156 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. LXIX.
[3.] Our gain in Christ is more than our loss in tho world, both here and hereafter. So his promise : Mark s. 29, 30, ' Verily I say unto you., there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or ffither, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake and the gospel's, but he shall receive a hundred-fold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.' Our religion promiseth us spiritual recompense in this world, and eternal in tlie other, but exempteth us not from persecutions. He that hath a heart to quit anything for Christ, shall have it abundantly recompensed in the world, with a reward much greater in value and worth than that which he hath forsaken, sometimes more and better in the same kind ; as Job's estate was doubled, and Valentinian, that left the place of a tribune or captain of soldiers for his conscience, and got that of an em- peror. If not this, he giveth them a greater portion of his Spirit and the graces thereof, more peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and this is a hundred-fold better than all that we lose. Now this we have with persecution : John xvi. 33, ' These things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace ; in the world you shall have tribulation.' But then, for the world to come, then all shall be abundantly made up to us in eternal life, when we shall reign with Christ in his heavenly kingdom. This is all in all to a Christian ; that which is lost for God is not lost. Surely in heaven we shall have far better things than we lose here.
[4.] Because the wicked never overcome but when they foil us of our innocency, zeal, and courage. The victory of a Christian doth not consist in not suffering, or not fighting, but in keeping that which we fight for : a Christian is ' more than a conqueror,' Eom. viii. 37. Scias hominem Christo deditum mori posse, vinci nooi posse. He may lose goods, lose life, yet still he overcomes whilst he is faithful to his duty. Those that were ' as sheep appointed to the slaughter,' and ' killed all the day long,' they were oppressed and kept under, yet were ' more than conquerors.' The way to conquer is by patience and zeal, though we be trodden down and ruined ; not by getting the best of opposite factions, but by keeping a good conscience, and patience, and contentedness in sufferings. If God be honoured, if the kingdom of Christ be advanced by our sufferings, we are victorious : Eev. xii. 11, ' They overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.' That is an overcoming indeed, to die in the quarrel, and be the more glorious conquerors. As long as a Christian keepeth the faith, whatever he loses in the contest he has the best of it : 2 Tim. iv. 7, ' I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,' &c. Our victory is not to be measured by our prosperity and ad- versity, but our faithful adherence to God. Though the devil and his instruments get their will over our bodies and bodily interests, yet if he get not his will over our souls, we conquer, and not Satan. Christians have not only to do with men who strike at their worldly interests, but with Satan, who hath a spite at their souls : Eph. vi. 12, ' For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiri-
Ver. G1.] sermons upon tsalm cxix. 157
tual wickedness in high places.' God may give men a power over the bodily lives of his people, and all the interests thereof; the devil aimetli at the destruction of souls. He will let you enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, that deprive you of your delight in God and celestial pleasures. He can be content you shall have dignities and honours if they prove a snare to you ; if he seeketh to bring you to trouble and poverty, it is to draw you from God.
[5.] Fainting argueth weakness, if not nullity of grace : Prov. xxiv. 10, ' If thou faintest in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.' A zealous, constant mind will overcome all discouragements: 2 Tim. i. 7, ' For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind.' Trees, well rooted, will abide the blasts of strong winds. It is hard to those that are guided by flesh and blood to overcome such temptations, but to the heavenly mind it is more easy.
Use 1. Of information.
1. That loss of goods for adhering to God's word by the violence and rapine of evil-minded men is one temptation we should prepare for : such trials may come. Such as mind to be constant must pre- pare themselves to quit their goods. AVe all study to shift off the cross, but none studieth to prepare for the cross. Profession goeth at too low a rate when people leap into it upon the imjjulsion of carnal motives, or some light conviction or approbation. God taketli his fan in his hand, and the chafi' is distinguished from the solid grain. All love aSuTravov evayyiXcov, a cheap gospel : the gospel wall have many summer friends, gaudy butterflies, that fly abroad in the sun- shine ; but what cost are we content to be at for the gospels sake ?