The following is from John Bunyan (1628-1688), of The Pilgrim’s Progress fame. It looks, based on his comment below, like they were having the same problem with “Christians not acting like Christians” that we have today. You know, the old “second verse, same as the first” sort of thing.
Some appropriate words, even if they are over 350 years old.
“O soul, consider this deeply: it is the life of a Christian that carries more conviction and persuasion than his words. Even if you, like an angel, talk of Christ, of the gospel, of the doctrines of grace, and of heaven, yet if you indulge devilish tempers, and live under the power of any sinful lusts and passions, you will hereby harden others against the things of God and prevent their setting out in the ways of God. Study and pray to be a consistent walker in the ways of holiness; otherwise, all is but windy profession and airy talk. O, how much harm is done to Christ’s cause by the unholy walk of many professors!”
Can we all say, amen.
