who art a professor, that does not depart from that desire to be true, sincere professors of the name iniquity. 12. Moreover, I would ask with what face thou canst look the Lord Jesus in the face, whose name thou hast profaned by thine iniquity? 13. Also, how thou wilt look on those that are truly godly, whose hearts thou has grieved, while they have beheld the dirt and dung that hath cloven to thee and to thy profession. 14. But especially consider with thyself how thou wilt bear, together with thine own, the guilt of the damnation of others. For as I have often said, a professor, if he perishes, seldom perishes alone, but casteth others down to hell with himself. The reason is, because others, both weak professors and carnal men, are spectators and observers of his ways; yea, and will presume also to follow him especially in evil courses, concluding that he is right. We read that the tail of the dragon, or that the dragon by his tail, did draw and cast down abundance of the stars of heaven to the earth. Re. xii. 4. Is. ix. 14, 15. The tail! The prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.' The prophet that speaketh lies, either by opinion or practice, he is the tail, the dragon's tail, the serpentine tail of the devil. Is. ix. 14, 15. And so in his order, every professor that by his iniquity draweth both himself and others to hell, he is the tail. The tail, says the Holy Ghost, draws them down; draws down even the stars of heaven; but whither doth he draw them? The answer is, from heaven, the throne of God, to earth, the seat of the dragon; for he is the god of this world. The professor then that is dishonourable in his profession, he is the tail. 'The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.' Nor can Satan work such exploits by any, as he can by unrighteous professors. These he useth in his hand, as the giant useth his club; he, as it were, drives all before him with it. It is said of Behemoth, that he moveth his tail like a cedar.' Job xl. 17. Behemoth is a type of the devil, but behold how he handleth his tail, even as if a man should swing about a cedar. Re. ix. 10, 19. This is spoken to shew the hurtfulness of the tail, as it is also said in another place. Better no professor than a wicked professor. Better open profane than a hypocritical namer of the name of Christ; and less hurt shall such an one do to his own soul, to the poor ignorant world, to the name of Christ, and to the church of God. Let professors, therefore, take heed to themselves, that they join to their naming of the name of Christ an holy and godly conversation; for away they must go else with the workers of iniquity to the pit, with more guilt, and bigger load, and more torment by far than others. But, of Christ. First, Do you bless God, for that he has put not only his name into your lips, but grace into your hearts, that thereby that profession which thou makest of him may be seasoned with that salt. Every sacrifice shall be seasoned with salt.' Mar. ix. 49. Now naming of the name of Christ is a sacrifice, and a sacrifice acceptable, when the salt of the covenant of thy God is not lacking, but mixed therewith. He. xiii. 15. Le. ii. 13. Therefore I say, since God has put his name into thy mouth to profess the same, and grace into thy heart to season that profession with such carriage, such behaviour, such life, and such conversation as doth become the same, thou hast great cause to thank God. A man into whose mouth God has put the name of Christ to profess it, is as a man that is to act his part upon a stage in the market place; if he doth it well, he brings praise both to his master and himself; but if he doth it ill, both are brought into contempt. No greater praise can by man be brought to God, than by joining to the profession of the name of Christ a fruitful life and conversation. Herein,' saith Christ, is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.' Jn. xv. 8. Fruitful lives God expecteth of all that profess the name of Christ. And let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Bless God, therefore, if he hath kept thee from blotting and blemishing of thy profession; if thy conversation has not been stained with the blots and evils of the times. What thou feelest, fightest with, and groanest under, by reason of the working of thine inward corruptions, with that I meddle not; nor is thy conversation the worse for that, if thou keepest them from breaking out. Thou also shalt be counted holy unto God, through Christ, if thou be of an upright conversation; though plagued every day with the working of thine own corruption. As God's grace is the salt of saints, so saints are the salt of God. The one is the salt of God in the heart, and the other is the salt of God in the world. Ye are the salt of the earth:' Mat. v. 13. that is, the salt of God in the earth. For the earth would be wholly corrupt, and would altogether stink, if professors were not in it. But now if the profes sor, which is the salt, shall indeed lose his savour, and hath nothing in his conversation to season that part of the earth, in which God has placed him, wherewith shall it be seasoned? The place where he dwells, as well as his profession, will both stink odiously in the nostrils of the Lord, and so both come to ruin and desolation. Indeed, as I have shewed, the professor will come to the worst of it; for that God doth deny USE THIRD. My next word shall be to those further to give him salt. If the salt have lost 1 xiv. 34. How much, therefore, is the tender-hearted, and he that laboureth to beautify his profession with a gospel conversation, bound to bless God for the salt of his grace, by the which his heart is seasoned, and from his heart, his conversation. his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?' Lu. | Nor will it be easy to keep thyself therefrom. But Wherewith shall the salt be salted? with even as when the pestilence is come into a place, nothing. Therefore it is thenceforth good for it infecteth and casteth down the healthful; so the nothing. No, not for the dunghill, but to be cast iniquity of the last times will infect and pollute the out, and trodden under foot of men. 'He that godly. I mean the generality of them. Were but hath ears to hear let him hear.' our times duly compared with those that went before, we should see that which now we are ignorant of. Did we but look back to the Puritans, but especially to those that, but a little before them, suffered for the word of God, in the Marian days, we should see another life than is now among men, another manner of conversation than now is among professors. But, I say, predictions and prophecies must be fulfilled; and since the Word says plainly, that 'in the last days there shall come scoffers, walking after their own lusts,' 2 Pe. iii. 3, 17, and since the Christians shall be endangered thereby, let us look to it, that we acquit ourselves like men, seeing we know these things before; lest we, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from our own steadfastness.' Second, As such Christians should bless God, so let them watch, let them still watch, let them still watch and pray, watch against Satan, and pray yet for more grace, that they may yet more and more beautify their profession of the worthy name of Christ with a suitable conversation. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garment; that is, his conversation clean, nor is there anything, save the overthrowing of our faith, that Satan seeketh more to destroy. He knows holiness in them that rightly, as to doctrine, name the name of Christ, is a maul and destruction to his kingdom, an allurement to the ignorant, and a cutting off those occasions to stumble, that by the dirty life of a professor is laid in the way of the blind. Le. xix. 14. He knows that holiness of lives, when they shine in those that profess the name of Christ, doth cut off his lies that he seeketh to make the world believe, and slanders that he seeketh to fasten upon the professors of the gospel. Wherefore, as you have begun to glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's; so I beseech you do it more and more. Third, To this end, shun those professors that are loose of life and conversation: From such withdraw thyself,' saith Paul, and follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.' 1 Ti. vi. 5. 2 Ti. ii. 22. If a man, if a good man takes not good heed to himself, he shall soon bring his soul into a snare. Loose professors are defilers and corrupters; a man shall get nothing but a blot by having company with them. Is. i. 4. Besides, as a man shall get a blot by having much to do with such; so let him beware that his heart learn none of their ways. Let thy company be the excellent in the earth; even those that are excellent for knowledge and conversation 'He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.' Be content to be counted singular, for so thou shalt, if thou shalt follow after righteousness, &c., in good earnest; for holiness is a rare thing now in the world. I told thee before that it is foretold by the Word, that in the last days perilous times shall come, and that men shall walk after their own lusts; yea, professors, to their destruction. VOL. IL Singularity in godliness, if it be in godliness, no man should be ashamed of. For that is no more than to be more godly, than to walk more humbly with God than others; and, for my part, I had rather be a pattern and example of piety. I had rather that my life should be instructing to the saints, and condemning to the world, with Noah and Lot, than to hazard myself among the multitude of the drossy. I know that many professors will fall short of eternal life, and my judgment tells me, that they will be of the slovenly sort of professors that so do. And for my part, I had rather run with the foremost and win the prize, than come behind, and lose that, and my labour, and all. 'If a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.' And when men have said all they can, they are the truly redeemed that are zealous of good works.' 1 Co. ix. 24. 2 Ti. ii. 4, 5. Tit. ii. 14. Not that works do save us, but faith, which layeth hold on Christ's righteousness for justification, sanctifies the heart, and makes men desirous to live in this world, to the glory of that Christ who died in this world to save us from death. For my part I doubt of the faith of many, and fear that it will prove no better at the day of God than will the faith of devils. For that it standeth in bare speculation, and is without life and soul to that which is good. Where is the man that walketh with his cross upon his shoulder? Where is the man that is zealous of moral holiness? Indeed, for those things that have nothing of the cross of the purse, or of the cross of the belly, or of the cross of the back, or of the cross of the vanity of household affairs; for those things, I find we have many, and those, very busy sticklers; but other. wise, the cross, self-denial, charity, purity in life 3 z Also, it will help thee in the things which fol low:-1. It will make thee see the need of Christ's righteousness. 2. It will make thee see the need of Christ's intercession. 3. It will make thee see thy need of Christ's advocateship. 4. It will make thee see the riches of God's patience. 5. And it will make heaven and eternal life the sweeter to thee when thou comest there. But to the question. Get more grace, for the more grace thou hast the further is thine heart set off of iniquity, the more, also, set against it, and the better able to depart from it when it cometh to thee, tempteth thee, and entreats thee for entertainment. Now the way to have more grace is to have more knowledge of Christ, and to pray more fervently in his name; also, to subject thy soul and thy lusts, with all thy power, to the authority of that grace thou hast, and to judge and condemn thyself most heartily before God, for every secret inclination that thou findest in thy flesh to sinward. and conversation, is almost quite out of doors among | thee. 1. The sight of this will make thee base in professors. But, man of God, do thou be singular thine own eyes. 2. It will give thee occasion to as to these and as to their conversation. Be not see the need and excellency of repentance. 3. It ye therefore partakers with them,' Ep. v. 7, in any of will put thee upon prayer to God for help and partheir ways, but keep thy soul diligently; for if don. 4. It will make thee weary of this world. damage happeneth to thee, thou alone must bear it. 5. It will make grace to persevere the more desir But he that will depart from iniquity must be able in thine eyes. well fortified with faith, and patience, and the love of God; for iniquity has its beauty spots and its advantages attending on it; hence it is compared to a woman, for it allureth greatly. Zec. v. 7. Wherefore, I say, he that will depart therefrom had need have faith, that being it which will help him to see beyond it, and that will shew him more in things that are invisible, that can be found in sin, were it ten thousand times more entangling than it is. 2 Co. iv. 18. He has need of patience also to hold out in this work of departing from iniquity. For, indeed, to depart from that, is to draw my mind off from that, which will follow me with continual solicitations. Samson withstood his Delilah for a while, but she got the mastery of him at the last; why so? Because he wanted patience, he grew angry and was vexed, and could withstand her solicitation no longer. Ju. xvi. 15-17. Many there be also, that can well enough be contented to shut sin out of doors for a while; but because sin has much fair speech, therefore it overcomes at last. Pr. vii. 21. | For sin and iniquity will not be easily said nay; it is like her of whom you read-she has a whore's forehead, and refuses to be ashamed. Je. iii. 3. Wherefore, departing from iniquity is a work for length, as long as life shall last. A work did I say? It is a war; a continual combat; wherefore he that will adventure to set upon this work must needs be armed with faith and patience, a daily exercise he will find himself put upon by the continual attempts of iniquity to be putting forth itself. Mat. xxiv. 13. Re. iii. 10. This is called an enduring to the end, a continuing in the word of Christ, and also a keeping of the word of his patience. But what man in the world can do this whose heart is not seasoned with the love of God and the love of Christ? Therefore, he that will exercise himself in this work must be often considering of the love of God to him in Christ; for the more sense, or apprehension, a man shall have of that, the more casy and pleasant will this work be to him yea, though the doing thereof should cost him his heart's blood. Thy loving-kindness is before mine eyes,' says David,' and I have walked in thy truth.' Ps. xxvi. 3. Nothing like the sense, sight, or belief of that, to the man of God, to make him depart from iniquity. The improvement of what thou hast is that, as I may say, by which God judges how thou wouldst use, if thou hadst it, more; and according to that so shalt thou have, or not have, a farther measure. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful, and will be so, also in much; and he that is unjust in the least, is, and will be, unjust also in much. I know Christ speaks here about the unrighteous mammon, but the same may be applied also unto the thing in hand. Lu. xvi. 10–12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who will commit unto you that which is your own? That is a remarkable place to this purpose in the Revelation—' Behold,' saith he, 'I have set before thee an open door,' that thou mayest have what thou wilt, as was also said to the improving woman of Canaan, ‘and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.’ Re. iii. 8. Mat. xv. 28. A good improvement of what we have of the grace of God at present pleases God, and engages him to give us more; but an ill improvement of what we at present have will not do so. 'To him that hath,' that hath an heart to improve what he hath, to him shall be given; but to him that hath But what shall I do, I cannot depart therefrom not, from him shall be taken even that which he as I should? hath.' Mat. xxv. 24-30. Well, weigh the place and you shall find it so. Keep thine eye upon all thy shortnesses, or upon all thy failures, for that that is profitable for I know that to depart from iniquity so as is required, that is, to the utmost degree of the requirement, no man can, for it is a copy too fair for mortal flesh exactly to imitate while we are in this world. But with good paper, good ink, and good pen, a skilful and willing man may go far. And it is well for thee if thy complaint be sincere, to wit, that thou art troubled that thou canst not forsake iniquity as thou shouldest; for God accepteth of thy design and desire, and it is counted by him as thy kindness. Pr. xix. 22. But if thy complaint in this matter be true, thou wilt not rest nor content thyself in thy complaints, but wilt, as he that is truly hungry or greatly burdened useth all lawful means to satisfy his hunger and to ease himself of his burden, use all thy skill and power to mortify and keep them under, by the word of God. Nor can it otherwise be but that such a man must be a growing man. Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.' Jn. xv. 2. Such a man shall not be stumbling in religion, nor a scandal to it, in his calling; but shall, according to God's ordinary way with his people, be a fruitful and flourishing bough. And I would to God this were the sickness of all them that profess in this nation; for then should we soon have a new leaf turned over in most corners of this nation; then would graciousness of heart, and life, and conversation be more prized, more sought after, and better improved and practised than it is; yea, then would the throats of ungodly men be better stopt, and their mouths faster shut up, as to their reproaching of religion, than they are. A Christian man must be the object of the envy of the world; but it is better, if the will of God be so, that we be reproached for well-doing than for evil. 1 Pe. ii.; iii. If we be reproached for evil-doing, it is our shame; but if for well-doing, it is our glory. If we be reproached for our sins, God cannot vindicate us; but if we be reproached for a virtuous life, God himself is concerned, will espouse our quarrel, and, in his good time, will shew our foes our righteousness, and put them to shame and silence. Briefly, a godly life annexed to faith in Christ is so necessary, that a man that professes the name of Christ is worse than a beast without it. But thou wilt say unto me, Why do men profess the name of Christ that love not to depart from iniquity? I answer, there are many reasons for it. 1. The preaching of the gospel, and so the publication of the name of Christ, is musical and very taking to the children of men. A Saviour! a Redeemer! a loving, sin-pardoning Jesus! what better words can come from man? what better melody can be heard? Son of man,' said God to the prophet, Lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song;' or, as a song of loves, of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument.' Eze. xxxiii. 32. The gospel is a most melodious note and sweet tune to any that are not prepossessed with slander, reproach, and enmity against the professors of it. Now, its melodious notes being so sweet, no marvel if it entangle some even of them that yet will not depart from iniquity to take up and profess so lovely a profession. But, 2. There are a generation of men that are and have been frightened with the law, and terrified with fears of perishing for their sins, but yet have not grace to leave them. Now, when the sound of the gospel shall reach such men's ears, because there is by that made public the willingness of Christ to die for sin, and of God to forgive them for his sake; therefore they presently receive and profess those notions as the only ones that can rid them from their frights and terrors, falsely resting themselves content with that faith thereof which standeth in naked knowledge; yea, liking of that faith best that will stand with their pride, covetousness, and lechery, never desiring to hear of practical holiness, because it will disturb them; wherefore they usually cast dirt at such, calling them legal preachers. 3. Here also is a design of Satan set on foot; for these carnal gospellers are his tares, the children of the wicked one; those that he hath sowed among the wheat of purpose, if possible, that that might be rooted up by beholding and learning to be vile and filthy of them. Mat. xiii. 36—43. 4. Another cause hereof is this, the hypocrites that begin to profess find as bad as themselves already in a profession of this worthy name; and, think they, these do so and so, and, therefore, so will I. 5. This comes to pass, also, through the righteous judgment of God, who, through the anger that he has conceived against some men for their sins, will lift them up to heaven before he casts them down to hell, that their fall may be the greater and their punishment the more intolerable. Mat. xi. 20—24. I have now done when I have read to you my text over again- And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.' CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOUR; BEING THE FRUITS OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY: TEACHING HUSBANDS, WIVES, PARENTS, CHILDREN, MASTERS, SERVANTS, ETC., HOW TO WALK SO AS TO PLEASE GOD. WITH A WORD OF DIRECTION TO ALL BACKSLIDERS. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. THIS valuable practical treatise, was first published as a pocket volume about the year 1674, soon after the author's final release from his long and dangerous imprisonment. It is evident from the concluding paragraph that he considered his liberty and even his life to be still in a very uncertain state; not from the infirmities of age, for he was then in the prime of life; but from the tyranny of the state church, and probably from the effects of his long incarceration in a damp, unhealthy gaol. It is the best and most scriptural guide that has ever appeared to aid us in the performance of relative duties: written with originality of thought and that peculiar and pious earnestness which so distinguishes all his works. No one can read this book, without finding in it his own portrait truly and correctly drawn to the life. Many have been the hearers of the word in its public ministration, who have been astonished that a faithful minister has not only opened their outward conduct, but the inward recesses of their hearts and have inquired with wonder, Where could he get such a knowledge of my heart?' The usages and feelings of every part of the human family-the rich and poor-outward professors or openly profane-God fearers or God defiers--are displayed in the following pages as accurately as if the author had been present in every family upon earth, and had not only witnessed the conduct of the happy and of the miserable in every grade; but he goes within and unvails that mystery of iniquity the human heart, its secret springs, feelings, and machinations. What mysterious power could this uneducated man have possessed, thus to dive into the most subtle of all secret repositories, the human heart! Could he have left his body at times and his invisible spirit have entered all chambers, as was said of an ancient philosopher, still time *Hermotimus of Lucian. During one of these wanderings his wife thought him dead, and his body was burnt. Whether the poor soul, thus suddenly ejected, obtained another habitation is not narrated. would have been too short even to have transiently surveyed outward conduct; and then he could not have entered into the thoughts of others. Reader, the fountain of all hidden things was open to him. Shut up for many years in prison, with the key in his possession which unlocks all the mysteries of earth, and heaven, and hell-he diligently used his time and all was revealed to him. He makes the source of his knowledge no secret, but invites you to search, as he did, this storehouse of things new and old. It was the Bible which unfolded to him all the great events of time and of eternityall the secret springs of states, and families, and individuals-wonderous book! It made an uneducated artizan wiser than all the philosophers who have been contented with Plato, Aristotle, Pliny, Plutarch, and the most renowned of human writers. Not only is the real state of human nature revealed with unerring truth, as suffering under a cruel malady, strangely diverse in its operations, but all tending to the downward, dark, dreary road to misery temporal and eternal: but it also displays the antidote; an infallible remedy against all the subtilties of this tortuous disease. Reader, this treasure is in our hands. How great is the responsibility. How blessed are those who with earnest prayer for divine illumination—read ponder-and relying upon the aid of the Holy Spirit, understand and instantly obey the sacred precepts which its pages unfold. Weigh well their nature and tendency, as Bunyan opens them in this invaluable treatise. They lead step by step from darkness to light. It may be a tempestuous passage in the dim twilight, as it was with him— but it is safe and leads to the fountain of happiness the source of blessedness-the presence and smiles of God and the being conformed to his image. In proportion as we are thus transformed in our minds, we shall be able to fulfil all our duties and behaviour as becometh Christians. We dare not seek to avoid these duties because they are full of anxieties. Blessed are those who know and feel the ties of church fellowship—or the nearer |