2. Another sin for which God humbles us is careless walking. When we are negligent, and do not take notice of the carnality that grows upon us, and the fleshly frame and temper of heart which breaks out into our lives, the Lord suffers others to reproach ; then they gather up our filth, that we may see what cause we have to take our ways to heart. Every man that would live strictly had need either of faithful
416 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR, XLIV.
friends or watchful enemies ; either faithful friends to admonish him, or watchful enemies to censure him ; they show us the spots in our garments that are to be washed off. Many times a friend is blinded with love, and grows as partial to us as we are to ourselves, will suffer sin upon us and not tell us of it ; then the Lord sets spies upon us to watch for our halting, Jer, xx. 10 ; and therefore we need go to God and pray : Ps. xxvii. 11, ' Lord, lead me in a plain path because of my observers.' They lie in wait and seek to take us tripping in aught they can. We can no more be without watchful enemies than without faithful friends. How ignorant should a man be of himself if others did not put him in mind sometimes of his failings ! There- fore God makes use of virulent persons in the world as a rod to thrash the dust out of our garments.
3. To humble us for our censuring. For if we have not been so tender of others' credit, the Lord makes us see the bitterness of the affliction in our own case, by giving us the like measure that we have meted unto others, Mat. vii. 1, 2, that is, we shall find others as hardly think of us as we have of them. Good thoughts and speeches of other men are the best preservative of our own good names. God will take care of them that are careful not to judge and censure. And therefore it is no great matter whether the report be true or false ; but a Christian is to examine, Have not we drawn it upon ourselves by slandering others ? for God usually payeth us home in our own coin. He that is much given to censuring seldom or never escapes great cen- sures himself. It is said in the Psalms, ' Let his own words grieve him,' that is, fall upon him. How do our own words fall upon us 2 Why, the Lord punisheth us for our censuring of others. Oh ! then, humble thyself before God for the reproaches thou hast cast upon others: Eccles. vii. 21, ' Take no heed to all the words spoken against thee, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee,' that is, speaking evil against thee. Hard sayings and speeches of others against us may put us in mind of God's just hand, of measuring to us as we have measured unto others ; and therefore we should be the more patient if they wrong us ; it is but in the like kind that we have wronged others. God will humble us for our censuring, which is so natural and rife, especially with younger, weak, and more unmortified persons.
Secondly, The Lord doth it, as to humble us, so to try us.
1. The first thing he will try in you by such a grievous affliction and such volleys of reproaches is your faith, when all the world is set to condemn you. What faith ?
[1.] Our faith in the great day of accounts, that is one great object of faith ; and when the world is set to condemn us, our faith is tried, to see if we can rest with the vindication we shall have in the day of our Lord. So much you may see, 1 Cor. iv. 3-5, ' But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness ; and then shall every man have praise of God.' Every man that deserves it, and is quali- fied for it, shall have praise with God. 'EXd')(^LcrTov, it was a very small thing to be judged of man's day, because he expected God's day for the clearing of all thino^s here in the world. Sin and error often
YeR. 39.] SERMONS UPON FSALM CXiX. 417
get the major vote, Tollite impios was tlie cry of the rabble against Christians. If there was any trouble it was for the Christians' salte. Take away the ungodly, meaning the Christians, because they denied the heathen gods. Now, what was their comfort ? The day of the manifestation of all things. So when we are looked upon as the pests of mankind, yet when we can comfort ourselves, there will come a day of the manifestation of the sons of God, that is enough, the great day of judgment is at hand, so this will set all things right again.