comfortable walking with God. 119 ordinarily in thefe cafes ,men are apt to incurre : I meane, faint - heartedf fence, and furious zeale. i. Men many times, by reafon ofa finnefull irrefolution and unchriftian cowardiinefle , would gladly make all fuch offenders , Dogsand Swine ; that thereby they might chal- lengethe priviledge ofexemption from the difcharge of that Cbriftian dutie of reproofe. Though their eares bee filled with the oathes and blafphemies of thofe that are about them, andgrated uponwith graceleffé raylings against good men, and foule difgracements ofthewares of God; yet they never open their mouth; as though there could bee any no- bler ob,je6t, or exercife of the heft eloquence, and greateft courage, then the juftdefence of Gods glory, and Chriilians innocency. Oh ! thefe are vile cowards in good caufes, and a kindoftraitors to the !lateof Chriflianitie. By fuch finfull 4ilence, they labour to purchafe a name of No-meddlers in other mens matters; of merciful' men to their Brethrens in- firmities ; of,plaufible companions; ofwifer and more mo- derate Chrillians. But let them know, thatfuch No-medling is a kindeof foule-murehering; fuch mercifulnefle is crueltie; inchplaufibleneffe is pernicious, fuch wifedome is not that of the Scripture commended by Chrilt; but the wilyneifeof ; that redDragon, fuggeftedby Hell. Nay, fome men are fostrangely lewd and graceleffe, that they can heere, anddigeft with patience and filence, the oathes and rotten fpeeches of their fervants, and, perhaps, their formes, without anycontradiction, or correV`tion. In 4Audis 61ios btaf- their ownefamilies, fome, perhaps, fweare, others talke f l- p tiehemanees,fers & pa_ Chri_ thily, forne raileagainét the Miniiirÿ, others jeff upon the fi;anentcr, good IteX fìnceritie ofthe Saints, &c. and yet the wicked Governour Nebuchodonoror alienigena {ayes never aword. But in this point my purpofe is princi- potuit feafrinernon e, pally tocounfell-Chriltians; I meddle not at this time with dicCs,Si quis dix fuch SynagoguesofSatan and dennes ofAtheifts. erte hlarphemiam in Deum Sidraclr, a. Someothers, it maybee, but they are notneere fo ma- äc in interitum ny, may runne into the other extreame, and out ofa fpiritu- erit. Aara/f, 9Paz sa44. :all foule-hardineffe , as it were, and furious zeale, with an imperious, andunwarrantable boy iteroufneffe fie inthe face I 4 of
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