VeR. 22.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 205
(3.) It may be conceived thus, that his respect to God's word was not abated for this reproach. He still kept God's testimonies, how wicked soever he did appear in the eyes of the world. It is either an asser- tion of his innocency, or he shows the ground why this reproach came upon him ; or he pleads his respect to God, and his service was not lessened, whatever reproach he met with in the performance of it. The points from hence are many.
1. It is no strange thing that they which keep God's testimonies should be slandered and reproached.
2. As it is the usual lot of God's people to be reproached, so it is very grievous to them, and heavy to bear.
3. It being grievous, we may lawfully seek the removal of it. So doth David, and so may we, with submission to God's will.
4. In removal of it, it is best to deal with God about it ; for God is the great witness of our sincerity, as knowing all things, and so to be appealed to in the case. Again, God is the most powerful assertor of our innocency ; he hath the hearts and tongues of men in his own hands, and can either prevent the slanderer from uttering reproach, or the hearer from entertainment of the reproach. He that hath such power over the consciences of men can clear up our innocency ; there- fore it is best to deal wnth God about it; and prayer many times proves a better vindication than an apology.
5. In seeking relief with God from this evil, it is a great comfort and ground of confidence when we are innocent of what is charged. In some cases we must humble ourselves, and then God will take care for our credit. We must plead guilty when by our own fault we have given too much occasion to the slanders of the wicked : so Ps. cxix. 39, ' Turn away my reproach which I fear, for thy judgments are good.' 3Iy reproach, for it was in part deserved by himself, and therefore he feared the sad consequences of it, and humbles himself before God. But at other times we may stand upon our integrity, as David saith here, ' Turn away my reproach and con- tempt, for I have kept thy testimonies.'
These are the points which may be drawn from this verse ; but I shall insist but upon one of them, which, in the prosecution of it, will comprise all the rest ; and that is this —
Doct. That reproaches are a usual, but yet a great and grievous, affliction to the children of God. I will show —
1. They are a usual affliction.
2. They are a grievous affliction.
First, They are a usual affliction. Reproaches are either such as light upon religion itself, or upon our own persons.
1, Upon religion itself Sometimes the truth is traduced, and the way of God is evil spoken of, disguised with the nicknames of sedi- tion, heresy, schism, faction. Look, as astronomers miscall the glori- ous stars by the name of the dog-star, the bear, the dragon's tail, and the like — they put upon them names of a horrid sound — so do car- nal men miscall the glorious things of God, his holy ways ; they put an ill name upon them : Acts xxiv. 14, ' After the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers.' The Jews called Christianity a heresy, or an apostasy from the old religion ; and so
206 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XXIII.
do Papists call tlie Ileformation. Luther, when he was charged with apostasy from the fiiith, answered thus : I confess I am an apostate, but from the devil's cause ; I have not kept touch with the devil. Cant. V. 7, we read that the spouse's veil was taken from her by the watchmen ; so the comeliness of the church is taken away by the im- putations of evil men. Thus there may reproaches light upon religioQ itself.
2. On our persons ; and so either for religion's sake, or upon a pri- vate and personal respect.
[1.] For religion's sake ; and thus God's children liave been often calumniated. It is foretold by Christ as the lot of his people ; and therefore he provides against it: Mat. v. 11, ' Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.' Those who have no strength and power to inflict other injuries have these weapons of malice always in readiness. AVhen other kinds of persecutions and violences are re- strained, yet men take a liberty of censuring and speaking all man- ner of evil falsely of the children of God ; and ever this hath been verified in the experience of the saints. Their lives are a real reproach to the wicked, they do upbraid them ; and therefore, to be quits with them, the wicked reproach them by censures and calumniations. I shall give some instances. Moses had his portion of reproaches : Heb xi. 26,, ' Esteeming the reproaches of Christ better riches than the treasures, of Egypt.' Possibly the Holy Ghost means there when he was scoffed at for joining himself with so mean and afflicted a people ; they thought Moses was mad to quit all his honours. Christ himself was accused of the two highest crimes of either table — blasphemy and sedition : of blasphemy, which is the highest crime against the first table ; and of sedition, which is the highest crime against the second. And all that \\^11 be Christ's they must expect to bear his reproach : Heb. xiii. 13, ' Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.' The apostle alludes to the sacrifice of atone- ment, which was to be slain witliout the camp. So Jesus Christ was cast out of the city ; and we must be contented thus to be cast off by the world, to be cast forth from among men as vile and accursed, bearing Christ's reproach.