Direl1.7. Dittll· 8. Direl1.9. Direll·IOo Dirtll. II· 'Dire/lions for Conference. ~· 9• Direct. 7• 'tai(! heed of pro•d {elfconctittdnefs in your. conference. Speak not with fuper– cilious cenforious confidence. Let not the weak take on them to be wifc:r than they are. Be readier to (peak by way of Clll.etlion as Learners, than as Teachers of orhers, unlcfs you are fure that they have inuch more 11eed w_be taJJghr by you than you Dy them : It's ordinary for novices in Rdigiol). to caH all their difcourfe into a T eaching flrain, or to make th.:mfelves Preachers before they under~ fiand. It is a motlloathfome and pitiful hearing (and yet (OO ordinary) to hear a raw felf-con~ ceited ungrounded unexperienccd perfon, to prate magitl,erially and cenfure confidently rhc doctrine or pra[/i.:es or pe1fons of thofe that are much better and wifer than themfclves. If you_meet with rhis proud ccnforious (pirit, nbuke it tirft, and read to them, 'Jam. 3· and if they go on, rurn away from them, and av.:>id them; for they know not what manner of fpirit they are of : they fer.ve not the Lord J~fus, whatever they pretend or think. them[elves, but are proud, knowing nothing, but dotirig about queHions, and making divifions 'in the Church of God, and ready to fall into the condemna– tion of the D.vil, I1im. 3· 6. & 6. 3, 4• s, Rom. 16. '7· Lul(; 9· SS· §. 10. Dm.Cl. 8 Let the wifejl in the company aud not the Wtak_eft have moft of the difcourfe: But ) 'ft if any olle that i1 of an abler tongue than the riff, do maJte any dererminations in doubtful csn– trilverted points, take heed of a hajly receiving hi! judgement, let hH reafons {cem never fo plaufible or prob.Jble; but put down aU fuch opinion I as doubu, and move them to your 7'eacbers or [ome ,q~her im· parli.7l able men, before ym entertain them. Otherwife he that hath moll wir and tongue in the cam~ pany mighr carry away all therefi, into what errour or herefie he plcafe, and fubvert their faith when he.ftops their mouths. )5. II· Dire6t.9. Let the m.uer of your jpmh be fuitable to your end, even to tbt guod of your fih·es ur othm which you [tel(, The fame fubjeCl that is fit for one company is very unfit for 'others. Learned men and ignorant men, pious men.and prophane men, arc not fit for the fame kind of difcourfe. The medicine mull be carefully fitttd to the difeafe. §· 12. Direct. 10. Let your [puch be feafon.7ble, 1when prudence ttUeth you it H n~t Ji~ to do more h.irm thart gsod. There is a feafon fof' the prHdtnt to be filent, and refrain even horn good talk : Amos 5· 17• Pfal. 39· I, 2· Caft not Ptarli before Swine, and give not floly things to Dogt, tbat yo11 k.now wiU turn agai') and rend you, M.uth. 7· 6. Yea and among good people thernfelves, there is a time w fpeak and a time to be filent, Ecclef. 3· 7· There may poffibly be luch excefs as tenderh to the tiring of the hearers: and more may be cram'd in than they can digeft ; and furf.ttting may make them loilth ir afterwards: You mufl give none more than they can bear: And alfo the matten of your bufincfs and CliJiogs mull be talkt of \~their time and place. 9· I3· DireCl. 11. Let aU your [perch of bory thingr be with the grweft firioufoefs and reverenct that ybu are able: Let the words bt: never fo good, yet levity and rudcnefs may make them to be prophane. God and holy things lhould not be talkt of in a common manner : But the gravity of your fpcech lhould tell 1he hearers, that you take them not for fmall or common Rlatrers. If fcrvants and others that live near together would converft, and fpeak as the Oracles of God, how holy, and heavenly, and happy would fuch families or focieties be ? CHAP.
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