Spiritual Peace and Comfort. 249 Tt feems at prefent the intereft of the fle(h is actually predominant when no reafon or Convi&ion will perfwade them tocontradict it. As ever you would have found Comfort then in fuch a Cafe as thisfpare not the fiefh. When you have finned, you muff rife again or perifh. If you cannot rife without falling, without free confefíïng , without the utter (hame- ing of your (elves, without reflitution; never flick at it. I his is your hour of Trial : O yield not in the Conflict. The dearer the Victory cofleth ydu, the greater will be your peace. Try it ; and if you find it not fo, I am miftaken. Yet if you have finned fo that the opening of it may more difcredit the Gofpel , then your Confeffion will honour it, and yet your Confcience is unquiet, and urgeth you toconfefs ; in fuch a cafe be firft well informed, and proceedwarily and upon diiiberation; and firft open the cafe to force faithful! Minifter or able Chriftian in fecret, that you may have good advice. 3. The famecounfel.alfo would I give you in the performance of your duty. A Magiftrate is con- vinced he muff punifh finners, and put down Ale- houfes, and be true to every Juft Caufe : but then he mull fled his face againft all mens reproaches, and the folicitations ofall friends, AMinifter is con- vinced that he muff teach from houle to houle, as well as publickly, if he be able ; and that he muff deal plainly with finners according to their conditi- ons; yea and require the Church to avoid commu- nion with them,if theybe obftinate in evil after other fufficient means : But then he (hall lofe the Love of his People, and be accounted Proud, Precife, Rigid, Lordly a and perhaps lofe his maintenance. Obey God
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