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

Yea perhaps we may incur thereby the suspicion ¹of hypocrites, who tell others of their sins to hide our own, or like subtle thieves, raise a clamour against our neighbours, that we may the better escape in the Hiew and Cry; or of disliking their person more then their sin, seeing we nourish the like in our own bosom. Or if Christian love move us to admonish them in this kind, because such sins bear more sway in them then in us, being committed by them wilfully and with settled resolution, by us through frailty, infirmity, and at unawares, seeing they defend them, and we bewail them, they cherish and nourish them, we condemn and labour to mortify them; we may, being our selves faulty in this case, admonish others: but then it is best to prevent their upbraiding by confessing our own frailty, and by applying our admonition to our selves together with them, as thereby seeking our mutual reformation. Fourthly, our admonitions must proceed from brotherly love, the which being a grace hidden in our hearts, we must make known by the fruits of it. To which end we must use all lenity, meekness of spirit, compassion in the sense of the like infirmities in our selves, with mild and gentle speeches, showing in our hatred of their sin, the love of their person. And though the party may discern them, yet if we would do any good, we may not use any insulting speeches, contumelious words, scoffs, scorns, or biting jests; and howsoever in some cases for lesser faults, or when we have to deal with a froward nature, we may sweeten our admonition, by speaking merrily, and in a pleasant manner, yet we must take heed that we retain our gravity, lest it be turned into a jest, and so lose all its force and efficacy. But especially we are to take heed that our admonitions do not appear to have risen out of self-love, and respect to our own particular, but out of our love of them whom we admonish; for if this be but suspected, it will never take any place, because we seek not their good, but our own. And secondly, that they proceed not from anger and choler, which will make it seem a chiding and brawling, rather then an admonition; and an action of raving, rather then of love.

Yea perhaps we may incurre thereby the suspition ¹of hypocrites, who tell others of their sinnes to hide our owne, or like subtill theeues, raise a clamour against our neighbours, that wee may the better escape in the Hiew and Cry; or of disliking their person more then their sinne, seeing we nourish the like in our owne bosome. Or if Christian loue mooue vs to admonish them in this kinde, because such sinnes beare more sway in them then in vs, being committed by them wilfully and with settled resolution, by vs through frailty, infirmity, and at vnawares, seeing they defend them, and we bewaile them, they cherish and nourish them, we condemne and labour to mortifie them; we may, being our selues faulty in this case, admonish others: but then it is best to preuent their vpbraiding by confessing our owne frailty, and by applying our admonition to our selues together with them, as thereby seeking our mutuall reformation. Fourthly, our admonitions must proceed from brotherly loue, the which being a grace hidden in our hearts, wee must make knowne by the fruits of it. To which end we must vse all lenity, meekenesse of spirit, compassion in the sense of the like infirmities in our selues, with milde and gentle speeches, shewing in our hatred of their sinne, the loue of their person. And though the party may discerne them, yet if we would doe any good, we may not vse any insulting speeches, contumelious words, scoffes, scornes, or byting iests; and howsoeuer in some cases for lesser faults, or when we haue to deale with a froward nature, we may sweeten our admonition, by speaking merrily, and in a pleasant manner, yet wee must take heed that we retaine our grauity, lest it bee turned into a iest, and so lose all its force and efficacy. But especially wee are to take heed that our admonitions doe not appeare to haue risen out of selfe-loue, and respect to our owne particular, but out of our loue of them whom we admonish; for if this be but suspected, it will neuer take any place, because wee seeke not their good, but our owne. And secondly, that they proceed not from anger and choller, which will make it seeme a chiding and brawling, rather then an admonition; and an action of rauing, rather then of loue.