Use 2. It reproves those who flout and mock at the saints, while exercising their graces ; none so jeered as the saint in his calling. Men may work in their shops, and every one follow his calling, as diligently as they please, and no wonder made of this by those that pass by in the streets ; but let the Christian be seen at work for God, in the exercise of any duty or grace, and he is hooted at, despised, yea, hated. Few so bad indeed, but seem to like religion in the notion ; they can commend a sermon of holiness, like a discourse of God or Christ, in the pulpit ; but when these are really set before their eyes, as they sparkle in a saint's conversation, they are very contemptible and hateful to them ; this living and walking holiness bites ; and though they liked the preacher's art, in painting forth the same in his discourse, yet now they run from them, and spit at them ; this exercise of grace offends the profane heart, and stirs up the enmity that lies within : as Michal, she could not but flout David, to see him dancing before the ark. He that commended the preacher for making a learned discourse of zeal, will rail on a saint expressing an act of zeal in his place and calling; now grace comes too near him. A naughty heart must stand at some distance from holiness, that the beams thereof may not bear too strongly on his conscience, and so he likes it. Thus the phaiisees the prophets of old, these wei'e holy men in their account, and they can lavish out their money on their tombs in honour of them ; but Christ, who was more than all of them, he is scorned and hated. What is the mystery of this? The reason was, these prophets ai"e off the stage, and Christ on. Pascitur in v'wis Uvur, post fata quiescit.
Use 3. Try by this whether you have grace or no ; dost thou walk in the exercise of thy grace ? He that hath clothes, surely will wear them, and not be seen naked. Men talk of their faith, repentance, love to God ; these are precious graces, but why do they not let us see these walking abroad in their daily conversation ? Surely if such guests were in thy soul, they would look out sometimes at the window, and be seen abroad in this duty, and that holy action ; grace is of a stirring nature, and not such a dead thing, like an image, which you may lock up in a chest, and none shall know what God you worship : no, grace will show itself; it will walk with you in all places and companies; it will buy with you, and sell for you; it will have a hand in all your enterprises; it will comfort you when you are sincere and faithful for God, and it will complain and chide you when you are otherwise ; go to, stop its mouth, and heaven shall hear its voice ; it will groan, mourn, and strive, even as a living man, when you would smother him. I will as soon believe the man to be alive, that lies peaceably as he is nailed up in his coffin, without strife or bustle, as that thou hast grace, and never exercise it in any act of spiritual life. What, man, hast thou grace, and carried so peaceabl}', as a fool to the stocks, by thy lust ? Why hangest thou there nailed to thy lust ? If thou hast grace, come down, and we will believe it ; but if thou art such a tame slave, as to sit still under the command of lust, thou deceivest thyself. Hast thou grace, and show none of it in thy condition thou art placed in? May be thou art rich; dost thou show thy humility towards those that ai'e beneath thee ? Dost thou show a heavenly mind, breathing after heaven more than earth ? It may be thy heart is puffed with thy estate, that thou lookest on the poor as creatui'es of some lower species than thyself, and disdainest them ; and as for heaven, thou thinkest not of it. Like that wicked prince that said, ' He would lose his part in Paradise rather than in Paris.' Art thou poor? Why dost not exercise grace in that condition? Art thou contented, diligent? May be, instead of contentment, thou repinest; canst not see a fair lace on thy rich brother's cloth, but grudgest it, instead of concurring with Providence by diligence to supply thy wants? Thou art ready to break through the hedge into thy neighbour's fat pasture, thus serving thy own turn by a sin, rather than waiting for God's blessing on thy honest diligence; if so, be not angry ; we call thee by thy right name, or at least question whether we may style thee Christian, whose carriage is so cross to that sacred name, which is too holy to be written on a rotten post.
THAT YE MAY BE ABLE TO STAND, ETC. 45