comfortable walking with God. 137 mine, with many difgracefull cenfures, to dimme the glory ofhis goodneflè ; and, if it were poffible, by publifhing their owne malicious furmifes,others flandereus tales,orfpightful. lyaggravated frailties, to pull him backe, at leaft, in opinion of their favourites, and dependants, to the fame measureof infirmities, and pitch ofimpietie with themfelves. But now the ends, which humble Chriihans propofeunto themfelves of juffdislikes, and feafonable cenfures of un- fanóified men, are briefly fuck as thefe r z . their thoughts innocet tfrom accef arinefl"e to finne, by a fecret invi(ìble allowance of it in other men; and their tongues from cowardly !hence, when they have a calling todifgrace it. 2. Left a Knave goo for an honeft man, and hypocrites deceive true- heartedNathaneels. 3. Left the power of Chriílianitie, wherein Gods glory is highly intereffed, fùf er,and be undervalued. For inftance: Thou heard} fometimes a fellow notoriously branded with force infamous linne,yetfo fpokenof by force dawbers with intemperate morter, or at leafs by ignorant worldlings, as though his prefent condition were tolerable towards God, and hopefull in refpeet of falvation, by real)n offorce other good parts, for which they praife him : In this cafe, if the un- derftandingChriftian holdhis peace, the by-Randers maybe fo farre fcandalized andmiftaken ; as to conceive and coile&, that a man may lie in a fweet finne, and yet live in Gods fa- vour; that the pleafures ofthe World, and peace of confcim ence may confilt together, which are as incompatible as Hea- ven and Hell. Andwhy shouldnot that filencebee finnefuJl, which fuffers an openknowneprophane man , to carry away the reputation ofone in the right way ; (iftherebe time and place for a feafonable, wife,and charitable contradi lion,) as well as that , which fuffers one which is trueofheart, tobee charged withhypocrifie ? s. Secondly, bee filent from flandering, backbiting, felfs"e- aceufrng : Heere I will fay nothingof downe-right forging, and (alining a falfe crime upon an innocent, which is the moat
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