A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

Especially, we must take heed that we do not admonish them of their faults, before those unto whom they desire chiefly to be approved, and to maintain their credit; for this will make them either to deny the fault, or to defend it, or to excuse and extenuate it; or if they can do none of these, to burst out into choler, as holding themselves to be much disgraced. Neither is admonition seasonable towards others, when they have begun first to admonish us, because it will seem to proceed, not from love, but from spleen; not from any dislike of their faults, but too much liking of our own; not out of a friendly liberty to do them good by reclaiming them from their sin, but out of impatience to bear reproof, which maketh us to return like for like, because we would have both lye under the same guilt; whereas if we take admonition well, and perform the like duty at another time to our neighbour, it will be imputed to the friendly liberty of love, which seeketh to reform the faulty, and not to anger and revenge, which upbraideth the like faultiness to countenance our own. Secondly, there is required, that we take fit occasions to admonish; as when our neighbours, either by their words and speeches, or their actions and behaviour do offer unto us some fit opportunity; for if it come thus by accident, if findeth ⟨p. 312⟩more easy entrance, whereas if we seem to come of purpose prepared and armed, it will seem more harsh to them whom we admonish, and but cause them to prepare also to make resistance. Or when being sharply taunted for their faults by their enemies, they are vexed and grieved with their reproaches, then may we take fit occasion to give them admonition for them, that they may not be liable to such disgraces; for this will seem to spring out of love, which seeketh their credit, and will move them to take it well, when as we of the poison of other mens railings and revilings, do make an antidote by our friendly admonitions, to preserve them from taking any hurt from them for the time to come. Thirdly, we must be careful in admonishing others, that we our selves be not guilty of the same faults which we task in them, lest they pay us in our own coin, mete unto us by the same measure, and bring us under the same condemnation.

Especially, we must take heed that we doe not admonish them of their faults, before those vnto whom they desire chiefly to bee approoued, and to maintaine their credit; for this will make them either to deny the fault, or to defend it, or to excuse and extenuate it; or if they can doe none of these, to burst out into choller, as holding themselues to be much disgraced. Neither is admonition seasonable towards others, when they haue begun first to admonish vs, because it will seeme to proceed, not from loue, but from spleene; not from any dislike of their faults, but too much liking of our owne; not out of a friendly liberty to doe them good by reclaiming them from their sinne, but out of impatiencie to beare reproofe, which maketh vs to returne like for like, because we would haue both lye vnder the same guilt; whereas if we take admonition well, and performe the like dutie at another time to our neighbour, it will be imputed to the friendly liberty of loue, which seeketh to reforme the faulty, and not to anger and reuenge, which vpbraideth the like faultinesse to countenance our owne. Secondly, there is required, that we take fit occasions to admonish; as when our neighbours, either by their words and speeches, or their actions and behauiour doe offer vnto vs some fit opportunity; for if it come thus by accident, if findeth