3. Of a mixed nature, both to entice by endangering, and endanger by enticing.
[1.] As when they put them upon such conditions as may tempt them to folly and sin. Some think the text verified in David, at that time when he said, 1 Sam. xxvi. 19, ' They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying. Go serve other gods;' meaning, they excited Saul to pursue him and persecute him, and forced him to flee into an idolatrous country, and so a snare laid to endanger his steadfastness in the true faith. It is a great temptation. Necessitas cogit ad turina — necessity is but an evil counsellor ; and this joined with the other temptation of bad company : Ps. cxx. 5, * Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kcdar.'
[2.] When they enact a law or statute, whereby to force them to sin or trouble ; as they had a plot against Daniel, either to make him neglect his God, or render him obnoxious to authority, Dan. vi. 7, 8. When they burden them with such laws and statutes as the godly cannot obey without sin, or refuse without danger ; they have their ends either to draw them to sin or suffer.
Now snares are laid by the wdcked : —
1. Because usually they excel in policy, craftiness, and worldly wit, are superior to God's children therein ; their whole hearts run that way, and their principle is entire and unbroken; and therefore our Lord Christ telleth us, Luke xvi. 8, ' For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.' They applaud themselves in their artifices, idolise their wit : Hab. i. 16, ' Sacrifice to their net, and burn incense to their drag;' therefore use it to the saints' destruction.
2. Because they are acted by Satan, who will ever be doing against the church, though to little purpose. Luke xxii. 3, the devil entered into Judas when he i)lotted against Christ. They learn their wiles from Satan, and conceive mischief by copulation with the great incu- bus of hell.
3. Their own hatred and malice against the people of God. Malice is a laying snares. Anger vents itself in a storm of words, or in
YeR. 110.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 129
some sudden violent action ; but hatred lurketh in the soul, and puts them that harbour it ujion plots and contrivances of revenge. The historian observetli of Tiberius, In maliiiam statim invectus est, &c. When Absalom hated Amnon, because he forced his sister, he plotteth how to take away his life, 2 Sam. xiii. 22.
Now, whence cometh this malice against the children of God ? Either by envy at their interests, or hatred at their holiness.
1. Envy at their interests, their esteem and respect in the world, when tliey come to be of any regard among men. Esther v. 9, Haman plotteth against Mordecai, because he sat in the king's gate : Ps. cxii. 9, 10, ' His horn shall be exalted with honour ; the wicked shall see it, and be grieved, and gnash with their teeth.' AVhen tlie gospel was like to get credit, Acts xvii. 5, the envious Jews raised an uproar. Pride is loath to stoop ; to see opposites in glory and power whets their malice, and they contrive how to root them out. Every man would have himself and his own faction admired and magnified. The Pharisees conspired to take Christ : John xii. 19, ' All the world is gone after him.' When religion prevaileth, and groweth in credit and fashion, it is deeply resented by naughty men.
2. Hatred at their holiness. ]\len cannot endure to be outstripped in religion, and therefore hate wha,t they will not imitate. Hatred is quick-sighted in revenge, full of plots and contrivances, and tickleth the soul with a delight in them ; but especially religious hatred, when a man hateth another for his godliness, when religion, instead of a party, becomes a judge, that which should restrain onr passions feeds them ; no hatred so great as tluit against the power of godliness. Cain, when he saw Abel so punctual in God's service, he plotteth to draw him into the field, 1 John iii. 12, and beginneth a discourse with him about providence and judgment to come, and rewards and punish- ments, and while Abel maintained God's j^art, Cain fell upon him and slew him.
To apply this. As these snares tend to our temporal destruction, so there is a double use to be made of them.
1. To trust God with our safety in the midst of so many snares. What shall we do ? Whatever remedy we have against violence, no man by his own foresight can find out all the snares that are laid for him ; therefore commit your safety spiritual and temporal to the Lord ; go to him and say, Ps. cxli. 9, ' Keep me from the snare they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.' Constant dependence upon God is necessary, for there can be no snare hidden from him who watcheth over us and our safety by night and by day. There is a double argument why we should trust God with our safety ; because of his wisdom, and because of his watchful providence. Because of his wisdom. Alas ! we are foolish and simple, and often betray ourselves into an evil condition ; but God is wise for them that are foolish : Ps. xxxvii. 12, 13, ' The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth : the Lord sliall laugh at him, for he seeth that his day is coming.' There is a wise God acting for a foolish people. I tell you, the wisdom of God for us is much greater than the wisdom of God in us. Where enemies deal proudly, God is above them ; where they deal craftily, God is beyond them. The