Now the faithful Friends of Christ, who hunger and thirst after Righteousness, and inwardly breathe that his Kingdom may come on Earth as it is in Heaven, he teacheth them to be quick of Understanding in his Fear, and to be very attentive to the Means he may appoint for promoting pure Righteousness in the Earth; and as Shame is due to those whose works manifestly operate against the gracious Design of his Sufferings for us, a Care lives on their Minds that no wrong Customs however supported may bias their Judgments, but that they may humbly abide under the Cross, and be preserved in a Conduct which may not contribute to strengthen the Hands of the Wicked in their Wickedness, or to remove Shame from those to whom it is justly due. The Coming of that Day is precious, in which we experience the Truth of this Expression, _The Lord our Righteousness_, Jer. xiii. 6, and feel him to be _made unto us Wisdom and Sanctification_. The Example of a righteous Man is often looked at with Attention. Where righteous Men join in Business, their Company gives Encouragement to others; and as one Grain of Incense deliberately offered to the Prince of this World, renders an Offering to God in that State unacceptable; and from those esteemed Leaders of the People may be injurious to the Weak; it requires deep Humility of Heart, to follow him faithfully, who alone gives sound Wisdom, and the Spirit of true Discerning; and O how necessary it is, to consider the Weight of a Holy Profession! The Conduct of some formerly gave Occasion of Complaint against them; _Thou hast defiled thy Sanctuaries by the Multitude of thine Iniquities, by the Iniquity of thy Traffick_, Ezek. xxviii. 18, and in several Places it is charged against _Israel_, that they had polluted the Holy Name. The Prophet _Isaiah_ represents inward Sanctification in the Similitude of being purged from that which is Fuel for Fire; and particularly describes the outward Fruits, brought forth by those who dwell in this inward Holiness; _They walk righteously, and speak uprightly._ By _walking_ he represents the Journey through Life, as a righteous Journey; and _by speaking uprightly_, seems to point at that which _Moses_ appears to have had in View, when he thus express'd himself; _Thou shall not follow a Multitude to do Evil, nor speak in a Cause to decline after many to wrest Judgment_, Exod. xxiii. 2. He goes on to shew their Firmness in Equity; representing them as Persons superior to all the Arts of getting Money, which have not Righteousness for their Foundation; _They despise the Gain of Oppressions_: And further shews how careful they are that no Prospects of Gain may induce them to become partial in Judgment respecting an Injury; _They shake their Hands from holding Bribes._