Reason . The reason is taken from their own disposition ; they are par- takers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4, which can'ieth them up to God- wards against the stream and current of the time.
Use. The use hereof, shall be only a trial of ourselves in evil times, whether or not then, we justify GocVs ways and the best things. If we do, it is a sign we are of the number of God's elect, to defend and maintain good causes and right opinions, especially in divine truths, which is the best cha- racter of a Christian. Others in their own sphere have their degree of goodness, but we speak of supernatural divine goodness. A man may know he belongs to God, if he justify wisdom in the worst times, if he stand for the truth to the utmost, thinking it of more price than his life. It is the first degree to religion, ' to hate father and mother, wife and children, and all for the gospel,' Luke xiv. 26. Now when a man will justify the truth, with the loss of an}i;hing in the world, it is a sign that man is a good man in ill times.
Therefore, in ill times let us labour to justify truth, both the truth of things to be believed, and all just religious courses, not only in case of opposition being opposed, but in example, though we say nothing. Noah condemned the world, though he spake not a word, by making an ark, Heb. xi. 7 ; so Lot, Sodom, though he told not all Sodom of their faults. So a man may justify good things, though he speak not a word to any man, for such a one's hfe is a confutation and sufiicient witness for God against the
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world. Therefore it is good, though a man do not confront the world in his speeches, yet notwithstanding, at least to hold a course contrary to the world in his conversation. We have need of a great deal of courage to do this ; but there is no heavenly wise man, but he is a courageous man. Though in his own spirit he may be a weak man, yet in case of opposition, grace will be above nature, he mil shew then his heavenly wisdom and prudence, and of what metal he is made, by justifying w^sdom in all times, ' The just shall walk therein.' But to come more directly to the words,
' The just shall walk in them.'
A just and righteous man that is made just by them, shall walk in them. Hence we maj- obsen-e,
Obs. That first men must hare spiritual life, and he just, before they can walk. Walking is an action of life. There must be life before there can be walking. A man must first have a spuitual life, whereby he may be just, and then he will walk as a just man. For, as we say of a bowl,* it is Austin's comparison, it is fii'st made round, and then it runs round ; so a man is first just, and then he doth justly. It is a conceit of the papists, that good works do justify a man. Luther says well, that ' a good man doth good works.' Good works make not the man. Fruit makes not the tree, but the tree the fruit. So we are just first, and then we walk as just men. We must labour to be changed and to have a principle of spiritual life ; then we shall walk and have new feet, eyes, taste, ears, and senses ; all shall then be new.
Again, in the second place, the necessity of it appears hence, that there must be fij'st spiritual life in the inward man, ere a man can walk, because there will not else be a harmony and correspondency betwixt a man and his ways. A man will not hold in those ways that he hath an antipathy to ; therefore, his nature must be altered by a higher principle, before he can like and delight in the ways of God. This is that which God's children desire first of God, that he would alter their natures, enlighten, change and quicken them, work strongly and powerfully in them, that they may have a sympathy and liking unto all that is good ; first they are just, and then they walk in God's ways.
' The just shall walk in them.'
Obs. In the next place, we may observe hence, that a just man, he being the prudent and wise man, he ivalks in God's ivays. That is, spiritual wis- dom and prudence, together with grace, righteousness, and justice, they lead to walking in obedience. Let no man therefore talk of grace and wis- dom or prudence altering him, fm-ther than he makes it good by his walk- ing. He that is just, walks as a just man ; he that is wise, walks wisely ; he that is prudent, walks prudently. WTiich is spoken to discover hypo- crisy in men, that would be thought to be good Christians and wise men, because they have a great deal of speculative knowledge. Aye, but look we to our ways, let them shew whether we be wise or foolish, just or unjust. ' If a man be wise, he is ^vise for himself,' Prov. ix. 12, as Solomon saith, to direct his own ways ; ' The wisdom of the wise, is to understand his own way that he is to walk in,' Prov. xiv. 8. If a man have not wisdom to direct his way in particular, to walk to heavenward, he is but a fool. For a man to know so much as shall condemn him, and be a witness against him, and yet not know so much as to save him, what a miserable thing is this ? Now aU other men that know much, and walk not answerable, they know so much as to condemn them, and not to save them. Our Saviour * That is, a ' ball" for bowling. — G