Circumspect Walking, Chapter 30 – Chapter 31
CHAP. XXX.
Rules how to walke wisely towards euill men: 1. in generall.Rules of wise walking towards euil men.
THe generall rule is in Col. 4. 5. Walke wisely towards them that are without, that is, the Gentiles who were not conuerted, without the border of the Church: for euen in the Church some are of Gods domestickes, some without as strangers that want faith as yet. And godly men must walke so much the more warily, not onelyonly because they hauehave Gods eye, and godly mens eyes on them, but euen eyes of men yet vnconuerted, who must not be cast backe, or confirmed in their errour, or hardened against the truth, but by all wise walking (if it be possible) won to the louelove and liking of it.
Now towards all vnbeleeuers, and vnconuerted men in generall, these parculars are worthy obseruation: 1. Auoid al iust causes of scandal.1. That eueryevery Christian auoid all known euils & offences, by which euill men might be occasioned to abide out of the Church. The law is, Thou shalt put no stumbling blocke before the blind: for this is a fea…full iudgement of God on men vnconuerted, they would willingly bee blinded, and hardened in their naturall estate. Now our rule is, being our selues pulled out of danger, to helpe others out also; nay, our light must reproue their darkenesse, their couetousnesse by liberality, their pride by humility, their impatience by patience, &c.
2. All vnconuerted men hate the light, and are prone to blaspheme the Gospell,2. Stop mouths of euill men. and to reproach the holy profession of it. Wise Christians therefore must cut off occasions from them, and take heed of defiling their owne neast: 1 Tim. 5 14. GiueGive no occasion to the aduersary to speake euill: and Dauid prayeth, that none might be ashamed because of him. Ezec. 36. 20. the Lord complaines, that the Israelites among the heathen polluted his name, and made them say, These are the people of the Lord, and are gone out of his land. A lewd childe (saith Salomon) dishonoureth the whole house. Nay on the contrary, the meanest Christian in his place, by his wise and Christian walking, must adorne the profession of Christ; so the Apostle to Titus 2. 10. Seruants must be no pickers, but shew all good faithfulnesse, to adorne the Gospell of the Lord Iesus. An holy course of life will make the Gentiles say, as they in Esay 61. 9. They are the seed of the blessed of the Lord.
3. All vnconuerted men esteeme of doctrine by the life,3. Seeke to win them. and the profession by the practise of professors; for they hauehave no taste of the doctrin in it selfe: and therefore in the cariage of our profession, wee must apply our selues if it be possible to win them. So the Apostle (1. Pet. 2. 12.) wisheth the Iewes, to hauehave their conuersation honest among the Gentiles, that they might glorifie God in the day of their visitation. And women are commanded, so to watch their whole behauiour, as their husbands might be wonne by their godly conuersation. Priuate men must conuert others by their priuate conuersation.
Motiues so to doe,Motiues. are these:
1. Christians are on a mount, set on a scaffold, nothing they doe escapeth sight and censure, all is marked, they stand or fall not alone, but to many. 2. They hauehave a light with them, which drawes all eyes vponupon them, and discouers all. 3. The eyes of the wicked are not on others, but on them, to disgrace them, and through them to smite Christ himselfe. 4. The will of God is, By weldoing to silence the ignorance of foolish men, 1 Pet. 2. 15. 5. What a glory is it, to slaughter enuy it selfe, to stop an open mouth, and cloath an aduersary with his owne shame; that he that would accuse vsus, must accuse the Sunne of darknesse when it shines. 6. Hereby we shall be conformable to Christ, whom when Satan came to sift, he found nothing in him:1 Sam. 26. 25. wicked men shall say as Saul said to Dauid. Thou art more righteous then I, &c.
CHAP. XXXI.
Rules how to walke wisely towards euill men, in speciall: and first for scorners.
NOw wee come to speciall rules concerning speciall sorts of euill men, of whom some are exceeding euill in themselues, some are euill also to good men. Of the former ranke are scornefull persons: of the latter hurtfull.
For scorners, obserue these rules.
1. If we know men to be so farre naught,Rules how to carry our selues towards scorners. as they scorne goodnesse, good men, and good things, we must auoid their company so much as wee may.1. Auoid them. For what comfort can a godly man take in such company, where all good and godly communication must either be banished or derided? There is no hope of doing good, there is danger of taking harme.
2. If we be by occasion beset,2. If cast into their company, obserue 5. rules. or cast into the company of prophane, brutish and scornfull persons, then obserue these rules. First, grieue thou wast not better directed, Psal. 120. 5. Woe is me, that I remaine in Meshec, and dwell in the tents of Kedar. Secondly, be sure though thou seest no place or opportunity of good, that thou hast no fellowship with them in any of the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse. If they will be no cleaner by thy company, be not thou defiled by theirs. If they will not consent to thee in good, consent not thou to them in any sinne. Thirdly, please them not by yeelding to any sinne, but giuegive apparant tokens of dislike. Obiect. Why, may we not by yeelding a little to them, draw them to vsus? Answ. No, but the way to winne them, is a pure conuersation with feare, 1 Pet. 3. 12. much lesse may we flatter them in any euill. Micaiah would not flatter with the King, the foure hundred false Prophets did. Fourthly, acknowledge thy selfe a childe of wisedome, which is iustified of all her children: suffer not Gods glory to be trodden down by thy silence; wisely breake off fooleries, by sauoury riddles or questions, as Sampson: and in a wise and peaceable manner, change the matter: holding it a setled ground of religion, not to relinquish piety, to keepe peace with wicked men: Heb. 12. 14. Follow peace, and holinesse. No corruption of man must driue vsus from our station. Fifthly, so soone as wee may, depart from them: Prou, 14. 7. Depart from the foolish man, when thou perceiuest not in him the lippes of knowledge. And beware of falling into the like company againe. Ioseph wisely declined the company of his Mistresse, when she daily spake vntounto him, Gen 39. 10. and Dauid would not returne with Saul, when hee perceiued his wilfulnesse against him, 1 Sam. 26. 25.