14. He has the most beautiful conversation among the blackest persons
Another singular action of a sanctified Christian, is, To have the most beautiful conversation among the blackest persons.
As an ungodly man poisons the air in which he breathes; so he pollutes the age in which he lives. The putrid grape corrupts the sound cluster. Pious
Joseph, by living in the court of Pharaoh, had learned to swear by the life of Pharaoh. A high-priest's hall instructed Peter how to disclaim his suffering master. Fresh waters lose their sweetness, by gliding into the salt sea. Those who sail among the rocks, are in danger of splitting their ships.
When vice runs in a single stream, it is then a fordable shallow; but when many of these meet together, they then swell a deeper channel. The Lord has appointed from the beginning, that enmity shall subsist between the righteous seed of the woman and the unrighteous seed of the serpent.—There must be no harmony, where the chief musician will have a jar. It is far better to have the ungodly man's enmity, than his society. By the former, he is most hateful; but by the latter, he is most hurtful. A religious man in the company of wicked men, is like a green branch among dry and burning brands; they can sooner kindle him, than he can quench them.
As sheep among the thorns injure their fleeces; so saints among sinners do an injury to their graces. Hence it is said, Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? and what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? To see a saint and a sinner maintaining familiar intercourse with each other, is to behold the living and the dead keeping house together. The godly are more frequently corrupted by the evil deportment of the worldling, than the worldling is refined by the chaste conversation of the godly.
The impious lives of the wicked are as contagious as the most fearful plague that infects the air. When the doves of Christ lie among such pots, their yellow feathers are sullied. You may observe, that in the oven the fine bread frequently hangs upon the coarse; but the coarse very seldom adheres to the fine. If you mix an equal portion of sour vinegar and sweet wine together; you will find that the vinegar will sooner sour the wine, than the wine sweeten the vinegar.
That is a sound body that continues healthful in a pest-house. It is a far greater wonder to see a saint maintain his purity among sinners, than it is to behold a sinner becoming pure among saints. Christians are not always like fish, which retain their freshness in the salt sea; or like the rose, which preserves its sweetness among the most noisome weeds; or like the fire, which burns the hottest when the season is coldest.
A good man was once heard to lament, 'that as often as he went into the company of the wicked, he returned less a man from them, than he was before he joined with them.' As it is a singular thing to touch melting pitch, and not be defiled; so it is for saints so to act toward sinners as to do much good for them, and receive no injury from them. If we cannot help them, it is their unholiness; if they hurt us, it is our unhappiness. The Lord's people, by keeping evil company, are like persons who are much exposed to the sun, insensibly tanned.
Every Christian is a light in the world; though
F 3 he be not the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father which is in heaven. O that Christians were more like the light, which abides pure, though the air be corrupted in which it dwells! Men may defile themselves in the light; but they cannot defile the light itself. The sun shines throughout an impure world, and yet knows no impurity. Ah, how many resemble swine in the fairest meadow; which would break every mound to find the mire! They remind me of impious Judas, who, instead of being a disciple amongst devils, was a devil amongst disciples. Poor man, he was all precept, and no example. He could attempt to reprove one, who was innocence itself; and encourage one, who was sin itself.
Religious company brings fire to our graces, to kindle them when they are freezing; but irreligious company brings water to quench them, when they are flaming.
It is observed by some, 'that the sweetest flowers may be found among the most offensive herbs.' The poets affirm, that 'Venus never appeared so beautiful, as when she sat by black Vulcan's side.' This we are beyond a doubt concerning, that Stephen's face never shone so gloriously in the church, where he was admired; as in the council, where he was abhorred. Had he been like them, they had not disliked him. Had not God given him spiritual life, they would never have put him to an ignominious death. How will the fire consume dry fuel, when it prevailed to such a degree over the green?
That jewel must needs be glorious in the sun, which glitters in the shade. There are certainly many men, who can suit with any men. They can be professors with professors, and scorners amongst scorners. One day, they can join the multitude in shouting Hosannah! In another day, they can join the pharisees in crying, Crucify him, crucify him!— Thus they are like the planet Mercury, in the horoscope of man's nativity; good, in conjunction with those who are good; and evil, in conjunction with those who are evil.
Every man loves to be admired; and is too apt to take pleasure in none but those who take pleasure in him. It is no honourable appearance, when we cease to be exemplary Christians, that others may think us good companions. It is impossible to be conformed to the world in our outward man; and transformed to God in our inward man. There is no such a thing as being an outward heathen, and an inward Christian. There is but little difficulty in Englishing the Spanish proverb: 'Tell me where you go, and I will tell you what you do.' We say, 'that birds of a feather will flock together.' To be too intimate with sinners, is to intimate, that we are sinners.
As soon as the disciples were let go, they returned to their own company. With whom should believers join, but with believers? There is no trusting the tarnest nature with the savage monster without manifest danger. It is running a great risk, to be found cohabiting in that house, where God is not found dwelling. There is no sleeping with dogs, without swarming with vermin.
That is a royal diadem, which Christ places upon the head of his spouse: As a lily among thorns; so is my beloved among the daughters. There are many thorns among the lilies; but there are not many lilies among the thorns. It is a choice spectacle to behold, when a believer preserves his spiritual beauty amidst the tents of Kedar; or when he is like Noah, a new man in an old world. Had Lot been polluted with Sodom's sin, he might have been consumed in Sodom's flames.
It is ill breathing in an infectious air. Satan's progeny love not to go to hell without society. It is far better to be with Philpot in a coal-house, than with a Bonner in a palace. A man may pass through Ethiopia, and yet be unchanged; but he cannot take up his residence there, without being changed.
Ecclesiastical history reports of Valens, the emperor, that he, by marrying an Arian lady, was corrupted with that error. 'Come out of her, my people; that you be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.' If Rome leave us in the foundation; let us leave her in the superstructure. Where she departs from God, there let us depart from her. For when such worms breed in the body of a nation, they will soon eat out the bowels of religion. Not to guard against such wasps, is to expose ourselves to the venom of their stings.
6.