168 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXXY.
they will scourge you in their synagogues ; and ye shall be brought be- fore governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.' Though we be persecuted with censures, civil and eccle- siastical, and both judicatures thunder against us : John xvi. 1, 2, ' These things have I told you, that you should not be offended ; they shall put you out of the synagogue ; yea, the time cometh when they that kill you will think they do God good service.' It is a stumbling- block to see power, which is of God, bent against God and his interest ; the beast in the Kevelations pushed with the horns of the lamb. But Christ hath told us of these things beforehand, that we should be fore- armed against them. Christ's followers must not only look for injuries from wicked men in a tumultuous way, but ordinarily carried by fixed judicatures ; thrown out of the church by excommunication, and out of the world by death. Let us bless God that our rulers deal more Christianly by us ; and let us not irritate them, but show all love and meekness and obedience ; and let the mild government of our gracious sovereign move us to pray to God for the continuance of his life, and the prosperity of his affairs : it is but a necessary gratitude that we should pay him for the rest and peace we enjoy under him.
3. The malice and groundlessness of this persecution, ' without cause.' David did not suffer for his deserts as an evil-doer ; he had done nothing disobediently against Saul's authority ; when he had spared him in the cave, he giveth him an ample testimony : 1 Sam. xxiv. 17, ' Thou art more righteous than I, for thou hast rewarded me good, but I have rewarded thee evil.' Again, he had another testimony when he surprised his camp sleeping : 1 Sam. xxvi. 21, ' Return, my son David ; I will no more do thee harm, because my soul was pre- cious in thine eyes : behold I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.' Theodoret expoundeth this of the next verse, with application to these passages. When David found Saul asleep he would not kill him, and this was more comfort to him than if he had slain and obtained all their spoils. Observe, we may the better represent our case to God when we suffer without a cause ; then our sufferings are clean sufferings, more comfortable to us, and honourable to God. It was Daniel's glory that they could find no occasion or fault against him, but only in the matter of his God, Dan. vi. 4, 5. Blameless car- riage disappoints the malice of wicked men, or shameth them. Cajus Sejus vir bonus nisi quod Ghristianus. Now a pretended crime doth not take away the glory from us. Saul pretended that David was an enemy to his life and crown, but David declared the contrary by word and deed ; he might have slain him twice. ' Put to silence the ignorance of foolish men,' 1 Peter ii. 15. There may be in man's court a cause which before God is no just cause, as when we are punished for the breach of law which is contrary to our duty to God : Ps. xciv. 20, ' Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which f rameth mischief by a law ? '
Well, then, whatever we suffer, let it be without a cause. There is cause enough on God's part to afflict and strike us for our sins ; but on man's part, let us not procure sufferings to ourselves by our provo- cations. We shall hereby have more peace in sufferings, and bring more honour to religion : 1 Peter iii. 17, ' For it is better, if the will
YeR. 161.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 169
of God be so, that ye suffer for well-doing, than for evil-doing ; ' 1 Peter iv. 15, 16, ' But let none of you surfer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer. Yet if any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed ; but let him glorify God in that behalf.' Surely Christ's cross is more comfortable than the cross of Barabbas.
Secondly, Let us come to his gracious frame of heart, to stand in awe of the word, but my heart standeth in awe of thy ivord.
JDoct. It is a gracious frame of heart to stand in awe of the word of God.
God's people are often described by it : Prov. xiii. 13, ' Whoso de- spiseth the word shall be destroyed ; but whoso fcareth a command- ment shall be rewarded.' There are many fear a judgment, when, to visible appearance, it is like to tread upon the heels of sin ; yea, and some fear a threatening, at least when it is like to be accomplished ; but who fears a commandment but a gracious heart ? This is reason enough to draw back if a commandment stand in the way ; it is more than if there was a lion in the way, or a band of armed enemies, or an angel with a drawn sword, such as stood in the way to stop Balaam. They have a deep reverence of God's authority, and dare not break through, when God by his law hath fenced up their way. So Isa. lxvi. 2, ' To him will I look that is of a poor and contrite spirit, and trern- bleth at my word ; ' a man that is affected according to his doom and sentence passed in the word ; if the word speaketh bitter things, or the word speaketh peace, accordingly the man is affected ; this is the man that God will look at : Ezra ix. 4, ' Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel.' None so careful to redress disorders, to use all the means they can to prevent judgment, as those that tremble at God's word ; and therefore they above others did assemble to Ezra. A man hath gained a great point when he doth not value his condition by external probabilities, but by the sentence of the word. It is hopeful if the word speaketh good unto it, sad when the word speaketh bitter things. This man will be other- wise affected than the most are, and more careful to please God. Once more : Ezra x. 3, ' Those that tremble at the commandment of our God.' Shechaniah referreth the reformation to them. These are per- sons exactly conscientious ; they make God's commandments their rule, and tremble at the apprehension of having anything done against God's will. None so fit as they to judge of cases of conscience and to regu- late affairs ; men that enlarge themselves, and do not stand so nicely on the will of God, will be more lax and complying with their own lusts and the humours of men.