Vert. 2. the Epifíle to the Romans. vfe. before them. As Gedeonin the 3udzes 7. 57. laid to his men : fo every Miniher fhould fay to: his flocke, What ye fee me do, that do ye. There fhould be a (Wm harmony between the words and workes, teaching and doing of a Pallor. See 1. 1. Phil. 4. 9. By weak are meant the feeble, not in body but in mind; being inferiour to others in knowledge and godlineffe. And though the word Englifhed [ infirmities , ] do reach to all weakneffes, both in (ate, by want; in fex, as of women; in body, as by ricknef e and old age, all which we are to bear with others in pitying and relieving them as we may; yet here are to be underflood fpirituall weakneffes, (not great vices and open crimes, mur- ther,perjury,adultery,&c.) as errors in do&rine, which be not againff the foundation, ignorance in fome truth, forgetfulneffe, &c,a1Co fudden pallions of anger,grief, &e. and faylings or flips in life which do not overturn honehy of manners,as force ralh and idle fpecch, &c. there be called infirmities, that is, the fickneffes and maladies of the Chrihian foul, which is (hewed to be weak by them. To bear there infirmities, it is a fpeech borrowed from the frame of mans body, where the bones ( which be the ftrongeft parts) do bear up the flefh and other weak parts;or elfe from buildings, where the pillars do bear up the burthen of the houfe. See 1 Rings 5. 57. and Revel. 3. 17. where beleevers are called pillars. T r M. What is our dotirine from thin firft precept thus opened ? S s L. Firff, that all fpirituall weak- neffes are weighty and heavy burthens to be done: as young children and ficke perfons are burthenous and troublefome to fuch as attend them: fo infirme Chrihians which have errors and frailties, are unto fuch as live with them ; they are fuch a burthen as one takes up with grief,and lays down with. pleafure : fuch as have much to deal with them, feel it to be fo to their great moleflation. This doarine ferveth both to humble the weak to walk in more lowlineffe, 599 and to labour for more flrength, that they may be leffe irkefome and grievous. Secondly, it warnes the flronger fort, that they have taufe to pray for much patience and power,to be able to bear fuch cumberlome burthens. T 1 rnJVhat is the next doijrine fromthefe fsrff words ? S 1 L. That it is a duty (not a gra- tification, courrefie,or indiffèrent thing, which need not be done) for fuch as be more fully infiru &td, to fuftain or bear the unskilfull, and perfons of mean gifts. This duty of bearing bath in it thefe foura &ions : Fir fi, with patience to fuffer. Secondly, with compaflion to pity and pardon imperfe&ions. Thirdly, with wifedome to admonifh, Fourthly , with love to cornea and reprove, that they may be healed. The reafons of this duty bethefe;Firff,we are members one of another. Secondly, we have one need of another in force things, as in other things they have need of us. Thirdly, we mull du as we would be done to. Fourthly, law of nature teacheth fironger to help weaker, as it is done in a naturali body. Fiftly,the law of God commands to lift up our neighbours fheep being fallen into a ditch, much more is this to be done to a feeble brother that falleth into any fin. Sixtly, the weak in faith,are like to the ficke in body, and who would not pity and help fuch as cannot help themfelves? They are like to little children which (tumble and fall, and fuck who would not take them up?Did a Samaritan kind- ly intreat a wounded Jew, and fhould not we kindly refpea a weak brother ? Oh let us then in love confider one ano- ther, and with true repentance for that which is pall, let us henceforth with all our might (rive again ft feff-love, impa- tience, fierceneffe,pride,cruelty, and un- charieableneffe. T z M.Comc to the fecond precept and tell us what it is not to pleafe our frises ? S s L. Not wholely or only to leek our own commodities with neglea of that which may be pleafing or bene- ficiall to our brother. Hence we learn, that it is a finne for a man to fatisfie himfelfe Doarirác:
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