06. Because he is looked upon more than others
Another reason why Christians should do more than others, is, Because they are looked upon more than others.
If once a man commence a professor, the eyes of all are upon him; and well they may, for his profession in the world is a separation from the world. Believers condemn those by their lives, who condemn them by their lips. Righteous David saw many who were waiting to triumph in his mistakes. Hence the more they watched, the more he prayed. Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. It may be rendered, because of mine observers.
Christian! if you dwell in the open tent of licentiousness, the wicked will not walk backward, like modest Shem and Japheth, to cover your shame; but they will walk forward, like cursed Ham, to publish it. Thus they make use of your weakness as a plea for their wickedness.
Men are merciless in their censures of Christians; they have no sympathy for their infirmity: while God weighs them in more equal scales, and says, The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. While the saint is a dove in the eyes of God, he is only a raven in the estimation of sinners.
Consider, Christian, that an unholy conversation strips off the rich ornamental jewels from the neck of the bride, the Lamb's wife. Sin indulged in a believer, is like a rent in a richly-embroidered garment; or like a crack in a silver bell. A foul spot is soonest discerned in the fairest cloth. The world will sooner make an excuse for its own enormities, than for your infirmities.
The behaviour of some professors has often given the wicked an opportunity to reproach religion.—Lactantius reports, that the heathens were wont to say, 'The master could not be good, when his disciples were so bad.' The malice of sinners is such, that they will reproach the rectitude of the law, for the obliquity of their lives who swerve from it. O that your pure life did but hang a padlock upon their impure lips! Such will ever be throwing the dirt of professors upon the face of profession.
If the sun be eclipsed one day, it attracts more spectators than if it shone a whole year. So if you commit one sin, it will cause you many sorrows, and the world many triumphs. Dr. Whitaker, on reading the fifth of Matthew, brake out saying, Aut hoc non est evangelium, aut nos non sumus evangelici, 'Either this is not the gospel, or we are not of the gospel.' The cruelty of the Spaniards to the Indians made them refuse Christian baptism; 'For,' said they, 'he must be a wicked God, who has such wicked servants.' O that God's jewels did but sparkle more in this benighted world!
That was a glorious encomium given to Zacharias and Elizabeth: And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. God made them both righteous, and then men saw them righteous. Their religion was undefiled before God and the Father; and their lives unspotted from the world.
Reader, would you be righteous in God's sight?
then you must be righteous in God's Son. Would you be unspotted from the world? then remember, you are not of the world. When the godly are left to fall, then the envious sinner will exclaim, 'There is your religion!' No wonder if a barbarian gives the alarm, when the leprosy is in an Israelitish house.
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