The Progress of Saints to Full Holiness, Verse 22
VERSE 22. Abstaine from all appearance of evill.
AS a carefull father who is come to the end of his life, hath but a while to speake, and therefore heapeth up his lessons shortly together, which he would have his sonnes remember when hee is gone: So the Apostle here, drawing to the end of this Epistle, heapes together his most necessary precepts in short manner, as knowing what a friend brevity is to memory.
God who hath put an infinite distance and disproportion betweene light and darknesse, betweene which (as the Apostle saith) there can be no communion, 2 Cor. 6.14.their natures being so fully abhorring, hath under that similitude shewed how hee hath separated, and put as great contrariety betweene good and evill, truth and falshood, which are a spirituall kinde of light and darknesse, so as they can never agree in one subject, but where light comes, darknesse is chased before it, and when darknesse succeedes, the light gives place unto it: And as darknesse is the privation of light, so evill is the absence of of good: and as it is impossible for a man at the same time to be both good and evill, so neither can he affect evill and good at the same time, but if hee will hold that which is good, he must abstaine from the contrary evill; or if he will not abstaine from evill, let him never professe the holding of good. Whence not onelyonly this Scripture, but many other joyne these two by an inseperable band: Psal. 34.14. Eschew evill, and doe good. Esay 1.16. Cease to doe evill, learne to doe well. Rom. 12.9. Abhorre that which is evill, and cleave to that which is good. And here, Hold what is good, Abstaine from all appearance of evill: for there can be no holding of good, if a man withhold not himselfe from evill.
Malum non est cogn…scibile nisi per bonum. Aquin.1. By evill is meant whatsoever departeth from the rule of good: and 2. by abstaining is meant refraining or removing a mans selfe from it as farre as may be: so the word is used, Matth. 15.8. foreign, Their heart wandreth farre from mee? 3. The Apostle saith not, Abstaine from evill, but from the appearance of evill: foreign or species is that which seemes to be a thing, but is not; a shape or representation of a thing, rather than a thing it selfe. So the same word is used, Iohn 5.37. foreign, Yee saw not his shape. 4. The extent of the proposition, all appearance, yet more helpeth us to the true sense of the words, which requires of us to runne as fast away from whatsoever hath any shew of evill, as if it were evill in it selfe: for the same word is used, 1 Pet. 2.11. Abstaine from fleshly lusts: and in 1 Thess. 4.3. the will of God is, that ye abstaine from fornication: All noting, that we must avoid the least shew of evill with the same care that wee doe the greatest evill it selfe: and even all shews, as making conscience of all.
Christians must not onelyonly avoid that which is apparantly evill,Doct. Not onelyonly apparant evills, but appearances of evil must be avoided. but that also which seemeth to be evill, or may carry some evill with it, though it selfe be be not so.
For the explaining hereof we must know, that in every action there bee three things. First,Explication. foreign, the action or evill it selfe, whether it be an evill of doctrine or manners, as all false doctrine, heresie, superstition, and all sinnes of all sorts, which stand not in conformity with the law. This is not so much aymed in the text. Secondly, foreign, the leaders, incentives or moovers of our selves or others unto any sinne: so Eves looking on the Apple, was not in it selfe evill, but so farre as it drew on her appetite; yea her conference with the Serpent, and Adams with her in that subject or argument, should have beene avoided. This first peeping or appearance of evill in our selves, or whatsoever we may lay as a stumbling blocke in the way of another, though it be not evill in us, nor in it selfe, yet being an occasion of evill to another, by this precept we must shunne and fly from it. Paules eating of flesh was lawfull in it selfe, and lawfull to him; but rather than hee would offend his weake brother, he will never doe it while the world stands: 1 Cor. 8.13. and Rom. 14.21. he will remove that which seemeth and appeareth evill to another. Thirdly, foreign, the consequents of actions are to be considered; and in things which be indifferent, that may be done or not done, we must sometime forbeare lawfull things if wee suspect evill consequents. It was lawfull for David to walke upon his gallery, but had hee foreseene the consequents, he would doubtlesse have beene otherwise occupied. It was lawfull for Paul to have circumcised Titus as he did Timothy; but espying an evill consequent, that hee should confirme the errour of the Iewes, who held circumcision as necessary to salvation, he would not doe it: Gal. 2. It was as lawfull in it selfe for him to make a vow, shave his head, and purifie himselfe at one time as at another, Acts 18.18. yet sometimes he inveighes against these observations as beggerly rudiments, Gal. 4.9. and will not meddle with any of them, where hee might confirme any in their errour or obstinacy. All which examples teach us, either warily to doe or leave undone things which are liable to misconstruction.
2. Here remember, that in all lawfull and necessary duties, let all the world misconster and be offended, wee must yeeld absolute obedience unto God, though to the world it appeare never so evill. Christ himselfe in his doctrine and conuersation was so generall an offence, that he pronounced him blessed that was not offended in him. He must preach himselfe to be the bread from heaven, though it offend the Iewes, Iohn 6. He will heale the paralyticke, though they be offended, Mat. 9.1. Iohn must preach against Herodias, though all the Court be offended. Daniel will pray three times a day, though it cost him his life.
3. In all indifferent things we are to avoide all appearance of evill and scandall, with these limitions.
First, so they be not in things simply necessary to life, in these things wee must not forbeare if others be offended. If one take offence that I eate bread, or drinke beere, I must doe it, because life is maintained by foode, but if I can be without it and live, I must respect my brothers weaknesse; as to abstaine this or that flesh, this or that wine, &c.
Secondly, the like in things simply necessary for my calling: But a thing of indifferency may not put me out of my way, I must hold my calling, I must preach the Gospell. This is a necessary duty imposed; and good of this nature must be done, though a shew of evill to some be annexed to it.
Thirdly, in these things of indifferency, we must abstaine from appearances of evill, and things that carry an evill colour; if we be nostri juris, and the things be left to our free liberty and disposing. But if higher powers restraine our use of liberty, and determine and limit us, then we are overruled by lawfull authority in things subjected to it, and them, in these things of indifferency wee cannot avoide all things wherein some may conceive an appearance of evill.
Fourthly, in these things, we are not alwayes to avoide things wherein some conceive offence and appearance of evill; but for a time till such ignorant and weake persons may be taught: we may not offend weake ones, by undue exercise of our liberty; but if they bee wilfull and will not bee taught, we must peremptorily stand to our liberty. So did the Apostle, Gal. 5.3. For I testifie againe to every man that is circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. And Titus 3.10. A man that is an hereticke, after the first and second admonition, reject.
Now for the proofe of the point: Gen. 3.3. When the Lord forbade our first parents the evil and sinne of eating the forbidden fruite, hee forbids also the appearance, Yee shall not touch it, Avoid the occasion. In the Law not onelyonly the person legally polluted was uncleane,Levit. 15.17. but whatsoever touched him, the garment which he wore, the bed on which hee lay, the seate on which hee sate, and whatsoever he touched: All which did nothing else but enforce on them a care to avoid all appearance, and all occasions of uncleannesse. The truth whereof Christians also in the time of the Gospell must hold themselves bound unto, who (Iude 23.) are commanded to hate even the garment spotted by the flesh.
1. Because the Lord hates all evill,Reason 1. and all appearance of it: Rev. 2.6. the Church of Ephesus is commended for hating the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate, saith the Lord. See how pleasing our conformity of affections with the Lord is, in whose eye the least evill is hatefull enough. And herein we testifie our love unto him: Yee that love the Lord, hate all that is evill; for indeed all true hatred of evill must be from the love of God, especially of the chiefe good: and as our love is in degree, so is our hatred; fervent love, earnest hatred.
2. It is a chiefe part of repentance,Reas. 2. and of the nature of sound grace, not onelyonly to hold that which is good, but also to shunne and fly evill of all kindes: yea when good is not so present, with Gods children as they desire, to hate evill is ever present with them: yea they hate the evill which they themselves doe, and that vehemently,foreign. according to the phrase, Rom. 12.9. Abhorre evill. And he that out of the worke of grace, and out of conscience abstaines from one evill, will abstaine from all, even the least: as David, Psal. 119. I hate all vaine inventions, but thy Law doe I love.
3. The wisdome of a Christian is, to avoid the appearances, and the beginnings of evill,Reas. 3. and give no way to it: as Salomon counselleth to stoppe the passages of waters at the beginning, Prov. 17.14. As rivers, so evils come out of a little hole, but make their way, and swell, and become broader, till they become almost boundlesse. And indeede hee that cares not to avoid the appearance of evill, by little and little commeth to esteeme of the evill and the appearance alike. Therefore remember to give no place to the Divell, Eph. 4.27.
44. Here is a difference betweene a sound Christian and an hypocrite: the worst man that is can avoid evill in extreames, but hee cares not commonly for appearing and petty evils, if hee can carry them cleare away. This hyocrisie the Lord detecteth among the Iewes, Esay 65.4. they would both eate of the polluted flesh, & the broth of it was found in their vessells. A sound Christian will not meddle with the broth, and much lesse the uncleane meate; hee knowes the broth is uncleane too: the least sinne is infectious and contagious. The difference then is this: One loves the appearance of good more than goodnesse it selfe; the other hates for the evils sake the very appearance of it.
5. The fruite of this dutie commends it to our care.5 1. It commends our feare and zeale for God, which riseth up against all sinne. As by nature we hate all serpents, yea the picture of an ugly viper; so grace raiseth up the spirit against sinne indifferently, and all resemblance of it. 2. It is excellent for the satisfying of a mans owne conscience; for suppose a thing be never so good, yet if it appeare to me evill, I sinne in doing it, and must avoide it, because it appeares to me so. 3. It commends our charity, which respects the conscience of our brother, and is as loth he should fall by our hand, as by himselfe. 4. It is the honour of our profession, and the glory of the Gospel, when men cannot justly challenge us with appearances of evill; for wicked mouthes are stopt, and we adorne the holy profession of God; which must needes suffer in us, if wee avoid not shew of evill, both for the safety of our good name, and a good conscience.
We must be so far from loving & liking any evil,Vse 1. as we must utterly dislike it, be disparate and separate from it, whether in Doctrine or manners.
I. In Doctrines,Evill in Doctrines. which have but a shew of evill, we must abstaine and reject them as carefully as manifest false Doctrines; for wee may easily suppe up poyson and heresies, if wee can digest Doctrines which carry some shew of evill in them. As for example:Heresie of Nestorius. Nestorius a wicked hereticke, and (as Evagrius calls him) officina blasphemiae, a very shoppe of blasphemy, did not distinguish but separate the two natures of Christ; and made one Christ not of two natures, but of two distinct persons: one the Sonne of God, by which person all his egregious and miraculous workes were performed; the other the sonne of Mary, by which without the Sonne of God, he wrought all those actions of infirmity, as eating, drinking, sleeping, weeping; and the union of natures being dissolved, for one Christ he gives us two, but neither profitable for us. Hee holds that wee are saved by the flesh not of the Sonne of God, but of the Sonne of man, and that the flesh not of the Sonne of God, but of the Sonne of man is vivificall and quickening. Now this negative makes it apparantly false; from which we must not onelyonly abstaine, but also from such speeches, as although they may have a right interpretation, yet carry a shew of evill: v…gr. It is a true speech, that we are saved by the blood of the Sonne of man, but we must abstaine from it, because of the cognation of it with Nestorius his heresie, and say plainly, by the blood of God, as the Apostle speakes, Acts 20.28. or of Christ God and man we are saved. To say we are saved by workes, may be truly explained, but better to abstaine from it,From evill in workes. because it hath an appearance of Popish merit. To call Evangelicall Ministers Priests, may be truly expounded, but it were better to avoid such phrases of speech,From evill in words. because of the shew of Popish Sacrifice and Priesthood. The words of heretickes (saith one) are to be feared:Hereticorum nocabula timenda sunt. Baron. and say the Rhemists, if we will keepe the faith of our fathers,In 1 Tim. wee must keepe the words of our fathers: so say we of the faith of the Scriptures.
In manners.II. In practise and behaviour we must shunne such things as carry evill shewes. The Iewes in their course of life must not onelyonly not goe into uncleane houses, but must not come neere them; and Christians are commanded not to touch any uncleane thing. Therefore all such are here to be reproved, as think all Christianity stands in this, if they doe no unlawfull things, and so runne headlong, never looking quàm malè colorata sunt, what evill shewes they carry. Magistrates, who whatsoever they see president for, in their predecessours, venterously undertake it; and so referre their authority to private use, forgetting themselves to be publike men. Ministers, seeking their owne not Christs, they may be idle non-residents, cast up their calling, and turne (excepting their habit) meere secular. Paul refused lawfull maintenance at Corinth, to avoid suspition of mercenary and covetous affection in preaching. Christians in private converse must shew dislike of all appearance of evill.
First, avoid all filthinesse and suspition of it, as is said of Cesars wife, such as are minced oathes, adulterous lookes, needlesse company with profane ones.
Secondly, put no coulours upon sinne, to digest it easier.
Object. I may company with such and such persons to winne them.
Answ. Thou art liker to lose thy selfe by hazard of infection, if without calling thou frequentest loose company. 2. Thou art liker to lose than to winn them by intimate familiarity, which is fitter to harden them.
Thirdly, thou art in way to lose thy owne reputation; as being a favourer of them and their courses.
Object. But I may weare this and that fashion of apparrell, my heart is humble, and I detest pride.
Answ. If it were so, thou wouldest avoid the shew of evill in overcostlinesse and excesse of attyre, a lowly heart, and a lowly habit goe together.
Object. But we may straine at gnats, and small things are not to be stucke at.
Answ. Little sinnes have great consequents: Secondly, they commonly draw greater after them: Thirdly, many little sinnes proove ponderous and pernitious: Fourthly, none are little, if the shew of them be not little, as our text implyeth.
III. Let us see this:
1. In respect of Idolaters.
2 In respect of profane persōs
First, Wee must avoid all conformity with Idolaters
In service.
In Ceremony.
In neere society.
First, In service. To be present at idolatrous service, is an appearance, yea a kinde of approbation of idolatry: And where all idolatry is forbidden, all shew and appearance of it is forbidden also. Besides, wee must shew in our appearance our hatred of the very appearance of evill. Quest. May not a man be at idolatrous service, and keepe his heart to God? Answ. No: 1. God is but one, man is but one, and there is but one faith; and God requires the body as well as the soule, because they are both his. 1 Cor. 6.20.2. It is a deniall of Christ, a dissembling of religion, a betraying of truth, where we ought to professe it; an approbation of idolatry, an hardening of the enemy by presence and silence. 3. The very practise condemneth it selfe: The man holds consent of heart evill, then be must hold appearance of consent evill too. 4. It is a reconciling of abhorring natures, light and darknes; God and Belial, the Temple of God, and the Temple of idols. An impossible disioyning of the soule and body, as if the one could be in heaven, and the other in hell. Origen said he could not bend the knees of his body to God, and the knees of his heart to Satan: Yea it is a worshipping of the true God, who is a Spirit, not in spirit and truth, but in spirit and falshood. 5. The justice of God is upon such persons for the present, if a man give up his body, hee commonly gives up the heart to infection, and defection: And after in the great judgement will judge him according to things done in the body.2 Cor. 5.10. The body is a member of Christ, and must not be prostitute to an harlot.
Object. Rom. 14.22. Have faith with thy selfe before God: therefore that is enough.
Answ. By faith in that place the Apostle meanes a perswasion in things indifferent, and not the doctrine or practise of religion: And the meaning is this; If thou beeft in thy selfe perswaded a thing is indifferent, use thy liberty to thy selfe, have faith with thy selfe, but boast not of it to the offence of another: and faith is oppressed where it is not expressed.
Object. 1 King. 13.6. The man of God prayed in an adulterous Temple; so may we, if we keepe our hearts to God.
Answ. The man of God was there, 1. At Gods commandement necessarily. 2. Not to approove their idolatry, but manifestly to improove and exclaime against it. 3. God would have him by an externall signe shew his detestation of idolatry; he was not forbid to pray, but not to eate a morsell of bread there. 4. He did not dissemble with idolaters, but confessed plainly against idolaters. Now all the case is cleane contrary.
Neither doth the example of Naaman (2 King. 5.18.19.) any whit serve their turne: For 1. hee was but in the beginnings of conversion. 2. Hee confesseth it a sinne, and beggeth the Prophets prayer against it.Verba Elisei sunt tantum dimittent is abeuntem, non concedentis postulatum. 3. The Prophet approoveth not the fact, but onelyonly dismisseth him with the usuall kinde of salutation, and promiseth hee will pray that he be not overtaken.
Quest. Whether may we bring a childe to be baptized of a Popish Priest?
Answ. No; it is an appearance of evill: seeing 1. There is corruption of doctrine. 2. Hatefull and hurtfull Ceremonies. 3. A profession to embrace that doctrine. Their Church is a false Church, yet here a man professeth that himselfe and his childe are members of it: for Baptisme is a signe of profession. 4. It is an hardening to Gods enemies; for it makes the Papists boast, and say, if our Baptisme be good, why joyne yee not with our Church? 5. We must depart from all fellowship with Antichrist: Rev. 18.4. Come out of her my people, come out of her.
Quest. If a Popish Minister doe baptise a child, must he be rebaptised?
Answ. No: there is a difference betweene going to a Priest at first, and new baptisme from one: for baptisme once administred, if the true forme be kept, must not be repeated, though there be no ground to seeke it there, being an offence both to weake and strong.
Secondly, Zeale of God cannot abide any confusion with idolaters in their idolatrous ceremonies and fashions: for communion of rites confoundeth sects, as much as communion of apparrell confoundth sexes. Whence the Lord himself apointed al his own ceremonies, so as in them (as well as in doctrine) there might be set up a wall of partition betweene the Iewes and all aliens. 1. The Heathens almost eate nothing but swines flesh, having sacrificed some of the kinde: Gods people of all other must abhorre this, Levit. 21.5. 2. The Heathens reserve portions of their sacrifices: therefore there was a speciall law, rather to burne with fire the residue of the Paschall Lambe, than reserve any whit of it untill next morning, Exod. 12.20. 3. The Heathens make their pates balde, shave the lockes of their beards, and make cuttings in their flesh: therefore Gods people must not doe so. 4. The Heathens set their Temples eastward: therefore God will have his set westward, ad arcendam idololatriam, saith Aquinas, to keepe them from idolatry, 1a. 2ae. qu. 3. Nay some Papists themselves (as Vasquez) say, that God chose the forme of an Arke for the testimony of his presence, to be contrary to idolaters: for never any people did abuse this forme. And, saith hee, hee forbade all images to the Israelites, that they might be utterly unlike the Canaanites in theirs.
Hence 1. the ancient Christians would not set up lights and bayes at their doores, though for this they were persecuted as enemies to the Emperour, because the Temples and doores of idolaters were wont to be thus garnished. 2. Christians refused to celebrate a birth-day, because it was a rite and custome of the Heathens. 3. The Primitive Church could not endure, that any Christian should looke toward Ierusalem praying, because they would avoid all shew of Iudaisme.
Adde hereunto the ancient Fathers, who in their severall ages avoided all shew and appearance of conformity with heretickes in their externall ceremonies.Tertul. lib. de idol. Tertullian will have no lights in the worship of God, because it was mos haereticorum, the custome of heretickes; than which what more indifferent? Doth not the example of Paul shew it to be lawfull enough, to continue fasting upon a Saboth day till midnight, to heare the word of God?August. Epist. 86 ad Casulan. yet Augustine thinkes it in his time unlawfull, because the Maniches appointed their fast on the Saboth day.
To omit many things out of Councels, why should the true Church of Christ borrow any of the rites of his enemies, while they abhorre all her rites & fashions? Why should hereticks boast, that the pure spouse of Christ is not able to serve God without their ceremonies? I conclude therfore with Tertullian, Nihil dandum idol…, nihil sumendum ab eo. Tertul. de cor…n. milit.Wee must neither give any thing to an Idoll, nor take any thing from an Idoll.
Thirdly, Christians must abstaine from idolaters in the nearest society, which is marriage; for this hath a manifest appearance of evill: 2 Cor. 6.14. Be not unequally yoked: 2 Iohn 10. Receive not such into thy house: much lesse into thy heart or bosome. Reasons. 1. It plainly appeares, that a man loves other things in such a wife than piety, he never lookes after that. 2. How doth hee marry in the Lord, who marries the Lords enemie? 3. What communion can there be in prayers, and other holy meanes of strengthening themselves to Godward? 4. It is too true that the Decretalls say, oftentimes the company of the wicked corrupts the good, and much more such as are more prone to evill. Whence the Lord wisheth the Israelites to forbeare marriage with those seven Nations of the Heathens, for feare of seduction, Exod. 23. And if any thinke himselfe stronger than to be seduced, and hope he shall rather win, than be wonne, let him see his folly in Salomon, 1 King. 11. and in Ahab, who was nought of himselfe, but seven times worse because Iezebel provoked him, chap. 16.31.
Object. We have approoved examples of Scripture for such marriages; Salmon with Rahab, Sampson with the Philistim, Booz with Ruth, Salomon with Pharaohs daughter, and David with the daughter of Talmai King of Geshur.
Answ. 1. Some of these examples were of women converted, as Rahab and Ruth: now what they had beene, was no hindrance, the case being that of the captives taken in warre, who might be married, Deut. 21. but conditionally, if they betooke them to the true religion, as the ceremonies shew, and that caution, that they be not an offence to thee. 2. Some of them were women not converted, as Sampsons wife, but he married her by diuine instinct, that there might be occasion taken of reuenge against the Philistims, Iudg. 14.4 Now we must walke by the rule, not by an exception from it.Gal. 6.16. 3. Some it is uncertaine whether they were converted or no, as the daughter of Talmai and of Pharaoh: Of them we say, if they were converted they make nothing for the marriage of infidels; if they were not, the marriages were sinfull, and not imitable.
IIII. In civill conversation we must shew our dislike, and avoid the least shew or touch, or appearance of evill, wherewith we are compassed; that though we are for a while to be compossessores mundi, possessours of the world together with profane persons, yet we be not compossessores erroris, partakers of evill with them; wee must be free from all the smutt and drosse of the world. Therefore a Christians care must be not onelyonly to live free from all filthinesse, but also from all suspition of it, and to walke every way unblameable. That which is said of Cesars wife, she must be free not onelyonly from the crime of turpitude or dishonesty, but from all shew and suspition of it, must be true of every one of the Spouses of Iesus Christ, who must be like David, hating evill with a perfect hatred.Psal. 139.22.
Thou that wilt not breake out into oathes, nor wallow in drunkennesse, yet wilt be sociable with blasphemers or great swearers, and a companion of drunkards, art not acquitted from shrewd suspition and appearance of evill, seeing, As the company is commonly so is the man, like will to like: Tell me where thou hast beene, and I will tell thee what thou hast done. Eph. 5.7. Be not companions with them, but rather reproove them. Thou thy selfe swearest not, it is well; oh but thou reprovest them not that doe sweare; here thou finnest: thou observest not the Law, if thou doest not preserve it.
Thou that saist thou abhorrest adultery, and abhorrest wanton behaviours, but wilt be familiar with wanton persons, and frequentest the company of other mens wives, hast not acquitted thy selfe from a strong presumption and appearance of evill.
Thou that saist thou hatest Popery, and art as good a Protestant as any, but mixest thy selfe in company with Papists, canst be pleasant, jocund, and as familiar with them as with any, without admonition or reproofe, yea after some admonitions neither forbearest nor forsakest them, gavest too much presumption, and appearance of too much indifferency or want of zeale.
Thou that wilt spit at the mention of the Divell, and hatest all agreement with him, but runnest to the witch, or art familiar with the wizard or inchanter, hast now given and gone beyond the shew and appearance of a maine evill, which easily prevailes not against the childe of God.
Thou that disclaimest covetousnesse, must be carefull to avoid not the sinne onelyonly, but even the appearance of it, in base contracts, in sordid courses of getting or holding: and upon every good occasion honour God with thy substance. 2 Sam. 24.24.Prov 3.9. David, when Araunah offered to give him the threshing floore, and the oxen, and other things of price for the offering to the Lord, in great wisdome refused to take them as a gift, but would buy them, and paid fifty shekels of silver: not onelyonly because he would declare his owne love unto God, by offering his owne and not anothers, but because hee would avoid the shew of covetousnesse; the shew of a free gift from Araunah did not perswade him. The like example we have of Abraham, on whom the Hittites could not thrust a burying place, till he had paid for it 400 shekels of silver.Gen. 23, 16.
V. If we must carefully avoid the least shew or touch of evill, wee must take heede as well to avoid the appearance of sinne in others as in our selves: for he that thinkes he avoides grosse sinnes in himselfe, hath not done his duty, if any way he communicate in the sinnes of others, which is more than an appearance of evill. 1 Tim. 5.22. Be not partaker of other mens sinnes, keepe thy selfe pure. Neither communicate in the sinne of another before hand, by counsell, as Caiaphas consented to Christs death; by commandement, as David against Vriah; by countenance, as Saul kept the garments of them that stoned Steven; by provocation, as Iezebel stirred up Ahabs corruption; or by consent, as the receiver the theefe: Nor abet others sinne after it is done, by flattery or extenuation; by silence, when thou hast a publike or private calling to reproove, or by defence or commendation: for hee that any way alloweth sinne in another, when hee may and ought to restraine him, giveth all men to know how easily hee can (if neede bee) dispense with it in himselfe.
VI. No man truly hates any vice,Hatred of vice knowne best by practise of the contrary vertue. who practiseth not the contrary vertue: therefore if wee must avoid and hate all appearance of evill, wee must embrace and encourage all appearance of good: so did Christ in the young man, though a Pharise, a Iusticiary, yet he is said to love him, when he saw some sparkes of grace in him: and they that will be like unto Christ,Matth. 12.20. will not quench the smoking flaxe. Most contrary are they who hate all appearance of good, and likest to the Divell: if any hate the least appearance of evill, they hate such above any other, and shew that their hearts are fired with the very sparkes and flames of hell: for fire from heaven fastens on them whom heaven abhorres, and the God of heaven condemnes. How doth this last age of the world dandle in her lappe apparant evill men, while such as hate the appearance of evill, are for this hunted and chased with all the indignities and reproaches, that an age professing the Gospell can reach and devise? Come to a profane man that loues liberty, and likes his sinne, name to him a Papist, a Masse-monger, a merit-monger, an Idolater, he can brooke him well enough. A time-server can well enough away with a Papist. Tell him of a dumbe Minister or an idle Non-resident, he likes him well enough, these are good quiet men. Tell him of a Preacher that will boldly reprooue sinne in the pulpit, yet if he be a good fellow, hee is a good Church-man, hee can digest him well enough. But mention one that is faithfull in his Ministery, and strict in his life, hating the very appearance of evill; Oh (saith he) these Puritans I could never abide, now his spirit is up; and wherefore, but because they hate the sinne which he loues so well? It was once a speech among the Heathens, Oh he is a good honest man, but a Christian: so at this day, hee is a right honest man, but a Puritan.
Come to a Papist, and tell him of a profane man that walkes after the flesh, how odious his wayes are, this doth not much trouble him, hee may be a good Catholicke for all that, hee will thinke very charitably of such a one: Like one in Queene MARIES time, taken in adultery in Red-crosse-streete, said, yet I thanke God I am a good Catholicke. Tell him of a man that professeth enmity to his religion in many Articles of faith, yet if he be not too precise, there is hope of him there may be a reconcilement, at least hee is a wise moderate man, hee will not out-runne himselfe. But tell him of a man that will cleave to the Scripture in all things, both greater and lesse, and will not bee beaten an hayre-breadth out of it, and doth so flie from BABEL according to the commandement, that hee will touch nothing that seemes uncleane, Hee hates, all appearance of evill; Oh these curious fellowes (saith hee) are not to be suffered or endured: they trouble the Church and Common-wealth Nay wee may wish some of our owne had not learned the Gileaditish language, to preferre the Papists as better men and better subjects, than the faithfull servants of God, and their Soveraigne, onelyonly because they desire to avoide the least appearance of evill. But whence should this bee, (but out of the hatred of goodnesse,) that they whose hands are yearely almost in some monstrous conspiracie, should bee preferred before such as whose innocency was neuer yet touched?
Well let such as feare God buckle to this precept of the Apostle: because, First, God lookes on such as bowe not their knee to Baal; upon such as touch no uncleane thing, 2 Corinth. 6: and couenanteth to bee their Father. Secondly, wee cannot touch pitch and not bee defiled with it. Thirdly, it argues soundnesse of heart in our hatred of sinne, when wee hate not onelyonly capitall crimes which shame us before men, but lesser euills, and such as wicked men cannot hate. Fourthly, sweete shall be the comfort when wee suffer the word to binde us in least things; not suffering us to cast downe our countenance, but couenanting with our eyes, neither to whisper evill of others, much lesse to reproach them, or hauehave our mouth full of cursing, repressing also even unchaste thoughts, and mentall sinnes before they come to appearances.