462 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [!Ser. XLIX.
fill and unbelieving are put with murderers and sorcerers and idola- ters, and sent together to the lake that burnetii with fire and brim- stone, Eev. xxi. 8.
Use 1. To reprove them that think it to be enough to own the truth in their hearts, without confessing it with their mouths. This libertinism prevailed at Corinth, where they thought they might be present at idols' feasts, as long as in their consciences they knew that an idol was nothing. The apostle argueth against them, 2 Cor. vi., and concludes his argument thus : 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthi- ness of the flesh and spirit.' To pretend to serve God in my heart, whosoever thinks so mocketh God and deceiveth himself. He that warreth with the enemies of his prince, and is as forward in battle as any of the rest, can he say, I reserve the king my heart and affections ? Or when a woman prostituteth her body to another, will the husband be content with such an excuse, that she reserveth her heart for him ? God is not a God of half of a man : he made the whole body and soul, and will be served with both ; he bought both : 1 Cor. vi. 20, ' Ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits, which are God's.' Therefore you should not oiily love him in your hearts, but openly plead for him and maintain his quarrel. The devil asketh but Christ's knee : Mark iv. 9, ' Fall down and wor- ship me.' What ! were all the martyrs of God rash, inconsiderate, that suffered so many things rather than lose their liberty in God's service ? AVould we be content God should deal with us as we deal by him, glorify their souls only, love their souls, but punish their bodies eternally ?
2. Them that, though not tainted with this libertine principle, yet are afraid or ashamed to own the truth.
[1.] Some afraid because of troubles and persecution. Hath Christ endured so much for us, and shall we be afraid to own his truth ? God forbid ! If I would fear, whom should I be afraid of ? Mat. x. 28, ' Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul ; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.' Whom should a child fear, his father or the servants of his house ? So, whom should we fear, God or man, a prison or hell ?
2. Ashamed in peace and out of trouble, ashamed to own Christ in such company, or to speak of God and his word. 0 Christians ! shall we be ashamed to speak for him that was not ashamed to die for us, or count religion a disgrace which is our glory ? Would a father take it well that his son should be ashamed of him ? Are we ashamed of the gospel, the great charter of our hopes, the seeds of the new life, the power of God to salvation ? ' Kom. i. 16, 'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, which is the power of God to salvation.' Oh, shake off this baseness ! John v. 44, ' How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that comes from God only ? '
Use 2. To exhort us to confess with the mouth, and to own the truths we are persuaded of. And here I shall handle the case of profession.
1. How far it is necessary. It is a matter intricate and perplexed, and therefore I care not to comprise all cases, but to the most notable I shall speak.
VeR. 43.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 463
2. As to the manner how this profession is to be made.
1. How far we are bound to profess.
[1.] The affirmative.
[2.] The negative.
[1.] The affirmative.
(1.) It is certain that the great truths must be owned and publicly professed, or else Christ would not have a visible people in the world, dis- tinct from pagans and heathens. Our baptism bindeth us to this pro- fession, and to all practices consonant and agreeable with it : Eom. x. 10, ' With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.' To own Christ as the Saviour of the world, evidenced by his resurrection from the dead.
(2.) It is certain we must do nothing to contradict the truth in the smallest matters : 2 Cor. xiii. 8, ' We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.' Nothing contrary to the glory of God, or the pre- judice of the least truth, whatever it costs us.
(3.) In lesser truths, when they are ventilated and brought forth upon the stage, and God crieth out, Who is on my side, who ? we ought not to give up ourselves to an indifferency, to hide our profession for any danger : 2 Peter i. 12, ' Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.' The church of God is out of repair sometimes in one point, sometimes in another ; the orthodoxy of the generality of men is usually an age too short in things now afoot ; they go wrong, or forbear to give help to the church, be- cause the god of this world hath blinded their eyes. Fight Christ, fight antichrist, they are resolved to be lookers-on.