ou, beloved in the Lord, you disoblige the Lord (if I may speak
so) and hinder him to reveal any more of his mind to you, ye disengage him
to teach you his way in those dark and untrodden paths, because ye do not
study this meekness in the wisdom and knowledge ye have already, nor his
meekness and moderation in seeking further knowledge. And it is no wonder
he be provoked by it, to choose your delusions, because it is certainly
these graces of meekness, charity, patience, gentleness, long suffering,
humbleness of mind, and such like, which go always in a chain together.
These are an ornament of grace upon the head, and a crown of glory, and
that chain about the neck, Solomon mentions, Prov. iv. 9. Now when you
cast off your crown of glory, your noblest ornament, your chain of
dignity, should he give such precious pearls to swine? When you trample
under foot the greater commandments of mercy, judgment, sobriety,
humility, meekness, and charity, should he reveal lesser commandments, or
discover his will in lesser matters? Consider the manner of expression
here, "Let him show forth out of a good conversation," &c. Truly it is
good works with meekness of wisdom, it is a good conversation, with a true
profession, that shows forth a Christian, and shows him most before men.
"Let your light (says Christ) so shine before men." What is the shining
beauty of Christian light? It is the works of piety, charity, equity, and
sobriety. These glorify the Father, and beautify all his children. You may
easily conceive what that is, that chiefly commends religion to the
ignorant world. Is it not the meekness of Christian wisdom? Is it not this
harmless simplicity, that divine-like candour, that shines in every true
Christian? Will rigidity, severity, passion, blood, violence, persecution,
and such like, ever conciliate the hearts of men? Have such persons any
beauty, any light in them, except a scorching consuming light? The light
of a good Christian is like the light of the sun, of a sweet, gentle, and
refreshing nature, conveying influence to all, doing good to the household
of faith. Peter will tell you what that is, that will most engage the
hearts of the world, to a reverend esteem of true religion, 1 Pet. ii. 12.
It is a conversation honest, and void of offence, giving to every one
their own due, honouring all men, loving the brotherhood, not using our
liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, and not overstretching it, to the
loosing of o