This shame may be considered either with respect to their own hearts, or the world, or before God at the day of judgment.
Yer. 6.] SERMONS upox PSAL:\r cxix. 59
1. With respect to tlieir own hearts ; and thus the upright and sincere shall not be ashamed. There is a generous confidence be- wrayed in duties, in troubles, and in death. (1.) In duties. They can look God in the face ; uprightness giveth boldness ; and the more respect we have unto the commandments, the greater liberty have we in prayer : 1 John iii. 21, ' If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.^ But when men walk crookedly and loosely, they sin away the liberty of their hearts, and cannot come to God with such a free spirit. A man that hath wronged another, and knoweth not how to pay, cannot endure to see him ; so doth sin work a shyness of God. (2.) In troubles and afflictions. ISTothing sooner abashed than a corrupt conscience ; they cannot hold up their heads when crossed in the Avorld ; a burden sits very uneasy upon a galled back ; their crosses revive their guilt, are parts of the curse ; therefore they are soon blank. But now a godly man is bold and courageous. Two things make one bold, innccency and independency ; and both are found in him that hath a sincere respect to God's commandments. Innocency, when the soul doth not look pale under any secret guilt, and when we can live above the creatures, it puts an heroical spirit or lion-like boldness into the children of God. (3.) In death. To be able to look death in the face, it is a comfort in 3-our greatest distresses. AVhen Hezekiah was arrested with the sentence of death -in the mouth of the prophet, here was his comfort and support, ' 0 Lord, thou knowest that I have walked before thee with a perfect heart.' And Job xiii. 15, ' Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.'
2. Before the world, a man will be able to hold up his head that is sincei-e. It is true, he may be reproached and scoffed at, and suffer disgrace for his strictness ; yec he is not ashamed. Though we dis- please men, yet if we ])lease God, it is enough, if we have his approba- tion : 1 Cor. iv. 3, ' With me it is eXd-^t'Cnov, a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment.' To depend on the words of man is a foolish thing. There is more ground of rejoicing than of shame. You have the approbation of their consciences, when not of their tongues. In the issue God will vindicate the righteous- ness of his faithful servants : Ps. xxxvii. 6, ' He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.' There will be no cause in tlie issue for a Christian to repent of his strict observance of God's commands.
3. Before God at the day of judgment : 1 John ii. 28, 'And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have con- fidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.' He is the brave man that can hold up his head in that day. Wicked men will then be ashamed — (1.) Because their secret sins are then divulged and made public : 1 Cor. 4, 5, ' Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Avill who both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manife.'^t the counsels of the heart, and tlien shall every man have praise of God.' (2.) Because of the frustration of their hopes. Disappointment bringeth shame. Some do many things, and make tuU account of their acceptance with God and reception to glory ; but when all is disappointed, how much are they confounded ! Rom. v. 5, ' Hope maketh not ashamed,' because it is not frustrated. (3 ) By the con-
GO SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. VIJ.
tempt and dishonour God puts upon them, banisliing them out of his presence. They become the scorn of saints and angels : Dan. xii. 2, ' And many of them that sleep in the dust shall arise, some to ever- lasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.' But now the godly are bold and confident : Ps, i. 5, ' The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the right- eous ; ' but the gixlly shall lift up their head with joy and rejoicing.
Now the reasons of this.
Where sin is not allowed, there is a threefold comfort. (1.) Justifi- cation : 1 John i. 7, ' But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.' It is an evidence that giveth us the comfort. He hath failings, but they are blotted out for Christ's sake. (2.) It is an evidence of sanctification, that a work of grace hath passed upon us : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward ; ' Heb. xiii. 18, ' We trust that we have a good conscience, willing in all things to live honestly.'' A universal purpose and an unfeigned respect hath the full room of an evidence. (3.) A pledge of glory to ensue: Rom. V. 5, 'And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.