Mensgredt 4verfnefs to coftly or troublefome duties. 47 they flewyou that they take it not well that you meddle with them, and let not their fin alone , and look to your fel ves, for all that God bath exprefly commanded us, Lev. 19, 17. [Thou / halt not hate thy brother in thy heart : than /halt in any w i f e re- bake thy neighbour,and not f i f e r / in upon him. And . t 3 Heb. 3 1 . [Exhort one another daily while it is called to day,lefi any be hard- ened by the deceitfislnels offin] So Mat. a 8.15,16. Try but plain dealing with your neighbours one twelve moneth with as much prudence and love and lenity as will Band with faithfulnefs ; and when you have done I dare leave it to your felves to judge, whether God or felf have the more fervants in the world , and whether felf-denyal and Sandification be not very rare, 8. Yet further, you fee it is the duty of Chriftians to adrno- nifh and faithfully reprove one another : but becaufe moil men take it ill, and plain dealing will difpleafe and lofe a friend , bow few even of profeffors will be brought to perform it ? yea of thole that exped a Minifler fhould rejea the offen- dor, when it cannot be done till after admonition and impeni- tency thereupon. No, this is a troublefome duty, and felf will notgive them leave to do it. 9. Moreover : You know that Church-Government and Di- icipline is anundoubted,Ordinance ofChrifl which the Church bath owned in every age ; ( though in the execution fome have been negligent, and Come injurious ) and that open fcandalous fins muff have open confeffion and repentance, that the ill ef- feets may be hindered or healed, and the Church fee that the perfon is capable of their communion, and that the abfolution may be open and well grounded. And yet let any man ( ex- cept the truly penitent andgodly ) be called after a fcandal to inch a neceffary confeffion, and how hardly are they brought to it ? What cavilling (hall you have againfl the duty ? They will not believe that it is their duty ; not they l And why fo ? is it becaufe it is nor plainly required by God ? No, but becaufe it tends ( they think, ) to their difgrace ; andPelf againfl is and when you have (hewed them fuch reafons for it that they cannot anfwer ; yet, the fum is, they will not believeit ; or if they believe it , they will not do it. What I will they make themfelves the laughing flock, and talk of the Countrey ? No they
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