February 17

Let him eschew evil, and do good.—1 Peter 3:21.

OBEDIENCE is that good, that beauty and comeliness of the soul, that conformity with the holy will of God, that hath peace and sweetness in it; the hardest exercise of it is truly delightful even at present; and hereafter it shall be fully so. Would we but learn to consider it thus, to know sin to be the greatest evil, and the holy will of God the highest good, it would be easy to persuade and prevail with men to comply with this advice, to eschew the one, and do the other.

1. The right eschewing of evil, involves a wary avoidance of all occasions and beginnings of it. Flee from sin, says the wise man, as from a serpent. We are not to be tampering with, and com-

5* ing near it, and thinking to charm it; "For," as one says, "who will not laugh at the charmer that is bitten by a serpent?" He that thinks he hath power and skill to handle it without danger, let him observe Solomon's advice concerning the strange woman: he says not only, Go not into her house, but, remove thy way from her, and come not near the door of her house. So teacheth he wisely for the avoiding of that other sin near to it, Look not on the wine when it is red in the cup. They that are bold and adventurous, are often wounded: thus, he that removeth stones shall be hurt thereby. If we know our own weakness and the strength of sin, we shall fear to expose ourselves to hazards, and be willing even to abridge ourselves of some things lawful when they prove dangerous; for he that will do always all he lawfully may, shall often do something that lawfully he may not.

2. Thus for the other, do good, the main thing is, to be inwardly principled for it; to have a heart stamped with the love of God and his commandments; to do all for conscience of his will, and love to him, and desire of his glory. A good action, even the best kind of actions, in an evil hand, and from an evil unsanctified heart, passes among evil. Delight in the Lord and in his ways. David's Oh! how I love thy law, tells that he esteems it above the richest and most pleasant things on earth, but how much he esteems and loves it he can not express.

And upon this will follow, as was observed in regard to eschewing evil, a constant track and course of obedience, moving directly contrary to the stream of wickedness about a man, and also against the bent of his own corrupt heart within him; a serious desire and endeavor to do all the good that is within our calling and reach, but especially that particular good of our calling, that which is in our hand, and is peculiarly required of us. For in this some deceive themselves; they look upon such a condition as they imagine were fit for them, or such as in their eye when they look upon others, and they think if they were such persons, and had such a place, and such power and opportunities, they would do great matters, and in the mean time they neglect that good to which they are called, and which they have in some measure power and place to do. This is the roving sickly humor of our minds, and speaks their weakness; as sick persons would still change their bed, or posture, or place of abode, thinking to be better. But a staid mind applies itself to the duties of its own station, and seeks to glorify him who set it there, reverencing his wisdom in disposing of it so. And there is certainty of a blessed approbation of this conduct. Be thy station never so low, it is not the high condition, but much fidelity, secures it: Thou hast been faithful in little. We must care not only to answer occasions, when they call, but to catch at them, and seek them out; yea, to frame occasions of doing good, whether in the Lord's immediate service, delighting in that, private and public, or in doing good to men, in assisting one with our means, another with our admonitions, another with counsel or comfort as we can; laboring not only to have something of that good which is most contrary to our nature, but even to be eminent in that, setting Christian resolution, and both the example and strength of our Lord against all oppositions, and difficulties, and discouragements: Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

We see, then, our rule, and it is the rule of peace and happiness; what hinders but we apply our hearts to it? This is our work, and setting aside the advantage that follows, consider the thing in itself: 1. The opposition of sin and obedience, under the name of evil and good; 2. The composition of our rule in these expressions, eschew and do. Consider it thus—evil and good, and it will persuade us to eschew and do. And if you are persuaded to it, then 1. Desire light from above, to discover to you what is evil and offensive to God in any kind, and what pleaseth him, what is his will—for that is the rule and reason of good in our actions, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable will of God; and to discover in yourselves what is most adverse and repugnant to that will. 2. Seek a renewed mind to hate that evil, even such as is the closest and most connatural to you, and to love that good, even that which is most contrary. 3. Seek strength and skill, that by another Spirit than your own, you may avoid evil, and do good, and resist the incursions and solicitings of evil, the artifices and violences of Satan, who is both a serpent and a lion; and seek for power against your inward corruption, and the fallacies of your own heart. And thus you shall be able for every good work, and be kept, in such a measure as suits your present estate, blameless in spirit, soul, and body, to the coming of Jesus Christ.