Works, Chapter 1 · Section 1
SECT. I.
FIrst,Motives, 1 Tis a sign of hypocrisie to be unrighteous in our dealings. Consider, Its a sure sign of Hypocrisie to be unrighteous and careless in civil dealings, how consciencious soever thou mayst seem to be in sacred duties. He that seems righteous towards men; and is irreligious towards God, is but an honest Heathen; and he that seems religious towards God, and unrighteous towards men, is but a dissembling Christian. To make Conscience of one duty, and not of another, is to make true conscience of neither. The soul that ever had Communion with God above, comes down like Moses out of the Mount, with both Tables in his hands, the second as well as the first, and the first as well as the second. One stone in a Mill, one oare in a Boat will do little good; there must be two, or no work can be done. A perfect man consisteth of two essential parts, a Soul and a body; though the soul… be the principal, and doth specificate the compound, yet the body is so necessary, that without it none can be a compleat man. A Christian that is (evangelically) perfect, is also made up of these two parts, Holiness and Righteousness; though holiness be the chief, as that which doth difference the Saint, yet righteousness is so requisite, that there can be no true Christian without it. The holy Apostle argueth the purity of his conscience, from the honesty of his conversation.Heb. 13. 18. We trust that we have a good conscience, in all things, willing to live honestly. The goodness of the Fruit will commend the Tree.
1. Their honesty was visible, to live honestly; not onelyonly to mean well, and think honestly, or to talk, but to live honestly.
2. Their honesty was universal; In all things (not in one or two particulars) willing to live honestly. Visibility, and universality, are Popish marks of a true Church, and Protestant marks of a true Christian. An Hypocritical Iehu may do some things; a Murderous Herod may do many things;Non est vera religio quae cum templo relinquitur. Lactant. but an upright Paul is in all things willing to live honestly. A Ship that is not of the right make, cannot sayl trim; and a Clock whose Spring is faulty, will not always go true; so a person of unsound principles, cannot be constant and even in his practices. The Religion of those that are inwardly rotten, is like a fire in some cold climates, which doth almost fry a man before, when at the same time he is freezing behind; they are zealous in some things, as holy duties, which are cheap; and cold in other things, especially when they cross their profit or credit; as the Mount Helga is covered with Snow on one side, when it burneth and casteth out cynders on the other side; but the holiness of them that are sound at heart, is like the natural heat, which though it resort most to the vitals of sacred performances, yet as need is, it warmeth, and hath an influence upon all the outward parts of civil transactions. It may be said of true sanctity, as of the Sun, there is nothing hid from the heat thereof, Psa. 19. 5. When all the parts of the body have their due nourishment distributed to them, its a sign of an healthy temper.
As the Saint is discribed somtimes by a clean heart, Psa. 73. 1. Mat. 5. 8. so also sometimes by clean hands, Iob. 17. 9. because he hath both; the holiness of his heart, is seen at his fingers ends; He is as the Ark pitched within and without with the same; as he is sometimes characterised by sacred duties, Psa. 24. 6. and 119. Rev. 1. 3. so at other times by righteous dealings, Psa. 15. Isai. 58. because he mindeth both; if either be separated from the man, you kill the Christian; for though he may be a man without either, he cannot be a Christian without both. The Greek Word for Sincerity, foreign is very elegant, and signifieth (quasi foreign) such a trial as is made of things by the Sunlight: as the Eagle, according to Aristotle, bringeth her young to the Sun, to try whether they are Spurious or Legitimate; so the actions of a sincere Christian will endure the open Air, the light of the Sun; He is as the street of the New Ierusalem; transparent glass, all one without, and within, you may see through him. He dares appeal both to God and men for the holiness and righteousness of his conversation; Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly we have had our conversation in the world, 1 Thes. 2. 10.
Reader, never please thy self in the name of a Christian, if thou hast not the nature of Christianity, which giveth God and Man their due; Tis not the great sound of a Professor, nor the loud noise of holy performances, that will speak thee sincere, if thou makest not conscience of thy carriage towards thy Neighbours. The Sadduces derive their name from Zeduchim or Zadducaeus a just man; but the worst men saith the Historian, got the best names. The Alcaron of the Turks, hath its name from brightness (Al in the Arabick being as much as Karan in the Hebrew, to shine or cast forth a brightness) when tis full of darkness, and fraught with falshoods. Twill be little comfort to thee, though the world commond thee for a holy man, if God condemn thee for an Hypocrite; Doth not the word of truth tell thee, that they who are partial in the Law, have no part in the Gospel; and that none are justified by Christ, but those that are just towards Christians? Do not think thy spiritual constitution to be sound, if plague-sores break out on thy body. The Gods, saith Aristotle, do not so much respect the costliness of the Sacrifice, as the conversation of the Sacrificer. Sure I am, the true God rejects those prayers, seem they never so glorious, where the Petitioner is unrighteous; All thy Oblations will be vain, if thy conversation be vicious; the sweetest Incense is unsavoury, if the hands that offer it be filthy; Bring no more vain Oblations, Incense is an abomination to me; the New Moones, and Sabbaths, the calling of Assemblies, I cannot away, it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Tour new Moons, and your solemn Feasts my soul hateth, they are a trouble unto me, I am weary to bear them; And when ye spread forrh your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; Yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. But what is the reason that all these Ordinances which were of Gods own appointment, are thus rejected? Your HANDS are full of blood, Isa. 1. 13, 14, 15. An unclean hand tainteth whatsoever it toucheth.
Secondly,2Motive, The Cred…t of R…ligion is much eng…ged in our dealings with others. Consider, The Credit of Religion is engaged in thy publique dealings. More eyes are upon us when we walk abroad, then when we are at home, and therefore it concerns us to be handsome in our habits, and very circumspect in our carriage. A Professour may be rotten-hearted in holy duties, and the world never the wiser, they are ignorant of it, and so do not disgrace Religion for it; but if he be once unrighteous in his dealings, the whole Country will quickly ring of it, and cry him up for a Cheat, and his Religion for a cozenage. God indeed looks most to our hearts, whether they be sound, and accordingly esteemeth of our performances; but men look onelyonly to our hands, whether they be clean, and accordingly judge of our profession. If the servants of religion behave themselves unseemly, their Mistress shall be sure to bear the blame. When David had defiled Bathsheba, the name of God was blasphemed. A Saint cannot do evil before men, but he occasions sinners to speak evil of God. If there be any spots on a Christians Coat, the world will soon spie them, and be ready in scorn to ask Christ himself, as the Patriarchs did Iacob, See whether this be thy Sons coat or no? To look high by thy profession, and live low and basely in thy practices, will betray both thy self and the Gospel to scorn and derision. Augustin confess…th there were many such in his time, who professing the Christian Religion, did by their licentious lives give great scandal, and with them the Maniches were wont to reproach the whole Church of Christ, though the Church did disown them; and though she could not reclaim them, she did disclaim them. Aug. de moribus Ecclesiae. Cap. 34.
The wicked first watch for a godly mans fall, and then are big with blasphemy against Godliness; Like Miners, they work hard, though unseen, to blow up a Saints name. The Psalmist tells us, They compassed us in our steps, they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth, Psa. 17. 11. Its an allusion to Hunters, who go poring on the ground, to find the print of the Hares claws, when their Dogs are at a loss in their sent. So Satans agents go with their eyes bowing down, marking the Saints footsteps, to find out if it be possible, where they have slipped or stepped awry, that their blood-hounds may follow both their persons and their profession with loud cryes, and fresh noise; The baggage world is both desirous and industrious to scarr that face, and to spie the least blemish in it, that is fairer then her self.
If the Christian be once defiled, Christianity it self will quickly be defamed; Though sins in secret duties have their aggravations, yet sins in our publique dealings do in a three-fold respect exceed them.
1. These are scandalous to the good, which those are not; The children of God weep bitterly, when they hear that others walk disorderly. Their hearts bewail their brethrens wickedness; now wouldst thou sadden the Spirit of a Saint? Alas, they have grief enough from their enemies, and shall they be wounded in the house of their friends?
2. They are infectious to the bad, Scandalum est dictum, aut sactum, quo alius… redditur deterior. Paraeus, in 1 Cor. 8. 9.which secret sins are not. Thy sins are like St. Pauls in London, on high… for the gaze of the World; but thy vertues as St. Faith under ground, they do not note them. How soon will the World plead a Christians sinful act, to excuse and justifie their own sinful habits! They are like ravenous birds, that flie over sweet and pleasant flowers, and pitch onelyonly upon unsavoury carcasses; they take little notice of thy graces, but will be sure to mind thy vices; The Philosopher saith, that the Fleeces of such Sheep as are killed by the Wolf, are most apt to breed Lice; one of Christs Sheep, foiled by Satan, in the eyes of men doth much mischief. Now will it not trouble thee that these unclean fowles should pick that from thee, which will feed and nourish their filthy natures? Alas, they move fast enough towards Hell with the tide of their own evil hearts, and shall the wind of thy example make them sayl more swiftly?
3. Thy open sins, occasion the wicked to speak ill of God, which secret sins do not. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, saith the Apostle, to the Romans, Rom. 2. 24. Christians ought to be shields to ward off those blows of reproach, which would fall on the name of God; how unchristian are they then that are swords in the hands of the wicked, wherewith the name of God is wounded. Truly, an unrighteous professour is such a one; If thou studiest to do thy God disservice, and to bring on his blessed name dishonour, thou canst not do it sooner then by unjust actions, under the livery of an high profession. The Divel himself cannot dress a man in a more ridiculous habit, to make both him and his Master the scorn of the Company, then by putting on him a coat patcht up of divers peices, and contrary colours; a glorious name of a Saint, and the unrighteous works of a reprobate. Friend, beware how thou behavest thy self in the world. The Snow makes a fair shew to the eye, but being melted it makes a dangerous flood. They who make a fair shew in the flesh, by walking offensively may cause such a deluge as may drown the souls of others, and give many a dash at the name of God himself. The Indians would not hear of Heaven, when they were told that the Spaniards (whom they had found to be barbarous and bloody,) went thither; The Iews are hardened in their emnity against Christ, by the evil lives of pretended Chistians. Epiphanius saith, that in his days many avoided the Christians company, because of the looseness of some mens conversation. When some beasts have blown on grass, others will not eat of it for a good while after. …ts no wonder that Religion finds so few greedy of her service, when her work is so much disparaged by those that already seem to be her servants. Men will easily be discouraged from travailing in that rode which is haunted with Theeves and robbers. Either walk up to thy calling, or lay thy calling down; why shouldst thou give conscience cause to say to thee truly (what Michael did to David falsly) thou hast made thy self like one of the vile and base fellows of the earth?