A man's house and his conduct there do more bespeak the nature and
temper of his mind than all public profession. If I were to judge of
a man for my life, I would not judge of him by his open profession,
but by his domestic behaviors.
Open profession is like a man's best cloak, which is worn by him
when he walks abroad, and with many is made but little use of at
home. But now what a man is at home, that he is indeed. There is
abroad, my house, my closet, my heart; and my house, my closet, show
most what I am: though not to the world, yet to my family and to
angels.
To make religion and the power of godliness the chief of my designs
at home, before those among whom God by a special hand has placed
me, is that which is pleasing to God, and which obtaineth a good
report of him. Genesis 18:17-19.
CHARACTER OF TALKATIVE. He talketh of prayer, of repentance, of
faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk of them.
I have been in his family, and have observed him both at home and
abroad. His house is as empty of religion as the white of an egg is
of savor. There is there neither prayer nor sign of repentance for
sin; yea, the brute in his kind serves God far better than he. He is
the very stain, reproach, and shame of religion to all that know
him: it can hardly have a good word in all that end of the town
where he dwells, through him.
Pages:
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635