Baxter - BJ1441 B3 1673

102. DireElions for 1\sproof and Exhortation. Dircli. 5 • §. 5· DireCl:. 5· S11it the m•n11or of your reproof to the qu•lity of the perfon: It is fddome that a l?fl.rent, Maller, or Superiour mufi be reproved by a private intCriour : And when it is done it mufi: be done with great fubmiffion and refpect. An angry pievilh perfon mufi be dealt with re;derly ., you handle thorns: but a duller fottilh pcrfon mu{\ be more eamefily and warmly dealt with. 'So alfo a greater fin mufi be roughly handled, or with greater detdlation, than a lefs, Dirftl· 6. 9· 6. DireCl. 6. Take a fit ftafon: Not when a man is in drink, or patfian, or among oth(:rS where the difgrace will vex and harden him: but in fecret between him and you (if his convcrfton be your end). Ditc8. 7 , .9· 7· Direct. 7• Do aV in love and tender pity: Ifyou convince not the hearer that you do it in un2 Thdf.;.•S· fogned love, you muft ( ufually) expect to lofe your labour; becaufe you make not advantage of · 2. Cor. z, 4· his felf-love, to promote your exhortations: Therefore the exhortiug way 010uld be more frequent than ' Ga1: 6. t. the reproving way : For reproof difgraccth and cxafperateth, when the fame thing contrived into an "i~n\.,.;i. exhortationmay prevail. b· eeti. g, §. 8 DinCl:. 8. Th(}refore be as much or more infoewing tiJe Good which you would draw them to M tr ' the evil which you would turn them frgm. for they are never favingly converted till they are wo~ to thr Love of God and Holincfs. Therefore the oprning of the riches of the Gofpel, and the Love of God, and the Joyes of Heaven, mufi be the greatcH panof your rreaty with a finQer. Dirtll. 9• . ~· 9.· Direct. 9· Anti lahour [o to help him to a trHe tmderjlandi11g of tht nature of Religion, thd he m.zy perceive that it i1 not only a neceffary, bm a plea{ant thiug. All love delights .: Ir is the flan~ dcr and mifreprcfentation of godlinefs by the Devil, the World and the t•le{h, which maketh millaken finners lbun it:~ The way to convert them,and win their hearts to it, is to make them know how good and plc.;~.ldnt it is : and to confute thofc calumnies. Direll. 10· §• 10. Direct. 10. Tet alwaye1 inftrt the remembrance of de8th, and judgement, and ofHell. For the drowfie mind hath nerd to be awakened ; and Love worketh bell , when fear jubferv<th it. Its hard to procure a ferious audience and confideration of things , from hardened hearts, if the fight of death and Hell do not help to make them ferious. Danger which muft be efcaped, mull be known and thought on. Thefe things put weight and power into your fpeech. VireU. It. 9· 1 I· DireCT. 1 l· Do aU as with Divine authoritJ : and therefore have ready firm plain 1exts Coi.J. <6. of Scripture for the duty, and againft the fin you fReak,. of. Shew them where God himfdf harh laid it. Direl1. 12 • ~· 12· DireCt. 12· Seafonable expoflulationJ, putting them[tlves to judge themfelves in their anfwer, bath a convincinJ!. and engaging force: As when you Chew them Scripture, ask them, [ Js not this the Word ofGod' Do you not believe that its true? Do you think herhat wrote this , knowerh not better than you or I? &c. J Direll. i3• §• 13. Direct. 13. Put them on fPeedy prafiice, and prudently engage them to it by their promife. As ifyou fpeak to a drunkard, draw him to promife you to come no more (at leall of fo long time,) into an Alephoufc? Or not drink Ale or Wine, but by the confent of his Wife, or fame fo~ ber houfhold friend who may watch over him: Engage the voluptuous, the unchafic, and gamefier, to forfake the company which enfnareth them? Engage the ungodly to read the Scripture, to frequent good company, to pray morning and night ( with a Book or without, as they are bell able): Their promife may b1ing them to fuch a prcfcnt change of practice, as may prepare for more. Direll. 14·· '§• 14. Direct. 14. If you k,now any mar you who are much fitter than your folvu, and likJr to E7.ek.H.& )4· prevail, procure 1hem to attempt that 'R'hicb you cannot do fucajifullj 1• At lcaft when !inners perceive G~l. i. 1. that it is not only one ntaJU opinion, it may fornewhat move them to reverence the reproof. Tt~· 1 ' 4· ~· 15. Dirctl. 1 5· Ptfl fome good Book.. into their hand1, which is fitteft lo the work which yore would Dzrelf. 1 5· have done: And get them to promife you fcrioufly to read it over, and confider it: As ifit be for the converfion of a carclefs finner, Mr. TYhateleys, or Mr. Swin1zocl{! Treatife ofRegemration; or fome other Treatife ofRepentance andeonverjior. If it be for one that is prejudiced againfi a firid: Religi~ ous life, Mr. AUen! Vindication ofGodlinefs: If it be an idle voluptuous pcrfon, who wafteth pretious 'rime in Playes or ueedlefs r~creations, in gaming or an idle life, Mr. PPhllteltys Sermon, called 1'hc Redemption of Time: If it be a prayerlefs perfon, Dr. Preftons Saints Daily Exercifi: I fit be a drun– kard, Mr. Harri1 DrunJtardJ Cup: And for many reigning particular fins, a Book called, Solomons Prcfcription ag•inft the Plague: t•or directions in the daily practice ofGodline!s, 'the Pralliee ofPi<ty, or Mr. "thomaJ Gouges DireC!i01u 1 &e. Such Books may fpeak more pertinently than you can; and be as conltant food to their fober thoughts; and fo may further what you have begun. Direll· 16. §. r6. Direct. 16. Whw you cannot[pta~, m· where your {petJkJng prevaileth not, mourn for them, Ez.clc. 9· 4· and earneft!y pray far their recovery. A fad countena~ce of Nebemiah remembered ArtaxerxtJ ofhis 2L,ct. 2.7, a. duty. A figh or a tear for a miferablc finner, may move his heart, when exhortation will not. He hath a heart of fione, who will have no fenfe of his condition, when he feeth another weeping for him. !f0eft. §.17• Quefi. But ilil alwayu a duty to reprove or exhort a finner? How jhaU I k..•or• when it is my duty, and when it is not l Anfw. It is no duty in any of thefe cafes following. 1.ln general, When you have fullicient rea– Con to judge, that it will do morC harm thah good, and will not attain its proper end: For God bath not appointed us to do hurt under pretence of duty: It is no Means, which doth crofs the end which it thould attain. As prayer and preaching may be a fin, when they are like to crofs their_ proper end, fo alfo may reproof be. 2: Therefore

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