Now this reproach of wicked men, it is a grievous persecution, as Ishmael persecuted Isaac in that manner, as it is. Gal. iv., taken out of the story in Genesis. I will not enter into the commonplace of reproach ; it is taken by the by here.
Only by the way, let it be a support to us. If we be reproachfully used in the world, let us not be much cast down. It is no credit for a man to do that that the devil and his instruments do ; nor it is no discredit for us to suffer that that David suffered. Let this satisfy thee, there is not the vilest man living but hath this weapon to serve the devil with, a reproachful tongue. He that sits upon the ale bench, that rakes in the channel,! the basest wretch in the world, hath a tongue to serve the devil with in re- proaches. It is no credit for them to do that that the vilest person in the world can do ; and it is no shame for thee to suffer that that the best man that ever lived did suffer. So much for that, mine enemies reproach vie.
But what is the specialty of this reproach ? To come to that more particularly. They say unto me, Where is thy God ?
They touch him in his religion. They saw him persecuted by Saul, scorned by Saul's courtiers ; they see him driven up and down, as a partridge in the wilderness ; they saw him banished from the sanctuaiy, destitute of friends ; they saw him in this disconsolate estate, and they judge by sense and appearance, that they thought he was a man that God regarded not at all : therefore say they. Where is thy God ?
God's childi-en are impatient, as far as they are men, of reproaches ; but so far as they are Cln-istian men, they are impatient of reproaches in rcU- * That is, ' out-goiug.' — Ed. t That is, ' the kennel' or sewer. — Ed.
110 THE SWORD OF THE "WICKED.
gion : Where is now thy God ? They were not sucli desperate atheists as to think there was no God, to call in question whether there were a God or no, though indeed they were little better ; but they rather reproach and up- braid him with his singularity, Where is thy God ? You are one of God's darlings ; you are one that thought nobody served God but you ; you are one that will go alone — your God.
So this is an ordinary reproach, an ordinary part for wicked men, to cast at the best people, especially when they are in misery. What is become of your profession now ? What is become of your forwardness and strictness now ? What is become of your much reading and hearing now ; and your doing such things now ? ^Vhat is become of your God that you bragged so of, and thought yourselves so happy in, as if he had been nobody's God but yours ? We may learn hence the disposition of wicked men. It is a character of a poisonful, cursed disposition to upbraid a man with his religion.
But what is the scope ? The scope is worse than the words, Where is thy God '? The scope is to shake his faith, and his confidence in God ; and this is that that touched him so nearlywhile they upbraided ]i\m.,Whereistliy God ? Indeed, they had some probability and show of truth ; for now God seemed opposite to him, when he was banished from his house, from that blessed communion with him that he had. Their purpose was therefore to shake his faith and affiance in God ; and herein they shewed themselves right, the children of the devil, whose scope is to shake the faith and affiance of God's people, in all his temptations, and by his instruments. For the devil knows well enough, that as long as God and the soul join together, it is in vain to trouble any man ; therefore he labom-s to put jealousies, to accuse God to man, and man to God. He knows there is nothing in the world can stand against God. As long as we make God our confidence, aU his enterprises are in vain. His scope is therefore to shake oui* affiance in God : Where is thy God ? So he dealt with the Head of the church, our blessed Saviour himself, when he came to tempt him. ' If thou be the Son of God, command these stones to be made bread,' Matt. iv. 3. He comes with an if ; he laboured to shake him in his sonship. The devil, since he was divided from God himself eternally, is become a spirit of division ; he labom-s to divide the Son from the Father ; he labours to divide even God the Father from his own Son : If thou be the Soji of God. So he labours to sever Christians from their head, Christ ; subjects from their princes, and princes from their subjects ; friends from friends, and one from another ; — he is a spirit of division : Where is thy God ? There was his scope, to breed division, if he could, between his heart and God, that he might call God into jealousy, as if he had not regarded him : thou hast taken a great deal of pains in serving thy God ; thou seest how he regards thee now : Where is thy God ?