And will it not be a sad complaint that thy servant shall take up
against thee before the Judge, at the last day, that he learnt the
way to destruction in thy house, who art a professor? Servants,
though themselves be carnal, expect, when they come into the house
of professors, that there they shall see religion in spangling
colors; but behold, when he enters thy door, he finds sin and
wickedness there. There is pride instead of humility, and height of
raillery instead of meekness and holiness of mind. He looked for a
house full of virtue, and behold nothing but spider-webs; fair and
plausible abroad, but like the sow in the mire at home.
"Bless me," saith such a servant, "are these the religious people?
are these the servants of God, where iniquity is made so much of and
is so highly entertained?"
And now is his heart filled with prejudice against all religion, or
else he turns hypocrite like his master and mistress, wearing, as
they, a cloak of religion to cover all abroad, while all is naked
and shameful at home.
But perhaps thy heart is so hard and thy mind so united to the
pleasing of thy vile affections, that thou wilt say, "What care I
for my servant? I took him to do my work, not to train him up in
religion." Well, suppose the soul of thy servant be thus little
worth in thine eyes; yet what wilt thou say for thy children, who
behold all thy ways, and are as capable of drinking up the poison of
thy footsteps, as the swine is of drinking up swill: I say, what
wilt thou do for them? Children will learn to be wicked of
parents--of professing parents soonest of all; they will be tempted
to think all that they do is right.
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