Works, Chapter 1 · Section 6
SECT. VI.
Look to thy principle in thy dealings.SEcondly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to godliness in thy dealings with all men, look not onelyonly to the manner of thy dealing, but also to the principle. Thy righteous, courteous, and meek carriage must proceed from obedience to Gods command. Many of the Heathen (as thou hast heard) were just in their contracts, they would as soon die as deceive; Now how wouldst thou know whether thou exceedest them, but by a principle of Conscience, from which thou actest. If Pagans and Christians be found travelling in the same path, the onelyonly way to difference them, i… to enquire, whence they both sat out, and whither they are going; what is the principle from which they act, and what is the end of their journey? According to the principle of a man, such is his end; If the Barrel of the Musquet be crooked, it will never carry the Bullet right; therefore thy principle must especially be minded. There be many things that move orderly, and yet their motion is not from a principle of life; as a Mill moveth by reason of the water, yet is no living creature. An outward principle of custome or fashion or glory, may make a man just and patient in his actings; many do the things commanded, not because they are commanded, but upon some sinister account. Morality and Christianity, differ specifically; the Moralist worketh from nature, a little refined by study or education; the Christian from nature, throughly renewed by the Holy Ghost. Where this spring is wanting, no motion can be true; be the fruit never so fair to the eye, if the root whence it groweth be not good, it will be unpleasant and distastful. Laban at the last, was just in his agreement with Iacob, but shame, not conscience, was the curb that held him in. Such dealings like fruits which are ripened by art and force, are not kindly, neither be they acceptable to the heavenly taste. Indeed, all such righteousness is unrighteousness, and all such persons, though they are just to men, and do them no wrong, yet are unjust to God, and deprive him of his right.
The true Christians righteousness towards men, proceedeth from the fear of his God. The former Governours (saith Nehemiah) were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine; besides, forty Shekels of silver; yea, even their Servants bare rule over the people; but this did not I, because of the fear of God; Nehem. 5. 9, 15. The dread of the most high, was the hedge which kept him within his bounds.
Look therefore friend to the ground of thy dealings. Nothing will be commendable in Gods eye, which doth not flow from his awe; if the desire to keep up thy name, or to please thy Neighbour (whose good word thou valuest) be the main reason of thy righteousness, thou servest thy self, but not thy God. He is a false servant, who payeth the debts his Master appointeth him, but more in his own name, and lest he should be counted a Cheat, then because of his Masters command. Thou art a true servant, if therefore thou darest not deceive men, because thou dreadest the just and jealous God. Ioseph encourageth his brethren to expect fair dealings from him upon this ground; Do this and live, for I fear God, Gen. 42. 18. i. e. Ye need not fear unrighteous actions at my hands, since the fear of God is in my heart. As long as this guard is set upon me, I shall do violence to no man. Plutar…h.It was a prety answer of Xenophons, when Laelius told him that he was a timerous fellow, because he durst not play at Dice with him; Very timerous indeed, and fearful to do evil.
Thirdly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness in thy dealings with men,Let thy end and aim in thy dealings be good. let thine end and aim in thy dealings be good. Have an eye in them, not onelyonly to thine own temporal good (this is low and mean) but chiefly to the glory of God, and the spiritual good of thy self and others. Christians must not deal together as Indians, meerly for trade and outward advantage; Its but a beggarly calling to trade onelyonly for the dirt and pebbles of worldly profit; but its high and honourable to be a Merchant for the Diamonds and Pearls of spiritual riches. The Heathen and the Christian both, may meet in the manner of their dealings, but they part in their ends. The Thief and the honest Countryman are both found riding in the same road, but they have different ends therein, and that distinguisheth them. He is a Dwarf indeed, and looks very low, whose eye in such actions is wholly upon earth. True Saints sore aloft, and have more noble designes in their ordinary dealings, Mat. 5. 16. Like the Moon, they enlighten others with their borrowed brightness, and endeavour to their power to reflect their beams back to the Sun, the Fountain of their light.
How ungratefully doth he slink away, that dieth and returneth no glory to his Father, neither raiseth up any seed to his elder Brother; I seek not mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved, saith St. Paul, 1 Cor. 10. 33. He hath cause to fear his own going to heaven, who would go thither alone. True favourites desire their King may have many Loyal Subjects; Every creature almost is of an assimulating nature; Fire turneth what comes neer it into fire. Earth changeth what we commit to it, into Earth. Water moistens what it meets with. Stones grow, and spread in the veins of the earth; Even Flowers and Hearbs will be scattering their seed for the increase of their kind. Good men cannot but desire & endeavour that all they converse with might be like themselves in goodness. The first blessing which God bestowed on man after his creation, was this, Be fruitful & multiply.
How industrious are Christs enemies to spread their poison,Turk Hist. 1332. and draw men from their allegiance to him! I have read of a Jew who turned Turk, how shortly after, in buying Gr…pes, he fell out with a Turk, and beat him soundly; Whereupon a certain Jew asked the abused Turk, why he would suffer himself to be so much wronged. The Turk answered, You shall beat me as much, if you will turn Mussul-man; Its too visible, that Romes agents are also sufficiently active to make Proselytes to their idolatries; and wilt thou sit still and do nothing towards the gaining of subjects to thy Lord and Saviour? Holy David was more diligent to enlarge the borders of Christs, then of his own kingdom;1 King. 5.7. 2 Cron. 2. 11, 12. He would blaze Gods honour and power before the highest, and not shrink for shame, Psa. 119. And the success of his industry is considerable. Though great Fish are seldom caught by such Angles, yet King Hiram came to be converted to God by his converse with David.
Its likely Reader, thou dealest with sinners; thy first care must be that thou mayst not partake of their sins. Its reported that at Belgrade in Hungary, Danubius and Sava, Sir Henry Blunts Voyage into the Levant.two famous Rivers, the one pure, the other filthy meet, and yet their waters mingle no more then water and oyl, not that either float above the other, but both joyn unmixed, so that neer the middle of the River, saith my Author, I have gone in a Boat and tasted the Danow, as clear as a Spring, and putting my hand an inch further, I have taken of the Sava, as troubled as a street channel, tasting the gravel in my teeth; thus they run together unmingled sixty miles. So shouldst thou in thy contracts and dealings with the wicked, keep thy self pure and undefiled. Thy next care must be, to make them better; A meek gracious carriage may win them to Christ. Some Fish have been caught with a Golden Hook; Sometimes by parting with a little of thy right, by losing a little silver, thou mayst gain a precious soul; He that always stands strictly and stifly upon his right, may thereby wrong both God and his Gospel. Heavenly mindedness, shining in a Christians dealings with prophane men, hath such a beauty in it, that it attracteth at the first sight the eyes of every beholder, like the sudden appearance of a Candle in a dark room. As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, Gal. 6. 10. An opportunity to do good to others, is a great mercy to our selves. The Oyl of grace like the Widows, 2 King. 4. 6. increaseth by powring out; an opportunity is a special season, which God affordeth us, for the benefit of our own and others souls; When time and helps meet and marty, their off-spring is opportunity. Thou dealest with those at one time, whom thou mayst never see again; possibly their hearts being big with sin, they bring forth in thy presence, either swearing, or slandering, or mocking at holiness; now God gives thee an opportunity, by a prudent affectionate reproof, and by serious savoury advice, to kill those brats of Hell, as soon as they are born, and to make the Parents barren in regard of such a cursed brood for ever after, which if thou neglectest, thou shalt never have again. The Bird of opportunity is usually upon the wing, she flieth away of a sudden, and we never fee her again; therefore whilst thou hast her, make the best use of her. Thou thinkest (it may be) that thy counsel to such men would be but cast away, as pure water in a nasty sink; but do thy work, which is to endavour their conversion, and leave the success, which is Gods work to him. Benhadads Souldier drew a Bow at a venture, and his Arrow pierced within the joynts of the Harness, and slew Ahab; the man shot the Arrow at he knew not who, but God levelled it at the King, amongst all the company. Do thou draw the Bow, according to thy duty, and God may so direct the Arrow of admonition, as to make it enter the sinners heart, and let out the very life of his sin.Repentinis responsionibus & consiliis melior, quam meditatis, Aurel. Vict. Sometimes things are done best on a sudden; Tiberius was happier in his extempore speeches, then those which he made upon study and premeditation. Thou mayst as Philip to the Eunuch, fall in with a person on a sudden (whom thou never sawest before, nor shalt ever see again) and by seasonable counsel be instrumental to his eternal comfort; It may be thou meetest with such as do believe; then thy care must be to build them up; Saints must be Land-mark… to direct others in the way to life. Apollos was a stranger to Aquila and Priscilla, but coming into his company, they expounded to him the way of God more perfectly, Act. 18. 25. The members of the mystical body must be helpful to one another. Christians, with whomsoever they converse ought to endeavour either their gaining to, or growing up in Jesus Christ.Plut. Alexanders body was of so exact and rare a constitution (saith the Historian) that it perfumed every place where he came. The gracious soul being it self filled with spikenard and Calamus, and Cassia, and all sweet spices, may well leave a sweet savour among the persons with whom he converseth. They are dead and withered grains of Corn, out of which there doth not one ear spring up.