[3.] As to success and acceptance, obedience to God makes them a double blessing to the people — as governors, as holy ; as they have the natural image of God in dominion and authority : 1 Cor. xi. 7, ' Forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God,' which must be reverenced and respected, not resisted ; so the spiritual image of God in holiness : the people doubly see God in their rulers. And besides, it bringeth down God's blessings, while they command and the people obey in the Lord : 2 Kings xviii. 7, ' And the Lord was with him, and he prospered whithersoever he went forth.' Good magistrates are usually more prosperous than good men in a private condition, because they are given as a public blessing.
490 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LII.
Use 1. To inform ns that religion liath a great influence on the welfare of human societies ; for it equally respects governors and governed, carving out their respective duties to them, causing the one to rule well, and the other to obey for conscience' sake. The testi- monies of the Lord prescribe the duty of rulers : 2 Sam. xxiii. 3, ' He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.' There is a word belonging to either table ; justice to the second, fear of Grod to the first. Now all this duty is best learned out of God's testimonies. For the governed it interposeth express rules for their obedience: Eom. xiii. 1, 'Let every soul be subject to the higher powers;' and 1 Peter ii. 15, ' For so is the will of God, that with well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.' There are many argu- ments why we should reverence magistrates. They bear God's image : Ps. Ixxxii. 6, ' I have said ye are gods ;' visible representators of his authority and dominion over the creatures, because of their majesty, largeness of command and empire, and because of their use : they are exalted supra alios, above others in their authority ; but propter alios, for others in their use and benefit. But the supreme reason is the will of God. The magistrate was then an enemy to religion wliMi this commandment was given forth, even then when that part of the world in which the church Avas seated was under the command of Nero, whose universal wickedness and particular cruelty against the Chris- tians might tempt them to disobedience and scorn of his authority : then God said, Obey ' not for fear of wrath, but conscience' sake ; ' then, ' Fear God, honour the king, for so is the will of God.' Now let atheists and anti-scripturists, or the enemies of those who profess to live by scripture, think, if they can, that the Christian religion doth not befriend human societies, or doth contain dangerous jirinciples to government.
Use 2. It showeth us what to pray for, for our princes and governors, even a wise and an understanding heart, and a spirit of the fear of the Lord, that they may rule for God, and take his blessing along with them in all their affairs.
Doct. 2. That God's testimonies are so excellent that we should not be afraid or ashamed to own them before any sort of men in the world ; for David saitli, ' I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.'
First, Observe, here are two things supposed which might shut his mouth and obstruct the confidence and boldness of his profession — fear and shame. Fear represents danger in owning the ways of God ; shame represents mockage, scorn, and contempt. Fear consideretli our su2)eriors and governors ; we fear them that have power and authority in their hands. Shame may arise not only from the consideration of superiors, but inferiors and equals also. Fear respects the danger of the party professing ; shame, the cause or matter professed. There- fore, of the two, to be ashamed of the ways of God doth more destroy godliness than to be afraid to own them, for then it is a sign we are not so soujidly convinced, and deeply possessed of the goodness of them ; for, Pudor est conscientia iurpitudinis — it is a consciousness of something that is base. Look, as, on the contrary, to be ashamed of sin doth more wound it to the heart than to be afraid of sin, many a
Ver. 4G.] sermons upon psalm cxix. • 491
man is apprehensive of the clanger of sin, who yet dolh not hale it in his heart, but only abstaineth out of the fear of punishment ; but when he is ashamed of sin, then he beginneth to hate sin as sin. In con- version, fear is stirring before shame ; aS a man sick of a loathsome painful disease is more and first affected with the pain than wdth the Hastiness and filthiness and putrefaction that accompanieth the disease. So here, in religion ; as the case is hopeful when ashamed of sin, so dangerous when ashamed of a strict holy course. A man may be W'illing to do that which he dares not do for fear ; but shame extin- guisheth the willingness itself. In short, to be afraid respects our interest ; to be ashamed respects the cause, the gospel itself.