CONFIRMED CHRISTIAN. 539 as to stretch hisconscience for his commodity, in buying orselling, and concealing the faults of what,lie selleth, and sometimes over- reaching. others. Especially he is ordinarily too censorious of others, and apt to be credulous of evil reports, and to be over-bold and forward of speaking ill of men behind their backs, and without a call ; especially against persons that differ from him in matters of religion, where he is usually most unjust and apt to go beyond his bounds; James iii. 15,.16. Tit. iii. 2. Eph. iv. 31. 1 Pet. ii. 1. 3. The seeming Christian may have a seeming justice ; but really he hath none but what must give place to his fleshly interest ; and if his honor, and commodity and safety require it, he will not stick to be unjust. And that justice which wanteth buta strong temptation, to overturn it, is almost as bad as none. If he will not seize on Naboth's vineyard, nor make himselfodious by oppression or deceit, yet if he can raise or enrich himself by secret cozenage, and get so fair apretense for his injustice, as shall cloak the matter from the sight of men, he seldom sticketh at it. It is an easy matter to make an Achan think that he doth no harm, or a Gehazi that he wrongeth no man, in taking that which was offered and due. Covetousness will not confess its name ; but will find some reasonings to make good all the injustice which it doth ; 1 Tim. vi. 5. 2 Kings v. 19, 20. XLVI. 1. AChristian indeed is faithful and laborious in his particular calling, and that not out of a covetous mind ; but in obe- dience to God, and that he may maintain his family, and be able to do good toothers. For God hath said, " In the sweatof thy face thou shalt eat thy bread ;" Gen. iii. 19. " And six days shalt thou labor;" Exod. xx. 10. And with quietness men must work, and eat their own bread; and' Ifany will not work, neither should he eat;" 2 Thess. iii. 10 -12. Abraham, and Noah, and Adam, labored in a constant course of employment. He knoweth that a sanctified calling and labor is a help, and not a hindrance to devotion ; and that the body must have work as well as the soul, and religion must not be pretended forslothful idleness, nor against obedience to our Master's will ; Prov. xxxi. 2. The weak Christian is here more easily deceived, and made believe that religion will excuse a man from bodily labor, and un- der the color of devotion to live idly. "They learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and,not only idle, but tattlers alsoand busybodies, speaking things which they ought not;" 2 Thes. iii. 8. 1 Tim. v. 13. Slothfulness is a sin much condemned in the Scriptures; Ezek. xvi. 49. Prov. xxiv. 30. xviii. 9. xxi. 25. Matt. xxv. 26. Rom. xii. 11. 3. The seeming Christian in his labor is ruled chiefly by his
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