Use 2. Comfort in a good cause, wherein the godly are opposed by the wicked. There is a double comfort : —
1. Because the prosperity, power, and pride of the wicked is not to be regarded ; for though they flourish for a while, and all things flow in upon them according to their heart's desire, yet salvation is far from them. God is engaged both for the rectitude of his nature, the quality of his office, as judge of the world, and the tenor of his covenant, to employ his power and terror for their ruin ; and though lie may for a while spare them, and they take occasion from this in- dulgence to do more and more wickedly, yet you should not be dis- mayed if you see them engaged in ways or courses that are naught and wicked ; you may say, I know they cannot prosper in them. When they are lifted up in the prosperity of their affairs, you should lift up
150 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXIII.
your hearts by faith, see a worm at the root of their happiness :
evBov TO KCIKOV, &C.
2. Because by the rule of contraries, if salvation be far from the wicked that seek not God's statutes, then deliverance is near to the godly that fear God and desire to be faithful with him, how hard so- ever their condition seemeth to be for the present : Ps. lxxxv. 9, 'Surely his salvation is nigh unto them that fear him.' You should be con- fident of it. They that please God cannot be always miserable ; it is nearer than we think of, or can see for the present. There is a surel/j, or a note of averment put upon it. It is better be with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity ; when they are men appointed as sheep for the slaughter, yet there is a way of ransom and escape ; but the wicked, at their best, are in the appointment of God as the stalled ox, or as swine fatted for destruction ; when fattest, then nearest to destruction and slaughter.
Secondly, As to eternal salvation, so they are in a dangerous case.
1. The phrase here used by the Psalmist seemeth to be used to obviate their vain conceit. They think they shall do well enough, and have as much to show for heaven as the best ; it is near in their con- ceit, but far indeed : 1 Cor. vi. 9, ' Be not deceived ; know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? ' Thoughts of impunity are natural to us ; those that are in the ready way to hell are apt to think they shall get heaven at last, as if God would turn day into night; but alas ! it is an eternal truth, 'salvation is far from the wicked.'
2. There is somewhat of a meiosis in the expression, less being said than is intended. The man of God saith that salvation is far, but he implieth that damnation is near ; certainly the one it doth imply the other : Heb. vi. 8, ' The ground that beareth briers and thorns, is eVyu? Kardpas, nigh unto cursing.' They are upon the borders of hell, and ready to drop into those eternal flames which shall consume God's adversaries.
3. Once again, the longer they continue wicked, the farther off is their salvation every day ; farther off from heaven, and nearer to hell. A godly man, the more progress he maketh in virtue, the nearer he is to his salvation: Eom. xiii. 11, 'Now is your salvation nearer than when ye first believed.' Not only nearer in point of time, but nearer in the preparation of their hearts ; not because older, but because better : and so by consequence, wicked men go farther and farther off, and therefore they are said to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, Eom. ii. 5. Every sin they commit puts them a degree farther off from salvation, as every degree of grace is a step nearer heaven.
Reason 1. The inseparable connection that is between privileges and duties. The gospel offereth salvation conditionally ; if we forsake the condition, we fall short of the privilege ; and therefore if we be wicked, salvation is far from us. When God took Abraham into covenant with him, he doth not tell him only what privilege he should enjoy, but also bindeth him to walk suitably: Gen. xvii. 1, 'I am God Almighty, walk before me, and be thou perfect.' God will take care of our safety, if we will take care of our duty. The covenant is called a bond : Ezek. xx. 37, ' I will bring you into the bond of the covenant;' because it hath a tie upon us, as well as upon God. We are not at
VER. 155.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 151
our own liberty, to walk as we list ; there are bonds upon us ; not vinculo, careen's, the bonds of a prison, gins and fetters, but vinculo, nuptiarum, the bonds of wedlock. Now, they that cast away these bonds from them, as the wicked do — (Ps. ii. 3, ' Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us ;) — and will be their own men, and walk by their own will, have no title to the privileges that accrue by the marriage ; such licentious spirits are at liberty, but to their own woe ; they have a liberty to go to hell, and undo their own souls. It was the wisdom of God to bind us to displeasing duties by the proposal of comfortable privileges. Every man would desire to be saved, and to be happy for evermore, but corrupt nature is against holiness. Now without dioliness there is no happiness. The con- ditional promise doth more bind and draw the heart to it, when we lay hold of it, by yielding to perform the condition required ; then may we groundedly expect the privilege promised. We would have salvation, but we cannot unless we submit to God's terms ; for Christ came not to gratify our selfish desires, but to subdue us to God. We would have sin pardoned, we would be freed from the curse of the law and the flames of hell, but this can never be while we walk in our own ways, and are averse to holiness of heart and life, for God would even sweeten duties by felicities.