Sermons on Psalm 119, Sermons · Sermon 180
SERMON CLXXX.
PSALM CXIX. VER. 165.
Great Peace have they that love thy Law, and nothing shall offend them.
I Now come to the effect, nothing shall offend them, the Sept. foreign. There is no scandal in them, the Apostle Iohn applyeth the same phrase or form of speech to him that loveth his Brother, foreign. There is no occasion of stumbling in him, the meaning is, they shall not be in danger of those snares and temptations which the world is full of, and which frequently bring other men to sin and ruine, or nothing shall wound or hurt them, or cause them to fall in their journey to Heaven.
Doctrine. That the Love of Gods Law is a great means to carry a Believer streight on his way to Heaven, what ever Temptations he hath to the Contrary.
Here I shall enquire,
First, What scandals and offences are.
Secondly, How a Believer is preserved.
First, What scandals and offences are. I answer, Scandals literally signifieth Temptations, or Inducements to sin, any stumbling-block, or hinderance laid in a mans way, by which the passenger is detained or diverted: Or at which if he be not careful, he is apt to stumble or fall; spiritually it signifyeth any thing that may discourage, or divert us from our duty to God, or may occasion us to fall to the great loss, or ruine of our Souls.
Now concerning these scandals or offences; I shall give you these distinctions, with respect to the subject, there are three sorts of scandals.
1. Taken, but not given.
2. Given, but not taken.
3. Both given, and taken.
1. There is offence taken where none is given; thus Christ himself in his Person, Sufferings, Doctrine, may be an offence to the carnal and unbelieving World: In his Person, as he is said to be in the 1 Pet. 2. 8. A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, to them that stumbled at the Word, being disobedient, whereunto they were also appointed. He that is to the Believer a Corner-stone, Elect and Precious; is to the obstinate, prejudiced unbeliever (with allusion to those that Travel by Land) a stone of stumbling, (to those that travel by Sea) a Rock of offence; his slender appearance was an offence to them. As to his sufferings, 'tis said, 1 Cor. 1. 23. That Christ Crucified is to the Iews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. They had not a Messiah to their mind, though such an one as the Scriptures had before described. His Doctrine, Matth. 15. 12. His Disciples said to him, knowest thou not that the Pharisies were offended when they heard his saying? Again Iohn 6. 61. When they murmured at his saying, except ye eat my Flesh; doth this offend you? Flesh and Blood are apt to stumble in Gods plainest ways; at the Doctrine of God, which is strict and spiritual; the Worship of God, that is simple and without pomp; the Dispensations of God, in chastising and afflicting his People, they are all an offence to carnal and worldly men: And so through their sin prove an impediment to the success of the Gospel; but this offence is causless and without any just ground; and without special Grace, when it prevaileth with men, will prove their eternal ruine and destruction; God never intended to satisfie mens lusts and humours, truth must be taught, who ever be displeased; therefore all our care must be, to avoid this kind of offence, Matth. 12. 6. Blessed is he that is not offended in me, that doth not stumble at Christ, because of the Cross, nor the holiness of his Doctrine, nor the simplicity of his worship, nor the despicableness of his followers, nor the troubles that attend his service.
2. Offence may be given, where none is taken; as when men Counsel others to Evil, or reproach the Holy ways of God; as when Peter disswaded Christ from suffering, Matth. 16. 23. Get thee behind me Satan, for thou art, foreign, an offence to me, 'twas scandalum in se, though not ratione eventus, not that Christ was offended by it; when the heart is guarded against evil Counsel, or the infection of evil example. So for reproaches, they are a means of betraying the soul into sin, and prejudicing it against Godliness; but the Godly are well Fortified, they can see loveliness in such ways as are hated and discountenanced in the World. As David Psal. 119. 127. They have made void thy Law, therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold, above fine Gold. And Moses, Heb. 11. 26. Esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt. They are no more moved at the Worlds scorn, then a man that is streight and upright would be at the mocks of Cripples, because he doth not limp and walk after their fashion; they can see honour in disgrace, and beauty in Gods despised wayes.
3. Offences also may be both given, and taken; as when one provoketh, and another is provoked to evil; inticed by false doctrine, corrupt Counsel, or evil example. False doctrine, Matth. 15. 14. The blind lead the blind, and both fall into the Ditch. Not one, but both; the blind follower as well as the blind guide; or by corrupt Counsel, as Ahab was seduced by the False Prophets, 1 Kings 22. and Amnon by his Friend Ionadab, was drawn to incest, 2 Sam. 13. 6. he as readily obeyeth the others wicked Counsel, as he was to give it. So for evil example, it secretly tainteth us; the Prophet complaineth, Isaiah 6. 5. I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell among people of polluted lips. 'Tis hard to avoid the contagion of their iniquities with whom we do dayly and familiarly converse; as to live in an infected Air, without taint; or to walk in the Sun, and not be insensibly tanned: We leaven one another by our coldness and deadness in Religion: 'tis hard to be fresh in salt Waters; to live among offences, and not be offended.
Secondly, With respect to the object, or matter of it; a scandal may be given, dicto, aut facto.
1. In Word.
2. In Deed.
1, In Word, by evil Counsel, or carnal suggestion, Psal. 1. 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the Counsel of the ungodly: As carnal Friends and Parents that relish not the Word of Life themselves, out of prejudice against godliness, and holy zeal disswade their Children and Servants from attending on the exercises of Religion; as Praying, Hearing, Meditation, lest they grow mopish and Melancholy; and lest a zealous minding Gods interest, should hinder their preferment, had rather see them lewd then holy, but Luke 14. 26. If any man come to me, and hate not Father and Mother, &c. Or by Atheistical, or obscoene and carnal discourse, 1 Cor. 15. 53. Evil Communications corrupt good manners. Eph. 5. 4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient.
2. In Deed, and so three ways.
(1.) When they do things that are simply unlawful, and so propagate their sin to others by their example. Prov. 22. 24, Make no Friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man shalt thou not go, lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. The violences and furious passions of Anger are so uncomly, that a man would think they should rather affright, then allure to imitation; but these things unsensibly overcome us, and e're a man is aware, a man is tainted.
(2.) By the abuse of Christian Liberty to the wrong and hinderance of others in a way of godliness: As Rom. 14. 13, 14, 15. Let no Man put a stumbling block, or an occasion to fall in his brothers way; I know and am perswaded by the Lord Iesus, that there is nothing unclean of it self, but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean: but if thy brother be greived with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably; destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ dyed. 1 Cor. 8. 9, 10. But take keed, lest by any means this Liberty of yours, become a stumbling block to them that are weak: We must not commit a sin, or omit a duty to avoid offence, yet in indifferent things we may expect from others what is lawful to do, and forbear it, as conduceth to edification. For we must have a care of offending little ones, and therefore must drive according to their pace, using our Liberty as they are able bear.
3. By Persecution enforce others against their duty, Matth. 18. 6. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe on me, it were better a Milstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the Sea. Better he did suffer all extremity. Offending is persecuting; as receiving, is countenancing, cherishing, treating them kindly and tenderly. So Mattth. 13. 21. When persecution ariseth by reason of the Word, by and by they are offended, Matth. 24. 9. 10. This opposing, hating, vexing the people of God, is one way of offence, and very dangerous to those that practise it, how ever it succeedeth: For though they be little ones, little in their own eyes, little in the esteem of the World, little in regard of outward interest, and so lye open and liable to offences; little in regard of their spiritual growth, and so apt to take offence; yet they are dear to the great God, who is their Patron, and will take their quarrel into his own hands: And it will be a thousand times better, they had been the persecuted ones than to be persecutors.
Thirdly, With respect to the double faculty the devil seeketh to work upon, which is our irrascible, or concupiscible faculty, our eschewing or pursuing power; the flesh with its foreign, Gal. 5. 24. 'Tis passions and lusts, what we render affections; and these are suited to the Temptations that most Men are usually overcome by, such are the Terrours and Allurements of the World; the Terrours of the World, that works upon our Passions; the Allurements of the World, that works upon our Lusts.
First, The Terrours of the World are apt to draw men to dislike God, and distaste the way of Godliness: Certainly, By these the Devil seeketh to get us into his Power and Reach: Therefore 'tis said 1 Pet. 5. 9. Whom resist, stedfast in the Faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your Brethren, that are in the World. Satans Temptations are conveyed to the Godly thorough Afflictions, hoping by these to prevail with them to make them quitt the Truth and their duty to Christ, and grow weary of the ways of God; and it doth the more prevail, when they think they are the only sufferers: This should not be; for the drift of Christianity, 'tis to take us off from the hopes and fears of the World, and a full third part of the Scriptures serveth to comfort us in Tribulations and Afflictions for the Gospels sake; and if we were not exposed to troubles, these would be as unsuitable and needless, as bladders and arts of swimming were to a man, that standeth on dry land, and never meaneth to go into the deep Waters: But yet they are an usual stumbling block, to those that have not overcome the sensual inclination, and are not dead to a worldy interest.
2. The Allurements of the World, or the baits of sence; present things have a strange infatuation upon us, 2 Tim. 4. 10. And Demas hath forsaken us, having loved the present World. The troubles of the World are not so dangerous, as the snares of the World; though many be discouraged by troubles, yet many times others are gained by the Patience, Courage and Constancy of Gods Servants in Persecutions. The offence may be more easily disproved, as not justifiable; for men may have a secret liking of the Truth, and a purpose to own it in better times; but by the baits of sence, men are inveigled and tempted to dislike Religion it self, as contradicting their Lusts, and nourish a base Opinion of it in their hearts; in Troubles and Persecutions there is not a dislike of Religion it self, but of the hard Terms upon which it must be received and cherished. And besides the mischief is greater, they that cast off the Profession and Practice of Godliness, upon some great Earthly hopes, involve themselves in a more hainous sin, then they that shrink from it out of some great fear: for those things we fear, as Afflictions, Torments, and Death, they are in themselves destructive of our Felicity; and therefore it cannot be said how much nature abhorreth them: But those things which we hope for, and desire; are such that nature may easily, and without great inconveniency be without them: As great Riches, Splendour of Life, Noble Affinities and Marriages; for these things are not absolutely necessary to the Worldly life, but only conduce to the greater coveniency and felicity thereof: Not our Worldly Being, but our well-being is concerned in them. Our being may be kept up and supported in a far meaner Condition thence: It is, that great dangers when they are at hand, and difficulties sustained, and the fear of them doth often sway us against the Conscience of our Duty; but if we lose our great Worldly hopes, or be cut short in our Condition and Worldly expectations, 'tis no great matter: Wise and Gracious men may easily bear it, with a quiet and well-composed Mind. The sin of those that stumble at great and worldly hopes, is questionless the greater Transgression; for they are only inticed and drawn away by their Pleasures and Lusts; which all good Christians are obliged to deaden and mortifie. But though to fall out of Fear, be not so hainous a sin, yet a great and hainous sin it is; for Grace should govern Fear, as well as hope. If the Coertion and bridling of it be difficult, it doth not excuse a toto, but a tanto only; and 'tis hard to set a Christian in joynt again, that is faln by Fear; witness those Terrors that do haunt men, when once they are gotten into the snare: As Peter, went out and wept bitterly; it cost him much sorrow at heart. Christ is fain to direct a special message to him, by name, Mark 16. 7. Though it doth not exclude all hopes of Repentance and Pardon, yet it needeth great Mercy on Gods part, and Repentance on ours. Indeed the Church is bound to consider mens weaknesses, and to judge of the fault according to the violent shock and incursion of the Temptation; because we know not our own strength, and how soon we may be surprized in like kind, and need indulgence our selves; Gal. 6. 1. But God is not in our Condition, nor obliged to recover all that lapse in this kind; and therefore useth his Mercy according to his own pleasure: Sometimes he recovereth them, and sometimes not; but for the other Temptations, what excuse is it capable of? Heb. 12. 16, 17.
Secondly, Let us consider how a Believer is preserved; Unsound Professors are turned by Scandal, from the wayes of Godliness, which they seemed to walk in; but for the sincere Believer, there may be many stumbling blocks laid in his way, but he falleth not at them, escapeth those hainous sins into which others fall, through his love to Gods Commandments. Observe here three things,
1. 'Tis not Light, but Love that keepeth them from stumbling; the light of saving knowledge is a great matter, for it sheweth us a sure rule to walk by, and sure Promises to build upon; but love must joyn with it, to assist us, that we may escape those snares; for many fail, because they receive not the Truth in the love of it; 2 Thes. 2. 10. Till light be turned into love, it hath not such a powerful influence upon us: Certainly a man is better held by the Heart, than by the Head. Rom. 8. 39. Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. The love of God, is not principally taken there in a passive sense, for the love wherewith we are beloved of God; but in an active sense, for the love wherewith we love God. For Affliction and Persecution do expugne or assault Gods love to us, but not our love to God. For this maketh us cleave to him, whatever Temptations we have to the Contrary. Do but consider what you are to love.
1. We are to love God, there it beginneth; love God once, and then you will take nothing ill at his hands; how smart soever his chastenings be, they come from a God that loveth you, and whom your Souls love: Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Now they will not stumble at Gods dispensations, be they never so cross to their expectations and desires. But then
2. We must love the Law of God, be satisfied with our Duty whatever cometh of it: Next to a sincere love to God, there must be a sincere love to his holy Law, as the right way to eternal blessedness; and then Temptations will have but little force upon us, for they do not love their Duty for forreign Reasons, but for its own sake: So that whether it be befriended and countenanced in the World, or hated and despised, 'tis all one; they love the Law upon its own Evidence, as it is recommended by God, and is a sure direction to true happiness. Iob. 17. 9. The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger. He meaneth notwithstanding all the Troubles and assaults which he endureth, they are not scandalized at Gods dealings, or permitting them to be thus dealt with, but doth persevere in a course of Godliness, this is the way wherein he delighteth.
3. He loves the Brethren, 1 Ioh. 2. 10. He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. They, together with us, uphold Christs Interest in the World; the Coals by lying together, inkindle one another; and so are the better kept from having their Zeal quenched, or being insnared by the manifold Temptations in the World.
4. By this love, the love of the World and its prosperity, is much abated; 1 Ioh. 2. 15. Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world, for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. This man cannot part with all, when his Duty calleth for it: Till we despise Worldly things, we are still liable to take offence: All our disquiet cometh from too great love of the World, and too little love of the Word of God, all this is spoken to shew you, that 'tis want of love wherefore men are so easily taken off, and this love beginneth with the love of God, then goeth on to his Word, and the Obedience it calleth for, and is strengthened by our love to the Saints, and is an higher love than that it can be controuled by the love of the World.
Secondly, This blessed peace hath an influence upon it, upon a twofold account;
1. This is an experience of the good of that way, which the World speaketh evil of; you cannot perswade a man against his Experience, that honey is bitter, when he has tasted the sweetness of it: 1 Pet. 2. 3. They know the Grace of God in Truth, they have found much comfort and peace in these ways. Most men know Religion and Godliness but by hear-say, or looking on; the Testimony of Christ was never confirmed in them; but these have tryed it, and know the good of Religion by Experience, therefore they cannot be so easily offended as others are, who have only licked the Glass, but never tasted the honey. The pleasure they find in the Duties and Exercises of Godliness, will with them infinitely out-weigh all the transient Delights and Advantages that are propounded, or offer themselves as the bait to any unlawful practice.
2. The particular nature of this Experience, it is Peace which doth guard heart and mind; Phil. 4. 7. that they are not disturbed, or distracted by any thing that befalleth them; but enjoy a Calm in their Souls, whatever storms overtake them, or befal them in the way of their Duty: Eph. 6. 15. Having our feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. This is the Gospel shoe, there is no going to heaven without it, and this is peace, that is, peace with God; when all is quiet within, and the quarrel is taken up between God and us, we can the better bear the frowns of the World; and he calleth it the Gospel of Peace, because it mainly dependeth on the Terms of Grace revealed to us in the Gospel; the law discovereth the enmity and the breach, but the Gospel discovereth how peace may be had. He calleth it also the preparation, foreign, because this peace breedeth a firm and ready resolution to go through all difficulties, crosses and hardships: Acts 21. 13. I am ready not only to be bound, but to die at Ierusalem. Well then, this is the fruit of Peace and Friendship between God and sinners; it breedeth a resolution to hold on our way to heaven, notwithstanding crosses and continual hardships, and allayeth the bitterness of all Worldly Trouble.
Thirdly, There is Gods Providence and Care over them, who is concerned in the Protection of all that love his law, and take care to love and please him. On the one side, God sometimes threatneth the wicked, that he will lay stumbling-blocks before them, Ier. 6. 21. that is, bring those things upon them, that shall be a means of ruine to them: On the other side, Ier. 31. 9. that he will lead the penitent believer in a strait way, that they shall not stumble; we must not omit Gods Concurrence, for it is his Promise, that nothing shall offend them; His People are very near and dear to him. Our Lord telleth us, in his discourse against offending them, that their Angels do always behold the face of his father, which is in heaven, Matth. 18. 10. that is, though the Angels be appointed to be their Guardians on Earth, yet they have their continual returns and recourse to Gods glorious presence, to make Requests or Complaints in their behalf, or to receive Commands concerning them: for as God seeth fit, they are imployed in service for the benefit of those little ones. I remember Solomon saith, Prov. 12. 21. There shall no evil happen to the just; but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. We can easily understand, that the wicked shall be overwhelmed with Gods judgments; but how shall no Evil happen to the Righteous, since their Troubles are many? The meaning of the place is, as Augustine well glosseth, non ut non eveniant, sed ut non noceant; they do not stumble at Afflictions, nor are they deserted by God, as others are: God moderateth the Evil, 1 Cor. 10. 13. or removeth it, Psal. 125. 3. or turneth it to good, Rom. 8. 28. Now by this gracious dealing of God, it cometh to pass that nothing doth offend them; those that depend on the favour of Men, and the uncertainties of a worldly condition, how many Troubles are they exposed unto! Therefore we should look to our Confidence, whether it be Faith, or Security; whether we rest upon a carnal Pillow, or the Corner-stone, which God hath laid in Sion.
Use. It concerneth us all to look to this, whether we love the law so, as to have gotten Peace of Conscience, and Assurance of Gods Protection; because of the …titude of Scandals, and the Trials and Exercises we are put upon by Gods Correcting hand. The Prosperity of the Wicked; the Disgrace that is cast on the stricter ways of God; the World being so full of Snares and Temptations, that bring men to Sin and Ruin: Omnia timeo, saith Bernard, & quae placeant, & quae tristantur. I am afraid of every thing, of those things that please us, and those that make us sad; What shall a poor Christian do that he may not Miscarry?
1. Be sure that your Resolutions for God and the World to come, be thoroughly fixed and settled; for you will be distracted with every thing, if you be not at a point, and have not chosen the better part, and fully fixed your purpose. The Apostle telleth us, Iam. 1. 8. The double minded man is unstable in all his ways: A wavering and inconstant Christian will not know which way to turn himself, being disquieted upon all occasions.
2. They never rightly begin with God, that do not sit down and count what it may cost them, to be holy Christians; Luk. 14. 26. If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my Disciple. If you have not a preparation of mind to suffer any thing, rather than part with Christ, you are not fit for his turn; Like a man that sets on Building, and hath not a Stock to hold out; or designeth a War, and is not provided with all necessaries to go thorough with it. You must expect Temptations and Troubles, because they serve to try whether you will hold your integrity; and if God be not sufficient enough to be your portion, never serve him. Never pretend to Religion, if you do not resolve to renounce all that is precious to you in the World, rather than forsake it.
3. Consider the necessity of standing to Gods Law, whatever persecutions and sufferings you meet with: There is no other way to be saved, Ioh. 6. 68. Lord, whither shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. Such as have a mind to quit Christ, have need to consider, where they shall find a better master: Change where they will, they change for the worse. Obedience to the Word of God, is the only way to Eternal Life; and whatever Law you make to your selves, God will judge you by his own Law.
4. Be established in the peace of God, and never break this peace to obtain your outward peace: What a wound will it be to thy Soul! and how shiftless and helpless wilt thou be, when to make thy peace with the World, thou hast broken thy peace with God! Therefore rise up against Temptations, as the Trees refused in Iothams Parable to be Ruler over the rest; Shall I lose my fatness, another, my sweetness, to rule over the Trees? Shall I to please men, put my Conscience to a continual Torment and Anguish? sell the Birth-right for one Morsel of Meat? The remembrance will come into your minds, when you had joyful Communion with God and his People; whose Company you have abandoned; every day of solemn Assembly, will be a new Torment to you.
5. When troubles surprize you, consider, how unbeseeming it is, to take offence at Gods Providence: 'Tis an ill sign, to be so apt to pick quarrels with God and Godliness; it argueth little love, either to God or his Law, for love thinketh no ill of those whom we love; they are Murmurers that said the ways of the Lord are not equal, or what profit is there if we serve the Lord, Mal. 3. 14?
6. Consider, The greatest hurt Satan intendeth you, is not to hurt your Bodies, but your Souls. To bring you to be offended at the holy and righteous ways of the Lord; he would let you enjoy the pleasures of sin, to rob you of your delight in God, and Celestial pleasures; let you have all the World, if it were in his power: Matth. 4. 9.
7. Consider, How short is the Prosperity of the wicked and those that turn aside to the wayes of sin; Psal. 17. 14. They shall be cut off, they are soon withered and dried up, and all their outward Glory perishes with them. 'Tis a more prudent Course to adhere closely to God, Iob 5. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root, but suddenly I cursed his habitation. 'Tis a prediction he foretold that there was a Curse at the root of all his Prosperity.