4. Persecutions from pseudo-Christians will also be hot and violent: Rev. xiv. 13, ' AVrite from henceforth, saith the Spirit, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.' Why, the dead that die in the Lord ? they were always blessed from the beginning of the world ; why such a solemn notice from heaven ? Why from henceforth ? The meaning is this: those that suffered under pagan persecutions, all Christians would call them blessed that died in the Lord. Ay ! but now, when the persecutions began under the pseudo-Christians, blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from henceforth still. Nay, the persecu- tions here are greater than the pagan, and of longer continuance. Why? Because they have a show of Christ's authority, as the ]:)east in the Reve- lations had horns like a lamb; that beast which spake like a dragon, deceived the nations, enchanted the world with her witchery and sorcery, that beast had a pretence of the authority of Christ, Rev. xiii. 11. And the purity of Christians is greater, and so more enraging; and the great quarrel in the latter ages of the world is about a temporal
122 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SeR. CXIX,
interest. The spirit of the world is the spirit of antichristianism, and all those that hang npon lier are of the S})irit of the world : 1 Jolni iv. 5, 'They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the Avorld lieareth them.' Now, when these are contending for the world, this doih exceedingly inflame and heighten the rage against those that would endanger their worldly interest. You see there is cause to think that God will expose us also to our trials ; therefore we should be forewarned and prepared for these things that they may not come upon us unawares.
Use 2. If God's people are put into sucli a condition that they carry their lives in their hands, then learn from hence, that if we have greater security for our lives and interests, we ought more to bless God and to improve the season. It is a great mercy that we have laws to secure our religion and our interests, that we have Christian and Pro- testant magistrates to execute those laws, that we may in safety worship God in the public assemblies, and we ought to bless God. But then, if this be our condition, there are three duties required of us : —
1. To acknowledge God in this mere}', for it is he that hath- the hearts of magistrates in his own hands: Pro v. xxi. 1, ' The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord ; as the river of waters, he turneth it whithersoever he will.' Their thoughts, their designs, inclinations and aversations are in God's hands. And as God hath power, so hath he promised this blessing, Isa. xlix. 23, that he will give ' kings to be nursing fathers, and queens nursing mothers.' Well, there is a power and a promise. What follows then ? Only that we praise God for so much of it as we have, and that we pray to God still for more, that we may, under our kings and governors, 'lead godly and quiet lives,' 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2 ; and therefore, if we have greater security for our lives and interests, God must be acknowledged.
2. Be so much the more in active obedience: Acts ix. 31, 'Then had the churches rest.' And what then ? ' And they walked in the fear of God, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.' When you have a, good day, you should improve it well ; when we may walk up and down in the security of laws, and serve God freely, oh ! let us serve him much ; we are not called to renounce our interests, therefore let us mortify our lusts. Fires are not kindled about us to consume our bodies, therefore let the fire of God burn up our lusts. If the saints are to quit their well-being, certainly it should not be grievous to us to part with our ill-being, with our sins for God's service. Look, as Salvian de Gub. lib. iii., saith, when our kings are Christians, and religion is not troubled by them, now God calls us to be more pure and holy in our conversations ; now we do not shift for our lives, let us avoid occasions of evil ; now we are not cast into prisons, let us con- fine ourselves to our closets, that we may serve God more cheerfully there.
8. Bear the lesser troubles with more patience, when this is not our condition, that our lives are carried in our hands from day to day. It was never so well with the people of God, that if not in kingdoms, yet in families, in parishes, in lesser societies there will be some conflict ; now these we sliould bear with more patience, because the children of God are exposed to that condition that they have carried their lives in
VeK. 109.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 123
their hands from day to day : Heb. xii. 3, ' Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds/ You are not called unto a ' resistance to blood/ As Julian the apostate said to one, If he was so offended with their taunts, what would he be with the darts of the Persians ? If we can- not suffer a reproach, and an angry word for Christ ; if we murmur when we are a little slighted and forgotten by men, and left out of the tale of the world, oh ! what would we do if we were called to suffer greater things ? Jer. xii. 5, ' If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horsemen ? ' that is, if thou canst not endure the scorn, reproach, and opposition of a few private wicked men that stand upon even ground with thee, hovs^ canst thou contend with horses, when there are other manner of O2ipositions ?