comfortable walking with sod. maine, with many difgracefull cenCures, toclimme the glory of his goodneffe ' and,if it were poffible, by publifhing their owne malicious furmifes, others flanderous tales,or fpitefully aggravated frailties, to pull him backe , at lead, in opinion of their favourites, and dependants , to the fame meafure of infirmities, andpitch of impietie with themfelvcs. But now the ends , whichhumble Chriflians propofe un to themfelves of jufldiflikes,and feafonable cenfures of un- Andified men, are briefly fuch as thefe : i. To preCerve their thoughts innocent from acceffarineffe to finne , by a fecret invifible allowance of it in other men ; and their tongues from cowardly filence , when they hay e a calling to difgrace it. 2. IA a Knave goe for an bonen man , and hypocrites deceive true-hearted Nathaneels. 3. Left the power of Chriflianitie , wherein Gods glory is highly intereffed, fuffa.,and be undervalued. For inflame Thou heard' fometimes a fellow notoriouflybranded with fome infamous finne,yet fo rpoken ofby fome dawbers with untemperate morter , or at leaft by ignorant worldlings , as though his prefent condition were tolerable towards Cod: and hopeful' in refreaof falvation, by reafon of fome other good parts,for which they praife him : In this cafe, if theun. derftanding Chriftian hold his peace , the by-flanders maybe fo fat re fcandaiized and miflaken ; as toconceive and collea, that a man may lye in a fweet fine , and yet live in Gods fa- vour; that thepleafures oftheWorld, and peace of confci- ence may confilt together, which are as incompatible as Hea- ven and Hell. And why should not that filence bee finftill, which fuffers an open knowne prophaneman, to carryaway the reputation of one in the right way ; ( ifthere be time and place for a feafonable wifeandcharitable contradiction,) as well as that, which ft;ffers one which is true ofheart, tobe. charged withhypocrifi-, ? 2. Secondly, be fluent from flandering, backbiting, &Ile. accufing Heere I will fay nothingof downe-right forging, and fafining a falfe crime upon an innocent, which is the '37
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