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The Christian's Pursuit.

SERMON III.

PSAL. LXIII. 8.

My soul followeth hard after thee.

THIS is the language of a good man in his worst

frames; for when he has lost his nearness to God, he will be uneasy till he has again obtained it, and will follow after it with all his might. It is also his language in his best frames; for when he knows and enjoys most of God, he wants to know and enjoy more. But it may especially be considered as the language of an afflicted and seeking soul, not sinking under its burden, but earnestly breathing after deliverance, and supported by the prospect of obtaining it. Hence it follows, Thy right hand upholdeth me. Were it not for this, none could earnestly or effectually follow after God. It is his invisible hand which sustains the sinking soul, or it would be weary in the arduous pursuit, and faint under the discouragements it meets with by the way. The desires we have after God are raised by him, and the strength by which we persevere is received from "him. It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good plea

sure.

From the words of the text we may offer two general remarks.

(1.) That religion is heart work. It begins in the heart, and continues there as an operative and governing principle, till the christian is translated from earth to heaven. What is fasting, when rightly performed, but chastening the soul? (Psal. lxix. 10.) What are alms, when properly bestowed, but drawing out the soul, as well as dealing out bread to the hungry? (Isai. lviii. 10.) What is spiritual desire, but the soul's panting after God; and fervent prayer, but lifting up the soul to him, or pouring out the heart before him? (Psal. xlii. 1. xxv. 1. lxii. 8.) The apostle speaks of his serving God with his spirit; that is, sincerely and with his whole heart. And so the Psalmist in our text: My soul followeth hard after thee.

(2.) When God is withdrawn, nothing can content the real christian but his return. The whole world cannot satisfy him without God; nay, heaven itself would not satisfy him without the enjoyment of God. David had all that heart could wish; a kingdom, a crown, dutiful servants, loyal subjects, and riches in abundance; yet these could not afford him satisfaction without the divine presence. He found nothing in creatures that could fully meet the wants of an immortal soul. It is said in a certain place, that all Israel lamented after the Lord. By their sins they had provoked him to anger, and they were restless till they had recovered the tokens of his favour.

To enter more particularly on the subject, I shall consider what is implied in the soul's following hard after God-and then enquire the reasons of it.

I. Consider what is implied in the text.-Following hard after God, supposes

1. A previous acquaintance with him. An unknown good, be it ever so desirable in itself, cannot

be the object of desire. Hence when God shines into the heart, it is to give the light of the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus Christ, as the foundation of all gracious exercises, and especially as the source of all fervent desires after him. Towards men indeed, ignorance and indifference may go together; but with respect to God, ignorance and enmity are inseparable. Spiritual knowledge always begets love, and love begets desire; and the more intimate our knowledge is, the stronger will be our desire. As natural beauty attracts the eye, so moral beauty attracts the heart. The reason why true believers are graciously affected towards divine things, while others are not so, is because they see and understand them better than others, and in a way which others do not. Every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. (1John iv. 7.) Holy affections are not heat without light, but light and heat combined; the mind is both illuminated and sanctified.

2. Following hard after God is expressive of ardent and intense desires. It does not consist in cold and languid wishes, but insatiable longings after communion with God, and a conformity to his will. This is sometimes expressed by panting, thirsting, and even fainting. As the hart panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after thee, oh God-1 stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land—My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. The life of a christian may be said to consist in holy desire; and this is not only a good evidence of grace, but almost the only one which many good people possess: and indeed it is a bad sign when this earnestness of desire abates after a supposed conversion; for it is of the nature of true religion to seek its own encrease. Those who have tasted of the love of God will long for a more copious draught: those who have sipped at the stream

would fain drink at the fountain head: and, as an addition of fuel to the fire makes it burn more fiercely, so the desires of the christian will increase in proportion as they are gratified.

3. It implies laborious exertion: My soul followeth, it followeth hard after thee. Not earth, nor heaven merely, is the object of pursuit, but God himself. And the desires of a truly renewed soul are not sluggish and ineffectual: they lead him to the use of all appointed means, and to the exertion of his utmost endeavours till the object be obtained. Thus it was with the church of old: I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets; and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth. Like David's Worthies who broke through the host of the Philistines to fetch him water from the well of Bethlehem, so the seeking soul will break through a host of difficulties and discouragements to get at the fountain of life, that it may drink, and thirst no more. Those who follow hard after God will be much in prayer, embrace all opportunities of hearing the word, and leave no means untried in order to obtain the desired blessing. The language of such will be, One thing have I desired of the Lord: but it will not rest here: no, that will I seek after, with indefatigable industry and unconquerable resolution.

4. Perseverance in seeking. To follow, implies this; and to follow hard, implies it more strongly. It is as if the psalmist had said, 'Does God retire? I will pursue. Does he withhold the blessing? I will wrestle with him till I obtain it. He long waited to be gracious, and I will now wait till he is so.' Similar to the words of our text are those of the apostle: I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. This is not the language of despondency, but of hope. Despondency clips the wings of desire, and cuts the

sinews of exertion; but hope is a spur to activity, and an antidote against fainting. As it is said of the ways of the Lord towards his people, so it may be said of their ways towards him: In them is continuance. The soul of a christian cleaves to the precepts and the promises, the duties and the privileges of the gospel, but especially to God himself. As the loadstone attracts the iron, and can hardly be sepa rated from it, so does God attract the gracious heart, and causes it to cleave unto him. Genuine desire is ardent and persevering; and those who have come to God aright will never leave nor forsake him. If he withdraw from them, they will wait upon the Lord who hideth his face from the house of Jacob, and will look for him. His seeming slights shall only encrease their importunity.

II. We are to enquire the reasons why David thus followed hard after God.

1. Guilt and distress followed hard after him. In another psalm, where he speaks the same language, he assigns this as the reason. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, oh God -Oh my God, my soul is cast down within me: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me. Guilt drives wicked men from God, but good men nearer to him. When sin gives them no rest, they will give him no rest; but will go again and again, renewing their complaints, and repeating their solicitations, till at length the Lord says to them as to the woman of Canaan, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt; or, Go in peace, thy sins are forgiven thee. When David was overwhelmed with sin and sorrow, this is the way he would take; and the greater his distress, the more earnest would be his prayer. Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, oh Lord.

Lord, hear

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