CiHAP.I.I 2 . 234 1,1lif4E1.1d. nfatth.;q. Leua9.tv. ttoei.g.t. A Miniatr muff be wife in hs plainnelfe. Íteatons, 1 Match 10.1s. tí1CommentarieVon the i our diligence, yet would it doe themno good to fee vs damned for our negligence towards them. Oh, faith oue, this Preacher is euer fpeaking ofme, he bath force fpight at me : and therefore I cannot abide to heare him. Ohbut whofoeuer thou art, learne to fuller the word of exhorta- tion and reproofe, for it is a fgne ofan heart inthe gall ofbitterneffe,to impute malice, and vncharitablenes to fuch Miniflers as crie out againll the known finnes of it, and to account of preaching ( as manydoe ) but rayling. Stich a one was Ahab, whocried out ofEliah as his enemie,be- caufe he findeth out his finne:Cuch are the hearts of fuch bruitifh men,' who will be at defiance with God and the feruants of God chriflianly admonifhing or reproouing them,and then they cryour, there is no loue in them: which is all one to fay, that vnleffe we flatter them, and partake with them in their finnes,there is no loue in vs. lahn Baptiff dealt rough- lywith thofe that came to his baptifine,Ohgeneration ofvipers : and yet who durfl fay,that that holy man hated them?&yet with vs it is no good diuinitie, ifeve couer not thefinues that areas openly committed as Ab- falans, in the fight ofall Iftael : other men may and can fpeake of fumes and impieties, and yet God muff be dumbe; they can fee them, but God muff not: other men canopenly fpeakeofthem in their houles, fhoppes, fields, and markets, and yet wemay not mention them for feare of for- feiting all our loue. But we muff much more take vp that duty which e- uery private man is boundvnto :Thostj7,Altnot bate thy brother in thy heart, hat plainely reprootte him, andPifer himnot toyZme: Weemay not hate fo tnuch,as not dealt plainely with you. Secondly, note that howfocucr the Apoflle dealeth plainly, yet hee dealeth wifely, and vfeth apreface to cut offal] the preiudiceofthe truth hedeliucreth: and is a grace to be imitatedof all Miniflers, who ought prudently to temper their zealc with wifedome, fo fuppling and affwa- ging their reproofes, as they may appeare to proceede from loue. When the Apofilewas to write of thereie&ionof the iewes, and the calling of theGentiles; leaf}he fhould feeme to fpeake of any finifier affeálion, or from hard conceit of the levees, he cutteth off all fuch fufpition , by a large preface, in which he atteflethby anoath , that he fo embraced his countriemen the levees in the moll inward affe,F.lion of his loue, as he could bane beene contented to haue beetle accurfed for them; and in Rom. so. r. beeing to deliuer the true caufe of their reie&ìon, which was the flablifhingofan humane righteoufnes,he beginneth with a pro-- reflation, that his hearts defire andprayer to God roar , that IÍrael might bee famed. And great reafon is , that Miniflers fhould thus praElife this fer. pentine wifedome commended vnto themby Cnrifl himfelfe. s.Becaufe they arc asJheepe Among mains, that is, fatanicall inflruments armed with ,
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