348 Generall direaions for a dicious Chriflians.Forordinarily he is over-talkative, fwift to fpeake, and too full ofwords; farremore forward toover- rule anddomineere, in oppoling, moderating, refolving, thanfeven men that can render a reafon, An itching hrrmoar afterapplaule, and ofcarrying away the credit, for abiiitie to difcourfe, andeminencie above others, puts him on too often to powreout himfelfe indifèreetly and impertinently in all 'companies, to preffe andobtrude upon others with much verbal! importunitie,and unconquerablelftiffeneff"e,l;is anaffer-like conceits, without due refpe&or feafonable ob- fervatiönofthe humble abilitiesand fufliciencies ofby-f hn_ dens, and that many times, when he bath. neither calling, iitneffe, chicacie ofmatter, or power .of the hob, Ghoff. And ifaman doe not prefently upon thebareand Grft propofiti- on, accord, and accommodate his judgement CO every cir- cumftanceof whatfòever hee holds, and fquare exaitly tohis Oracles ; he begins to (bake the head, as though he were a loftman, and is ready ipfo fälio, toexcommunicate him out ofhis confcience. I fpeake not thus, to flop the current of comfortable talke,edifying difcourfe,and fruitful] conference in any true-heartedNathaneelr. There is infinitely moreneed to flirre themup, and quicken them tomore forwardneffe and forth-putting this way at Chriflianmeetings but on- ly to imitate the vaine-glorious, empty, opinionative tal- kativeneffe of fuch asare pofleffèd with this white Devil!. 2. Such anone alto is wont to be too auftere,cenforious, owre,and imperious inhis carriage towards thofewhichare without ; wherebyhe becommeth ; both a (tumbling blocke to them in their way to Chriftianity ; andbrings alto an un- neceffary, fcandalous, falfe afperfion upon the Mayes of God, andyoke ofChrifl, as though they wereharfb, heavy, andunpleafant ; whenas they are muff fweete, ea!ïe, and a. miable.'I know full well,there is not the wifefl,holiet},hum.. bleb, difcreeteft Chriftian alive,can fopoffibly beare, and be- havehimfelfe; butprophaneneffe will plague himwithflan- tlerous imputations ofany kinde.Iefur Chrifi our Mailer was riot free this way; whichof his 1 rvants than can, dare, or will
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