[4.] If we do not justify religion, we justify the world. It must needs be so, for these two are opposites, the carnal world and wisdom :
Mat. XI. 18, 19.] of her children. Ill
the carnal world must be condemned, and religion justified, or reli- gion will be condemned and the world justified. Some condemn the world : Heb. xi. 7, ' By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.' Some justify the world, as Israel justified Sodom: Ezek. xvi. 51, ' But thou hast multiplied thy abomi- nations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.' Their sin seemeth more excus- able ; you either upbraid their security and carelessness, or countenance it by your own practice ; your seriousness is a real rebuke to the carnal world ; your working out your salvation in fear and trembling up- braideth their security and carelessness ; your rejoicing in God con- demneth their carnal delight. When you are troubled about a vain thought, and are watchful against a light word, you condemn them for their looseness and wallowing in all filthiness : but if not, you justify the world, and harden the wicked in their prejudices, and cause them to hold up their course with the greater pretence. When you are wrathful, proud, sensual, turbulent, self-seeking, you are an occa- sion of stumbling unto them. Cyprian, in his book De Duplici Maktyrio, bringethin the heathens thus speaking: — Ecce quijactant se redemptos a tyrannide Saihance, qui prcedicant se mortuos mimdo, nildlo minus vincuntur a cupiditatibus suis, qucmi nos quos dicunt tenei'i sub regno Saihance. Quid prodest illis baptismus, quid prodest Spiritus Sanctus, cujus arbitrio dicunt se (emperari? &c. — ' Behold those that boast themselves to be redeemed from the tyranny of the devil, to be dead to the world, to have crucified the flesh : they are overcome by their base and brutish lusts, even as we are, whom they account to be still under the kingdom of the devil. What doth their baptism profit them ? what the Holy Ghost, whose direction they profess to live by ? Why should we trouble ourselves about changing our course, which is as good as theirs ?' So in Salvian's time, the heathens were wont to upbraid the Christians thus : Ubi est Catholica lex quam credunt? Ubi sunt pietaiis, et castitatis exempla quoi discunt? Evangelia legunt et impudici sunt. Apostolos audiunt, et inebriantur, Christum sequuntur, et capiunt, &c. — ' They talk of a holy Christ, and yet are unjust, unclean, wrathful, covetous ; of a meek patient Christ, and yet are rapacious and violent ; of holy apostles, and yet are impure in their conversations.' Our author goeth on thus : Sancta a Christianis fierent, si Sancta Christus docuisset; cestimari d cuUoribus potest iste qui colitur, quomodo bonus magister, cujus tarn malos esse videmus discipidosf — ' If their Christ were a holy, meek Christ, they would be better,' &c. And as carnal men now speak, For all their godliness and religion that they talk of, our life, and course, and dealings are as good, and honest, and justifiable as theirs.' Thus the wicked are justified in their way.
[5.] Christ will one day justify all his sincere followers before men, and angels, and devils : Luke xii. 8, ' Whosoever shall confess me, him shall the Son of man confess before the angels of God.' Let us justify his ways, and he will justify us, and our faith at length shall be found to praise, and glory, and honour. Christ will then wipe off
112 WISDOM IS JUSTIFIED OF HER CHILDREN. [MaT. XI. 18, 10.
all the aspersions which be cast upon the children of wisdom for godliness-sake, as faction, pride, singuhirity, hypocrisy; and that whicli was branded with such ignominious titles, will then be found to be the very wisdom of God.
[G.] Because of the necessity of justifying wisdom in the times we live in. It is said, 2 Peter iii. 3, ' In the last time there shall come scoffers and mockers, walking after their own lusts.' The last days shall be full of these profane scoffers. While truths were new, and the exercises of the Christian religion lovely, there was great concord and seriousness amongst the professors of the gospel, and then profane scoffers were rare and unfrequent. Before men's senses were benumbed with the customary use of religious duties, the notions of God were fresli and lively upon their hearts ; but afterwards, when the profession of Christianity grew into a form and national interest, and men were rather made Christians by the chance of their birth than choice and rational convictions, then the church was much pestered with this kind of cattle. Especially now are they rife among us, who live in the dregs of Christianity, when men are grown weary of the name of Christ, and the ancient severity and strictness is nuich lost, and the memory of those miracles and wonderful effects by which our religion was confirmed is almost worn out, or else questioned by men of subtle wits and a prostituted conscience. Therefore now mockers and men of atheistical spirits swarm everywhere, and it concerneth wisdom's children to justify it, and to maintain its former vigour and power.