OfCenfureandcorrection. CHA_P.16. OfCénfuré arïdCorre6iion. Anythinke topriuiledge themfelues from the naine ofSìnners,by reading largely and reprehendingplentifully the finnes ofother men, countingita compendiousway to crediteby buildinggor- gioully on another mans difcredicandruine. 2 Flelhand blondwticafe itfelfe ;fuperiourslook toioferiours, and inferiours to fuperiours,buaeueryman muff look to himfelfe. 3 As anhoufe being on fire, ifit may be quenched, it is heftto .unite. vfewater onely ; bac fit be liketo endanger and fet an fire the houles rounde about,it is belt to pull downe the houlèquickely fo ifoffencebeing raifed,itmay bequenched wacer,vfe wacer,'and letthe hhule(land Ilill; but if firebard out oneuery fide, thenpull itdowne. When theVipertvililtillbeaQuinoncor- Viper, and reteine hispoyfon, though the charmerchart= neuer fo wifely, the Apoche- rigo éipfum, carie takes him, and makes a Triade ofhim,to expelspoyfon outof other, : foifa brother 13.' pe plùn .t will notbe admonifhed, ifhe will not leaue his poyfon, maketriacleofhim; that he that simiio. would nottake heede by others, fhould be made apreferuatiue for other to beware by him : If mill will not be taken from one in Braes, then take awaythe euill out of whole S real oft: Ifrael. Ifwe mull needs fee fomewhat dead, it is better to feea dead arrase then a dead porosi as. torpes. When men will hardenthemfelues, God in his iudgementmakesthem asan ada- mant : andwhen they grow fohard,it is good tocall then( out. 4 We are given to difplayeuery finne,yea the least inothers,and to concealsand bury We ranfee .. manygraces,yea the belt in others. dea;eiy;niel- 5 Suchas be fallen mullbe reamedwith the fpirit of wildomeand lenitie : Such as be lé&u direao, fallen mull be v holden b a! modmeanes f eedtl leaft.the fall fodam trouts as that betwith blear g F y g P y: y g y ryesinrclleEau they cannot be recovered. rellevo. 6 In anmill report or vniuft cenfuresofmen, it is not good ftraight waytobe angry, but toflyto Gods prouidence,andto defire to profiteby them. . 7 Becaufewedo not tomen thatgood whichwefhould doe,God often fuiiereth them to reportand fpeakeeuillofvs. 8 Thoughwemay be discouraged to dealeinexhortingor dehorting,admonifhing or reprouing,orany ecclefiafticall and Chriftian duty: yet being called ofGod,wemutt aske wildome ofhim,who willfend wildome to blelfehis owne ordinance. 9 It is a dangerous thing to hauea proud fpirit with avaine it-dude. 1 o The drunken peace ofhypocrites, mutt notbe fuppledwith oyle, butpierced with afpcare. or Ifwebe reproued forfinne ofman, let vs feare thereproofe of God. It is our great Admoaitioa corrupt ion, that we arefoonerbroughttoleaueafinnewhen marsdothrebukevsonce,bow¡nfrtoiíc. ,. thenwhenGodBoth threaten vs often. rz- It is a good thing lometimetohaueenemies.Forwe oftenare more affraidtofinne, leaft ourenemies fhould reprouevs, thenwe snake confcience of finire, leaft God fhould coudenme vs. 13 Although thewicked fpeake euill ofvs, let vs becontent: indeedea good nameis better then a precious ointment, but remember chat theLord bathmadevs all priefis,and thereforelet vs offer vp our good name tohis glorie, and idlewicked will bringcoales of iuniper, let vs facrificevp our good names, andwith Paul let vs fay, I elleeme it the leaft /7.R/repo-R., thing in the worldto be fudged of you : it is theLordthat iudgtb, and there is a bletiing propounded forthem that areevil fpoken of.But there arc fourehundred Prophetsv fpeak agatnft you, are they all deceiued ? Many eyes fee morethanone? True,-if it be spoken ofsimür. the like : for one Eagleseye feeds more thana thoufandmules eyes : and as Salomon faith, B b One 177
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