310 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. CXXXIX.
upon the multitude's going so much as his disciples'. Therefore they should rouse up themselves in evil times.
Reason 3. The good and the bad do exercise and keep one another in breath and vigour. When there are but two factions that stand in opposition to one another, one apparently for God, the other apparently for Satan, it addeth zeal and indignation to both sides, and they mutually inflame one another, and are as Jeremiah's two baskets of figs, the good figs very good, and the evil figs very evil, Jer. xxiv^ 3. When others are so very bad, it should not quench zeal but inflame it ; we should be not only good, but very good. Corruption, the more it is opposed, the more it stormetli and growetli outrageous, as a river swelletli by opposing dams and banks against it, they rage upon re- straints now the floods break loose. So on the other side, should grace be more earnestly and zealously exercised the more it is opposed, as the casting on of water sets the lime on fire. To be sure, their malice will put us to a great deal of trouble, and trouble is a time to exercise grace. To be much in prayer, and faith, and patience, and mortifying corruptions, and w^atchfulness, and wary walking, that we may neither take infection ourselves, nor give occasion to others to stumble at the ways of God : Col. iv. 3, ' Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time."" When they lived among unconverted heathens they should carry it wisely towards them, that they might not be occasions of stumbling or hardening. So by proportion those who profess the ways of God should carry it wisely towards such as they live amongst, who declare their non-regeneration by a profane life, and live like heathens, that they give no occasion to sucli adver- saries of truth and holiness to speak reproachfully ; but they should observe the apostle's rules, 1 Peter ii. 12, 15. Christians should be good in bad times, that the times may not be worse for them, nor they the worse for the times. They should labour to live down the vices and errors of the age wherein they live, and labour to save them- selves from this untoward generation, and should cut off occasions from them that watch for occasions against them, and, like fishes, keep their freshness in salt water. Ham will scoff to surprise a Noah in a fault ; when their foot slippeth, they will magnify themselves against them. Experience of the madness and fury whereby others are carried on in the ways of sin should more confirm others in the ways of God that are opposed by them. Surely such men would not hate what is evil, and so earnestly persecute what is good. Non nisi grave honuni a Nerone damnari. A good man would not choose by their liking and loathing. If any argument may be taken from them, it is to like the things the better because they slight them, and to love them because they persecute them. For it is to be presumed they will hate what is good, and love what is evil ; and tliough no certain argument can be concluded thence, yet their love is but an ill token ; for Christ telleth us, ' The w^orld will love its own,' John xv. 19. All things love what is suitable to themselves.
Reason 4. Unless our love be increased when men oppose and despise the laws of God, it will not hold out against so great a trial. Sin is very infections at all times, and when it is common it is less odious. But the force of example is great ; we think we may do as
VeR. 127.] SEKMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. 311
others do : a cold neutral love, or loose and general owning of the ways of Christ, will not bear us out. I confess this is a very great temptation that prevaileth with many : Mat. xxiv. 12, ' Wlien iniquity ahoundeth, the love of many will wax cold.' Loose professors are soon shaken off, and dead fish swim with the stream. Yea, some of notable eminency in the church may miscarry, but yet always they are such as had their worldly affections unbroken and unmortifi.ed : 1 Tim. vi. 11, 12, ' Some through the love of money, have erred from the faith ; but thou, 0 man of God, follow after righteousness, godli- ness, faith, and patience, love, meekness, fight the good fight of faith.' There needs great diligence and fervency to increase in solid grace, or else we shall not dare to own God and his ways ; yea, I confess the soundest may be sorely shaken, and therefore need warning and con- firmation. The godly have seeds of the same evils which draw away others. Evil example is very forcible, especially when it is general. In a time of public infection it is hard to preserve health. And then usually sin is disguised and carried on under plausible pretexts, and evil men blinded by tlieir interests may easily warp, Inrjeniosa res est esse Ghristianum, as Hierom of an Arian time. It is a matter of skill to discern God's interest, and by consequence our duty. The prophet complaineth, ' I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell among a people of polluted lips,' Isa. vi. 5. We contract some contagion and taint from those among whom we live ; grow careless of sabbaths by general profanation ; take more liberty for the flesh when others wallow in all filthiness, and are given up to all manner of vanity. Therefore, as the force of example is great, the force of zeal should be greater, that we may stand for God, though we stand alone. As Elijah did : 1 Kings xix. 14, ' And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts ; because the children of Israel have forsaken thy cove- nant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets by the sword ; and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away.' We must keep up our savour in a corrupt age, as Noah did : Gen. vi. 9, ' Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation, and Noah walked with God.' Lot lived more upright in Sodom, where he was besieged with temptations that made him constantly to stand upon his watch, than he did in the cave, when he neglected and grew secure. As fire burns hottest in the coldest weather, so a Christian's zeal, by a holy antiperistasis, should flame most in a corrupted, debauched age.