The use hereof serveth to teach us, that as at all times we 1be ready with all meekness and patience, to hear our selves admonished, and our sins reproved, so especially when we are exposed to these tentations, and are in danger to be infected through the neighbourhood of wicked men; seeing they are stiff in evil, we weak in good; they earnest in drawing us into sin, and we weak in making resistance; they apt to infect us, and we as apt to receive infection. And for as much as we live in dangerous times, wherein faith, piety and justice exceedingly fail amongst men, and contrariwise all manner of sin and wickedness aboundeth upon the face of the earth; let us not only carefully watch over our own hearts and ways, that we may escape these dangers, but also let us be content to suffer the Lords watchmen to oversee us; and when they observing out declining from good things, coldness in holy duties, and proneness unto the sins of these sinful times, do out of Gods word admonish us either publicly or privately of our defection and corruption, and exhort us to amendment, let us patiently hearken to their admonitions and exhortations, seeing we shall find all little enough to keep us from being carried away with the stream of common corruptions, and to preserve us from being infected with the contagion of these sinful times. Yea and not only let us hearken to the admonitions of Gods Ministers in ⟨p. 293⟩the ministry of the word; but also let private men in the fear of God both perform the duty of admonition, when they see their neighbour ready to fall into sin, or already fallen, and also when themselves need, be as ready to be admonished of their faults, as being an excellent means sanctified by God, both for the restraining of men from sin, before it is committed, and to restore them by true repentance when they have committed it. And this mutual duty of admonition is commended unto us, Levit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but thou shalt plainly rebuke 2thy neighbour, and not suffer him to sin. Hebr. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily, whilst it is called to day, lest any of you be 3hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. So Mat. 18. 15. Pro. 27. 5. 6. And so for hearkening unto admonition, it is likewise commended unto us, Pro. 10. 17. He that regardeth instruction is in the way of life, &c.
The vse hereof serueth to teach vs, that as at all times wee 1be ready with all meeknesse and patience, to heare our selues admonished, and our sinnes reproued, so especially when we are exposed to these tentations, and are in danger to be infected through the neighbourhood of wicked men; seeing they are stiffe in euill, we weak in good; they earnest in drawing vs into sinne, and wee weake in making resistance; they apt to infect vs, and we as apt to receiue infection. And for as much as we liue in dangerous times, wherein faith, pietie and iustice exceedingly faile amongst men, and contrariwise all manner of sinne and wickednesse aboundeth vpon the face of the earth; let vs not only carefully watch ouer our owne hearts and waies, that we may escape these dangers, but also let vs be content to suffer the Lords watchmen to ouersee vs; and whē they obseruing out declining from good things, coldnesse in holy duties, and pronenesse vnto the sinnes of these sinfull times, doe out of Gods word admonish vs either publikely or priuately of our defection and corruption, and exhort vs to amendment, let vs patiently hearken to their admonitions and exhortations, seeing wee shall finde all little enough to keep vs from being carried away with the streame of common corruptions, and to preserue vs from being infected with the contagion of these sinfull times. Yea and not only let vs hearken to the admonitions of Gods Ministers in ⟨p. 293⟩the ministerie of the word; but also let priuate men in the feare of God both performe the dutie of admonition, when they see their neighbour readie to fall into sinne, or alreadie fallen, and also when themselues need, be as readie to be admonished of their faults, as being an excellent meanes sanctified by God, both for the restraining of men from sinne, before it is committed, and to restore them by true repentance when they haue committed it. And this mutuall dutie of admonition is commended vnto vs, Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart, but thou shalt plainly rebuke 2thy neighbour, and not suffer him to sinne. Hebr. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily, whilest it is called to day, lest any of you be 3hardned through the deceitfulnes of sin. So Mat. 18. 15.
- 1We must patiently hear our selves admonished and reproved.We must patiently heare our selues admonished and reprooued.
- 2Levit. 19. 17.Leuit. 19. 17.
- 3Heb. 3. 13. Matth. 18. 15. Prou. 27. 5. 6. & 10. 17. & 15 32.
