Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

And when they see Professors of Holiness to be so like to common men, and in some things worse than many of them, what can you expect but that they despise Religion, and judg of it by the Professors of it, and say, If this be their Religion, let them keep it to themselves; we are as well without it as they are with it. And thus will the holy ways of God be vilified through you. If you will not excel others in the beauty of your conversations, ⟨p. 29⟩that in this glass the World may see the beauty of your Religion, you must expect that they should take it but for a common thing which bringeth forth but common fruits, to their discerning. You should be such that God may boast of, and the Church may boast of, to the face of the accuser: then would you be an honour to the Church, when God may say of you as he did of Job, [Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil] Job 1.8. If we could say so of you to the malignant enemies, [See what men the godly are, there is none such among you; men of Holiness, Wisdom, uprightness, sobriety, meekness, patience, peaceable and harmless, living wholly to God, as strangers on earth, and Citizens of Heaven], then you would be ornaments to your holy profession. Were you such Christians as the old Christians were, Act. 4. we might boast of you then to the reproaching adversaries.

And when they see Professors of Holiness to be so like to common men, and in some things worse than many of them, what can you expect but that they despise Religion, and judg of it by the Professors of it, and say, If this be their Religion, let them keep it to themselves; we are as well without it as they are with it. And thus will the holy waies of God be vilified through you. If you will not excel others in the beauty of your conversations, ⟨p. 29⟩that in this glass the World may see the beauty of your Religion, you must expect that they should take it but for a common thing which bringeth forth but common fruits, to their discerning. You should be such that God may boast of, and the Church may boast of, to the face of the accuser: then would you be an honour to the Church, when God may say of you as he did of Job, [Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil]