live with those afflictions wherewith others die. And certainly, if we make a true judgment of things, we have not the least cause to suspect the love of God, when he chastises us to take away sin, the only abominable object of his hatred and deep detestation, and to render us partakers of the divine nature; and the present "peaceable fruit of righteousness is the product in those who are duly exercised by their troubles. It is an allusion to the reward of the conquerors in the Olympic games, who had a crown of olives, the emblem and shadow of peace; but true peace, a divine calm in the conscience, shall be the recompence of all that exercise the graces suitable to an afflicted state. In short, the apostle assures believers, that they are chastened of the Lord, to prevent their condemnation with the world. (1 Cor. xi. 32.) It is this rod that truly delivers them from hell; it is this consideration that changes thorns into roses, and extracts honey out of wormwood. If the way be stony or flowery that leads to blessedness, a Christian should willingly walk in it. To conclude: from the consideration of what the scripture declares concerning temporal evils, let us "lift-up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for our feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed;" that is, in our affliction let us take courage and resolution from the promises, and live in a holy conformity to God's will, that the weak or faint may be restored.

The first and last lesson of pagan philosophy was to support men under the storms to which they are liable in this open state; to render the soul velut pelagi rupes immota, "as a rock unshaken by the waves: but all their directions were unsuccessful, and so could not secure them from impatience or despair. But the gospel, that assures us of the love of God in sending afflictions for our spiritual and eternal good, is alone able to compose the mind; and whenever we faint in troubles, it is either from infidelity or inconsideration. It is impossible a person should be a Christian, and be incapable of comfort in the most afflicted state; for we are really so by the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter. When we speak sometimes to those we judge infirm, we speak to infidels, who only receive remedy from time, which they ought to receive from faith. They have the name of God only in their mouths, but the world is in their hearts; their passions are strong and obstinate, not subject to sanctified reason. The difficulty they have of being comforted, discovers the necessity of their being afflicted; they need conversion more than consolation. Others, who are sincere in the faith, yet are apt to faint under troubles, from an error like that of the apostles: when their Lord came upon the waters in a stormy, tempestuous night to their assistance, they thought he was a spirit; so they look on God as an enemy, when he comes to sanctify and save them. The sovereign remedy of our sorrows is, to correct the judgment of sense by a serious belief of God's promise: thus we shall reconcile the roughness of his hand with the sweetness of his voice. He calls to us from heaven in the darkest night, "It is I; be not afraid:" he corrects us with the heart and hand of a father. A due consideration of these things will produce a glorified joy in the midst of our sufferings: "Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Rom. xv. 4.)

SERMON XXVIII.

BY THE REV. JOHN OWEN, D.D.,

FORMERLY DEAN OF CHRIST CHURCH, AND VICE-CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.

HOW WE MAY BRING OUR HEARTS TO BEAR REPROOFS.

Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.-Psalm cxli. 5.

It is generally agreed by expositors, that this psalm, as that foregoing, with two of those that follow, were composed by David in the time of his banishment or flight from the court of Saul. The state wherein he describeth himself to have been, the matter of his pleas and prayers contained in them, with sundry express circumstances regarding that season and his condition therein, do manifest that to have been the time of their composure. That the Psalmist was now in some distress, whereof he was deeply sensible, is evident from that vehemency of his spirit, which he expresseth in the re-iteration of his request or supplication; (verse 1;) and by his desire, that his prayer might come before the Lord " as incense, and the lifting-up of his hands as the evening sacrifice." (Verse 2.) The Jewish expositors guess, not improbably, that in that allusion he had regard unto his present exclusion from the holy services of the tabernacle, which in other places he deeply complains of.

For the matter of his prayer in this beginning of the psalm, (for I shall not look beyond the text,) it respecteth himself, and his deportment under his present condition; which he desireth may be harmless and holy, becoming himself and useful unto others. And whereas he was two ways liable to miscarry,-First, by too high an exasperation of spirit against his oppressors and persecutors; aud, Secondly, by a fraudulent and pusillanimous compliance with them in their wicked courses; which are the two extremes that men are apt sinfully to run into in such conditions, he prays earnestly to be delivered from them both. The first he hath respect unto, verse 3: "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips;" namely, that he might not, under those great provocations which were given him, break forth into an unseemly intemperance of speech against his unjust oppressors, which sometimes fierce and unreasonable cruelties will wrest from very sedate and moderate spirits. But it was the desire of this holy Psalmist, as in like cases it should be ours, that his heart might be always preserved in such a frame, under the conduct of the Spirit of God, as not to be surprised into an expression of distempered passion in any of his words or sayings. The other he regards in his earnest supplication to be delivered from it, verse 4: "Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties."

There are two parts of his request unto the purpose intended : 1. That, by the power of God's grace influencing his mind and soul, his heart might not be inclined unto any communion or society with his wicked adversaries in their wickedness. 2. That he might be preserved from a liking of, or a longing after, those things which are the baits and allurements whereby men are apt to be drawn into societies and conspiracies with the workers of iniquity: "And let me not eat of their dainties." (See Prov. i. 10-14.) For he here describeth the condition of men prospering for a season in a course of wickedness: they first jointly give-up themselves unto the practice of iniquity; and then together solace themselves in those satisfactions of their lusts which their power and interest in the world do furnish them withal. These are "the dainties" of which an impotent longing and desire do betray the minds of unstable persons unto a compliance with ways of sin and folly; for I look on these "dainties" to comprise whatever "the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life," can afford. All these David prays to be delivered from any inclination unto; especially when they are made the allurements of a course of sin. In the enjoyment of these "dainties," it is the common practice of wicked men to soothe-up, approve of, and mutually encourage, one another in the way and course wherein they are engaged; and this completes that goodly felicity which in this world so many aspire unto, and whereof alone they are capable. The whole of it is but a society in perishing, sensual enjoyments, without control, and with mutual applauses from one another.

This the Psalmist had a special regard unto; who casting his eye toward another communion and society which he longed after, (verse 5,) that in the first place presents itself unto him which is most opposite unto those mutual applauses and rejoicings in one another which are the salt and cement of all evil societies; namely, rebukes and reproofs for the least miscarriages that shall be observed. Now whereas the dainties which some enjoy in a course of prosperous wickedness, are that alone which seems to have any thing in it amongst them that is desirable, and on the other side rebukes and reproofs are those alone which seem to have any sharpness, or matter of uneasiness and dislike in the society of the godly; David balanceth that which seemeth to be sharpest in the one society, against that which seems to be sweetest in the other, and, without respect unto other advantages, prefers the one above the other. Hence some read the beginning of the words, "Let the righteous rather smite me," with respect unto this comparison and balance.

"Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my The view head for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities."

:

of our translation will evidence the words to be elliptical in the original, by the various supplements which we make to fill up the sense of them, and render them coherent; and this hath put some difficulty on the interpretation of the text, and caused some variety of apprehensions in sober and learned expositors. It is not unto my present purpose to engage into a discussion of all the difficulties of the text, seeing I design to found no other doctrine thereon than what all will acknowledge to be contained in the words and their coherence. I shall

only, therefore, briefly open them, with respect unto our present purpose and its concernment in them.

The righteous,” is any one opposed to * צַדִּיק יֶחֶלְמֵנִי צַדִּיק חֶסֶד :

the workers of iniquity, (verse 4,) any righteous person whatever, any one who is of the society and communion of the righteous ones; for all the world falls under this distribution, as it will one day appear. "Let him smite me:" the word is seldom used in the scripture but to signify a severe stroke which shakes the subject smitten, and causeth it to tremble; see Prov. xxiii. 35; 1 Sam. xiv. 16; Psalm lxxiv. 6; and it is used for the stroke of the hammer on the anvil in fashioning of the iron, Isai. xli. 7. Wherefore the word 7 following may be taken adverbially, as a lenitive of that severity which this word importeth: "Let him smite me, but" leniter, benignè, misericorditer, "gently, kindly, friendly, mercifully:" and so some translations read the words: "Let the righteous smite me friendly, or kindly."

But there is no need to wrest the word to such an unusual sense; for the Psalmist intends to show, that, so he may be delivered from the society of ungodly men, and enjoy the communion of the righteous, he would not deprecate the greatest severities, which according to rule might be exercised in rebuking or reproving of him. And this he doth with so full a satisfaction of mind, with such a high valuation of the advantage he should have thereby, that he says not he would bear it patiently and quietly, but It will be unto me a benignity, a mercy, a kindness,” as the word imports. And as it seems that some reproofs, at least some regular dealings of righteous persons with us, may come as a stroke that makes us shake and tremble; so it is a good advance in spiritual wisdom, to find out kindness and mercy in those that are so grievous unto our natural spirits, unto flesh and blood.

וְיוֹכִיחֵנִי

"And let him reprove me." This manifests what he intends by "smiting" in the foregoing words: it is reproofs that he intends; and these he calls "smiting," in opposition unto the flattering compliance of wicked men with one another in the enjoyment of their "dainties,” and with respect unto that smart unto the mind and affections wherewith some of them are sometimes accompanied. But this word, directly expressing that subject-matter whereof I intend to treat, must be again spoken unto.

; These words have a double interpretation שמן ראש אַל־יָנִי ראשי

for they may be either deprecatory of an evil implied, or declaratory of the Psalmist's sense of the good he desired. Kimchi on the place observes, that his father Joseph divided the words of the text, and began here a new sense, wherein the Psalmist returns unto the close of the fourth verse: "Let me not eat of their dainties; and let not their precious oil," that is, their flatteries and soothings in sin, "break my head: but let the reproofs of the righteous preserve me." And this sense is followed by the Vulgar Latin: Oleum autem peccatorum non impingat caput meum. But the other construction and sense of the words is more natural: 287 192 oleum capitis, "the oil of the head," we render "an excellent oil;" and countenance may be given unto that interpretation from Exod. xxx. 23, where "spices of the head," is well rendered "principal "oil poured on the

spices." But I rather think that

head," which was the manner of all solemn unctions, is intended. This being a great privilege, and the token of the communication of great mercy, the Psalmist compares the rebukes of the righteous thereunto ; and therefore he adds "It shall not break my head." Considering reproofs in their own nature, he calls them "smitings;" some of them being very sharp, as it is needful they should be, where we are obliged to rebuke añотоμws, "in a piercing and cutting manner.” (2 Cor. xiii. 10; Titus i. 13.) But with respect unto their use, benefit, and advantage, they are like unto that anointing oil which, being poured on the head, was both gentle and pleasant, and a pledge of the communication of spiritual privileges, whence no inconveniences would ensue.

The last clause of the words belonging not unto our present design, I shall not insist on their explication. Some few things must be further premised unto our principal intention, concerning the nature of those reproofs which are proposed as a matter of such advantage in the text. And,

1. The word ; here used, signifieth "to argue, to dispute, to contend in judgment," as well as "to reprove, rebuke, or reprehend." Its first signification is "to argue, or to plead a cause with arguments." Hence it is used as a common term between God and man, denoting the reasons real or pretended only on the one side and the other. So God himself speaks unto his people "Go to now, and let us plead, reason, or argue together;" (Isai. i. 18;) and Job calls his "pleas or argument" in prayer unto God ninin "I would fill my mouth with arguments." (Job xxiii. 4.) Wherefore that only hath the true nature of a reproof which is accompanied with reasons and arguments for the evincing of what it tends unto. Rash, groundless, wrathful, precipitate censures and rebukes are evil in themselves, and, in our present case, of no consideration; nor indeed ought any one to engage in the management of reproofs, who is not furnished with rule and argument to evince their necessity, and render them effectual. Sometimes things may be so circumstanced as that a reproof shall so carry its own reason and efficacious conviction along with it as that there will be no need of arguing or pleas to make it useful. So the look of our blessed Saviour on Peter, under the circumstances of his case, was a sufficient reproof, though he spake not one word in its confirmation. But, ordinarily, cogent reasons are the best conveyances of reproofs to the minds of men, be they of what sort they will.

2. Reproofs do always respect a fault, an evil, a miscarriage, or a sin in them that are reproved.-There may be mutual admonitions and exhortations among Christians with respect unto sundry things in the course of their faith and obedience, without a regard unto any evil or miscarriage. The general nature of a reproof is an admonition or exhortation; but it hath its special nature from its regard unto a fault in course, or particular fact. And hence the word signifies also "to chastise;" wherein is a correction for, and the means of a recovery from, a miscarriage: (2 Sam. vii. 14) "I will reprove him with the rod of men," that is, "chastise him." This, therefore, is that reproof which we intend,-a warning, admonition, or exhortation given unto any, whereby they are rebuked for and with respect unto some moral evil or sin in their course, way, prac