DireElions for 1\sproof and Exhortatio11. 101 §. 9· Direel. 9· Never [peak.. of holy thi•gi but with the greateft reverence and ferioufnefi y >u can : Direa. 9 , The manner as well as the matter is needful to the effect: To talk of fin, and converfion, of God and eternity, in a common, running, carelefs manner, as you fpeak o( the men and the matters of the world, is much worfe !han filcnce, and tendcth but to debauch the hearers, and bring them to a contempt of ~od and holm~f~.I remember my fdf that when I was youn8,1 had fometime the corn . pany of one anuent godly Mm1fier, who was of weaker parts than many others, but yet did profit me more than rnofi; becaufc he would never in prayer or confnencc, fpeak o(God or the life to come, but with fuch marvellous fcrioufncfs and reverence, as if he had feen the Majefly and Glo1y which he <alkt of. ~· JO· DireCt. 10. Tak_e heed of inconjiderate imprudent paffagei, whicb may marr atl the rcft, and DircU. to; give malign.mt auditors advantage of comentpt and [corn. Many honefi. Chrillians through their ignorance, thus greatly wrong the caufe they manage ( I would I rn1ght not fay, M11ny Mini~ Uers ). Too few words is not fo bad, as one fuch imprudent foolifh word too much. ~· r r. Direct. I J, Condtfcmd to the weaJt, and hear with their infirmity: If they give you fool~ Direll. II• ifu anfwers, be not angry and impatient with tbcm : yea, or if they perverfiy cavil and contra.. did': For the fervant of the Lord mttft not ftrive, but be gentle to atl men, apt to teach, patient, in mee'bJttfi inftrutiing oppo{efl, if God peradventure will give them repentance to the ac~nowledging of the truth, 2 Tim~ 2. 24, 25· He is a fooliili Phyficion that cann'?t bear the words of a phrene· tick or delirant Patient. y. 12• Direct. 12· W'hen you are am?ng thofe that c11n teach you, be not {o [orwarrl to teach as to, D,irel1.12~ learn. Bt.: not eager to vent what you have to fay, but defirous to hear what your betters have to fay. Q:efiions in fuch a cafe fhould be mofi of your put. It rcquireth g~eat ski.Jl and diligence w draw that out .of others which may profit you : And be not impatient if they crofs your opinions, or open four rgnonnce. Yea, thofe that yo~t can teach in other things, yet in fome things may be able to add much to your knowledge. Tit. 3· Special Direfliom for !J\.eproof a11d Bxhort.atio11 for the Good of Others. THis duty is fo great that Satan hi.ndereth it with all hii power, and fo hare! that mofl men quite omit it ( unlefs an ang1y repmach may go for Ch1ifiian Exhortation ) : And fome fpoil it in the mJnagcment : And fome proud cmforious perfons mifiake the exercife of their pride and paffion, for the excrcife of a charitable Chrifiian duty : and feem to be more fcnfible of their neigh– bours fin and mifery, than of their own. Therefore that you mifcarry not in fo needful a work, I lhal! add thefe following DiiCClions. 9· I· Direct. l· Be fure firft tb.Jt your reproof have a rigbt md; and J!Jen letthe manner befuited to Direa: I~ that end. If it be to convince and convert a foul, it mufi be done in a manner likely to prev<1il; lf it be only to bear down the arguments of a deceiver, to preferve the fianders by, to vindicJte the honour of God and godlinefs, and to difh.onour fin, and to difgrace an obfi.inate factor for the Devil, then another courfc is fit. Therefore refolve firfi, by the quality of the caufc and pcrfon, what inufi be your end. 9· 2. DireCt 2. Be fort tho.~t you reprove not that as a fin, which ir no fin; either by mifta~ing the Diretl. :l• Law or the fan. To make: duties and fins of our own opinions and inventions, and then to lay out our zeal on thefe, and cenfure or reprove: all that think as hudly of fuch things as we; this is to make our felves the objects 'of the hearers pity, and not to excrcife jutl pity towards others! Such reproofs dcfcrve reproof! For they difcover great ignorance, and pride, and felf·cdnceitcdnefs, and vuy muc;h harden finners in their way ; and make them think that all reproof is but the vanity of fantafiical hypocrites: In fome cafes with a child, or fervant) or private friend, or for prevention, We miiy fpeak of faults upon hearfay or fufpicion: But it mull be as of things uncertain ~ and as a warning nther than a reproof. In ordinary Reproof, you mufi underftand the cafe before you fpeak. It is a lham• to fay after, I thought it had been othcrwife: Such an enoneous tcpiOof is w01fe than none. _ §. 3• DiiCd. 3· Choofe not the fmallrft jini 10 reprove, nor tht fmaUeft dutiu to exhor1 them to. For Direa. 3• that will make them think thlt' .all your zeal is taken up with little matters, and that there: is no great neceffity of reguding you: and confcience will be but little moved by your fpccch : when greater things will greatly and more eafily affed men. 9· 4• Direct. 4· Stop 110t ( witbunregenerate men) in the memion of particular fins or Jnties; but Ditel1. 4 , ma~e ufi of particulttrs to convi1tct them of a ftate of fin and mifiryo It is eafie to convince a man that he is a finner; and when that is done, he is never the more humbled or converted: For he will tell you, that All are finn·crs ; and thercfoiC he hopcth to fpeed as well as you. But you mufi make him difcern his finful ftate ; and thew him the difference between a penitent finner and an im~ penitent; a converted finner and an unconverted; a )ufiified pardoned finner , and an unjufiified, •unpudoned one: or clfc you'! do him but little good. · Ooooooo Y· S·
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