The Godly Man's Picture

This is a grand difference between a Child of God and an hypocrite; the hypocrite doth pick and choose in Religion; some duties he will perform which are more facile, and do gratify his pride or interest, but other duties he makes no reckoning of, Mat. 23. 23. Ye pay tithe of Mint and Anise, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith. To sweat in some duties of Religion, and freeze in other, is the symptom of a distempered Christian. Jehu was zealous in destroying the Idolatry of Baal, but let the golden Calves of Jeroboam stand, 2 Kin. 10. 30. This shows men are not good in truth, when they are good by halves. If your servant should do some of your work you set him about, and leave the ⟨p. 240⟩rest undone, how would you like that? The Lord saith, Walk before me, and be perfect, Gen. 17. 1. How are our hearts perfect with God, when we prevaricate with him? Some things we will do, and other things we leave undone; he is good, who is good universally. —Pater adsum, impera quid vis.¹—

This is a grand difference between a Childe of God and an hypocrite; the hypocrite doth pick and chuse in Religion; some duties he will perform which are more facil, and do gratifie his pride or interest, but other duties he makes no reckoning of, Mat. 23. 23. Ye pay tithe of Mint and Annis, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, Iudgment, Mercy, and Faith. To sweat in some duties of Religion, and freeze in other, is the symptom of a distempered Christian. Iehu was zealous in destroying the Idolatry of Baal, but let the golden Calves of Jeroboam stand, 2 Kin. 10. 30. This shows men are not good in truth, when they are good by halves. If your servant should do some of your work you set him about, and leave the ⟨p. 240⟩