YeE. 2.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 381
skins, and then to bait tliem as bears ; and it is an usual practice of Satan to put the skin and livery of shame upon christians, and then bait them. He first blasts the repute of reli^^ious persons, then perse- cutes them as offenders. This is the meaning of that expression, Ps. V. 9, ' Their throat is an open sepulchre ; ' that is, the slanders of the wicked are but preparatives to death, an ahrrm to persecution ; as when the sepulchre is opened, it is prepared and ready to swallow the dead carcase. The same expression is used elsewhere of the force of the Babylonians: Jer. v. 16, ' Their quiver is an open sepulchre ;' that is, you can expect nothing but death from the force and puissance of their assaults ; so here, the throat of the wicked is not only a burying-place for your names, but your persons ; first, men slander, and then molest the children of God. Certainly we had need look about us ; you do^ not know the issue and result of the present reproaches, -which we cast one upon another. Eusebius, lib. viii. chap. 1, showeth that the perse- cutions of the heathens took their rise from the mutual provocations, and reproaches of the christians. The devil is afraid to meddle with unstained innocency. When Valens the Arian emperor raged like a fierce beast against the orthodox, and the pastors of the churches were suppressed, he durst not meddle with Paulinus. out of a reverence to the unspottedness of his life and fame. And Ignatius in his epistle to the Traltians, speaketh of Polybius their bishop, that he was of such a clear reputation, that the atheists stood in fear of him. Wicked men cannot with any advantage to their designs meddle with such. A good report is a great security and protection against violence.
3. That (jrod may retaliate with faith. Believers honour him, there- fore he will honour them : 1 Sam. ii. 30, ' Those that honour me I will honour.' Never did any lose by a care to honour God. Now believers do not only honour God, by ascribing to him the glory of his excellency by internal acts of faith, but by their outward conversation : Mat. V. 16, ' Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven ;' 1 Peter ii. 12, ' Having your conversation honest among the gentiles ; that, whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, by yotir good works, which they beliold, glorify God in the day of visitation.' God's returns- of blessings do often carry a proportion and suitableness to our acts of duty. None ever lose by honouring God ; besides the recompenses of the world to come, he casts honour upon them in this life. The life of a believer is a real honouring of God ; for nothing honoureth God so much as tire active taith. Foruml professors serve Christ just as the devil did ; the devil carried him up into an high mountain, but it was to tempt him to throw himself down again ; so they seem to set him upon the highest point of eminency in their professions and ex- pressions, but they throw him down again, and deny him in their lives and conversations. Formal christians are like an ungracious son, he will be apt to quarrel for the honour and repute of his father, yet his courses are far more grievous to his father than other men's reproaches ; so those that seem to plead for the repute of their religion are a more real dishonour to Christ than the blasphemer, or Turk, or pagans. The Lord is not pleased with empty prattle : Ps. 1. 23, ' Whoso ofFereth praise glorifieth me ; and to him that ordereth his conversation aright
382 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. VI
will I show the salvation of God.' No such glory as that which results to God from the christian conversation.
4. That this may be a bait to draw in others to a liking of his ways. The virgins are allured by the smell of his fragrant ointment, Cant. i. 3. When Christ's name, and the name of religion is fragrant, and yields sweet perfume in the nostrils of the world, this draws them in. It is a usual prejudice against the strictness of religion, men think it will be a debasing to them, and take off from their honours and esteem. Coguntur esse mali, ne viles liabeantur. It is much against the hair and bent of nature to own the despised ways of God, that which brings nothing but infamy and reproach ; therefore men stand off and are prejudiced. I confess this is their great sin. They should take up David's resolution : 2 Sam. vi. 22, ' I will be yet more vile.' But now God condescends to their infirmities, and casteth honour upon his ser- vants to invite the world, because the temptation of honour is very taking with ingenuous spirits. Of all possessions, fame comes nearest to grace ; some providences seem to be like Haman's proclamation before Mordecai, ' Thus shall it be done to the man wliom God de- lighteth to honour : ' or to speak in the language of the psalmist, Ps. cxlix. 9, ' This honour have all his saints.'