rat the Dur: es of their Civil Relations, 2 In natural reſpects, when 11en follow not the light of Nature, and fultil not th: Law of Natural relations, , In ſpiritual reſpets, when men neglect or trangrels |: 'he Rules anc [ Orc ler of their walking in their Church-State,either with reſpect to their Teachers, or one afother. Admonition belongs to ſuch, an |; is the firſt ſte p of Church-Cenſure when >gulariy per formed.e 2au- 2 YU NEEs Or, the puſillanimous, men of little Souls,as the word imports, ach as dare ne ot Venture vpon hazardous duties,or faint under the fears or feeling of Atfictions, or are dejected under the ſenſe of fin, and 4eir own uUnworthinels, or fears of God's Wrath, and atfaulted by Temptations wich enc langer their falling. f Av7%xe3, an alluiton to zuch 2s lift at one end of the burden to help to bear it, anſwering to e word ouvayinanBdyri, Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit helps th our infirmt- fo s: And the weat are either the weak in Knowledge,weak in Faith, {!12t underſtand not their own Liberty in the Goſpel, Rom. 14. 1. 1 Cor. 2.5, And hereupon cannot prattiſe as others do, Their Conſcience is weak, 1 Cor, 3, 12. And ſO \WCre in Bondage to ome Ceremonial Theſe , dealt ten: ws with, and not to be de ſpiſed, or rigorouſly ned : > Ia weak in Grace, new Converts, Babes in Chriſt, rent: 'er Plants, not well rooted in the Goſpel. g This Duty is univer- fl; the former concerned only the Saints, The word ſignifies Lomgas nity, or Lo9p-ſuffering, and is often attributed to God, Exod. 34. 5, / Bin So 22, It confifteth in the deferring or moderating of anger, it without anger when men delay us, and to ſuffer without un- UUe ANSET when they deal 1 1njurioufly with us, whether they be goed 1 or evil, believers or intilels, the ſtrong or the weak, Miniſters
Or | Pcop 7, i5 * See that none render evil. for evil unto any * follow that which is good z, both a- * mong your ſelves, and to all men &. þ Theſe wordsſee m directed to the Guidcs of the Church, who are
iy, a
Ly - >} ay & to "oh aa TL
"called Overicers, As 20. 25. and therefore the Apoſtle requires them
to fee that none render evil, &c, Or it to the whole Church as before, then 1t 1s a ſolemn charge which they ought to be all circumſpect in oblerv And the charge is, firſt, neg bYY 2, not to render evil tur : Winch 15 ty reve nee themle Ives ; ani that is forbidden by the A- poftle, Xom. 12. 17, 19, L Pet. 3.9. And is.the reſiſting of Evil, for- biden by our Saviour, Mar. $, 39. But is to be underftood of private reve Nge riſing = t of 11 lice, not of publick Cenſurcs, E either Civil or EccletiaRtical ; Or of tecking reparations or Injuries received in Courts of juſtice chat to Law an! Equity, 1 his private revenge can- not con6ſt with that patience that he required towards all men in the foregoing verſe, nor is it conformable to the Example of Chrift, _ 2, 22. Nor to the Chriſtian calling and Profeſhon, 1 Pet, 2. 21. 2. 1 frive, good in it {c]t, or that which 1 "or to others, as the a is often taken, Mat, 7. 11. Lute 1, 53. Gal, 6. 5. and ſo ftands oppoſite here to the rendring of Evil. And the word foll,w, fignifies an earneſt following, which is ſymetimes taken in a bad ſenſe, for pcrſecution, Mar, «. 11. and ſometimes in a good Senſe, as 1 Heb, 12. 14. Pet. 3. 11, _ to follow good imports more than only to do good, 1 Pet. 2. 11. cn the inward bent of the Soul, and the outward Enc leavours are t0- with is doing good, And this ought to be ever, or always, that 15 in all places, times, occaſions,company, Mans courſe of Life ought in this to be uniform, though his outward condition vary. Sometimes to do £ood to tt ec Souls, fometimes to the Bodies of men, and that either in a privative or pot:tive Good ; ; prevent ting Evil,or beftowing Z that which IS 700d. & Do 00d 11 all, and ei eclally to The Houſh old of Faith, Gal, 6. 19, As they ſay of 00d, the commoner the better, bur the contrary of evil, Chriſtians ſtand in a C, cial relation to one another, but in a com- mon Relation to all,and every Relation ought to be filledup with good. As Love is a common debt to all men, ſo the Fruit of it which is doing good, Our doing, z00cl ſhould not be confined among, Chriftians only of one W ay, Opinion, for Congregation, nor to men only under ſome limiting circumſtances, but it ſhould reach all men as we have ability, opportunity, and call z even Enemies themſelves, as our Saviour re- qu: ires, Mat. 5.44. This is to act like God, and may commend Reli- LON t0 all men, and is not to be lookt upon as commended by way of count I, as the Vapiſts ſay, but command-d by Precept, And it 1s not enou, »þ not todo E vil, but we muſt do 2004 ;. not to ſave a Mans lite when we have Power to wy it, is to kill him, as Chriſt Argues, Mark. *. 4. ſonot to ſaye a man's eſtate, when we may, is to ſteal from him.
is Rejoyce evermore /. : ; Hrore the Apofile adds more Chriftian duties, briefly expreft, and ict cloie one to ano] "er, and they ſeem to have a mutual connexion,but 20t fo relative to others as thoſe before mentioned, but perſonal to : ©: -micly es, He begins with the duty of Rejoycing ; joy i5 an affection © Soul tpringing from the 10/e Or policition of ſome ſuitable good, Ant it is either racer al, winch 15 common to bien with Beal! 5, ariling tr rom that good that is Initable to their ſeveral Natures. Or {piritual, Which i y wrouz ht by the Spirit, end exerciied upon ſpiritual Ob-
ms, C-
Kets, Ani ths: the Apoſtic here means, and is called rejuycing ia the lord, Pj41, aad the joy of the Holy Ghoſt ACM, 14. 17. Ariſing 2
4 from what "wy tual good we alreac y polſck, or 19pc to pottc ls, ind promiija, Berner, which is the ereapon called a 7cjoyetng tn Pope, t% ine G. 2. and & 12. Ihe Apolile ipeaks here of the duty inde- Fairey,” only requires If £0 be evermore, {0 Fil, 4, 44 Though God
I. THE SS #4 0N
IOMetimes calls to mourning, vet it's no where ſaid mourn evermore, becauſe rejoycing ought to be in a more conſtant practice, and all {107 - ritual mourning tends tg it, and will ent init; and he comme