VER. 154.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 141
men, and not any secular motives. All the countenance and owning God will give to it is by infusing courage and constancy to his servants to suffer for it, and so they overcome by the blood of the Lamb, and not loving their lives to the death, Rev. xii. 11. He speaketh of such a time when the church seemeth weakest, like a poor woman travail- ing ; and her enemies seem strongest, like a great red dragon ready to devour the child as soon as born. Now, though at such a time the church is overcoming, and the devil and his instruments are but pulling down their own throne, and establishing Christ's while they •are shedding the blood of his saints, yet none of this appeareth and is visibly to be seen. Though suffering be a feeling and ratifying of the truth, yet to the world's eye it seemeth a suppressing and over- bearing of it. Therefore few will own such a despised, hated, persecuted way ; and the difficulty is the greater when there is much of God's truth owned by the persecuting side, and the contest is not about the main of Christianity, but some lesser truths, and so the opposition is more disguised ; then certainly it may be said, Isa. lix. 4, 'None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth;' all half friends are discouraged, therefore nothing is left the people of God, but their prayers, ' Lord plead my cause.' David in the text appealeth to God's judgment when he was deserted by men, burdened by pre- judices, oppressed by man's wrong judgment. So often God's people are not able to defend themselves, and few in the world will own them, or be advocates for them, then God will take their cause in hand. In the civil law, if a man could not get an advocate, metu adversarii, the judge was to appoint him one to plead for him ; so God taketh notice of his people's condition : Jer. xxx. 13, ' There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up.' Often among men none can or dareth undertake the defence and patronage of oppressed right.
2. Though we have a good cause and hopeful instruments, yet wo cannot plead it with any effect till God show himself from heaven. Nay, though the cause be never so right and just, and instruments and means hopeful, yet it requireth God's power to keep it afoot ; for the justice of the cause must not be relied on, nor probable means rested in ; but God must have the trust of the cause, and the glory of main- taining it ; otherwise by our own ill managing, or by some secret and unseen opposition, it wili miscarry : Ps. ix. 4, ' Thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou safest in the throne judging right.' This is a work wherein God will be seen, while it is in agitation, or under decision. God will have the trust, and when it is over, he will have all the glory.
Thirdly, What hopes or grounds there are to expect that God will plead the cause of his people.
1. He can.
2. He will. Infinite power and infinite justice can do it.
1. He can. The Lord is able ; he that pleadeth our cause hath infinite power: Prov. xxiii. 11, ' Their redeemer is mighty, he shall plead their cause with thee.' It is easy to bear down a few afflicted creatures, that have no strength or heart to oppose, being in bonds, and under oppression ; but there is a mighty God, who when he pleadeth any one's cause, he will do it to the purpose, really and
142 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXII.
effectually delivering thein for whom he pleadeth : Jer. 1. 34, ' Their redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name ; he will thoroughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the laud, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.'
2. He will, considering —
[1.] Their relation to God.
[2.] God's relation to them and to the whole world.
[1.] Because of their relation to him. The dominus, the lord whom they had chosen, was to be their patronus. They that have put them- selves under God's protection, and are faithful to him, keeping close to his word, he will plead their cause, and manage it as his own : Isa. li. 22, ' Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God, that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold I have taken out of thy hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury ; thou shalt no more drink it again.' He being their sovereign Lord, had undertaken to protect his servants ; he counteth the wrongs done to them done to himself : Acts ix. 4, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ?' especially since molested for his truth.
[2.] Because of his relation to them. He is the supreme potentate and the righteous judge of the world, and so bound by his office to defend the weak and innocent when oppressed : Ps. cxlvi. 7, ' He exe- cuteth judgment for the oppressed. Those that should maintain right upon earth, and punish wrongs, are often prevaricators ; but the judge of all the earth will do right ; he is an impartial judge, and will main- tain the cause of his people : Prov. xxii. 22, 23, ' Kob not the poor, because he is poor, neither oppress the afflicted in the gate ; for the Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them/ Though no relation to him, yet, if poor, if afflicted, if destitute of human help, the Lord taketh himself to be the patron of all such, much more his people.