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Show 'I'k DofJrint applied. dence to cal1 Hereticks and Schifmadcks, L01 d ! how much of Gods wheat hath been thus pull'd up infiead of tares by MagiOrates in Popi!h time ? Bu~ where the Magill rate knows that tl1e perfoo is a Blafph~mrr, an Idolater, a Teacher of Doctrine in its own trndrncy, leading to civil dillurbance, or to the overthrow of the Fundamentals of Faith and Holinefs : But I am not in fuch . an auditory. 2. Were I (peaking before an auditory conlifiigg either wholly,. or much of my Rtvtrtnd F atbtr 1 and Brttbren, in the work of the Minillry; I would fpeak to them J:kewife to be ferviceable both to their Lord, and to their own · and peoples Souls ; by takjng th<' Foxrs, the little Foxu, by opening to their people the whole counlel of God; by Preaching againlllin, te-aching men to mortify their lulls and Corruptions ( the worll Foxes in che world; ) by · llrengthening their peopleagainlltemptationJ;by preaching down, mvy, malice, bitternrj1, batrrd, the roots of perfecution,and preaching up Brotherly Lov.e, mutual forbearing one another. I would fpeak to them, to take falfe TracherJ Bernard·, way, non armiJ·fed• argum.ent.is.; not by weapons but· by arguments convincing them of their errours. One good argument will do more than a thoufand· jeers, and pittiful quibbles-, or more down-right reviliogs. I !hould advife them in llead of CJying out to the M:rgi· tlrate, a Fox, a Fox, to fetthemfclves io earn ell to take them, h)' convincing them of the truth, by confuting thdr errors by dcwnright Scripture-argument, by Gofpel-admonifh ing them, by leifurable rejecting them if they will not hear. l'his would more be· come the Miniller of the Gofpel, than runni ng prefently to the next Jullice to cell· him he hath a Fox ill bi1 parijh, though that may be his duty,but not till that which is his proper work be litll done. The truth is we live in· an age, when many owning · che name ofMinillers, take little care to catch the Foxes which fpoil the Lords Vines, unlefi an empty boVo..,iMg alone would do it. But I forbear conlidering my auditory. 3· let me clofeall,with the inforcement of this duty upon every particular Soul that is before the Lord this day: Takt the Foxu, the little Foxu, l have prevented my felf as to much enlargement having ·before !hewed you, wbatthrfe Foxu "'ere and how they may be taken. 1. Livt in the mortification ofy.ur luftt. Thefc of an· others are the mofi defirudive to Chrifi's Vines, the very nature of the Fox lieth ~B ·PolJrine applied. , )ieth in ltdt and corruption. 0 ;ake thefe·Foxes 1 you /hal! have a j'ireat many very zealous for taking Foxes abroad,but they do not dtg th.em out. earthed in their own Souls; you cannot fee nor hear ,the~ tn pubhck but they are in full chafe after Foxu, ( Hereticks S~:htlinattcks as they will call them whether fo or no : ) Thete whole b.ulinefs is a .hollowing after them, and a runninl them ~own Wtth •.11 the mtght they can make ( right or wrong ; ) but ' In the m~an ttme, n~ne can come near them, but they mutt {mel! {o 'much prtde, prompttng them to think themfelves alone are infalli- 1 ble: So much malice and envy, not induring a good word of : thetr Broth.er, and directint\ all imaginable arrows at cheir hearts, to fay nothtng o~ the love ol prehrminenct ( Diotrrphn his dife•fe, ) or. th; "'orld, whteh was Dema1 hil'luft, or the fenfual plcafurcs of chts hfe. That every one who cometh near them may fpealt the wortl Foxes ~arthed in thei~ own bofome. Thus they fay fame Hunrs-men tue chem(e!ves 10 chafing of Foxes far from home· ~~t fpue them nearer for their fport. Nay thas .the Fox they fa; trfelf". p~eyeth farthell from home, and fpareth che Lambs thac ·are near tts· own. bJrrough; . bur, Oh, Lee• it not be fo with· •you! ~- Live in a "daily watchftilnefs;againll,anil a re!i!lancc of;ternp.' tattoos to lin, watch and pray that you encer not into Temptati• ons... As _ro your great ell enemies live in the exercife ofF Jith and ·P•tunce, tn a bold, and yet meek and · humble confeffion of the truths and ways ofChr!lt. And as co fodum" 'and f•lfo Tracber~ T~ke them a!fo,asthe Apollles took-the Corinthians, 2 Cor.Il . I3: be~ng crafty I t~obo~ by gHile,- t·akc chem by taking heed they do Jnjot take you. F1rll d1fccrn thetn, if their herefy be damnable her.y.. For fuch chere is (as the Apo!lle tells us) defiructive of F atth or. Holuufr, gi vin.g liberty to che flefh, leading you to Joof· nefs ofhfe, or · to a demal of the Fuodamencals of Religion avoid tht~. · ':-e~ them be to you as Heath"" and Publicanes : where ,the•; op1010ns arc not evidently of this tendency, take them by -L1V '· by mutual forbearance. ·But thefe things I have enlarged upon before; you have arguments enough in the T~xt. . I. They are Foxn, therefore not fit company for Lambr and Sheep, whteh are the names Chrifi gives ·his ·people .2 • They !foil the Vine1. The law of nature reacheth every one to preferve h1mfelf. 3· You are Chriftt Vinu, bought with the·price .ofhis blood. . Iii 2 -4· Hw |