[2.] The evil done him, they 'have robbed me.' A man may suffer in his name by slander, in his dwelling by his exile, in his liberty by imprisonment, in limbs or life by torture and execution, in his estate by fine and confiscation. IMany are the troubles of the righteous ; this last is here intended. There are the depredations of thieves and robbers, but they do not spoil for religion's sake, but the supply of their lusts ; the plunderings of soldiers by the license of war, when laws cease, so men are robbed or have their goods taken from them by violence ; or else it may be by pretence of law, by fine and confiscation, as it is said: Acts viii. 3, 'Saul made havoc of the churches, and entering into every house, haling men, committed them to prison ; ' Acts ix. 1, ' Saul, breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples, desires letters of the high priest, that if he found any of this way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.' At that time the favourers of the gospel suffered much rapine and spoil of goods. Applying it to David's case, some think it fulfilled when the Amalekites spoiled Ziklag, 1 Sam. xxx., and took the women captives, and the spoil of the city. Some understand it of the time when Absalom and his party rifled his house and defiled his concubines, 2 Sam. xv.
VeR. 61.] SERMONS UrON PSALM cxix. 153
2. His constancy. No calamity had wrought upon liim so far as to forsake God's truth, or go against his conscience in anything.
Doct. That no temporal loss which can accrue to us by the violence of evil men should make us forsake our duty to God.
1. That this temptation may be greater or less as it is circum- stantiated. It is here represented by David by this word, the bands or the troops of the wicked, which implieth —
[1.] Their multitudes. One froward wicked man may do much harm in his neighbourhood, as there are some whom God reserveth as scourges to his people and goads and thorns to their sides ; but when many rise up against us, the temptation is the greater : Ps. iii. 1, ' Lord, how are they increased which trouble me ? many are they which rise up against me.' The sincere are but few themselves, and they have many enemies: 1 John v. 19, 'We know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.' There was a whole world against a handful of Christians, but we must not ' follow a mul- titude to do evil,'
[2.] Their confederacy, ' The bands of the wicked : ' Ps. Ixxxiii. 5-7, ' They have consulted together with one consent, they are con- federate against thee, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek.' Though the wicked be at enmity one with another, yet they will all agree to destroy the people of God.
[3.] These were set on mischief ; for the bands of the wicked are spoken of here as a society opposite to that which is spoken of after- wards, ver. 63, ' I am a companion of them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy commandments.' There are two seeds which have enmity one against another, ' the seed of the woman,' and ' the seed of the serpent,' Gen. iii. 15. The far greatest part of the world live an ungodly sensual life, and therefore cannot endure those that give an example of a holy self-denying life, John xv. 19 ; therefore the life of godliness is usually made matter of common hatred, scorn, and opposition, for the sensual and ungodly cannot endure the godly and the heavenly. The more exactly any man setteth himself to obey God, the more he crosseth the lusts and carnal interests of the wicked, and so the more he commonly soffereth in the world. The world is full of malice and prejudice against them ; they slander them, oppress them, represent them under an odious character ; and they often meet with disturbances from the assaults and injuries of wicked men.
[4.] The hurt they did him was spoiling and taking away the con- veniences of the temporal life, they 'robbed me.' Though it go no further, yet to be deprived of those necessary and convenient comforts is matter of sorrow in itself. It goeth near to the hearts of worldlings to part with them, and therefore by this means they think to dis- courage the people of God ; and many times God permitteth it that their lives, liberties, and estates shall be much in their power : Ps. xliv. 10, ' They that hate us spoil for themselves.' God leaveth them in their hands to dispose of them at their pleasure, which is a great and sharp temptation to his people. The Amalekites ' left no susten- ance in Israel,' Judges vi. 4.
2. When a man is said to forsake his duty to God by such trials. [1.] When he loseth his patience and meek submission to his will.
154 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR, LXIX.
Thus the Lord tried Job by the Sabeeans and ChaldaBans, Job i. 15, 17, who ' took away his oxen, and camels, and all his stock; ' yet Job meekly snbmitteth to the Lord's will : ver. 21, ' The Lord hath <2;iven, and the Lord hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the Lord.' Not o XaXSalo^ a^rfKaro, but Job eyetli God both in giving and taking: if he take, he gave before, or else we had it not to lose. When we look to instruments we are full of wrath : a bucket of water cast upon us enrageth us more than a soaking shower that cometh from heaven. Let us see God, without whom nothing cometh to pass.