disappointing tlie just expectations of both. Nothing can save the life of this our nation, or lengthen out its tranquillity in mercy to it, but the recovery of the much decayed power of holiness. This, as a spring of new blood to a weak body, would, though almost a dying, revive it, and procure many happy days; yea, more happy days to come over its head, than yet it hath seen ; but, alas ! as we are degenerating from bad to worse, we do but die lingeringly, every day we fetch our breath shorter and shorter; if the sword shoidd be but drawn again among us, we have hardly strength to hold out another fit.
CHAPTER VI.
CONTAINS THE FIRST INSTANCE, WHEREIN THE CHRISTIAN IS TO EXPRESS THE POWER OF HOLINESS, AND THAT IS IN HIS BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS SIN; BRANCHED INTO SEVERAL PARTICULARS.
The second particular into which the point was branched comes now to be taken into hand ; and that was to instance in some particulars wherein every Christian is to express the power of a holy and righteous life. Now this I shall do under several heads.
First, Christian, be sure thou maintainest the power of holiness in thy contest with sin, which thou art to express in these particulars following.
First, Thou must not only refuse to commit broad sins, but shun the appearance of sin also ; this is to walk in the power of holiness. The dove doth not only fly from the hawk, but will not smell so much as a single feather that falls from the hawk. It should be enough to scare the holy soul from any enterprise, if it be but male coloratiim. We are commanded ' to hate the garment spotted with the flesh,' Jude 23. A cleanly person will not only refuse to wallow in the dunghill, but is careful also that he doth not get so much as a spot on his clothes as he is eating his meat. The Christian's care should be to keep, as his conscience pure, so his name pure, which is done by avoiding all appearance of evil. Bernard's three questions are worth the asking ourselves in any enterprise : An liceat ? an deceat ? an ejcpediat ? ' Is it lawful?' may I do it, and not sin? ' Is it becoming me, a Christian?' may I do it, and not wrong my profession? that work which would suit a mean man, would it become a prince ? ' Should such a one as I flee?' said Nehe- miah, nobly, Nehem. vi. 12. Lastly, ' Is it expedient?' may I do it, and not offend my weak brother? There are some things we must deny ourselves of for others' sake ; though a man could sit his horse, and run him full speed without danger to himself, yet he would do very ill to come scouring through a town, where children are in the way, that may be, before he is aware, ridden over by him, and killed. Thus some things thou mayest do, and without sin to thee, if there were no weak Christians in thy way to ride over, and so bruise their tender consciences, and grieve their spirits. But, alas ! this is too narrow a path for many mere professors to walk in now a days ; they must have more room and scope for their loose hearts, or else they and their profession must part. Liberty is the Diana of our times. O what apologies are made for some suspicious practices ! long hair, gaudy, garish apparel, spotted faces, naked breasts! these have been called to the bar in former times, and censured by sober and solid Christians, as things at least suspicious, and of no ' good report;' but now they have hit on a more favourable jury, that find them not guilty ; yea, many are so fond of them, that they think Christian liberty is wronged in their censure. Professors are so far from a holy jealousy, that should make them watch their hearts, lest they go too far, that they stretch their consciences to come up to the full length of their tether ; as if he were the brave Christian that could come nearest the pit of sin, and not fall in ; as in the Olympian games, he bore the garland away, that could drive his chariot nearest the mark, and not knock on it. If this were so. Paid mistook when he bade Christians 'abstain from all appearance of evil,' 1 Thess. v. 22; he should rather have said by these men's divinity, ' abstain' not from ' the appearance,' only take heed of what is in itself gi'ossly evil. But he that can venture on the appearance of evil, under pretence of liberty, may, for aught I know, commit that which is more grossly evil, under some appearance of good; it is not hard, if a man will be at the cost, to put a good colour on a rotten stufl", and practice also.
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. gQ-T