Rules how to deale with wicked men, vill- beaflfs, flow- bellies, this witneff a is true; wherefore rebuke themfharply, rebuke them cuttingly; Rebuke them fo as even to cut : --- And you know Yam who was of fo loving a fpirir, having to deale with Diotrephes ; faith he, If I come I ma.l re- member his deeds which he loth, prating againfl ate with malioioüs wards. And Paul when he had to deal with Elimas, he looks upon him and faith, 0 thou child of the Devil(, &c. And Chriti when he had to deale with the 1'harifees,Ogeneration of viper;. 'Now here lyes the skill of a chrifiian, to know how to deál,and that according to the nature of the thing (harp/y, and not to be guilty of the nature of reviling ; All that I would do now for the clofe of this exeréife,is but to help:you to deal with fuch as are evil(, either wicked men, or profeffors of Religion,: to deal with them plainly, and yet not to revile, Therefore.chefe Rules are to be obferved. Firff, If fo be that a man thould be guilty of what is charged .upon him by another, then I confefs, though the other be never fo wicked and Gnfull in his charge, yet he is to put it up pati- ently, and not to rebuke him that is paffionate with him, if himfelf be guilty, for that time : As Shimez comes to David, O thou bloody man, and reviles him, yet David he was under guiltinefs at that time, and his confcience accufed him, though $btmei did revile him in faying fo, having a wicked intention - in it, -yet David would not (peak one word ; he would not fay to Sbimei, why doff thou fay thus ? -No, he was guilty himfelf, and therefore he dar'd not fpeake a word, but was humbled under the hand of God, if your confcience tellsyou you are guilty, take heed, though Ì f others heed l ohave an ill f ts` tit in (peaking evil1 of you, yet y: himagaine. Second 1 , You muff not do it prefently Suppofe that any have done ony thing againft you, and done it wilfully, and you are not gu' !Ty : Finii, if you be guilty, then you are to fay no- dine, h; »: r,ut it u' and be humbled before God : But if you: be noc -hen ir nor fit prefently to fall upon him that bath n ;:'.;i ccufed y -i, you had need Confider of it, pray over it, ex'., r }our hearts. Ibofe that as footle as ever they- hear 55.3
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