VeR. 121.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 245
make their acquisitions' firm and secure, but pass by the main care, which is to settle things upon a righteous foundation, and therefore they shall not flourish. So for iiosterity : Pro v. xi. 21, ' The seed of the righteous shall be delivered.' So Prov. xii. 7, * The wicked are overthrown and are not, but the house of the righteous shall stand ;' Prov. XX. 7, ' The just man walketh in his integrity ; his children are blessed after him.' All our care is for posterity, man multiplied, con- tinued ; in short, all manner of blessings : Prov. xxi. 21, ' He that f'olloweth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.' He findeth life : Prov. xi. 19, ' As righteousness tendeth to life, so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death;' Prov. xii. 28, ' In the way of righteousness is life, and in the pathway thereof there is no death.' Eighteousness ; he shall have righteous dealing from others. Honour ; he shall have a good name in the world, and be preferred when God thinks fit.
tlse. To press us to do judgment and justice —
1. As to our private dealing with others ; carry yourselves faith- fully, and make conscience of justice and equity.
[1.] Propound to do nothing but what is agreeable to righteousness and honesty : Prov. xii. 5, ' The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.' Our evil purpose spoils all. A good man erreth sometimes through ignorance, iucogitancy, or violence of temptation, overtaken or overborne ; but he doth not pro- pose to do evil, that is the property of the wicked.
[2.] Be always exercising righteousness, as God giveth opjiortunity and occasion : 1 John iii. 7, ' He that doth righteousness is righteous ; ' Ps. cvi. 3, 'Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doth righteousness at all times.' Justice must be observed in lesser things as well as in great, for where heaven and hell are concerned nothing is little, Luke xvi. 10. He that is faithful in that which is least, in oninimo, 6 ttio-to^ ev i\a-)(^LaT(p — he that is faithful in a little thing will not be unfaithful in anything. Many will be righteous in some thing, but in some others dispense with themselves.
[3.] Do not depart from your rule and resolution of just dealing upon any temptation whatsoever. Men resolve to be just, but when the temptation cometh, their resolution is shaken. Oh ! remember the greatest gain will not countervail your loss : Mat. xvi. 26, ' What is a man profited if lie shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' It will prove a poor bargain in the end; and there is no profit in what is gained unjustly; it is a certain loss, and so it will prove in the issue: Hab. ii. 9, 10, 'Woe unto him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil: thou hast consulted shame to thy house, and hast sinned against thine own soul.' You tiiink to avoid all emergent evils ; there needs no more to pull down the power and greatness of the oppressor than his studying to make it great ; nothing destroyeth it so much.
[4.] Take special heed to thyself that thou be not unrighteous when opr)ortunity is oftered, when put in jolaces of power and trust. Many are innocent because they have no opportunity to be otherwise. It is said, John xii. G, ' He was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what
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246 . SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXXXII.
was put therein.' When corrupt affections and suitable temptations and objects meet, then it is dangerous to the soul.
[5.] Take heed of covetousness : 1 Tim. vi. 10, ' The love of money is the root of all evil.' It will make a breach on thy duty when it is indulged ; therefore take away the lusts, and temptations will have less power over thee.
For motives —
(1.) Ilighteousncss is a christian's breastplate: Eph. vi. 14, 'And having on the breastplate of righteousness,' to defend the heart and vital parts. It keepeth the heart whole ; if the breast be covered with a firm resolution to shun whatsoever is evil and unjust, temptations will not pierce us. Unless you arm yourself with this resolution, you will lose comfort, and lose grace.
(2.) Consider how soon God brealceth in with a judgment when once men transgress righteousness : 1 Thes. iv. 6, ' Let no man go be- yond his brother, nor defraud his brother ; for God is the avenger of all such.' God, that is the patron of human society, will not suffer unrighteousness and injustice to go unpunished.
2. In your public engagements, see that you have a good cause and a good conscience, and in due time God will plead your cause. (1.) See that you have a good cause ; you must not intitle God to your petty quarrels and revenges : 1 Peter ii. 19, 20, ' For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience towards God endure grief, suffering wrongfully ; for what glory is it if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently ? but if when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God ; ' 1 Peter iii. 16, 17, ' Having a good con- science, that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil-doers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ : for it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing.' That ejiistle was penned in a suffering time. When you are exposed to hardships, be sure you are in God's way. (2.) As the cause is good, so must your carriage be. Do not step out of God's way for the greatest good. So many, if they may drive on their de- signs, they care not what they do, as if a good end would warrant them. Christ need not get up on the devil's shoulders. God is now bound to avenge this, for ' the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.' In this evil day the righteous shall be saved. God saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and delivered just Lot, 2 Peter ii.