Doct. That a Christian should not suffer himself to be flouted out of his religion, either in whole or in part ; or no scorn and contempt cast upon us should draw us from our obedience to God.
VeR. 51.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 41
In the managing of it observe —
1. That a holy life is apt to be made a scorn by carnal men.
2. That this, as it is a usual, so it is a grievous temptation.
3. That yet this should not move us either to open defection or par- tial declining.
First, That a holy life is apt to be made a scorn by carnal men, and they that abstain from iniquity are as owls among their neigh- bours, the wonder and the reproach of all that are about them. To evidence this, I shall give you an account of some of the scorns which are cast upon religion, with the reasons of them.
1. Some of the scorns are these : —
[1.] Seriousness in religion is counted mopishness and melancholy. When men will not flaunt it and rant it, and please the flesh as others do, but take time for meditation, and prayer, and praise, then they are mopish.
[2.] Self-denial, when, upon hopes of the world to come, they grow dead to present interests, and can hazard them for God, and can for- sake all for a naked Christ ; the world thinketh this humorous folly. To do all things by the prescript of the word, and live upon the hopes of an unseen world, is by them that would accommodate themselves to present interests counted madness.
[3.] Zeal in a good cause is in itself a good thing (Gal, iv. 18, ' It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing'), but the world is wont to call good evil. As astronomers call the glorious stars by horrid names, the serpent, the dragon's tail, the greater or lesser bear, the dog-star ; so the world is grossly guilty of misnaming. God will not be served in a cold and careless fashion. See Rom. xii. 11, ^eovTe<i irvevfxart, ' fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.' But this will not suit with that lazy and dull pace which is called temper and moderation in the world.
[4.] Holy singularity ; as IsToah was an upright man in a corrupt age : Gen. vi. 9, • Noah walked with God.' And we are bidden ' not to conform ourselves to this world,' Rom. xii. 2. Now, because they would have none to upbraid them in their sins, and to part ways, and the number of the godly is fewer, they count it a factious singularity in them that walk contrary to the course of the world and the stream of common examples.
[5.] Fervour of devotion and earnest conversing with God in humble prayers is called imposture and enthusiasm. The world, who are wholly sunk in flesh and matter, are little acquainted with these eleva- tions and enlargements of the spirit, think all to be imposture and enthusiasm. And though praying by the Spirit be a great privilege, — (Jude 20, ' Praying in the Holy Ghost ;' Rom. viii. 26, ' Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; f 3r we know not what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself helpeth our infirmities with groanings which cannot be uttered ; ' Zech. xii. 10, ' I will pour upon you the spirit of grace and of supplication') — yet it is little relished by them ; a flat dead way of praying suiteth their gust better. Christ compareth the duties of the gospel, fasting, with prayer in the Spirit, to new wine, which will break old bottles. Mat. ix. 17 ; but the duties of the Pharisees to old, dead, and insipid wine ; there is no life in them.
42 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LVIL
[6.] Serious speaking of God and heavenly things is, in the plirase of the world, canting. Indeed, to speak swelling words of vanity, or an unintelligihle jargon, betray eth religion to scorn; but a pure lip and speech seasoned with salt, and that holy things should be spoken of in a holy manner, our Lord requireth.
[7.] Faith of the future eternal state is esteemed a fond credulity by them who affect the vanities of the world, and the honours and plea- sures thereof. They are all for sight and present things, and Chris- tianity inviteth us to things spiritual and heavenly. Now, to live upon the hopes of an unseen world, and that to come, they judge it to be but foppery and needless superstition. Thus do poor creatures, drunk with the delusions of the flesh, judge of the holy things of God.
[8.] The humility of Christians, and their pardoning wrongs and forgiving injuries, they count to be simplicity or stupidness, though the law of Christ requireth us to forgive others, as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us.
[9.] Exact walking is scrupulosity and preciseness, and men are more nice than wise ; which is a reproach that reflecteth a mighty contempt upon God himself, that when he hath made a holy law for the government of the world, that the obeying of this law should be derided by professed Christians ; the scorn must needs fall on him that made the law, and gave us these commands. If he be too precise that imperfectly obeyeth God, what will you say of God himself, who com- mandeth more than any of us all performeth ? Thus the children of God are not only reproached as hypocrites, but derided as fools ; and it is counted as a part of wit and breeding to droll at the serious prac- tice of godliness, as if religion Avere but a foppery.