for 4 time ofLiberty. wrath of the Lord againft the fame ; and this is mention - ed, lifatth. 18. and by the Apoftle, i Cot. 5. t, 4. and ti-tjs is given to them, to afe againft whatever finner or offender it be; be hegreat or (mall, Prince or Peer; if he be a brother, he is-tolye down here : An admonition is an arreft and meffage fromGod, fromChrifi Jefus the King of kings; Eglon malt come down from his throne, when this is brought. Now I grant again, this power may be abufed mifera- bly; as to admonifhwithout conviaion, or without com- pafiion and love, but in heatand patfion, &e. Yet this is part of Chrifts binding power in his Church ; which when 'tis done, 'tis bound in heaven. Now when men come to that paffe, that they do not only fin ti for that the Lord pardons) but are grown to that height, that they cafi off all reproofs, and Chrift- like admonitions for fin : fteept it may be in many tears and prayers before they came, and fweetned 'with ttfe Spirit of mercy and terror of thrift Jefus in the mouths of hisfervants, this brings under bondage. 'Pis not fin fo much, for this will be ; but when they cannot abide reproofs, they are ironmorfels, cannot be digefied ; and hence, fometime hide it, and twenty (hilts, and halfas many lies ; or if it he found our, defend it, and fall a fen- cing and tlarufting, and try it out to the fait, or extenu- ate it twenty wayes, that a beam is a mote ; and which is worfe, their hearts rile and fwell, and they bear a privy grudge againft them, as if they were their enemies, be- catale they tell them the truth ; when they fhould fay Let the righteous fmite me. Erod. 2. I4 Who made thee a Prince andjudgeover us ? When Mores, the Ifraelites de- liverer was railed up, he thereupon departs, and they lye under heavy bondage, when they caft off his reproof. It's true, a Saint maynot for a time fubmit ; but yet it ar- gues a height of fpirir for the prefent, unfit for communi- on with God, and the Lord will bring them off, and humble them for their pride. 2 Sam. 23. 6, 7. But the fons ofBelial fhall be all ofthem as thorns MrO. away d be- (wife they cannot be taken with hands. A shilde of Godmay have many weaknefi'es, a hypo- crite manyexcellencies; but the tryall of them is, when theycome to be arrefted with a fad reproof, how they yield there, and that as untoGc .1 ; offeciaily whencon - feflionfhall either difcredit their-perfon., or make others quefiion 47.
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