see the world hates the people of God, because they are like Christ, who was hated of the world; and because they are unlike unto the world: they are new-born ; and have another nature: they are strangers here, and have their face set toward another world. They are many ways unlike the world. The world and they are objects of different affections; the one is loved, and the other is hated of God.-They are subjects of different Lords, viz. God and the devil: and these two Lords command contrary things; they promise contrary rewards, and they threaten contrary punishments. The devil commands men to serve their lusts; he promises them temporal pleasures, and he threatens temporal miseries to these that will not serve him. Now, God's commands, promises and threatenings, are of another nature and so there is vast odds between the one and the other, while they are subjects of different Lords; the godly being brought from darkeness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; the wicked being led captives by Satan, at his pleasure; he rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience; yea, the god of this world blinds their eyes; and suggests all manner of evil unto them, and fills them with prejudice and enmity against the saints.--But then, as they are objects of different affections, and subjects of different Lords, so they are persons of different principles, that they act from; the one acts merely from the flesh, the other acts from the Spirit: contrary spirits act them severally; "Ye have not received the spirit of this world, but the spirit which is of God."-Further, they' are a people of different ends, whether we consider the end proposed by them, or the end designed upon them. As to the end proposed by them; the godly man proposes the glory of God, as his great and ultimate end: the wicked man proposes the satisfaction of his own lusts, as his end. As to the end designed upon them; the end of the godly man will be, that he shall enter into the joy of his Lord, to be for ever with him; the end of the wicked will be, that he shall be turned into hell, to be tormented with the devil and his angels.--Now, seeing they are every way so unlike to the world, no wonder that they be for signs and wonders in the world; for, "What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? Or, what concord hath light with darkness? What communion hath Christ with Belial? What part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" 2 Cor. vi. 14, 15. Now, because they are so unlike the world, and cannot follow the course of the world; therefore they are reproached therein: " They think it strange, that they run not with them, to the same excess of riot; speaking evil of you," 1 Pet. iv. 4. 1 3. They are for signs and for wonders in the world, because they are enemies to the way of the world. The wickedness of the world is a vexation to them; " For that righteous man Lot, dwelling among them, in seeing, and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day, with their unlawful deeds," 2 Pet. ii. 8. An unjust man is an abomination to the just; and he that is upright in the way, is an abomination to the wicked," Prov. xxix. 27. The godly hate their ways, not their persons we are obliged to love your persons, but to hate your vices, Psal. cxxxix. 21, 22. They cannot but be as signs and wonders to the wicked, especially when they hate that which they love, and love that which they hate. And the world is not behind with them, in their hatred; for as the godly hate the wickedness of the wicked, as far as he is godly; so the wicked hate the godly, and their godlines both: The carnal mind of them is enmity against God: and the heart being full of enmity, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, and speaketh reproachfully. The very root of all this opposition, is the enmity that is put between the seed of the woman, and the seed of the serpent. 4. They are for signs and for wonders in Israel, and in the world, because they reprove the world, and do what they can to cause them leave their carnal joy, their darling pleasures, and sinful delights, of which they are so fond. The children of God are the lights of the world, Phil. ii. 15. "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Now, the natural man loveth not to come to this light; "Every one that doth 1 evil, hateth the light; neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved," John iii. 20. They will not come near the godly, so to speak; they will not so much as come in speaking terms with them, upon any spiritual heavenly discourse; they love not to talk with them, otherwise their talk would reprove theirs which is nothing but the language of Ashdod: they love not to walk or converse with them, otherwise their walk and conversation would reprove and condemn theirs; and hence they care for none of their change; their company is but a burden to them; they are in bondage when they are obliged to be in their company any time, especially if they be very spiritual Christians: the more spiritual their conversation is, the more hateful it is to the carnal man.-The godly are the salt of the earth, to keep the world from stinking; this salt will smart their wounds and sores; and they cannot endure to be crossed: hence they hate them that rebuke in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly, Amos v. 10. "Reprove a scorner and he will hate thee," saith Solomon, Prov. ix. 8. See also ver. 7." He that reproveth a scorner, getteth to himself shame; and he that rebuketh a wicked man, getteth to himself a blot." Men speak against religion, because it speaks against them. Why were the Pharisees so exasperated against Christ, but because he spake his parables against them? John vii. 7. He was a sign every where spoken against, because his doctrine everywhere speaketh against the way of the world: and no wonder then that all these speak against it, who hate to be convinced by it, and fear to be condemned by it. Why are faithful ministers so much hated in the world, but because they shew people their transgressions, their drunkenness, whoredom, swearing, lying, and Sabbath-breaking; their vil lany, knavery, and vice? Though none pretend it is for that cause they hate them, but, perhaps, say it is for some ill thing they allege against them: for Satan hides his calumny and cruelty best under a cloak of pretence for religion. But, however, if they would flatter men and speak peace to them to whom God speaks no peace, they might avoid a great deal of reproach and censure; but they dare not do it: they are not to make a new law, or a new gospel, but to preach that which is made, Jer. xv. 19. There we have the ministerial commission; "Let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them." The hearts and lives of men must be brought to comply with the word of God; for the word of God can never be made to comply with the humours and fancies of men; if they aim at pleasing men, they cannot approve themselves the servants of Christ; and therefore they are reproached and evil spoken of. V. The Fifth thing was, the application of the subject; which we shall essay in an use of information, trial, and exhortation. The First use then is of information. Is it so, as has been said, that Christ and his people, are hated, contemned, reproached, and wondered at by the world? Then hence we may see, 1. The necessity of the day of judgment: for if the world might be judged here, the best in the world would be run down with reproach and condemned; yea, hated as monsters. But what a wonder of divine patience is it, that this glorious One, who hath so much said against him and his followers, while he and his children are loaded with reproach, doth not answer all these reproaches with thunder and lightning? Why, it is a day of patience but there is a day of vengeance coming, wherein he will no longer keep silence, Jude, ver. 14, 15, &c. This day God will not anticipate, for he knows it is coming, Psal. xxxvii. 13. - 2. Hence see the duty of all that hear these tidings: the duty of professors, the duty of profane persons, and the duty of saints. See the duty of professors, to beware that they be not a scandal to the wicked, 1 Tim. v. 14. Your scandalous conversation may occcasion the reproaches, that are cast upon the saints by the wicked world: for, when you that profess religion, are but vain and frothy in your conversation, double and deceitful in your dealings, loose and untender in your walk, you bring up an ill report upon religion, and make enemies think that religon is but a sham.-See the duty of profane folk: that they beware of reproaching and con temning religion, and religious people, upon whatever pretence. And if none but saints shall win to heaven, what will become of them that look upon such as monsters! See also the duty of saints, and of all the children of God that are reproached; they are not to account it a strange thing though the world look upon them as monsters; yea, so blind is the world, that they may reckon you the very folk that should be banished out of the world. Paul, before his conversion, looked upon the saints as worthy of death; Acts xxvi. 9, 10, 11. “ I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus: which thing I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests: and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them I persecuted them even unto strange cities." Think it not strange, that the world should condemn you and contemn you; you are contemned and despised with good company, even with the best of company, with Christ himself; " Behold, 1 and the children whom the Lord hath given me, are for signs and wonders." I fear, to enlarge on this subject were to purchase myself more of that reproach*. 3. Hence see the reason why the godly in all ages, have been persecuted and barbarously used as monstrous persons, and religion as a monstrous opinion. The Lord's people need not look upon it as a rare thing; "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you," 1 Pet. iv. 12. We need not think it strange if religion itself be ridiculed: IPSA RELIGIO IN OPPROBRIAM VERTIT, said Bernard. Here many things might be condescended upon for the illustration of this point: but having assigned a variety of instances above on the * About the time when this Sermon was preached, there were mighty altercations amongst both ministers and people about the MARROW DOCTRINE; our Author being a favourer of that doctrine, got his own share of the contumely and obloquy of these times. |