and retain the instructions, reproofs, comforts, drawn by them out of the word ; thy conscience, that appHes these to thy own soul, till from thence they distil into thy affections, and thou becomest in love more and more with holiness thy own self, from their recommendation of it to thee. It is a sad thing to consider what different use a naughty heart makes of the gifts and graces of the godly, with whom they live, as they sparkle forth, to what a humble, sincere one doth. A naughty heart does but envy and malign such a one the more, and instead of getting good, is made worse ; whei-eas the sincere soul he labovu-s to treasure up all for his good. When Joseph told his prophetic dream to his brethren, their envy, which before lay smothering in their breasts, took fire presently, and awhile after flamed forth into that unnatural cruelty practised upon him by them. There was all the use they made of it ; but of good Jacob it is said, by way of opposition to them. Gen. xxxvii. 11 : ' His brethren envied him, but his father observed the saying ;' he laid it up for future use, as that which had something of God in it. Thus, Chi-istian, do thovi by the holy breathings of the spirit in those thou livest with.
Note the remarkable passages of their gracious conversations, as thou wouldst do the notions of some excellent book, which is not thine own, but lent thee for a time to peruse : indeed upon these terms, and no surer, do we enjoy our gra- cious friends and relations. They are but lent us for a while, and improve them, or not improve them, they will be called for ere long ; and will it be for thy comfort to part with them, before thou hast had a heart to get good by them ? It was a solemn speech of that reverend holy man of God, Mr. Bolton, to his children, when on his death-bed : ' I charge you, O my children, not to meet me at the great day before Christ's tribunal in a Christless, graceless con- dition.' God keeps an exact account of the means he affords us for our salvation, and the lives of his holy servants are not of the lowest rank. You shall observe that God is very curious in Scripture, to record the time how long his faithful servants lived on earth ; and sure among other reasons, he would have us know that he means to reckon with those that lived with them, for every year, yea, day and hour they had them among them. They shall know they had a prophet, a father, husband, that were godly, and that they had them so long ; and God will know of them what use they made of them.
CHAPTER X.
OF EXERCISING THE POWER OF HOLINESS IN OUR CARRIAGE TO OUR NEIGH- BOURS WITHOUT DOORS.
Secondly, Thy righteousness to others must not stay within doors, but walk out into the streets, and visit thy neighbours round. Thy behavioiu- to, and conversation with them must be holy and righteous. In Scripture, righteovis- ness, and living righteously, do oft imjiort the whole duty of the Christian to his neighbour, and so stands distinguished from piety, which hath God for its immediate object ; and sobriety or temperance, which immediately respects our- selves. See them altogether, Tit. ii. 12, where ' the grace of God that bringeth salvation' is said to ' teach us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.' He that would be the death of all these three, needs do no more but stab one of them, no matter which ; the life of holiness will run out at any door, here or there, wherever the wound is given. It is true, indeed, there is a moral righteousness, which leaves us short of true holiness ; but no true holiness that leaves us short of moral righteousness. Though the sensitive soul be found in a beast without the rational, yet the rational soul is not found in man without the sensitive. Grace and evangelical holiness being the higher principle, includes and comprehends the other within itself. This is the dignity and honour due to Christianity, and the principle it lays down in the gospel, (the enemies of it being judges,) that though some who profess it are none of the best, yet they learn not their unrighteousness of it ; most true it is what one saith. No Christian can be bad, except he be a hypocrite. Either, therefore, renounce thy baptism, or abominate the thoughts of all unrighteousness ; so be sure thou mightest escape better, if thou wouldst let the world know thou didst claim no kindred with Christ, before thou practisest such wickedness. Some are unresolved where to find Aristides, Socrates, Cato, and some few other heathens.
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 3J9