JJae 3. If this be so usual and grievous an affliction, and that even to the children of God, and that not only upon the account of nature, but of grace, then it puts us upon seeking comfort against reproaches.
1. The witness of a good conscience within. If 3'ou be innocent, it is not against thee they speak, but against another, Avhom the slanderer takes thee to be. The hair will grow again though it be shaven, as long as the roots remain. A good conscience is the root of a good credit; and though the razor of censure hath brought on baldness, yet it will grow again. God will either turn their hearts or support thee under it.
2. Keproaches cannot make thee vile in God's sight. The world's filth many times are God's jewels. Many that were praised in the world are now in .hel], and many that were disgraced in the world are in great favour and esteem with God ; many times their contempt doth increase their esteem with God, and therefore they cannot hurt thee. They may persecute thee ; but if thou be patient, they cannot impose
214 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XXIV.
upon thee, and burden tliy cause in his eyes/ God doth not ask the world's vote and suffrage whether such and such shall be justified or received into glory, yea or nay. If they be infirmities and defects, humble thyself, and God will cover them, Ps. xxxii. 1. God is wont to scatter reproaches cast upon his children, as the sun scatters the clouds, Ps. xxxvii., and heaven will make amends for all.
3. The profit thou gainest by them, the watchfulness, the diligence, all this will be sweet. I might have given comfort against reproaches for religion. These are honourable, they are the reproaches of Christ, Heb. xi. 26 ; Heb. xiii. 13. It is as honourable before God as igno- minious before men. And we cannot expect better fare than our master : ' The disciple is not above his lord, nor the servant above his master : it is enough for the disciple to be as his lord, and the servant as his master,' Mat. x. 24, 25. We cannot expect to fare bet- ter than Christ did, and it is an honour to suffer as he did.
Again, if cripples mock us for going upright, let us pity them. The judgment of wicked men is depraved, not to be stood upon ; and this contempt one day will be cast upon themselves : Ps. xlix. 14, ' The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.'
SERMON XXIV.
Princes also did sit and speah against me : but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. — Ver. 23.
This psalm expresseth David's affection to the word, as the result of all that experience which he had of the comfort and use of it. In the present verse two things : —
1. David's trouble.
2. His remedy,
1. His trouble, princes did sit and speak against me.
2. The remedy that he used, hut thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
First, The evil wherewith he was exercised. There are several cir- cumstances produced by way of aggravation of his trouble : —
1. Who ? ' Princes also ;' his trial came not only from the contempt and reproach of base people, spoken of in the former verse, but from princes also, by whom are meant Saul's courtiers and counsellors.
2. How? ' Did sit;' not only when occasionally met together in private in their chambers or at their tables, but when they sat in council, or when they sat together on the seat of judgment, they con- sulted to ruin him ; or upon the throne (where nothing but just and holy should be expected) passed a judicial sentence against him.
3. What ? ' Did speak against me ;' it was not reproach only that troubled him, but the powers of the world gave false sentence against him. To be spoken of as an evil-doer is a less temptation than to be condemned as a malefactor.
Secondly, His remedy ; where observe —
1. The title he gives himself, but 'thy servant.' He speaketh
VeR. 23.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 215
modestly of himself, in the third person ; and fitly doth he say, ' thy servant.' We owe diity to a higher master, when they decree anything contrary to God's word.
2. His practice and exercise, ' Did meditate on thy statutes.' This is spolven for two reasons : —
[1.] That he was not discouraged by their opposition, but held to his duty ; he was maligned for God's word's sake, and yet kept up his respect to the word of God, and never left meditating therein.
[2J To show the way of his relief and cure under this trouble, by exercising himself in the word, which in the next verse he showetli yielded him a double benefit — comfort and counsel.
(1.) It was of use to comfort him and strengthen faith.
(2) To direct him that he might keep within the bounds of true obedience ; there being in the word of God both sweet promises and a sure rule.
Observe from the evil wherewith he was exercised : —
Doct. It is many times the lot of God's people that princes do sit and speak against them in councils and upon the throne of judgment.