17 Remember that it is the will of Jesus Christ, that you who partake of the same word of life, and of the same Sacramental Bread and Wine, should admonish one another, exhort one another, watch over one another, bear the burdens of one another, provoke one another to love and good works; seek the good of one another, and not ⟨image 15⟩your own good only. That you should warn the unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, and support the weak. That this is your duty appears, from Col. 3. 16. Phil. 2. 4. Heb. 1. 24. Gal. 6. 1. Rom. 15. 2. Rom. 14. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 15. 1 Thes. 5. 11, 13, 14. The 12th. vers. speaks of Ministerial and authoritative admonition, but the 13, and 14. verses of fraternal and charitative. These Texts will rise up in Judgement against thousands of Christians at the last day. I do not say that you are to admonish none but those of your own Society. Admonition is an act of mercy; It is spiritualis Eleemosyna, spiritual Alms, and you are bound by the royal law of charity, by the communion of Saints, the communion of Churches, and communion of natures, to distribute these spiritual alms to all that need them, as God shall give occasion. But this I say, you ought especially to admonish them, and watch over them. This is novum, though not solum vinculum. Some Divines think ⟨image 16⟩that one chief reason why the Israelites were punished for Achans sin, was because they did not admonish him, and watch-over him: For the Israelites were commanded in the plural number, Josh. 6. 18. Keep your selves from the accursed thing, &c. He was one of the body, and because they did not watch over him, they communicated in his sin, and in his punishment. There is an excellent Law in this Nation, That every Parish shall provide for its own poor. And by parity of reason, it is as just and equal, That every Congregation should chiefly and especially look to the souls of their own members, to warn them, admonish them, exhort them, and watch over them.
17 Remember that it is the will of Jesus Christ, that you who partake of the same word of life, and of the same Sacramental Bread and Wine, should admonish one another, exhort one another, watch over one another, bear the burdens of one another, provoke one another to love and good works; seek the good of one another, and not ⟨image 15⟩your own good only. That you should warn the unruly, comfort the feebleminded, and support the weak. That this is your duty appears, from Col. 3. 16. Phil. 2. 4. Heb. 1. 24. Gal. 6. 1. Rom. 15. 2. Rom. 14. 7. 2. Cor. 5. 15. 1 Thes. 5. 11, 13, 14. The 12th. vers. speaks of Ministerial and authoritative admonition, but the 13, and 14. verses of fraternal and charitative. These Texts will rise up in Iudgement against thousands of Christians at the last day. I do not say that you are to admonish none but those of your own Society. Admonition is an act of mercy; It is spiritualis Eleemosyna, spiritual Almes, and you are bound by the royal law of charity, by the communion of Saints, the communion of Churches, and communion of natures, to distribute these spiritual almes to all that need them, as God shall give occasion. But this I say, you ought especially to admonish them, and watch over them. This is novum, though not solum vinculum. Some Divines think ⟨image 16⟩that one chief reason why the Israelites were punished for Achans sin, was because they did not admonish him, and watch-over him: For the Israelites were commanded in the plural number, Josh. 6. 18. Keep your selves from the accursed thing, &c. Hee was one of the body, and because they did not watch over him, they communicated in his sin, and in his punishment. There is an excellent Law in this Nation, That every Parish shall provide for its own poor. And by parity of reason, it is as just and equal, That every Congregation should chiefly and especially look to the souls of their own members, to warn them, admonish them, exhort them, and watch over them.
