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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A62040 The works of George Swinnock, M.A. containing these several treatises ...; Works. 1665. Swinnock, George, 1627-1673. 1665 (1665) Wing S6264; ESTC R7231 557,194 940

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they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth Psa. 17. 11. It s an allusion to Hunters who go poring on the ground to find the print of the Hares claws when their Dogs are at a loss in their sent So Satans agents go with their eyes bowing down marking the Saints footsteps to find out if it be possible where they have slipped or stepped awry that their blood-hounds may follow both their persons and their profession with loud cryes and fresh noise The baggage world is both desirous and industrious to scarr that face and to spie the least blemish in it that is fairer then her self If the Christian be once defiled Christianity it self will quickly be defamed Though sins in secret duties have their aggravations yet sins in our publique dealings do in a three-fold respect exceed them 1. These are scandalous to the good which those are not The children of God weep bitterly when they hear that others walk disorderly Their hearts bewail their brethrens wickedness now wouldst thou sadden the Spirit of a Saint Alas they have grief enough from their enemies and shall they be wounded in the house of their friends 2. They are infectious to the bad which secret sins are not Thy sins are like St. Pauls in London on high● for the gaze of the World but thy vertues as St. Faith under ground they do not note them How soon will the World plead a Christians sinful act to excuse and justifie their own sinful habits They are like ravenous birds that flie over sweet and pleasant flowers and pitch onely upon unsavoury carcasses they take little notice of thy graces but will be sure to mind thy vices The Philosopher saith that the Fleeces of such Sheep as are killed by the Wolf are most apt to breed Lice one of Christs Sheep foiled by Satan in the eyes of men doth much mischief Now will it not trouble thee that these unclean fowles should pick that from thee which will feed and nourish their filthy natures Alas they move fast enough towards Hell with the tide of their own evil hearts and shall the wind of thy example make them sayl more swiftly 3. Thy open sins occasion the wicked to speak ill of God which secret sins do not The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you saith the Apostle to the Romans Rom. 2. 24. Christians ought to be shields to ward off those blows of reproach which would fall on the name of God how unchristian are they then that are swords in the hands of the wicked wherewith the name of God is wounded Truly an unrighteous professour is such a one If thou studiest to do thy God disservice and to bring on his blessed name dishonour thou canst not do it sooner then by unjust actions under the livery of an high profession The Divel himself cannot dress a man in a more ridiculous habit to make both him and his Master the scorn of the Company then by putting on him a coat patcht up of divers peices and contrary colours a glorious name of a Saint and the unrighteous works of a reprobate Friend beware how thou behavest thy self in the world The Snow makes a fair shew to the eye but being melted it makes a dangerous flood They who make a fair shew in the flesh by walking offensively may cause such a deluge as may drown the souls of others and give many a dash at the name of God himself The Indians would not hear of Heaven when they were told that the Spaniards whom they had found to be barbarous and bloody went thither The Iews are hardened in their emnity against Christ by the evil lives of pretended Chistians Epiphanius saith that in his days many avoided the Christians company because of the looseness of some mens conversation When some beasts have blown on grass others will not eat of it for a good while after ●ts no wonder that Religion finds so few greedy of her service when her work is so much disparaged by those that already seem to be her servants Men will easily be discouraged from travailing in that rode which is haunted with Theeves and robbers Either walk up to thy calling or lay thy calling down why shouldst thou give conscience cause to say to thee truly what Michael did to David falsly thou hast made thy self like one of the vile and base fellows of the earth SECT II. AS to the exercising thy self to Godliness in thy dealings with all men it consisteth partly in the manner of thy dealings partly in the principle of thy dealing and partly in the end thou propoundest in thy dealings First Be careful in thy carriage towards others as to the maner of it that it be righteous meek and courteous 1. Be righteous in thy dealings with all men Righteousness strictly taken is a vertue which guideth and ordereth the whole man for the good of his neighbour as the understanding to conceive the Will to chose the affections to love and desire and the whole man to act and do what may tend to the welfare of others This righteousness is of so great concernment to godliness that it is sometimes put by a Synechdoche for the whole of Religion 1 Ioh. 3. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous so Rom. 6. 17. And the Christian is denominated from this part of Christianity Gen. 7. 1. And the Lord said unto Noah Come thou and all thy house into the Ark for thee have I seen righteous before me so Psa. 5. ult For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous The Moral Philosophers tell us that justice is the sum and Epitome of all vertues the Divines will inform us that righteousness largely taken is the string upon which all the graces hang if that be broken or snapt asunder they all fall off and are lost I must tell thee Christian that civil righteousness is as really necessary as sacred He that seemeth righteous towards God and is unrighteous towards men is unrighteous both to God and Man I say be righteous in thy dealing with all men Viz. Let thy righteousness be real and universal Commntative Distributive Be righteous in thy action● expressions and towards all persons 1. Be righteous in thy works or Actions Deal with men as one that in all hath to do with God If thou art a Christian thou art a Law to thy self thou hast not onely a Law without thee the Word of God but a Law within thee and so darest not transgress Thy double hedge may well prevent thy wandring Alas what do those unruly beasts get whom no fence can keep in but a more speedy slaughter It s said of an unrighteous man his own counsel shall cast him out Job 18. 7. Unjust men think by their craft to cast others down but their own counsel will cast themselves out Out out of what Out of their houses for such dwellings are built upon powder and a spark of wrath sooner or later will blow them up Psa.