37. That it is dangerous to dress himself for another world at the looking-glass of this world

Another principle by which a believer should walk, is this: That it is dangerous dressing himself for another world, by the looking-glass of this world.

Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil. Let them be never so mighty, they are not to be feared: let them be never so many, they are not to be followed.

Satan's herd of swine is larger than Christ's flock of sheep. To infer that way to be the truest which is the largest, is to conclude upon the fineness of the cloth by the broadness of the list.

The innumerable crowds of people are too much like the droves of cattle which go to the slaughter. Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. The whole piece belongs to the devil; but God cuts off a remnant for himself. There are many birds of prey, to one bird of paradise. Pebbles lie abundantly in the streets, when pearls are difficult to be found.

The scripture not only presents us with an account of the purity of those who shall be saved, but also with the smallness of their number. Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. The Persians thought a crooked nose a great ornament, because seated on the face of their emperor: and the whole court would go awry, because such a neck was upon the shoulders of Alexander.

Great men's vices are more imitated than poor men's graces. The ill humours of the head may consume the vital parts of the body. Inferiors love to go the way which superiors are wont to go. The actions of their rulers, are too much the rule of their actions. Such people conceive by the eye, like Jacob's sheep, which brought forth their lambs suitable to the colour of the rods.

Those who follow after others in sinning, are in danger of following them in suffering. Alas, then the greatness of the multitude will not extinguish the flame. The number of those immortal faggots will but magnify the fury of the fire. 'Many are called, but few are chosen.' It is not, many are chosen and few called, but many are called and few are chosen.

Sinners are certainly the greatest company, but they are also the worst company. Though the nature of believers be the greatest, yet their numbers are the smallest.

Flavus Vopiscus said, 'That all the names of the good emperors might be engraven on a little ring.' I will not say there are not any good men who are great, but I will say, that there are not many great men who are good.

The trees of righteousness are thinly planted in the world's orchard. As in one righteous man there are many sins, so to one righteous man there are many sinners. 'Our fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.' The generality of persons will rather walk in the way that most people go, than in the way that the best go. They are like dead fish, which swim down the stream withersoever it runs; or like the water, which takes the figure of the vessel in which it is contained. But, Vox populi is sometimes Vox diaboli; that is, 'The voice of the people is sometimes the voice of the devil.' Whatsoever is engraven upon the seal, is imprinted upon the wax.

If we would not have the people of the world to be our leaders, we shall be sure to have them our troublers. If they cannot seduce us into an evil way, they will oppose us in a good way. If they cannot scorch us with their fire, they will try to blacken us with their smoke. They will speak evil of us, because we run not to the same excess of riot with them. Because we refuse to play the fool with them, they will say we are mad. Those who would arrive where the righteous now are, should be found in the road in which they once were. 'Be ye followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.' What is the reason that there are so many scribbling professors in the world, but that they write after such imperfect copies?

The best of men are but men at the best. It is better to imitate an evil man in that which is good, than a good man in that which is evil. St. Paul said, 'Be ye followers of me,' (but this exhortation hath its limitation) 'even as I am of Christ.' Where he follows Christ, there we must follow him: but if a Paul forsake Christ, we may forsake even Paul.

That was a good saying of Sir Thomas More: 'I will not pin my faith upon any man's sleeve, because I know not whither he will carry it.' Believers have not only infirmities which are natural, but they have also such as are sinful. Noah was no sooner delivered from a deluge of water, than he was drowned in a deluge of wine.

The failings of Christians do not flow from a want of grace, but from a weakness in grace; not from their depravity of spirit, but from the corruptions of the flesh. As they are not what they have been, so they are not altogether what they would be. Those roses which are now in blossom, shall hereafter be fully blown; and the stars which are yet concealed under a cloud, shall be seen in a clear sky.

Those are but suspicious Christians, who will take in all that believers do, upon the authority of believers. The comment must be followed no further than while it agrees with the text.

He is a rotten professor, who says in his heart, 'Why may not I be drunk as well as Noah, and commit adultery as well as David?' Did you ever hear of any who put out their eyes, because others were smitten with blindness? Or of any who cut off their legs, because others went on crutches?

But if you have sinned as David and Noah did, you should also mourn as they did. Their acts are not for our imitation, but for our caution. They are not land-marks to direct travellers, but sea-marks to warn mariners. If a man find a piece of gold covered with dust, will he preserve the dirt, and throw away the gold?

'You have heard of the patience of Job.' Yes, and of his impatience also. Instead of cursing the sin with which he was born, he cursed the day in which he was born.

You have heard of the meekness of Moses, and yet this even thread was not without its knots. While he is bringing water out of the rock, he is also fetching fire out of his own heart.

Peter not only forsook his Lord, but also for-swore him. Who would ever have suspected, that he who had his name from an immoveable rock, should have proved such a shaken reed! Holy men may be good witnesses at the bar, but they are not always good judges on the bench.

Reader, if you turn not your back on Egypt, you may fall short of the land of Canaan.

It was formerly the complaint of a certain person, 'That the greatest thieves did execution upon the least.' But when God comes to pass sentence, he will bring every sinner to the bar. His laws are not like spiders' webs, that keep the little flies prisoners, but which the greater will break with smaller struggles. Then he will set the saddle upon the back of the right horse.

Though man may have many under him upon earth, yet he has one in heaven who is above him.

R

The Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Not, Where wast thou? but, where art thou? Oh how quickly hast thou mortgaged that inheritance, which I so lately settled on thee in paradise! The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. Because she put it into his hands, was that any reason why he should put it into his mouth?

The monsters of sin are so hateful when they are brought forth, that we are unwilling to own them ourselves; therefore we lay them at the doors of others.

The stable mountains are not so firm, but that they may be removed by fearful earthquakes. Those saints who have been as the greatest stars or suns, have at times had their sad eclipses.

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