Secondly, In vv'hat manner doth the Lord dispense this privilege ? And it is grounded upon an objection, that may be framed thus ; the servants of God are often clouded with black reproaches, ' They took away the spouse's veil,' Cant. v. 7 ; that is, her honour and name. David complains, Ps. xxii. 6, ' He was a reproach of men, and despised of the people ;' so the apostle, 1 Cor. iv. 13, ' We are made as the filth of the world, and are the ofifscouring of all things to this day.' God's jewels are often counted the world's filth. Therefore how doth God give in this recompense to the active faith ? I answer, in several propositions.
1. The blessing is not absolutely complete in this life. As long as there is sin we are liable to shame. A good name is an outward pledge of eternal glor)^ When sin is abolished then may we expect perfect glory. In a mixed estate we must look for mixed dispensations. Here we pass through honour and dishonour, evil report and good report, 2 Cor. vi. 8. Thus it will be ; there are changes and imperfections in our outward condition, as well as in the inward frame of our souls. Here God doth but begin to glorify, and begin to honour us, therefore it is not absolutely complete.
2. The wicked are not competent judges when they judge of the faithful : Luke vi. 26, ' Wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you.' General applause can seldom be had without compliance, and without some sin ; therefore it is spoken as a cursed thing to gratify all, and seek to draw respect from all. There is one rare instance in the third Epistle of John, ver. 12, ' Demetrius hath a good report of all men, and of the truth itself ; ' that is, he is generally well-famed, but usually the world is froward, and will blast those that differ from them ; John xv. 19, 'If you were of the world, the world would love its own ; but because you are not of the world, but I have called you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.' It is suspicious to be dandled upon the world's knees. These elders obtained a good report ;
Yet.. 2.] sermons upon Hebrews xi. 383
but when ? in the scriptures, in the churches. It is a flivour to be the object of wicked men's reproaches. That of an heathen was notable, Qtdd mail feci ? what evil have I done ? when he was entertained with general applauses. The respects of an enemy makes a man suspected.
3. We have the approbation of their consciences, though not the commendation of their lips ; and their hearts approve when their mouths slander ; and we have their reverence, though not their praise. Wicked men dread the heavenliness and strictness of the children of God, though they do not actually honour them ; their malice and hatred is more against the party, than against their personal failings, which is sometimes acknowledged ; Caius Sejus vir bonus, nisi quod christianus. They had nothing against Daniel but only in the matter of his God, Dan. vi. 5. And Trajan's testimony in Tertullian is full, ' That he could find no fault in them worthy of death or of bonds, only they were wont to hear sermons, to sing psalms to God and Christ. Otherwise for their conversation, they were very honest, conformable to the laws of their princes, and forbade murder, theft, adultery, and other sins, which were destructive to human societies.' — Tertid. Apolog, adversus gentes. Oh! if we did not let fall the majesty of our con- versations, we should approve ourselves to the consciences of wicked men, and our only crime would be our profession.
4. There are some special seasons when God will vindicate his peo- ple from contempt. There is a resurrection of names as well as of persons. When they seem to be buried in the throat of the wicked, which is an open sepulchre in obloquy and reproach. God raiseth them up in honour. The Lord saith, ' that he will establish Zion, and make Jerusalem a praise upon the earth,' Isa. Ixii. 7; so Zeph. iii. 18-20, ' I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden. Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out ; and I will get them praise and fame in every land, where they have been put to shame. At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you : for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn your captivity before your eye, saith the Lord.' The pre- judices of the world vanish, and the renown of the people of God is cleared up. Strong prejudices have a strong antidote, 'Christ was declared to be the son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead,' Eom. i. 4. There are strong providences which roll away the reproaches of God's children, Zech. iii. 4, ' Take away the filthy gar- ments from him.'