Works, Chapter 3 · Section 3
SECT. III.
SEcondly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness in evil Company, Do not needlesly expose thy self to sufferings; He is but a fool, that will lay his life in anothers lap without a call; Christ did not commit himself to the Iews, because he knew their hearts; and we are not lightly to commit our selves to any, because we know not their hearts. Set a watch before thy tongue, lest it make thy throat thy Sepulchre, a Grave to bury thy estate and outward comforts in. Its a sin in many Christians, that they know not when to be silent. The wise man tels us, there is a time to speak, and a time to keep silence, Eccles. 3.7. This is a great part of Christian prudence, to understand when to keep silence; Its much harder to learn to be silent, then to learn to speak. Though we must not as some Turks, be always dumb (perpetuum silentium tenent ut muti) yet we ought sometimes to hold our breath in. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence, for it is an evil time, Amos 5. 13.
1. Their cross was weighty; It was an evil time, Non turbatur navis quae Petrum habebat, sed turbatur …lla que Iudam habebat; etsi multa illorum discipulorum merita naufragabant, tamen adhuc perfidia proditoris agitabatur; in utraque P…trus; s…d qui suis meritis fi…mus est, turbatur alienis. Caveamus igitur perfidum, Caveamus proditorem, ne per un…m plurimi fluctuemus. Amb. super. Luc. lib. 4.a time of much danger and difficulty; Sin abounded, Sinners were enraged, God was provoked, and the Godly oppressed.
2. Their carriage was wise; They shall keep silence. The words may have a two fold exposition;
1. If they be taken in relation to God (as some think) they speak the patient submission of the faithful, in that evil day, to the divine providence and pleasure.
2. If they be taken in relation to men (as others expound them) they speak the prudent conversation of the gracious in that day of persecution; they shall not causlesly throw themselves into greater miseries, but shall keep all due silence to avoid needless sufferings. Indeed thy care must be to own Christ ever, and to profess him publiquely when thou art called to it; but as thy policy should not eat up thy zeal, so thy zeal must not eat up thy wisdom; I would not discourage thee from confessing the Lord Jesus; yet I must tell thee that thou art not bound to proclaim in all companies, of what judgement thou art, nor what Church Government thou wouldst choose, not what society thou meetest in, &c. Nay, thou art bound to the contrary. He that hath a good mixture of zeal and prudence, is like a fire on the hearth, of much use and service; but zeal without discretion, is like fire on the top of the Chimney, which often doth much mischief. Zeal to a Christian is like an high Wind …lling the sails of a Ship, which unless it be ballasted with discretion, doth but the sooner overturn it. Abdias a Bishop, raised a dreadful storm of persecution by his intemperate zeal; I doubt not but the whole company of beleivers in some Nations, have suffered through the indiscreet heats of some particular persons. Zeal in a man, is like wings to a Bird, or mettle to an Horse; but the bridle of discretion is requisite, as the Poe…s fable that Minerva put a golden bridle on Pegasus, lest he should flie too fast. Bernard hath a good saying, Discretion without Zeal is slow-paced, and Zeal without Discretion is heady; let therefore Zeal, spur on discretion, and Discretion rein in Zeal. Paul was full of heavenly fire; its said of him, when he came to Athens and beheld their Idolatry, that his spirit foreign was stirred within him, Act. 17. 16. yet it is worthy our observation, though he preached much against Idols in general, yet he pleads not at all against Diana in particular, the Goddess of whom the Athenians were so foolishly fond; his zeal moved him to oppose Idolatry to his power; but his prudence directed him to forbear particular invectives against Diana, and to do it in such a way as might be (in probability) most profitable for them, and least dangerous to himself; The rash zeal of some godly persons, hath set others at a further distance from piety. When every unskilful Phaeton takes upon him to drive the Chariot of the Sun, tis no wonder that the whole World be in a flame.
Geese (say some) when they flie over Taurus, keep stones in their mouths, lest by their gagling … they should discover themselves to the Eagles which are amongst the Mountains, waiting there to take them. It were well for some persons, if they could keep their mouths with a Bridle, whilst the wicked are amongst them, who wait and watch to destroy them.
Reader; I would be understood rightly, I do not intend by any thing I have wri…ten, to incite thee to take all courses, good or bad, to avoid suffering, but to diswade thee from bringing thy self into suffering; Grace may teach thee not to choose sin, and both grace and nature teach thee not to choose suffering; Follow the Lamb wherever he goeth, and whithersoever he calleth thee; but take heed of going before him, lest he leave thee to suffer at thy own charges; He that will take a Bear by the Tooth, or a Mad Dog by the Ear, may thank himself if he be well bitten.
Its too ordinary for some Christians, when wicked men give them a few good words, and pretend a little good-will, to open their minds fully and freely to them, even to the hazard of their own liberties and lives; but such do not consider the Counsel which God gives them; Trust ye not in a friend (muchless in an enemy, as every wicked man is to the godly) put ye not confidence in a Guide (though he may be full of power, and policy, and promises) keep the door of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosome, (lest as Sampsons Wife, she tell all to thy undoing) Mich. 7. 5. Every smooth face, and smiling countenance, is not to be trusted; Kisses do sometimes betray us. When the tongues of some cry Ave, they threaten a Vae, saith Austin. They come (Psa. 118. 12.) about me like Bees, with honey in their mouths … and a sting in their tails; As Butchers, they claw the Ox about the ribs, that they may have the fairer blow at his head; The Pellican swalloweth shell-fish, and warmeth them in her stomach, but it is to make them gape, that she may pick them out of the shels (where they are safe whilst they are shut) and devour them. Thus some ungodly men frequently warm Christians with fl…tteries, to make them (foreign according to Aristophanes expression of a fool) Gapers, and to utter all they know and think; that they may make a prey of them. Friend, Do not onelyonly look on wicked men as gins to intangle thy soul, but also as snares to intrap thy livelihood and life. It was the complaint of Luther, A falsis amicis plus est mihi periculi quam a toto Papatu, That he was in more danger by reason of false friends, then by the Pope and all his Hierarchy. As Conies, those unclean creatures, are dangerous about the places where they lurk; The Island Majorica was overthrown (according to Historians) by the digging of Conies; So unlean men, even by their crouching under thee, may undermine and overthrow thee. Consider their hatred of thee (notwithstanding all their shew of love) is real and inward; and of all wounds, those which …rancle inwardly are most to be feared. The Devil confest Christ, yet hated him to the death; and his children do all take after him. Its …aid of Antoninus Geta, that he would always shew most love, where he intended to bereave of life; therefore men were more afraid of his favour, then of his anger. Antigonus kept a Priest on purpose to pray and offer up sacrifice to the gods, that they would preserve him from his seeming friends. There may be some profit of that Italian Proverb, The Lord deliver us from our friends, we will watch our selves over our enemies, that they do not hurt us. Solomon gives thee a good caution, in his Character of a fool and a wise man; A Fool uttereth all his mind, but a Wise Man keepeth it in till afterwards, Prov. 29. 11. And those words of Hugo Victorinus have much weight in them, and are somewhat near Solomons, Est tempus quando nihil, est tempus quando aliquid, nullum autem tempus in quo dicenda sunt omnia.There is a time when nothing is to be spoken, there is a time when something, but no time when all things are to be spoken. Especially if thou hast found a man false once, beware of him the second time; He deserves to break his shins, that stumbleth twice at one stone. That Proverb of the Italians is worthy of consideration; If a man deceive me once, it is his own fault; if a second time, it is my fault; He had need to sit sure, who backs that Horse which hath once cast his Rider.
Thirdly, If thou wouldst exercise thy self to Godliness in evil company, Be sure thou dost not disown thy profession, and deny Iesus Christ. Though it behoveth thee to walk wisely, because sinners lye in wait to destroy thy life; yet be careful thou dost not walk wickedly, for sin lyeth in wait to destroy thy soul. It may consist with grace, not always openly to proclaim thy profession, yet i…s a graceless part at any time to deny it. Twas a blot to Nicodemus, that he was a Night-bird. If the honour of Christ be engaged, and by thy silence the Gospel will suffer, then not to publish what thou art, is a sin. The light of Religion ought not to be carried in a Dark Lanthorn, and to be shewn onelyonly, when thy own interest will permit, and at other times to be hid; Christ tells us, Who…oever shall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven, Mat. 10. 33. Not to confess Christ openly when thou art called to it, is to deny him. And expect the same measure from Christ in the other world, which thou givest to him in this; How justly will he be disowned for a servant hereafter, that was ashamed to own so Noble a Master here? And how dreadful will his condition be, whom Christ shall deny before his Father! All thy happiness depends upon his confessing thee; If he disclaim thee, Divels will lay claim to thee, and theirs thou shalt be for ever. It concerns thee therefore to confess Christ, how dear soever it may cost, and to own Religion in all companies; for thou mayst truly say what an honest man did (being occasionally in a Pyrates Ship when twas searcht, and the Pyrates cryed out, Wo be to us if we be known, (he said) Wo be to me if I be not known.
There are a sort of men, that like Mercury, the Good-fellow Planet, are according to their company, good if with the good, bad if in conjunction with bad; but the true Christian hath not so learned Christ. He who like the Mariner, changeth his course upon the change of the weather, is but an unsound Professour. We read of some that feared the Lord, and served graven Images, 2 King. 17. 41. They divided themselves between the true God and Idols; As the Jewish Children, which spake half Hebrew, and half in the language of Ashdod, (Nehem. 13. 24.) and as some Gentlemen that speak Italian, when they are amongst Italians; French amongst French men; and order their language answerable to their associates. So some that would be called Christians, change themselves both for words and deeds, into the nature of their Companions. Amongst the godly they own God, but amongst the wicked they deny him; They alter their colour as the Sole (say Naturalists) according to that which is nearest, and expose the Name of God, rather then their own, to contempt. Beza saith of Baldwinus, that he had, Religionem ephemeram, A Religion for every day; Some men have a deportment sutable to all with whom they converse, resembling such as are sinful, and dissembling with them that are holy. These are either ashamed or afraid of Christ, both which are unreasonable.
1. Some will not own him out of shame, though he be the glory of his people Israel; The Paint of women in some Countries, is the Dung of the Crocodile, and their sweet powder the excrement of a Cat; yet people can esteem these their honour; The Drunkard can boast of his strength to drink; The cunning Cheat of his deceitful doings; And alas many Christians are ashamed of Christ. O how unworthy is it, that wicked men should glory in their shame, and good men be ashamed of their glory! that the scum of Hell should be prided in, and the Soveraign of Heaven be esteemed a disgrace! that some should with brows of brass, boast of the ugly Monster, begotten of Satan; and others not dare to own the fairest of ten thousands, and the onelyonly begotten of the Father! Its reported of Aristotles Daughter, that being asked what colour was best, she should answer the blush colour; Diogenes was wont to say, that Blushing was the colour of vertue. How ever this colour may be commendable on other occasions, its abominable in the cause of Christ; David saith, I will speak of thy judgements before Kings, and will not be ashamed, Psa. 119. 46. Neither the greatness of their power, nor the brightness of their splendour, shall make me bashful and ashamed to own thee. Shame doth excellently become sin, but its wholly unbecoming the blessed Saviour, Rom. 6. 21. Mark. 8. 38.
2. Some will not own Christ out of fear; As an Owl peeps at the Sun out of a B…rn, but dares not come near it; So some peep at the Sun of righteousness, but stand aloof, as if they were more afraid to be nigh God then the Devil; This made Peter deny his Master; How daunted have many been, to look danger in the face; He who had sometimes courage enough, to take a Lion by the beard; lost his colour, and changed his behaviour before wicked Achish. Slavish fear is a great foe to Godliness;Ar…st. Hist. Anim. …. 2. c. 1… The Great Philosopher gives this reason why the Camelion changeth colour so frequently; he being a fearful creature, swelleth by drawing in the air, hereby his skin is pent in and made smooth, and more apt to receive the colour of those objects that are next him. They who are fearful of suffering, will easily if their company require it, change their colour, and disown their Saviour. Timerous creatures will run into any unclean places for shelter, when a magnanimous spirit in a good cause will defie death it self. He who fears his skin, is no friend to his soul, but will defile the latter to defend the former. Fear surprising the heart, takes it away, and makes the Christian weak; and then 'tis no wonder if the smallest blow conquer him, and like a Reed he bend with the least blast of wind; but how unreasonable is it that any should be afraid to own the blessed Saviour, when in sticking close to him is their only safety! Nothing can hurt thee but sin, tis that alone which exposeth thee to injuries and miseries; if thou fearest that, thou needest fear nothing else. What a foolish bargain dost thou make, by denying Christ to make wicked and weak men thy seeming friends, and the jealous God thy real enemy? Is not he distracted, who to avoid the scratch of a pin, layeth himself open to the shatering of a Cannon? And art thou not worse, if to avoid the fury of poor Mortals, thou incurrest the wrath of the Almighty? Remember that the fearful are the first in the black list for the eternal fire, Rev. 21. 8. and do not play the Coward as Furius Fulvius, to sound a retreat, when thou shouldst as a man of courage sound an Alarm. The Mulberry tree is esteemed the wisest of all Trees, because it onelyonly bringeth forth its leaves after the cold frosts be past; but in Christianity he is a fool, who dares not profess himself a Christian till dangers be over.Aug. Conf. l. 8. St. Austin in his Confessions, relates a story of one Victorinus, who being converted, because he had many great friends that were Heathens, durst not own Christ publiquely, but went to Simplicianus and whispered him in the ear, I am a Christian; but Simplicianus answered him, Vix credo, nec deputabo te inter Christianos, &c. I do not beleive it, nor will count thee a Christian, till I see thee profess it openly. Victorinus at first derided this answer, but afterwards considering the words of our Saviour, Mark 8. 38. he acknowledged it openly. It is very dangerous to walk in the dark. Saints are children of the light, and should have their light shining before others;Qui nescit dissimular, nescit regnare. Phil. Com. Lewis the eleventh of France, was better at carnal politicks, then real piety, who desired his Son might learn no more then this, He who cannot counterfeit, must not wear a Crown.