344 1Jire8ions PraE/:ical agai1zjl Anger. juft when you have thus opened it by confeRion. I know there is prudenc;e to be ufed in this that you do it not fo as may make you ridiculous, or harden others in their finful provocationS~ But with prudence aud due caution it is an excelh.nt remtdy, which you ca11 ufe if you are no; unwilling. · _ · Ei 1 etf. 14 . ~· 14· Dirctt. 14. Ifyou bave let your paffion brtalt out to the offence or wrong ofany, by word 0 deed, freely ami JPeedily conftfs, it t_othcm, andMk themforgiveneji, and "arn tbem to tak._e heed of tb: lik_e Jiu by your example. Thts wtll do much to clear your confciences, to preferve your Brot-her to cure the hurt, ancl tO engage you againfi the fin hercafrer : If )'OU are fo proud that you wiU' not • do this, fay no more, You cannot hrlp it, but that you n·iU ,ot. A good beart will not think thii toa dear a remedy againfl: any fiH. Dirdl. I)• ~· IS· Direct. 15. Go prrjimly (in the manner th;t tht place aUowcth yozt) to prayer to God f,r pardo11 _and grace agoinjl the fin.: Sin will not endure prayel ~nd God1 prr[rnce: Tell him how apt your ptcvtfil hearts are to be kmdlcd mto finful wrath, and mue:at htm to hdp you by his fufficient grace, and engage ChriO. in the caufe, .who is your head and advocate ; and then your fouls will grow obedicnc and calm: Even as Paul, when he had the prick.. in tbe fiefb prayed thrice (a~ , Cor. "· 7 , Chrifl did in his agony ) lo you mufl pray and pray again and ag1in till you find Gods grm ft<f· 8, 9· ficicnt f r )!iU• • Dirtti. 1 6, 9· 16. DireCT. 16. Covrn.mt with [omc faithfitl friend that i1 n·ith yo~e to watch ovrr you, andrebuJte your paffionl aJ foon a1 t!HJ begin to appear; and promife thtm to taJ<.! it th..mkJutJ aHd in good fJrt. And perform that promifc that you difcourage them not. Either you arc fo far-aweary ot your fin and willing to be rid of it, as to be wiUing to do what you can againfi it, or you are not: If you are, you can do th~ muciJ if you pleafe: If you are not, pretend not to repent, and tobe willing to be delivered from your fin upon any lawfl:l~ termc:, when it is not fo. Remember fiill, the mifchicv– ous effed:s of it do make it to be no contemptible fin, Ecclef. 7· 9· Be not ba{iy in thy Spirit to be a1zgry: for anger rcjfttb in the bofome of foolJ : Prov. I 6. 32· He th.zt i1 flow to angtr it better than tht mis;,hry: a.nd be that ruleth hid Spirit, than he th<~t taketb a City. Prov. r5··18. A ~rathful m:m jlirreth up ]Irife; but he 1hat ufl""' to an~er appeafeth ]!rife. 'Iht dijirtti,n cf aman dtftrreth hi< anger, li1td it it /;if glory to p;{s ot1cr a tran{grrflian, Prov. I9· 1 r. · Tit. 8. 1JireE/:i&~~s againjl jinft~l Fear. ~· 1o THe chief of my advice concerning this fin, I have given you befor<Chap. 3· Dire{}. 12• Yet fomewhat I {hall here add. Fear is a necdfuy PtJffion in man, which is planted in Nat:ere for the refiraining of us from fin, and driving us on to duty, and preventing mifery. It is either God, or DevilJ 1 or men, or in[efiour creatHru, or our·fclvu, that wefear. Gud mull be feared as he HGod; as he is Great, and.Hol), and Juft, and 1rue: as our Lord, and King, and Judge, and Father: And the ft"r of him is the beginning of wi[dom. Drvil! mufl be feared only as !ubordinare to God, as th~ executioners of his wrath : And fo mutt men, and bcajls, and fire, and water, and ·other creatures be feared and no othcrwife : vyc mufr fo difccrn and fear a danger as to avoid it. O~tr felvts we arc lefs apt to {tar, becaufc we know that we Love our fclves. But there js no creature that wt have fo much caufe to fear , as our folly , weakncfs and willfulncfs in fin. ~· .2· Fror isfinfi•l r. When it proceedeth from unbclicf,. or a diflru!\ of God. 2. When it afcribeth more to the creature than is its due : As when we fear Devils or men, as Grut, or bad, or as out enemitJ, without due refpe6t to their dependance upon the will of God: \Vhen we fear a chained creature, as if he were unchained. 3· when we fear God upon miftakc oreiror,or fear that in him which is not in him, or is not to be feared. As when we fear Jeaft he will break his promife ; lefl he will condemn the keepers of his Covenant, lcfl he will net forgive the penitent, that hate theil fin; le!\ he will d<fpife the contrite; lcfl he. will not hear the prayers of the humble faithful foul ; lefl he will fail them and forfake them, lcfl ho will not caufe all things to work tc· gether for their good; lefl he will forfake his Church; lef\ Chrifl will not come again; lefi oer bo· dies !hall not be raifed ; lefl there be no life of glory for the jufl, or no jmmomlity of fouls; all fuch fears as thefe arc finfu!. 4• When our fear is fo immoderate in degree, as to ditlract us, or hinder us from faith and prayer, and make us melancholy : or when it hinderc:th Love, and pr11i{i, and tbank.f, and nt:ceffary joy, and tendeth not to drive us to God, and to the ufe of means to avoid the danger, but to drive us ftom God, and kJUour hop<, and make us ti; down in defpair. Dirdiions againft jinfi!l fear of God. ])ittll• H • ~· 3. Direct. '· Know God i11 hit GoodnefJ, Mcrcifulnr[I and 1mth, and it wiU banijh Jinful ftart I of him: For they proceed from the ignorance or unbdief of fome of thefe; or not confidmng and applying them to th~aufe that is beforeyou. Pfal.po~o. 1hry that l;_now tby Namt, rtiU put tbtir tru[! in thtt• 9. 4• Direct. •·
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