for keeping their father's command, Jer. xxxv. Set pots before them, etc. - No, our father hath forbidden us to drink wine. Their father was dead, but ours is living; will you that are sons renounce God, and side with the devil's party and commit sin, - you to whom the Father hath showed such love that you should be called his children? Then it is a wrong to Jesus Christ - to his merit, to his example. To his merit. Christ came to take away sin, and will you bind those cords the faster which Christ came to loosen? Then you go about to defeat the purpose of his death, and put your Redeemer to shame. You seek to make void the great end for which Christ came, which was to dissolve sin. And, besides, you disparage the worth of the price he paid down; you make the blood of Christ a cheap thing, when you despise grace and holiness; you make nothing of that which cost him so dear - you lessen the greatness of his sufferings. And it is a wrong to his pattern. You should be 'pure as Christ is pure,' 1 John iii. 3; and ver. 7, be 'righteous as he is righteous.' You should discover what a holy person Christ was, by a conformity to him in your conversation. Now, will you dishonour him? What a strange Christ will you hold forth to the world, when his name is upon you - will you give way to sin and folly? And it is a wrong to God the Spirit, a grief to him. His great and first work was to wash us from sin, Titus iii. 5. You forget that such a work was past upon your hearts, and that you 'have been purged from your old sins,' when you return to them again, 2 Peter i.9; and his constant residence in the heart is to check the lusts of the flesh, to prevent the actings of sin. 'If ye through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live,' Rom. viii. 13 ; therefore you go about to make void his personal operation. Thus it is a wrong to God.
  • 2. By an argument drawn from ourselves; it is very unsuitable to you. We profess ourselves to be 'regenerate' and born of God: 1 John iii. 9, 'He that is born of God cannot sin.' It is not only contrary to thy duty, but to thy nature, as thou art a new creature. It were monstrous for the egg of one creature to bring forth a brood of another kind, for a crow or a kite to come from the egg of a hen. It is as unnatural a production for a new creature to sin; therefore you that are born of God, it is very uncomely and unsuitable. Do not dishonour your high birth.
  • 3. Consider the nature of sin; if you give way to it, it will encroach further. Sins steal into the throne insensibly; and being habituated in us by long custom, we cannot easily shake off the yoke or redeem ourselves from their tyranny. They go on from little to little, and get strength by multiplied acts. Therefore we should be very careful to avoid all sin.
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    The second part of the caution is, beware of gross sins, committed against light and conscience. When we are tempted to sin, say with Joseph: Gen. xxxix. 9, 'How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God?' The more of deliberation and will there is in any action, the sin is the fouler. Consider, foul sins are a blot that will stick long by us. See 1 Kings xv. 5; it is said, 'David walked in all the ways of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.' Why, there were many other things wherein David failed; you read of his diffidence and distrust in God: 'I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul.' We read of his dissimulation, and feigning himself mad in the company of the Philistines. We read of his injustice to Mephibosheth, his fond affection to Absalom, his indulgence to Amnon. We read of his numbering the people, which cost the lives of thousands all on a sudden: all these are great failings, but these are not taken notice of; but the matter of Uriah left a scar and blot that was not easily washed off.

    Thirdly, Beware of continuance in sin. How may we continue in sin? In what sense? Three things I shall take notice of in sin - culpa, reatus, macula; there is the fault, the guilt, the blot; and then we continue in sin, when the fault, the guilt, or blot is continued upon us.

  • 1. The fault is continued when the acts of it are repeated, when we fall into the same sin again and again. Relapses are very dangerous, as a bone often broken in the same place; you are in danger of this, before the breach be well made up between God and you; as Lot doubling his incest: to venture once and again is very dangerous.
  • 2. The guilt doth continue upon a man till serious and solemn repentance, till he sue out pardon in the name of Christ. Though a man should forbear the act, never commit it more; yet unless he retracts it by a serious remorse, and humbleth himself before God, and sueth out his pardon in a repenting way, the guilt continues. 'If we confess' - he speaks to believers - then sin is forgiven, not otherwise.
  • 3. There is the macula, the blot, by which the schoolmen understand an inclination to sin again; the evil influence of the sin continueth until we use serious endeavours to mortify the root of it. When we have been foiled by any lust, that lust must be more mortified. For instance, Jonah, he repented for forsaking his call, when he was cast into the whale's belly; but the sin broke out again, because he did not mortify the root; what was that? - his pride. So that it is not enough to bewail the sin, but we must lance the sore, and discover the root and core of it before all will be well. A man may repent of the eruption of sin, the former act, but the inclination to sin again is not taken off. Judges xvi. 2. Sampson loves a woman of Gaza, and she had betrayed him; but by carrying away the gates of the city he saves his life: possibly upon that experience he might repent of his folly and inordinate love to that woman. Ay! but the root remains: therefore he falls in love with another woman, with Delilah. Therefore if you would do what is your duty, you must look to the fault, that that be not renewed; the guilt, that that be not continued by omission of repentance: and that the blot also do not remain upon you, by not searching to the root of the distemper, the cause of that sin by which we have been foiled. So much for the first part of the text, They do no iniquity.
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    The second note is, they walk in his ways. This is the positive part; not only avoiding of sin, but practice of holiness, is implied.
    Observe -

    Doct. 2. It is not enough only to avoid evil, but we must do good. 'They do no iniquity;' then 'they walk in his ways.' Why?

  • 1. The law of God is positive as well as negative. In every command there are precepts and prohibitions, that we might own God, as well as renounce the devil; and maintain communion with him, as well as avoid our own misery: Amos v. 15, 'Hate the evil, and love good;' Rom. xii. 9, 'Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.'
  • 2. The mercies of God they are positive as well as privative. Our obedience should correspond with God's mercies. Now, God doth not only deliver us from hell, but he hath called us to glory. John iii. 16, The end of Christ's coming is, that we should 'not perish' (there is the privative part), but 'come to everlasting life' (there is the positive). In the covenant God hath undertaken to be 'a sun and a shield,' Ps. lxxxiv. 11; not only a sun, which is the fountain of life and vegetation and blessing, but a shield to defend us from danger in the world; therefore our obedience should be positive as well as privative.
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    Use. It reproves those that rest in negatives. As it was said of the emperor, he was rather not vicious than virtuous. Many men, all their religion runs upon nots: Luke xviii. 11, 'I am not as this publican. That ground is naught, though it brings not forth briers and thorns, if it yields not good increase. Not only the unruly servant is cast into hell, that beat his fellow-servant, that ate and drank with the drunken,but the idle servant, that wrapped up his talent in a napkin. Meroz is cursed, not for opposing and fighting, but for not helping, Judges v. 23. Dives did not take away food from Lazarus, but he did not give him of his crumbs. Many will say, I set up no other gods; ay! but dost thou love, reverence, and obey the true God? In the second commandment, I abhor idols; but dost thou delight in ordinances? I do not swear and rend the name of God by cursed oaths; ay! but dost thou glorify God and honour him? I do not profane the Sabbath; but dost thou sanctify it? Thou dost not plough and dance; but thou art idle, toyest away the Sabbath. Thou dost not wrong thy parents; but dost thou reverence them? Thou dost not murder; but dost thou do good to thy neighbour? Thou art no adulterer; but dost thou study temperance and a holy sobriety in all things? Thou art no slanderer; but art thou tender of thy neighbour's honour and credit as of thy own? Usually men cut off half their bill, as the unjust steward, when he owed a hundred, bade him set down fifty. We do not think of sins of omission. If we are not drunkards, adulterers, and profane persons, we do not think what it is to omit respects to God, and want of reverence to his holy majesty; to delight in him and his ways.

    In the next place, take notice of the notion, by which the precepts of God are expressed; here they are called ways, 'that walk in his ways;' how is that ? - not as he hath given us an example, to be holy as he is holy, just as he is just; but his ways are his precepts. Why are they his ways? Because they are appointed by God, and prescribed by him. Which shows the evil of defection and going astray from him. It is a despising God's wisdom and authority. The great and wise God hath found out a way for the creature to walk in, that he may attain true happiness; and we must still be running out into bypaths; yea, it is a despising of his goodness: 'He hath showed thee, O man, what is good;' how to walk step by step. Then they are God's ways, as they lead to the enjoyment of him. From thence we may learn that many that wish to be where he is, shall never come there, because they do not walk in the way that leads to him. A man can never come to a place, that will not go in the way that will bring him thither: so they will never come to the enjoyment of God in a blessed estate, that will not take the Lord's way to blessedness, that follow not the course God hath prescribed to them in his word.

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