2. You may take notice of this wickedness, and represent it so to God; for he is the judge of the world, and it concerneth him to cut short their power to do mischief that have such a ready principle to act it, and are likely to have no other restraints than God layeth upon them by his providence and the interest of their affairs. But of this before, about aggravating the danger.
3. When we do so, be sure the thing be true, that they are not only injurious to us, but open enemies to God and godliness, before we speak thus of those that hate us, or work any trouble to us in the world. As long as the cause will admit of a favourable construction, we should take heed of such suggestions. I observe this the rather, because man is so partial to himself, that whosoever are enemies to him, he presently thinketh they are enemies to godliness ; and there- fore, when we pass our judgment on any person and cause, it had need be conformed to truth ; for otherwise it argueth great irreverence towards God to make him conscious to our revenges and private passions, Ps. cxxxix. 21-24. We had need try our cause, when God's quarrel and our interest are joined, that there be not some dregs of private spleen and rash censurings mixed therewith, and that passion doth not rule us, but duty, in these complaints, and that it is not our own interest, but God's quarrel, they being open enemies to him. And therefore we must bo confident that such as we pray against are in a wicked condition, and engaged in an evil course.
4. When this is clear, there is some comfort and confidence in the badness of our enemies.
[1.] Because God and we are engaged in a common cause, for our adversaries are against God as well as against us. Now it is better to be afflicted by them than to have fellowship with the unfruitful
VER. 151.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 101
works of darkness, or to cry up a confederacy with tlieni that cry up a confederacy against God, Ps. cxxxix. 22.
[2.] It is a great satisfaction to us to be opposed by evil men, or common enemies of the power of godliness. Certainly it would be more grievous to us to be oppressed by them that have a show of godliness than the openly profane, Ps. lv. 12, 13. The worst that a professed enemy can do is more tolerable than the injury of a friend. It importeth a dishonour to be opposed by the good, as having an ill cause in hand, or unworthy to be assisted ; but it helpeth to make the cause more clear when we see what kind of persons we have to do withal, such as we cannot but count wicked, because they have no regard to God's law. Our cause would not be so clear if it were with them that fear God.
[3.] The more wicked they are, the more ripe for judgment ; espe- cially if they be a corrupt party in the visible church ; for where we perceive wickedness to reign, there we may be sure destruction will follow.
Use. Well, then, whenever this falleth out, mind God of it, and be not discouraged. An ill cause will not always prevail. Only let us be prepared for deliverance, as they are ripe for destruction, otherwise none so bad but good enough to make a rod to scourge God's children. And then have patience ; such are our enemies as are God's also ; they are far from obedience to God's law.
SERMON CLXIX.
Thou art near, 0 Lord; and all thy commandments are truth. —
Ver. 151.
In the former verse, the enemies are represented as near, and near to do mischief, but far from the law of God. Here in the text there is somewhat put in opposition to both.
1. For their nearness to do mischief, God is near to help.
2. They are far off from the law. The man of God asserteth that God's commandments are truth. All their contempt of the law did not abate and lessen his esteem of it. So that the sum of the verse is, that the enemies cannot be so ready to hurt as God is to help and deliver ; they cannot go about to defeat promises as God will go about to fulfil them. Mark, he compareth the readiness of wicked men to hurt with the readiness of God, their contempt of the word with the truth of the word, or God's justification of it. In short, in the verse we may observe two branches : —
1. Something spoken of God.
2. Something of his law.
1. That which is spoken of God is, that he is near, a present help to those that persist in the obedience of his will ; for nearness doth not only import his favour, or inclination to help them, but that he will not delay his help too long ; his help is at hand, therefore called ' A present help in trouble,' Ps. xlvi. 1, and 'The Lord is at my right hand,'
102 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXIX.
Ps. xvi. 8 ; ready as our second in all conflicts to stand by us, support, and comfort us in our troubles, yea, to deliver us ; that is the notion of nearness in the text. Near as the enemies are near, only he is near to defend as they are near to destroy. When to appearance danger is nearest, at the same time help and salvation is nearest also, and this doth allay all our cares and fears : Phil. iv. 5, G, ' The Lord is at hand, therefore be careful for nothing.' Still present by his provi- dence, or hastening his second coming : Kev. xxii. 20, 'I come quickly.' I rather quote that place, for the Septuagint hath it here €771*9 el, Kvpte, there 6 Kvpio$ 6771)9, therefore he bids us be careful for nothing ; certainly the belief of God's nearness should encourage us.