An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…

I will not condemn these men, for possibly it may be God gives them to see further than others do, but yet, by this they have ease: but now were these men ingenuous, they should consider their brethren thus. I have a Latitude, and I could go along with the countenance of the times as they were before, the former times, and now the times are changed, I can go in these times too; But some ¹others whom I have reason to judge, as faithful, as gracious as my self, they have no such latitude, it falls out unhappily for them, for in former times their judgments could not suffer them to do what was enjoined them, they were fain to suffer and to be deprived of estates and livings and whatsoever they had; well, now the times are changed, it falls out so that their judgments cannot suit now neither with these times, and yet surely it is not through frowardness, nor through perverseness, ⟨p. 99⟩for take these men in all things else, I find them as conscientious, as spiritual as my self, Alas! must they now suffer, and shall I ad to their afflictions? shall my hand be used to lay the yoke on them & to press it hard? God forbid, I'll rather study, though I will not balk any truth, I'll stand to defend what ever I am persuaded in my conscience is a truth, yet I'll study what possibly I can to ease them, and to make their lives as comfortable to them as I can; I know God hath given them ability and hearts to do him service, and it may be as much as I, Oh! why should they be hindered and discouraged in their work? I'll study what latitude there may be for them: This were somewhat like, Oh! this were ingenuity indeed, this would savour of a good spirit indeed, This would be a good testimony of your thankfulness unto God for breaking off the yokes that were upon you: My brethren when our yokes are taken away, or lifted up we must have regard to others as well as our selves, and not think or say, let them bear, let their necks bear; Oh no, what are our necks more than theirs? If God pities his people and will lift up the yoke, let us do what we can to put under our hand although we bear somewhat our selves. Some men they glory in imposing upon others; but it is the Glory of God to take off the yoke from the Jaws of others, and from their necks, that's his Glory; 'tis not such a glorious thing to lay yokes upon others, but the glory is in lifting up the yoke from them.

I will not condemn these men, for possibly it may be God gives them to see further than others do, but yet, by this they have ease: but now were these men ingenuous, they should consider their brethren thus. I have a Latitude, and I could go along with the countenance of the times as they were before, the former times, and now the times are changed, I can go in these times too; But some