'■* IJypocrilis nihil est crudelins, impatientius et vindicta cttpidius, there is not a mora cruel creature, more impatient and vindictive, than an hypocrite, saith Luther, who had the experience of it; therefore trust not to the Machiavels of the times.
EpH. III. 8.] RICHES OF CHRIST. 143
trumpet, to make to sound afar off. Says the apostle, your graces made a noise like a trumpet ; they stirred up others to be gracdous and active, as the trumpet stirs up men to war. So in 2 Peter i. 3, 4, ' We are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, be- cause that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all towards each other abound eth. So that we ourselves glory in you the churches of God, for your patience and faith, in all your per- secutions and tribulations that you endure.' Hoc enim angelicum, this is the character of the angelical nature, to rejoice in the graces and gracious actings of others. He that acts otherwise holds forth the image of the devil, and declares himself a native of helL^
[3.] Thirdly, Consider that the exercise and iniirrovertient of grace, may be a special means to stir up the exercise of grace in others.^
Your improvement of grace may be a special means to stir up others to improve their graces also. 1 Thes. i. 7, ' So that we were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.' Or as the Greek is, ' you were types, moulds,' rhrnvg, patterns of piety to them that were in Christ long before you. So in 2 Cor. ix. 2, ' For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago, and your zeal hath provoked very many.' I knew you were forward, and this I boasted of ; I made it my glory to tell how grace shined in your souls. * And,' saith he, ' your zeal hath provoked many.' When they saw how warm and lively, and active, how open- handed and open-hearted you were to the poor saints, their hearts were stirred up to acts of charity also. Stories speak of some that could not sleep when they thought of the trophies of other worthies that went before them. The highest examples are very quickening and pro- voking.^
That this may stick upon your souls, I beseech you bed and board, rise and walk with this one consideration, viz., that all the good you provoke others to by counsel or example, shall be put down to your account. It shall certainly turn to your internal and eternal advantage. In the great day, Christ "UT.il make honourable mention of all the good that thou hast stirred and provoked others to, and will reward thee for it before angels and men. The faith, the love, the hope, the charity, the patience, &c., that thou hast provoked others to, shall be put down to thy account, as if thou hadst been the only actor of them, &c. As all the sins that men provoke or stir up others to by their counsel or example, shall be put down to their accounts, as you may see in David. David did but send a letter concerning the death of Uriah, and yet the charge cometh, ' Thou hast slain Uriah -svith the sword,' 2 Sam. xii. 9. As whatsoever is done by letter, counsel, or example, to provoke others to sin, shall certainly be charged upon men's accounts at last, so what-
' Pliny tells of some in the remote parts of India, that they have no mouths. We have many such monsters among us, that have no mouths to bless God for the good that shines in others. [The Psylli, as before. — G.]
^ The complaint is ancient in Seneca, that commonly men live not ad rationem, but ad similitudinem. — Seneca, de vita heati, cap. 1.
2 ProEcepta docent, ezempla movent, precepts may instruct, but examples do persuade. [A reminiscence of St Leo, ' Validiora sunt exempla, quam verba' {L'e Jejun) ; or Bernard, ' Validior operis quam oris vox — vox oris souat, vox operis tonat.' (Serm. on Canticles, as before, 6. — G.]
144; THE UNSEARCHABLE [EPH. HI. 8.
soever good tliou dost stir up others to, that shall be set upon thy score, and shall turn to thy eternal account in the day of Christ. Oh ! who would not then labour with all their might, even day and night, to stir up the grace of the Lord in themselves and others, seeing it shall turn to such a glorious account in that day wherein Christ shall say to his Father, ' Lo, here am I, and the children that thou hast given me,' &c.^
[4] Fourthly, consider this, the exercise and imjirovement of grace, contributes very much both to the stopping the mouths of your enemies, and to the rendering of you lovely in the very eyes of your enemies. Oh ! there is nothing in all the world that contributes so much to the stopping of the mouths of your enemies, and to the rendering of your souls lovely in the eyes of your enemies, as the exercise and improve- ment of your graces. As you may see in David, David improved his grace to a glorious height, and says Saul, ' Thou art more righteous than I,' 1 Sam. xxiv. 17. John improved his grace to a glorious height, and was much in the exercise of it, and what follows ? why, ' Herod feared and reverenced him, knowing that he was a just and a holy man,' Mark vi. 20. Oh ! how did the wisdom, faith, and holiness of Joseph, Daniel, and the three children silence their most enraged adversaries I yea, what a deal of honour did the exercise of their graces cause those heathen princes to put upon them?^ 1 Peter ii. 15, ' For so is the will of God, that by well-doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men/ It is not all the talking and profession in the world that can stop the mouths of foolish men ; it must be well-doings, grace improved, grace exercised and manifested in ways of holiness, that must work so great a wonder as to stop the mouths of wicked men.
The Greek word that is here translated well-doing, ayadorroioZMrag is a participle of the present tense, and notes the continual custom of well-doing. And indeed, nothing but a continual course of well-doing will be able to stop the mouths of ndcked persons. It is not a fit of holiness, but a course, that can produce so great a miracle as to stop the mouths of wicked men : ' That ye might stop the mouths of ungodly men.'
The Greek is, 'that ye may muzzle,' or, 'halter up,' p/.aoSv, from ^//iow. There is no way in the world to button, muzzle, or halter up the mouths of wicked men, but by the exercise of your graces in ways of well-doing. Oh ! this will cause you to be well thought of, and well spoken of ; this is that that will make even wicked men to say. These are Christians indeed ! these are they that have not only a name to live, but are alive ; that have not only a form of godliness, but the power. A Christian's exercise of faith in times of wants, and of patience in times of affliction, and of courage in times of temptation, and of con- tentatiou^ in times of opposition, &c., doth mightily silence and stop the mouths of the worst of men.