The Christian in Complete Armour

Use 2 It reproves those who flout and mock at the Saints, while exercising their graces. None jeered as the Saint in his calling. Men may work in their shops, and every one follow his calling as diligently as they please, and no wonder made of this by those that pass by in the streets; but let the Christian be seen at work for God, in the exercise of any duty or grace, and he is hooted at, despised, yea, hated. Few so bad indeed, but seem to like Religion in the notion; they can commend a Sermon of holiness like a discourse of God or Christ in the Pulpit, but when these are really set before their eyes, as they sparkle in a Saints conversation, they are very contemptible and hateful to them; this living and walking holiness bites; and though they liked the Preachers Art, in painting forth the same in his discourse, yet now they run from them, and spit at them; this exercise of grace offends the profane heart, and stirs up the enmity that lies within: As Michal she could not but flout David to see him dancing before the Ark. He that commended the Preacher for making a learned discourse of zeal, will raise on a Saint, expressing an act of zeal in his place and calling; now grace comes too near him. A naughty heart must stand at some distance from holiness, that the beams thereof may not beat too strongly on his conscience, and so he likes it. Thus the Pharisees, the Prophets of old, these were holy men in their account, and they can lavish out their money on their Tombs, in honour of them: but Christ, (who was more worth then all of them) he is scorned and hated: what's the mystery of this? the reason was, these Prophets ⟨p. 89⟩are off the stage, and Christ on▪ Pascitur in vivis livor, post fata quiescit.

Ʋse 2 It reproves those who flout and mock at the Saints, while exercising their graces. None jeer'd as the Saint in his calling. Men may work in their shops, and every one follow his calling as diligently as they please, and no wonder made of this by those that passe by in the streets; but let the Christian be seen at work for God, in the exercise of any duty or grace, and he is hooted at, despised, yea, hated. Few so bad indeed, but seem to like Religion in the notion; they can commend a Sermon of holiness like a discourse of God or Christ in the Pulpit, but when these are really set before their eyes, as they sparkle in a Saints conversation, they are very contemptible and hateful to them; this living and walking holinesse bites; and though they liked the Preachers Art, in painting forth the same in his discourse, yet now they run from them, and spit at them; this exercise of grace offends the prophane heart, and stirs up the enmity that lies within: As Michal she could not but flout David to see him dancing before the Ark. He that commended the Preacher for making a learned discourse of zeal, will raise on a Saint, expressing an act of zeal in his place and calling; now grace comes too near him. A naughty heart must stand at some distance from holinesse, that the beams thereof may not beat too strongly on his conscience, and so he likes it. Thus the Pharisees, the Prophets of old, these were holy men in their account, and they can lavish out their money on their Tombes, in honour of them: but Christ, (who was more worth then all of them) he is scorn'd and hated: what's the mystery of this? the reason was, these Prophets