Circumspect Walking, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII.
Rules for our carriage towards all men▪ in generall.
THe second sort of rules concerning man and the things of men, respecteth our carriage towards other men; and that, 1. In generall▪ towards all: 2. In speciall, towards good, or bad.
The generall rules are these:Generall rules to carry our selues towards all men.
1. Wisely to distinguish betweene men, and not promiscuously respect all alike.1. Respect not all alike. 1. This is a point of wisedome, 1 Cor. 6. 6. and 2. commanded vsus, Iud. 22. hauehave compassion on some, putting difference, others saue with feare. Againe, 3. Many precepts can neuer bee obserued without it: as, first in things respecting God, Cast not holy things to dogges, Matth. 7. 6. that is, such as are knowne to bee wilfull repellers of the truth, lest they profane them, and teare you: secondly, in things of men, Doe good to all, but especially to the houshold of faith: thirdly, concerning our selues, Hee that hateth will counterfeit, though he speake fauourably, beleeue him not, &c. Prou. 26. 24, 25. Therefore labour to discerne one from another. 4. There is great difference betweene an Israelite and an Egyptian, betweene a Iew and a Samaritan; and we must obserue the difference; wherin the Lord goes before vsus, who though hee be patient and good vntounto all, yet hee is specially good vntounto Israel, euen the vpright of heart. Obiect. duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page This is to anticipate Gods iudgement and censure. Answ. No, because our iudgement reacheth not to a mans finall estate, but to the present onelyonly; for wee may not iudge beyond our eyes, nor yet against them: It is alike folly and wickednesse to iusti…ie the vngodly, as to condemne the innocent. Against this rule …aile those generall men, whom all fashions and companies please wel enough, no matter whether Protestants or Papists, religious or prophane, drunkards or sober, swearers or fearers of an oath; as the Iewes, they put no difference between Christ▪ and the theeues, who were crucified with him, but onelyonly that Christ was the worst. Others put difference betweene the godly and others, such as betweene Iewes and Samaritans, they will not meddle with a man truly fearing God for a dish of water. But a fearefull signe it is when grace is not acknowledged.
2. Although wee must make account to liue amongst all,2. Must liue by all, but sort with the best. yet our care must bee to sort with the best: that is, we must embrace friendship with all so farre as is possible, Rom. 12. 18. and so as we warre not with God; but familiarity onelyonly with good men, who are but a few. Lightnesse of familiarity is indiscretion. Here the rule holdeth wel, to trie before we trust: yea, a wise Christian must not commit himselfe to eueryevery one that seemeth good by the example of Christ, Ioh. 2. 24. For, 1. Much hypocrisie lieth at the root of mens harts: 2. Satan hath taught many to transforme themselues, and make religion and good words a cloake for their own ends: 3. Neuer did the deuil more hurt to Christianity than by false brethren, who were sent in to spie their liberty. For euen thy brethren, and the house of thy father, euen they hauehave dealt vnfaithfully with thee,—beleeue them not though they speake faire to thee, Ier. 12. 6. He that eateth bread with me (saith Dauid) and he that dips his finger in the platter with mee, euen he lift vp his heele against me: and Christ saith, A mans enemies are they of his owne houshold. 4. Solomon saith, An vnfaithfull man is as a broken tooth, and a sliding foot, Prou. 25. 19. 5. Christ would not commit himselfe to some that are said to beleeue in his name, because he knew what was in man. Many friends are like deepe ponds, cleare on the top, and all muddy at the bottome. And therefore a Christian must bee well aduised before hee inwardly conuerse with another. Now if a man must be carefull euen in entertaining good company, how carelesse are men of themselues, when they thrust themselues into euill company, which is more contagious then any sicknesse, more infectious then any pestilence? no age so catching of any disease, as eueryevery age is of deadly diseases of the minde in such poysoned ayre. Let no Christian that will be ruled by Gods wisedome, presume to conuerse in any such company, further then the limit of his particular calling, or other iust occasion and dealing is offered.
3. In our conuerse with all men, we must keepe a determination either to doe good vntounto others,In al companies do good or take good. or receiue good from others, helping one another to life as occasion shall be offered, Heb. 10. 24. Let vsus consider one another, to prouoke to louelove and good workes: Iude 20. Edifie one another in your holy faith. Motiues so to doe:Reas. 1. 1. How profitable should wee be, if our lips were euer feeding others, Pro. 10. 20. and if our diligence were to draw vnderstanding from others, Prou. 2. 5. How should wee abound in wisedome, and make our whole life fruitfull? This would keepe vsus in good trading and returne of goodlinesse. 2. This is the right end and improuement of our gifts, for the good of the whole body, Rom. 12. 6. 3. Here is an excellent worke of louelove, which is called the bond of perfection, which tyes persons and vertues together, and perfects them by frequent actions. 4. In what company soeuer a man comes,By conuersation actually confute all wickednes. his care must be that his life and conuersation be a visible confutation of all vngodlinesse. Daniels piety confuted idolatry, and Lot was a reall reproofe of Sodome. A Christians light must alwaies shine, euen in the darkenesse of the world, and against it. Should the life of a Christian be like the life of vnbeleeuers, couetous, contentious, conceited, vniust, &c? or shold not the life of a wise Christian, varie from the multitude and common people, in iudgement and practise? Did not Christ and his followers so? This rule is opposite to that worldly wisedome, to swim with the streame, and to doe as the most doe, to auoid the note of singularity. But here, as in all the course of godlinesse, 1. Wee must become fooles, that we may be wise: 2. We must not auoid mens euill speaking, by running with them into the same excesse of riot: 3. Wee must not take the example of many & great ones, but of Christ, the greatest and wisest of all: and Phil. 3. 17. Be yee followers of mee, and looke on them that walke so. These examples suite to our rule.
5. Christianity enioynes louelove vntounto all,LoueLove eueryevery mans person, no mans sin, euen the worst: whose vices wee must hate, their persons we must louelove; by which vertue all men hauehave place in our prayers, in our mercy and compassion as occasion requires. This grace couers a multitude of sinnes in all, it beareth with infirmity, it forgiues offences in all: Col. 3. 13. forbearing and forgiuing one another. And therefore the Apostle wisheth vsus, aboue al things to put on louelove. And to consider that motiue, Col. 4. 7. EueryEvery one is one of vsus, euen the worst in the naturall and ciuill bond; one of vsus, if not in faith, yet in flesh; one of our neighbours, or congregation, or at least by the common bond of a Christian.
6. Religion requires curtesie as well as piety,Ioyne with good conscience, good manners. good manners together with good conscience; and therefore we must be curteous to all, 1 Pet. 2. 17. & 3, 8. Honour all men. And Rom. 12. 10. In giuing honour goe one before another. Which honour is a good opinion conceiued inwardly, and expressed outwardly by reuerent words and deeds. Christianity will make vsus hauehave a low opinion of our selues, and better of others then of our selus. Ob. Some are so bad, or so base, as no honour or respect belongs vntounto them. Answ. None is so bad but hath some honour on him, he is Gods creature, he is a man, a Christian, and he may be a good man, a member of Christ, and certain reuerence belongs to all this. Ob. But how can superiors, in higher place, honour their inferiours? Answ. Many wayes: 1. In action, by testifying their good opinion of them in words, gestures, or deeds, not the least contempt: and so Iob behaued himselfe, selfe, 31. 13. 2. In affection, especially, when superiours whom God hath by their place made receiuers of honour, could out of an humble affection be well pleased either to want it, or returne it vponupon their inferiours if they might doe it without offence, or might it stand with good order which God hath set in the Church and Common-wealth.