VIII. A CHRISTIAN, is one studious to preserve the Honour of the Name of CHRIST, with which he is himself Honoured in the Name ⟨p. 86⟩of CHRISTIAN. It is the unalterable Statute of Heaven, in 2 Tim. 2.19. Let every one that Nameth the Name of Christ, [i. e. that is a Christian] Depart from Iniquity. All Iniquity is a Dishonour to the Name of Christ; If they that are called after the Name of Christ, indulge themselves in any Iniquity, in any base and ill Thing, the World is ready to say, as they did upon the Scandalous Lives of some Christians long ago, Christiani sancte vixissent si Christus sancta docuisset; If Christ were an Holy Lord, His Christians would be an Holy People. But our Holy Lord Jesus Christ, who came to Redeem us from all Iniquity, exceedingly Resents it, if any Christians give Him cause to say, as in Ezek. 36.20. They profaned my Holy Name, and it was said, These are the people of the Lord. Now, every genuine Christian, is wonderfully Afraid of doing any Thing, that may Reflect any Reproach upon the Name of his dear Lord Jesus Christ: Oh! thinks he, My dear Lord has Died for me, and I had rather Die than Dishonour Him. The Apostle has well put a difference between these Two, in 1 Pet. 4.15, 16. Let none of you suffer as an Evil Deer, yet if any man suffer as a Christian, Let him glorify God. An Evil Doer, and a Christian, are directly contrary, one unto another. A Christian and a Swearer, a Christian and a Drunkard, a Christian and a Railer, a Christian and a Debauch, a Christian and a Cheater, a Christian and a […] a Christian and a Covetous Mu•k ⟨p. 87⟩worm; What shall I say? A Christian, and yet a Servant of Antichrist, an Idolater, and a Persecutor! Oh! they are most notorious Inconsistencies. A Christian is in vain called so, if he be not a better Husband, a better Father, a better Master, and a better Neighbour, and the better Correlate of those, than other people, for being so. Truly, Sirs If we Christians, are Wicked, or Worldly Wretches, we shall open the mouths of men, against our Lord Jesus Christ; and as in Jam. 2.7. They'll Blaspheme that worthy Name, by which ye are called. As Averroes, the Arabian Philosopher; he was much taken with the Christians, till he saw a vile Thing very common among them; Ah, Now, says he, Let my Soul go among the Philosophers!
VIII. A CHRISTIAN, is one studious to preserve the Honour of the Name of CHRIST, with which he is himself Honoured in the Name ⟨p. 86⟩of CHRISTIAN. It is the unalterable Statute of Heaven, in 2 Tim. 2.19. Let every one that Nameth the Name of Christ, [i. e. that is a Christian] Depart from Iniquity. All Iniquity is a Dishonour to the Name of Christ; If they that are called after the Name of Christ, indulge themselves in any Iniquity, in any base and ill Thing, the World is ready to say, as they did upon the Scandalous Lives of some Christians long ago, Christiani sancte vixissent si Christus sancta docuisset; If Christ were an Holy Lord, His Christians would be an Holy People. But our Holy Lord Jesus Christ, who came to Redeem us from all Iniquity, exceedingly Resents it, if any Christians give Him cause to say, as in Ezek. 36.20. They profaned my Holy Name, and it was said, These are the people of the Lord. Now, every genuine Christian, is wonderfully Afraid of doing any Thing, that may Reflect any Reproach upon the Name of his dear Lord Jesus Christ: Oh! thinks he, My dear Lord has Dy'd for me, and I had rather Dy than Dishonour Him. The Apostle has well put a difference between these Two, in 1 Pet. 4.15, 16. Let none of you suffer as an Evil Deer, yet if any man suffer as a Christian, Let him glorify God. An Evil Doer, and a Christian, are directly contrary, one unto another. A Christian and a Swearer, a Christian and a Drunkard, a Christian and a Railer, a Christian and a Debauch, a Christian and a Cheater, a Christian and a 〈…〉 a Christian and a Covetous Mu•k ⟨p. 87⟩worm; What shall I say? A Christian, and yet a Servant of Antichrist, an Idolater, and a Persecutor! Oh! they are most notorious Inconsistencies. A Christian is in vain called so, if he be not a better Husband, a better Father, a better Master, and a better Neighbour, and the better Correlate of those, than other people, for being so. Truly, Sirs If we Christians, are Wicked, or Worldly Wretches, we shall open the mouths of men, against our Lord Jesus Christ; and as in Jam. 2.7. They'l Blaspheme that worthy Name, by which ye are called. As Averroes, the Arabian Philosopher; he was much taken with the Christians, till he saw a vile Thing very common among them; Ah, Now, says he, Let my Soul go among the Philosophers!
