Secondly, It is a grievous affiiction ; for the man of God, that was after God's own heart, he saith, ' The reproach which I so feared.'' It is called persecution, Gal. iv. 29 ; compare with Gen. xxi. 9, and you shall see it was mocking and reproach. The scourge of the tongue is one of the basest persecutions that the children of God are tried withal ; and they are called ' cruel mockings,' Heb. xi. 36. There is as much cruelty and as deep a wound many times made by the tongue of re- proach as by the fist of wickedness.
To confirm it by reasons. Pveproach must needs be grievous, because it is against nature, and against grace.
1. It is against nature. Contempt is a heavy thing to bear, and as honour is more grateful to some persons, so reproach is more grievous than many ordinary crosses. Many would lose their goods cheerfully, 3'et are grieved with the loss of their names. According to the consti- tution and frame of men's spirits so they are affected, some with shame more than with fear. There seems to be excellency and gallantry in sufferings which are honourable, and many can bear that; but the best spirits are deeply affected with shame, and disgraceful punishment is more dreadful than a painful one. Jesus Christ, that had all the innocent affections of human nature, and upon occasion showed them, he took notice of mockings and reproaches : Ps. xxii. 7, ' All they that see me laugh me to scorn ; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head.' A good name is more precious to some than life ; and possibly that may be the reason why these two are coupled togetlier, Eccles. vii. 1, ' A good name is better than precious ointment; and the dav
412 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XLIV.
of death than the day of one's birth.' The coupling of these two sentences together seems to intimate this, that men had rather die than lose their names. If a man die, his memory may be fragrant, he may leave his name behind him ; but it is more hateful to have their names and credit mangled than their flesh with sharp swords. Now it is grievous to nature ; there is somewhat of corruption in it. Now God knows how to strike in the right vein. The godly are not so mortified to their credit in the world many times, when they are mor- tified to other interests. And therefore God would try them in this way, and exercise them, that he may humble them, and fit them more for his own use. All that I have spoken is but to show it is a thing grievous to nature.
2. It must needs be grievous because grace concurs ; as the flood was the more violent, and did overspread the world, when not only the mouth of the great deep was opened below, but the windows of heaven above ; then the floods did swell, and overspread the whole world. I bring it to this purpose ; when the windows of heaven are opened above, when grace looks upon it as an affliction as well as nature, then the afflictions must needs be the more grievous. Now certainly grace concurs to the sense of our afiliction, for next to a good conscience there is not a greater blessing than a good name holily got. You may observe, usually he that is prodigal of his credit certainly will not be very tender of his conscience. Grace teachetli us to value a good name, partly because it is God's gift, a blessing adopted and taken into the covenant, as other such like blessings are. Promises are frequent, especially in the Old Testament, where heaven is sparingly mentioned. A good name is promised as ' the reward of the righteous, and the name of the wicked shall rot;' it is threatened as a punishment of the wicked ; for a good name is a shadow of eternity. When a man dies, his name he leaves behind him, which is a pledge of our living after death. Therefore the Old Testament abounds with pro- mises of this kind : he leaves a good name behind him, as spices when broken and dissolved leave an excellent scent. And partly too because' grace gives us a right judgment of all things. Now, it is represented in scripture as better than riches, Prov. xxii. 1. It is better, as in other respects, so in this ; it is a motive more pure and sublime than wealth, and in the operations of it it comes next to grace. A dreggy soul is for that which is more base, but grace teacheth us to value tilings. So Eccles. vii. 1 , ' A good name is better than precious oint- ment.' Aromatical ointments are things of great use and esteem among the Jews ; they are counted a chief part of their treasures : and so a good name is better than precious ointment ; that is, it is better than other riches, for this was a great part of their riches. And partly too another reason why grace teacheth us to prize it, be- cause of the great inconveniences which attend the loss of a good name, and the misrepresentation of the people of God to the world. The glory of God is much interested in the credit of his servants. When they pollute and shame themselves, the Lord is polluted in them : Ezek. xiii. 19, • Will tliey pollute me among my people ; ' and Jer. xxxiv. 16, 'Ye have polluted my name.' Christ, that will here- after be admired in his saints, will now be glorified in them. The