1 Thessalonians 2:12; Ecclesiastes 10:1
Walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.
JOHN NEWTON (1725-1807): There are improprieties of conduct, which, though usually considered as foibles that hardly deserve a severe censure, are properly sinful―they are contrary to that accuracy and circumspection which become our profession.
JOHN TRAPP (1601-1699): Be it but a small sin, a peccadillo, no bigger than a few “dead flies” fallen into a pot of sweet odours, it is of that stinking nature, that it stains a good man’s esteem.
JOHN NEWTON: A Christian, by the tenor of his high calling, is bound to avoid even the appearance of evil―and as free as possible from every inconsistency and blemish. I know not how to explain myself better than by attempting the outlines of a few portraits…
Austerus is a solid and exemplary Christian―Inflexibly and invariably true to his principles, he stems with a noble singularity the torrent of the world, and can neither be bribed nor intimidated from the path of duty. He is a rough diamond of great intrinsic value, and would sparkle with a distinguished luster if he were more polished: but, though the Word of God is his daily study, and he prizes the precepts, as well as the promises, there is one precept he seems to have overlooked: Be courteous.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): That then leads to censoriousness.
JOHN NEWTON: Instead of that gentleness and condescension which will always be expected from a professed follower of the meek and lowly Jesus, there is a harshness in his manner, which makes him more admired than beloved; and they who truly love him, often feel more constraint than pleasure when in His company.
C. H. MACKINTOSH (1820-1896): How earnestly should we seek, as members of the household of God, to give a right impression of what God is by our temper, spirit, style and manner!
JOHN NEWTON: Querulus wastes much of his precious time in declaiming against the management of public affairs; though he has neither access to the springs which move the wheels of government, nor influence either to accelerate or retard their motions.
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): One form of worldliness which has spoiled the life and testimony of many a Christian is politics―to take an eager and deep concern in politics must remove the edge from any spiritual appetite.
JOHN NEWTON: Why should Querulus trouble himself with politics? This would be a weakness, if we consider him only as a member of society; but if we consider him as a Christian, it is worse than weakness; it is a sinful conformity to the men of the world, who look no farther than to second causes, and forget that the Lord reigns―It would be better for Querulus to let the dead bury the dead. There are people enough to make a noise about political matters, who know not how to employ their time to better purpose.
JOHN HENRY JOWETT (1864-1923): Worldliness is a spirit, a temperament, an attitude of soul.
JOHN NEWTON: Prudens is a great economist; and though he would not willingly wrong or injure any person, yet the meannesses to which he will submit, either to save or gain a penny in what he accounts an honest way, are a great discredit to his profession. He is exceedingly hard, strict, and suspicious in making his bargains―and to those who are not acquainted with his private benefactions to the poor, he appears under the hateful character of a miser, and to be governed by that love of money which the Scripture declares to be the root of all evil, and inconsistent with the true love of God and of the saints.
C. H. MACKINTOSH: If men of the world with whom we come in contact see us looking sour, morose, downcast―if they hear us giving utterance to doleful complaints about this, that, and the other―if they see us grasping, griping, and driving as hard bargains as others―what estimate can they form of Him whom we call our Father and our Master in heaven?
JOHN NEWTON: Cessator is not chargeable with being buried in the cares and business of the present life to the neglect of the one thing needful. Had he been sent into the world only to read, pray, hear sermons, and join in religious conversation, he might pass for an eminent Christian―but he does not consider, that waiting upon God in the public and private ordinances is designed, not to excuse us from discharging the duties of civil life, but to instruct, strengthen, and qualify us for their performance. His affairs are in disorder and his family and connections are likely to suffer by his indolence. He thanks God that he is not worldly-minded; but he is an idle and unfaithful member of society, and causes the way of truth to be evil spoken of.
THOMAS MANTON (1620-1677): Faith is not an idle grace.
JOHN NEWTON: Volatilis is, perhaps, equally sincere in all his promises at the time of making them; but, for want of method in the management of his affairs, he is always in a hurry, always too late―yet he goes on in this way, exposing himself and others to continual disappointments.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): You cannot rely on his promises.
JOHN NEWTON: But he would do well to remember, that truth is a sacred thing, and ought not to be violated in the smallest matters―such a trifling turn of spirit lessens the weight of a person’s character, though he makes no pretensions to religion, and is a still greater blemish in a Christian.
A. W. PINK: Talk is cheap, but actions speak louder than words.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): David, therefore, condemning this inconstancy, requires the children of God to exhibit the greatest steadfastness in the fulfillment of their promises, Psalm 15:4.
JOHN NEWTON: Humanus is generous and benevolent―Yet, with an upright and friendly spirit, which entitles him to the love and esteem of all who know him, he has not every thing we would wish in a friend. In some respects, though not in the most criminal sense, he bridleth not his tongue. Should you, without witness or writing, entrust him with untold gold, you would run no risk of loss: but if you entrust him with a secret, you thereby put it in the possession of the public. Not that he would willfully betray you; but it is his infirmity: he knows not how to keep a secret; it escapes from him before he is aware.
JOHN TRAPP: There is “a time to keep silence, and a time to speak,” Ecclesiastes 3:7. Let us first learn not to speak, that afterwards we may open our mouths to speak wisely.
JOHN NEWTON: Curiosus is upright and unblameable in his general deportment, and no stranger to the experiences of a true Christian…But he would be a much more agreeable companion, were it not for an impertinent desire of knowing everybody’s business―and this puts him upon asking a multiplicity of needless and improper questions; and obliges those who know him, to be continually upon their guard, and to treat him with reserve…
Other improprieties of conduct, which lessen the influence and spot the profession of some who wish well to the cause of Christ, might be enumerated, but these may suffice for a specimen.
