Mea11S of falling others. ~- 29• 3. All that do not hinder fin, or reprove it, are not guilty of it : No more rhah all that do not punifh it : But thofe only that have power and opportunity, and fo are called by God to do ir. 9· 30· 4• Ifanot~er man will fin and defiroy his foul, by the occafion of my necelfuy duty, I mull: not ceaft my duty to prevent fuch mens fin or hu1_t: Elfe one or other will by their p::rverfe– nefs, cxcufc me fro~ almot1 all the. duty which I _fhould do: I mufi not ceafe praying, hear– ing, Sacraments, nor wtthdraw from Church~comrnumon, becaufe. another will turn it to his fin. El(eSltan fhould ufc the fin of others to frullrate all Gods worfh1p. Yet I mull add, that many things ccafe tO·be a duty, when another will be fo hurt by them. 9 .. 1 • 5 .1 am not guilty of all mens fins, which are •co!'nmirted in my prefence; no though I know' before hand rhat they will fin. For my calling or dill) ,may lea.d me iuw the: prefcnce of thofc thlt Jmay fore !mow will fin: Wicked men tin in all that they do: And yet it followeth not that I mull have nothing to do with them. Mmy a failing which is his tin, may a Minilter or.Church be guihy of, even in that pu~lick. Worfhip ot God, which yet I am bound to be prefent at. But of all thcfe fomcwhat IS fud before Chap. 12. CHAP. XV. General :DireCtions for tiJe furthering of tbe Jal'Vation of others. TH E gre.1t Means whic.:h we mu!l:' ufe for the falvation of our N~ighbours are, 95 ~. I. DireCt. r. 8£-und Dol1i'inc : Let thnft who are their infttuCiorl, it~culcate the who/fume P.rinciples of Godlinejj.; wbich are, Stlf~tny:Jl, Mortificatiolt , tb.e Love ~~ ~od and m.m, the H~pe1 of He:Jvm, unJverfal abfolute Qbedunce to God ; ar.d 6!U thu by fauh m Jcfiu Chrljf, ac· cordjng tothe Holy Scriptutw. Infiead of Novelties or vain janglings, and perverfc difputings, teach them thtfc Principles here Dire{f. I· briefl.y named, over and over an hundred times; Open thcfe plainly, till they are well undnliood ; Thefc are the. neceffuy faving things: This is the doctrine which is According to god!inefr ; whtch will rrlake found ChriHians, of found judgements, found hearts., found convcrfations, and found con. fcienccs ! God f•nllifietb his chofen ones by thcfe 'fru:hr. ,. 2. Dire~. 2. 'fhcrtfore do your b~! to hip otbcrr to tht hentjit of able and faithful Pa_"ors a11d Dirtl1. 2• 1Hftru8ers. A fruitful foil is not better for your feed ; nor agood pafturc for your HorlC or Cartel, nor who1fome dyer for your felves, than fuch infiru8-ers are for your neighbours fouls. I~ you love th(m, )'OU fuould bemore ddirou~, to help them wgood Teachers, or plant them under a found and powerful Miniflry, than to procure them any worldly benefits. One time or other the \Vord may prevail with them : 1t is hClpeful to be fli!l in mercies w.ay. · §. 3· Dire6t. 3· 11Je co1tcord of their Teachers among tbem{rlvu iJ" grc41 help to tbefaving of the Virta. 3• flock: John 17- 2 I, 2 5· 'ihat they ~U may be ~;u, ar tbon Ft:ubcr art in me, and I i11 thee, that tbcy alfo may be 01tt in m; that the rr1orld may belzcve that thou h.Jjt {mt me. Concord much furrherc1h revnence and belief; and conftquenrly mens f:1lvation; ( fo it be a holy coucVrd. ) ~- 4· Direct. 4· 1/,cConcord a/fo of godly private Chri{!i•Hr bth tbe f•m• cffe11: When the igno- Dire/]. 4 • rant fee here aSect and there a Sect, and hear them condemning one another it teacheth them to contemn them all, and think contemptibly of piety it fclf: But concord h.yeth an awe upon them. ~· 5· Direct. 5· 1'he blamelt}i, humble, loving, heavenly livn of Chrifti:mr, is a powerful means of v· a n:>inning {o~;~h· Preach therefore every one of )'OU, by {uch a convrrfarion, to all your neighbours, 1.rr ' 5• whom you deftre to fave. . 9· 6. Dired. 6. Keep tbofe whom yott would {avt, in a humble, patient, ,learning poflure; and keep Dlrctl. 6. them from proud rvrangling1, and running afur noveltiel and Sr:DJ. The humble Learner rakes root downward, and filently growcth up to wifdom: But if bnce thty grow felf conceited, rhey turn to wranglings, and place their Religion in cJpoufed fingular Opinions, and in being on this or that fide, m Church; and fall into divided Congregations, where the bufinefs is to build up fouls by defiroyingCharity, and (Caching Sdlarics to overvalue chemfdves, and dcfplfc: diJTenters. Till at lafi they run thcmfdves out of brearh, and perhaps fall out with all true Religion. . 9· 7· DireCt. 7· Do rvhat you con to place them in good familieJ, and when thry are to be marTied Direa. 7· 111 joyn them to fuciJ as are fit to be their helper!. In tami!ies and rel.aions of that fort people are fo near togethc:r, and in fuch confiant convcrfe, that it will be very much of the help or hi6deiance of tht:ir filvation, Nnnnnno 2 )i. s.
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