408 Chap. t 9. A Exn po scionupon the Book of j OB. Verf. z$. turre, till we flop : nor recover out of an evil way, till we checke in it. This queftionis as it were the flop, the checke, or arreft of thefoule,What have I done?We cannot lay to the Lord as Paul (Aa. 9 6.) Lord, what wilt thou have me to doe? till we have firft faid to our felves, What havewe done ? This lbws us the very genius of repentance, or ofa repenting perfon, he is a man queftioning what, or callinghimfelfe to a reckoning for what he bathdone. Repentance is the review of our lives, and makes the foule anfwer to every particular , what haft thon done ? Further, Ifwe looke to this queftioning in reference to the particular a&ofperfecution, you fhould fay, Why perfecute we him ? Hence note ; Fourthly : we fhould befure ofagoodground beforewe oppofeor perfechte others. We fhould queflion our felves in any ordinarie thing we doe , even in wh-t we doe for a friend we fhould queftion, doe I well in helping him, much more when we oppofe any man, fhould u e fay, why perfecute we him ? What ! perfecute a man hand-over-head , oppofe himwithout ground ? It is hard to reprove a brother duely, much more to oppofe him duely. We fhould examine our love, muchmore our anger. Be angry andfin not, is the Apoftles rule,(Eph. 4. 26.) which implyes that it is no eafie matter to be angry and not to fin. Ifwe had a hun- dred eyes, and as many tongues, 'cis but need we should imploy them all to lookeahout us, and enquire whether we are right or wrong, when we oppofe or perfecutea Brother. Where it is fo eafie for us to doe wrong, we fhould confider and confider, whether what we doe be right. Fifthly, Note; Toperfecute or oppofeanother without jufi eaufe,L veryfinfull. sTis finfull not to thew kindneffe, and expreffe love to rhofe who deferve it, how finfull then is it to expreffe unkindneffe and wrath towards thole who deferve it not ? It is a great finne tohold anerrour, ornot to doe good, then how great a fin is it tooppofe another for doing good, or for holding the truth? To
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