it 88 General' dire8ionsfor a vifit knowne enemies to the purityofReligion, or power of godlineffe ; let him c,ail his'eye alfo upon thole cafes and cau- tions, which may make it comfortable. They are Inch as thefe r. Their falvation. 2. Thine owne fafety. T . For the firfl, bee furs to propofe unto thy felfe their fpirituall good, as thine onely crime , or at leafs, principal end ; and in the finceritie anciifingleneff.2 ofthineheart , to f?eke indeed the falvation of their foules. Weehave (hrfl lefud himfelfe a precedent in this cafe, Matti]. 9. 10, 11, rz, Hee fuffered with patience , Publicans and fulness to preffe intohis company, and did care and drinke with them , upon purpofe , to heale their foules, and helpe them out ofHell, But his pure and facred foule was endowed with an infinite impoffibility ofreceiving any touch, or tainture from thole wickedOnes, with whom he convcrf:d ; whereas, wormer and wretches that we are I ifwe watch not extraordinariely, and fiend floutly upon our guard, wee are farce likelier to bee perverted by them, then they converted byus : and there- fore at fuch times it concerns us much, to recollea and quicken up all the powers ofour follies, and fpirituall forces, with fpeciall addreffe and refolution to preferveand vindi. care, as we can,the honour, truth, and fervants ofGod from all flaine , difparagement and vnworthy cenfure. Let us la- bour and Tooke to bring as much wifedome and courage, to confront andcountermine ; as the Devils Proctors , cunning and malice, to undermineand affront the Kingdome ofChris' lefou, and glory of Chriflianity. It is lawful and laudable for thePhifitions ofthebody , to vifit fometimes fuchpati- ents, as are infeeted with contagious difeafes, to cure andre cover them ; fo that according to theRules of their Art,they arme themfelves with prefervatives and conterpoyfons, to prevent and repel the noyfotnneffe ofthe aire, and noxious vapours:fo it maynot prooveunreafonable for fpirituallPhy- ficions, tobedrawn fometimes out ofa defireofdoing good, into the company of thofe, who are woefully overrunwith the leprofieof fin,andhave,as it were,theplague-fore oilcan. dolomite running upon them , fo that they bee fore-armed - - _ - with
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