lay to heart the displeasure of others, however contemptuously or virulently it may be displayed. Onward we should go in our destined path, not turning either to the right hand or to the left. If the whole world should deride us, we should not be induced either to do any thing which will offend our God, or to forbear any thing which will honour him. That they " hate our light," and are offended at it, is no reason at all why we should " put it under a bushel:" whoever they may be, whether friends or foes, our reply to them should be, " I will yet be more vile than thus2."]
Nor will this be very difficult, when once we have tasted of, III. The consolations he enjoyed —
In the recollection of " God's judgments of old, he comforted himself" —
[The term "judgments" has in the Scriptures a great variety of meanings. In the psalm before us it seems to im- port the declarations and decisions of Jehovah. Now God, in his word, has abundantly declared that such treatment is to be expected, and that it is, to those who suffer it, a token for good: " The just upright man is laughed to scorn. He that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease a." A lamp burning bright in a dark place is an object of high regard ; but when it is so burnt down that the flame is quivering on the wick, and almost extinct, it is regarded rather as an object of disgust. And such is the light in which even the best of worldly men are viewed, when once God is pleased to convert them to himself: they are no longer welcomed as friends to exhilarate and enliven their companions, but are lothed rather, as the bane of social happiness. In God's estimation, however, they are proportionably exalted ; and are taught to consider " the reproach of Christ as greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt V In the view of these things, the Psalmist " comforted himself ;" saying, " Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live : for thy Law is my delight. Let the proud be ashamed ; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause : but I will meditate in thy precepts c."]
The same sources of comfort are ever open unto us also —
[Our blessed Lord speaks of this treatment as the certain portion of all his people: "Ye shall be hated of all men, for my name's sake d." And does he represent this as a matter for grief and sorrow? Far from it: he tells us rather to
z 2 Sam. vi. 22. a Job xii. 4, 5. b Heb. xi. 26.
c ver. 77, 78. d Matt. x. 22.