VeR. 39.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 413
shame of our miscarriages, real or supposed, redounds to Uod and religion itself. And therefore, when people are possessed and filled with prejudices against religious persons, they are possessed and filled with prejudices against the will of God and the unquestionable inter- ests of Christ Jesus ; and the world, that hates God, Christ, and religion, will presently say, These are your professors, and this is your profession ! Therefore, since the credit of religion lieth much in it, grace teacheth us to value it. Besides, too, their safety lies in it ; for by defaming the worshippers of Christ they make way for greater persecutions ; and Satan is usually first a liar, and then a murderer, John viii. 44 ; and when their slanders abound, troubles will not long be kept out. As heretofore they invested the primitive Christians with bears' skins, and then baited them as bears, so they represent them to the world as a vile and infamous sort of men, and then the persecution is the better countenanced. First they smite with the tongue, and then with the fist of wickedness ; and therefore their safety lies very much in this. And as their safety, so grace teacheth us to value it upon other accounts — their usefulness. Nature desires a good name, but it is for their own conveniences. But the children of God, if they desire a good name, it is to honour God ; and that is the difference between vainglory or a desire of the good opinion of others. If it terminate in self-respects, it is vainglory ; but if the heart be pure and right in order to God, then it comes from grace. A blemished instrument will be of little use. Most would refuse to take their meat from a leprous hand. It is Satan's policy, when he cannot discourage instruments from the work of God, then lie seeks to blemish them and blast them. The apostle tells us that those which are called to public office, they should be very careful of their credit, that they may promote their work ; for he puts down this as one of their qua- lifications : 1 Tim. iii. 7, ' He must have a good report of them that are without, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.' In- terpreters differ a little how 8ia/36Xo9, which we translate devil, is to be interpreted. Either it signifies devil or slanderer ; both senses are good; lest he fall into the snare of the devil, or the snare of the slan- derer. The devil hath his spies that watch over us, and they have set their snares, and watch for your halting, that so the service may be blemished, and the gospel obstructed and hindered. Well, then, grace prizeth a good name because of the consequences, and because the Lord's honour and our safety and service are concerned in it.
Use 1. First, Here is advice to the person reproached. 0 Christians 1 acknowledge God in the affliction, if this be your lot and portion. David goes to God to stop it there ; it is best stopped with God : ' Turn away my reproach.' It is a great and grievous affliction, but in all things God hath an aim. Look, what is said of afflictions in general may be applied to this particular of reproaches. Now what is God's aim and end in afflictions ? In general, ' to try, purge, and make white,' Dan. xi. 35 ; or, as it is Deut. viii. 16, *To humble thee, and prove thee, and do thee good at the latter end.' Let us take that method ; here is God's end : —
First, To humble thee. Carnal men may shoot at rovers, but many times we find ourselves pricked at heart. Slanders may revive the
414 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XLIY.
sense of guilt. They may intend harm, but you should receive good by this as by every affliction. Pkitarch, in his excellent treatise of profiting by a man's enemies, illustrates it by this comparison of Jason, who had an imposthume let out by the dart of his enemy. They may fling darts at random, and intend harm, but you shall get good by it. Surely there is some special cause when the Lord per- mits this, when volleys of reproaches shall follow one after another ; therefore he suffers others to judge you, to awaken you to self-judging. Mind this, and you will be no losers by reproaches. Well, enter into your own hearts, search them thoroughly ; see what it is God aims at, whether there be any way of wickedness in you that hitherto you have not discovered ; and when you come to see this sink of sin, then your enemies do but help to humble you. Many times the voice of a slanderer may do that which the voice of a preacher cannot do. And the truth is, there is such a wantonness, such a presumptuous headi- ness in the professors of religion, that the word cannot reclaim them, they are so radicated in certain sins ; and therefore God will follow you with sharp reproaches of his enemies, and doth at this time, to call you to a more serious judging yourselves, to see your factious headiness, which certainly doth predominate among God's professing people.